The bright orange pumpkin fruits that are harvested in the first weeks of September remind us of the past summer. The birthplace of this unusual vegetable is South America.
The ancient tribes of the Indians began to cultivate pumpkin five thousand years ago BC. Oil was made from seeds, pulp was used to prepare various dishes, and dishes were made from rough peel.
In Russia, a solar pumpkin appeared in the 16th century. Currently, about twenty varieties are known with decorative and edible fruits. In our country, the most common pumpkin is ordinary. The plant prefers subtropical and temperate natural zones. To ripen a pumpkin requires a large amount of light, heat and moisture.
Pumpkin honey , casseroles, salads, cereals and side dishes - why not cook from these fruits! Pumpkin is suitable even for diet and baby food, so the necessary cooking recipe can be found without difficulty.
Beneficial features
Pumpkin is rarely eaten raw, it is often cooked, because even baked pumpkin with honey does not lose its beneficial properties.
A wonderful combination of vitamins and minerals deserves special attention:
- Vitamin T, or carnitine, is very rare in plant foods. It plays an important role in the digestive process: it helps the body absorb animal fats, preventing obesity. For this reason, experts advise adding “ pumpkin puree ” to the “heavy” dishes of beef and pork . The recommendation is especially useful for those who suffer from metabolic disorders and are prone to overweight.
- Vitamins C and B - help to defeat seasonal depression, give strength, calm the nervous system and relieve fatigue. It is best to treat yourself to fresh squeezed pumpkin juice in the fall and spring.
- Vitamin K - indicated for bleeding disorders. It helps to absorb calcium from food, thus preventing the development of osteoporosis.
- Vitamin E - a source of youth, supports skin elasticity.
- Potassium + magnesium - this combination relieves the body of excess water, and, therefore, of cellulite. Recommended for people with kidney problems and prone to swelling.
Pumpkin must certainly appear in the diet in patients with gallstone disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, gout and atherosclerosis. With edema during pregnancy, a violation of the heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and the fight against excess weight, be sure to pay attention to these bright yellow fruits.
An important role is played not only by the flesh of pumpkins, but also by seeds, which are rich in proteins and vegetable oils. Their regular use can also solve a number of problems, such as:
- dandruff and oily hair;
- acne on the body and face.
Seeds are used to normalize the functioning of the reproductive system in women and men, as well as an anthelmintic.
How to choose?
Many summer residents grow pumpkins on their six hundredths. Drying of the stem and bright color are the main signs of ripeness.
Be sure to pick the pumpkin in dry weather in the first two weeks of September. It is best to store the fruits in a dark place and at room temperature - such conditions will allow you to enjoy the sweet pulp from several months to one year.
But what about those who go for sunny fruit to the market or to the store? Key tips:
- As we have said, the tail should fall off by itself. If you see the place of cut, it means that the pumpkin did not have time to ripen and was plucked ahead of schedule.
- Fruits with a dense peel covered with natural wax are stored much longer.
- Try to choose pumpkin varieties with small fruits - they are best suited for cooking various dishes.
- Stop buying chopped pumpkin slices that may turn rotten or dried out. If there is no other option, then try to taste the seeds - the large size and ripeness confirm the maturity of the fruit itself.
- Do not choose large pumpkins, because most often they are bitter, watery or, conversely, already dry.
The secret of longevity
Caucasian centenarians have long since revealed their secrets. The product that should be in the diet of every person is honey from pumpkin. Recall that some micronutrients and vitamins are found only in pumpkin honey, you certainly will not find them in a treat that bees give us.
Pumpkin honey is distinguished by its light yellow tint and delicate melon-like taste. One of the main features of the product is the ability to remove harmful substances from the body. Experts advise taking it in case of poisoning or constipation.
You can exchange white sugar for pumpkin honey during tea drinking or prepare a healthy snack of cottage cheese and honey - just mix the two ingredients in a ratio of 10 to 1.
Cooking yourself
On sale, real pumpkin honey, collected by bees from flowers, is quite difficult to find. We offer an alternative that is slightly inferior in healing properties and quality.
So, to make honey at home, you only need three components: a small ripe pumpkin, sugar and patience.
Recipe
Take the fruit, cut off the top so that you get a “cap”. Peel the pumpkin from seeds and pulp, and fill the empty container with sugar and close the lid.
Place the pumpkin in a saucepan or bowl - over time, the peel will become softer, which will certainly cause difficulties in transportation. Store the pumpkin in a cool place for ten days (until the sugar has completely dissolved).
During the preparation of honey, mold may form on the pumpkin, but there is nothing to worry about. Just make a hole in the side and move the finished product through it into a clean jar.
Pumpkin honey is stored in the refrigerator for no more than a month. The term can be increased by cooking until thickened, but some of the beneficial properties will be lost.
Another option is to use real honey instead of white sugar.
Simple and delicious
A ripe and fragrant pumpkin baked in the oven with honey is an excellent option for a dessert that will be appreciated by adults and children. Culinary gurus know many ways to prepare this dish, and we decided to present the best of them.
Do you like pumpkin in the oven with honey? The recipe is incredibly simple:
- Choose a small pumpkin and wash it thoroughly.
- Peel and cut into slices.
- Cover the pan with parchment and lay the pumpkin on top.
- Pour the slices with honey. If you have candied honey, then slightly heat it over low heat to a liquid state.
- At a temperature of 220 degrees, bake a pumpkin for 10-12 minutes, then turn the slices over and pour over honey again.
- After another ten minutes, serve dessert with sour cream or cottage cheese.
Pumpkin in the oven with honey will become even tastier if you use various additives. In this case, walnuts or sesame seeds are perfect.
More Vitamin C
No less tasty will be pumpkin in the oven with slices of honey and orange. The following ingredients are required for this recipe:
- 500 g of pumpkin;
- orange;
- 4 tbsp. l honey;
- 1 tsp cinnamon.
Cut the flesh of the pumpkin into small pieces and put them in a special bowl suitable for baking. Pour honey and mix. Remove the peel from the orange, chop and add to the pumpkin, and freshly squeezed juice, pour the mass on top. Finally, sprinkle cinnamon on the plate. The cooking process in the oven at 180 degrees will take about 30 minutes.
Children's menu
The baked pumpkin in the oven with honey is very popular with children. The main condition is the absence of an allergy to honey.
Cut the pulp in the same way as in the recipe for adults, pour honey and send to the oven. The only difference is the cooking time. For small gourmets, it is best to hold the pumpkin in the oven for up to 40 minutes.
If you make the slices a little thinner, and increase the time a little, then the result is real candied pumpkin.
To garnish
Fans of unusual taste sensations will surely enjoy our next recipe. Baked pumpkin with honey is associated with dessert in most people, but what about a savory side dish?
Hurry up to make a list of products:
- 400 g of pumpkin;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 2 tbsp. l vegetable oil;
- 1 tsp honey;
- 1 tsp acute mustard;
- a sprig of rosemary;
- 100 ml of orange fresh;
- 2 tsp lemon juice;
- ground black pepper and salt;
- a slice of red chili pepper.
At the first stage, chop finely chili and garlic. We chop fresh rosemary with a knife (we grind dried rosemary in a mortar).
At the second stage, we prepare marinade in a separate container, into which we add the following ingredients: honey, olive oil, chili, mustard, rosemary, orange and lemon juices, pepper, salt and garlic. Whisk everything with a whisk for better mixing. The taste of the marinade should be the perfect combination of salty, spicy and sweet.
At the third stage, we clear the flesh from the peel and seeds, cut into small plates (thickness 3 mm). If the pumpkin, cooked in the oven with honey, will be served as a side dish for meat dishes, then it is better to choose unsweetened nutmeg varieties (flesh of honey or light yellow color).
At the fourth stage, pour the prepared slices with marinade and leave for 30-40 minutes. Then, in a preheated oven to 200 degrees, put the baking dish and cover with a lid or foil so that the pumpkin does not dry out. After 15 minutes, check the flesh - it should be soft on the outside and a little crunchy inside, but in no case loose. Cooking time depends on the type of pumpkin, so do not forget to check the readiness.
Pumpkin in the oven with honey, the recipe of which you just read, can be served at the table as an independent dish. In this case, choose sweeter varieties with bright orange flesh.
With lemon
Incredibly delicious is pumpkin in the oven with slices of honey and lemon. To prepare such a dessert you will need:
- 300 g of pumpkin;
- one lemon;
- 3 tsp honey;
- 0.5 tsp cinnamon.
In a container, mix freshly squeezed lemon juice, cinnamon and honey. Put slices of pumpkin on a baking sheet covered with parchment and pour over the cooked “sauce”. Bake a healthy dessert at 200 degrees for about 40 minutes.
In the cooking process, you can add another seasonal fruit. For example, pumpkin with apples and honey goes well - such a delicacy will appeal to even small picks.
Stuffed pumpkin
Baked pumpkin with apples and honey can be cooked in a more interesting way.
Ingredients:
- half a large pumpkin (approximately 600-700 g);
- 1 tsp honey;
- two sweet apples (approximately 500 g);
- a mixture of nuts - 30 g (hazelnuts, cashews, almonds);
- dried apricots and prunes (20 g each);
- 1 tsp coconut flakes.
First step. Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, cut in half and remove the seeds. We also cut the apples into slices. Wash dried fruits and let dry. Grind the nut mixture with a mortar.
Second phase. Take half a pumpkin and grease inside with honey. We put prunes and dried apricots on the bottom, sprinkle a little coconut flakes and nuts. The next layer is apples and a little more dried apricots, at the end we grease with honey, and pour the remaining nuts and shavings into the middle.
The third stage. Cover the container with a foil lid and transfer to a baking sheet. Pumpkin with apples and honey in the oven is baked for the first ten minutes at maximum temperature. Then we reduce the temperature to a minimum level and leave to languish for another 40-50 minutes.
A very beautiful and delicious dessert will certainly surprise your guests!