5 Great Ways To Use The Pumpkin Seeds From Your Jack-O-Lantern
Pumpkins are a big part of fall festivities, especially Halloween. After all, you can’t have a good All Hallow’s Eve without a fun jack-o-lantern sitting on your doorstep. However, once you’ve carved out the design of your dream you are left with a bunch of gunk from the inside of the pumpkin. Even though your first instinct may be to toss them in the trash, we have a better suggestion. You can extend the holiday fun and save the insides of the pumpkin to use for later on. You will be surprised to find out how many ways you can […]
Pumpkins are a big part of fall festivities, especially Halloween. After all, you can’t have a good All Hallow’s Eve without a fun jack-o-lantern sitting on your doorstep. However, once you’ve carved out the design of your dream you are left with a bunch of gunk from the inside of the pumpkin. Even though your first instinct may be to toss them in the trash, we have a better suggestion. You can extend the holiday fun and save the insides of the pumpkin to use for later on. You will be surprised to find out how many ways you can put all those little white seeds to good use. That’s why today we will share with you some of our favorite ways to use pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkins are a big part of fall festivities
Creative Ways To Use Pumpkin Seeds
The best thing about pumpkins is that you can use nearly every part of them. The lack of waste makes them very eco-friendly. However, other than being sustainable, they are simply delicious. Even when you are using them for decoration, there are still other parts you can use to your benefits, like the pumpkin guts and the seeds. We are often quick to throw them away when craving out the insides of the pumpkin, however, this should stop. By tossing out all the insides we are throwing away so much potential. Here are some great ways to use pumpkin seeds that are leftover.
The best thing about pumpkins is that you can use nearly every part of them
Roast them
Pumpkin seeds are an underrated superfood. They are packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are great for your overall health. So, why would you throw them away. Simply remove the seeds from the white hull and enjoy them raw or you can roast them to add some extra flavor. These tiny seeds make a wonderful snack. To roast them simply pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Then take a baking sheet and place your seeds on it, complete with any excess pulp from the pumpkin. Toss them in olive oil, salt, and a handful of spices of your choice. Finally, roast them for around forty-five minutes.
You can enjoy pumpkin seeds raw or roasted
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Preserve them
If you have a garden, you know that buying seeds is quite expensive. So, instead of throwing out all those seeds from your pumpkins, you can preserve them and grow your very own pumpkins next year. As long as you keep them clean and dry, you can store them long-term. You simply need to soak the seeds in warm water to help remove any pulp and then drain them with a colander. Then place the seeds on a towel and allow them to dry for at least a day or two. Once they are dry, simply wrap the seeds in a paper towel and place them in an airtight container.
You can preserve the seeds and grow your very own pumpkins next year
Compost
If you don’t want to use all those leftover pumpkin seeds from your jack-o-lanterns but you also don’t want to throw them away, then this is a great option. Pumpkin seeds make a good addition to your compost pile. You just need to make sure the seeds won’t germinate inside the compost. To do this simply do not soak them, but instead boil them in order to neutralize them. This way you will ensure that no pumpkins will start to grow in your compost pile.
Boil the pumpkin seeds before you put them in the compost pile
Make seed butter
We love cooking with pumpkins as they are super versatile. You can make both sweet and savory recipes with them. However, the seeds aren’t usually the star of the show. Well, we say it’s time for a change. Did you know you can make delicious seed butter in just fifteen minutes with all those leftover seeds you have from pumpkin carving? That’s right. All you need to do is wash the seeds thoroughly and then grind them in a food processor until they are nice and smooth. Finally, add some oil and salt, as well as any other flavors you may like in it. Get creative and make a taste that you love.
You can make a quick nut butter with pumpkin seeds
Add them to recipes
There are so many ways you can incorporate pumpkin seeds into your daily diet. You can add them to your salad for some extra crunch, as garnish to your pumpkin soup, add them to your morning granola. There are plenty of ways to use them. The great things about pumpkin seeds is that they are versatile, while they do have a distinct taste, it is one that goes well with both sweet and savory dishes.
There are so many ways you can incorporate pumpkin seeds into your daily meals
These are some great ways to use pumpkin seeds that are leftover from your Jack-o-Lantern. We hope you found this article interesting. Now no part of the pumpkin will go to waste and you have plenty of ways to put the seeds to good use.
These are some great ways to use pumpkin seeds
