How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds for a Healthy Snack

Fall brings pumpkins to our stores and farm stands. Pumpkin seeds are a healthy and tasty snack that is easy to prepare and travels well.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pumpkin (s)
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Spoon
• Cookie Sheet
• Salt (optional)
• Colander

1. Purchase your pumpkin. The size is not important but using the left overs of a jack o lantern is friendly for both the environment and your wallet.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Cut the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and fibrous material. Place everything in a colander.

4. Remove the fibrous material throwing it away and keeping the seeds in the colander.

5. Once you have just seeds left in the colander rinse the seeds well one more time.

6. Place the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

7. For a healthier version skip this step.
   
   Spray oil over the seeds lightly and sprinkle salt on top.

8. Place seeds in the oven for five minutes. After 5 minutes take them out and flip. All the seeds do not need to flip but they do need to be stirred. Place seeds back in the oven for five more minutes or until they turn light brown around the edges. More salt can be added in this step if a salty seed is desired.

9. Take the seeds out of the oven and allow them to cool. Once cool place them in a container or into individual bags for easy travel.

10. Drop the bags or container into your purse or briefcase and have your snack ready whenever they are needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Sea salt tastes great on the seeds and usually has lower sodium than table salt
• Black pepper, cayenne pepper or other spices can be added in place of salt
• Do not use the small pumpkins (baking pumpkins) for seeds.
• Make sure the seeds are watched. They can go from raw to over cooked in under a minute.

[frugalmomi]

on 10/18/2009 I always wondered how to do this . 5*