Pumpkin Dishes: Simple and Delicious Recipes

The pumpkin began to appear less and less on our table, and it was in vain.Rich in vitamins, organic acids and other nutrients, the vegetable is indispensable in the nutrition of children, diabetics and those who watch their figure. Get acquainted with the unique features of this product and adopt the recipes of simple and healthy dishes.

If you are still unfamiliar with this product, then just look at the list of useful properties it possesses:

• Improves eyesight. Modern man spends a lot of time at the computer. Sight suffers from this. Regular use of pumpkin will help to correct this situation without medical intervention and to ensure reliable prevention.
• Improves the digestive tract. If you have problems with digestion, nutritionists recommend including this vegetable in your daily diet. The pulp, 90% consisting of water, is well absorbed and normalizes the work of the digestive tract. In addition, it will help to digest heavy food.
• Weight loss. People who are overweight, nutritionists strongly recommend this vegetable. It is low-calorie, well absorbed and contains a lot of useful substances for the body.
• Cleansing Dietary fiber - an indispensable tool in the fight against "bad" cholesterol. Also this vegetable has all the properties of a natural antioxidant. Just by eating it, you can get rid of toxins and slags.

Pumpkin also has a beneficial effect on our blood. The fact is that it contains a large amount of iron and vitamin T. Pediatricians are increasingly seeing anemia in very young patients. And it is not surprising that the first feeding of the baby begins with pumpkin puree. Breast-fed infants suffering from anemia, iron can only be given with mother's milk or with medication. In this case, it is the mother who should enrich the diet with pumpkin to provide the baby with this vital element.

Salt in the pumpkin can dissolve kidney stones. This watery vegetable has a pronounced diuretic effect, which also normalizes the gallbladder. This sunny vegetable not only pleases with its bright color, but also really improves mood. It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, helps to cope with insomnia and loss of strength.

With frequent seasonal colds and ailments, just start cooking pumpkin dishes more often, and you will see a positive trend very soon. Also, pumpkin has anti-inflammatory action. For wounds, cuts and even eczema, the pumpkin is applied externally. When eaten, it can affect pathological processes in the intestines.

Pumpkin slows aging. Eating pumpkin seeds, juice and pulp contributes to faster cell regeneration and renewal of the body. This vegetable is used in cosmetology. Beauticians have long appreciated its unique properties. It can be found in various creams, masks and specialized products.

Both pulp, juice, and pumpkin seeds have useful properties. Say the exact number of recipes that can be prepared using this ingredient, will not take any one cook. The most common dish, of course, is porridge. But try experimenting and you will discover many delicious dishes.

All sorts of cakes, buns and muffins will acquire an unusual taste and sweetness due to the addition to the recipe of this sunny vegetable. And pumpkin bread today can be found even on the shelves of some bakeries and shops.

Many juices are prohibited for diabetics and for weight loss, as they contain large amounts of sugar.But all this does not apply to pumpkin juice. This is a real storehouse of vitamins and trace elements, it will be a great addition to a light breakfast. Popular today, smoothies can also be prepared with the addition of pumpkin. Valuable is the fact that the vegetable is consumed raw, without any heat treatment, which retains its properties in full.

You can also stew the pumpkin. It doesn't matter if you cook in this way in a slow cooker or a regular saucepan. In any case, at the exit you get a light and healthy dish. You can stew the vegetable with various ingredients: you can cook a vegetable stew or with meat.

Pumpkin can be fried. Make a wonderful side dish or fry pumpkin-vegetable cutlets that can be given even to children - you decide. This cooking method is perfect for this vegetable.

Oddly enough, it is not only fruit that can be dried. Dried pumpkin can be safely added in winter to soups and make various sauces on its basis.

Fermentation is another traditionally Russian way to preserve foods as long as possible, because the body needs vitamins not only in summer.

All new gadgets appear in our kitchen to facilitate and speed up the process of cooking. Just press a couple of buttons, and the device itself will set the desired temperature and prepare the dish. The young mistress will only get food after the appropriate sound signal.

Skilled housewives make preparations for the winter, not only from traditional tomatoes and cucumbers, but also from pumpkin. Keeping its useful properties with this method of cooking, it will fill you with vitality and good mood even in cold winter. Variations here can be many - stews, caviar and pickling slices with other vegetables.

Steaming is also an interesting option. Not so important, whether you use a classical or electric modern double boiler. The main thing is that all the useful properties with this method are saved much better. When boiling in water, some of the useful elements can easily go into the broth.

Starting the day with a pumpkin sun porridge means securing a charge of vivacity and well-being. There are plenty of recipes to make breakfasts varied and useful.

The first dishes are the basis of a healthy full-fledged diet of any person. Pumpkin soup or traditional soup with a transparent base will appreciate all households.

Decorate a festive table or just add a delicious snack with a pumpkin to dinner - this is not a trivial move. They are lightweight, well absorbed and do not threaten with heaviness in the stomach.

There are a myriad of pumpkin salad recipes. Try them all or stop at one favorite dish. Salad recipe may suggest the use of pumpkin with cheese or boiled.

You have already understood that absolutely everything can be cooked from a pumpkin - both the first and second, and even dessert with juice. Now we present the time-tested recipes that experienced housewives and professional chefs have been using for a long time.

No good lunch can do without soup. We present you a selection of 5 soups that you can easily and quickly cook at home.

Ingredients: pumpkin - 350 g, onion, 3 potatoes, carrots, 100 ml of milk and cream, chicken - 200 g, cheese, salt, pepper.

Pumpkin cut into cubes and boil for 20 minutes, set aside. Cut one onion into half rings, 3 potatoes and finely chop carrots. Blanch the onions, add carrots, bring to a golden crust. We add water and we fall asleep 3 cut potatoes, we wait until all water evaporates.

Fall asleep pumpkin and carefully beat everything with a blender. Add 100 ml of milk and cream (33%), and pour 50 g of cream cheese. Salt, pepper to taste, add oregano. Cut chicken fillet into long strips.Sent to soup and cook until fillet is ready.

Ingredients: pumpkin - 300 g, large carrots, cream, bacon and nuts.

Approximately 300 g of pumpkin and one large carrot cut into cubes. First, fry the carrots a little, then add the pumpkin to the skillet, blanch for 5 minutes. Add water to hide the vegetables, and cook for 15 minutes until soft.

Add spices to taste, remove from heat, and blend. Pour 100 ml of cream. Chop 100 g of bacon and 80 g of walnuts with a knife and fry in a small amount of vegetable oil. Soup sprinkle over plates and add portions of bacon and nuts.

Ingredients: onion, Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc, chicken fillet - 250 g, chicken broth - 2 cups, canned tomatoes - 400 g, pumpkin sliced ​​- 1.5 cups, spices.

First you need to chop one onion, 1 Bulgarian pepper, boil chicken fillet and cut it into cubes. Heat oil in a cauldron and fry the onion first, then add pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chili vegetables with cumin. Leave for another minute on fire.

Pour 2 cups of chicken broth, add canned tomatoes and a half cups of diced pumpkin. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Add one glass of frozen corn and chicken fillet to the soup and cook for another couple of minutes.

Ingredients: carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, bay leaf, onion, mushrooms, chicken mince, bread, butter. Carrots, 3 potatoes and 300 g of pumpkin are peeled and diced. We send all the vegetables to stew. When they are done, add bay leaf and salt. Sheet after a minute, remove it from the dish. Onion and 200 g of mushrooms cut and heat the pan with sunflower oil.

First, fry the onion, add the mushrooms. Fry until complete evaporation of moisture. From 300 g of minced chicken form meatballs and boil in 1 liter of water until tender. We take out, we do not pour out the broth.

In the first harvest of pumpkin, carrots and potatoes, add 2 tbsp. l butter for tenderness and all thoroughly whisk blender until a homogeneous consistency. You can adjust the thickness at your own discretion by adding the meatball broth. From white bread make croutons.

Ingredients: onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, spices.

Chop the onion and 1 clove of garlic and pour it into a heated saucepan with a little oil, after 3 minutes send 400 g of diced tomatoes in their own juice. Juice, in which they marinated, add the same.

A pound of pumpkin cut into cubes, sent to the pan. Add all the other ingredients: boiled beans - 400 g, vegetable broth - 1 cup, cumin, black and red pepper, salt. Cook all for about 40 minutes on medium heat. The soup is ready.

Main dishes can be quite varied.

Ingredients: chicken fillet, onion, garlic, pumpkin, eggs, semolina.

600 g of chicken fillet mince with onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Pumpkin (300 g) grate on a fine grater, send to the stuffing. Beat 2 eggs, pour 2 tbsp. l semolina, salt. Let the mince rest for about 10 minutes, heat the frying pan with butter and form cutlets.

If the stuffing turned out to be watery, then you can spread the patties with a spoon directly into the heated butter. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Almost any side dish will do.

For this recipe it is better to take a pumpkin of sweet varieties. Ingredients: pumpkin, basil, salt, pepper, tomato paste.

400 g pumpkin cut into cubes and fry for 5-7 minutes from all sides in olive oil. Pour dried basil, salt, pepper. Garlic skip through the garlic press and add to the dish. Add 1 tsp.tomato paste, mix everything and fry just a minute.

Heat the oven, lay the pumpkin in the baking dish, cover with foil. We bake about 30 minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees. It can be served as a separate appetizer or side dish for fish, meat and chicken dishes.

Ingredients: milk, semolina, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cottage cheese, butter, vanilla, salt.

4 tbsp. l semolina soak in 1 cup of heated milk. Pumpkin (500 g) cut into cubes and boil for 20 minutes. Water should slightly hide the vegetable. Ready vegetable knead or whip with a blender. Pound 3 eggs with a half cup of granulated sugar. 400 g of cottage cheese pass through a sieve.

We connect all blanks. Heat a couple of spoons of melted butter, add vanilla and salt. Lubricate the baking dish with butter and pour out the dough. On density it should resemble sour cream. We bake at a temperature of 180 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Ingredients: onion, garlic, pumpkin, rice, chicken broth, spices, cheese, butter, parsley.

Chop and fry the onion and garlic clove. 0.5 kilograms of pumpkin cut into cubes and add to the onion, add 150 g of round grain rice, simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in 100 ml of white wine and stew until evaporation. Prepare 500 ml of hot chicken broth. Add half to the pan immediately, add bay leaf, salt, pepper. Stew for 20-25 minutes.

Stirring the rest of the hot broth, stirring occasionally. It is important that it is hot, otherwise the dish will not be so tender. Grate 50 g of hard cheese, add to dish. Add 75 g of butter. Remove bay leaf and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Ingredients: flour, pumpkin, onion, salt, pepper, butter. Knead the dough - combine 1 kg of flour with 350 g of boiled water with salt. We do it this way - in the flour we make a hole and gradually add warm water, knead well and leave for 20 minutes. Then knead the dough again and let it rest for another 20 minutes under a dry bowl. The dough should be tight.

Finely chop the pumpkin (about 900 g) and 400 g of onion, combine, salt and pepper. Butter cut into small cubes. Roll out the dough into a sausage and separate the portions. Each roll up to a diameter sufficient to wrap the filling. In the center of each rolled out circle of dough, lay out the stuffing from the pumpkin and put one cube of butter. We form manti. We put on a mantovarka fire and bring the water to a boil. Cooking time - 45 minutes. After the time we get manti and serve hot.

Ingredients: pumpkin, millet, salt, sour cream.

Peel the pumpkin and cut it into cubes of 1 * 1 cm. In total, you should have 700 grams of the purified product. Transfer it to the cauldron and pour water. Cook for 10 minutes. Millet pour boiling water to stand, drain. Repeat 5 times. Millet add to the pumpkin. Salt and simmer another half hour.

Preheat oven and turn off. When the fever is over, put the porridge, covered with a lid. Leave it to dry for 30 minutes. Arrange in portions on plates, in the center add a small spoonful of not sour cream.

On the shelves of shops you rarely see pumpkin juice or drinks from this vegetable. However, they can be easily prepared at home. Here are a few recipes to note.

Ingredients: sugar, water, lemon, pumpkin.

Cook the syrup from 2 liters of water and 250 g of sugar. Kilogram pumpkin grate, shift into the pan, pour the syrup. Cook for 15 minutes on low heat. Cool the mixture, pass through a sieve and add chopped lemon pulp. Simmer another 15 minutes.

Ingredients: sea buckthorn, pumpkin, banana, cinnamon, oatmeal.

Slightly less than a glass of sea buckthorn mix with a glass of water and blend, pass through a sieve. In a blender, cut banana and 100 g of pumpkin, pour sea buckthorn juice, sprinkle with cinnamon, add 3 tbsp. l Oatmeal quick cooking.Beat smoothies, pour into glasses and garnish with cinnamon and sea buckthorn berries.

Ingredients: pumpkin, orange, non-carbonated mineral water, lemon juice, sugar.

150 g pumpkin, diced, boil until soft. Orange peel, seed and transparent layers. Put the cooled pumpkin into the bowl of the blender, add an orange, 150 ml of mineral water without gas and half a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Ingredients: pumpkin, gooseberry, honey.

Squeeze the juice from 800 g of pumpkin and the same amount of gooseberries. Mix all with 300 g of honey and pour into convenient jars. Pasteurize them for 20 minutes. Roll or immediately pour into the decanter. Such a compote will help support immunity in cold winters.

Such unusual desserts will appeal to both adults and children. Surprise guests with an unusual cheesecake or cupcake will be in your power after reading these recipes.

Ingredients: pumpkin, sugar, lemon - 1 pc.

Place the diced pumpkin on the baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar well. Bake the vegetable at about 180 degrees for 20 minutes. Get it, add cinnamon to taste. Prepare lemon zest and sprinkle pumpkin on it, pour lemon juice over it. Send another 20 minutes to the oven. The finished caramelized pumpkin is laid out in cups and drizzled with honey.

This recipe will require only one kilogram of sugar and pumpkin and 200 ml of water.

Pumpkin cut into cubes. Prepare syrup from water and sugar. When it thickens, add a pumpkin to it. Cook for 10 minutes and leave to infuse for the whole day, filter everything through a colander. The syrup can be further used for making jam with apples.

Pumpkin cubes are laid out on parchment and let it dry thoroughly. It will take about 2 days. Such a pumpkin is more like candy. Sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Ingredients: gelatin, cottage cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar, “Baked milk” cookies, butter.

15 g of gelatin soaked in 6 tbsp. l water. 0.5 kg of cottage cheese twice skip in a blender and add 3 tbsp. l granulated sugar and 10 g of vanilla sugar. 400 g pumpkin boil until done and mash with a fork in mashed potatoes. We combine pumpkin with cottage cheese.

Grind 200 g of “Baked Milk” cookies into crumb and rub with 50 g of butter. Gelatin is heated in a water bath and added to cottage cheese and pumpkin. Cover the form with foil, spread the mass out of the cookies, pour the cottage cheese and pumpkin mixture. Leave in the refrigerator for 5 hours, and you can for the whole night. Delicious and healthy cheesecake ready for your breakfast.

A couple of apples and 200 g of pumpkin rubbed on a grater. Add a couple of teaspoons of raisins and a tablespoon of honey. We refuel 2 tbsp. l sour cream or natural yogurt. The dish is ready.

Pumpkin can rightly be considered a dietary product. Per 100 g accounts for only 25 kcal. For those who want to lose weight and follow their figure, the following recipes will help diversify the daily menu.

Ingredients: pumpkin (whole), cilantro, nuts.

Whole pumpkin peel and seeds. Cut into small cubes. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 170 degrees until soft. Puree with a blender. You can immediately serve the dish to the table, garnished with cilantro or nuts. You can also portion freeze it and get it out as needed, reheating.

We use only 2 main ingredients - chicken fillet and pumpkin. To improve the taste, you can add onions, salt and pepper.

300 g of chicken fillet cut into small slices. 150 g of pumpkin is also cut into small cubes, combine with the fillet and fry a little. Add one chopped onion, salt, pepper to taste. Fry for another 10 minutes. Load everything into a blender and beat it very carefully.Cool pate and serve.

For this simple recipe, we need 400 g of pumpkin, seasoning (salt, paprika, bay leaf), tomato paste, chicken broth.

Grate the carrots, chop one onion and add 400 g of diced pumpkin. Add salt, paprika, tablespoon of tomato paste. Download everything to the slow cooker and cook on the “Frying” mode for 7 minutes. Add bay leaf and 150 ml chicken broth. Cook for 25 minutes in Quenching mode. The dish can be served both independently and as a side dish.

Many people underestimate the pumpkin, considering it very simple or not at all tasty. Our tips will help you review your opinion on this product:

• If you do not like the taste of pumpkin, then perhaps you have not tried its different varieties. There are nutmeg, honey, melon and winter pumpkin. One of them for sure you will like.
• Raw pumpkin is specific enough, therefore we advise you to try it in boiled, stewed or baked form.
• Pumpkin soup will taste better if you use not baked, but baked pumpkin.
• Pumpkin can serve as an element of table setting or even a dish for serving. Porridge or vegetable stew served in a gutted pumpkin looks very impressive.
• Do not be afraid to use spices. The mild flavor of this vegetable goes well with cumin, garlic, cheese, parsley and other herbs.
• The steamed pumpkin will be much softer than the one that was just boiled in water.
• If you do not need excess moisture when frying, pre-sprinkle the slices with salt and leave for a couple of hours.
• Such a useful substance as beta-carotene contained in this vegetable, is easily dissolved in fats. To maximize their absorption by the body, add milk, cream or butter to pumpkin dishes.
• Sometimes it's hard to find a fresh pumpkin. But if you burn a recipe in which it is needed, you can use canned or frozen product.

Pumpkin is a truly unique product. It is rich in vitamins and other beneficial substances. Many refuse it because of the dull unleavened taste.

In the next video, see the recipes for cooking pumpkin dishes from Ilya Lazerson.