This quick recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds, or traditional Mexican pepitas, produces a zesty snack that is all at once spicy, sweet, tangy, salty, and delicious. Be warned your breath may be garlic-laced enough to fend off an army of vampires, but the flavor is worth it.
Pumpkin seeds are nutritional superstars and beneficial for type 2 diabetes. They are low in carbohydrates, fairly low in fat and provide a good amount of protein. They are a good source of magnesium, manganese, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin K and essential fatty acids.
Some benefits of pumpkin seeds include lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, better diabetes prevention, improved insulin resistance, improved insulin secretion, lower blood sugar levels and anti-inflammation properties.
For this recipe you will need shelled pumpkin seeds and will have good results using cookware with good heat retention and diffusion such as cast-iron cookware.
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (raw or cooked)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Preparation:
Over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds with salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic using a skillet, pan, or griddle. Keep stirring until seeds become very glossy and shiny, being careful not to let them burn.
Remove from heat and place the mixture into a bowl. Be careful, the pan and seeds will be very hot. Add sugar and stir to distribute. Add the lime juice and stir again. Enjoy!
Eat as a snack or add to sautéed vegetables or salads.
- Serving: ¼ cup
- Calories: 194
- Total Fat: 15.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 588 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 7.9 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g
- Sugars: 1.5 g
- Protein: 8.6 g
