“Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin.” – Simone Schwartz-Bart

Hello Three to Five Tribe! As the month of October continues on and we approach Halloween, many of you may be carving your pumpkins into works of art. As you are cleaning, carving, and scooping clean your perfect pumpkins, remember to snag the seeds! Here is a simple, yet classic recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds in just seven easy steps.

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Step #1
After you have cut open and carved your perfect pumpkin for Halloween, separate the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin’s insides.

Step #2
Rinse the seeds in a colander and remove any of the excess pumpkin that remains mixed in with the seeds, especially those stringy parts. They will not want to go easily!

Step #3
Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet so they can dry. (I usually dry mine overnight, but if you want to speed up the process, pop them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 10-20 minutes). Heads Up: Do not, I repeat, do NOT dry the pumpkin seeds on a paper towel or kitchen towel. They WILL stick leaving you with paper towel pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seeds plus towel fuzz. Trust me, I have learned from personal experience. #notidealordelish

Step #4
Once the seeds are dry, toss them in olive oil until all of the seeds are evenly coated. Side note: The amount of olive oil will vary depending on the amount of pumpkin seeds you are baking.

Step #5
Add the seasoning and spices of your choice. I usually keep it simple and add sea salt #lessismore but if you are looking for something different, here are a few ideas:

• Sweet tooth = Cinnamon + Sugar
• Sour = Vinegar + Sea Salt
• Italian = Dried Oregano + Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Southern Style = Chile Powder + Ground Cumin + Paprika
• Indian = Tumeric + Dash of Curry

Step #6
Make sure the oven is preheated to 300 degrees. Pop the baking sheet of pumpkin seeds into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Be sure to set a timer and check in every 10-15 minutes. I recommend flipping the pumpkin seeds with a spatula a couple times to ensure the seeds bake/brown evenly.

Step #7
Let cool and enjoy!

Happy Fall Pumpkin Carving!

Live Healthy, Happy, & Fabulously,
-ox