Sleepy Seeds
Word of the Week
Granivorous (gr-uh-niv-er-us): An adjective used to describe animals that mainly eat seeds and grain. It comes from the Latin words granum meaning "grain" and vorare meaning "to devour."
Salve!
Yay! Wednesday, October 6th is National Pumpkin Seed Day! This holiday is always celebrated the first Wednesday in October. It was created in 2016 by Superseedz Gourmet Pumpkin Seeds. . .most likely to promote pumpkin seeds and boost sales. What's not to love about this idea? Pumpkin seeds are such a healthy snack! And with all the pumpkins around this time of year, pumpkin seeds are not hard to come by.
FUN Facts:
Pumpkin seeds are also called pepitas, but pepita really refers to the green inside part!
Pumpkin seeds are full of antioxidants.
China produces more pumpkins and pumpkin seeds than any other country.
Eating too many pumpkin seeds in one sitting may give you a belly ache.
Pumpkin seeds are full of zinc, which can boost your immune system.
Pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan. . .like turkey. In other words, eating them can make you sleepy.
Pumpkin seeds are used to treat tapeworms and roundworms in livestock.
They are native to the Americas.
They were discovered in caves in Mexico that date back to 7,000 B.C.
So. . .
You picked the perfect pumpkin. You've cut the top off. You've scooped out all the pumpkin seeds and goop. You've carved the perfect face. Now what do you do with all that leftover goop? Hint: It's better than just tossing it away.
Use all of those seeds and roast them! Create your very own healthy snack in a few simple steps. Amounts will vary quite a bit depending on the size of your pumpkin and how many seeds it contains!
Pick the pumpkin seeds out of the goop.
Rinse your pumpkin seeds off thoroughly.
Allow them to dry. I often use a strainer for both parts.
Sprinkle the seeds evenly on a baking sheet.
Spread a dollop of butter as best as you can all around the seeds.
Sprinkle the seeds with salt to taste.
Bake at 350 degrees, stirring often until browned and crispy.
Plain and simple. . .these are YUMMY! I'm so thankful we have fall in our lives again.
Until next time. . .
Gram