Almost every part of the pumpkin is beneficial to our health, from the skin, to the pulp, to those slimy seeds inside. So when you're carving your pumpkins, don't throw away those seeds! Roast and season them instead for delicious autumn snacking. Whether you like them sweet, salty, or spicy, you can customize them up any way you want with the right spices. This recipe will also explain how to prepare the seeds before roasting them to make sure they're crunchy and flavorful.

• 1 cup raw whole pumpkin seeds (cleaned, boiled and dried)

• 2 TBSN butter, melted

• 2 TBSN Brown Sugar (or preferred Brown Sugar alternative)

• 2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice (see recipe here)

• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

Medium mixing bowl, colander, measuring spoons, mixing spoon, aluminum foil, spatula, baking pan, salt

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes in oven Ready: 40 minutes

Serves: 1 cup of Pumpkin Seeds

Before you handle any food, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Clean your kitchen work area and pull back your hair or wear a cap. You want to avoid contaminating your meal with harmful bacteria that could cause food illness.

To make Roasted Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds:

1. Wash the seeds and separate them from the gooey, stringy fibers. Do this after you've scooped out the seeds from the pumpkin and before the pulp dries.

TIP: Put the pulp and seeds into a large bowl of water, and work the pulp with your fingers, picking out the strings and clingy pumpkin bits.

2. Boil seeds and add about 2 TBSN of salt. Pumpkin seeds don't roast evenly because their insides tend to cook faster than their shells,, which means they can burn in the middle before the shells are nice and toasty. To solve this problem, boil and then simmer them in salted water for about 10 minutes.

3. Drain the seeds in a colander. Dry them thoroughly using paper towels. Drying the seeds before roasting helps them to be more crunchy after roasting, and not soft.

4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

5. Place seeds in a bowl with melted butter. Stir to coat the seeds evenly.

6. Add brown sugar, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and Cinnamon. Stir to coat them evenly in the mixture.

Check out how we ROCK OUT this recipe below with other variations of this recipe.

7. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread out the seeds in a single layer. The less the seeds overlap, the crispier they'll be after roasting.

8. Bake seeds at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Use a spatula to mix them half way through baking time.

9. Set aside to cool and store in an air-tight container.

1 serving (6 seeds): 80 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 12 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate (5 g sugars, 1 g fiber), 3 g protein.

Pumpkins help keep us strong and healthy. A single serving of pumpkin puree has 8-percent of your daily riboflavin requirements, which help the body fight off bacterial infections. Not only is pumpkin rich in riboflavin, but it has lots of folate too. Folate is a folic acid (a B vitamin), which is critical to our immune systems. Research shows that low levels of folate could be linked to a weaker immune system. Pumpkins are also a solid source of vitamin C, which although it hasn’t been proven definitively, might contribute to warding off colds. Pumpkins are an amazing source of vitamin A, an anti-aging nutrient that contributes to the cell renewal process. It also increases the production of collagen, which contributes to smooth skin.Pumpkin seeds are a great source of dietary fiber and monounsaturated fatty acids, which are good for the heart. These seeds may be small, but they certainly pack a healthy punch! They have concentrated sources of protein, minerals, and health-benefiting vitamins.Pumpkin seeds are like many other nuts and seeds, they are naturally rich in plant based chemicals known as phytosterols. Many studies show that phytosterols reduce LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol. In addition, the beta-carotene we find in pumpkin seeds is a powerful antioxidant that works as an anti-inflammatory agent preventing the buildup of cholesterol on the arterial walls.Pumpkins are apart of the Cucurbitaceae family, also known as cucurbits and gourd family, similar members include cucumbers, squash, and zucchini. When it comes to health benefits in this family, pumpkins come out on top with the highest levels of vitamin A. Vitamin A is a powerful natural anti-oxidant required by the body to maintain skin care and visual sight. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin A helps improve vision, particularly in dim light.Self Nutrition Data shows that a cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin has more than 200-percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. So dig in! This veggie is also rich in carotenoids and beta-carotene, that’s what gives them a bright orange color.

Any white wine Friuliano One of the most typical wines of the Friuli Venezia Giuli region of Italy, Friuliano is slightly fruity with scents of white peach and tastes of bitter almonds.

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Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Replace spices with Cayenne Pepper and and Worcestershire sauce.

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds Replace spices with brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, and cayenne pepper.

Bourbon & Bacon Pumpkin Seeds Before roasting simmer pumpkin seeds in whiskey, bacon drippings, and season with brown sugar.