Want to get into the Halloween mood? THESE are the must try pumpkin recipes

Autumn is the time for festivals, the eager wait for the cold months and pumpkins! Pumpkins are a delicious, easy to make vegetable that are also  loaded with nutrients. Regular intake of pumpkins means a diet rich in vitamins and minerals but low in calories. Pumpkin seeds, leaves, and juices are all rich in nutrients and safe for consumption. You can have pumpkins as desserts, soups, salads, preserves, and even as a substitute for butter! Pumpkin is also a rich source of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer offer protection against asthma and heart dieseases, and delay aging and body degeneration. Here are some easy recipes to try if you are eager to include pumpkin in your meals!

Pumpkin pancakes for breakfast

Take flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix it well. In another bowl, combine pumpkin puree, egg white, butter and milk and whisk. Add this well whisked puree to the flour and mix thoroughly. Next, take a large non-stick pan and pour out a ladle of batter. Cook well on both sides till the pancakes are golden brown in colour. Serve hot with maple syrup!

Pumpkin soup for lunch

Heat some oil and sauté onions and garlic in a pressure cooker. Add roughly cut pumpkin cubes and stir. Once it is golden brown in colour, add chopped walnuts and almonds to it and mix well. Next add water and salt to taste. Fasten the lid of the pressure cooker and let it cook for two whistles. Once the steam is released, sprinkle some pepper powder and chilli flakes. Serve hot with a side of garlic bread!

Pumpkin dosa for dinner

Soak urad daal and rice overnight. Drain the water of the daal and rice the next day. Grind these two and make a paste. Next, grind pumpkin, ginger and chillies together into a paste. Add this pumpkin mixture to the rice batter. Add some water and salt to the dosa batter. Heat a non-stick pan on low flame, and once the pan is hot, pour some batter. Use a ladle spread the batter in a circular shape. Cook until the dosa is crisp and done on both sides!

Pumpkin kheer for dessert

Steam pumpkin cubes for about fifteen minutes until soft. Soak some almonds in a cup of warm. Blend the steamed pumpkin cubes, soaked almonds and some milk to make a fine paste. Next, heat some ghee in a saucepan on a low flame and boil the pumpkin puree for about three minutes. Add the remaining milk along with the cardamom powder and boil for another five minutes. Let it simmer for a while and then stir. Once you achieve the desired consistency, turn off the flame, garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve warm!