Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: 3 Different Ways

Every year, after we’ve carved our pumpkins, I always say I’m going to save the seeds and roast them.  And every year, a bucket of pumpkin “guts” sits on my counter for 5 days or more before it is sent to the compost.
But I declared that this year was going to be different!  And I was right!
Not only did I roast those suckers… I roasted them THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.  And you, dear readers, are lucky enough to be followers of this blog and you get to have all three recipes for absolutely free!

All three recipes start off the same.  Here’s how you start:

1.  Clean your seeds

I’m of the mindset that no “guts” should be left on the seeds, so I clean them really well.

2.  Put the seeds in a pot of salted water.

Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Why do you do this?  It makes them crispier and easier to digest.

3.  Strain them and pat them dry.

Here’s where you add the “toppings” of your choice.
Recipe #1 – The Traditional
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and toss.
Recipe #2 – The Pseudo- Cheesy 
Toss with a tablespoon (or so) of butter.  Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and pepper.  Toss to coat.
Recipe #3 – The Sweet Stuff
Drizzle with coconut oil, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and toss.
After you’ve added your “toppings,” spread the seeds out on a cookie sheet.  Try to get them as separated and flat as possible.  Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.  Stir and then bake for 10 more minutes.  If you like them a little crispier, you might need to add time.  I’ve dons the more oil you use, the longer they take to get crispy.
And that’s it!  I’ve found them to be incredibly addictive.  It’s hard for me to keep any of the three recipes around for more than a day.