Have you ever been left wondering what to do with all the pumpkin seeds from Halloween? Do you save them for next year's garden? Throw them in the compost? Well, with this recipe, you can eat them! Enjoy all the goodness of your pumpkin with this salty, crunchy, easy-to-make snack!
Of course, you can make this recipe at any time of the year, as long as you're able to obtain a large pumpkin. It's simply easy to make this recipe around Halloween, when you already have pumpkins on hand that you have a use for. If you buy a pumpkin at another time of the year, you'll have to find a good use for it!
This recipe lets the taste of pumpkin seeds shine through. It uses salt for a little extra taste, but that's it. With seeds, keeping it simple is key. They're a healthy thing to eat, so you don't want to negate those benefits by adding a lot of extra seasonings. A little salt can go a long way here.
Once you've finished cooling your pumpkin seeds, give some a try! Pack some for your kids' lunches, or add them to their morning routine. You can also mix them in with other snack items to make a trail mix. Raisins, M&Ms, peanuts, and more are all great choices. However you choose to use them, we hope you enjoy!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
Ingredients:
1 large pumpkin
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the pumpkin. Separate the pulp from the seeds and discard the pulp.
2. Rinse the seeds in a large colander under cold running water, removing any remaining pulp strings.
3. Place seeds, a small amount at a time, onto paper towels to dry.
4. Spread seeds on a large baking sheet and allow to finish air-drying for about an hour.
5. When seeds are dry, toss them in a large bowl with the vegetable oil to coat well and sprinkle liberally with salt.
6. Spread into a thin layer on the baking sheet and place in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/KLSbear.