Canned Pumpkin 5 Ways


Pumpkins are the most quintessential fall item! When we think of them we automatically think of this time of year. Every fall we find ourselves using pumpkins in our recipes and in our homes.

Pumpkins are ideal for this time of the year as they are rich in vitamins that boost immunity and they are a great source of vitamin A, a vitamin important for healthy eyes. During the fall, pumpkins are available in the farmers market and the grocery stores but you may find it's easy to use canned form from the grocery stores year round.

Have you ever had leftover canned pumpkin that you don't know how to use up?  Below are 5 ideas that you can try to incorporate more canned pumpkin in your cooking not just this fall but all year long. Feel free to experiment! You can also freeze leftover canned pumpkin in a freezer friendly bag or container for 3-4 months.
  1.  Pancakes: For breakfast add canned pumpkin to your pancake mix to boost nutrition. Spice it up with some cinnamon. Top with low-fat yogurt, a drizzle of honey, or chopped nuts.
  2.  Oatmeal: Another breakfast item is this warm oatmeal dish. Prepare your oatmeal the way you usually would and just add some canned pumpkin and a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to it. You can top it with sliced bananas or a spoonful of applesauce .
  3. Soup: This warm hearty dish can be prepared using chicken or vegetable broth as its base. You can serve it with a sandwich or a salad. Try this pumpkin and bean soup.
  4. Pasta sauce: Not only does pumpkin make the sauce taste great it also makes it more nutritious. Simply add canned pumpkin to your pasta sauce. Or remove the pasta sauce all together and try this creamy pumpkin pasta dish.
  5. A main meal: You can turn your canned pumpkin into an easy one pot curry dish. Add drained canned chickpeas with garlic powder, cumin, and curry powder. Add to a large pot along with equal amounts of canned pumpkin, low-fat milk and vegetable or chicken broth. Serve your curry with cooked rice or pasta.

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