Autumn is the time of pumpkins, both in the garden and around the house, and the most beloved pumpkin of many is the Jack-o-Lantern. There may be more pumpkins used as Jack-o-Lanterns than there are pumpkins eaten each year.
All that’s well and good, though pumpkins are delicious, but it seems doubly tragic to think that year after year all those delightful pumpkin seeds just get dumped in the compost bin or, worse still, the garbage.
For those who aren’t quite sure what to do with those seeds but love the idea of doing something, this is the right spot for you. Here are some of the awesome things that can be done with the pumpkin seeds that come out of your Jack-o-Lantern.
Plant Pumpkins Next Year
Winter squash and pumpkin seeds are amongst the easiest to save for next season. In fact, they are prone to growing out of the compost or wherever a pumpkin is left to decompose. To save them, just give the seeds a quick rinse to get the pumpkin guts off of them and dry the seeds on a plate or cookie sheet in a sunny window. Store them in an envelope for next year.
All that said, one pumpkin has way more seeds than is necessary to plant. A dozen seeds are likely more than anyone needs.
Roast Them for a Treat
A personal favorite for any time winter squash or pumpkin is on the menu is to collect the seeds to roast, usually as an appetizer, snack, or a side with dinner. Again, the seeds should get a quick rinse to get most of the pumpkin flesh off, and they can be patted dry. Roasting them is as easy as tossing them in some oil and sprinkling some salt over them. They can be roasted in the oven or done on the stovetop, stirring regularly to avoid burning them.
Feed the Hungry Birds
Autumn is just around the corner from winter, and that’s a time when many birds are looking for something to keep themselves fed and healthy. Dozens of different birds enjoy eating pumpkin seeds, so it’s worth rinsing them, drying them, and saving them to make a pine cone birdfeeder. The pine cone is coated in plain peanut butter and rolled in the pumpkin seeds. Birds love it.
Save Them for Delicious Recipes
It seems obvious, but it doesn’t always happen. In fact, lots of folks toss their pumpkin seeds from the Jack-o-Lantern and buy packaged seeds for their recipes. No way! Save the seeds from the great carve to help with making oatmeal, granola, and baked goods. Use them later in salads or as garnish for soups and stews. Pumpkin seeds add valuable nutrients and healthy fats to loads for recipes.
Make Pumpkin Seed Butter
As with peanuts, cashews, almonds, and other nuts, seeds can be used to make delicious butters to spread on toast or dollop in oatmeal. Sunflower seed butter is a regular in supermarkets now, but pumpkin seeds can make a tasty butter as well. They can either be roasted first or used raw to whizz up some delicious pumpkin seed butter.
Decorate with Them
Pumpkin seeds can also work as a nice decoration while they are waiting to be used (or not) for something else. They can be mixed with other fall finds like dried corn kernels and sunflower seeds to make decorative bowls. This mixture also works very well in a glass vase with some dried flowers. It’s a unique way to appreciate the harvest visually as well as through all the great food.
Create a DIY Face/Body Scrub
Pumpkin seeds have a lot of nutrients that are good for your skin, and they can be easily turned into a face and/or body scrub. The dried seeds should be blended into a rough powder and mixed with a bit of oil (coconut or olive would work, as would pumpkin seed oil). Then, this can be used as a scrub and will revitalize the skin with all sorts of nutrients.
Of course, all of these can be done with pumpkin (or squash) seeds any time you are enjoying a delicious pumpkin curry or roasted butternut squash soup. Just take care to save the seeds and make the most of them.