When carving your pumpkin for Halloween or making a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie from scratch, use the pumpkin seeds to make a healthy snack for your family. Dried pumpkin seeds are a great way to feed your loved ones some necessary nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids and potassium in a snack food with fewer than 200 calories and lots of fiber.
Instructions
1. Carve out the stem of the pumpkin with a knife and remove the top.
2. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and place them in a colander. Use the pumpkin for whatever purpose it has.
3. Wash the seeds using fresh water and remove any excess pumpkin pulp from the seeds.
4. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
5. Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet or tray and dry in a number of ways.
6. Put the cookie sheet with the seeds on the roof in the direct sunlight until dry (takes several hours).
7. Dry the pumpkin seeds in the oven, set on Warm, for about 4 hours. Check the seeds after 3 hours and remove them from the oven earlier if needed.
8. Use a food dehydrator instead of a cookie sheet and oven. Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer in the dehydrator and dry them for 2 hours at 115 minutes.
9. After drying the seeds thoroughly, toss them with oil (canola or olive) lightly and add spices such as salt, garlic, cayenne, Italian seasoning or other desired flavors. Roast the pumpkin seeds in the oven on a cookie sheet at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.
10. Store the dried, roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container.
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