it’s the season for ALL the gourds. every store you go to has a big bucket of pumpkins and squash ripe for the picking. many of you are at home cooking up butternut squash for soup, making pumpkin pies, and roasting acorn squash for salads. or some other combination that requires you to scoop out the seeds from your specific gourd.

now before you go ahead and throw out all those good seeds, check out this weeks’s tip.

gourd seeds are not the only good seeds to roast, they are packed FULL of nutrients, healthy oils & fiber. they are awesome as a tasty on the go snack and even better atop a fresh salad.

below is a recipe for a pumpkin spice roasted gourd seeds, but for something simpler, you can use the olive oil and just salt and pepper. you could even spice them like my favorite spiced pistachios.

pumpkin spiced roasted gourd seeds

serves: .5 cup gourd seeds

prep time: 5 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 25 minutes

ingredients: .5 cup gourd seeds (seeds from 2 butternut squash, 1 acorn squash or seeds from a smaller pumpkin). 1 tbs olive oil. 1 tsp brown sugar. .5 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp cinnamon. .5 tsp ginger. .25 tsp ground cloves. .25 tsp nutmeg. parchment paper. baking sheet.

start by preheating your oven to 275 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper. wash your seeds removing any extra pulp and dry very well.

lay your seeds out on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

sprinkle your seasonings over the top and toss well till everything is lightly combined. roast them in the oven for 18-20 minutes until crispy. remove from the oven and allow them to cool till you can handle them.

eat as is or pop them into your favorite salad.

xo, a

pumpkin spiced roasted gourd seeds

serves: .5 cup gourd seeds

prep time: 5 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 25 minutes

ingredients: .5 cup gourd seeds (seeds from 2 butternut squash, 1 acorn squash or seeds from a smaller pumpkin). 1 tbs olive oil. 1 tsp brown sugar. .5 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp cinnamon. .5 tsp ginger. .25 tsp ground cloves. .25 tsp nutmeg. parchment paper. baking sheet.

start by preheating your oven to 275 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper. wash your seeds removing any extra pulp and dry very well. lay your seeds out on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. sprinkle your seasonings over the top and toss well till everything is lightly combined. roast them in the oven for 18-20 minutes until crispy. remove from the oven and allow them to cool till you can handle them. eat as is or pop them into your favorite salad.

these days, i feel like i'm spinning my wheels a bit. it has been a true blessing to have all my businesses grow over the summer, but my schedule has filled up to the MAX. in fact, for the first time ever i had to turn away a marketing opportunity because I JUST CAN'T. 

now i know, i know, this sounds a bit like complaining. i'm not. i promise. i am insanely grateful and somedays i literally have to pinch myself that wes and i are building the life we always dreamed of. when i'm delivering cakes on a special occasion or teaching a kid to take his first strokes, my heart literally bursts with joy. i cry happy tears OFTEN. 

BBBUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTT. yup, there it is. 

now that i'm cooking for work, sometimes at the end of the day, the idea of cooking one more meal is just too much. so i've taken one of my favorite dishes and pretty much made it as easy as possible. i've taken the laborious parts out of chicken saltimbocca, but managed to keep all the flavor. the prep on this dish is a cinch and it really only requires one pan and one platter. easy to make. easy clean up. easy when i just can't. 

chicken with prosciutto and sage
serves: 2
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
total time: 25 minutes
ingredients: 10-12 oz chicken tenders. 2 oz prosciutto, chopped into 1 inch pieces. 8 medium sage leaves, chiffonade (thin slices). 4 tbs butter, divided. .25 cup dry white wine. .75 cup chicken stock. 1 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp fresh ground black pepper. 2 cups arugula for serving. large heavy enamel or cast iron pan (you can always use whatever large pan you have on hand if you don't have either of those). 

start by heating your pan over medium low heat. add in your prosciutto and cook until it has crisped. 5-7 minutes. while your prosciutto is crisping, pat your chicken dry and season it with half the salt and pepper. 

remove the crispy prosciutto and place it on a paper towel so the excess fat can dry off.

add half the butter and increase the heat to medium high. 

when the butter has melted and is sizzling, add in the chicken and cook till browned on each side, about 3 minutes a side. 

remove the chicken to a platter. 

add the remaining butter and the white wine. bring the liquid to a heavy simmer and cook until the wine is reduced by half. about 2 minutes. 

pour in the chicken stock and most of the sage (keep a few fresh bits for garnish). bring the liquid back to a simmer and cook until it has reduced again by half. about 3 to 5 minutes. 

add the chicken back to the pan as well as the prosciutto and let it simmer till the chicken is nice and saucy and warmed through. about 2 minutes. 

serve your chicken on a bed of arugula and drizzle with the sauce. 

top with any additional sage for garnish and serve hot. 

xo, a

chicken with prosciutto and sage
serves: 2
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
total time: 25 minutes
ingredients: 10-12 oz chicken tenders. 2 oz prosciutto, chopped into 1 inch pieces. 8 medium sage leaves, chiffonade (thin slices). 4 tbs butter, divided. .25 cup dry white wine. .75 cup chicken stock. 1 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp fresh ground black pepper. 2 cups arugula for serving. large heavy enamel or cast iron pan (you can always use whatever large pan you have on hand if you don't have either of those).
tart by heating your pan over medium low heat. add in your prosciutto and cook until it has crisped. 5-7 minutes. while your prosciutto is crisping, pat your chicken dry and season it with half the salt and pepper. remove the crispy prosciutto and place it on a paper towel so the excess fat can dry off. add half the butter and increase the heat to medium high. when the butter has melted and is sizzling, add in the chicken and cook till browned on each side, about 3 minutes a side. remove the chicken to a platter. add the remaining butter and the white wine. bring the liquid to a heavy simmer and cook until the wine is reduced by half. about 2 minutes. pour in the chicken stock and most of the sage (keep a few fresh bits for garnish). bring the liquid back to a simmer and cook until it has reduced again by half. about 3 to 5 minutes. add the chicken back to the pan as well as the prosciutto and let it simmer till the chicken is nice and saucy and warmed through. about 2 minutes. serve your chicken on a bed of arugula and drizzle with the sauce. top with any additional sage for garnish and serve hot.