Halloween is right around the corner and just because you are in college doesn’t mean you need to put away your pumpkin carving gear. My favorite part of carving pumpkins is being able to roast the seeds afterward.
Pumpkin seeds, per quarter cup, are rich in manganese, tryptophan, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, protein, zinc and iron. This makes pumpkin seeds a perfect afternoon snack on chilly, fall days. Additionally, seeds retain the most value when cooked under 20 minutes.
When carving your pumpkin, it is best to separate your seeds into a colander, making sure to omit any pumpkin pulp and strings. Once you have gotten your seeds, wash them under cold water and try and sift out any gunk sticking to them.
Once you are satisfied with your clean seeds, spread them on a single layer on a baking sheet. Coat the seeds in either olive oil or cooking spray so spices can adhere to your seeds. Your next step is to add desired spices. Here are some suggestions for how to flavor seeds for snacking:
Sweet: cinnamon and sugar
Spanish: smoked paprika, mix with chopped almonds after roasting
Italian: grated Parmesan and dried oregano
Barbecue: brown sugar, chipotle chili powder and ground cumin
Caramelized and spicy (my favorite): sugar, cumin, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, cayenne pepper
Another great Halloween treat is pumpkin seed brittle. For this recipe, I looked to the one and only Martha Stewart. She uses four ingredients to make this delicious treat: ¼ cup of butter, ½ cup of light brown sugar, ¼ cup of honey and 1 cup of fresh pumpkin seeds.
To start, butter a baking sheet. Next, melt butter in a saucepan over medium. Then heat and stir in brown sugar and honey and bring to boil. Cook without stirring the mixture for about six minutes or until the mixture is medium-amber, then stir in pumpkin seeds. Cook for about two more minutes then pour onto prepared baking sheet and let it cool completely, then break into pieces and enjoy.
These two recipes are sure ways to be festive and resourceful this October and are great treats to share with roommates and friends.
