Peel pumpkins, half them and remove seeds and set seeds aside.
Slice pumpkins halves into thin slices or cube them if you chose.
Cubing them allows you to dehydrate a larger amount at one time on a single tray.
I use a Progressive International GPC-4000 Fruit and Vegetable Chopper
Dehydrate pumpkin slices or cubes at 135 degrees for 10-12 hours depending on how many trays you use in your dehydrator. The pumpkin pieces should be completely dry.
Take your dry pieces of pumpkin and grind them into a flaky flour using a food processor.
(A friend of mine uses her blender but it dulls the blades)
Store in a labeled mason jar.
If 1 cup of white flour is call for in a recipe then I use 1/2 cup white flour and 1/4 cup pumpkin flour. Pumpkin flour is denser.
Many recipes suggest substituting pumpkin flour for up to 1/4 of the amount of regular flour.
You can also dehydrate seeds with sliced or cubed pumpkin and grind into flour
Be sure not to let the pumpkin seeds go to waste.
You could roast them in your oven for a tasty treat.
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
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Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and sea salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.Another option:
Scoop the seeds out of the pumpkin. Remove as much pulp, using your hands as possible. Place seeds in a strainer and run cool water over them. Rinse. Dump strainer onto a flat dry dishtowel and gently pat dry. Place on a dry paper towel and air dry for 24 hours. Plant in the spring.
You can also compost the Pumpkin Peels adding bonus nutrition to your garden in the spring.
Pumpkin flour is also low carb and gluten free.
Pumpkin Flour has positive health benefits and you can read about them here : http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/pumpkinflour.htm
