Pumpkin Rocks

With the upcoming Halloween holiday a few R.D.’s on twitter asked for pumpkin recipes for their upcoming radio shows and I submitted the Pumpkin Custard from A Recipe for Life.  Since it is my own recipe I thought a pumpkin blog apropos for this week.

Canned pumpkin is actually an underused food.  One of my clients told me last week she uses a few spoonfuls to flavor her Greek Yogurt in the morning with some cinnamon and nutmeg and I thought – why not?

High in Vitamins A and K, and the phytochemicals alpha and beta carotene it is a nutrient dense food.  With only 41 calories per half cup serving, 3.5 grams of protein, no fat and 10 grams of carbohydrate it is a good flavor enhancer for a recipe.

Here is the Pumpkin Custard from A Recipe for Life.  It is a reasonable dessert for any night of the week and can satisfy a sweet craving without breaking your health bank.

Pumpkin Custard

Serves:  6

Prep Time:      15 minutes
Cook Time:     25-30 minutes                                                                      

Ingredients:

1½ cups canned pumpkin
¼ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs, separated

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together canned pumpkin, yogurt and ricotta cheese until blended.  Stir in honey and spices.

Separate egg yolks from whites and stir egg yolks into pumpkin mixture.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into mixture.

Pour into 6 ramekins and bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes until puffed and rounded.  Serve immediately.

Variation:  May put a dollop of whipped cream on each ramekin.

Nutritional Analysis per serving:

103 calories
5 grams of protein
14 grams of carbohydrate
3 grams of fat
2.7 grams of fiber
40 mg. of sodium

Do I Really Need a Vitamin?

This morning I was giving a lecture to a group of professionals and one of the questions that came up was “my wife wants me to take all these vitamins but is it really necessary?”

This week’s LA Times Health Section had a good article called Vitamins, Vitamins Everywhere which answered some of that question, but also discussed how many of our foods are oversupplemented with unnecessary vitamins.

See the article for some of the basics.  If you want a complete explanation I have a whole chapter on Vitamins in my new book A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian.

Here’s the matchbox version of what is necessary:

• The maximum amount of Vitamin C the body can absorb at one time is about 250 mg.  If you want to take a little extra C it is safe in these amounts.  If you have any kidney issues or a history of kidney stones avoid Vitamin C since it can cause stones in those who are susceptible to them.
• Some extra B vitamins can be helpful but too much can cause nerve problems.
• Vitamin A is fat-soluble and therefore not excreted by the body.  It is the one fat-soluble vitamin that has been reported to cause liver toxicity and should be avoided in amounts over the RDA.
• Vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) is now known as the “antibiotic” vitamin.  Current research is showing that most individuals in the US are actually deficient in vitamin D and need a supplement of at least 1000 IU.  Have your physician check your blood levels to determine how much you need.  It has an important role in prevention of colds, and flues besides helping with prevention of cancer and heart disease.

If you eat foods that are not whole or have additives check to see if they contain extra vitamins, minerals or herbs.  You may be are getting unnecessary vitamins you are not aware of just through these supplemented foods.

The other supplement to consider is fish oil due to the importance of omega 3 fatty acids (see blog 7/5/09).

It may be worth a visit to your local RD to review your blood work, medical history and assess what your individual needs are for nutrients and how your diet can maximized to assist in superior health.