What do you do with your leftover pumpkins?

When carving jack-o-lanterns, be sure to save the seeds since they are packed with Omega 3 fatty acids that build strong immunity, and enhance your skin and hair’s natural beauty.  They are a good source of protein which helps to stabilize blood sugar levels should you have overindulged in Halloween candy.  They also help with weight loss if you really overdid it this season.  High in the amino acid tryptophan, which converts into sleep-inducing melatonin, snack on pumpkin seeds to ensure you enjoy a great night’s sleep after all the Halloween festivities are over. Read on to learn how easy it is to make your own toasted pumpkin seeds. 

If you’re roasting pumpkin for pie or other recipes, you’ll be dealing with a lot of seeds. And they’re so good”“and good for you”“that we don’t want them to go to waste.

During this season, we tend to either purchase pumpkins for decoration or for roasting for various recipes, which means you will be dealing with a lot of seeds! Our first instinct is to throw them away. DON’T! Pumpkin seeds are terrific sources of nourishment, thought to promote prostate health in men, and just plain fun to snack on.

So here are some great, easy ways to cook them:

Ingrediants

–Pumpkin seeds from 1 or more pumpkins
-1 tablespoon butter
–Salt

1. Preheat oven to 300F.

2. Put your seeds, with as much of the slimy fiber removed as possible, in a bowl or colander. Wash the pumpkin seeds to remove all the pulp.

3. Melt the butter in a pan and then pour, bit by bit, onto the seeds, tossing while you go. The key is not to use too much butter, but just enough to lightly coat the seeds. Smaller pumpkins may require less than 1 tablespoon of butter, larger ones more. Sprinkle with the salt. Spread the seeds out over a baking pan and bake, turning occasionally, until crisp and lightly golden browned. Overcooking causes the seeds to toughen and lose flavor.

American Indian Variation
Wash the pumpkin seeds thoroughly, and place them in a bowl. Cover with cold water and just enough salt so that it is still drinkable, and let soak overnight. Drain the seeds, place them on a cookie sheet, and cook in at 250F until they are crisp and golden brown.

Sprinkle them with 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons tamari or Bragg’s liquid amino seasoning.

Enjoy!

-LL