Halloween Queen: 7 Fun Facts And 3 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes

October is traditionally held in anticipation of an ironic and reckless Halloween, one of the main symbols of which is a pumpkin. Imagine our surprise when we discovered that the orange "egg-pods" became associated with this holiday relatively recently. What did you not know about the pumpkin?

Pumpkin is blue

All kinds of pumpkins do not exist in nature! And round, and flat, and elongated, and in the shape of a jug. Pumpkin varieties are striking in their variety, and today there are more than fifty of them. In our area, yellow and orange pumpkins are most often found, but it turns out that this is not the limit: pumpkins are white, beige, pink and even blue. True, to call the shade of the last variety blue would be an exaggeration - the peel of the vegetable has a grayish tint, and the pulp casts gold, but, nevertheless, this type of pumpkin, bred in 1932 in the United States, is considered the rarest. The shape of such a pumpkin is also unusual: the fruit seems to be pulled in the middle with a tourniquet.

Pumpkin ─ champion by weight

As for the size, here the pumpkin can be safely recognized as the queen of all vegetables, because it can reach a weight of 250-300 kilograms. The largest pumpkin was grown by Jerry Chekton in America in 1999. This fruit has broken every conceivable weight record: the pumpkin weighed 513 kilograms. The pumpkin also breaks records in the opposite direction: the weight of the smallest specimen of pumpkin recorded in agrohistory was only 300 grams.

Pumpkin heals

In an extreme situation, when the necessary drugs are not at hand, pumpkin pulp will replace a powerful anti-burn agent. Gruel made from grated pumpkin pulp has a beneficial effect on the skin, relieving inflammation around the damaged area. Pumpkin seed oil has also long been considered a good substitute for pharmaceutical products.

Pumpkin ─ food for losing weight

For all dieters, note: pumpkin significantly speeds up metabolism and is one of the lowest-calorie foods. Pumpkin is incredibly rich in a variety of vitamins, which, during severe restrictions, will help keep the body in good shape. Pumpkin pulp is a storehouse of vitamins A and B, protein, iron and potassium. Pumpkin dishes help prevent diseases such as tuberculosis, diabetes and gallstone disease. And pumpkin is also a powerful diuretic, so doctors recommend it for violations of the kidneys, heart and edema during pregnancy.

Pumpkin grows everywhere

Pumpkin is perhaps the only vegetable that is capable of bearing fruit anywhere in the world (except that in Antarctica, some problems may arise with its cultivation). Pumpkin is one of the oldest fruits on the planet. Travelers many centuries ago found it in the most unexpected places in the world. In Russia, it appeared in the middle of the 16th century. In China, talismans were made from pumpkin peels, which were supposed to bring good luck and wealth to the house, and Thai healers still treat infertility with a decoction of pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin ─ symbol of Halloween

We are used to the pumpkin being the main symbol of All Saints Day. In fact, the pumpkin entered the history of Halloween relatively recently ─ at the beginning of the 19th century (the holiday itself has been celebrated since the tenth century). And although Halloween has Irish roots, for the first time, pumpkin was used as an attribute of the celebration in America. In Ireland, improvised candlesticks were carved from beets, turnips, and even potatoes. It was believed that a "designer" root crop, left on All Saints Day near the house, would drive away evil spirits from it. When the tradition of celebrating Halloween reached the United States, lamps were made from pumpkins, the most affordable and cheapest product.

Pumpkin is a real delicacy

We offer several pumpkin recipes for seeding (and dressing), which will not only help to deal with the fruits of the autumn harvest, but also decorate the seasonal table.

Pumpkin curd casserole

Ingredients

• Pumpkin - 500 gr
• Cottage cheese - 150 gr
• Chicken egg - 2 pcs.
• Sugar - 6 tbsp. l.
• Semolina - 3 tbsp. l.
• Raisins - 50 g
• Butter

Preparation

Peel the pumpkin, cut into large pieces and bake in the oven at 180 degrees (40-45 minutes). After baking, let the pumpkin cool and chop it in mashed potatoes. Add half the sugar and one egg to the pumpkin puree. In another bowl, mix the curd with the second egg, semolina, the remaining sugar and raisins, and mix well. Grease the baking dish with butter and put pumpkin and cottage cheese in layers in it alternately. Cooking the casserole at 180 degrees for 50 minutes.

Pumpkin puree soup

Ingredients

• Butter - 200 g
• Onion - 1 pc.
• Celery stalk - 1 pc.
• Carrots - 1 pc.
• Potatoes - 2 pcs.
• Pumpkin - 1 pc.
• Chicken bouillon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat the butter in a large saucepan and fry the chopped onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and pumpkin for five minutes, until lightly browned. Fill them with chicken broth so that they are completely covered with liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 30-40 minutes (until all vegetables are fully cooked). We transfer the vegetable mass to a blender and punch until a homogeneous consistency. Pour the pumpkin mass into a saucepan and dilute with the remaining broth if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Pumpkin cocoa

A chocolate drink in autumn colors with the addition of pumpkin and spicy spices is a unique seasonal novelty on the menu of the Gorod-Sad bar. This cozy vegan drink with a pleasant chocolate pumpkin flavor will appeal to all cocoa lovers.

Ingredients

• Cocoa powder - 5g
• Pumpkin puree - 50 g
• Oat milk 150 ml
• Coconut cream - 50 g
• Cinnamon - 1 g
• Ground ginger - 1 g
• Nutmeg - 1 g
• Maple syrup - 10 ml

Preparation

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Add spices and maple syrup. Burn up to a temperature of 65 - 70 degrees.

Photo: Getty Images

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