Pumpkin juice: a taste of Halloween throughout the year

At least in my direct entourage, pumpkin has always been the hated addition in every meal. As kids, we have always avoided it. As adults, most of us dislike it and prefer to eliminate it from the shopping list.

This was the case before we discovered a recipe for pumpkin juice! This has made all the difference. Now I often enjoy a glass of pumpkin extract and think of Halloween.

Halloween has slipped by quickly and the next celebration is going to take a while to finally announce joy once again. For now, let’s celebrate the juice and cherish the memories.

Pumpkin: the pillar of the celebration

The Irish tradition of carving demonic faces on turnips to scary away Stingy Jack intermingled with the Catholic Church’s celebration of saints’ day or Halloween. The Irish immigrants to the United States substituted turnips with pumpkins which were abundant in the New World.

Over the years the tradition of carving faces on pumpkins persisted. The fan, pleasure, and overwhelming joy that the sight of Halloween celebrations brings are incredible.

One more practice of this celebration is pumpkin juice. The customs, masks, and scary faces are never enough without the taste of sweet fresh pumpkin juice.

We have all fantasized about attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since the first time we watched the first movie from Harry Potter. Honestly, most of us still have the same dream of childhood. Well, the one thing that we can do to pretend that we are part of the wizards’’ world is to enjoy glasses of pumpkin juice.

One recipe to try:

The internet is so flooded with various recipes of this juice that you can’t make up your mind and pick one to try. My advice is to go with the simplest choice. Keep it authentic as much as you could. Deciding to have pumpkin as the sole ingredient in your recipe helps to maintain true taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Brown sugar as preferred

Preparation instructions:

• Remove the stem and seeds of the pumpkin
• Slice the pumpkin into small pieces
• Heat them in the oven for at least 15 minutes on low to medium heat
• Put the pumpkin slices into a juicer
• Add all other ingredients and juice
• Serve with glass cubes or put it in the fridge to get colder if it’s hot weather

Some people prefer to juice the pumpkin while it is fresh without roasting. This is also fine but it might yield a bit strong taste.

If you like to jazz up your drink a bit then you can add a few other ingredients. Fresh apples, apple cider, or nutmeg can be great additions to your juice.

Follow these easy steps and impress your guests during your next Halloween party or simply enjoy your homemade fresh drinks.

Harry Potter’s pumpkin juice recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• Honey or maple syrup

Method of preparation:

• Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix them well
• Simmer the blend on low heat for about ten minutes
• Serve it cold

Health benefits of pumpkin:

Nutritional profile:

From the database of the United States Department of Agriculture, we find out that a small serving of approximately 250 g of pumpkin contains the following nutrients:

• 1.76 g of protein
• 2.7 g of fiber
• 49 calories (kcal)
• 0.17 g of fat
• 0 g of cholesterol
• 12 g of carbohydrates
• vitamin A
• vitamin C
• vitamin E
• riboflavin
• potassium
• copper
• manganese
• thiamin
• vitamin B-6
• folate
• pantothenic acid
• niacin
• iron
• magnesium
• Phosphorus

Benefits:

• Fights infections and inflammations
• Pumpkin juice is believed to have positive effects on your sleep; it helps in the relaxation and organization of the sleep cycle.
• Laxative properties ensure proper digestion and prevent constipation.
• Almost fat-free and very low in calories, and hence it is the perfect drink throughout your weight loss journey.
• Antioxidants such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin help fight cell damage and protect against free radicals.
• Highly rich in vitamin A, pumpkin assists your immune system.
• Vitamins and nutrients such as lutein protect your eyesight.
• An abundance of carotenoids in pumpkin has the potential to protect against certain cancers.
• Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium are good for your heart health.
• Carotenoids are great for your skin