Sweet and Savory Eye-Healthy Pumpkin Seeds

It’s that time of year where we are surrounded by everything pumpkin. It seems like the pumpkin spice flavor has been added to so many different food products, all the way from yogurt and cereal to cookies and coffee. Pumpkin is so much more than a popular fall spice form and can be used in so many different ways.

Whether you’re a pumpkin spice fan or not, this pumpkin-inspired recipe is sure to be a hit on your fall snack list as well as healthy for your eyes! Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein and unsaturated fats (omega-6 fatty acids), iron, calcium, B2, folate, and beta-carotene.
Total time: 90 minutes | Prep time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 | Serving size: 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 medium or large pumpkin for about 2 cups of pumpkin seeds(you’ll be collecting the seeds inside)
• 2 tbsp grapeseed Oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil can be used if you’re planning on only baking savory seeds)
• 2 tbsp cinnamon-sugar dry spice - this will be used on 1 cup of the seeds
• Garlic and salt dry spice to taste (I use Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt Seasoning (You can use your favorite garlic and salt flavored dry spice here. I get my Jane’s Mixed-Up Seasoning at World Market or Wal-Mart and use it on just about everything). This will be used on the second cup of the seeds

Preparation:

1. Cut pumpkin top off and remove seeds from the inside.
2. Clean the ‘guts’ off of the seeds by running them under cold water in a strainer.
3. Set the seeds out to dry on paper towels for 30 minutes (they may stick to the paper towels slightly, that’s okay).
4. Once the seeds are mostly dry, preheat your oven to 350 F.
5. Separate the seeds into two mixing bowls.
6. In one bowl, mix your cooking oil and cinnamon sugar seasoning in with the seedsIn the second bowl, mix your cooking oil and garlic seasoning in with the seeds.
7. On one baking sheet, lay the cinnamon sugar seeds flat on one side and the garlic seeds flat on the other (You may want to put foil down on the pan before laying seeds on top for easier cleaning).
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes (Halfway through, take a spatula and flip seeds so they bake evenly).

Quick tip:

Our family carves pumpkins for Halloween decorations, keeping the seeds to eat. Because of this, we don’t generally save the flesh to eat. However, if you want fresh seeds, but don’t plan to carve your pumpkin for decoration, you can save the flesh and use it in other recipes. Pumpkin flesh can be easily pureed to make pies or even soups.