Some of my favorite autumn treats are toasted pumpkin seeds. These little gems are packed full of nutrients and they are dee-licious. Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, B vitamins, iron, and protein. But the best thing about toasted pumpkin seeds is that they are fun to make as a family. And the first step is simply scooping out what my son fondly calls “pumpkin goo.”
Soon after scooping out the goo, take the time to separate out the seeds. This can be done later, but once the goo has dried, the process becomes far more complicated. We almost always end up composting the pumpkin seeds we wait to separate. So, if you want the toasted seeds, get them separated early.
The next step is the secret to crunchy, but easily chewable pumpkin seeds. Some recipes ignore this step, to the detriment of their seeds (in my opinion). If you want the best seeds, don’t skip this step. Boil them. Use 2 cups of water and one tablespoon of salt per ½ cup of seeds.
Now, mix your favorite seasoning into about ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Good choices include: cinnamon and sugar; rosemary; garlic powder; black tea and salt; and, my favorite, Geoff’s blend of chili powder, cayenne (just a touch), and paprika. Toss your seeds in your creative oil mixture.
Spread your seeds evenly on a cookie sheet and bake them on the top rack until they are beautifully brown (10 to 20 minutes).
Finally, let your seeds cool before munching them…although when they are still slightly warm, I think they are at the pinnacle of yumminess.
We’ll be enjoying these seeds as an excellent snack and garnish throughout the season. Our most recent batch is from our Halloween pumpkin. We also plan to toast the seeds from pumpkins used for pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pasta with pumpkin, and pumpkin pie. Mmmm…pumpkins…..
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11/11/2009 at 10:30 am Permalink
Yum!
I had never baked pumpkin seeds before with any other garnish but salt. I tried the first recipe I came to this year (1 1/2 tbsp of butter and 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce) and that was pretty good….but some of your ideas sound divine!
Thank you for sharing!
12/11/2009 at 3:47 pm Permalink
Our pepper blend (the brain child of my husband) is SO yummy, and not very spicy. Our 4-year-old loves them and they are just warming enough to be the perfect snack on a chilly day. Let me know which ones you try and what you think, Crystal!