For years I disliked pumpkin seeds. I didn’t like them in trail mix, I didn’t like them toasted on their own, I didn’t like them as decoration on top of pumpkin muffins or pumpkin pie. Something about the flavour just never sat right with me, it was like pumpkin but somehow green and perhaps a little astringent. But, when you grow your own food, the urge to use and enjoy every part of your harvest is strong – and so I have roasted pumpkin seeds most years of my adult life. And eventually I found it! The mix of spices that turned my pumpkin seeds from “good for me” to “snackable”. My kid says these pumpkin seeds taste like popcorn, which I think speaks to a nuttiness shared by both.

Usually when I am roasting pumpkin seeds, it’s because I’m also roasting pumpkin – Chop the pumpkin, remove the ‘guts’, remove the seeds from the ‘guts’, give the ‘guts’ to the chickens, roast the pumpkin at 400 for 30 minutes (then peel and puree), boil and roast the seeds, repeat x 20 pumpkins – what a fantastic way to spend 4-16 hours. Around Thanksgiving time, canned pumpkin looks extremely expensive, but about 2 hours into pumpkin processing it looks much more economical and I’m wishing I’d had a smaller harvest. Insert thoughts about smaller carbon footprints, reducing consumed pesticides, etc. The whole thing is less painful now that I have a pumpkin seed recipe that I actually enjoy, and that my kids will actually eat as part of their school lunches. And I also have some killer recipes for pumpkin mac and cheese, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin pie bread.

Roasted pumpkin seeds

From the garden:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Chili powder

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Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 35 min Total Time 50 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 12 Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Servings

From the Garden

• Pumpkin Seeds ((fresh))
• Chili Powder

Other Ingredients

• Oil
• Salt
• Garam Masala

Instructions

1. Remove pumpkin seeds from pumpkin and reserve

2. Rinse the seeds in cold water, then transfer to a pot with enough fresh water to fully cover them

3. Bring to a boil on the stove and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes

4. Drain off all the water - if you're feeling fastidious, pat the seeds dry with a clean towel

5. Toss seeds with oil and seasoning - how much will depend on how many seeds and your taste, but typically I use about 2tsp of oil, 1tsp salt, 2tsp garam masala, and ½ tsp chili powder

6. Spread on parchment paper on a baking sheet

7. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until seeds are golden

Keywords: pumpkin seeds, chili powder