Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

seed

Browsing
Cooking Tips

Make and Use Sunflower Seed Butter Yourself: This is How It Works

You can quickly make sunflower seed butter yourself with just a few ingredients. The mush can be used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. We show you a recipe and what you should pay attention to.

Sunflower seed butter made from Europe sunflower seeds is a regional alternative to almond butter and other nut butters. This avoids long transport routes and packaging.

Sunflower seeds are healthy because they contain important nutrients. They are rich in vitamins, fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals and vegan proteins. The seeds are therefore particularly suitable for a balanced plant-based diet. Processed as a mush, you can use sunflower seeds in a variety of ways in the kitchen.

Make sunflower seed butter yourself

When buying your ingredients, make sure that they are organic and, if possible, from regional cultivation. This makes your sunflower seed puree a sustainable alternative to conventional nut spreads and you avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Ingredients:

200 gorganic sunflower seeds
1 pinch(s) of salt

Directions:

Soak the sunflower seeds in water overnight or for at least 8 hours. This makes them softer and easier to work with.
After soaking, drain the sunflower seeds through a sieve.
Place the sunflower seeds and salt in a high powered blender. Mix everything into a smooth mass.
If the mousse is still too chewy, you can add some tasteless oil.

Variation tips for sunflower seed butter

You give your sunflower seed butter a particularly nutty aroma when you roast the sunflower seeds. They shouldn’t be too dark.

Variants:

You can add some olive oil or oat milk. This makes the sunflower seed butter a little milder and creamier.
For a savory taste, you can add a clove of garlic.
For a sweet alternative, you can add a spoonful of honey or syrup, some cinnamon and vanilla to the mousse.
As a regional alternative to tahini sauce, you can add some salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs to your sunflower seed puree.

Use sunflower seed butter

Sunflower seed puree can be refined as a sweet or savory puree. You can therefore use it in many ways. Here are some tips on how to use your sunflower seed butter:

As a hearty spread: If you refine your sunflower seed puree with fresh herbs and spices, you can use it as a delicious spread.
As a sweet spread: Alternatively, you can make a sweet variant of the spread from the sunflower seed butter. This goes particularly well with pancakes and fresh rolls.
As a dip: Use more liquid during preparation to create a sauce-like consistency. This dip goes great with raw vegetables, crackers or homemade falafel.
As a vegan butter substitute: neutral sunflower seed butter is an excellent vegan alternative to butter.
As a salad dressing: Use the puree to make a delicious salad dressing. Simply add a tablespoon of puree to your favorite dressing.
As a cooking cream: You can refine warm dishes such as soups or stews with the sunflower seed butter. The mush gives the dish a creamier consistency.
As a muesli topping: You can put sunflower seed butter on your muesli or porige for a wholesome breakfast.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Delicious Pumpkin Seed Soup Housewife Style

A delicious and warming soup for the cold season. When the days get stormier and colder, the desire for tasty meals increases. This pumpkin seed soup is a real treat and also ideal for vegetarians.

Pumpkins are fall vegetables. They can be used in your own garden or from the nearest farmer. Pumpkins from the region also adorn the vegetable shelves in the supermarkets in autumn. The finely aromatic pulp is full of important ingredients. The recipe can be varied at will. Pumpkin seed oil is very flavorful and should therefore be used sparingly.

Ingredients for the pumpkin seed soup for 4 people

  • 1 pumpkin (Hokkaido)
  • 1 large carrot
  • 50 g feta cheese (small cubes)
  • 50 g roasted pine nuts
  • 75 g roasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1 glass of orange juice
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 4 pieces of star anise
  • pumpkin seed oil
  • salt and pepper

Preparation of the pumpkin seed soup

  1. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into small cubes.
  2. Peel and finely grate the carrot.
  3. Put the pieces of anise in about 400 ml of salted water and then cover the pumpkin cubes with the grated carrots and simmer for about 35 minutes.
  4. Then remove the anise pieces and mix in the orange juice and coconut milk.
  5. Finely puree the coarse pieces with a blender to create a creamy soup.
  6. Then fold in the feta cheese cubes and the ginger and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Finally, serve the soup on a deep plate.
  8. Sprinkle the roasted pine and pumpkin seeds on top and decorate with a dash of pumpkin seed oil.

Useful additional knowledge about pumpkin seed soup

The squash can last for months if stored in a cool, dry place. A ripe pumpkin sounds hollow when knocked. The autumn vegetables are a bomb of valuable ingredients. It contains large amounts of beta carotene and potassium. Beta carotene has an antioxidant effect. It protects the cells and supports regeneration. In addition, the vegetables are particularly low in fat. It contains about 25 kilocalories per 100 g. Since it provides the body with fiber, the pumpkin pulp aids in digestion. The skin of the Hokkaido pumpkin is particularly tender after preparation and, in contrast to the skin of other pumpkin varieties, can also be eaten.

A good hand blender is important to make the soup nice and creamy. It should be powerful and suitable for use in a hot pot. A blender with a stainless steel blender foot is the best choice here. The material does not discolor. A plastic housing can show discoloration after a while. In addition, stainless steel is more robust than plastic.

But the cream soup can also be finely pureed with other devices. A blender is only suitable for pureeing hot soup if the vessel is made of plastic. Glass would shatter due to the high temperature. Alternatively, you can mash the soup with a potato masher.

Keep Reading
By
Food

The Power of the Grape and Grape Seed Extracts

The OPC, which is obtained from grape seed extracts, is a well-known and powerful antioxidant that is currently available to humans. It is still assumed today that grape juice itself was not only known in primeval times as an alcoholic drink at meals and at festivals but also to promote the formation of red blood cells.

People who have been shown to have low red blood cell production are still often advised to drink red wine. Grape seed extracts are becoming increasingly popular these days – especially in natural medicine and natural dietary supplements.

French paradox

The French showed us how to do it a long time ago. They are known for enjoying their local products. From bread to fish, meat, fruit, and wine. The latter, however, prompts scientists to investigate why the French, who smoke on average much more than all other Europeans and also like to eat high-fat foods and do not generally do more physical activity, would have better blood and circulatory values. Of all European countries, France has the lowest risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease in the average population.

This is attributed to the varied diet. Because the French not only know what tastes good, they also celebrate eating and drinking to the fullest. Fresh fruit and vegetables are also on the daily menu, as well as a glass of red wine with the meal. The latter should not be missing from almost any French meal. The health-promoting effect is unlikely to come from alcohol. It is assumed that the healthy power lies solely in the power of the grape juice.

The grape seed extract and its strengths

Even more power and strength are attributed to the core of the grapes. Because the core of the grape goes through a completely natural cycle in order to protect itself and to guarantee reproduction via the cores. During this natural process, the plant builds up flavonols for effective protection. However, these valuable secondary plant active ingredients have almost completely disappeared from our food chain due to our mechanized food processing. After extensive research into the extraction methods of a wide variety of foods, grape seed extract proved to be an almost perfect supplier of all important messenger substances and carriers of the elementary components for a healthy human body.

In order to be able to achieve sufficient saturation with the important components of grapes and seeds, wine does not have to be drunk in huge quantities. Based on the process technology used to extract the substances, OPC (grape seed extract) can now be administered and dosed in very simple applications.

The body cells should be protected in a natural way and in this way serve as a kind of rust protection for the human body from the inside and outside. Our body’s own antioxidants counteract the destruction of the molecule by cleverly giving up an excess electron and satisfying the hunger of the radicals. However, in order to enable the body to do this, sufficient daily coverage of enzymes, vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and, in particular, OPC, as it is said to have a high value of antioxidant effects, are also necessary.

However, since we usually eat less and less healthy and varied food, the supply of the important substances and messenger substances mentioned for our body falls by the wayside. Added to this is the significant increase in environmental pollution. After the OPC has been absorbed through the mucous membrane of the mouth and stomach, the active substance enters the blood and is completely absorbed. The OPC should reach its highest concentration after around 45 minutes and be effective for a period of around 72 hours.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Pumpkin Seed Oil: Application, Effect and Production

Pumpkin seed oil is a particularly aromatic oil. Here you can find out what properties it has, what you can use it for and what you should definitely pay attention to when buying.

Many oils do not have a particularly distinctive taste or are even considered tasteless. It’s completely different with pumpkin seed oil: the oil is valued for its strong taste. It tastes particularly nutty and is suitable for numerous dishes and body care.

Pumpkin seed oil – origin and production

Pumpkin seed oil is made from the seeds of pumpkins, i.e. the pumpkin seeds. To be more precise: from the pumpkin seeds of the oil pumpkin. Only with this variety do the kernels have no woody shell, so they can be squeezed out. The special pumpkin variety came about through a random mutation around 100 years ago in Styria (Austria), where people soon discovered the oil in the seeds.

Austria and neighboring countries such as Hungary, Slovenia and Russia are still the main growing areas for the oil pumpkin. Another important growing area is China.

Only the cores are used for the production. They are washed, chopped, roasted and then pressed. The pulp can be plowed into the field as fertilizer and used as animal feed.

Properties and ingredients of pumpkin seed oil

Pumpkin seed oil is very dark in color. You can also tell the origin and processing of the oil by the color:
Oil from Austria is mostly dark green with a slight red-brownish tinge.
If the oil is more brown to yellowish, it usually comes from China, Russia or Eastern Europe.
The color of the oil can also be an indication of its manufacture and quality. If the oil is heated during processing, it also turns red-brownish to yellow. However, excessive heat damages the oil. The oil should therefore be processed as cold as possible. If the oil is dark green and shimmers slightly red against the light, it is ideal.

Other properties of pumpkin seed oil are its viscous consistency and its pleasant smell, which is not nearly as strong as the taste.

Pumpkin seed oil is characterized by a high proportion of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The main ingredients also include:
Various vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin C),
pantothenic acid,
biotin,
Minerals (e.g. chlorine, iron, fluorine, iodine, potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium, sulfur and zinc).

Use of Pumpkin Seed Oil

You can use pumpkin seed oil in different ways:
for cooking in the kitchen,
as a natural remedy,
for body care.
Due to its many good ingredients, pumpkin seed oil is considered an effective natural remedy. It is said to relieve prostate problems, lower blood pressure and help with joint problems. In addition, it is said to strengthen the immune system. For the precise use of pumpkin seed oil for health problems, you should speak to a doctor or pharmacist.

use in the kitchen

The most common use of pumpkin seed oil is in the kitchen. Because the oil just tastes really good. You can use it in many ways:
to refine pumpkin soup or pumpkin seed soup,
in the salad
in desserts.
You should mainly use pumpkin seed oil cold. If you heat it, the oil will quickly turn bitter. This can also happen to you if the oil is exposed to light for too long. Because pumpkin seed oil is also sensitive to light. Therefore you should store the oil in a cool and dark place. When storing, you should also note that the sensitive oil loses its aroma very quickly. It has a shelf life of around 12 months in an originally sealed bottle. Once you open it, you should use it within three months. It is therefore best to buy pumpkin seed oil in small quantities.

When buying pumpkin seed oil, you should pay attention to the origin of the oil. The oil is a regional specialty from Austria. The Styrian pumpkin seed oil is even a product with a protected geographical indication. You should also pay attention to the common organic labels when choosing the oil. In organic farming, for example, pesticides are prohibited.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Prickly Pear Seed Oil: Application, Effect and Disadvantages

Prickly pear seed oil is said to ensure beautiful skin and even lower blood sugar. But what about the promises? And what about the environmental balance of the oil?

Prickly pear seed oil is obtained from the seeds of the cactus species Opuntia ficus-indica. The plant originally comes from Mexico. It is very popular in South American cuisine: the so-called “nopales”, the cactus leaves, are traditionally served by Mexicans with various dishes such as vegetable pans and tacos. The cactus fruit itself is also edible – in English it is known as “prickly pear”. Their juice is considered a “superfood” in Mexico

There are two ways of extracting the oil from the prickly pear seeds: maceration (softening) or cold pressing. With cold-pressed prickly pear seed oil, the ingredients remain in large quantities.

Prickly pear seed oil and its ingredients

Prickly pear seed oil is rich in various healthy nutrients. It consists of 88 percent fatty acids such as omega-6 and omega-9.

Omega-6 (linoleic acid): This unsaturated fatty acid is the main component of prickly pear seed oil. It is essential for your body’s immune response.
Omega-9 (oleic acid): Oleic acid is said to have a positive effect on brain function and the cardiovascular system. Some studies suggest that the acid may help prevent breast cancer. It is not only contained in prickly pear seed oil, but also in olive oil, for example.
Prickly pear seed oil is also rich in tocopherols, which belong to the vitamin E group. Tocopherols are antioxidants and protect the body’s cells from free radicals

Prickly Pear Seed Oil: Effect on your health and beauty

Prickly pear seed oil is famous for having a positive effect on the human body, both internally and externally.

Topical use: Take two drops of the oil and either apply it to your skin without any additives or mix it with your daily skin cream for extra dry skin. Despite its rich fatty acid content, prickly pear seed oil is non-comedogenic—so it won’t clog pores. The oil is suitable for daily use.
Internal use: You can also use the prickly pear seed oil for culinary purposes and mix a few drops into your salad dressing, for example. The oil has a light fruity note. However, you should not heat it: it can lose its valuable ingredients.
Researchers have already been able to demonstrate some of the health-promoting effects that prickly pear oil is said to have – including, for example, its antioxidant effect. Other effects, on the other hand, have not yet been sufficiently proven:

Sun protection and anti-aging:
Anti-inflammatory: the so-called
Prevents cancer: As part of a study, scientists treated induced tumor cells from nude mice with prickly pear extract. They found that the tumor cells died more often as a result. The exact reason for this and whether prickly pear seed oil has the same effect on people has not yet been clearly established.

Prickly pear seed oil: What you should look out for when buying

If you want to buy prickly pear seed oil, you should always make sure that it is the cold-pressed version. Since the oil has to be made from a large quantity of fruit, it is particularly valuable and expensive. So if you come across a surprisingly cheap offer, it may be a chemically extracted product. This not only lacks important ingredients, it can even contain harmful substances. So make sure that it is not contaminated with so-called “hexane”. An organic seal is also important – this way you can also ensure the ecological quality of the oil.

But you should also keep an eye on the environmental balance of prickly pear seed oil: The biggest problem is the long transport routes. Globally, Mexico grows the most prickly pears. The second largest producer, on the other hand, is Italy (Sicily). It is therefore possible to buy prickly pear seed oil from the EU.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Poppy Seed Oil: Application and Effect

Valuable, health-promoting substances are in the oil. Read here how poppy seed oil works and how to use it.

The cold-pressed oil made from various types of poppy seeds is called poppy seed oil. In addition to blue and gray poppy, opium poppy is mainly used for this. In addition to culinary purposes, poppy seed oil is also used for body care. Oil-based soaps and paints are also made from it.

In this article you will find out what is in the valuable poppy seed oil and how to use it.

Poppy seed oil: ingredients and effects

Since poppy seed oil is not particularly widespread in Europe, there are only few scientific studies on the special oil.

Some studies have looked at the composition of poppy seed oil and were able to identify the following triglycerides:
linoleic acid
oleic acid
palmitic acid
Linoleic acid belongs to the group of unsaturated fatty acids. It is essential for the body and cannot be produced by it itself. This means that you must get the omega-6 fatty acid through food. Linoleic acid supports your body in regeneration and cell stabilization and accelerates wound healing

In addition, the cold-pressed oil is rich in valuable minerals and vitamins. These include above all:
calcium
magnesium
potassium
B vitamins
Further studies have shown that poppy seeds and the poppy seed oil they contain are a natural source of valuable antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress, support your body in cell renewal and fight free radicals

Apply poppy seed oil

To benefit from the valuable ingredients of poppy seed oil, you can use it in a variety of ways in the kitchen:
Poppy seed oil convinces above all with its nutty and mild taste.
Both the taste and the health-promoting substances are lost in the heat. Therefore, it is best to use the oil cold or only add it at the end of the preparation.
The nutty taste goes particularly well with desserts. You can use it for cold creams or in your muesli, for example.
The special oil is also suitable for hearty dishes. You can use it to prepare dressings for salads, but the taste also goes well with tomatoes, carrots, asparagus or potato and pasta dishes.

You can also use poppy seed oil for body care:
Poppy seed oil is particularly popular for skin care. It is quickly absorbed and therefore does not leave an unpleasant greasy film on the skin.
Because of the antioxidants it contains, it is said to relieve skin irritation and redness.
You can also combine the oil with other oils like jojoba oil
The valuable oil also helps with dry hair.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Seed Potatoes: Difference to Ware Potatoes, Varieties and More

Seed potatoes are also known as seed potatoes because they are used to sow new potato plants. Here we explain what distinguishes them from conventional ware potatoes and what is important when buying them.

Seed potatoes form the basis for potato cultivation: new potato tubers develop from their sprouts. They are therefore also called seed potatoes or seed potatoes. But doesn’t every potato sprout and can be used for sowing? In fact, it’s not that simple.

In this article you will find out where the differences between seed potatoes and ware potatoes are and what you should consider when choosing seed potatoes.

What is the difference between seed potatoes and ware potatoes?

At first glance, seed potatoes and ware potatoes look alike. But looks are deceptive – seed potatoes are grown and treated differently:
Since seed potatoes are not meant to be eaten, the size of the tubers is not that relevant. The plants are placed closer together. This creates more but smaller tubers.
So that the ability to germinate is preserved as well as possible, seed potatoes are stored at two to a maximum of six degrees Celsius. This is not necessary for table potatoes.
Conventional ware potatoes are often treated with sprout inhibitors such as chloropam. This allows them to be stored longer without expelling. Since seed potatoes should germinate as well as possible for cultivation, they are not treated with such agents. For this reason, they are in principle also suitable for consumption. But because of the higher price and the smaller tubers, this is rather unusual.
Before seed potatoes can be sold, they are tested for viruses and bacteria, as well as other diseases and pests. Some viruses and bacteria damage the roots during growth, while they are harmless to health due to the high temperatures when cooking. The focus of the test is primarily on pests such as potato nematodes.
Potatoes that are designated as seed potatoes are always of the same variety. This means that the variety you bought as a seed potato and planted in your garden will also grow back. In principle, you can buy seed potatoes in all varieties that are also available as ware potatoes.

Are seed potatoes necessary?

Are seed potatoes really necessary when potatoes sprout anyway? So that you can plant potatoes in your garden, it is usually sufficient to plant sprouted ware potatoes. On the other hand, if the harvested potatoes are intended for sale, you must use seed potatoes.

These are the disadvantages of using regular table potatoes as seed potatoes:
Potato plants from ware potatoes are often less productive.
If you keep taking a potato from the harvest to plant it next year, the plants usually become weaker and more susceptible to diseases.
You should pay attention to this if you want to use table potatoes as seed potatoes:
Be sure to only use untreated potatoes. Treated potatoes must be labeled. The packaging then says: “Treated after harvest.” Potatoes from organic farming must not be treated with germicides or chemical pesticides.
It is best to use a particularly strong potato with several eyes, i.e. starting points for new shoots.
Larger potatoes with enough eyes can also be divided before planting.

Keep Reading
By