Pumpkin carving time has arrived but often too much of the leftovers are wasted and thrown away. There are a range of different uses for the unused seeds, guts and even the whole pumpkin itself.
Pumpkin Seeds:
Roasted Pumpkin seeds are a delicious snack that should take no more than an hour to make. They can be stored in the fridge for up to three months and make for an easy to-go snack. In order to make them, all you have to do is separate the seeds from the guts and then rinse them very carefully. Leave them to dry on a tray for about an hour and then season them to your liking with olive oil and salt. Put them in the oven and roast them at a temperature of 300 degrees for about 45 minutes. Once they’ve cooled down, they are ready to be enjoyed or stored for later eating. (Photo/Wikimedia Commons)
Pumpkin Bird Feeder:
Birds of all species will flock to any backyard with these easy to make feeders. Any size of pumpkin will work, all you need is some twigs, twine and birdseed. First, carve off the top half of the pumpkin and jab some twigs in the sides. Use the twine to hang the feeder however you would like and hang it from a tree in your backyard. To finish, fill the pumpkin with birdseed or even some fruits or nuts. Just make sure to throw the feeder away after about 3 weeks to prevent any rotting. (Photo/Flickr)
Pumpkin Puree:
Pumpkin puree is a key ingredient in so many fall recipes like pumpkin pie and soup. All you need to do is scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin and cut the empty pumpkin in half. Roast those in the oven for about 45 minutes and then blend them in a food processor until it reaches a smooth consistency. Now that you have pumpkin puree, you can store it for up to a week in the fridge. You can make the puree into pie filling by just adding some sugar and cinnamon. Alternatively, you can just add the puree directly to pumpkin soup or a smoothie. (Photo/Flickr)
