Pumpkin puree: tasty and he althy

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Pumpkin is a very he althy vegetable that contains many vitamins and minerals. It can be consumed raw and processed, served as a side dish with meat, used in desserts and other recipes. Moreover, pumpkin is a low-calorie food, which is why it is often included in diets.

By the way, about whether it is a vegetable, a fruit or a berry, there are differences in the opinions of scientists. As a rule, most people call a pumpkin a vegetable, but scientifically it is still a berry.

The pumpkin season is autumn. It is in autumn that housewives begin to harvest pumpkins for the winter and cook many delicious dishes. One of them is pumpkin puree.

Benefits of pumpkin

And what is this vegetable good for? Why is he so praised? The benefits of this product are undeniable. It's just a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. One has only to look at their set: vitamins A, B, P, PP, E and C. The content of vitamin T in it is special, which improves metabolism and prevents obesity.

The main minerals pumpkin contains are potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc, calcium, fluorine, phosphorus and sulfur. Pumpkin pulp is also rich in iron, pectin and beta-carotene. Costsnote that only 100 grams of pumpkin contains the daily requirement of beta-carotene for a child.

What should pumpkin be for puree

For a product such as pumpkin puree, you need to choose a ripe pumpkin. Of course, you can’t try a vegetable in supermarkets, so you need to be able to choose it in appearance. Here are some tips on how to choose the right pumpkin for puree:

• vegetable should be round or oval and medium in size;
• weight - about 3-5 kilograms;
• the peel of a ripe pumpkin will be dense, covered with natural wax;
• please note that the ponytail will be dry and dark;
• if the pumpkin is cut, the color of the pulp should be bright orange or yellow:
• ripe pumpkin will have ripe seeds.

How to bake pumpkin for puree

As a rule, for pumpkin puree, the vegetable is pre-baked in the oven. Before baking, you must turn on the oven at a temperature of 180 to 250 degrees (depending on the size of the vegetable). Pumpkin puree cooks very quickly. And after baking, the vegetable will still need to be cut into cubes, so it is not so important in what form it will be baked.

While the oven is preheating, wash the vegetable and cut it in half. This is necessary in order to clear the middle of the seeds.

By the way, pumpkin seeds are also a very he althy product, so we recommend rinsing them from the pulp and leaving to dry.

Seeded pumpkin does not need to be peeled. Can be sent to the oven in halfcut, or you can cut each half into 3-4 parts.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place the pumpkin on it. After that, you can send it to the oven for an hour and a half. From time to time check the readiness of the pumpkin with a fork. When the product becomes completely soft, you can remove it from the oven. Allow the pumpkin to cool, then remove the peel from its parts and chop into medium-sized cubes.

How to make pumpkin puree

When the baked pumpkin has cooled down and is completely ready for further processing, the matter remains small. Now you can prepare pumpkin puree. The recipe is very simple. For puree, take a blender and portionwise lay the pumpkin. Add s alt or pepper to taste. Next, you need to decompose the puree into sealed vessels (jars, for example) so that it can be stored longer.

Pumpkin puree with cream is prepared in the same way as a regular product, the only difference is that extra cream is added to it. This is a great base for pumpkin purée soup, and there are many variations.