5 Ways To Have A Waste-Free Pumpkin Season

Whether it’s revealed via a neighbourhood stroll, trip to the grocery store or scroll through Instagram, the fact that pumpkin time has arrived is abundantly clear! Whether a classic orange beauty on your porch or mini pastel ones along your mantle, pumpkins are the décor darling of the season. But, did you know though there are tonnes of edible options for them, too? Love Food Hate Waste Canada—Canada’s hub for food-waste-prevention tips—has teamed up with zero-waste cookbook author Christine Tizzard to share these top ways to use up your pumpkin, skin to seeds. —Vita Daily

Paint, don’t prick, your pumpkin. We all love a traditional Jack-O-Lantern, but carving into your pumpkin makes it harder to use it up after Halloween. Better to put down the knife and break out your craft kit, stencils and non-toxic paints, instead.

perfectly roasted seeds. Not just for pumpkins, seeds from any squash work for this recipe, and separating the seeds from the stringy stuff is a breeze if you follow this no-fail tip: get a big bowl of cold water, put the strings and seeds in the bowl and the seeds will separate easily. They float to the top! Dry and follow this recipe for the perfect fall snack, or salad/soup addition.

pumpkin tea. Once the seeds are done, drain the stringy bits out of the water and steep a tea with them, same as you would a tea bag, and reserve your orange-tinged liquid. This you can drink as is, put in a smoothie or use as a base for a fall soup.

cheesecake stuffed pumpkins. Now that you have tips for the seeds and the strings, it’s time to tackle the star of the show. Channel your inner Martha Stewart (even if you’re only cooking for your roomie) and use your squash or small pumpkin as the vessel of your dish. This show-stopping cheesecake stuffed pumpkin is as delicious as it is stunning.

savoury stuffed squash with greens. For a main-course option using the squash as your vessel, we love this savoury stuffed squash with quinoa and greens. All the best flavours of fall—and you get to eat the bowl (think one-squash wonder instead of one-pot wonder)!

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