Kate Dyson
CloseKate is a content specialist who is passionate about women's health. She's also mum to three kids, two dogs and unsurprisingly, a lover of wine.
Glossary
For words you might want to know more
A versatile and nutrient-rich fruit, pumpkins are often associated with Halloween and autumnal recipes, and they offer bladder-friendly nutrients.
Interstitial cystitis is a chronic bladder condition marked by pain and pressure in the bladder, often accompanied by increased urinary frequency and urgency without a clear infection or other identifiable cause.
A term highlighting the health benefits of certain foods or nutrients for the bladder, indicating that they can promote bladder health or alleviate bladder-related issues.
Jude's Kitchen: Pumpkin Recipes You'll LOVE This Halloween
If you've carved a few pumpkins this year with the kids, or the grandchildren, you might be loathed to simply throw them away after the trick and treaters have gone - it feels like such a waste, doesn't it?
Apparently around 18000 tonnes of pumpkins are thrown away each year - that's around 360 million slices of pumpkin pie.
So rather than throw them away, we've done the work for you and rounded up our favourite recipes for you to try this Halloween. Each of the recipes we've chosen here for you not only champion the use of leftover pumpkin but also offers a bladder-friendly boost of this wonderful but way too often overlooked squash.
Now, the only thing left to decide is exactly which one you'll make first...
Pumpkin & Sage Soup
There's nothing more delicious on a crisp, autumnal day than pumpkin and sage soup. This is the perfect bowl of warmth and comfort, providing a lovely respite from a chilly evening and lovely for the whole family. You can adapt to use a soup maker, too, if you have one - but it couldn't be easier to make on the stove too.
Pumpkin Seed Energy Balls
A healthy, on-the-go snack that your bladder will love because of the boost from the Pumpkin Seeds. If you have interstitial cystitis you can easily swap the cacao for white chocolate, but the dates are super bladder friendly too. These are easy to make when you have a few mins, but they keep you feeling fuller for longer and give you a burst of energy - perfect after an Autumn walk or run!
Pumpkin Pie
How could we not include a pumpkin pie in our roundup of the best recipes? This traditional pumpkin pie is a sweet treat that you'll want to eat in one sitting - you'll be more than thankful that we added this American touch. (See what we did there?)
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
There's nothing better for your bladder than a good handful of pumpkin seeds, after all, Jude's Bladder Strength supplement is full of them! By roasting the seeds, you release the oils that are so good for us. This recipe couldn't be easier - simply scoop from the pumpkin and add olive oil. We love to add to salads or as a topping on granola, but you could add seasoning too and eat just as a toasty snack.
Pumpkin & Caramel Cake
We've saved the best for last here - this utterly delicious pumpkin and caramel cake was a Team Jude favourite! Marrying the earthy tones of pumpkin with the rich sweetness of the gorgeous dulce de leche, it's absolute autumnal HEAVEN. Save us a piece if you make it this week!