Tasty ways to exploit pumpkin seeds
Wondering what to do with all those pumpkin seeds? Instead of burning them, try alternative ways to prepare and exploit leftover seeds! Plus, get great exploit out of your seeds with a a pumpkin granola recipe you must try.
Below is an excerpt “Heal your gut” cookbook. By Hilary Boynton and Mary Brackett. It has been adapted for exploit on the Internet.
Dehydrating nuts and pumpkin seeds
Sally Fallon Morell explains in her book Nourishing traditions This nuts and seeds taste best when soaked and dehydrated. He calls them “crunchy nuts.” All nuts, grains, beans and seeds contain phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, otherwise known as “anti-nutrients.”
A diet high in these anti-nutrients can cause digestive irritation as well as nutrient deficiencies. Phytic acid binds to minerals and blocks the absorption of many key nutrients in the body.
Start of the germination process
Enzyme inhibitors bind to enzymes and reduce their activity. Enzyme inhibitors and phytates are nature’s defense mechanism that protects nuts, seeds, grains and legumes, allowing them to survive until they reach optimal germination conditions and become plants. When we soak nuts and seeds, we essentially create the optimal soggy environment nature intended and allow them to germinate.
Starting the sprouting process and neutralizing the enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid facilitates their action on our digestive system and allows us to better absorb nutrients. Time-honored cultures have made every effort to make nuts, seeds, grains and legumes more digestible. For information on ordering wholesale nuts, see resources. Be careful – they are addictive!
Sprouting seeds
Place 1⁄2 to 1 cup of raw seeds in a tidy quart-size jar and pour filtered water 2 inches above the top. Cover the jar with gauze and a rubber band, and set aside overnight in a frigid place for 10 hours.
Drain the seeds, rinse and strain again; replace the cheesecloth, then invert the jar and place it at an angle into the measuring cup or Pyrex bowl.
Seed rinsing
This will allow air to circulate and water to continue to drain. Rinse the seeds every 12 hours and repeat the process until germination begins – about 2 days. Sprinkle the seed sprouts onto a plate or cookie sheet and leave to parched completely. Then put them back into a tidy, parched jar, seal and store in the fridge.
Place 4 cups of raw nuts in a huge jar or glass bowl. Pour hot filtered water. Gently mix in sea salt (exploit measuring chart). Soak for 7 hours. Drain, rinse and place in a dehydrator or oven at no higher than 150°F for 24 hours or until crisp. Store all nuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 6 months.
Note: Cashews are not actually raw because they are heated to 350°F while still in the shell to neutralize a toxic oil called cardole before they reach the market.
Therefore, they do not need to be dehydrated after soaking, but roasting them will make them tastiest. Follow the soaking instructions (soak for no longer than 6 hours) and then spread them on a baking tray. Bake in the oven at 200 to 250°F for 12 hours for optimal flavor and crispiness.
Scoops of salt in nuts and pumpkin seeds (4 cups)
|
Pecans |
2 teaspoons |
Walnuts |
2 teaspoons |
|
|
Peanuts |
1 tablespoon |
Pine nuts |
1 tablespoon |
|
|
Almonds |
1 tablespoon |
Macadamia nuts |
1 tablespoon |
|
|
Hazelnuts |
1 tablespoon |
Cashew nuts |
1 tablespoon |
|
|
Pumpkin seeds |
2 tablespoons |
Sunflower seeds |
2 tablespoons |
|
|
Pistachios |
No soaking required! |
RECIPE: Granola with pumpkin seeds
Makes 1 quart
Ingredients
Ingredients- ½ cup of soaked cashews
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- ½ cup soaked pecans
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ cup of soaked sunflower seeds
- ½ cup of pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup of pumpkin puree
- ½ cup of coconut flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
- ¼ cup of coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Procedure
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until a very chunky paste forms. Spread on a non-stick drying sheet and set to 145°F for 12 to 24 hours, stirring once or twice. (Or spread on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven on its lowest setting for 12 to 24 hours, depending on temperature.) Break up the granola; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.