This weekend when you're carving your pumpkin, don't throw out the seeds. Roasting them in the oven is a simple way to make a delicious snack. They can be flavored with just a sprinkling of sea salt, or a variety of spices, such as cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon, ground ginger, and dried herbs such as sage and oregano.

As a bonus, they are rich in fiber, protein, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorous as well as vitamins B and E.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
makes 1-1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Spices, to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Pull the pumpkin seeds from inside the pumpkin and rinse them in a colander. Remove any pulp or strings from the seeds and rinse again. Blot the seeds dry.

Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and any of the optional seasonings.

Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.

[photo by Matthew Haughey via Ten Years of My Life]