Are you working on reducing your food waste as an act of stewardship? Use your pumpkin and squash seeds to make a great snack. The most gratifying part of this recipe (apart from knowing you reduced your food waste) is the quiet musical chatter the seeds produce as they cool from their roasty-toasting.
Follow these easy steps to make your own!
Instructions
- After scooping out your pumpkin or squash, separate the seeds from the “guts”. Rinse the seeds clean in a strainer or colander.
- Add the seeds to a pot of water. The ratio should be roughly 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of salt for every 1 cup of seeds. (Reduce the salt to make the recipe healthier.)
- Bring water and seeds to a boil, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, drain in a strainer or colander, and spread onto a paper towel or clean tea towel to dry — for another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the mostly-dry seeds in a bowl and add a splash of olive oil (or another healthy oil) – just enough to lightly coat the individual seeds. Stir to coat, and then shake on your favourite salt-free seasoning or spice mix (I used Old Bay (yum) in these photos). Stir again to coat.
- Spread seeds into a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. When oven is at temperature, roast the seeds for 5 to 20 minutes based on their size. I usually set the timer for 5 minutes, then check every 5 minutes until they’re a nice light brown colour.
Don’t forget to stop and listen to the wisdom of the seeds as they cool!
Enjoy!
Hello Knox submitted by Susan M
