After you have carved your pumpkin, you will be left with a handful of seeds and pulp. Many people will rinse off the seeds and roast them for a healthy snack. This is a great option as suggested by our functional medicine Los Angeles professionals since the seeds are low in fat and nutritious, but there are also some other ways to use the pumpkin seeds. For example, you can:
1. Make Your Own Protein Bars
The first thing you can do is use pumpkin seeds as one of the elements for your homemade protein bars. You can do these in a few different ways. One option is to combine ingredients like blended dried fruits such as cranberries and apricots, with the seeds, granola, and any other ingredients you like. You can also make a chocolate protein bar by adding melted chocolate to a small mold, then adding in the pumpkin seeds and additional ingredients.
Add to Yogurt
Pumpkin seeds are perfect for putting on the top of your yogurt. It will be used just like yogurt, where you take a handful of the seeds and put it on any flavor of yogurt. This allows you to make it healthier and get a little crunch as a treat. They are also good for topping ice cream and frozen yogurt. In addition, yogurt snacks with pumpkin seeds promote functional medicine digestion in Los Angeles.
Top Soup or Salad
Garnishing your soup, chili, or salad with pumpkin seeds is another good idea. This is going to add a little more protein and nutrition to your soup while providing a healthier crunch than what you might get by using croutons or some of the fattier nuts.
2. Make Your Own Granola
For granola, you can replace other seeds you would typically use and use your roasted pumpkin seeds instead. Granola doesn’t have one set recipe since it depends on what you prefer. You can add nuts and seeds, dried fruit, pretzel pieces, oats, and just about anything. A harvest granola with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries is perfect for the fall season.
Use Them in Baked Goods
When you are baking items like maple apple muffins, pumpkin cookies, or zucchini bread in the fall, go ahead and add some pumpkin seeds. Use the entire seeds as-is, or chop or grind them up and add them to the batter before you start baking.
3. Make Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Pumpkin brittle uses pumpkin seeds as the primary ingredient. You will want to use raw pumpkin seeds, not ones that have been toasted. Our functional medicine Studio City experts suggest you combine them with sugar, water, and sea salt, let them dry, and then break them up into pieces as a nutritious and low-fat snack.
If you’re looking for more guidance on creating healthy, homemade snacks, consider consulting with professionals at Functional Medicine Los Angeles. Our functional medicine Burbank team can provide you with personalized nutrition advice and wellness strategies.