Wild About
Pumpkins & Sweet Potatos
by Susan Gianevsky
B.Ed, Dip Hom, ITF ‘86
I have always loved eating pumpkin and sweet potato
This was accelerated when I
landed in Canada during their
pumpkin festival…I have so
many photos of me holding
and standing near pumpkins
that I felt right at home…I was
even dressed in orange that
day…
As a young girl my grandmother
used to bake pumpkin pie and my
mum loved baking sweet potato
that it became part of my weekly
food intake. So, every time I
cook anything with pumpkin or
sweet potato I am reminded of my
childhood.
It wasn’t until I studied health
over 25 years ago that I realized the
health benefits associated with this
dynamic duo? These have become
my go to veggies whenever I am
making a healthy pie or nourishing
soup. Every week I have a few
pieces of pumpkin and sweet potato
as part of my lunch or dinner.
Baking pumpkin and sweet potato
is the key even when preparing a
soup. I find that baking vegetables
adds so much flavour to the soup
than simply boiling vegetables.
Did you know that pumpkin:
1. Is packed with fibre, potassium
and vitamin C. Potassium
rich assists bones from losing
muscle mass. I even now use
pumpkin oil and this keeps my
healthy cholesterol nurtured.
2. Helps maintain blood sugar –
great for supporting weight loss
regimes and regulating type 2
Diabetes
3. Increases dietary fibre – keeping
you feeling fuller for longer
4. Aids weight loss – try mixing
pumpkin with your oatmeal – a
delicious way to stay full until
lunchtime
70 Complete Health
5. Supports prostate health
6. seeds are very high in
magnesium
I love blending these 2 naturally
sweet vegetables for their
nourishment but just looking at
them at the Farmer’s market or on
my kitchen bench makes me happy.
It’s like I can’t eat one without the
other…it has become a habit now
that I must add these 2 vegetables
whenever I am preparing a soup or
a roasted vegetable salad.
Sweet potato, the root vegetable
once used to feed the poor in the
early 20th century is now one of
the world’s best superfoods and
contains so much more nutrients
than a potato – by the way they are
not related. Sweet potatoes are part
o the Convolvulaceae family…they
are a natural anti-inflammatory,
very high in potassium which is
needed by the nerves and muscles
so they can communicate to
each other effectively helping to
transport nutrient into the cells and
waste products out of them. High
in Vit C found naturally in sweet
potato which protects against free
radicals. Vitamin A & E is also found
in this orange vegetable that is often
not included in meals and I highly
recommend trying to eat some
every week for a month…enjoy the
boosted nourishment it provides.
It’s good to point out that sweet
potatoes are low on the glycaemic
index which helps control diabetes
and sugar cravings.
Here is my favourite sweet potato &
pumpkin recipe:
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1 large onion finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons finally grate
fresh ginger
1kg butternut pumpkin peeled,
deseeded, coarsely chopped
500g sweet potato peeled and
coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
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4 cups Massel vegetable liquid
1 cup water
1 long fresh red chill
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
Bake the pumpkin & sweet potato
for 30 minutes in an oven – 200C
While the vegetables are baking dice
onion and add all ingredients in a
large pot over except for the stock.
Once vegetables are cooked add
them to pot over heat and blend all
the ingredients then add the 4 cups
of vegetable stock and 1 cup water
and cook for another 20 minutes. I
choose to eat my soup chunky but
this can all be blended up.
I hope you can find time to make
my favourite soup recipe and add
a dollop of yoghurt when serving
with freshly cut coriander…yum!
Susan
Gianevsky
is an award
winning
Homeopath,
health
educator &
author
specializing
in Women’s
Health.
Susan holds qualifications in
both education & natural
medicine and has been involved
in the health industry for over 25
years. Susan travels nationally
and internationally inspiring
people on the importance of
creating a health regime to
support inner and outer wellness.
Susan has formulated and
continues to endorse a number
of Martin & Pleasance products
she believes are the key to
staying healthy throughout the
chapters of your life.