Pumpkin Time!

by Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers

Recognized in the literary world with stories such as Cinderella, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater, the pumpkin is no stranger to the spotlight. Each year in the USA, thousands of pumpkins are carved into jack 'o lanterns and many pumpkin pies are eaten at Thanksgiving celebrations!

Pumpkin is excellent for you. It has no cholesterol and is low in fat and sodium and rich in vitamins. The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that it is loaded with the antioxidant, beta- carotene. Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease and other aspects of aging.

On top of being good for your health, Pumpkins taste good too. That's why they are a part of the diet in almost every country in the world.

Age to introduce: About 8 to 10 months (cooked and pureed).

Toddler Treat: Pumpkin Sauce This is the not-so-well-known cousin of apple sauce -- a side dish that can go with any meal, delicious as a spread on bread too! View the recipe: Pumpkin Sauce

Pumpkins for everyone:

Pumpkins find their place across the menu -- breakfast, lunch and dinner and dessert -- whether its pancakes, muffins, seeds for snacking, hearty soup, stuffed pumpkin or tasty pie. Here are few ideas for adding more pumpkin to your family meals:

1. Add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned) and 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to you pancakes for breakfast. They taste terrific with maple syrup and chopped pecans!

2. Add 1 to 2 cups of pumpkin puree (fresh or canned) to your favorite chili recipe

3. Use pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned) instead of banana in your favorite banana bread or muffin recipe.

4. Make mashed potatoes with 1/2 white potatoes 1/2 pumpkin.

5. Bake pumpkin like a squash. Before baking, drizzle pumpkin meat with a mixture of balsamic vinegar, honey and chili flakes.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: Don't waste pumpkin seeds after cooking or making jack-o-lanterns. It is easy to roast the seeds for a delicious and nutritious snack. The hulls are a great source of fiber with the seeds containing a high amount of phosphorus. Let the kids slosh through the slippery seeds and pick out the fibers. View the recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Fun Facts:

Original recipe for pumpkin pie: Colonists sliced off pumpkin tops; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes.

About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby ( www.FreshBaby.com ). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets.