Pumpkin Seeds: A Healthy Snack

It won’t be long before many of us will be busy scooping the innards out of a bunch of pumpkins and doing our best to bring out the creativity buried inside us, as we design the year’s perfect jack-o-lanterns. Whether scary, adorable, or downright works of art, the jack-o-lantern is a popular tradition with most families around this time of year.

Most people simply spread newspapers, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits, and toss it away. However, did you know that pumpkin seeds make a healthy, low calorie, high fiber snack (much better for us than the potato chips we love to munch)? Pumpkin seeds, when properly rinsed, baked and seasoned, can also make a nice addition to a soup, trail mix or salad.

Since baking pumpkin seeds is such a great way to avoid wasting those perfectly edible, little bits, hopefully this year you’ll take one extra step in your jack-o-lantern carving fun and try a few of these tasty ideas. By simply switching from potato chips to pumpkin seeds this time of year, when you need a crunchy fix, you get a small edge up on combating that dreaded holiday weight gain.

In my research, I discovered that pumpkin seeds are often referred to as “nature’s perfect food,” because they are such a great source of vitamins and minerals. They are high in potassium and calcium as well as Vitamins B, C, D and E. In many cultures, pumpkin seeds are used as a homeopathic remedy to treat medical conditions like prostate and kidney disease. There are even claims that pumpkin seeds, because they are high in L-tryptophan, can help you beat back depression!

What I love about pumpkin seeds is that once you have them baked and flavored, they’re an easy snack to grab and eat on the run, and they really satisfy my cravings when I have the munchies – without adding a lot of fat. They’re a great healthy snack and complement many different dishes.

Preparing the Seeds

After removing pumpkin seeds from your future jack-o-lantern, wash them well in a colander, but don’t worry too much about the stringy pulp that may continue to stick to them. The stringy bits will dry up and fall off in the oven. Put the seeds on a paper towel and blot to dry.

Put the seeds in a bowl and toss them with a little safflower, grape seed or olive oil. In a separate, small bowl: combine your spices, then sprinkle over the seeds and stir to coat. Bake seeds on a lightly buttered cookie sheet, in a preheated, 325 degree oven, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are dried out and light brown, 30-45 minutes.

You can season pumpkin seeds in a variety of different ways and to your personal taste. Here are some of my favorite combinations:

Mexican
Cumin powder
Chili powder
Tiny pinch of cayenne powder
Chipotle powder
Salt

Sweet
Brown sugar
Cinnamon powder
Ground allspice
Freshly grated Nutmeg
Ground Cloves
Tiny pinch of salt

Middle Eastern
Cardamom powder
Garam masala
Cumin powder
Ginger powder
Turmeric powder
Curry powder
Salt

Italian
Garlic salt
Oregano
Thyme
Marjoram
Basil

Until next month, eat well.