Yes, we do love pumpkin pie, and pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin pancakes. From the USA Today — healthy pumpkin recipes!

Almost everyone has a favorite pumpkin pie recipe, but pumpkin is versatile and can be used in many other dishes, including soups, waffles, pancakes and stuffings, culinary experts say. The great thing about using pumpkin in soups is the puree gives it a creaminess without adding any cream, says registered dietitian Ellie Krieger, star of the Cooking Channel’s Healthy Appetite. You also can use it to make healthful muffins, breads and puddings that are loaded with nutrients but not packed with sugar and fat, she says.

Or you can add a couple of tablespoons of puree to oatmeal along with some typical pumpkin-pie spices such as a little brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of ginger or nutmeg, she says.

“The smell of pumpkin cooking fills your home with a warm, inviting aroma that rings of autumn and the holiday season.”

Krieger uses fresh pumpkin in cooking, but don’t be misled: You should use the small, sweet pumpkins that are 1 to 3 pounds each for cooking, not the big ones you make into jack-o’-lanterns. When you see that orange color, she says, you see the beta-carotene: “It’s announcing itself.”

Yes, pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, which turns into the healthy antioxidant compound vitamin A in our bodies, agrees Dawn Jackson Blatner, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. And one cup cooked and mashed pumpkin is a good source of vitamin C, potassium and fiber, she says.

via For healthy pumpkin, squash the urge to turn it into pie – USATODAY.com.