Pumpkin Seeds Aplenty!
Pumpkin seeds are a fun and festive snack and are also packed with a bunch of nutrients. One cup of pumpkin seeds provides around 285 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 12 grams of protein. This little snack also contains iron, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, B, and C, and folate. This snack should be consumed in moderation due to its high sodium content.
All you need is one pumpkin, oil and your favorite seasoning. Start out by carving the top off of the pumpkin. Pull out the slimy gunk and separate the seeds. Preheat oven to 300°F. Clean and dry the seeds. The basic recipe calls for tossing the seeds with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkling them with salt. Spread seeds onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
You can make this recipe a lot more exciting by using different oils and seasonings.
Oil Choices
- Squash oil
- Peanut oil
- Sesame oil
- Coconut oil
Seasonings
- Garlic powder
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Chili powder
- Seasoning salt
- Ranch seasoning
- French onion seasoning
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Tabasco sauce
- Buffalo wing sauce (very small amount)
- BBQ sauce (very small amount)
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato-Basil Sauce
Cooking Light Recipe
Serves: 6
Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 (3-pound) spaghetti squash
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
6 tablespoons shredded pecorino Romano cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°.\
- Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds; discard. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for an hour or until tender.
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 1/3 cup basil.
- Cool squash at room temperature for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove spaghetti-like strands to measure about five cups. Divide squash evenly among six plates; top each serving with about 1/3 cup sauce and one tablespoon cheese. Top with remaining basil.
Sources:
20 + Ways to cook your pumpkin seeds. Susie QT Pies Café.
http://www.susieqtpiescafe.com/2013/08/pumpkin-seed-recipe-pumpkin-recipes.html
Pumpkin Seeds Nutritional Information. Livestrong.com.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/36129-pumpkin-seeds-nutritional-information/
Spaghetti Squash and Tomato-Basil Sauce. Cooking Light.
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spaghetti-squash-tomato-basil-50400000120179/
