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Pumpkin Seeds – A Tasty Snack

© Deanna Couras Goodson

Halloween is almost here! Timmy, Marisa and I are so excited. It's our favorite time of year. We just got our pumpkins today and we're getting ready to carve them.

I'm not going to talk much about pumpkin carving here, because my friend, Peggy Hoehne, who also writes here at the Kid's Korner, has a great article about that called Jack-O-Lanterns. I just want to make sure that you don't use sharp knives or carving tools alone, or without the permission of your parents, okay?

I love pumpkin seeds. I know that getting to them is mushy and gushy, but they're so yummy to eat.

Did you know that pumpkin seeds are high in lots of vitamins and minerals?

Well, they are. They're full of iron, which helps keep your blood strong (and red!). They also have lots of zinc. Zinc is a mineral that can help keep you from getting too many colds.

Pumpkin seeds, which are called pepitas by latinos like me, are low in fat and provide a wonderful source of protein, which is the building block of cells. Our bodies are made up of lots of cells. They're constantly being replaced and repaired, too. So, getting enough protein is a good idea!

They're also easy to make. Here's a fun and fast recipe for Pepitas.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups pumpkin seeds 2 tsp. Melted butter or oil (olive oil works really well. It's also low in the bad fats and high in the good ones.) salt (not too much. Just sprinkle for flavor, okay?)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300° F. (Well, ask mom or dad to do that). Clean off the pumpkin seeds as best as you can with some water. Pat them once or twice with a paper towel. Then, add the seeds to a bowl with melted butter or oil and the seasonings of your choice. (You can add pepper, garlic and many other seasonings depending upon your taste buds!)

Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or so. Stir once in a while so they don't stick to the pan. When they're golden brown, they're done.

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