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Got pumpkins?
I did, so I decided to roast some pumpkin seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a really yummy, ultra-healthy snack, but they’re extremely expensive to buy. I understand why now that I’ve made them; they’re a little labor-intensive. Not that bad, though, and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have done something unique and thrifty; plus, you have pumpkin seeds to eat.
I didn’t just use the pumpkin seeds; I steamed and then froze the pumpkin flesh as well. After cleaning the seeds and baking them with my seasoning, I cut the pumpkin into chunks, put it in a roaster, added about an inch of water in the bottom of the pan, covered the whole thing with tinfoil, and baked at 350 degrees F for an hour and a half. I then let the pumpkin cool, scraped it out of the rind, and froze the flesh for later use. From my two pumpkins I got 17.5 cups of pumpkin flesh. I think you can use this in any recipe calling for canned pumpkin, but you might want to puree it depending on the recipe or you’ll end up with something stringy. To make things easy, I froze the pumpkin in cup-sized portions on a cookie sheet and then put all my pumpkin blobs into gallon-sized Ziplock bags (I used two) and froze them. Now I just have to take out and thaw the amount I need for a recipe.
Here’s the Food Network article I mention in the recipe below. In it are contained the baking times and temperatures, as well as suggestions for other flavor options. Since I used this article to learn how to roast pumpkin seeds, I didn’t want to copy their information here.
- 2 medium-sized pumpkins, washed
- 2 T olive oil
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- ¼ tsp. paprika
- 5 drops Liquid Smoke
- 1 tsp. blackstrap molasses
- ½ tsp. hot sauce
- Sweetener, optional (I forgot it, but I think a doonk or two of THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder would add a nice dimension)
- Salt
- Cut pumpkins open and scrape out the seeds into a colander. Use your fingers to clean the seeds under cold running water (this is the easiest way, in my opinion) until all the pumpkin guts are gone. Shake the pumpkin seeds dry.
- Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. Layer the pumpkin seeds on the sheets. Bake (see link for baking time and temperature).
- While the pumpkin seeds are baking, combine the sauce ingredients together in a bowl (except for the salt). When the pumpkin seeds are done baking for the first time, stir them into the sauce until coated. Spread the pumpkin seeds onto the cookie sheets again, sprinkle with salt, and bake for the second amount of time.
- Let the pumpkin seeds cool completely, then store in a covered container at room temperature (at least that's what I did; they would probably do well in the fridge, too, especially if you're keeping them for longer than a day or two).
- To preserve the rest of the pumpkin, cut it into chunks (I cut each of my pumpkins into eighths) and put it in a roaster. Add an inch of water in the bottom and cover with tinfoil. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 90 minutes or until mostly soft. Allow to cool, then scrape it out of the rind and freeze the flesh in Ziplock bags.
Suggested products:
THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder can be purchased from the Trim Healthy Mama online store.
We grow Pumpkins every summer so we have lots around for Halloween. I roast ALL of the seeds from at least 1 doz pumpkins. I just wanted to let you know that I don’t wash the seeds I put the “guts” on the cookie sheet along with the paper towel dried, pumpkin seeds. Toss it all with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Sometimes I just spray Pam on the baking sheet first, spread the seeds and guts thinly, spray again w/Pam then salt & pepper. The guts get very crispy and are absolutely delicious!
Thanks, Vicki!
I was wondering about pumpkin seeds. Yours is the second blog I have seen listing them as an S. However, they have something like 22 g of carbs after we subtract the fiber. How are these not crossovers? It’s been over a year since I read the book, so maybe I missed something?
Nuts and seeds basically always fall under S…at least that’s what I’ve read in the book and always heard. I had never actually looked at the carbs until you brought that up. There are 22 net carbs in a cup of pumpkin seeds, but who eats a cup of pumpkin seeds at a time? I’m guessing the serving size is the key here. But that is a very good question. Maybe you should ask a moderator over on the THM Facebook group?
Sadly, I ousted myself from facebook when I realized I’d rather hang out there than interact with my children (not that any of them let me get away with that, but it was a problem) I might go back on after the first of the year. I’ll have a friend ask for me, maybe.
Ahem, so you say I shouldn’t eat a cup of pumpkin seeds. Let’s say that I am not one to eat the leftovers off her kids plates, but those pumpkin seeds were calling to me. With a nursing baby I’m not too concerned with crossovers, but I thought I better check it out before I let my husband have at these.
Definitely not a sad choice. I did the same thing myself, even though I don’t have kids. I do have a FB account now, but for business purposes. I have 4 friends. 😛
Hey, serving size and everything is a personal thing. If you’re having success, keep on eating that cup of pumpkin seeds. And especially if you’re nursing, it shouldn’t be a problem. For your hubby, I would suggest keeping it to a half cup. If he has an active job, a cup probably wouldn’t hurt him either as a once-in-awhile treat.