Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Want to kick up your pumpkin seeds a notch? Try coating them in spices and roasting them to serve as a crunchy snack at parties or for friends or family. The combination of sweet and spicy in this recipe will keep people coming back for more!

Pumpkin Seeds are one of nature’s most nourishing foods. They contain high amounts of vitamin E, B-complex, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Pumpkin seeds are essential for men’s health and provide significant protection for the prostate gland. They are an excellent source of tryptophan which is critical for good quality sleep and for keeping anxiety and depression at bay. 

The B-complex vitamins in pumpkin seeds work as co-factors in the body to help reduce cholesterol and enhance GABA activity which is also known to reduce anxiety and neurological disorders. Pumpkin seeds also contain anti-inflammatory properties which provide benefit for those that suffer with chronic inflammation such as in sinusitis, arthritis, bursitis, and other autoimmune disorders. 

Raw pumpkin seeds provide the most nutrition and health benefits but these roasted and spiced pumpkin seeds are a wonderful festive treat. Enjoy!

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2-1 tsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on how spicy you want it
• 1/4 tsp coconut aminos (optional)
• 1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. In an oven-proof skillet, warm avocado oil over medium-high heat and sauté the pumpkin seeds until lightly golden, about 3-5 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, smoked paprika, ground cumin and cayenne. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the maple syrup spice mixture.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t burn. Taste the seeds to make sure they are crispy throughout, and not soft in the center. Continue cooking if necessary.

When finished, tip the seeds out onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and cool. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste while still hot.

Makes about 1 cup

Find out more undiscovered properties of healing foods and how they support the liver, in my New York Times bestselling book Liver Rescue.

This item posted: 16-Nov-2018