1 This sweet combo is a mix of granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and a little salt. It was a favorite in the sweet category.
2 Another sweet mix-this one has sugar and cinnamon, along with nutmeg, allpsice, cloves, and salt.
3 The winner in the spicy category-lime juice, hot smoked Spanish paprika, ancho chile powder and salt. Pleasantly spicy with a hint of lime.
4 Wasabi powder, lemon juice, ground coriander, and salt provide heat and spice.
5 Maple syrup, chipotle chile powder, ground cumin, and salt make this both sweet and hot.
6 The tasting sheets. Both Monty and Steve were fans of number one and number 3.
Inspired by the Bites section of this month's "Everyday Food" magazine we decided to do a pumpkin seed tasting in the studio. You can find green pumpkin seeds already hulled (pepitas), or save the seeds from your pumpkin or winter squash, rinse them, dry them in a 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes and then toss with your favorite seasonings. Either way they're a great tasty snack, and full of minerals and fiber.
Each spice blend is enough for 2 cups of hulled pumpkin seeds; two are spicy, two are sweet, and one is a little bit of each. The clear winners among our tasters were number 1 (Sweet), and number 3 (Spicy).
Sweet 1
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sweet 2
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spicy 3
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spicy 4
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sweet and Spicy 5
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 300°F. For all of the combinations, in a medium bowl toss 2 cups of hulled pumpkin seeds with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the spice blend, tossing well to coat. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until the seeds are fragrant and crunchy, stirring halfway through, about 20 minutes.
From: Jen | 10/15/11 at 9:16 pm
OK, I'm in the mood to make these! but I usually use them right out of the pumpkins and we haven't cut the pumpkins open yet! I'm curious why most recipes say to rinse the pumpkin seeds. Once you remove the bigger glops of goop, they've got a nice sticky coating that's perfect for adhering a spice blend.