The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

Halloween may be over, but that doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to pumpkins just yet.

In addition to being a great canvas for carving scary faces into, and not to forget offering the key ingredient in Fall’s most prevalent spice mix, pumpkins also offer many health benefits. This bright orange gourd is rich in fibre, potassium and vitamin C and A, which means its good for heart and eye health and the immune system.

Shoniquer Moncur, a vegan chef at New Life Vegetation Cell Food, wants to encourage Bahamians to find creative ways to prepare pumpkin so that they can enjoy all of these benefits.

“Pumpkin has been around for over 7,500 years, originating in Central America. In the vegan world, pumpkin is known as a hybrid fruit – a hybridisation of primarily three domesticated Cucurbita species: pepo, maxima and moschata,” said Chef Moncur.

“Our ancestors used pumpkin seeds to lower blood glucose levels, shrinking enlarged prostates, and also prevent hair loss in males.”

For many Bahamians pumpkin is served up in desserts, old-fashioned soups and in rice, but there are many more creative ways to use this nutritious fruit in the kitchen.

When prepping pumpkins, Chef Moncur said there are some definite do’s and don’ts you should heed.

“When using pumpkin to cook make sure it’s fresh and firm. Why? Because many persons use the canned pumpkin which doesn’t have the same taste or texture as the whole fresh pumpkin,” she said.

“My way of eating pumpkin: boiled down in sea salt, spring water, and after cooking, sprinkling it with cinnamon and agave on top or maple syrup. Pumpkin and rice is also delicious; pumpkin soup with mushrooms for the winter nights is a plus.”

Some of Chef Moncur’s healthy culinary creations took centre stage at a recent New Life event called ‘Prevention is the Path to Cure’ held at Pelican’s Bay in Grand Bahama.

The event was hosted by her husband Jamal Moncur, one of the Bahamas’ leading nutritionists and herbalists, who has been spreading his message of preventative health throughout the islands. The one-day seminar also showcased some of the success stories of their clients and demonstrated the linkages between diet and cancer prevention.

“Cancer is a major threat to our health today, but diet and lifestyle have been known to significantly reduce or increase the risk of cancer,” said Chef Moncur. “For women, the threat of cancer has increased over the years, and for people born since 1960, the risk of having cancer has been documented at 50 percent, according to Nutrition News on cancer. Eating a heavy meat diet loaded with carbs and man-made products just cannot be good for anyone.”

During her presentation, Chef Moncur demonstrated how vegan dishes are not only healthy, but can also be fun to prepare. As the culinary genius behind the popular vegan dishes served at New Life restaurants in Grand Bahama, Chef Moncur has developed a reputation for providing creative vegetarian meals on a daily basis.

And now she and her husband want to take their New Life business and its message throughout the Bahamas with the “Take Back Your Health - The Reconnection” seminar in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, on November 17. The workshop will also visit Andros, Exuma and Bimini at later dates.

“We want to spread our message nationwide,” said Mr Moncur, “and do our part to ensure that the Bahamas is a healthy nation, not just Grand Bahama and New Providence. Over the years, a lot of our support has come from the Family Islands, so we want to do our part in educating the population on those islands about prevention and a healthy lifestyle, which is inclusive of fitness and these wonderful herbs and tonics that New Life has.”