Coral Reef Academy

Don’t toss those pumpkin seeds! Toast or roast  pumpkin seeds in your microwave in no time at all. They can be salted or spiced to suit your palate. The shells are edible and are a good source of fiber.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Ingredients:  Pumpkin seeds ~ Cooking spray ~ olive oil ~ or butter

Optional: Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, or other seasoning of choice

Preparation:  Rinse pumpkin seeds. Use your fingers to remove all the pulp. Drain pumpkin seeds and discard pulp. Spread out on a cookie sheet to dry overnight.
- Preheat oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil.
- Toss pumpkin seeds in olive oil, butter, or spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, or your choice of seasonings. Toss to coat.
- Bake about 1 hour, tossing every 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool pumpkin seeds before eating. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months or refrigerate up to 1 year.
- If you like your toasted pumpkin seeds extra-salty, soak overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup salt to 2 cups of water. Dry an additional day, then proceed as above.

Tasty and nutritious school lunches can be one of parents’ biggest challenges. To please the kids and meet the basic dietary guidelines, make them part of the planning and shopping. Within reason, try to accommodate their lunch requests, keeping nutrition guidelines in mind.