Pumpkin seeds are one the most healthy ingredients that you can include your cooking. If you are clueless about what pumpkin seeds can be used for, here are a few recipes to give you an idea.
1. Pumpkin seed milk recipe
This delicious drink is good for people on a vegan diet and also for lactose intolerant individuals. It provides calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, almost the same components as in dairy products. Here is how to make it.
Ingredients
- 1 c of raw pumpkin seeds soaked for 8 hours
- 3 cups fresh water
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3-6 pitted dates or maple syrup or honey or agave nectar
- 1 tbsp sunflower lecithin
Method
Drain the seeds from the liquid and throw the liquid away. Put these in a blender, mixed with water and blend for 2 minutes. Then you drain the milk, using a clean cloth (preferably white) into a bowl. Then add your maple syrup or honey etc., a pinch of salt and mix or blend.
2. Pumpkin seed patties or loaf bread recipe
This delicious bread recipe can be eaten with anything. The taste is so balanced in this bread makeover that it is hard to resist. Here is how to make it.
- ½ cup pumpkin seed pulp
- ½ cup chopped raw cashews
- 2 egg whites beaten
- 1 cup canned red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups quick cooking oats
- 1 ½ cups corn flakes cereal
- 4 tbsps pumpkin seed milk
- Italian seasoning – 1 package
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. each garlic powder, dried thyme and oregano
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Combine all the ingredients and shape into patties.
Then put the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 2o minutes, turn on the other side and do the same for 10 minutes. Serve this with your favorite sauce or gravy.
3. Pumpkin seed sauce recipe
Here is another delicious recipe of pumpkin seed sauce, which goes very well pasta recipes or white rice. Here is how to prepare it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin seed
- ¼ chopped onion
- 1 slice bread torn
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 canned green chili peppers
- 1 can low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- A pinch of salt
Method
Heat some oil in a pan and fry pumpkin seeds, onion, bread and garlic until well done. Add the pepper, fry for a minute and turn off the heat. Allow to cool. After for a few minutes, not more than 5 minutes, place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour in a bowl and mix this with cream and broth and a bit of salt. Then stir.
Put this mixture on a low heat until it is hot enough but not burnt, then serve with cooked pasta (ravioli) or rice etc.
4. Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Salted Pumpkin Seeds
These are the unusual kind of cookies that we know of, these are loaded with oatmeal chocolate, coated with pumpkin seeds. The perfect balance of fiber and all the needed nutrients your body needs. Added to this is, it is very filling. This takes 20 minutes to prepare, 10 be ready and the recipe given is for 30 servings. You wouldn’t want to eat alone when you prepare this. Here is how to prepare;
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 cup of white whole wheat, whole pastry flour or hazelnut flour
- 1/4 cup of light brown sugar (optional)
- 10 dates, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted OR 1/4 cup melted coconut oil and 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 8 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, melted
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds and or hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Instant coffee powder and salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper.
Put in a mixing bowl, the oatmeal, flour, hazelnut flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, melted coconut oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla.
Mix and beat until the dough is moist and all the ingredient has blended well. Put chocolate chunks and coconut flakes in sizable piece of dough or 1 1/2 tablespoon of dough, wrap up and place them on the baking sheet and use your hands to gently press down into half an inch thick circle. Do this for the entire dough and bake until set. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add some butter, once it has melted, add the pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts and maple, allow to cook until it is toasted and caramelized.
Bring the baked goods out and pour this caramelized pumpkin seeds on this cookies and enjoy! This cookies can last up to 4 days in an air tight container.
5. Pumpkin Caramels
This is the most delicious treat one can experience that is totally healthy and that vegetarians can also enjoy. Gluten free and delicious, here is how to make it.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (~1 1/4 cup packed) dates, pitted (if not moist and sticky, soak in hot water 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly)
- 2 Tbsp. of pumpkin butter
- 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice
- 2 Tbsp. of melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp. of sea salt
- 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
Instructions
First your dates has to be sticky and moist, if they aren’t soak in hot water and allow for 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and put in the raw pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and allow it for 5-7 minutes. There should be a smell oozing it out, slightly toasty. When it get s to this level, take it out.
Then take your already moist dates and put in a blender until it is smooth, add your pumpkin butter or puree, with some spices and blend. As that is going on, drizzle some coconut oil until it looks paste like, scraping the sides to blend properly. Add some hot water if the mixture doesn’t blend thoroughly, depending on your desired consistency. You can add some spice to taste if you desire.
After this, put this mixture in the freezer to harden for 2 hours or until it is firm enough to be rolled into little balls. Once it is at that stage, coat the pumpkin seeds on the balls and sprinkle with little salt, put these on a plate, or baking sheet, it won’t harden. As one can always eat right from taking it from the freezer. They should be kept in the freezer to maintain it freshness or left at room temperature before consumption.
6. Kale and Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Another way to use pumpkin seeds is to make pesto using kale leaves. This can be added to anything, like pasta or made as a sauce to your rice. The possibilities are endless with this mixture.
- 1 bunch of kale washed well, spun dry and hard stems removed
- 2 cloves of peeled garlic
- 1 cup of lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup of already chopped packed coriander (cilantro) leaves and stalks
- 1-2 green chilies, seeded and roughly chopped (optional)
- 3/4 cup (185ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon white miso (gluten-free)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How to prepare it
Put all your ingredients in a blender and blend, only stopping to scrape the sides or to properly mix things up. Stop the blend to sprinkle some oil and blend again.
After which, you can add your lemon juice, miso, salt, pepper (black or red) or any other delicious spice you have to add taste.
If you are not using all, put them in a clean jar, clean with a thin film of oil and refrigerate. For a week.
7. Pumpkin Hummus
Pumpkin hummus is one of the best dips in the world to make. You can’t get enough of this dish, added to the fact that you can use it for different meals, be it breakfast sandwich, lunch snacking or dinner accompaniment. This takes 10 minutes to prepare, serves 8 ¼ in cup servings and you can use a fall fruits to add for more flavor if you desire. Here is how to do;
Ingredients
- ½ cup of pumpkin puree
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
How to prepare it
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until it is smooth. You only stop when you need to scraped the sides of the blender so everything properly blends.
Put the mixture in a dish, sprinkle a tablespoon of your olive oil, serve alongside or garnish with raw veggies. Add some chips or crackers, topping it with sweet potatoes, fried plantains, salads and wraps.
image courtesy of: wikihow.com.
