Don’t Toss the Pumpkin Seeds!

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

It’s pumpkin carving season! And you know what that means… a great big gooey mess of scooping the insides out of pumpkins. By the time you’re done pulling the last seeds & tiny fibers from the pumpkin, you may be ready to toss it all in the trash. But if you save even a small portion of the seeds inside your soon-to-be-awesome jack-o-lantern, you can create magical snacks your whole family can enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

This is by far the easiest way to use pumpkin seeds - you only need three ingredients!

Ingredients:

Pumpkin seeds, rinsed & dried

Butter, melted

Salt & pepper to taste

Prepare, Bake, & Enjoy:

1. Heat oven to 350°F

2. Toss seeds in melted butter until coated then spread them on an ungreased cookie sheet & sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste

3. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring once halfway through

4. Allow seeds to cool at least 10 minutes before serving

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Your family will scream in delight when they snack on this healthy granola recipe! You can certainly change up the berries or chocolate chips to meet your family’s taste buds but don’t increase the amount of pumpkin purée - otherwise, your granola will be mushy. 

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds, rinsed & dried

3/4 cup chopped almonds

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup pumpkin purée

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Prepare, Bake, & Enjoy:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F & line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pumpkin pie spice & salt

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until well-combined

4. Pour pumpkin mixture over the oat mixture and stir until the oats are fully coated, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet & spread into an even layer

5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden-brown & crisp, stirring once about halfway through

6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then transfer to a dry bowl & break into clusters & stir in dried cranberries and chocolate chips

Recipe via Kitchnn

Pumpkin Loaf or Muffins (pick your poison)

The beauty of using pumpkin seeds in a loaf or muffins is the added fiber & protein you get with each serving. Muffins can be a quick & healthy breakfast option for those mornings when no one seems to want to get out of the house on time. Depending on the pans you use, this recipe can make either a loaf or muffins.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

15 oz can pumpkin purée

3/4 cup honey or maple syrup

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup oat flour

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, rinsed & dried

Cooking spray

Prepare, Bake, & Enjoy:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. For a pumpkin loaf, line 9 x 5 loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper and spray with cooking spray, or, for pumpkin muffins, line 2 (12 slot) cupcake pans with cupcake liners and lightly spray with cooking spray & set aside

3. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk eggs, then add applesauce, pumpkin purée, maple syrup or honey, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda & salt, then whisk until mixture is smooth & there are no visible lumps

4. Slowly fold in oat flour and whole wheat flour until combined, but do not overmix

5. Fold in walnuts & pumpkin seeds, reserving a handful of pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top

6. Once combined, pour batter evenly into prepared loaf or cupcake pans & sprinkle the top with remaining pumpkin seeds

7. For a loaf, bake for 90 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, or for cupcakes, bake for 60 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean

8. Remove from the oven & allow to cool for at least 30 minutes, then remove from the pan - the loaf will be dense & delicate so it’s important to allow it to cool completely before slicing

Recipe via ifoodreal

Happy eating!