Given the many and varied pumpkin seed health benefits, it’s worth looking at how we can eat them more often. Roasting the seeds is not the only way to eat them. The low heat, homemade recipe on the previous page is a far healthier option but what are some of the other ways to eat pumpkin seeds?
Some people recommend soaking the seeds fresh from the pumpkin overnight and then bashing them with a mallet to separate the hulls from the pepitas inside.
This can be time consuming though, and if you don’t mind a little extra chewing, the hulls make for great fiber. Seeds from smaller pumpkins will usually be a little softer than those from the big Halloween, jack-o’-lantern varieties.
If you are not a fan of chewing the hulls, it is much easier to get the hull-less varieties online. A big bag of raw pumpkin seeds stored in the fridge will stay fresh for months. They make a healthy recipe ingredient or easy snack that really fills you up and can save you from reaching for a bag of unhealthy crisps or other junk food.
If you make your own muesli then these superfood seeds are great addition to it. For a simple muesli I like to make, start with organic rolled oats as a base, then add pumpkin seeds, crushed cashews, organic walnuts, oat bran and desiccated coconut. This homemade muesli is far better than any I’ve ever found at the supermarket.
A handful of raw pumpkin seeds is a great addition to most salads. Sprinkle over the top after adding dressing and toss for an extra crunch and flavor to your meal.
They also go well with many rice and pasta dishes, particularly chicken and salmon based meals. Add them to the sauce or cooking meat just near the end to preserve the important health nutrients. Their high protein content also makes them a very healthy and flavorsome addition to vegetarian meals as well.
There are many more great pumpkin seed recipes online, but my favorite way to eat them is in a crunchy pesto and how to make it is coming up next.
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Photo credit with thanks: morberg