Pumpkin/ Squash seeds!

Do you know how amazing seeds are for you? These little buggers contain all of the energy to turn into the beautiful and strong plants that produce the food that we consume.

‘Seeds hold the blueprint for all plant material on earth. Without seeds, the birds, bees, and many other creatures on Earth would be without staple foods.’ -Foundation of Nutrition

So basically, don’t throw your seeds away when you’re making kabocha squash, pumpkin, or all of the other delicacies that come with fall. Instead, prepare them and consume them as a snack or ‘condiment’ to your food!

Nutritional Benefits of seeds:

• Seeds offer a full range of amino acids, with approximately 12-25% of their caloric content in protein (USDA, 2013).
• 56-75% of the caloric content of seeds are from fats (USDA, 2013), mostly essential fatty acids, which have the ability to moisten your skin, nourish your glands, improve memory, mood, and fat burning, and relieve inflammation of the mucous membranes and joints (FON).
• Most seeds also provide an excellent magnesium:calcium ratio (one of the best sources of magnesium, which many people are deficient in.), as well as vitamin E and flavonoids (USDA, 2013).
• Seeds also boost a generous supply of other minerals such as zinc, potassium, and chromium.
• ‘By eating seeds regularly, blood sugar becomes more regular, fat burning is more active, allergies are less bothersome, hormones begin to balance, and cell membranes become more receptive to insulin, thereby generating a more efficient cellular energy.’ -Foundation of Nutrition

How to use your seeds!

*Below are a number of ingredient combinations that we love to put on our seeds! But the list doesn’t end there…get creative! We could go on and on with different delicious combinations! Curried seeds, cinnamon spice, teriyaki…

Simple and Delicious Seeds

• salt
• olive oil

Pumpkin Spiced Seeds

• pumpkin pie spice
• honey
• coconut oil
• optional: salt

Heat ’em up Seeds

• cayenne pepper
• garlic
• salt
• olive oil

Sweet Heat Seeds

• honey
• salt
• red pepper
• olive oil

Cumin at You Seeds

• cumin
• garlic
• cayenne
• salt
• olive oil

Feelin’ Fancy Seeds

• herbs de provence
• garlic
• salt
• olive oil

Directions:

• Once you pull seeds out of chosen squash, rinse and clean them thoroughly.
• Bring water to boil, pour in seeds and let simmer for 10 minutes (I typically skip this step…oops)
• Make sure your seeds are pretty dry!
• Next, add desired ingredient combos!
• Then, roast your seeds for 10-20 minutes at 325…or do a low slow roast if you are concerned about preserving the fats.
• VOILA! delicious and nutritious seeds ready to be eaten up!

Let us know what flavor combinations you’re trying on your seeds! For more benefits of pumpkin seeds and other foods, check out our pantry staples page! We hope you enjoy! #holisticrendezvous