How long has it been since you've carved a pumpkin for halloween and then roasted the seeds? I don't think I can even remember the last time I enjoyed homemade roasted pumpkin seeds prior to this year!
As part of my dietetic internship, two other interns and I will be presenting a food demonstration on Halloween Day. Our theme is "toasting and roasting" so we couldn't resist including roasted pumpkin seeds with our recipes.
Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein, iron, magnesium, and zinc. They are also a good source of fiber. Like other seeds they contain a high percentage of calories from fat, but it is primarily healthy unsaturated fat. A 1/2-ounce serving of seeds (approximately 40-45 seeds) contains only 60 calories and 2.5 grams of fat so feel free to indulge guilt-free.
Roasting directions: After you've carved your pumpkin, rinse the seeds well, toss with olive oil and roast for 20 minutes at 300 degrees to dry them out. Then, toss them with a little more olive oil and the spice combination of your choice. Roast the flavored seeds for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Now for the fun part - the foodie flavors! These great flavor combinations were created by one of my fellow interns with some inspiration from the Food Network.
For 1-2 cups of seeds, try these delicious variations:
Italian - 2 teaspoons grated fresh parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
Chipotle BBQ - 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin.
Ginger coconut - 1 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 1/2 tablespoons shredded coconut.
Indian - 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1/8 cup currants.
Spanish - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1/8 cup slivered almonds.
Sweet treat - 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons sugar.
If you haven't eaten them all straight off of the pan, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and sprinkle seeds on salads, soups, vegetables, grain or pasta dishes.
After Halloween, you can still enjoy pumpkin seeds by buying the green "pepitas" in the bulk section of the grocery store. The pepita is the green inner seed after the white hull is removed. Buy raw seeds (unroasted) and go straight to seasoning and roasting. There is no need to roast them first to dry them out like the fresh seeds with hulls.
Have a happy and healthy halloween!
