Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It's that spooky time of the year that's so much fun for kids! We'll have a ninja and a dinosaur running around here this year on Halloween...unless the dinosaur changes his mind and becomes a dog. It remains to be seen until the moment with him, but that's all part of the fun.

One of our favorite family activities for fall is carving pumpkins. The kids love to design their own on paper, even though they're not old enough to use the carving knives yet. This time of the year more than any other, it's important to find healthy snacks to give kids (and ourselves) to make sure we're still getting some nutrition in the midst of all the treats. Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of our favorites!

Pumpkin seeds are very healthy. They are high in fiber, high in zinc and contain lots of those essential fatty acids. Be sure to roast your seeds at or below 300 degrees to protect the inherent good fats. Here's what I do:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Printable Recipe

Rinse seeds in a colander. Make sure that all the pumpkin pulp has been removed. Place seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add butter, canola or olive oil (2 Tbsp. for every 1 cup of seeds). Lightly sprinkle with salt or try one or more of the seasoning ideas below. Bake 250 F for 1 hour, turning the seeds every 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to a week (or set them on the counter and watch them disappear!).

Seasoning Ideas:

• Garlic Salt 
• Onion Salt 
• Soy Sauce 
• Worcestershire Sauce 
• Cinnamon-sugar 
• Seasoned salt 
• Cayanne pepper 
• Cajun seasoning 
• Taco seasoning 
• Chili Powder 
• Smoked Paprika 
• Lemon Pepper 
• Italian Seasoning 

Have you tried any of these flavors? What's your favorite?