Raw Pumpkin Bites

pumkin bites2

Its time for some fat juicey pumpkins! All autumn and winter long I use them for an abundance of recipes, raw, juiced or cooked they make a great seasonal addition, and are soft on the pocket book. I always by organic, smallish orange or green ones.  The green are sweeter but the orange ones you don’t have to peel. Interesting fact: pumpkins are monoecious plants, this means they have both sexes (male and female flowers) on one plant. The gourd-like squash belongs to the Cucurbita family. Pumpkin is a good source of vitamins A, C, E and the B vitamins and dietary fiber, it’s also rich with minerals like potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, sodium and zinc. Pumpkin seeds have anti-inflammatory properties that are very useful against the arthritis and joint inflammation.The anti-oxidants in pumpkin protect the respiratory system from infections and free-radical attacks and the cleansing power of this  juice helps scrub away the old build-up of arterial deposits.
Pumpkin is rich with L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid that our body cannot manufacture. When this chemical compound is supplied, it activates the feeling of happiness and well-being. Pumpkin juice (juiced uncooked) act as an innate diuretic, which is very useful for getting rid of toxins and useless waste materials by flushing them out of the body. It does wonders for boosting the immune system by increasing the production and performance of white blood cells which builds resistance to various kinds of infections. Pumpkin seeds are also great for the kidneys.
By taking about 5 – 10 grams of pumpkin seeds daily prevents stones formation in the kidneys. In traditional Chinese medicine, pumpkin seeds are ground into powder form to be drunk with the juice for the treatment of parasites or tapeworm infections. Pumpkin is calming to the gastrointestinal tract,in this case, it’s best to take in the nutrients in juice form. The high content of zinc and carotenoids in pumpkin and its seeds help protect against prostate cancer. Great for the skin are the anti-oxidants in the form of vitamins A, C,E, and zinc.

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Ingredients

serves:6 time:20
1 cup pumpkin, fresh and finely processed
1/2 cup coconut butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
3-4 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave nectar, or coconut nectar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 Tbsp left over fiber from the carrot ginger turmeric juice (optional)
3 large dates pitted chopped
2 carrots juiced 1 small knob ginger juiced 1 small piece of turmeric juiced
1 tsp vanilla (or vanilla powder)
1/8 cup cashew butter (optional)

Directions

juice

Juice the carrots, ginger and turmeric. Place all ingredients into a vita-mix or food processor.pumpkin mixBlend till smooth and creamy. This works best of all ingredients are at room temperature. Spoon into a 6 inch cake pan or small silicon mold with cute shapes. Set in freezer or fridge for 3-5 hours, or till firm to touch. Defrost a few minutes before eating. Store leftovers in the freezer.

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