October is a favorite around the Albert house. Our daughter starts planning her costume before she plans her outfit for the first day of school! Even so, the one thing we look forward to more than anything is carving our jack o'lantern. While getting creative with a lit-up gourd is great, the real reason for our anticipation lies within...the slimy "guts" of the pumpkin hold a healthy snack which can be tailored to your particular tastes. Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, can be roasted and seasoned to create a snack high in zinc and the antioxidant Vitamin E. While some like to go sweet, tossing their roasted seeds with a little brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, we love taking this snack more savory and spicy.
Ingredients
• Seeds from your pumpkin
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt, pepper
• garlic powder
• ground cumin
• garlic powder
• ground cumin
• chile powder
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Scoop the seeds out of your pumpkin into a bowl, separating the seeds themselves from the stringy innards of the gourd. Rinse the seeds with water in a colander to remove any remaining pumpkin. Dry the seeds and spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast until just starting to brown, usually 10-20 minutes. Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and spices. Roast until brown and crunchy, usually just a couple of minutes more.
