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.

now, i’ve made no secret that i’m not the BIGGEST pumpkin spice fan. but, i am a lady of the people, and the people want pumpkin spice. so here goes nothing!

while i am a strong believer that when it comes to food, you should indulge in everything in moderation, as of late, i’ve been trying to make some healthier alternatives to my baked goods. i used to be able to eat ANYTHING. but as i’ve gotten older, my skin has become insanely sensitive (i’ve always had eczema and general skin sensitivities). so i have spent some time figuring out what my body loves, and what my body rejects. and two of my bodies least favorite things these days? gluten and sugar. and i’m a baker. sweet.

these muffins are the perfect antidote. they give me the baked goods i’m craving, with no gluten and little sugar. and i’m not going to lie, the pumpkin spice flavoring is delicious!

gluten free pumpkin spice muffins

serves: 9-12 muffins

prep time: 10 minutes

bake time: 18-20 minutes

total time: 30 minutes

ingredients: 1.25 cups gluten free flour blend. .75 cup packed brown sugar. 2 tsp baking powder. 1 tsp baking soda. 2 tsp cinnamon. 1 tsp ground ginger. .5 tsp ground cloves. .25 tsp ground nutmeg. .5 tsp kosher salt. 1 cup pumpkin puree. 2 eggs. .25 cup softened butter. .25 cup buttermilk. muffin tin. muffin liners.

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. combine the brown sugar, flour blend, spices, sugar and salt in a bowl.

whisk your eggs till they are lightly scrambled in a large bowl.

pour in your dry ingredients and whisk till well combined.

add in the pumpkin, buttermilk and butter and whisk till completely combined. fill your muffin tin with muffin liners and use a scoop or large spoon to fill the muffin liners almost all the way to the top. the batter is really thick, so don’t be shocked when it holds its shape.

once you have filled all the liners, bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes until a bit browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean when you prick them.

allow to cool till you can handle and serve warm or at room temperature.

xo, a

gluten free pumpkin spice muffins

serves: 9-12 muffins

prep time: 10 minutes

bake time: 18-20 minutes

total time: 30 minutes

ingredients: 1.25 cups gluten free flour blend. .75 cup packed brown sugar. 2 tsp baking powder. 1 tsp baking soda. 2 tsp cinnamon. 1 tsp ground ginger. .5 tsp ground cloves. .25 tsp ground nutmeg. .5 tsp kosher salt. 1 cup pumpkin puree. 2 eggs. .25 cup softened butter. .25 cup buttermilk. muffin tin. muffin liners.

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. combine the brown sugar, flour blend, spices, sugar and salt in a bowl. whisk your eggs till they are lightly scrambled in a large bowl. pour in your dry ingredients and whisk till well combined. add in the pumpkin, buttermilk and butter and whisk till completely combined. fill your muffin tin with muffin liners and use a scoop or large spoon to fill the muffin liners almost all the way to the top. the batter is really thick, so don’t be shocked when it holds its shape. once you have filled all the liners, bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes until a bit browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean when you prick them. allow to cool till you can handle and serve warm or at room temperature.