Save Those Pumpkin Seeds For an Amazing Treat!

Making a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving?  If so, please consider using a real pumpkin.  If you have never done it, it reallyis simple.  Cut the small, sugar pumpkin in half, removing the seeds and stringy guts, place face down on a baking sheet and bake on 350 until the meat is tender.  Let cool and remove the pumpkin from the skin, mash up and voila!  You have pumpkin!  

The great part is that you have the seeds!  I toasted pumpkin seeds the other day and they were delicious and they are nutritious!  First, rinse any pumpkin guts off of them using a strainer.  Lay out on a dry towel and pat dry.  I made two different flavors, however, there are endless possibilities for variety!  I will give you the recipe for my sea salt/black pepper and my chili lime but experiment with what sounds good to you!

Add 1-2 tsp of olive oil, Sea Salt to taste and black pepper to taste 

Mix and put on baking sheet lined with parchment.  Bake 350 degrees until toasty brown.

For the chili lime, I used 1-2 tsp olive oil, chili seasoning to taste, salt

Bake 350 degrees until toasty brown, remove and drizzle with fresh lime juice.  

These must be put back in the oven for about 10 minutes to dry them out.  I let mine sit out on the counter after they were done baking for a couple hours just to be sure they were good and dry so they would store properly.  The problem is that we ate them and didn't have any to store!

Other ideas for flavor:

Rosemary and lemon zest

Toasted with salt and after baking drizzled in chocolate

Italian herbs

Sugar and Cinnamon

Bon Appetit!

Julie Atkins

Milkweed Farms