Toasted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)
I use pepitas all the time — in burritos, on tacos, sprinkled on my soups and salads. When I am not adding them to a dish, I am snacking on them. In my mind, there are three basic ways to approach pepitas as an ingredient. Plain, toasted and toasted 2.0. Plain pepitas are just that. I purchase them raw in bulk from the local health food store and sprinkle them on my salad and add them to my granola.
To make toasted pepitas, I put them on a small jellyroll pan and put them into my toaster oven. As we all know, toaster ovens can be wildly different in terms of performance, but I find 2-3 minutes on a light toast is just about perfect. It is important to keep an eye on them though. Pepitas go from toasted to burned very quickly. You’ll know when they’re finished by the aroma and the conversion from green to light brown. Toasted pepitas are really, really good. It brings out their nutty flavor and gives them a crunchier texture.
Toasted 2.0 is the same as toasted, but I toss them in just a bit of avocado oil first and then sprinkle on some salt. Toasted 2.0 is exceptional, but I usually only prepare pepitas this way as a substitute for adding salt to a recipe. So, for example, if a recipe calls for salt for flavor (usually, labeled as “to taste”), I add it by way of these pepitas. More nutritional bang for the buck, see? A word of caution though, do be careful when you’re toasting pepitas. As they get hot, they will pop and jump and you should take care to avoid getting burned.
Tiny as they are, pepitas pack a serious nutritional punch. According to LiveStrong.org, they’re high in protein, fiber and “good fats.” They’re full of antioxidants, may reduce the likelihood of some forms of cancer, help you sleep better and ahem, gentlemen, improve your sperm count. If you’d like read up on the health benefits of pepitas, Healthline has some good information and NutritionFacts.org has a segment on pumpkin seeds and their potential impact on reducing breast cancer risk.
What’s in my kitchen that makes this recipe even easier?
For small projects, I almost always turn to my toaster oven. For simple things (like toast) or meals for one, this just gives more control and works faster.
Did you make these pepitas? What did you think? Did you make any changes to them? Tell us about them!
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