Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
Roasted pumpkin seeds are an easy, tasty snack that the kids will enjoy and are healthy for you. They are a good source of fiber, but they are also rich in protein, zinc, copper, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. You'll also be providing your kids with vitamins E and K.
Finding Pumpkin Seeds
There's two ways you can get pumpkin seeds. You can buy a pumpkin and harvest the seeds yourself or you can purchase raw seeds in a store or online. I have personally tried both methods and prefer harvesting the seeds myself. It's much cheaper to do it yourself and I felt the flavor was much better from those seeds.
To harvest the seeds yourself, you obviously have to either grow the pumpkin or buy a pumpkin from a grocery store or farmer's market. Use a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin open from the top. Use a metal spoon to scoop out the pulp and the seeds out of the pumpkin and place in a large bowl.
To purchase pumpkin seeds, you can go to a whole foods store, a health food store or look in the health section of your favorite grocery store. You can also order raw pumpkin seeds online.
This recipe is for 1-1/2 cups of raw pumpkin seeds.
|
|
Clean the Seeds If you harvest the seeds yourself, you must separate the seeds from the pulp. When you retrieve the seeds from the pumpkin, do your best to separate the seeds from the pulp. Put the seeds in a large bowl and fill with water. Put the pulp in a grocery bag for easy disposal. To clean the seeds, use your hands to stir the seeds around. The seeds will separate from the pulp and you can remove and discard the pulp. How well you clean the seeds depends on personal preference. It works to leave some pulp and it will actually add flavor to your seeds. |
|
 |
Boil the Seeds Bring 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a rolling boil. Add the pumpkin seeds and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the water from the seeds and spread out on a baking sheet for drying. Place in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes. |
|
|
Flavor the Seeds Place the seeds in a ziplock bag. In a separate bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon table salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce. Pour this mixture into the ziplock bag with the seeds. Let seeds marinade for 30 minutes |
|
Time to Cook the Seeds Spread the seeds back out on the baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes. Watch closely because you don't want to over cook them. |
|
Mmm...Delicious-ness! Once I make these seeds, I just can't stop eating them. And since I've seen pumpkin seeds called the World's Healthiest Snack, I have no guilt when I eat them. |
Want to Look Around Some More?...
 |
Marcia Reagan is the creator of DaycareAnswers and lives in Central Minnesota with her husband and two children. She's been an in-home daycare provider for over twenty years and loves to share her experience and passion for daycare with other providers. |
I have affiliate links. If you buy something through a link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. That keeps this site free! To learn more, read my full Disclosure Policy. |
