Pumpkin Seeds

Halloween is such a fun time of year...there's costumes, games, treats, and parties!  Pumpkin carving is probably one of the most popular activities this time of year. We always have a glowing row of Jack 'o Lanterns lining our porch steps every year. The actual carving of the pumpkins is my dad's thing. As him and the kids slice into those big orange beauties I wait patiently to scoop up the seeds.  That's my thing!

Nuts and seeds are one of my favorite snacks. They are incredibly satisfying with their crunchy, slightly salty, nutrition-packed goodness.  Pumpkin seeds in particular are high in protein and fatty acids.  They are also a great source of key nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, the B vitamins, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, selenium, and the amino acids tryptophan and glutamate.  In a 1 oz. serving (85 kernels) of roasted pumpkin seeds there are approximately 126 calories, 5 grams of fat, 15 grams carbohydrates, and 5 grams of protein. 

Note: Roasting the pumpkin seeds does affect their nutritional profile.  Eat them raw to receive their full nutrient potential.   Or if you still want the toasty flavor you can try roasting them for no more than 20 minutes at around 170°F as recommended by the World's Healthiest Foods Org.
 

Ingredients:
fresh pumpkin seeds
olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250°F.  Clean and rinse your pumpkin seeds.  Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil.  Spread the pumpkin seeds out on to the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.  Sprinkle the seeds with a tiny bit of salt and pepper.  Roast the seeds in the preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring at 15 minute intervals to prevent burning and promote even roasting!

Nutrition Information References:

Nutrition-and-You. (2014). Pumpkin seeds nutrition facts. Retrieved from  http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pumpkin-seeds.html

Self Nutrition Data. (2014). Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, whole, roasted, without salt. Retrieved from http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3141/2 

The World's Healthiest Foods. (2014). Pumpkin seeds. Retrieved from  http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=82

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