Among the things I never really considered until I dove into the plant food world in Mexico is how different the seeds are from one pumpkin or squash to another. I mean, of course they are, but generally I was in the habit of scooping them out and discarding them in order to roast the flesh and make a creamy, spiced golden-orange soup.
These are the seeds of chilacayota, (aka Fig leaf melon) that have been roasted on a comal and lightly salted, bought from a woman in Mercado Sanchez Pascuas, my favorite market in Oaxaca because I love the vendors in the back.
These seeds have a thinner husk, so you can eat the whole thing. Other varieties need that husk removed, but I'm not aware of a single type of squash whose seeds aren't eaten in Mexico. They are,afterall, a primary source of protein and omega3s for a very large portion of the population.
So give ALL seeds a chance, wherever you are!
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#oaxacacity #mercados #pepitas #squashseeds #pumpkinseeds #nowaste #zerowastetips #zerowastecooking #mexico_food #yoamomexico #mercadosanchezpascuas #oaxaca #squash #sustainableliving ...

These Pepino Kat Taquitos I made today (with fyvmexico on Facebook Live) came out even better than I imagined! Keep an eye out here and in my stories for more Live cooking demos using Yucatecan plant foods in the future.
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I thought about this use for my Pepino Kat Picadillo back in February when they were plentiful and hadn't had a chance to make it until now. I filled the fresh tortillas and toasted them up right on the comal, topped them with chiltomate (charred tomato + habanero + garlic + sour orange + cilantro) and a bit of raw radish. Seriously good.
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Pepino Kat is a tree fruit that behaves like a vegetable. The fruit grows directly from the trunk, similar to Cacao pods, which is why it is known in other places as Cacao de Mono. It is also called Cuajilote, from the Nahuatl, which means "tree corn," owing to its elongated, ribbed appearance. It is native to Mexico and Northern Central America. It's not particularly popular for eating around here, but is said to have medicinal qualities, especially for kidney problems. In fact, the fruit, leaves and bark are widely used for animal feed. When cooked, I think it tastes like roasted eggplant with a hint of raisin, and it makes a great filling for taquitos!
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#tropicalfruit #plantbasedfoods #plantbasedchef #plantfood #veganfood #veganfoodie #travelfoodie #yucatecanflavors #eatplants #eatmostlyplants #eatlocal #eatlocalgrown #pepinokat #cuajilote #treecorn #taquitos #taquitothursday #zoomcookingclass #onlinecookingclasses #virtualclassroom #virtualtravel #learnbydoing #learnbyeating #merida #meridayucatan #meridamexico #yucatan #yucatanmexico #fyvmex #fyvmerida ...

Was just chatting with my friend and chef-collaborator @erincaseygomez and she happens to have this unusual fruit on hand so we are going to hop on IG live shortly to chat about it and later will go into more depth preparing it - that will be on Zoom so we'll post it to Facebook ( Follow FB.com/frutasyverdurasmex )
I took this photo in Malinalco in the State of Mexico where it goes by the name of Cuajilote. In #yucatanmexico it's Pepino Kat
(By the way, the peanuts pictured also are indigenous, and the name is cacahuate, which is always fun to say)
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Have you encountered this strange fruit before? Curious? Join us!
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#strangefruit #indigenous #Merida #mexico #foodorigins #edibleplant #treefruit #méxicomágico #unusualfood #foodasmedicine #ig_mexico #exploring #foodculture ...

Under the Influence of Yucatan Plant Based #zoomcookingclass is back! Join me and fyvmexico this Friday 11 September at 5:30 Pacific/ 8:30 Central for our Hora Feliz (Happy Hour!) exploring Yucatecan flavors you can cook at home and celebrating my adopted city of Merida. You can cook along or bring a beer and just hang out. Keep reading to see what I will be making!
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Tomato + Cilantro + Toasted Squash Seeds. Sikil Pak couldn't be more simple or more delicious. This protein rich dip has its origins with the pre-hispanic Maya for whom Farm to Table, or desde la Milpa a la Mesa, was a way of life. Tomatoes and squash were two of the very first domesticated crops in the Americas, and squash seeds, or pepita, continue to be a staple in the Yucatecan diet to this day. The simple, earthy flavors of this dip will win you over, I'm sure of it.
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This Friday evening, I will be showing you how to make Sikil Pak, as well as Chiltomate, a charred tomato and chile salsa, plus fresh tortilla chips and fancy veg for dipping. We will also make a few beverages that lend themselves well to being made boozy. Check the link in my bio to read more and register for the Zoom call. Connect with fellow travelers and get a taste of Yucatan without leaving your kitchen!
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#cookalong #cookingclass #cookingathome #plantbasedfoods #plantbased #plantbasedchef #milpa #milpatomesa #happyhour #zoomhappyhour #zoomtravel #virtualtravel #learnbydoing #learnbyeating #sikilpak #pepita #homemade #casero #fromscratch #veganfoodie #travelfoodie #merida #meridayucatan #yucatecanflavors #yucatecanfood #yucatan #yucatanmexico #fyvmerida #fyvmex ...

Have you ever tried Sikil P'ak, the Mayan salsa made from nutrient rich pumpkin seeds?...
Sign up using Link in bio to be notified of our new schedule... INCLUDING EVENING (antojitos and botanas) Zoom food journeys connecting from your home to Merida Yucatan 6pmPacific /9 Eastern on Fridays!
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Did you know that the seeds of pumpkins (winter squash and gourds) are more important in the diet of Mexico's indigenous than the flesh of the squash? Most pumpkins are very large, with bland, fibrous flesh, but with plenty of large seeds. The flesh will be boiled with piloncillo ( aka Panela) sugar to make it tasty and served for dessert.
Link in bio!💥
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#pepitas #pumpkin
#pumpkinseeds #wintersquash #mexicanrecipes #yucatanmexico #foodsovereignty #eatplants #plantbasedchef #foodtraditions #foodculture #journeyfromhome #connection ...

This is the awesome @erincaseygomez who has, since mid-May been creating brunch recipes to teach in the CookAlongs from her kitchen in Merida. She has 2 kids under 5 and as all parents know, this is a full time job during quarantine. The State of Yucatan, along with most of the country, is still "orange light" observing protocols for high risk...
So this week and next, Erin's taking a break to give herself some love, as all of us need to from time to time. But instead of smelling the roses, she's sniffing the pápalo, a herb that's not typical of Yucatan, but she came across it at a mobile market (aka back of truck) and if you're a cook like we are, you know of course how a new flavor can revive the spirit!
Hugs to you Erin 🤗
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#mindbodyspirit #nurtureyourself #foodlovers #chefinspired #selfcare #foodforwellness #mexicanfoodlover #meridayucatan #yucatanmexico #plantbasedchef #foraging #indigenouswisdom #herbs #quelites ...