The New York Times recently re-released an item from about a year ago telling us of the eleven best foods we aren't be eating... and probably should. Among them was the modest pumpkin seed. Halloween season is probably one of the only times when fresh pumpkin seeds are considered for consumption. We scoop out and carve the bright orange globes for jack-o-lanterns to scare or amuse trick-or-treaters. We sometimes toast the seeds for an autumnal snack.... once a year.
After reading the NYT article, I decided I would add pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, to my diet. Packed with magnesium, they are known to prevent an early demise. It was suggested to toast them for sprinkling atop a salad. Mmmmm, I tried it and was delighted with the results. Raw, the seeds are bland but toasting brings out their flavor. Then, I added pine nuts and sunflower seeds to the mix, and voila, my salad topping was created.
A lover of croutons, I have changed my allegiance to toasted seeds and nuts. They are healthier and have more nutritional benefits per calorie than a piece of sauteed bread.
1 handful of raw pumpkin seeds
1 handful of raw sunflower seeds
1 handful of raw pine nuts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix seeds together in a shallow metal pie pan. Place in the middle of the oven and toast for 5 minutes. Stir and continue baking until the seeds are a nice toasted color. Be careful not to burn!
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