Some pumpkins produce seeds with protective shells, or hulls, while other varieties contain seeds with no shells. Whatever the variety, all make nutty and nutritious snacks and recipe additions, with no shelling necessary. Use organically grown pumpkin seeds in dry-roasting recipes, or buy organic seeds already dry-roasted. If you buy or make them in bulk, store them in the refrigerator to keep them from going bad.
Benefits
A ¼-cup serving of pumpkin seeds provides between 40 and 50 percent of the body's daily requirements for manganese, magnesium and phosphorous. The seeds are also good sources of protein, zinc, vitamin K, iron and copper. They also contain compounds known as phytosterols, which are believed to help lower cholesterol. "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook" by James A. Duke recommends consuming pumpkin seeds every day to prevent or treat enlarged prostate, high cholesterol, hypothyroidism and intestinal worms.
Harvesting Pumpkin Seeds
Grow your own pesticide-free pumpkins, or buy one or two from an organic supplier in the fall. Cut open the pumpkin top as you would to make a jack o' lantern. Scoop out the seedy pulp. Put the pulp in a colander and, under running water, separate the seeds from the pulp. Place the seeds on a flat surface and air dry them overnight.
Method
If you don't harvest organic pumpkin seeds from your own pumpkin or from an organic farmer, buy certified organic seeds. The "Vegetarian Planet" cookbook by Didi Emmons presents the traditional method for dry roasting "pepitas," as many people call pumpkin seeds. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Put the seeds on baking trays in single layers. Bake 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the sheets from the oven and toss them with spices, if desired, and a tablespoon of olive oil per sheet. Put the baking sheets back in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, opening the oven door occasionally to shake the cookie sheets or stir the seeds with a wooden spoon. Remove the oven when the seeds become golden brown. Let them cool, and store them in the refrigerator in airtight containers.
Culinary Uses
Use dry roasted organic pumpkin seeds instead of nuts in baking. They make excellent additions to tea breads, cookies and brownies. Consider adding them to your breakfast cereal, salads and steamed vegetables, suggests the nonprofit website The World's Healthiest Foods (whfoods.com). The seeds also grind well, resulting in a kind of flour which makes useful additions to burritos, meatloaf or burgers; just mix it in with the beans or meat.
Considerations
Dry roasting pumpkin seeds in the traditional, high-temperature manner brings out their rich flavor, but often destroys some of their beneficial fatty acids. To mitigate this disadvantage, either dehydrate the seeds instead of high-roasting, or cook at a lower temperature for a shorter period of time. The World's Healthiest Foods suggests roasting them at 170 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
