Fall is underway and that means pumpkin spice everything! It is now November, Halloween has come and gone and now you are left with a smashed pumpkin.

Both portions of the pumpkin, flesh and seed, are very healthy to consume and provide a significant amount of health benefits. If you did not save the seeds, take a trip to the store and buy roasted or raw seeds.

Health benefits provided by pumpkin seeds:

  • High in magnesium
  • Contain tocopherols, an antioxidant, a group of chemicals known as vitamin E.
  • High in zinc – beneficial for immune support
  • Prostate Health (Movember)
  • Heart and Liver health
  • Anti-Diabetic effects

Pumpkin seeds contain 80% of your daily iron intake, per 100g, based off a 2,000-calorie diet. Iron is hard to come by outside of animal sources. An equal portion of spinach has much less iron than pumpkin seeds, but you must be aware of the number of calories you are ingesting per portion size.

Fall is a time for hearty comfort food. Nothing warms you up like a nice bowl of soup. Here are a few recipes you can use that leftover or can of pumpkin to make a great fall soup.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Bacon and Spicy Fried Chickpeas

    • 1 chopped yellow onion
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
    • Cayenne pepper to taste
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 3 1/2 cups pumpkin puree*
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • Feta cheese
    • A few slices of bacon
    • A few tablespoons bacon grease (or butter or oil)
    • 15.5 oz. can chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), drained and patted dry
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons brown sugar

Directions:

    1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the butter, garlic, and onion a few minutes until softened.
    2. Add the smoked paprika, chili powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, and garlic powder.
    3. Add the pumpkin puree and chicken stock continue cooking until heated all the way through (You can let it simmer a while on low heat).
    4. Add the cream. If you would like it thinner, add more chicken stock.
    5. Serve with feta cheese, crumbled bacon, and spicy fried chickpeas.
    6. To make the chickpeas, heat the bacon grease, butter, or oil in a large pan over medium heat.
    7. Add chickpeas, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, and brown sugar. Cook until they begin to brown slightly.

*If using a real pumpkin, just stab it a few times with a knife and throw the whole thing in the oven on a baking sheet at 350ºF for an hour or so until it’s tender when you stick a fork in. Then scoop out all the flesh and put it in the blender till smooth. Otherwise use a 29 oz. can of pumpkin.

Recipe credit: Yammie’s Noshery