Have you ever thought about preparing and making your own pumpkin seeds?

They’re super simple, make a nutritious snack or a bonus garnish crunch to a salad or soup.

Why eat pumpkin seeds?

Believe it or not, the seeds of pumpkin are a very highly packed nutritional food.

They contain magnesium and vitamin K, both important for wound healing, zinc which is fantastic for supporting immune function, sperm quality and cell growth.

In addition they contain phosphorus, copper, iron and antioxidants.

They are high in protein, rich in healthy fats and contain some bonus fibre.

Some people even suggest they may help promote sleep as they contain tryptophan.

And best of all, it is making use of something that often ends up in the compost bin.

It’s also a good one to get the kids to help with, as getting kids helping in the kitchen can work wonders on them trying new foods.

Firstly it is helpful to know that pumpkin seeds contain two parts, the outer cream coloured shell and the inner pepita, which can be light brown to olive coloured.

Follow our easy step by step guide to make a perfectly roasted pumpkin seed.

1. Remove the seeds

Using a metal or wooden spoon, or if you prefer your hands, gently scoop the seeds from the centre of the pumpkin.

Remove the pulp and inside stringy bits that connect the seeds together.

Approximate time: 1 minute

2. Wash the seeds

This is most easily done by placing the seeds in a colander or strainer, but if you don’t have one of those, just place in a bowl of water and remove any additional bits of left over pumpkin.

Approximate time: 1 minute

3. Dry the seeds

Drain the water from the seeds and gently pat the seeds down with a tea towel, this helps remove any last traces of pumpkin

Approximate time: 30 seconds to pat dry in warm weather, slightly longer in cold weather.

4. Place in saucepan on a light boil

Cook for approximately 8 minutes.

This is the secret part of the recipe, as pre boiling softens the outside shell and gives you a much tastier result, but if this sounds like too much hard work, skip and go straight to roasting.

Approximate time: 8 minutes (optional)

5. Dry seeds

Repeat, do a good job this time as it improves the result.

Approximate time: 1 minute

6. Season the seeds

For flavour, season with salt, pepper and or any other herb or spice that takes your fancy, I personally like to use a little paprika.

Approximate time: 30 seconds

7. Line a baking tray with baking paper

This stops the seeds sticking to each other or the tray.

Approximate time: 1 minute

8. Place in oven 120 degrees

Cook for approximately 10 minutes.

However if you happen to be cooking something else at a higher heat, you can cook at the same time, but make sure you check on them every couple of minutes to ensure they don’t burn.

They should be lightly golden brown.

Approximate time: 5-10 minutes (depending on oven temperature)

9. Eat your seeds

Give them a minute so you don’t burn your mouth, but otherwise they’re delicious warm or cold.

You can store your pumpkin seeds in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Let us know what you think of your freshly roasted pumpkin seeds, we hope you like them!