What To Do With Your Pumpkin Seeds
October is the month in which pumpkins are the most popular because of Halloween and the imminence of Thanksgiving. They are both celebrations in which people throw away lots of food and decorations, a bad habit that can be avoided.
According to Epa, 35.3 million tons of wasted food goes to landfill every year in the U.S.–globally we waste about 1.4 billion tons. Pumpkins’ popularity reaches its peak in October, making it a month in which food waste becomes a big problem, as many people throw their pumpkins once the holiday is over (or after Thanksgiving). Every year, 10 million pumpkins are grown in the UK, from which 95% are used at Halloween and then thrown away, creating 18,000 tons of food waste.
Pumpkins aren’t the only ones to blame. According to Feeding America, Americans waste more than $218 billion annually on food. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization said wasting food contributes to 11% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
We can therefore conclude food waste is not only a problem during the holidays–it’s only intensified during these events–and we should be careful about it year-round.
To lead a more sustainable life, we should consider reducing our food waste, especially with food that’s in perfect condition and we could consume without problem, which is a better alternative than the composting bin.
In this post, I will share with you what I do with my butternut squash seeds. This is also a pumpkin seeds recipe, as you can do this hack with both fruits either when fall is over, or year-round. If you’re doing it with your Halloween pumpkins, remember to also use the flesh to cook something yummy, like cupcakes, cookies, or a broth. I used this butternut squash to make a creamy vegan soup.
THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR BUTTERNUT SQUASH OR PUMPKIN SEEDS
If saving the planet is not a good enough reason to lower your food waste, you should also know that pumpkin and squash seeds are super nutritious! They are high in Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, healthy fats, protein, fiber, and iron. They can also be eaten in many ways. I love to eat them as snacks, but you can also add them to your meals–a salad or bowl for instance.
what YOU WILL NEED for this butternut squash / pumpkin seeds recipe
Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Seeds (of course!)
Oil (I used olive)
Salt
Using the fruit’s flesh for another recipe, as I mentioned above (save the seeds AND the flesh, and you’ll be avoiding lots of food waste!)
Separate the seeds from the flesh, as best as you can. It’s not a problem if you don’t remove it entirely and a bit is left in the seeds. Use the flesh (the hard parts as well as the softer ones) to make a yummy pumpkin recipe. My favorite one is pumpkin soup! Just cook some onions in oil in a pan, add water and let it boil. Put the flesh in the boiling water, add all the spices you want, and then blend everything! Try not to put too much water, so that it has a creamy consistency. You can also add vegan milk for extra taste.
Turn the oven to 370 fahrenheit. Put olive oil in an oven dish, add the seeds, and add salt.
Remove the seeds from the oven once they are crispy. This can take around 20 minutes.
Enjoy snacking them with a good movie, or adding extra nutritional benefits to your meals!
Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
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Snacks ┃ Toppings
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 1
Ingredients:
- Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Seeds
- ½ tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Separate the seeds from the flesh as much as you can.
- Turn on the oven to 370 F.
- Put olive oil in an oven dish, add seeds, and add salt.
- Cook until crispy.
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Hi, I’m Melina
I’m the creator of Sustainable Rookie, and my goal is to share what I learn throughout my sustainability journey, so that I can help other people live a more conscious life.
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