Fall is the peak season for purchasing pumpkins. Not only can you carve pumpkins into fun or scary faces, but you can also use pumpkin and pumpkin seeds in an array of recipes. Pumpkin seeds removed from the insides of pumpkins are often discarded, even though they are full of vitamins B and E, protein, fiber and antioxidants. If you're going to carve a pumpkin, you might as well roast the seeds as a healthy snack.
Scooping Out and Preparing the Seeds
After you cut the top of the pumpkin off, and before you carve a design into the side, you must clean out the pumpkin. Use a small potting shovel, an ice scream scooper or your hands to pull out the stringy, slimy pulp from inside the pumpkin. As you do, separate the seeds from the pulp while the pulp is still wet. Fill a strainer with the seeds and rinse them until all of the pulp is washed off. Allow time for the seeds to dry.
Roasting Seeds
Place the seeds on a lightly greased or oiled baking sheet in a single layer. (Oil or butter enhances the flavor.) Lightly salt the top of the seeds, and place them in an oven preheated to between 300 and 325 degrees F. Cook between 15 to 25 minutes, stirring and checking them every five minutes. Take them out when they are lightly browned and crispy.
Flavoring Seeds
To experiment with flavors, use a savory recipe from Pumpkinpatchesandmore.org that includes butter, garlic salt and two tsp. Worcestershire sauce, or a lemony recipe that uses butter and one teaspoon lemon pepper. For a sweet flavor, try mixing butter, one tsp. cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. each of ginger, salt and ground allspice. For a spicy flavor, try mixing butter, one tsp. cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp. each of thyme, salt and pepper.
Storing Seeds
After allowing the seeds to cool completely, store them in an air-tight container. After two days, relocate them to the refrigerator, where they can remain fresh for up to two months. Eat them cool, or warm them in the microwave prior to eating.
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