Toasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe

Ok, this is the week to carve your pumpkins. Instead of throwing away the inside, consider two options: compost or toasting the seeds. Did you know pumpkin seeds are very nutritious?

I'm looking forward to burying my pumpkin remains in hopes of creating a pumpkin for next year. We did this a few years ago and it actually worked!

But this past weekend, I cleaned up the seeds, tossed with olive oil and kosher salt and created a delicious little snack. Here are some good tips:

• Work quickly; if you don't clean the seeds right away, the pulp will dry and be difficult to remove. If necessary, place in a ziploc bag to keep moist.
  
• Wash the seeds in a strainer to try to get as much as the pulp off as possible.
• Use a kitchen towel to dry the seeds and make them less wet.
• Toss with olive oil and salt. You can also use sugar and salt for a "kettle corn" flavor, chili powder with cumin, or garlic salt.
• Use a large enough baking sheet and make sure there is a single layer. Otherwise, use 2 sheets.
• Bake in a low oven, no higher than 325ºF or you risk the seeds burning.
• If the seeds have gotten soft during storage, pop into the toaster oven for a few minutes.
• Although it's nutritious, this might be hard for children under 3 or 4 years old to eat.
  

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (about 2 cups raw)

1. Wash pumpkin seeds, trying to remove as much of the pulp as possible.
2. Dry seeds with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
3. Toss with about 2 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
Variations: 1 tsp garlic salt; salt and 1 tsp organic sugar; 1/2 tsp each chili powder and cumin
4. Pre-heat oven to 300ºF.
5. Place seeds on a baking sheet (I like the Chicago brand) and place in oven. Stir every 10 minutes and cook about 25-28 minutes or until golden and toasted, being careful not to burn.
6. Once cool, place in an airtight container and leave at room temperature.