Pumpkins are loaded with anti oxidants and beta carotene. Current research points out that beta-carotene may reduce the risk of certain cancers and offers protection against heart disease. Pumpkin is also a good source of vitamins A, C, K, and E and lot of minerals including iron, magnesium and potassium.
You can make many varieties of dishes with pumpkin, besides pumpkin pie. Here is a simple stir fry which goes well with rice, roti and can be used in sandwiches as well.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin- 3 cups (chopped into bite size pieces)
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Urad dhal – 2 teaspoons
- Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Red chili – 3 (broken into small pieces)
- Raw sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Oil – 2 teaspoons
Directions
1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, let them pop. Add urad dhal and wait for 30 to 45 seconds to change color.
2. Add broken red chilies and onion. Cook onion till the raw smell goes away and stir in cubed pumpkin. Close the pan and cook in medium flame for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Once the pumpkins are tender stir in salt and sugar. Mix and switch off the stove.
Can be served with rice, dosa, roti and breads.
I was quiet taken aback when I came across this cookie in a magazine. I have tried pumpkin cakes, pies and muffins, but not cookies. I was keen to try this cookie as the recipe called in for chunks of pumpkin and not pureed form. Using pumpkin in an oatmeal cookie? I knew I was folding my sleeve up to try this. Who does not like a cookie loaded with antioxidants and beta carotene.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour – 1 cup
- Old fashioned oats- 2 cups
- Light browned sugar- 1 ½ cups.
- Dried cranberries- 1cup
- Butter/margarine/shortening – ½ cup
- Pumpkin (cubed) – ½ cup
- Ground cinnamon – 1 tsp
- Ground nutmeg- ½ tsp
- Baking soda- ¼ tsp
- Apple sauce -1/4 cup
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
- Salt – ½ tsp
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a bowl mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda.
3. Beat brown sugar and margarine for 5 minutes at low speed. Stir in apple sauce and vanilla extract. Add pumpkin, beat until well blended.Now add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold in gently. Stir in oats and cranberries to form a thick dough.
4. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons at 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 12 minutes. When the sides start to brown, switch off the oven, cool for a couple of minutes.
I cut pumpkin into small pieces; micro waved them for 4 minutes and cooled them before blending into cookie batter.
However the cookie was chewy and delicious and disappeared soon.
