Sunday, November 6, 2011

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds


Hi dabblers. Before it gets too far away from Halloween, I want to share a recipe for one of my favorite fall snacks...roasted pumpkin seeds. This year I went to two pumpkin carving parties, and left with all the seeds, so I had a lot of roasting to do. Didn't roast your Halloween seeds? No worries, pie pumpkins are filling up the grocery stores for Thanksgiving...so go pick a few up :)

No need for exact measuring in this recipe...adjust it to the amount of seeds you have, and to your desired spiciness level. These seeds make a great, crunchy snack and the cayenne pepper adds a spicy note that makes them addictive.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds


Ingredients
-pumpkin seeds
-coconut oil
-sea salt
-black pepper
-garlic powder
-cayenne pepper


Instructions
1. Soak pumpkin seeds in water overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Drain pumpkin seeds and coat with coconut oil. Arrange in a single layer on pan.
4. Season with sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
5. Roast in oven, flipping seeds two to three times.
6. Let cool and enjoy.

Pictures and Tips:

Step 1. After you have cleaned out your pumpkins, soak the seeds in water over night. This plumps them up and keeps them fresh for roasting.


Step 3. Drain the seeds in a colander, removing as much water as possible. Return the seeds to the bowl. I then use paper towels to really remove the water...simply submerge the paper towel in the bowl of seeds and allow it to soak up the excess moisture.

Next, coat the seeds with a few tablespoons of coconut oil. Arrange them in a single layer on a pan. I use a pizza pan to roast my seeds so heat and air can reach both sides of the seeds.


Step 4. Season the seeds with sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. I never measure in this process...just enjoy sprinkling. Aim to get a little bit of everything on each seed.


Step 5. Roast the seeds in the oven. After 10-15 minutes, check them. They will be dry on the top, but when moved around on the pan, wet on the bottom. After flipping them, put the seeds back in the oven and continue roasting. After another ten minutes, check the seeds again. I usually flip three times. The seeds are done when no moisture is visible and they are lightly browned and crisp.


Step 6. Remove the seeds from the pan and place into the container of your choice. Cool the seeds and enjoy :)

These seeds are a delicious snack on their own and can also be a great add-in for other recipes....use in place of croutons on soup or salad, or add them to granola bars or fall snack mixes with nuts and dried cranberries.

Happy roasting! Thanks for visiting,

-The Delicious Dabbler

ps. bonus Halloween photos :)