pumpkin seed butter chocolate cups (paleo, vegan, and keto)

Pumpkin seed butter chocolate cups (paleo, vegan, and keto) are a fun twist on the peanut butter or almond butter cups. If you are like me and need to get a break from the norm – these babies are for you.

Super creative and so simple at the same time. For this recipe, all you need is 4 ingredients. The hero ingredient here is the pepitas which are the inside of a pumpkin seed. They are the green inside of the pumpkin seed.

If you are sensitive to almonds and peanuts or any other nuts/seeds pumpkin seed is the butter for you! It’s free of allergies and super yummy and delicious. I made this pumpkin seed butter in my Vitamix, literally blending and stirring for about 20-30 minutes. I promise you making your own is so worth it but absolutely not needed.

Pumpkin seeds are also filled with yummy benefits all listed below. 🙂

Benefits of pumpkin seeds:

1. Reduces Inflammation

Replacing saturated fats with healthy, unsaturated fats makes a deep impact on the amount of inflammation in your body.

2. Nutritional Aid for Cancer Patients

While there is no “cure” for cancer, pumpkin seed oil has been proven in several studies to support the health of cancer patients and/or a reduced risk of cancer.

Pumpkin seeds are one vegetable seed proven to reduce the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. (9) Additional research has found the nutritional value of pumpkin seeds to possibly prevent and treat breast cancer. (10)

3. Encourages Mental Well-being

We all need to consider the health of our brains and mental states. Pumpkin seeds can help you do that in more than one way — the Cucurbita maxima compound of this oil improves memory, while its tryptophan content is a scientifically proven, effective treatment for social anxiety disorder. (18, 19). Insomnia also may be reduced by the tryptophan in pumpkin seed oil, as it breaks down easily within the body into serotonin to induce peaceful sleep. (20)

4. Great for Heart Health

Pumpkin seed oil exhibits and antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects, meaning it can protect you from the heart disease and/or attack.

5. Treats Diabetes

Possibly due in part to its low glycemic load, pumpkin seed oil is scientifically proven to be a considerable antihyperglycemic.

6. Soothes Overactive Bladder

A 2014 study suggests pumpkin seed oil extracts effectively treat urinary disorders, specifically overactive bladder.

(Information directly sourced from https://draxe.com/pumpkin-seed-oil/)

pumpkin seed butter chocolate cups (paleo, vegan, and keto) notes:

• You can use my recipe for sugar-free freezer chocolate if you don’t want to buy 100% dark chocolate chips/bars.
• If you are on Body Ecology you can have these on Stage 1 but I would do your research and listen to your body on how it feels with the caffeine from chocolate. I highly recommend reading Tara’s blog post about chocolate & health while healing.
• If you are not on Body Ecology feel free to use any sweetener you would like.
• I made my pumpkin seed butter from scratch but I have seen it sold online as well. You can also use sunflower seed butter or any other nut butter of your choice.
• I used these silicone mini muffin molds.

 *I will only recommend products I passionately believe in & want you to know that when I make a recommendation, I may receive a referral fee.