{"id":667,"date":"2008-10-25T14:46:24","date_gmt":"2008-10-25T18:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paletted.wwwmi3-ts8.a2hosted.com\/cuisine\/?p=667"},"modified":"2008-10-25T14:46:24","modified_gmt":"2008-10-25T18:46:24","slug":"the-pumpkins-and-i-a-fall-love-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/palettedome.com\/cuisine\/2008\/10\/25\/the-pumpkins-and-i-a-fall-love-story\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pumpkins and I: A Fall Love Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is no color that says Fall more than orange, and there is no vegetable that says autumn more than pumpkin. Between Jack-O-Lantern, the pumpkin scones that show up at every Starbucks, pumpkin spice cake or pumpkin cream cheese muffins, one cannot have too much pumpkin.<\/p>\n

The bright orange color is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with the important antioxidant beta-carotene (yes, carrots and yams have it too). Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the human body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene has many important functions in overall health. Researches indicate that a diet rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. Other main nutrients in pumpkin are lutein and alpha carotene.<\/p>\n

Since some squash share the same botanical classifications as pumpkins, the names are frequently used interchangeably. In general, pumpkins have stems which are firmer, more rigid, pricklier, have a +\/- 5 degree angle, and are squarer in shape than squash stems, which are generally softer, more rounded, and more flared where joined to the fruit. There are many pumpkin and squash varieties available in the markets these days: pumpkin, giant pumpkin, spaghetti squash, winter squash, butternut squash, acorn squash and many others. They can all be baked, boiled, braised, microwaved or steamed, and most develop a hint of a sweet flavor when cooked.<\/p>\n