Here at SpaceCoast Living we love this time of year. Just like many of you, we are anxiously awaiting our first “cold” snap, so in the mean time, we are embracing fall by sipping on iced pumpkin spice lattes and obsessing over throwing the perfect Halloween party and pumpkin carving.

All week long we have been sharing about pumpkin carving. From “Tips for Carving the Perfect Pumpkin” to “Brevard County Pumpkin Patches” we feel as if we are ready to carve it out. If you’re looking for carving templates or ideas, check out SpaceCoast Living’s Pinterest boards.

One thing we love about pumpkin carving is the added bonus snack built into every pumpkin: fresh roasted pumpkin seeds! If you’ve ever wondered if they were worth the effort or had mediocre results from before, try it! You won’t be disappointed!

How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds:

1. Clean the seeds. Clean the seeds until there are no signs of pumpkin strands. Rinse them with water in a colander.

2. Boil for 10 minutes in salt water. Add the pumpkin seeds to a medium-sized pot of water along with 1 tsp salt. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes over low-medium heat.

3. Drain the seeds in a colander and dry lightly with a paper towel. The seeds will stick to the towel, but just rub them off with your fingers. They don’t have to be completely dry. A light pat will do.

4. Spread seeds onto a baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. You will only need about 1/2 – 1 tsp of oil. Massage oil into the seeds and sprinkle sea salt. Spread out the seeds as thin as possible with minor overlapping.

5. Roast seeds at 325F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Roast for another 8-10 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of roasting, remove a few seeds and crack open to make sure the inner seeds are not burning (you don’t want the inner seed brown). Cool a couple and pop them into your mouth to test. They are ready when the shell is super crispy and easy to bite through.

6. Last but not least, ENJOY!! 

Did you know that pumpkin seeds are super healthy for you? They are packed with iron, magnesium, fiber, zinc, potassium, healthy fats, protein and tryptophan.

*Information compiled from OhSheGlows