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    Home » MAKE IT EASY » 30 Minutes or Less

    Pumpkin Seed Meal

    March 9, 2012 17 Comments

    Add ground pumpkin seeds for gluten-free, healthy shot to dishes. Sprinkle over salads, vegetables, or switch in for breadcrumbs.

    pumpkin seed meal

    My pantry is still going through a serious makeover as boxes full of ingredients I can’t pronounce are being tossed. Processed foods are being exchanged for whole foods; or in some cases, just less processed ones -- Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all, and neither is creating how I want to eat for the rest of my life.

    Just like building Rome, or so I imagine, I had to get the lay of the land before setting my foundation. Of prime consideration is how I live my life: I travel and eat out quite a bit; am married to a carnivorous maximus who still expects to see meat on the plate; and periodically cook for a new extended family which includes grandchildren with food opinions. In other words, this new way of flexitarian/vegetarian eating I’m determined on must be realistic, sustainable, and flexible. Otherwise it just won’t work.

    Revamping the pantheon of pantry helpers in my kitchen has been part of laying that foundation. I’ve written about some of them here, but I’m really excited about this new addition to the group: pumpkin seed meal made from ground pumpkin seeds. Now this might seem like a really small thing, and admittedly it’s barely a recipe, but you’d be surprised how many ways its faintly nutty flavor amps up a dish while ushering in all kinds of health benefits. And it reminds me anew how small things can make such a difference to a day.

    Rescuing a spider hopelessly trapped in a bathtub, as it attempts, Sisyphus-like, to climb out.

    Walking to lunch instead of driving.

    Finding out the car in front of you paid your bridge toll (not insignificant, these days).

    A quick story. Years ago, pre-rollerbags, I dragged an over-packed suitcase through downtown Pittsburgh on my way to my dad’s office. I was hunched over the bag, scraping it across the sidewalk, wondering why on earth I had packed so many clothes, and not at all happy about the warm, sunny day. A complete stranger, witnessing my struggle, and perhaps more of my legs than intended, offered to carry it for me. That simple, genuine offer lifted my day immeasurable, and obviously stayed with me.

    This pumpkin seed meal is that helping hand. I’ve toasted it and made it into a roux to thicken stews and posoles; scattered a bit over salads; and switched it in for breadcrumbs in recipes to make it gluten-free. Come on back later this weekend to see a recipe I’ll be posting for Quinoa Potato Cakes Florentine that incorporates this new pantry item.

    Next I want to try baking with it. I think it would make an awesome bread.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    A Helping Hand

    Pumpkin seed meal makes a healthy, delicious substitution for bread crumbs, and can be added to soups, stews, salads, or pasta. And so easy to make!
    Author: The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    • 1 bag of shelled pumpkin seeds

    Instructions

    • Place the pumpkin seeds in a small food processor or spice grinder. Whirl like crazy until it becomes a thick meal.
    • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    To see my other pantry friends, look at the Pantry tab and see what’s there. Or just click on any of the below links to go to a recipe.

    Gremolata Breadcrumbs

    Browned-Butter Breadcrumbs

    Brown Sugar

    Farmer’s Cheese

    Mascarpone

    Chipotle Spice Mix that’s good for both veggies and Myles’ steaks and pork chops

    « True Grit(s)
    Quinoa Potato Cakes & Mustard-Yogurt Sauce »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. LiztheChef

      March 09, 2012 at 5:20 pm

      Your creativity in the kitchen continues to "wow" me, Susan!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        March 10, 2012 at 2:20 pm

        Oh Liz, thanks so much 🙂 You always know how to put a smile on my face.

        Reply
    2. gluttonforlife

      March 09, 2012 at 6:43 pm

      Excellent, thought-provoking post, Susan, and a great tip as far as the pepitas (as I call them). They're a staple in my pantry but I see I haven't maxed out their usefulness. As for the carnivorous maximus--isn't he sort of a captive audience? Unless he's going to cook, he'd better be grateful for whatever you put on his plate...

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        March 10, 2012 at 2:29 pm

        I would love to hear what additional uses you come up for the pumpkin seed meal if you make some, Laura! And my CM lacks that gratefulness response if he doesn't see meat - but we're working on that, and I cracked up when I saw your comment. He has in fact resorted to buying meat to make sure he gets some, and will make it himself if need be. It's all a work in progress I suppose 🙂 For awhile I thought I'd call my blog Steak and (K)ale because I eat so much kale and he eats so much beef....

        Reply
        • David Waugh

          August 22, 2015 at 9:59 am

          Try ground seeds - pumpkin, sunflower, etc - on no-fat plain Greek yoghurt with sliced banana or strawberry then drizzled with Yacon syrup. Healthy does not mean yummy-free!

          Reply
    3. Norma Chang

      March 10, 2012 at 12:41 pm

      Pumpkin seeds meal such a creative use of pumpkin seeds, I use it whole but your making it into meal and use it in place of flour is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        March 10, 2012 at 2:30 pm

        Thanks Norma! If you like pumpkin seeds / pepitas, then you will like the meal form of it too. I'd love to hear any uses for it you come up with it too!

        Reply
    4. The Wimpy Vegetarian

      March 10, 2012 at 2:24 pm

      Well, my pantry is much the same, so I'm using this in the figurative sense. One cupboard is dedicated to all things baking, dried beans, and grains. One is for spices, oils and vinegars, and some canned things I keep around - like canned tomatoes for when I run out of my own. And I have an entire shelf dedicated to chocolate 🙂 My biggest problem is I need a bigger refrigerator and freezer...

      Reply
    5. Mare

      March 10, 2012 at 2:57 pm

      Susan, I love this post! I will be back in a couple of weeks and we should g et together!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        March 10, 2012 at 3:02 pm

        I would love to, Mare!! We were gone a lot of February, but am home now and loving it. We head back to Tahoe end of the month, but will be around all of April (at least so far). Would LOVE to get together! Drop me an email when you're back in town!

        Reply
    6. Julie @SavvyEats

      March 10, 2012 at 6:23 pm

      I LOVE that you've added a pantry tab!

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        March 10, 2012 at 7:04 pm

        Thanks Julie!! Hope you're having a great weekend!

        Reply
    7. Liz

      March 11, 2012 at 4:34 am

      I've never thought of using pumpkin seeds in anything beyond garnish or in a seedy snack mix. Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
    8. Fitoru mct

      July 07, 2020 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      I love eating roasted pumpkin seed as a snack while working. I have seen other recipes on pumpkin seeds but haven't tried it before.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Quinoa Potato Cakes Florentine with Mustard-Yogurt Sauce | The Wimpy Vegetarian says:
      March 11, 2012 at 12:33 pm

      [...] Post navigation ← Previous [...]

      Reply
    2. What Food Writers are Reading | Cook 'n' Scribble says:
      March 20, 2012 at 12:33 pm

      [...] this week. Tom Hirschfeld wrote about his weekly bread baking, Susan Pridmore shared her fabulous pumpkin seed meal and Julie Grice talked about homemade mayonnaise for summery fish [...]

      Reply
    3. Swiss Chard and Quinoa Gratin | The Wimpy Vegetarian says:
      January 16, 2013 at 8:56 pm

      [...] 1 1/2 cups gremolata breadcrumbs or mix with ground pumpkin seeds [...]

      Reply

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    I'm a mostly vegetarian married to a mostly carnivore and am on a constant hunt for healthy, delicious recipes we'll both like. Most recipes here are vegetarian with tips for adding meat or fish for the meat-eaters at the table. Whether you're vegetarian, or just wanting to eat less meat, I hope you'll find inspiration here to try something new for your own table, even if you're sharing it with someone with different eating preferences.

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