Carving pumpkins is always a fantastic fall and Halloween activity. Rather than throwing all those pumpkin guts and seeds away, save them for recipes and more!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
One of the greatest ways to get the most out of your carved pumpkin is by saving the seeds and roasting them. It is easy to do and you get a healthy and delicious snack! Whether you want to go sweet or savory with your seasoning, Steel City Salt Company has wonderful options. You can't go wrong with their Cinnamon Sugar, Pumpkin Pie Spiced Sugar, Steeltown Garlic and Herb Blend, or even Ghost Pepper Salt if you want a little kick. The steps to roasting are simple:
- Remove the seed
- Wash and dry the seeds
- Season the seeds
- Roast the seeds
For more detailed instructions you can look at these recipes for seasoning and roasting instructions:
Source: Bon Appétit
Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Soup is a comforting cozy dish for the fall season and an excellent way to get full use out of your jack-o’-lantern. This recipe is chock full of seasoning and spices so a larger pumpkin is ideal to use.
Source: The Pesky Vegan
Face Mask
The vitamins and nutrients in pumpkin can be awesome for the skin. Once you’ve roasted your pumpkin seeds and prepared your pumpkin soup dinner, it’s self-care o'clock. There are a few ways to make the mask whether you want to puree the pumpkin or go for a simple three ingredient recipe. Here are a few options to make your soothing pumpkin face mask:
Source: Fed + Fit
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Making pumpkin puree is a fantastic way to use the whole pumpkin (the puree is less flavorful and not as smooth when made with a carving pumpkin). A puree is versatile and can be used in pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, or any other recipes that call for pumpkin puree.
Source: Inspired Taste
Composting
One of the best ways to dispose of the discards of your pumpkin is to throw it in the compost bin. Maybe you have your own composting set-up at home, but there are also many organizations around Pittsburgh that offer composting services for a monthly subscription. There are also animal organizations that take leftover pumpkins to feed barnyard friends such as Pumpkins for Pigs. Although we haven't found any local options, there are many places to drop off pumpkins across the country. For more information, visit the sites below:
Source: Scarce
Let Nature Do the Work
For an easy way to dispose of your pumpkins, give them to nature! If you have animals like deer or squirrels that often come by, throw your pumpkins in the yard and let them enjoy their own fall treat! Who knows, you may even get a new pumpkin crop in your own yard.
Source: Pinterest