Tuesday, March 29, 2011

A New Favorite Snack: Pumpkin Seeds

At the urging of Princess Sassy, I ordered a substantially sized bag of raw pumpkin seeds from Azure Standard.  The princess told me they were nutritious and made a great snack.  After she mixed up and roasted the first batch, she had me hooked...Crunchy and flavorful.  Just right for a muncher, like me, especially one who needs high protein snacks.                                                                    
I researched the nutrition facts about these today, so I could share more specifics with you.  The World's Healthiest Foods website says that, not only are they a good protein source, they offer good amounts of Vitamin K, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.  They are supposed to be good for bone health, may have anti-inflammatory effects in arthritis, and support prostate health in men.                                                                                                                                                                 
There are many recipes available, and about as many ways to season them as there are spices that you like.  AllRecipes.com has a long list.  This is the way we prepare them:                                                                              

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Preheat oven on Convection to 275 degrees                                                                                                               
In a bowl stir together
2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon olive oil                                                                                                                                      
Sprinkle on
salt
chili powder
garlic powder 
dash of Cayenne pepper                                                                                                                                         
Spread the seeds in a roasting pan.  Bake/roast for approximately an hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so.                                                                                                                                                                                 
They should be slightly golden brown.  Add further seasoning if needed.                                                                         
They will crisp as they cool...if they get the chance! 
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