Pumpkin Seeds

Cooking Your Pumpkin Seeds

Skillet Toasting

 

  • You can roast your seeds in a stove top frying pan.  Just be careful to stir and/or shake the seeds as they’re cooking in the skillet, so they don’t burn!
  1. Heat one to two tablespoons cooking oil or butter in your skillet, on medium heat.
  2. When the oil’s hot, add your cleaned seeds.
  3. Stir and flip as they cook, which should take no more than five minutes.
  4. When the seeds are nicely browned and toasted, remove them from the skillet.
    • Place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
  5. Season as you like (adding a little salt is always delicious).
  6. Let them cool, then enjoy!

Oven Roasting

  • Oven roasting is simplest recipe for deliciously browned pumpkin seeds.

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Toss seeds in a bowl with one to two tablespoons of melted butter or olive oil.
    • You can use margarine instead of butter, or substitute another type of oil for the olive oil.
    • For a lower-fat version, skip the oil and butter and use cooking spray on your baking pan.
  3. Place in a single layer in an oven-safe dish or on a baking sheet.
  4. Sprinkle with salt.
  5. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until they start to brown, stirring every 10 minutes.

Microwave

  • This microwave recipe is quite easy to make, and still tasty, but be aware that only oven or skillet preparation gives you truly roasted seeds.
  1. Melt two tablespoons of butter (or margarine) in a microwave-safe dish (about 30 seconds).
  2. Place your prepared cup and a half of seeds in the dish, making sure they’re in a single layer.
  3. Sprinkle with salt, or any other seasonings you’d like.
  4. Set your microwave for eight minutes.
  5. After two minutes, check and stir.
  6. Start the microwave again, and check after another two minutes.
  7. After the six minute mark is passed, continue checking and stirring at one-minute intervals, or until the cooked seeds have a golden color.

 

Did You Know Pumpkin Seeds Are Super For You???

Prostate Protection
They promote overall prostate health and alleviate the difficult urination associated with an enlarged prostate.

Improved Bladder Function
In some studies, pumpkin seed extracts improved bladder function in animals.

Depression Treatment
They contain L-tryptophan, a compound naturally effective against depression.

Prevention of Osteoporosis
Because they are high in zinc, pumpkin seeds are a natural protector against osteoporosis.  Low intake of zinc is linked to higher rates of osteoporosis.

Natural Anti-Inflammatory
Pumpkin seeds effectively reduce inflammation without he side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Prevention of Kidney Stones
They prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation, according to studies.

Treatment of Parasites
They are used in many cultures as a natural treatment for tapeworms and other parasites.  Studies also show them to be effective against acute schistosomiasis, a parasite contracted from snails.

Great Source of Magnesium
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds contains 92% of your daily value of magnesium, a mineral in which most Americans are deficient.

Lower Cholesterol
Pumpkin seeds contain phytosterols, compounds that hae been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.

Cancer Prevention
The same phytosterols that lower cholesterol also protect against many cancers.

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