Unleashing Your Inner Squirrel This October

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Unleash your inner squirrel 



The start of October marks the season where our nutty friends start to bury nuts for the winter. Us as humans have a little bit of a different approach to how we can incorporate nuts and seeds into our October meals! Seeds from pumpkin, squash, and sunflower seeds can all be good for adding texture, nutrients, and fun to whatever you make. Some nuts that are also popular during this season include hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios. 


It can be as easy as roasted pumpkin seeds or adding them to a baked good or salad. Whatever it is, they are filled with many different essential micronutrients and even phytochemicals to contribute to antioxidant effects. They carry fiber, essential fatty acids, and even small amounts of protein. The nutritional value of pumpkin seeds sometimes goes unseen. You can even roast pumpkin seeds with sweet ingredients like brown sugar and cinnamon, but here is a hardy recipe with a wide variety of nuts and pumpkin seeds that you should try this October!


Pumpkin seed granola:

Ingredients:  

  • 3 C rolled oats

  • 1 C pumpkin seeds 

  • ½ C chopped walnuts 

  • ¼ C flax seed 

  • 2 tsp of cinnamon (or pumpkin spice) 

  • 1 tsp salt 

  • ¼ C slightly melted coconut oil

  • ¼ C honey 

  • ¼ C maple syrup 

  • 1tsp vanilla 

Instructions: 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

  • Combine all dry ingredients 

  • Once combined, coat the mixture with the coconut oil 

  • Add in the remainder of liquid ingredients - and mix until coated 

  • Line baking sheet with parchment 

  • Lay out mixture of granola on the parchment paper into an even layer

  • Bake for 30 minutes while flipping granola every 10 mins for and even color. 

  • Let cool and serve or store for later use! 

  • Enjoy! 



-EN 

Comments

  1. Natalie BrodnanSeptember 29, 2026 at 12:19 PM

    I love this recipe! I think seeds are super underutilized as a crunchy and nutritious addition to granola! I think people also forget how easy it is to make your own granola at home. That way, you can make it as sweet or crunchy as you want. And if you're like me, there is always room to add some chocolate!

    ReplyDelete

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