During autumn, it’s likely that you will see pumpkins and gourds incorporated into everyone’s decorating schemes, and pumpkin-flavored foods are a quintessential part of the fall experience. Whether you enjoy carving up a jack-o’-lantern into a spooky design for Halloween or prefer leveraging your pumpkin’s natural, uncarved beauty in your seasonal decor, as a perishable item, you know it’s not going to stick around forever. However, your pumpkin’s inevitable decline does not make this purchase a decadent waste—in fact, you can take advantage of your pumpkin’s nutritious deliciousness by using any leftover pumpkin to whip up something yummy in your kitchen.
Pumpkins are more versatile than most give them credit for. You can roast the flesh for a pumpkin puree that can be blended into smoothies and pies, or roast pumpkin seeds in the oven and sprinkle them on top of yogurt for added crunch. And because no one likes to clean up a rotting pumpkin, you can beat Mother Nature to the punch by cooking up one of the pumpkins used to decorate your home. So to help you get into the season (and avoid wasting food), try these recipes using your leftover pumpkins. Also, you can learn more about the benefits of eating pumpkin by checking out One Major Effect of Eating Pumpkin, Says Dietitian.
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Fudgy Pumpkin Brownie Bites
It may be hard to imagine making ooey-gooey, chocolatey brownies with leftover pumpkin, but it’s totally possible with this recipe. These brownie bites—which perfectly encapsulate fall flavors and, of course, lots of chocolate—call for one cup of pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin. However, you can skip the trip to the grocery store and make pumpkin puree yourself with your leftovers.
Get our recipe for Fudgy Pumpkin Brownie Bites.
