How To Toast Pumpkin Seeds for a Tasty Fall Treat!

One of my favorite Fall treats are toasted pumpkin seeds!  These crunchy, salty, savory little snacks pack more of a punch than you would expect.  Did you know that pumpkin seeds are loaded with magnesium, contain antioxidants, minerals, unsaturated fatty acids, zinc, vitamin E, phosphorous, manganese, and are high in fiber!  I'll bet that you didn't know that pumpkin seeds are a natural anti-parasitic for humans and animals!   Not to mention, they taste great!

I used to clean out my pumpkins to make a pie and toss the seeds but not any more! You can just simply eat them toasted for a snack, use them to top a salad, or include them in one of your favorite nutty seed bars for a powerful pick-me-up.  They are super easy to toast.  Here are the simple steps:

Clean the seeds out of the pumpkin.  They will be mixed with what I refer to as the pumpkin "guts".  These clean off easily by running them under cool water, washing them gently with your fingers over a strainer bowl until all the seeds are clean.  We need to be sure that the seeds are completely dry.  We want these to toast and not steam when we put them in the oven, so I usually let mine sit out on a towel over night just to be sure.

Next put them in a bowl and toss with 1 tsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet with sides that has been covered with a layer of parchment paper.  Bake until lightly brown.  The amount of time will depend on the amount of seeds and the size of the seeds so baking times will vary.  Mine usually bake for 15-30 minutes.

Let the seeds cool completely and store in an air tight container. 

Other toppings for your seeds may include:

Chili powder, dill, cayenne, Italian Spices or whatever suits your taste buds!