Roasted Pepitas

Roasted pepitas.

A pepita is actually a pumpkin seed; not the hard, pulpy white husk that we pull out of the pumpkin, but rather the green seed inside. 

I’ve been roasting pepitas lately using the recipe from Joanna Gain’s Magnolia cookbook, and I am obsessed. 

You can buy raw pepitas in bulk from places like Whole Foods or Sprouts. I bought a package of roasted and salted pepitas at Aldi the other day. 

Either way I’ve roasted both kinds, and they are delicious. 

Add your seeds to 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet depending on the amount of seeds you are roasting. 

Add a pinch of cayenne, nutmeg, and salt to the seeds, and roast on medium heat for just a few minutes. Stir them making sure they don’t burn, and you will know when they are done just by their fragrance. 

Place them on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the butter. I keep mine in a glass jar in my pantry, but if you want you can freeze them for later. 

My favorite way to eat them is on a toasted English muffin, spread with Laughing Cow light cheese spread, a sprinkle of hemp hearts, and delicious roasted pepitas. The cayenne gives them the slightest bit of heat, but it’s not too overpowering. 

Pepitas have many health benefits including being high in antioxidants, good for your immune system, and are a healthy source of fat. 

Since I’ve just recently learned about these little bits of awesomeness, it makes me wonder, what other amazing food choices are out there that I don’t know about?