Jackie at The Vegan Diet shares the virtues of those jack-o-lantern pumpkin seeds, some wonderful recipes, and great vegan Halloween links! - Halloween will be here in a few days and Jack O Lanterns will need to be made. Do not throw the pumpkin seeds away as they are as healthy and nutritious.  Pumpkin seeds contain a very good supply of phosphorous, magnesium and tryptophan with a good supply of vitamin K, iron, copper, zinc and unsaturated fatty acids. They are also a good protein and fiber source.

They contain a plant hormone which is proving to be excellent, if eaten regularly, in the prevention of prostate cancer and the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones, . Pumpkin seeds are also said to reduce cholesterol and have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

Raw and roasted pumpkin seeds are now available in most health shops and many supermarkets worldwide. It is great at times like Halloween and Thanksgiving when you tend to buy whole pumpkins to use the seeds they contain. Simply remove the seeds from the pumpkin, wipe them off and leave them to dry overnight. You can then choose whether to use them raw or to roast them. Once dry they can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a month or two until you require them.

Pumpkin seeds like many other seeds can be scattered on salads, added to muesli, baked in bread or just munched as a snack food. Some recipes online call for pepitas which are hulled green pumpkin seeds.

Have a happy Halloween everyone!

Pumpkin Seed Recipes

Below are a few easy recipes. Visit The Vegan Diet to view even more recipes for pumpkin seeds and beyond!

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
By Linda Larsen, at About.com

2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup Vegan Marg, melted
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder

Place pumpkin seeds on ungreased cookie sheet. Mix together marg and Tabasco sauce and drizzle over the seeds. Combine spices and sprinkle over the coated seeds. Toss well to coat. Bake at 300F/150C degrees 35-45 minutes until golden brown and crisp, stirring seeds once halfway through baking. Store in airtight container.

Pumpkin Seed Pesto
From WNPT Volunteer Gardener

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup fresh parsley
8 garlic cloves, peeled
5 tbsps fresh lemon juice
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
6 tbsps broth/stock

Over low heat, dry-roast pumpkin seeds, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until they finish popping. Remove from heat and cool. In a blender, process seeds, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, pepper and salt. Slowly add oil and broth and blend until smooth. Toss into hot pasta and serve immediately or transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Sugar & Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
By Diana Rattray, at About.com

1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or more, to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice

Rinse seeds well and get as much of the pumpkin pulp off of them as possible. Some of the small pieces are going to adhere, but they won't hurt the seeds at all, and might even add a little more flavor.
Pat dry with paper towels. Don't let them dry completely on the paper towels, because they might stick!
Toss seeds with the butter, sugar, and spices.
Heat oven to 300°. Spread coated seeds in a shallow baking sheet (I line a baking sheet with nonstick foil to make cleanup easier), turning from time to time, for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until nicely browned and crunchy.

Halloween Links

Vegan Halloween: Tricks and Treats
A Vegan Halloween Party (lots of great recipes)
Vegan Halloween Treats (tons of great recipes)
Pumpkin Nutrition and Pumpkin Recipes (my 2006 Halloween entry)
How to Carve a Jack-O-Lantern for carving tips and books of patterns

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons