Creamy Pasta With Roasted Pumpkin Topping

All my friends who read my blog know that I am an avid pasta lover. Today I will share with you all a very delicious creamy pasta with roasted pumpkin topping. This dish is a blend of creamy sweetness. It may seem a little heavy as cheese and cream and milk all are added but I also use pumpkin which is an extremely nutrient dense food, meaning it is chock-full of vitamins and minerals but low on calories.
Pumpkin is one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant known to give orange vegetables and fruits their vibrant color and which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Consuming foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, offer protection against asthma and heart disease, and delay aging and body degeneration.Eating pumpkin is good for the heart! The fiber, potassium and vitamin C content in pumpkin all support heart health. Consuming adequate potassium is almost as important as decreasing sodium intake for treatment of hypertension (high-blood pressure). Other foods that are high in potassium include cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, oranges, spinach and bananas.
Increased potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.
For women of child-bearing age, consuming more iron from plant sources such as spinach, beans, pumpkin, tomatoes, and beets appear to promote fertility, according Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Publications. The vitamin A in pumpkin (consumed as beta-carotene then converted to vitamin A in the body) is also essential during pregnancy and lactation for hormone synthesis.
Plant foods like pumpkins that are high in both vitamin C and beta-carotene offer an immunity boost from their powerful combination of nutrients.
Creamy pasta with roasted pumpkin topping is not only a delicious dish but loaded with health benefit. So what are you waiting for give it a try and enjoy a delicious fall recipe.

Creamy Pasta With Roasted Pumpkin Topping

Ingredients

• 1 cup penne/ ratatouille pasta cooked
• 1tsp garlic finely chopped
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tbsp grated cheese
• 1 tsp flour
• 1/4 cup fresh cream (optional)
• 1 cup cubed pumpkin
• 1 1/2 tsp butter / diet butter
• to taste freshly crushed pepper
• to taste salt
• 1/2 tsp mixed Italian herb (optional)
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
• 1 tsp grated cheese for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. Boil water in a steamer and steam the pumpkin cubes till little tender. Heat 1 tsp butter in a pan. Add chopped garlic. Place steamed pumpkin cubes ( with it I added few cubes of green bell pepper and red onion to add more color n crunch . You may or may not use it ) in an even layer across the bottom of the skillet and allow to pan-fry until lightly browned on the underside.Sprinkle salt and freshly crushed pepper. Put off the flame. Meanwhile cook the pasta.
2. Heat 1/2 tsp butter on another pan. Add chopped garlic. Then add flour. Fry a bit util you get a mild frying flavor then add milk. Let it come to boil. Then add cheese, salt pepper and mixed Italian herb if using.Let the cheese melt and as the gravy thickens add cooked pasta and cream. Mix well. Put off the flame.Spread the creamy pasta top it with roasted pumpkin. Sprinkle grated cheese and lemon juice ( a dash of lemon juice act as a palate cleanser in this dish) skip if you want to. I am sure you will love this yummy creamy awesome creamy pasta with roasted pumpkin topping.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.