Cooking with pumpkin adds golden color, a nutty taste, and even a boost of nutrition to a variety of autumn recipes. With fewer than 50 calories in a single cup, pumpkin puree, whether fresh or canned, is also low in saturated fat and packed with dietary fiber and vitamins, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Cooking Pumpkin: Save the Seeds

One benefit of cooking with fresh pumpkin is the presence of those tasty little pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are easy to prepare, store well, are high in fiber, and contain compounds that have been shown, among other things, to help prevent prostate cancer. Don’t throw them away!