October 29, 2015, by Helen Whitehead

Get more out of your Halloween pumpkin!

At Halloween, we’re back to the topic of food waste. Apparently when buying your pumpkins you should be aware that there are two grades, ones that are grown simply for carving – the taste isn’t brilliant although they’re still edible – and culinary pumpkins. The latter may be smaller but you can use them in delicious recipes AND get a carved pumpkin for Halloween. No waste – so win, win!

I asked around the MOOC office to see which favourite recipes the Sustainability, Society and You Sustainability, Society and You team could recommend.

Sarah Stubbings comments: I’ve never made this but here is a pumpkin empanada recipe. When I lived in Spain, pumpkins were a big thing in the region I was in, and these empanadas/pastries were a regular feature in cafes, not just at Halloween.

Steve Stapleton reminds me that our University of Nottingham HealthyU site has a video and recipe for pumpkin soup from celebrated local chef Sat Bains.

Personally I’m very fond of risotto and my favourite one is Butternut Squash risotto – in the same family as pumpkin! – from Nigel Slater, but if we’re using up pumpkin let’s try the BBC Good Food Pumpkin Risotto recipe that kids can do themselves.

Alternatively, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has this pumpkin risotto recipe. Hugh has an eye-opening new TV series out about food waste in the UK Hugh’s War on Waste. (Here’s an article on the BBC website on the series – with shocking pictures of waste!). The first episode is the same day our free Sustainability, Society and You MOOC starts – on November 2^nd.

Other recommended recipes include: Delia’s roasted pumpkin soup with melting cheese, pumpkin, chilli and coconut soup, pumpkin & bean curry, cheesy pumpkin scones and, of course, the traditional American-inspired pumpkin pie.  (Thanks to @unfurlingnet and @R3beccaF on Twitter.) All of these recipes can be made with other squashes such as butternut squash.

Do you have a typical pumpkin or squash recipe from your country or region? Add a comment or tweet us with hashtag #flsustain

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