Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

About

Pumpkin seeds, leftover from making pies or carving a Halloween Jack’o Lantern, can be saved to make a nutritious snack. These tasty seeds are high in protein, zinc, iron, B complex vitamins and polyunsaturated fats. While anyone can enjoy this snack, those allergic to nuts or popcorn may be able to eat pumpkin seeds as an alternative.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Wash seeds well.
3. Dry them on a cookie sheet.
4. Roast them in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Helpful Hints

1. You may wish to toss your seeds with a little oil before toasting. This will keep them from sticking to the pan.
2. Adding some salt or other seasoning will give your toasted pumpkin seeds more zest.
3. You may wish to stir your pumpkin seeds occasionally to prevent burning and to ensure they are evenly toasted.
4. I find 375 F. a little too high, though ovens do vary. Watch your seeds and if they seem to be browning too fast, reduce heat to 300 F.

Source

This recipe was found at Dr. Weil.com. The actual page is no longer there, but he does have an interesting page about zinc in pumpkin seeds (pepitas). Don’t let the reader question alarm you. Weil’s bottom line is that pumpkin seeds are nutritious and as long as you don’t overdo it, you don’t have to worry about getting too much zinc!

Karen Sarraga photo / Shutterstock.com