Today’s show is all about pumpkin! While this versatile and nutritious autumn fruit is best known as a front porch decoration on Halloween and a flavoring in trendy coffee drinks, it's also an ingredient that makes its way into everything from wholesome muffins and pancakes to chili, enchiladas, and mac & cheese! As a dietitian, I adore pumpkin, and as you'll learn on the show today, it turns out that my guest is even more obsessed with this fall favorite than I am.

On the show today is registered dietitian, food blogger, and cookbook author Maggie Michalczyk. She lives in Chicago, where she runs Once Upon A Pumpkin, a blog that’s filled with recipes and tips for cooking with pumpkin. Maggie has lots of recipe ideas to keep you cooking all autumn long and beyond. On the show, we dish about Maggie’s recipes for Pumpkin Mac and Cheese and Gluten-free Pumpkin Chickpea Blondies, and we've got tips for roasting pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. And of course, we dive deep into the nutritional benefits of pumpkin.

Show Highlights: 

• What dinner was like in Maggie’s house as she grew up in a Polish household
• Pumpkin’s appeal to even the pickiest of eaters
• The nutrition breakdown on pumpkin’s fiber, vitamins A, C, and E, and potassium
• Is there a nutritional difference between fresh and canned pumpkin?
• The ideal pumpkins for roasting are the 2-4 lb. “sugar” or “pie” pumpkins (bigger pumpkins won’t have as much flavor!)
• Maggie’s favorite seasonal foods with pumpkin: nut butter, chips, salsa, hummus, and pumpkin spice latte popcorn (Just browse the pumpkin offerings at Trader Joe’s for a real treat!)
• Ideas for using the can of pumpkin puree in your pantry: smoothies, oatmeal, muffins, crepes, enchiladas, quesadillas, chili, and soups
• How to roast pumpkin seeds with salt, cinnamon sugar, or pumpkin pie spice (get creative with the seasonings!); place on a baking sheet with parchment paper and roast at 250-300 degrees for about 20 minutes.
• Pumpkin seeds are a source of plant-based protein, fiber, and magnesium
• Maggie’s cookbook, with over 50 pumpkin recipes with something for everyone---even the family dog!
• Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, with a cheesy, pumpkiny sauce and lots of optional add-ins
• Maggie’s Gluten-free Pumpkin Chickpea Blondies--yummy and nutritious!
• A random question from the Mason jar about the weirdest, strangest thing Maggie has ever eaten
• What’s next on Maggie’s horizon

Resources:

IG: @onceuponapumpkin

Website: OnceUponAPumpkinRD.com

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www.superhealthykids.com

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