Our Lady of Weight Loss ™®
is a division of Oy-Caramba! Ltd.

October 4, 2004

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Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had a wife and couldn't keep her.
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her, very well.

Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,
Had another and didn't love her;
Peter learned to read and spell,
And then he loved her very well.

***

Chairman of the Gourd

Each October, the majority of our nation’s pumpkin crop are turned into decorative jack-o’-lanterns in celebration of Halloween. But if you think that pumpkins are only good for carving, and maybe a holiday pie, think again.

FATOID The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.

Pumpkins, a fruit (not a vegetable), like gourds and other varieties of squash belong to the ucurbitacae family, which also includes cucumbers, gherkins, and melons. Indigenous to the western hemisphere, pumpkins have been grown in America for over 5,000 years. Native Americans called the pumpkin "isquotersquas."

Most pumpkins are bright orange as a result of high levels of carotenoids, natural precursors to vitamin A. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains 2,650 IU of vitamin A. They are a good source of lutein and ziazanthin, which help to protect against macular degeneration. And most recently, a Finnish study shows that pumpkin helps to prevent diabetes in men.

Let Us Not Forget the Seeds.
Roasted pumpkin seeds are not only delicious, they are jam packed with nutrients that are needed to have a healthy body: protein, fiber, iron, cooper, magnesium, manganese and phosphorous, as well as the amino acids arginine and glutamic acid. 

NEWS Bite Our Lady of Weight Loss in the NEWS more magazine Tribune Media Services Energy Express by Marilynn Preston, Wall St. Journal.com Weight Loss as Art NY Daily News "Exercise frenzy has no payoff" by Jami Bernard.

Pumpkin seeds also contain a fair amount of calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium, folate and niacin! 

Studies in the US show that pumpkin seeds may help reduce hormone damage to the prostate, which in turn lessens the risk of developing prostate cancer.  They’ve been used in certain areas of Europe to treat learning disorders.  In China, pumpkin seeds are used to ward off depression, and pumpkin seed oil has been used for treatment of prostatitis. 

Righteous Recipe ~ Roasting Pumpkin Seeds is so easy, fast and nutritious, it's Sacri-Licious!

PUMPKIN SEED SNACK ~ Mix a handful of pumpkin seeds with a handful of sunflower seeds, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and a dash each of garlic powder and soy sauce. Stir-fry over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until slightly brown.

-or- Mix together 2 cups of pumpkin seeds; a drizzle of olive oil, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1 tsp salt. Spread on pan and roast for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes or so, for even roasting.

From Prevention.com: Pumpkin Treat Fights Disease; a delicious medley of carrots, mint & pumpkin!

Want to whip up another dish?
Send Our Lady your favorite recipe? Keep them easy, low-cal and FUN. If yours is used, Our Lady will send you a prize!

Chewing the Fat
How you doin'? Write Our Lady.

Dear OLofWL, After I read last week's Garlic KICK, Our Lady of Aromatic Vegetables, I noticed that the New York Times, Dining In section featured an article "New York Story: Local Garlic Makes Good." It was a good read, although it didn't quite have the same KICK as Our Lady's newsletter. I thought you'd enjoy reading it. ~ JDW, Washington, DC

Dear JDW, Thanks much for the link to the New York Times article and the compliment. I noticed that you live in Washington, DC. Not too far from the Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival. Still time to take part in the festivities! ~ OLofWL

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Dear OLofWL, I read your Kick in the Tush every Monday and always am amused at the art and the stories.  This week especially! The history about Garlic is interesting to me, for I tried to avoid it for a simple reason: the smell seems to come out of my pores for days after I have had garlic.  Being of Italian descent, my Mom use to always cook with lots of garlic - and I was embarrassed by how long the smell would last on me.  But, heck, who cares when the benefits far exceed the smell. 
Thanks again for you wisdom and humour, it keeps me going for the week. ~ Lisa in Sunny Chicago

Dear Lisa in Sunny Chicago, Sounds like the topic 'garlic' brought back some 'fond' memories. Yes, a mint after a garlic meal is always a good idea! Glad you are enjoying your weekly KICK! Thanks for writing. ~ OLofWL

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The KICK in the TUSH Club provides a weekly reminder in the form of an Art-KICK for those who wish to anchor themselves to their weight loss and/or health goals (or for those who need to satisfy their craving for a quirky kick). It's fun, fab and fat-free. Sign-up now (there's no charge). Click here! Our Lady (Or send an email to: info@OurLadyofWeightLoss.com) and say, "YES! I need a KICK in the TUSH."

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