Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Pumpkin seeds and pie for 2022
I have always loved pumpkin seeds.
But, “back in the day”, my mom would leave the pumpkin seeds soaking overnight in water so full of salt you’d think it was the Dead Sea.
She’d drain them and roast them for what seemed like hours. My taste is a tad more sophisticated now and I don’t soak them in salt water at all!
The seeds are packed with nutrients and make a great crunchy snack that’s gluten-free, great for those on a paleo diet and vegans too!
The seeds are also loaded with fiber, the good fat and protein. As for rinsing those seeds of all the gunk, I never get too picky about it, if there’s a little gunk on there I’m okay with it, however, you CAN get as much off with your hands and then place the seeds in warm water, in about 5 minutes the seeds will float to the top, gunk-free.
Dry them off, find your favorite recipe. Toss your seeds in olive oil and coat them with your seasonings. To roast, preheat your oven to 300, place your seeds on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Roast for about 20 to 30 minutes, tossing every 10. They’re ready when they’re golden brown.
My ultimate favorite pumpkin seed recipe is one with Chinese 5-spice and cayenne for some kick. Find the recipe in my Recipes tab. And check out these recipes from wholefully.com.
As for pumpkin pie, well, use the small pie or sugar pumpkins. The body is a bit more stringy than the canned stuff unless you use a food processor and puree it. A 5 pound pumpkin is perfect. Be sure to bake the pumpkin then use your favorite pie recipe! I baked the pumpkin/squash below for 60 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Perfect. It’s about 5 pounds worth.
Note that the pumpkin/squash was cooked but the pie didn’t happen. I wound up with a faceful of grit from a wind gust that wiped me out for a couple of days…. wear shades if it’s windy!
Leftover cooked pumpkin can be frozen too. When my dog was still with us I added it to her dry dog food as a treat. She loved it and it was good for her. A little fact, the more lines a pumpkin has and the darker the color, the more seeds are inside.
