Precious Pumpkins; 5 ways to use the whole thing.

Precious Pumpkins; 5 ways to use the whole thing. We all know pumpkins make for some spooky Halloween décor, but what’s hiding behind our pumpkin art is a much scarier fact: over 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins will be added to our landfills this year, in the UK alone. So, what can we do to avoid this gruesome outcome? Well, we’ve done our research and culminated a list of 5 ways that you can use the whole pumpkin during this spooky season. Compost the Stalk Don’t eat this bit – put it in your compost for some super soil feeder! This is a great way to get the most out of the inedible bits of pumpkin. You can also compost other parts of the pumpkin if the following steps don’t appeal to you. Don’t bin it, compost it! Repurpose the Rind The skin of the pumpkin is edible, or it can be repurposed as an animal feeder for your garden - the squirrels will love this! Alternatively, you could dig a hole in your garden and place the pumpkin inside, as its decomposition will enrich the soil around it. Save the Seeds There are several things that you can do with the seeds, like saving them to replant in your garden. But did you know that roasted pumpkin seeds make an amazing snack? Here's how to do it: Separate the seeds from the flesh Soak the seeds for 30 mins or wash away any remaining flesh in a bowl of cold water Spread the seeds evenly over a large baking tray Season the seeds to taste with your favourite herbs and spices (sea salt, chilli flakes, paprika, cumin, fennel seeds, etc...) Drizzle the seeds in Olive Oil Bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 for around 10 minutes, or until the seeds are lightly golden brown. Pulp it up A wonderful addition to almost every soup recipe is an easy-to-make pumpkin stock. Once de-seeded, add the pulp to a large pot with some olive oil and stir for a few minutes. Then add chopped onion, a few optional vegetable scraps, and 6-8 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for at least half an hour. Strain the stock into a large bowl and enjoy as the base of your future soups and stews! Fresh Flesh After removing the seeds and pulp, simply scrape the pumpkin flesh from the shell. There are lots of different recipes that use pumpkin flesh as an ingredient - but here is a quick and easy pumpkin pasta:

For more information on Precious Pumpkins; 5 ways to use the whole thing. talk to Nomads Clothing