Pumpkin Seeds Have Many Healthy Benefits

www.karenrothnutrition.com The high levels of healthy fats, zinc and phytonutrients in particularly in these seeds promote prostate health. In fact studies have shown that use of pumpkin seeds benefited those with benign prostate enlargement. It also promotes bone mineral density, recent studies show that pumpkin seeds can support joint health, and they are a good source of protein. Pumpkin seeds also contain minerals such as magnesium, iron, and they are a good source of zinc which can help balance blood sugar, can help those that have impaired sense of smell or taste. If you get frequent colds, zinc may be lacking in your diet. Store pumpkin seeds, in fridge to protect their oils. They will last up to 6 months in the fridge or up to a year in the freezer. Roasting them yourself will insure that the healthy fats are intact and not damaged. To roast pumpkin seeds, preheat oven or even a toaster oven if you are making just a small batch to 160°. Spread the seeds out in a single layer on a flat cookie sheet or pan, and then sprinkle with sea salt and possible cayenne pepper if you like spicy. You can also put some soy sauce in a mister and lightly spray them. Then just bake for 15-20 minutes. Shake the pan to keep them from burning. These nutritious seeds make an excellent snack. Try adding them to salads, yogurt, oatmeal, sprinkle them on steamed vegetables especially greens, top cooked chicken or fish with them, or substitute pumpkin seeds for pine nuts in homemade pesto ...

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Convection Toaster Ovens - What Is Convection? Why Do I Care? Benefits of Cooking With Convection

If you're shopping for a toaster oven, one feature you need to know about is convection.

Before we talk about convection in your toaster oven, it's time for a quick science lesson. It's painless -- I promise!

What is Convection?

Convection refers to heat that moves into, or out of, a moving fluid. A fluid can be a liquid, like water. It can also be a gas, like air. A moving fluid is very efficient at exchanging heat with its surroundings.

We experience convection every day. Imagine a cool breeze on a summer day, or a bitterly cold wind on a winter day. In both cases, the wind accelerates the movement of heat out of our bodies and into the air. That's convection. See, that didn't hurt at all, did it?

Benefits of Convection Toaster Ovens

Convection toaster ovens use a small fan inside the oven to create "wind" in the oven. In this case, the moving air helps move heat into the food more efficiently.

Convection benefits you in three ways.

First, convection helps cook your food more evenly. It helps to eliminate hot spots, which can be a real problem inside a small space like a toaster oven. By moving the air around, all parts of the oven have the same temperature. That's why the food cooks more evenly.

Second, it saves time. The moving air accelerates the cooking. To cook with a convection oven, you can modify your recipe in one of two ways.
1. Lower the temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook for the same amount of time.
2. Leave the temperature the same, and reduce the cooking time by about 25%.

Which one you should do depends on the food you are cooking. When cooking pizzas in a convection oven, I have found that lowering the temperature by 25 degrees works well. However, roasting asparagus should still be done at the usual temperature. You'll just have to experiment to know which method works best for your recipe.

Third, whether you reduce the heat or the cooking time, you use less energy. It's better for the environment, and saves you money, too.

There's only problem with convection - in some models of toaster oven, the fan can be a little loud. It's important to read product reviews or try out the toaster oven yourself to make sure this won't be a problem. This usually only happens in cheaper ovens. You get what you pay for...

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