I’ve been in charge of pumpkin carving ever since I can remember. Come to think of it, this is probably because I was the only who ever got a real kick out of  it…but that’s besides the point. As a result, all those years of pumpkin carving eventually got me into the tradition of pumpkin seed roasting. In fact, that might have been my first attempt at recipe testing and development, having tested many variations over the years…

Pumpkin seeds (or pepitas) are delicious, nutrient-dense and well worth adding to your routine. They combine the winning trio of healthy fats, fibre and protein, making them an excellent and satiating snack. They are a rich source of magnesium, iron, manganese but are especially known as an excellent source of the immune-boosting mineral, zinc, making them a wise choice to crunch on this at time of year.

How to enjoy them?

• As a snack on their own
• Tossed into a salad
• In you morning oatmeal
• Added to your granola mix
• On top of a butternut squash soup, for added crunch
• As a yogurt topping

 

Sweet, salty & spicy roasted pumpkin seeds

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup of fresh pumpkin seeds (obtained from 1 sugar pumpkin)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder

• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

• Freshly cracked pepper (about 5 turns of the pepper mill)

   

How-to

1. Place seeds in a strainer and thoroughly clean them by rinsing under water and removing any pumpkin strands. (Kristen over at Swanky Dietitian has a great demo here)

2. Lay pumpkin seeds flat on a sheet tray until completely dry. Preferably overnight, but you can also pat them until they are as dry as possible.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 F

4. In a bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds in olive oil, maple syrup, cayenne powder, salt and pepper.

5. Transfer seeds onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper,making sure they are evenly dispersed. If any of the seasoning was left behind in the bowl,  scrape it out with a rubber spatula and add another sprinkle of salt and pepper, to taste.

6. Place in the oven and roast 15 to 17 minutes, checking and stirring frequently to ensure even cooking.

To store: Keep them in a cool, dry area in a covered container.

Enjoy!

 

Are you a pumpkin-carver? Will you kick your pumpkins to the curb or will you be roasting their seeds?