It's our second Halloween to roast the pumpkin seeds after we carve our pumpkins. It's a new tradition and this recipe fills the house with a smell of awesomeness.
It's actually very simple to do. It's very important to use good quality coconut oil at all times in your recipes to get the best health benefits from the oil. Make sure it's cold pressed and extra virgin.Barlean'sis the best I've ever tasted. I highly recommend you give them a try. Anyone that has tried this brand has been sold! I recommend ANY of their products with confidence.
{clean} Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients:
2 cups rinsed and cleaned pumpkin seeds
2 Tbps Barlean's Coconut Oil
2 Tbps Cane Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt
Directions:
1) Add oil to a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave for about 20 seconds or until the oil begins to melt.
2) Add cane sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and mix well.
3) Add all seeds and mix until all are coated.
4) Spread out on an oven safe pan (I recommend putting foil down first to save on clean up)
5) Bake at 300 for 40-45 minutes.
NOTE: Let cool before handling. Store in an airtight container. I think next time I will give the beet sugar a try with this. Enjoy.
I hope you Clean Freaks have a plan in place for Halloween Candy. This year we will not give out any candy. We are giving out glow bracelets and some plastic bugs (if they dare) to our guest instead of traditional candy. This will be the case for all the years after this as well.
I will say, on a side note, we are NOT party poopers and go all out for Halloween. We decorate the outside of our house the day of Halloween, dress up, and make a big deal. All WITHOUT purchasing a single item with an added color this year. Kids look forward to our house, not for the candy, but for the fun! I'm so much further ahead (on the clean journey) this year than I was last. I went to open up the Halloween storage container and there was candy I bought on clearance last year. YES, it's still good. I decided to donate it elsewhere and move forward with my {cleaned up} version of Halloween.
I plan to donate most of the kid's candy to a local dentist office that is registered with Halloween Candy Buyback Program. Check out this link,www.halloweencandybuyback.com, to find out more about this program and/or check out the video below.
Don't get me wrong, my kids will eat plenty of sugar on Halloween night and the few days following it. However, they will consume as little artificial colors, artificial flavors, and trans fats as possible! Many may argue, "it's only one night a year, it's not that big of deal!" Well, I will push back to them and ask if they have consumed ANY Halloween candy any other day of the week this week? Or the weeks leading up to and after Halloween. I'm guessing they have overindulged on the trans fat candies!
When a person begins to {eat clean} they start the education process and with each month or year that passes by they find themselves more motivated to stick to the goals of ridding their lives of things like artificial colors and trans fats! I am at that point. I am finding NEW junk food for the kids for special occasions like Halloween.
Before I let you go, let me touch on artificial colors...
There are many studies out there stating that certain colors are linked to causing cancer, ADHD, and allergic reactions. Also, do you suffer from migraines or anxiety? You may want to take a look at your added color intake! I suffer from an anxiety disorder and I can attest first hand that my anxiety has improved greatly since I am off the artificial colors and sweeteners. If for one minute you think these colors are only found in candy....go to your kitchen now and start reading labels.
Please, Please, Please read this article. Especially if you don't see the importance of elminating them from your life.
1) Add dark chocolate, vanilla and oil to microwave save bowl.
2) Microwave on medium strength a minute at a time (stirring after each minute). Do NOT overcook the chocolate. Mine took less than 2 minutes.
3)Immediately mix in nuts and stir until all nuts are covered with chocolate.
4) Scoop out onto parchment/wax paper and let them set for 2 hours or move to refrigerator.
NOTE: These would be great with a mix of nuts. Make sure you are getting dry roasted or raw nuts. Low sodium or no sodium or a mix of both. Get nuts with NO oils. You could sprinkle with sea salt if your nuts have no sodium and you like the sweet and salty taste. I stored these in the refrigerator.
