Rescue your Halloween pumpkins from the rubbish

Wales are second in the world at recycling, and that’s amazing, but the frightening thing is that nearly a quarter of our rubbish bins are still made up of food waste, and 80% of that is food that could have been eaten!  

That’s not just a waste of the resources it took to grow them and the money to buy them, any food waste should go in the food caddy so it can get turned into renewable energy for Wales. 

Over this spooky season a scary number of pumpkins are going uneaten (13 million – eek). We’ve come up with some easy and creative recipes to enjoy this autumn so that nothing goes to waste. 

You’ll need: pumpkin (saving the seeds!), onion, root veg (leeks, carrots, potatoes...), oil, Thai red curry paste, vegetable stock, chilli powder, salt, coconut milk. 

 As Halloween comes round, so does the season when hearty soups return to our kitchens. This simple pumpkin soup recipe is a real winter warmer that will keep well for a few days – so that’s lunch sorted for most of the week! It’s vegan and gluten free, so it’s suitable for everyone. We’ve added a hint of spice to our version, but you can skip that step if you prefer something milder. 

 Get started by dicing half a peeled medium-sized pumpkin (hang onto the seeds – you’ll be needing them!), an onion and any other veg that needs using up in the fridge – think sprouting leeks, floppy carrots and odds and ends of potatoes. Heat a large pan, add a splash of oil and then toss in the diced veggies and cook them until they begin to colour. 

 Now here’s the secret ingredient: add two to three tablespoons of Thai red curry paste (vegan versions available), depending on how spicy you like it, and cook for another couple of minutes. Next add a vegetable stock cube and enough water to cover the veg, before simmering for 15 to 20 minutes until they’re soft. While that’s bubbling away, toast the pumpkin seeds in a small frying pan with chilli powder and salt, being careful not to burn them.  

 Now all that remains is to add a can of coconut milk and blitz the veg together with a stick blender or in a food processor until it’s a smooth and silky texture. Ladle it into a bowl, sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve with fluffy white bread. 

You’ll need: pumpkin (peeled and thinly sliced), cabbage or other leftover greens, flour, egg, cooking oil. Topping options include spring onion, pickled ginger... or leftover bits from the fridge. 

 For something a bit different, go Japanese with some okonomiyaki-inspired pancakes. These are savoury pancakes that are a great way to use up leftovers, as you can use up the last few eggs in the fridge, and fill them with cabbage or greens, adding things like mochi, beansprouts and most importantly, pumpkins! Many supermarkets sell a Japanese pumpkin called kabocha at this time of year, but ordinary pumpkins work just as well. 

 Start by mixing 100g of plain flour and 100ml water together and setting the mixture aside. Then slice a quarter of a cabbage and a quarter of a pumpkin as thinly as possible before lightly frying them in oil (sesame oil is great for this recipe, if you have it), on a medium high heat. Add them into the batter mix with a pinch of salt, and then combine with an egg (don’t forget that the shell can go in your food waste bin for recycling!). 

 When the mixture is evenly combined, heat oil in a frying pan and pour in the batter to form a round shape in the centre of the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, practising your flipping skills between sides, and then plate it up to enjoy! You could add some Japanese toppings, like spring onion, mayo, aonori seaweed, and pickled ginger. Or go off-piste with whatever needs using up in your fridge!   

 If you’re cooking with kids, why not encourage them to get creative with some spooky Halloween designs? 

You’ll need: pumpkin (pureed), double cream, cream cheese, caster sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. 

Transform your pumpkin into a delicious dessert with this easy-as-(pumpkin)-pie recipe for pumpkin mousse. It’s the perfect indulgent treat for a spooky Halloween date night or horror movie night with a friend and takes only 10 minutes if, after you carve your Halloween pumpkin, you take a little time to scoop as much of the inside out as possible, roast until tender, and then puree or blitz in a blender. 

Top tip: for this recipe, your pumpkin purée and cream cheese should be straight from the fridge so that they’re still nice and cold. 

To make enough mousse for two, begin by whipping 150g of cold double cream until it forms nearly stiff peaks. In another bowl, assemble your other ingredients: 125g of puréed pumpkin, 100g cream cheese, a tablespoon of caster sugar, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a quarter of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of ground ginger and a grating of nutmeg.  

 Give them all a good stir together and then whisk until they’re fully combined into a smooth mixture.  

 Next, fold the cream into the pumpkin mix and spoon or pipe (choose a wide nozzle) the mixture into ramekins, small dessert bowls or even a cocktail glass, if you’re feeling fancy. Serve them as they are, or jazz them up with a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of melted chocolate or a side helping of dessert biscuits. 

You’ll need: pumpkin seeds and your flavourings of choice. 

As well as a crunchy soup topper, pumpkin seeds make a delicious snack for your horror movie marathon or. Simply roast them for 10-15 minutes on a tray in the oven with some salt, oil and/or butter. You could also go sweeter with a little cinnamon and sugar, or spicy with some paprika or chilli flakes. (Think your favourite popcorn flavours!)   

This one is less of a recipe and more just a lovely idea for using up those slippery pumpkin seeds. Ducks love them, so why not take a trip to your local park and feed our feathered friends? Kids optional but not essential! Unlike bread, pumpkin seeds are healthy and nutritious for ducks and other wildlife, and it’s a great way to connect with nature as we head towards winter.

Finally, nobody wants to eat the shell and top of the pumpkin, and that’s fine – just remember to pop these bits into your food waste caddy along with other inedible parts, like eggshells, bones and stalks, so that they can be recycled into renewable energy!  

Recycling just one pumpkin skin could power your television long enough to watch Hocus Pocus and the Addams Family back-to-back, while recycling just five teabags would create enough power to charge your smartphone ready for sending your Halloween party invitations. 

You can help us get Wales to number 1 by rescuing your food from the rubbish this Halloween and beyond. Take the pledge today and you could WIN an epic Bluestone holiday or Welsh adventure!