Superpower Herbal Seed Butter
Homemade nut and seed butters are a great way for you to get healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals into you and your kids diet. They are especially handy during the postpartum period when good nutrition is vital, but spare time is something you don’t have a lot of. When made ahead of time nut and seed butters can be added to energy balls, spread on rice cakes or apple slices for quick and easy snacks.
I’ve used pumpkin seeds in this recipe because not only are they full of healthy fat, they are a great source of magnesium, making this butter a great go-to during the postpartum period. Magnesium levels in breastmilk are thought to remain consistent regardless of dietary intake, so baby is unaffected, however studies show that most breastfeeding women do not consume enough magnesium rich foods, so being mindful to incorporate postpartum snacks that are rich in magnesium can be extremely beneficial. Since magnesium is a cofactor for more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body it is important that a new mom consumes adequate amounts (RDA = 355 mg/day). Meeting your daily requirements can also reduce the incidence of headaches and migraines while breastfeeding. Magnesium deficiency can put mom at greater risk for long term health issues like cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes and skeletal disorders (Study).
To give this butter superpower status I added Lauren Mary Holistic’s Heavy Nettle Sea Salt, made with Canadian sea salt. This isn’t just your ordinary salt, its infused with nourishing herbs like nettle, moringa, chaga and kale.
Nettle Leaf: A nutritive herb beneficial for daily life and especially during postpartum. Nettles are high in vitamins A,C & D and minerals like calcium, iron and potassium. Nettle is also a wonderful galactagogue, nourishing the mother while at the same time, helping to increase her milk supply.
Moringa Leaf: high in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 & C and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc
Chaga: A medicinal mushroom known for its adaptogenic and immunomodulating effects
Kale: A leafy green rich in protein and iron, both of which are extremely important for daily diet and especially during the postpartum period.
Recipe:
2 cups raw organic pumpkin seeds
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp raw honey
Roast seeds in the oven on 325 for 10 minutes. Let cool and add to a food processor. Blend until they begin to form a butter (roughly 5 minutes) add the oil. Once your butter has formed, add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Store in an air tight container for 1 week.