Roasted pumpkin seeds are the foodie’s reward for carving a jack-o-lantern. So simple, it should be a part of every family’s Halloween tradition. Not only are they a delicious trendy treat, they are also chock full of health benefits. Here are two recipes for roasting them: one a bit spicy, the other sweet. You can serve them in separate bowls or mix them together. Enjoy!
guts of one large pumpkin (garners about 2 c of seeds)
1 t cumin
1 t garam masala
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t sea salt
1 T grape seed or olive oil
1 t cinnamon
1 t pumpkin pie spice blend
pinch of sea salt
1 T brown sugar
1 T melted butter
1. Immerse pumpkin guts in water. Seeds will rise and the squash will settle to the bottom. Skim seeds off the top and place them on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Don’t use paper towels, as they may stick to the seeds.
2. Once seeds are dry (about an hour or 2), prepare the pans. Cover two cookie sheets in foil to ease with clean up. Preheat oven to 300°.
3. For Spiced Seeds mix: cumin, garam masala, paprika and salt together in a small bowl. Drizzle half the seeds with olive oil. Sprinkle spice mixture over seeds and toss with your hands to evenly coat everything. Shake pan to spread out the seeds into one layer.
4. For Sweet Seeds mix: cinnamon and pumpkin spice blend and salt in a small bowl. Drizzle melted butter over the remaining seeds. Sprinkle with spice mixture and brown sugar. Toss with your hands and shake the pan.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until seeds are toasted and you can smell them. Allow seeds to cool in pans for a few minutes as sugar solidifies. Serve now or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
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