Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Carving pumpkins this week?...

Don't toss out what's inside that pumpkin!

And no, I'm not talking about the slimy, orange, tangley goop. By all means, chuck that as far away as possible. I'm talking about those precious seeds. 

Because those, my friends, are seeds that you can roast and snack on. You will then decide you want carve a few more pumpkins so you can continue to roast and snack, roast and snack. Then, you will start to wonder how in the world you will be able to wait another 12 months before you will roast your own pumpkin seeds again. (Hey, just an excuse to roast your own pumpkin for that Thanksgiving pie!)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds  

• 1 pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt, to taste

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 
2. Cut the top off of the pumpkin and scoop out seeds.  Try to separate the seeds from the stringy fiber and transfer the seeds to a clean work surface.  You can also place the seeds in a strainer and rinse under water in the sink, running your hands through the seeds to clean them. 
3. Place the seeds in a medium pot of boiling water on the stove. Let boil gently for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and strain. 
4. Lay the seeds out on paper towels and pat dry.   
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the dried seeds out on the parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss the seeds to coat with oil and then spread out in a single layer on the pan.  
6. Roast in the oven, tossing every 10 minutes, for about an 1 hour.  Take out when the seeds start to become golden and crispy. 
7. Let the seeds cool completely, then store in a large mason jar on your counter.  You can enjoy these whole, or shell them and eat!

Wanna switch up this basic recipe to add some spice?... 

For sweet seeds:  Toss the seeds with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and  1 tablespoon dark brown sugar before roasting.