Because in addition to being a nice decoration and a fun activity for kids to make jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins are SUPERFOOD! Yep! Inside and out! And here comes a little overdose of pumpkin love and recipes for you! 😂🧡🎃
Health, beauty, supple and strong skin
From seeds to flesh, and all the way to the skin of the pumpkin – it is packed with important nutrients that help the skin. The nutritional composition of the pumpkin can contribute to everything from retaining moisture in the skin to repairing skin damage. Not so surprising perhaps, when it is full of all this: Vitamin A, vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin E, Omega 3.
Enzymes in pumpkin help break down dead skin cells, which strengthens normal cell renewal. This can give more supple skin. And then there are vitamins A and C, which are rich antioxidants, and which are also known for their effects on everything from acne, scars and wrinkles. Beta-carotene, which we also find in pumpkin, can also help with skin damage and strengthen collagen production. Magnesium and zinc, together with the antioxidants, help prevent signs of aging in the skin by increasing elasticity. So here it is just a matter of getting pumpkin into your diet, AND into your DIY skincare routine, because what we eat and what we put on our skin shows on it 🧡🎃
Yes, pumpkin can really help, AND it helps emphasize the important point: health and beauty start from within, so it's just as much about eating super healthy full-spectrum foods as it is about applying the best nutrients to your skin. Here you will find recipes with pumpkin for food, drinks and skin, so enjoy playing with the pumpkin!
So where do I start?
We start by making the base for some pumpkin food, drinks and skincare, namely: PUMPKIN PURÉE :
Cut the pumpkin in half or quarters, scrape out the seeds and SAVE THE SEEDS! Place baking paper on a baking tray, then place the pumpkin pieces on it, flesh side down. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 30-40 minutes. When slightly cooled – scrape out the flesh (with an ice cream scoop, for example) and put in a bowl (or colander over a large bowl to drain the liquid). Leave the pumpkin in the fridge overnight and drain the pumpkin water (which you can use in a smoothie or as juice), or use it all at once and make a puree like this: put the flesh in a blender and let it become a smooth puree that you can now use for everything! Then all you have to do is get going!
🎃🍯 Face mask with rose hips and honey
Combine two unique ingredients for the skin in this super healthy and effective face mask. Perfect if you are young with acne, or an adult with lines and wrinkles, because here are vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can contribute a lot!
👉🏻 Mix ¼ cup pumpkin puree with 1 tablespoon honey. Mix well and apply to your face. It may be a little runny, so it's a good idea to lie down when you apply it. If desired, mix in 1 tablespoon of mashed organic banana, or 1 tablespoon of organic cornmeal or 1 tablespoon of potato flour to make it firmer. Leave the mask on for 15 minutes, remove the mask, and rinse your face.
Ylva tried the face mask, and found it both fun (because it dripped and ran a bit 😉), but also incredibly delicious on the skin. She felt a cooling effect, and felt the good feeling of knowing that pumpkin has the ability to penetrate deeply due to its small molecular structures. Lovely to combine with 🌼 Calendula Balm on the face afterwards.
🎃 Pumpkin scrub
Mix ½ cup pumpkin puree with 1 cup finely ground sugar (or oatmeal if you have sensitive skin). Scrub gently and feel the good peeling effect. If you use sugar on your face, do not press hard, but use light circular movements.
Rinse with lukewarm water and apply a nice emollient ointment, such as Sea Buckthorn and Nettle .
🧇 Pumpkin pancakes
Serve to guests or for dinner!
• 2.5 cups organic spelt
• 1/3 cup organic cane sugar or coconut blossom sugar or sukrin gold
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼tsp ground cloves
• 4 large organic eggs
• 1 cup organic whole milk (we use milk straight from the tank from Olav's cows)
• 1 cup skimmed cultured milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
👉🏻 Here's how you do it:
Turn on the waffle iron. Mix all the dry ingredients. Whisk together the eggs, milk, butter and pumpkin puree, then whisk in the dry ingredients until smooth and lump-free. Brush the waffle iron with butter or olive oil, and bake the waffles!
💡 Tip: melt thin slices of Norwegian-made Brie (e.g. Thorbjørnrud brie or from Jørns Brie from Ostegården in Bergen) on the waffles, add chopped/coarsely crushed walnuts and sprinkle with honey or maple syrup (we use our own Vossabia honey 🐝😉
🧋Homemade pumpkin spice latte
• 2 cups organic milk
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1-3 tablespoons organic sugar/sucrine
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ tsp pumpkin spice mix (see waffle recipe)
• ½ cup strong coffee
👉🏻 Here's how you do it:
Place milk, pumpkin puree and sugar in a pan over medium heat. It should not boil, but should be very hot. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla, spice mixture and coffee. Pour into two nice coffee cups and serve with cream on top, and optionally sprinkle with pumpkin spice mixture.
🎃 You can also put pumpkin in your smoothie (the liquid after draining, as mentioned, or the super useful puree), make dips from it, hummus , or cut slices of pumpkin flesh before baking it and make chips , or as a side dish for dinner : baked pieces of pumpkin with a little ground coriander and honey! Yum! And don't forget to use the seeds ! It's a super easy way to get in the gold package of vitamins and enzymes: eat as a snack , or sprinkle over your salad .
🧡 Have wonderful autumn days with lots of good food, drink and care for your skin and body!
Autumn greetings,
Renate, Queen Bee 🐝 in Vossabia