I made the most amazing dish in my kitchen the other night – Pumpkin Pasta. I love anything pumpkin, and eat it not just in autumn months, but all year long. In feng shui folklore, the pumpkin has a very unique and rich history. A symbol of prosperity and wealth, the pumpkin was favored by the housewives of ancient China. They believed that this golden fruit would bring luck and abundance to all those that lived in the home, especially when placed in the Southeast area of a room or dwelling.

In modern times, the pumpkin is a universal symbol for Thanksgiving and All Hallows Eve. But the pumpkin also has amazing health benefits as well. Loaded with fiber, vitamins A and C, magnesium, and potassium, this golden wonder fruit is also very low in calories. The seeds have all of these benefits as well, and possess essential fatty acids good for brain activity and healthy skin. The flesh of the pumpkin also contains L-tryptophan, a natural chemical that stimulates feelings of happiness and contentment – helping to rid one of depressive and negative feelings

Some feng shui practitioners will suggest using pumpkin boxes filled with certain items to attract wealth. Personally, I feel pumpkin shaped boxes are just pretty to look at, and useful for storage. They would make great additions to a kitchen or dining area to conceal spices, toothpicks, or other small items.

To make the Pumpkin Pasta Sauce, take equal parts pumpkin puree and tomato-based pasta sauce. The puree and sauce can both be made from scratch, if desired, but I usually get the canned pureed pumpkin from the supermarket (along with a store-bought pasta sauce).  But the final ingredient that I feel makes this a well-balanced dish is red wine. Depending on how much I’m making, I usually add half a cup of wine to the mix, or more if making a substantial amount of sauce. The yin of the pumpkin and tomato co-habitat well with the yang energy of the red wine.  Spice it up the way you like.  Some things I’ve added in the past are diced tomatoes, peas, minced garlic, garlic powder, sea salt, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pieces of chicken breast.  Experiment and have fun.