Pumpkin attracts with a beautiful orange color and great taste

Apr 26, 2023Gockels Food

Why is pumpkin invaluable for health?

Like most unpretentious-looking plants, the pumpkin is both very tasty and useful, but only the second benefit is new to us. We treat the pumpkin a little schizophrenically and sometimes use it as a fruit, sometimes as a vegetable. We can hardly describe what the pumpkin does for our health.

There are many and very different recipes with pumpkin all over the world. Every country has its traditional pumpkin dishes - pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkin with walnuts and cinnamon, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, stuffed pumpkin with pork or veal. And if you use the right spices with pumpkin, every dish is a treat for the palate. You can make pumpkin schnitzel, pumpkin skewers or glazed pumpkin salad for your family or guests, you're sure to impress them when you add Gockel's pumpkin spice mix to the dish.

Pumpkin - a storehouse of vitamins

With autumn, fruit gradually disappears from our tables. We try to preserve some of them in compotes and jams, but although they taste very good, heat treatment leaves no trace of their useful substances. Others, such as grapes and apples, stay fresh longer, but under special conditions and at the expense of a high level of waste. Only the pumpkin, the queen of autumn, does not lose a single part of its valuable vitamins and minerals thanks to its thick skin.

It's no coincidence that the pumpkin is every storyteller's favorite fruit - it holds real magic. The orange color of the fruit is due to the high content of carotene (provitamin A), which in some varieties even exceeds that of carrots. That's why you can get your daily dose of this vitamin with just 100-120g of pumpkin. This doesn't mean you have to worry if you overeat - unlike other forms of vitamin A, you shouldn't overeat. Vegetable carotene is non-toxic in larger doses. This substance is not only a powerful antioxidant, but also gives the skin a very comfortable complexion, especially in winter when it easily fades from the cold. The B vitamins (B1, B2, PP) and vitamin E are also responsible for the health and beauty of our skin, nails and hair. The high content of vitamin C (15 mg per 100 g) strengthens the immune system and protects us from viral diseases.

Pumpkin also contains some vitamins that are very rarely found in plant foods: vitamin K, which is responsible for good blood clotting, and vitamin D, which is available in the winter months when the days are short and cloudy and we hardly get it from the sunlight can, is particularly important. Unique, however, is the little-known vitamin T, which helps treat anemia and hemophilia. Pumpkin is therefore recommended for all vegetarians, pregnant women and young children. In addition, its pulp is very well absorbed by the body and is one of the best products for feeding babies.

Pumpkin - a veritable treasure trove of minerals

Thanks to its low sodium and high potassium content, it is the best natural diuretic that eliminates the drain in kidney and cardiovascular diseases. Phosphorus and magnesium improve memory and nervous system function. In addition, pumpkin is the absolute leader among fruits in terms of iron content, and its calcium is much better absorbed than that found in dairy products. Therefore, the fruit is also suitable for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Pumpkin is not only extremely useful, but also very tasty - roasted, in pastries or in a cream soup. In addition, it contains only 17 kcal per 100 g and there is no risk of gaining weight from it, on the contrary - it is recommended in diets as a substitute for sweets.

However, the seeds should not be thrown away during preparation. They are one of the richest sources of protein (33 g per 100). In comparison, different types of meat contain between 20 and 25 g of protein, fish 17-22 g, legumes 20-26 g and wheat germ 28 g. Eaten raw, the seeds improve memory and kidney function and support prostate health in men.

Pumpkin soup - tasty and very nutritious

Creamy pumpkin soup sounds just as absurd as carrot pie, but both pumpkin soup and pie surprise the prejudiced hungry with a very pleasant taste. The added ginger brightens the otherwise rather sweet taste of the pumpkin cream soup, and the orange color whets the appetite of even the most insatiable. The first step in the Ginger Cream of Pumpkin Soup recipe is to cook the main ingredients. Slice and peel the squash, carrots, and onions, and cook them in salted water (about 1 teaspoon salt will do) until tender. While the squash is still cooking, add 2-3 teaspoons Gockel's Pumpkin Spice Mixture - a unique blend of 5 spices, each one pairing perfectly with the pumpkin. Containing nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, bourbon vanilla and ginger, the blend is a savory blend specially selected for pumpkin dishes and will add a unique flavor to your pumpkin soup.

Once the vegetables are cooked, puree them in a blender or food processor with the butter and milk. Make sure you take the milk out of the fridge beforehand. Blend until the mixture is homogeneous. Finely grate the ginger and add it to the pumpkin mixture. Mix very well so that the ginger does not become a ball. It is better to use fresh ginger as it is much fresher. You can find fresh ginger roots in all larger shops in the vegetable counter. If you don't have fresh ginger on hand, you can also use dried ginger.

Before serving, sprinkle the pumpkin soup with a few pumpkin seeds and some freshly grated ginger. You can also add a handful of fragrant croutons. This makes the soup even tastier and more filling.

Serve delicious kebab in pumpkin at the Christmas table

Both the recipes in the pumpkin and the kebap recipes are real winter recipes. Not only because there are pumpkins in autumn, but also because the dish is a bit heavier, suitable for the winter months when we need a stronger and more filling meal. Although the combination sounds a bit eccentric, the pumpkin skewer is a recipe that can be found in the national cuisine of the Balkan countries, but is also increasingly used in Western cuisine. The combination of the slightly sweet flavor of the squash with the thick and bold flavor of the flesh is extremely enjoyable. The pumpkin skewer is not only very tasty, but also a very attractive dish that is suitable for any dinner where you want to impress your guests and also for the Christmas table.

The first step of the pumpkin skewer recipe is to prepare the ingredients. The first is the pumpkin. The tastiest squash is undoubtedly the violin variety, but you can use a different variety depending on the squash you have on hand. If you are using a fiddlehead pumpkin you only need the hollow part of the pumpkin to make the filled pumpkin, if you are using a round pumpkin you will cut out the top part and keep the "lid". Clean the hollow part of the squash from the seeds. Cut the onion into crescents and the meat into bite-sized pieces. You can use any meat - pork, chicken, veal. Wash the mushrooms and cut into large pieces. In a deep skillet or saucepan, heat ½ cup oil, add the onions and stir until soft. Then add the meat and mushrooms and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, then add the wine and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until the wine is simmering. Don't forget 1-2 teaspoons Gockel's Pumpkin Spice Mixture add that gives your dish a unique flavor. Stuff the skewers into the pumpkin and add the bay leaves. For a "violin" pumpkin, cover the opening with aluminum foil, for a round pumpkin, put the "lid" of the pumpkin on top. Place the squash in a casserole dish and pour 2 cups of water over it. Bake the stuffed pumpkin in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for one and a half hours.

Which spices go well with pumpkin?

Whether delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte, crispy fried pumpkin, juicy pumpkin pie, creamy pumpkin risotto, spicy pumpkin soup or roasted sweet potatoes - the pumpkin spice mix goes well with both sweet and savory pumpkin delicacies. Here you will find the Gockels pumpkin spice mixture, which provides your autumn and winter dishes with five strands of flavor that are the perfect spices for pumpkin. And that's the irresistible bourbon vanilla, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. With this blend, you don't need to look for any other spices. And that's not all - Pumpkin Spice Seasoning is not only suitable for pumpkin, but also for game dishes, ragout, fried potatoes, stews, dark meat and for various drinks and sauces.

What else can you cook with pumpkin?

Is pumpkin suitable for savory dishes or is pumpkin only used for desserts? What can you combine pumpkin with and how can you make pumpkin dishes more interesting? All current questions about autumn! When you consider how useful pumpkin is, how affordable it is, and how easy it is to prepare, pumpkin becomes a must-have. We present some pumpkin recipes that you can try to enrich your autumn-winter menu with this delicious vegetable. The pumpkin lives a new life! Pumpkin is back in fashion! We find a wide variety of pumpkin delicacies on the autumn menus of many restaurants. Pumpkin is increasingly used as an ingredient in various soups, main dishes and desserts.

Bulgarian pumpkin strudel - a really delicious dessert

The pumpkin banitza, also known as tikwenik, is a real winter treat. Pumpkin pie is a must for the Christmas Eve table and is also very suitable for the Christmas Lent period. Pumpkin pie tastes best with a homemade crust, but crust formation is a complicated process that takes a lot of time and even more skill. That's why the pumpkin pie recipe offered here is for ready-made crust pumpkin pie. However, if you know how to use the filling from the recipe, your pumpkin strudel will be even more delicious.

The first step of the pumpkin recipe is to prepare the pumpkin. Peel the pumpkin and cut into pieces, then grate. Place the squash in a saucepan, add the oil and sugar, and simmer until the squash water has evaporated and the pulp has thickened. Add the walnuts, cinnamon and raisins and set the mixture aside to cool. With 2 teaspoons Gockel's Pumpkin Spice Blend , which includes 5 pumpkin-matched spices - bourbon vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger - you can't go wrong.

Once the squash mixture has cooled, open the pastry packet, lightly brush the pastry with oil and pour the mixture into the narrow end of the pastry, then roll up and place the roll in the baking pan. Lay out the squash from the sides to the inside of the shell. If you're using a finer crust, use two crusts, not one, so they don't tear when you roll them out. Repeat the process of rolling up the buns until you are out of crust and dough. Finally brush the cake with oil. Bake the tikwenik with the finished crusts in a preheated oven at 180 degrees until golden brown, which takes about 50 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and let cool. Sprinkle the cooled pumpkin strudel with powdered sugar and serve.

Some curious things about pumpkins that you don't know yet

Wondering why pumpkins go so effortlessly into sweet and savory dishes like pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin pie? Or you're curious about how early American settlers used this alien fruit in cooking, or why we carve faces into pumpkins for Halloween.

Pumpkins weren't always as popular as they are today. In fact, they were rarely consumed by humans for most of the 19th century. It's hard to believe, because the taste of pumpkin is on everyone's lips in autumn. A light touch of pumpkin is not unheard of in food either: pumpkin-flavored yoghurt, coffee, biscuits and even English muffins are on supermarket shelves.

If you're eating another artisanal masterpiece involving pumpkins this fall, read the facts about this versatile and delicious fruit to find out how pumpkin has risen from the bottom of the food vanguard to the top of fall fashion over the past few hundred years.

There are 45 different types of pumpkins: although the round, orange pumpkin is the most well-known of all types, pumpkins come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. Some of the more interesting pumpkin varieties include Halloween in Paris (France), Cinderella (a variety grown by the Pilgrim Fathers), and Wee-Be-Little, a miniature version of the pumpkin.
Irish Jack-O-Lanterns: The tradition of carving and hollowing out pumpkins originated in Ireland. The Irish carve jack-o-lanterns out of turnips to ward off evil spirits during the Celtic festival of Samhain, the night when the spirits of the dead wander the earth.
The "Pumpkin Capital" of the World: Morton, Illinois has declared itself the Pumpkin Capital of the World. Illinois is one of the largest pumpkin producers in the USA. 90-95 percent of the production is used for foods containing pumpkins.
Pumpkins are grown on 6 of the 7 continents: Pumpkins are native to Mexico but are grown on every continent except Antarctica.