I roasted what I would say is my first pumpkin – only counting the time since I began with the guten appetit, that is.  My first experience with homemade pumpkin pie is yet to come, but yesterday I delighted myself with my very first-ever production of delicious pumpkins seeds to snack on.  These edible seeds, rather flat & asymmetrically oval have a white outer hull, are nutrient-rich with especially high content of protein, dietary fiber, & numerous micronutrients.  They can be eaten as part of a healthy diet, and there are many articles boasting the nutritional benefit pumpkin seeds give the body: antioxidant support, mineral support, antimicrobial benefits, among many others!

Pumpkin seeds are a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine – known as pepitas – and are also marinated & roasted and served as a snack.  The interesting discussion that I ran into on multiple search results was the big question of whether or not you eat pumpkin seeds in the shell or just the inside.  Honestly, I enjoyed eating the whole thing, and so do many people I read about online.  The shell isn’t hard like a pistachio shell, and the seasoning usually makes it salty & yummy, even if the inside is the softer tastier part.  A few quick serving ideas include adding pumpkin seeds to healthy sautéed vegetables, sprinkling on top of mixed green salads, or grind them with fresh garlic, parsley & cilantro leaves to mix with olive oil for a tasty salad dressing, add them to oatmeal or granola, or add to your ground meat in any dish!  Pumpkin seeds are a gift from nature, so don’t throw them out as organic waste next time you carve out a pumpkin!

Delicious all by themselves or as a garnish for all the foods mentioned about, you’ll get about 1/2 cup of seeds from a relatively small pumpkin.

For the Pumpkin Seeds

• Pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon of vegetable oil
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt

Start by washing & cleaning out the fibers from the seeds.  Put in a saucepan, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat & simmer for about 2 hours.

Drain & dry on paper towels.  Preheat the over to 250°F (120°C) and spread the seeds on  a baking sheet.  For each 1/4 cup of seeds, add, tossing to coat the vegetable oil & salt.  Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 1 hour.  Cool completely.