A creamy blend of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, flavored with cinnamon and toasted coconut flakes.
Have you guys heard of the app called Timehop?. Random topic, but stick with me…
If you aren’t familiar, Timehop so graciously reminds you what you were doing a year ago today (or two years, three years, all the way back to when you first created Facebook). I don’t have the phone app but since it’s owned by Facebook the posts often appear on my newsfeed. Of course, it only works if you post stuff on Facebook so you have to take that into account.
Generally speaking, I don’t mind Timehop. Most of the things that pop-up make me say something lame like “awww” or “that was fun!” Some statuses definitely make me cringe. Why did I think it was cool to post “Run, homework, dinnerrrr <3333″ as a status on FB? That’s not even worthy of a tweet! Occasionally, something from senior year of high school will come up and I’ll get slightly nostalgic for a time when things were “easy,” even though they didn’t feel easy at the time.
Anyway….
Last week, toward the end of a not-so-good day, Timehop was looking out for me.
On August 18 of this year, Timehop showed a picture of me from August 18, 2012. My freshman orientation. It was a picture of me with a group of girls from my floor at an orientation party. Most of that actual day is a blur, but the emotions from the week (and all of freshman year) are still so familiar.
I didn’t have a blog at the time but I’ve written a few posts about my freshman year. In short: it was rough. Really rough. I didn’t think I would make it through. I didn’t think college would get better or that I’d survive on my own. It’s easy to write about it now because, yes, I survived. Life really did get better, but it wasn’t an overnight miracle. The adjustment took a very long time and it wasn’t until I started feeling comfortable that I realized how many people struggle during freshman year.
That little reminder last week gave me some perspective. While my situation is different today, I would still classify both as “challenging,” relative to my 21 years and 8 months of a privileged life. Yet four years later I’m 10x more mature and capable than I was as a 17-year-old. I understand that things take time and success/happiness/fill-in-the-blank isn’t immediate.
I have increasing faith in the fact that tough times don’t last. They happen but they don’t last. And we usually come out stronger, right?
I don’t normally say this, but chalk one up for Facebook.
I’m not even going to try to pretend this story relates to sunflower and pumpkin seed butter, because it doesn’t. The only connection I can come up with is that I LIVED off nut and seed butter freshman year. You think I do that now, you should have seen my diet then.
I already intended to post this recipe when I shared it on Monday but I bumped it up to today because, truthfully, I needed to make more for myself anyway. Priorities.
Ok, so seeds are not as naturally sweet as nuts, but they are unique in their own ways. This leaves a relatively blank canvas for adding things…like cinnamon and coconut. The combinations are endless so feel free to add sweeteners of choice (vanilla, honey, maple, etc.). If you don’t have a high-speed blender, I recommend using a food processor. Regardless, it takes a few minutes of blending and then scraping the sides/stirring before it starts to get creamy. The longer you mix it, the creamier it gets!
- 1 1/2 cups of raw sunflower seeds
- 1 1/2 cups of raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup of coconut flakes
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and coconut flakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Once seeds have cooled, add to blender or food processor and process until smooth*. About 7-9 minutes.
- Once smooth, add cinnamon and coconut oil to mixture. Process for 1-2 more minutes to throughly combine.
- Store in glass jar/container in pantry or refrigerator.
- *If you prefer creamier seed butter, process longer.
YES tough times don’t last; they are just for a season. Keeping that in mind is such an encouragement. This seed butter looks like it has SO MUCH creaminess. I used ‘caps’ because I’m pretty excited we have sunflower seeds; maybe i can make this!
Emily recently posted…WIAW: How to Find Peace in Chaos
You should definitely give it a try! Sunflower seeds are pretty cheap by the bulk too so it’s a smart economical and taste decision :)
I honestly love On This Day for Facebook. It cracks me UP. Apparently I was serving jury duty 4 years ago yesterday. LOL.
Now this seed butter is ah-mah-zang and I must have it!
Susie @ Suzlyfe recently posted…BEST Bilateral Core + Glute Exercises for Runners
Haha I do love when it brings up random moments like that. I should post statuses more frequently just so I get to see them again in the future.
In a fit of: the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason – – I recently quit time hop. I couldn’t take it anymore :-) :-)
Carla recently posted…I have to versus I get to.
Luckily I’ve never been a HUGE poster on Facebook so the Timehop that doesn’t appear too often.
I’m not a big fan of time hop on FB but I am a huge fan of this seedy butter! yum!
Megan @ Skinny Fotalicious recently posted…Sausage Tomato Breakfast Pizza {GF, Low Cal, Paleo}
Just finished my third batch…yikes! So good!
I had those FB statuses like “Dance <3333" and "BRB"….??? Like…what!? Hahaha! FB was so different way back when!!
This does solve that MaraNatha problem rather well ;) Love my seedy butters!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Red Lentil Spaghetti with Grilled Patty Pan Squash
Seriously! What were we thinking?! It’s funny looking back though.
Lovvinnggg this combo Emily! I like that you added in some coconut, definitely helps naturally sweeten!
Also, while I didn’t have a super hard time adjusting to college, one of my best friends did. She came out of it stronger than ever but it was hard to see her struggle at first. So you’re right, tough times don’t last, but they definitely have the opportunity to make us stronger :-)
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen recently posted…Healthy No-Bake Millionaire’s Bars [vegan, paleo]
Means a lot coming from the homemade nut butter queen herself :)
This looks so great! I love the quote- tough times don’t last, but tough people do.
Gretchen recently posted…What’s Next? Running Plans
I do too! It’s always been my dad’s favorite so now it’s become one of mine.
Oh man college was rough for me. Each year got better but my freshman year was rough. In the end, it actually is what got me interested in exercising but still, I’m not sure i”d want to relive those days! PS I didn’t realize Timehop was an app! ha I usually ignore those things. Yesterday it told me I was friends with Aaron for 9 years (yep my husband who I’ve been with for 12, ha!) So yeah, some things are fun but some are just annoying things! lol
Heather @Lunging Through Life recently posted…10 Month Baby Favorites to Foster Learning
Freshman year still reigns as the worst, but it did get better. I’m with you though…not sure I’d want to relieve it.
Haha sometimes Facebook is so smart with the face recognition in photos but other times it’s just annoying.
Timehop just recently showed me a picture I took with a friend years ago and it seriously made me laugh because I could not believe I left my house with my hair looking the way it did and to let the picture go on FB haha. Although I sometimes cringe at the pictures that pop up on Timehop, it has been connecting me with some friends who I haven’t talked to in years. Sometimes we both see the same picture and end up reconnecting over it, which is pretty cool. Sometimes FB ain’t so bad ;)
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie recently posted…Strawberry Lemon Rosé Sangria
That’s a great point! It does make you reconnect with old friends. I like that aspect :)
That looks absolutely delicious! Saving this!
I’m making my fourth batch tomorrow!
Yum! Sounds so good! Will definitely pin this for later use. :)
Cheers,
Britney
Thanks for sharing, Britney!
This recipe looks really yummy! I’m curious as to what you recommend spreading it on. Bagels? Biscuits? Apples? Looking forward to hearing back and if I get the courage, I’ll make it myself :D
All of the above! I love it on celery (“ants on a log”) or just straight from the spoon too.
It’s a little sad, but when I’m feeling particularly down now, I also remember freshman year. And, honestly, parts of last year. I think this period of life is kind of a “growing pains” sort of time. It’s really exciting because there’s so much possibility in the future, but also really stressful for the same reason (everything is uncertain). But yes, you absolutely grow from it, and that’s important.
And you know I just discovered sunflower seed butter, so it’s time I made my own! Loving the cinnamon-coconut combo!
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday recently posted…Addictive Energy Trail Mix (+ 5 Fun Ways to Enjoy Trail Mix)
You perfectly described how I feel…and how I’ve felt for the last few years. “Growing pains.” Excited but confused and uncertain. Every day feels a little different and some are two steps forward, one step back. But that’s still progress!
oh my gosh this looks amazing!!
And I do use time hop. It is so funny to see the random flashbacks from the past. I made my FB when I was 13 I think!! Pretty young haha
Alyssa recently posted…GNC Haul: Including a Video!
I think I was 13 too! Or a few months before I turned 13. That was my mom’s rule :)
I can SOOOO relate to your thoughts about freshman year of college. I look back at mine and shake my head, wondering how I managed to survive taking 17 units while being hospitalized for a short time due to celiac disease complications. I generally feel neutral about Facebook reminders, but they do remind me to be grateful of how far I’ve come. (And this nut butter looks INSANELY delicious btw!)
Casey the College Celiac recently posted…Oatless Oatmeal Crunchy Clusters (GF, Vegan, Oat Free)
I feel really lucky that my health was stable until senior year, because I could not have dealt with it freshman year. I empathize with you! I’m glad that year is done for both of us :)
First, this looks delicious. Second, I love Timehop! I love looking back at my old posts and pictures. And my random tweets when I thought Twitter was cool!
Haha Twitter is cool ;)
Love this reflection. I also have come a long way since my freshman year of college, I was recently thinking about this too as I start my junior year. We are both at an age where we are constantly changing and growing and it can be scary, but also exciting! Also, thank God for maturity with age ;)
Sarah recently posted…Cruise Vacation, 5 Words Style
It gives me a huge boost to look back at how far I’ve come. It’s also nice to know that I’m not done growing and maturing…good things to come :)
College is just an rough time I think. I love that article you wrote about college not being the greatest 4 years of your life, I could really identify with that one.
So I started my facebook account when I was 13 and sometimes it is fun to go back and see just how weird and cringey I was back then. I thought I was really clever and funny (I wasn’t.)
I’m so glad you could relate to that article! So many people struggle with the adjustment to college (and all four years) but it’s rarely discussed.
I think in life there will always be ups and downs and as we get older, the situations may be even more serious. What I do think we learn is how to emotionally cope better.
Also love the idea of homemade seed butters! Perfect for my brother who is allergic to nuts :)
I’m extremely proud of how I’m matured emotionally since freshman year. Even just in this past year I’ve done some much needed growing :)
Omg yum! The cinnamon and coconut really put this over the top. I need to get all the ingredients so I can try it!
I just got some more ingredients because I ran out! It’s addicting.
This sounds amazing! I don’t know why, but I’d never have thought to combine the two types of seeds! YUM!
Pumpkin seeds are more expensive than sunflower (at least that’s what I’ve found) so half and half is a good compromise :)
This looks so good! What a unique flavor combination, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and coconut. I’m going to have to try this one!
I don’t use TimeHop but I always get a laugh out when FB reminds me that “X years ago on this day, so-and-so and I became friends.” My best friend and I chuckled over the fact that we “friended” each other wayyy before we knew each other because it was “cool” to friend everyone on your floor heading into college… in retrospect, that’s just kind of creepy.
Claire @ My Pink & Green Life recently posted…Life Lately: August 2016
Ah yes! I remember that so well. I friended a bunch of people just because they were in the “accepted students” FB group. I don’t think I met most of them!
This looks amazing, Emily! And you’re so right above freshman year of college. Everyone’s trying to figure life out and it’s so different than anything we’ve experienced before. So many people do have a hard time adjusting and as an upperclassmen, I definitely try to look out for freshmen whenever I can!
Liv @ Healthy Liv recently posted…How to Make a Dorm Room Feel like “Home”
I’m sure you’re a fabulous RA :)
I can totally relate! I was going through my freshman year of college in 2012 too, and while I didn’t seem to have as tough of a time as you did, it’s such a huge life adjustment. I’m glad things got better for you! How great of a feeling is it to realize you’ve matured? I’m feeling the same way and I’m also so happy at the point I’m at in life.
Anyways, I’ve got to make this seed butter. I’ve always been nervous about making my own nut and seed butters, but you make it look so easy. I need to use my Vitamix more anyways!