What to do with your Halloween pumpkins

Pumpkins are such a fun element of Halloween, but what should you do with them once the day is over? To protect our wildlife and help reduce food waste, you could:

Make Pumpkin Pancakes:
Peel and deseed a pumpkin, then cut it into chunks.
Microwave the flesh on high for around 8 minutes in a bowl with a
tablespoon of water, then once cool use a food processor to puree.
Add 2 eggs, 25g butter, 200g plain flour, and 3 tablespoons of sugar to the
food processor.
Mix, then pour into a lightly oiled, hot frying pan.
Flip after 2 minutes to cook the other side and serve.

Toast Pumpkin seeds:
Scoop the seeds from your pumpkin and clean in cold water, removing the stringy bits.
Add them to boiling, salted water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain and pull away any remaining stringy bits.
Pat completely dry and lay them out on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with 2 tsp of olive oil, sprinkle with 2 tsp of your favourite spices such as cinnamon or chilli powder and 2 tsp of salt then toss until well coated.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350F / 175C for 15-25 mins depending on size of the seeds, stirring at least once.

Pass it on (with permission!):
Many farms, animal shelters & community gardens are grateful for the compost material or animal snacks.

Make pumpkin soup:
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan and gently cook 2 finely chopped onions. until soft but not coloured.
Add 1kg of pumpkin (peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks) then continue cooking for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until it begins to soften and turn golden.
Pour 700ml of veg stock into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 mins until the pumpkin is very soft.
Pour 150 ml of double cream into the pot, bring back to the boil and then puree with a hand blender.

Make a treat for your furry friend:
Did you know that dogs often enjoy the taste of pumpkin? Use a pumpkin puree to bake homemade dog treats for your four-legged friend. It’s a tasty and healthy option for them.