HAPPY HALLOWEEN! We love the harvest season at Pathfinder
Produce and Halloween is such a fun time to celebrate all things autumnal like
apples, cider, and all sorts of fresh and tasty produce. We hope you to
see all our friends and neighbors at this Thursday’s fresh market at the Village Commons, from noon to 5 p.m.
Below, my colleague Sally Trosset considers that great seasonal
staple, the pumpkin.
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The fall harvest is upon us. The crisp chilly weather is
here to stay, and we are surrounded by beautiful foliage. We are grateful to
everyone who stopped by the Pathfinder Produce last Thursday for the Fall
Harvest Market. Ten percent of our proceeds will be donated to TEAM NYCM – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer as part of our awareness month activities. We also hope that
those who came to the annual Pathfinder Community Trick-or-Treat and Haunted
House last Saturday had a fun afternoon! (You can see pictures of many
ghouls and goblins enjoying the Village at our Facebook album).
Now what to do with those pumpkins! Fun fact: While
most pumpkin recipes usually involve baking or cooking, you can eat raw pumpkin. A
member of the winter squash family (genus Cucurbita), raw pumpkin has a hearty rich flavor that makes a good
stand-alone snack or a side dish. It is also versatile enough so you can
add other ingredients to change up the flavor while not sabotaging its
nutritional value.
Pumpkin is loaded with Vitamin A, an essential nutrient that protects cells from damage as we
age. It is also essential for eye health, particularly, night
vision. Vitamin A keeps your skin healthy and free from dryness and it is
a natural boost to our immune system, making it key in year-round cold and flu
protection. It is wise, though, to not overindulge in raw pumpkin.
Too much Vitamin A can lead to Hypervitaminosis A, a liver condition that can occur especially if people take
high-dose dietary supplements.
According to USDA Food Data Central, a one-cup serving of raw pumpkin
yields about 30 calories and about 0.12 grams of fat as well as 1.16 grams of
protein and 7.54 grams of carbohydrates; all healthy amounts.
So, as a stand-alone snack, try cutting your pumpkin into cubes,
sprinkle some cinnamon to give it a dessert-like flavor or add flax seeds to
add crunch. Check out Rawmazing, All Recipes, and My Recipes for some of raw pumpkin dishes to add to your fall harvest
dining.
Again, thanks to all for supporting our Community
Trick-or-Treating and Haunted House and our Pathfinder Fall Harvest Market last
week. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!
Until next time, eat well and be well!
Sally (and Lori)
