Superfood Spotlight: Pumpkin Seeds

Here’s What You Need To know: The large, flat seeds of the pumpkin have been consumed by native cultures for centuries. Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas as they’re called when hulled, have a nutty, delicious flavor and are a little larger than other popular seeds like those from the sunflower. Often eaten roasted, the seeds can also be ground into a meal or pressed into a dark green oil.

Why You Need To Use It: Like all plants that grow close to the ground, pumpkin seeds are rich in minerals. Especially high in zinc, pumpkin seeds are also a good source of manganese, tryptophan and magnesium. Eat the seeds in-shell to benefit from zinc in its most whole form.

Pumpkin seeds also contain a diverse mix of antioxidants that have shown promise in anti-cancer studies.The seeds’ high lignan and phytosterol content have also been shown to have a wide array of health benefits, possibly of special benefit to those fighting prostate issues. Lastly, there is a form of vitamin E in pumpkin seeds that is rare to find in food sources. This serves as a reminder that vitamins and minerals exist in many different forms and it’s best to get them from a wide array of food sources.

Let’s get together: Preparing fresh roasted pumpkin seeds is a fun and nutritious October tradition to pair with pumpkin carving. Simply scoop the seeds out of your jack-o’-lantern-to-be and rinse them well. Once the seeds are rinsed of pumpkin pulp, lay them out to dry on a large cookie sheet, preferably overnight. You can use store-bought seeds for roasting as well, no need to rinse or dry at all. If you do, we recommend you buy certified organic raw pumpkin seeds!

Roasting the seeds is best done at the low oven temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Studies show that keeping the roasting temperature low preserves the full nature of the seeds’ healthy fats.

To compliment the nutty flavor of the seeds, we love these three flavor variations from House of Earnest. Pick the flavor that appeals to you or divide your seeds into thirds and make batches of all three. You’ll have healthy snacks to the last the week!

• ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS THREE WAYS

• Chili Lime ingredients:

  1 cup pumpkin seeds
  2 tsp coconut oil
  1 tsp cayenne pepper
  1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
  1 tsp lime zest
  1 tbsp lime juice

• Rosemary & Olive Oil Ingredients:

  1 cup pumpkin seeds
  1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
  1 tsp sea salt

• Sweet & Spicy* Ingredients:

  1 cup pumpkin seeds
  1 egg white
  1 tsp cayenne pepper
  1 tablespoon sugar

• Instructions:

  Mix all the ingredients well over the seeds and spread on baking sheet. Roast the seeds for 20 minutes at 170 degrees (*375 degrees for the Sweet & Spicy).

  Sprinkle more of the dry ingredients onto the seeds as they come out of the oven. Serve in wooden bowls for easy entertaining and or pack as healthy snacks on-the-go!