你能吃你雕刻的南瓜吗？

10月带来了更换叶子，饼干饮料和诸多南瓜。有南瓜可以在厨房里使用秋季收获沙拉，pumpkin pie， 和南瓜面包。然后，有南瓜和万圣节庆祝活动的南瓜，那种是怪异的脸或可爱的剪裁。

Can you use these pumpkins interchangeably? Would pie pumpkins make great scary decor? Or would the jack-o'-lantern make a delicious soup?

这是基于西雅图的注册营养师营养师，姜hultin，所有者ChampagneNutrition和作者Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep和How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook, has to say.

虽然所有南瓜都是可食用的，但有些人与食物很好，有些是更适合其他目的的。亚搏电竞Jack-O'-Lantern南瓜是一个很棒的例子。

"The pumpkins you carve are actually heirloom 'carving pumpkins,' also commonly called jack-o'-lantern pumpkins, or giant jack-o'-lantern or Howden pumpkins," Hultin says.

But the pumpkins you'd buy for cooking have names like sugar pie and Cinderella. Even eye-catching peanut pumpkins are more delicious than carving pumpkins.

"With thick, long vines perfect for removing the top after carving and a large, round shape, [carving] pumpkins aren't the most common to use in the kitchen," Hultin says.

Related:罐装南瓜实际上是南瓜，但不是你雕刻的那种

Technically, you can eat a carving pumpkin. But it won't taste very good.

“雕刻南瓜有木质纹理，比南瓜更突然出现，”Ilyse Schapiro MS, RD, CDN。So while they're edible, you'll get a better product (and one that is softer and more moist) by opting for a smaller heirloom pumpkin instead, like the sugar pumpkin.

一旦你在外面拿着雕刻的南瓜，它不适合一顿饭。“昆虫，蜗牛和石膏，松鼠和鸟类可能喜欢爬行或咬一口你的[雕刻]南瓜，”Hultin补充道。

If you're desperate not to waste any of the carved pumpkin, you could save the flesh of the pieces you carved from the pumpkin. Cut them into wedges, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until the flesh is soft. That will provide the prep for soups or dips, like hummus.

"You can use the roasted pumpkin in bread or muffins," Hultin says.

But again, the flavor will be bland, and the texture will be tough and woody. You may have to dramatically amp up other flavorful ingredients to get a food you actually want to eat.

“在烹饪中使用的最佳南瓜是小糖南瓜，也称为饼南瓜，糖饼南瓜或甜南瓜，实际上有许多人们对馅饼使用的南瓜的许多祖传群品种，其中一些被销售在商店里，在农场，或在南瓜补丁，“Hultin说。

Look for names like Baby Bear, Cinderella, Jarrahdale, Dickinson, and Long PIe. They're typically smaller than the big carving pumpkins in size. You'll find these pumpkins in colors ranging from the traditional orange to reddish, brown, or even blue or greenish.

Skip the flesh, and eat thepumpkin seeds反而。他们实际上会味道好。

"After carving the pumpkin, I recommend discarding the inside since it won't taste great, but I save the seeds and roast them at 400 degrees F for 5 to 20 minutes. The smaller the seeds, the less time they need in the oven," Schapiro says.

The seeds from carved pumpkins are delicious and nutritious, and you'll want to keep them on hand for crunchy, toasted snacks, add them as an ingredient for a homemade trail mix or granola, or use them to top grain bowls, yogurts, chia puddings, salads, and more.

"The seeds can be baked with a little olive oil for a snack," Schapiro says. Then, play with spices and other sweet or savory elements. Turmeric, wasabi, honey, garlic, maple, vanilla, a simple dash of salt and pepper — the possibilities are endless!

Related:不要扔掉那些南瓜种子！制作这个四个成分的小吃