Pumpkins pumpkins everywhere!!

Tis the pumpkin season!   Although the weather is definitely getting colder :( I am happy for the outburst of local pumpkins and apples around!  These two foods are not only my favorite foods of all time, they are also astonishingly good for you!  Here's the facts:

Apple (1 medium = 3" diameter) has:  95 calories, 4.4g fiber, 19 grams of natural sugar, 11mg of calcium (bones), 9 mg magnesium (muscle and nerve function), 8.4 mg vitamin C (eye site/protect from free radicals), and many other essential nutrients.

Pumpkin (1 C cooked, boiled, and drained without salt):  49 calories, 2.7 grams fiber, 37 mg calcium, 22 mg magnesium, 74 mg phosphorus (bone health), 564 mg potassium (electrolyte balance), and 12230 IU vitamin A (bone growth, vision, reproduction, cell division...) Note: an IU is an International Unit, which is used for the fat-soluble vitamins of A, D, and E.

The giant pumpkin that ate the smaller pumpkin! (Andrew and I carved this on Sunday while watching football)

All the other pumpkins that we bought and are going to consume (seeds and all)

My first batch of pumpkin seeds (recipe follows)

Pumpkin Seeds:

Preheat oven to 380 degrees.  Make sure the seeds have been rinsed, and set out to dry over night.

Coat with 2 t olive oil, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t cumin, and a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.  Bake for about 15 minutes, checking and tossing every 5.  They are done when they are golden and crispy!!

Oh, and I have also been making my own bread!  I am using the one from a few posts ago...you can store the batter in your fridge for up to 12 days and the longer it sits, the more it tastes like sour dough!  All you need is 3 C warm water, 1 1/2 T salt, 1 1/2 T active dry yeast, and 6 C flour of choice (I have been using rye, whole wheat, and corn meal).  Let it proof for 2 hours then either bake in 1 lb batches at 375 for 45 minutes, or store in the fridge or freezer until you are ready for fresh bread!

Enjoy the local harvest and luana ola!