By Dina Lawson, Registered Dietitian
Madison County Office for the Aging
(Canastota, NY – Oct. 2013) In 1621, the Plymouth settlers and Wampanoag Indians celebrated an autumn harvest feast together. It is considered one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations. The harvest meal became a symbol of cooperation and companionship between the settlers and the Native Indians. And, it has a long tradition of festivals and ceremonies of giving thanks for bountiful crops. The legacy of giving thanks and celebrating with a feast has been around for centuries as people in the US gather with friends and family for a yearly Thanksgiving feast.
The Pilgrims’ Menu included a wide variety of foods, many of them that we don’t associate with the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Here is a condensed version of the pilgrims’ menu; Source: Kathleen Curtin, Food Historian at Plymouth Plantation.
Foods that may have been on the menu:
Wild Turkey, Goose, Duck, Eagles, Venison, Cod, Clams and Lobster.
Wheat flour, Indian corn, pumpkin, peas, beans, carrots and lettuce.
Plums, grapes, walnuts, chestnuts and acorns.
Leeks, parsnips, radishes, and dried currents.
Foods that may not have been on the menu:
Ham , Sweet potatoes/potatoes, Corn on the cob, Cranberry sauce,
Pumpkin Pie: the recipe did not exist at that time.
Milk: No cows were aboard the Mayflower, although the pilgrims might have used goat milk to make cheese. Source: The History Channel
Now Let’s Look at the Health Benefits of Pumpkins
It’s Pumpkin Season. Did you know Pumpkins are a healthy food? Pumpkin is a very nutrient rich vegetable with important vitamins and antioxidants.
The pumpkin plant is considered a vine because it creeps along the ground. It is a member of the ‘cucurbitaceae’ family that also includes cucumber, squash and cantaloupe.
Pumpkin is one of the most popular vegetables that are grown as a commercial field crop in the United States and all over the world.
Here are some of the health benefits of pumpkins:
Pumpkins are low in calories. One cup of mashed pumpkin is about 49 calories.
Pumpkins contains many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C and Vitamin E.
They are also an excellent source of many non-vitamin antioxidants called flavonoids. Some of these include lutein, and zeaxanthin.
Pumpkin is rich in B vitamins such as folate, niacin, B-6, thiamin and pantothenic acid.
They are also rich in minerals such as copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of dietary fiber and mono-unsaturated fat, which are good for a healthy heart. And the seeds also provide a good amount of protein and iron in addition to selenium and zinc.
Pumpkin Ideas
Chop cooked pumpkin, lightly butter it and serve it hot.
Use pureed pumpkin for a soup base or mix it in mashed potatoes.
Scoop seeds from pumpkin. Lightly salt them and bake at 350F for 15 minutes and serve.
Try These Healthy Recipes During the Holidays!
Baked Acorn Squash with Apricot Preserves. Makes 4 servings.
(Source: Allrecipes.com)
1 Acorn Squash, halved and seeded
2 teaspoons Butter
3 tablespoons Apricot preserves or try your favorite preserves!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place squash halves cut side down in a baking dish. Fill the dish with water to the depth of ¼ inch. Bake 40 minutes in oven.
Remove squash from oven. Set oven to broil. Turn squash cut side up in the dish and place 1 tsp butter and 1 ½ tbsp apricot jelly in each half. Return to oven & broil for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Pizza with Butternut Squash and Artichokes. Makes 5-6 Servings.
(Source: Diabetic Cooking, Sept/Oct 2012)
1/2 c frozen artichoke hearts
2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
1 cup sliced onion, about 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp olive oil
1 10 oz whole wheat pizza crust
1 cup low salt pasta sauce
3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella & provolone cheese blend
Cook artichoke hearts according to package directions. Drain and coarsely chop.
Preheat oven to 425F. Combine squash, onion and oil in large bowl. Spread in single layer on sheet tray coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes, stirring once, or until browned in spots and tender. Increase oven temperature to 450F.
Place pizza crust on a sheet tray. Spoon pasta sauce over top, leaving a 1-inch boarder.
Arrange butternut mixture and artichokes on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts and pizza is hot. Cut into wedges.
Calories 302, Total Fat 9g, Sat Fat 3g, Protein 13g, Carbohydrate 47g, Cholesterol 11mg, Dietary Fiber 10g, Sodium 444mg.