Toasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe

Last week, I had a great Halloween evening with my family. We all gathered at my grandma’s house, which is in a busy, family-friendly neighborhood where we get to see all the adorable little kids dressed up for trick-or-treating. We made a fall favorite (hearty chili) for dinner, and all took turns answering the door.

There is a lot of hype and excitement leading up to Halloween. Costumes, decorations, visits to the pumpkin patch… And although Halloween may now be over, the season of pumpkin sure isn’t. And that means there is still time to take advantage of something that is often overlooked – pumpkin seeds!

Whether you’ve got an uncarved pumpkin lying around, are planning on making some pumpkin pie for upcoming holiday gatherings, or have been eying a great deal on leftover Halloween pumpkins at the grocery store, don’t miss out on whipping up a batch of toasted pumpkin seeds.

They aren’t just tasty, but they also pack a nutritional punch. Pumpkins are a fall favorite and a healthy superfood, and their seeds specifically are full of health-promoting nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are packed with carotenoids, for example, along with other cancer-fighting compounds.[1]

 

Try out this recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds. It’s super simple and makes for a fun snack.

toastedpumpkinseedrecipe

 

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Ingredients:

Seeds from a pumpkin

Olive oil

Sea salt

Optional seasonings (listed below)

 

Directions:

1. Scoop out all the seeds from a pumpkin.

2. Rinse seeds under water to remove pulp.

3. Soak seeds in a salt water solution for 1-24 hours, or boil for 10 minutes in salt water (this helps make the seeds easier to digest).

4. Drain and pat seeds dry with a towel, and spread on a cookie sheet.

5. Cover seeds in olive oil (about 1 t per ½ C seeds)

6. Sprinkle generously with sea salt (about ¼ t per ½ C seeds) and your choice of optional seasonings. Toss to coat the seeds evenly.

7. Bake at 300° for 1 hour until seeds are golden brown and crispy, stirring occasionally.

 

Seasoning ideas: Sprinkle with garlic powder, chipotle pepper, cumin, turmeric, brown sugar and cinnamon, all-natural Worcestershire sauce, or any of your other favorite spices or sauces before baking, and toss to coat.

 

 

 

References:

1. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014 Jun 13;448(4):349-54.