fall-spiced pumpkin seed butter

This post was previously published on Free People's BLDG 25 blog. 

Nothing marks the season quite like pumpkins do! It’s the perfect time of year to try your hand at pumpkin seed butter. Since it’s made with seeds, the recipe is a great alternative for those of you allergic to peanuts or other nuts. It’s also vegan and gluten-free for all of those restricted dieters out there. Pumpkin seeds are full of protein and omega-3’s to help you stay well-nourished for fall. Add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup for sweetness. With each bite you’ll taste all the glories of the season.

INGREDIENTS:  (fills 1 – 8oz. mason jar)

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds

½ Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Nutmeg

1 Tsp Allspice

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (the real kind)

4 Pinches Salt

1 Tbsp Ghee (coconut oil works too)

Water as needed

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F

In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin seeds, ghee, and spices. Stir so that the seeds are well coated.

Spread mixture evenly across a foil-lined cookie tray and toast seeds for 15 minutes. Once they are toasted, remove from oven and let cool.

Add one cup of seeds to a food processor along with two pinches of salt and one tablespoon of maple syrup. Blend until well chopped and then add a tablespoon of water. Continue to blend and add water until you reach the desired consistency.

Remove from food processor, and repeat step four with your second cup of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Enjoy with your favorite fall treats like freshly-picked apples!

weekly scenes

Life is good, boys and girls. My favorite season is here, and I've been enjoying every last drop. My parents came to visit for the weekend, and they stayed here at the house. I loved welcoming them (and their two dogs) in. Watching guests relax on the couch and preparing lunch made it feel like a real home. It allowed me to sit back and admire the space Adam and I have created. It really is homey and cozy.

With my parents here, we also went out to several delicious meals. Brunch, dinner, as always, we ate well. Of note, we got to try out new local spot, Noord. Their Scandanavian plates were creative, elevated, and completely original. Unlike anything else in the city, compliments were flying out my mouth the whole meal.

The following weekend, Marley and I went on a solo walk in the woods. We found the Indian statue at Wissahickon after many attempts to do so. It was great to enjoy this beautiful season as thoughts worked themselves out in my head. There is so much to think about, to figure out. Nothing bad, but I find there's a constant need to question, to mull over ideas, and to plan for the future. Without time to do so, I can get a bit lost. It makes me feel very grounded getting back to nature with my thoughts and my dog.

It's been a good string of days.

diy painted pumpkins

Every year, without fail, I carve a Halloween pumpkin. Last year I wanted to switch it up with painting, but I never got around to it. This year I wasn't going to let it happen again and I was determined to paint one - or two. In looking for tattoo inspiration I came across some pretty amazing henna, and I decided that the designs would double up as a great painted pumpkin. The design is free-handed  so if you're not the best painter, I suggest you go with the second striped pattern. It's ridiculously easy, but nonetheless, extremely cute. 

You'll Need:

acrylic paint (gold, blue, red, and white for the henna; red, white, and blue for the stripe)

medium sized paint brush

small detail pint brush

something to put/mix your paint in

a cup of water

paper towel to pat your brush off

Directions (henna design):

1. The first thing you'll want to do for either design is to paint the pumpkin white. First paint the top half with two coats and let it dry. Afterward, paint the bottom half with two coats and let that dry as well.

2. Next you'll want to paint the stem gold. Then, using a medium sized brush, paint three large paisley shapes, giving everything two coats.

3. Taking a small brush, paint in the small gold detail lines. 

4. Still using your small brush go in with your accent colors, blue and red, to outline chosen sections.

Directions (simple stripe design):

1. Load up a medium sized brush with bright red paint. Using a white pumpkin, paint from the stem to about halfway down the pumpkin. Do two coats and let dry.

2. Mix a blue that you like, and then brush the second middle stripe onto your pumpkin. There's no need to be exact, part of the character in this design is that you can see the brush strokes, giving it something of a dip-dye look.