Crunchy Savory Toasted Squash Seeds

Here's a simple and delicious way to get extra nutrition and flavor out of winter squash. It's easy and quick and you can use any of your favorite spices to customize the recipe! Use any winter squash or pumpkin seeds for the crunchy savory squash seeds recipe. Winter squash seeds contain a nice mix of carbohydrates (including fiber), fat, protein and minerals, so they're well worth cooking up into a tasty snack.

Photo by Paolo Ghedini on Pixabay

Crunchy Savory Squash Seeds Recipe

Ingredients:

• Winter squash or pumpkins (butternut, hubbard, pumpkin, delicata, acorn, turban, kabocha…)
• High smoke-point, mild cooking oil (such as refined sunflower or safflower oil, refined avocado oil)
• Salt, pepper or other favorite seasonings

Directions:

1. Cut squash in half and bake, cut side down, in a shallow pan with about 1/8″ to 1/4″ of water in the pan. Bake at 375 °F (190 °C) until soft (25-45 minutes depending on the squash).
2. Remove from pan, turn upright and allow to cool until comfortable to handle. Turn over down to 325 °F (160 °C).
3. Scrape seeds and pulp into a colander. Remove large chunks of pulp and place in compost. Gently wash and massage seeds to remove remaining pulp, and don't worry if a few strings of squash remain on seeds.
4. Shake excess water out of colander; slide seeds onto a clean dry kitchen towel and pat dry to remove as much moisture as possible.
5. Oil a pie plate and add seeds, stirring to coat with oil.
6. Sprinkle your favorite spices over seeds (see recommendations below) and stir well to mix.
7. Bake seeds at 325 °F (160 °C). Set timer for 10 minutes. Stir every 5 or 10 minutes and cook until seeds are toasty and starting to pop or brown. This should take 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, stir again and allow to cool.
9. Eat as is, or on soup, oatmeal, or other favorite foods.

Recommended spices:

• Salt and pepper
• A light splash of soy sauce &/or teriyaki sauce (the seeds are quicker to burn when sauces are added, so watch closely)
• Rosemary, cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, garlic salt, onion powder

Photo by Carol on Pixabay