It's Thrifty Food Tip time again, and
since it's a classic fall morning here at the Wolf Den, I figured
this would be the perfect thing for the season.
Roasted pumpkin seeds are definitely
one of those things we associate with autumn. Their warm, toasty,
nutty, slightly salty flavour makes for a great, healthy snack. While
the pre-packaged ones are ok, nothing beats having them fresh, just
as soon as they're cooled off enough from the oven!
(Hmm.. Speaking of which, now I've
got a craving! That's a hazard of writing the food-related portions
of this blog. LOL)
As tasty as they are, what's even
better is a medley of roasted/toasted seeds. You can roast up the
seeds from cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, acorn squash, spaghetti
squash, butternut squash, and pretty much any other gourd, squash, or
melon you can think of, with delicious and nutritious results.
That's right; I said nutritious!
Squash and melon seeds are simply
teeming with health benefits.
Cantaloupe, honeydew, and other
"muskmelon" seeds are super high in antioxidant vitamins,
minerals, amino acids, as well as being a great source of fibre and
healthy fats.
Watermelon seeds contain all those
too, in addition to a good dose of folate (AKA vitamin B9), iron, and
the plant protein, lycopene, which, in addition to being a great
protein source, is another heart health booster.
Not to be outdone, squash seeds contain all the above vitamins and minerals, plus zinc, which is another immune system benefactor. Zinc also promotes healthy cell growth and division, sleep, mood, senses of taste and smell, eye and skin health, insulin regulation, and increases prostate health.
Vitamins A, C, and E can improve and preserve your vision by helping to prevent macular degeneration, and, of course, we all know that vitamin C gives us a great boost to our immune system, which, considering that fall also marks the start of cold and flu season, is an especially good thing.
Important minerals contained in the
seeds, like magnesium, phosphorous,
iron, calcium, and potassium help
control cholesterol, regulate blood pressure and
cardiovascular function, improve bone density, immunity, metabolism,
and brain function, and decrease the risk of developing type 2
diabetes and cancer
The heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids
help reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other
cardiovascular diseases by lowering the levels of "bad"
(LDL) cholesterol in the blood.
Finally, a diet high in fibre adds
its own cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose lowering
properties, as well as promoting bowel health, for the prevention of
things like IBS, diverticulosis, and diverticulitis.
SO...
With all those health perks, great
taste, and a FREE price tag, what's not to love?
Oh! And did I mention that it's mega
simple to roast them, you can give them just about any flavour
profile you want, and it's a great, fun activity to do with kids?
Ingredients:
seeds
enough
oil (coconut, olive, grapeseed, peanut, etc.. whatever you want) to
lightly coat the seeds
salt, pepper, and/or whatever
spices/seasonings you like
Directions:
separate
seeds from the bulk of the pulp and give them a quick rinse. Don't
worry about removing all of the pulp/flesh. It will roast up nicely
and add the flavour and fibre content.
Preheat
oven to 300°F. (you can use a higher temp, however, keeping it
at or below
300°F will retain most of the nutrients
which high heat will destroy.)
Toss
together all ingredients until seeds are coated evenly with oil and
seasonings
Spread
seeds in a single layer in a cast iron skillet, stoneware, or
parchment lined baking sheet. Bake, checking and stirring every 15
minutes, until seeds are crisp and pulp is caramelized, probably
about 20-40 minutes.
Let cool completely before
serving/eating (OK.. Who am I kidding? At least let them cool
enough to avoid burning yourself or others!)
Seasoning suggestions:
Olive
oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper medley
Peanut
oil, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Add extra flavour and texture with
some dried seaweed flakes and/or kick it up a notch with some hot
chilli oil.
More
savoury seasoning ideas: curry, cumin, chilli powder, garlic powder,
onion powder, ranch dressing powdered mix, other dry soup or dip
mixes
coconut
oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Add a little sweetness with a
drizzle of honey
coconut
oil, cocoa powder and cinnamon
coconut oil, ground cloves and
cardamom
What to do with roasted seeds:
Use
as a coating for fried chicken
Add
to home made granola
Bake
into granola bars
Top
your yogurt
Mix
into your oatmeal
Add
to dry cereal
Put
them in trail mix
Add
to smoothies
Use
in whole grain and seed breads
Add
to muffins, coffee cake, and other baked goods
Add
to salads
-
And, of course, you can just
munch on them by themselves!
