A pumpkin face mask which works spookily well

Now read on to find out even more ways to recycle the inside of your Halloween carving…

MOST parents dread Halloween: the flimsy supermarket costumes, the sticky hands of trick-or-treaters and, of course, the fiendish fiddliness of carving a pumpkin lantern.

Worst of all, you’re left with a huge pile of yucky pumpkin guts to deal with – then, a few days later, the whole thing gets thrown away.

In fact, October 31 sees Halloween fanatics across Ireland wasting huge amounts of flesh from the millions of pumpkins they bought only a few days earlier.

But, this year, don’t be in such a hurry to stick that scooped-out flesh in the bin – it could be a gold mine for healthy treats and thrifty cosmetics.

From using it as a low-sugar substitute for tomatoes in soups and sauces (pumpkins have just 2.8g sugar per 100g, compared with 3.6g for tomatoes and 4.2g for sweet potatoes), to wickedly healthy brownies and even face masks, here are some spook-tacular ways to make use of your pumpkin leftovers . . .

HEALTHY CHIPS

PUMPKIN chips are a delicious, and healthy alternative to white or sweet potato fries.

At just 26 calories per 100g, even when fried or topped with tasty additions, they have significantly fewer calories than sweet potato (86 calories per 100g) or regular potatoes (92 calories per 100g).

To make them, preheat your oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Chop the pumpkin flesh into skinny wedges and place on a baking tray with a glug of olive oil.

For a crunchy, caramelised coating, mix five tablespoons of dark brown sugar with a teaspoon of salt and toss with your pumpkin before baking in the oven for 20 minutes.

NATURAL FACE MASK

A FRESH pumpkin face scrub will help you slough off all that greasy Halloween make-up.

Chop half a pumpkin into chunks and boil it until soft, before puréeing it in a food processor or using a potato masher. Wait until the purée is cool, then mix two spoonfuls of it with two spoons of brown sugar and half a teaspoon of honey.

Rub gently into your face for up to two minutes before rinsing off for perfectly smooth skin.

The reason this is so effective is because pumpkins are packed with vitamins such as niacin – which can help clear acne and improve circulation – and zinc, which promotes skin renewal.

TRICKS AND TREATS

PUMPKIN seeds are a delicious snack, packed with health-boosting antioxidants. Toast them in the oven with a little butter and some seasoning for 45 minutes at 150C/gas mark 2.

Or, you can turn them into delicious pumpkin-seed brittle. Crush the seeds with a rolling pin so that the white shells crack. Boil them in water until the shells fall off, leaving the green seeds.

In a separate pan, boil 300g caster sugar, 50ml water and a pinch of salt until it forms a golden caramel mixture.

Add the green seeds and stir, then pour on to a baking tray lined with parchment.

Leave to cool and harden, then break them up and enjoy.

SAINTLY TRUFFLES

PUMPKIN truffles? They might sound weird, but they taste delicious.

Combine 60ml pumpkin purée with 125ml cream, a pinch each of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk over a medium heat until smooth.

Strain the mixture, then add 225g chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Mix until shiny and smooth, before adding 30g butter. Leave to set, then roll into small balls. Dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder.

LUSCIOUS LOCKS

PUMPKIN is high in potassium, which boosts hair growth, and zinc, which in turn ensures it remains strong – making it fantastic for dry or damaged locks!

Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil then mix with 4 ½ tbsp pumpkin purée. Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot, then apply immediately to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. Leave for up to half-an-hour, then shampoo out.

SPICY COFFEE

NOW you don’t have to go to the coffee shop for a pumpkin spice latte. Developed by Starbucks in 2003, the autumnal drink has become immensely popular. But a grande pumpkin spice latte from the coffee chain contains a whopping 50g of sugar.

By making it at home, you can enjoy a tasty drink that only has natural pumpkin sugars (2.8g per 100g). Place 2 tsp puréed pumpkin in a large mug.

Add small pinches of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and a 30ml shot of espresso.

Heat 275ml milk, pour it into the mug and whisk until frothy. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

YUMMY BROWNIES

GRIND up pumpkin seeds for a gluten-free flour alternative. Roast the seeds in the oven for 45 minutes, then add a spoonful at a time to an electric coffee grinder, until it’s a fine powder. For brilliant brownies, add 100g of your freshly ground pumpkin flour to 100g butter, 200g melted dark chocolate, four eggs and 250g caster sugar, then bake for 20 minutes.

You can also substitute a few spoonfuls of pumpkin purée in place of one of the eggs for an even healthier result.

GROW YOUR OWN

SAVE yourself having to buy a pumpkin next Halloween by planting your leftover seeds in the spring.

Start your pumpkins in small pots before moving them outside after a month.

Most varieties will need at least a metre of space between them and prefer to be planted in mounds of soil about 15cm high.

Give them plenty of water and you’ll know they’re ready when they turn orange!