Pumpkin seeds are rich in many nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, manganese, proteins, vitamins and fibre that make it an ideal low-calorie snack and essential ingredient for healthy recipes.

Here are five interesting recipes to make with pumpkin seeds that you could very well make at home.

1. Roasted pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin Seeds are tasty to eat raw or when fried dry without any additives. Take a bowl of pumpkin seeds and mix with a small amount of oil or organic ghee to coat the seeds. Place the pumpkin seeds in a greased baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp. You can add salt and seasoning for taste.

2. Pumpkin salad

If you are looking for a healthy recipe with pumpkin seeds that you can include in your every-day diet, try this salad.

Soak a cup of black-eyed peas over night in four cups of water. Then, cook the peas in a sauce pan or cooker until it is tender. Make sure that it is not over cooked. You could add a bay leaf while it boils and remove it once it is ready.

Take a quarter portion of pumpkin and cut it into evenly sized small cubes. Add one table spoon of vegetable oil to a frying pan and sauté the pumpkin pieces until golden and soft. You could sprinkle water on the pumpkin to help it cook faster. Now, add the cooked black-eyed peas and toss with salt and pepper for about ten minutes.

Whisk half a cup of lemon juice with three table spoons of Olive Oil and add the pumpkin and peas mixture. To this add two onions, one tomato, one cucumber, one capsicum that have all been chopped finely. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Garnish with half a cup of roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

3. Pumpkin crisps

If you are someone with a sweet tooth who likes to harp on sweet dishes, here is the best fit for you.

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake half a cup each of regular oats, Pumpkin Seeds and broken walnuts until they turn golden brown. Add these to a mixer and add one large egg white, two tablespoons of lemon juice, quarter cup of brown sugar, quarter cup of unsalted butter, three table spoons of wheat flour or corn flour and half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Grind them together coarsely. Then add them to a baking sheet and bake until they are crispy and golden, while breaking down lumps at intervals. Allow it to cool after baking. This streusel can be had separately as a snack or used for garnishing sweet dishes.

4. Pumpkin and cashew curry

Take about half a pumpkin and cut it into pieces. This should give you enough pumpkin that fills about 4 cups. You need not separate the seeds from the pumpkin and can cook them directly.

Take a frying pan and add one tablespoon of coconut oil or cooking oil if you find coconut oil’s flavour too strong. Sauté the pumpkin pieces and cook well for about fifteen minutes. Transfer the cooked pumpkin into a separate bowl.

In the empty frying pan, add another table spoon of vegetable oil and add quarter teaspoon of mustard seeds and wait till they pop. Then add eight to ten curry leaves. To this, add two finely chopped onions, two finely chopped garlic cloves and one teaspoon of finely chopped ginger and dry until golden brown. Add two to three red chillies based on your taste and add one teaspoon of turmeric powder.

Take two cups of coconut milk by grinding coconut. You could also add some coconut cream or milk cream. Add these to the pan and cook until the mixture thickens.

Once thick, add the cooked pumpkin and stir in medium heat for about five minutes. Then remove the cooked dish from heat and add half a cup of lemon juice and cilantro and stir well.

You can garnish the dish with roasted and dry cashew and pumpkin seeds. This dish is best taken with cooked basmati rice.

5. Candied pumpkin seeds

Candied pumpkin seeds make for a delectable evening snack. Melt half a tablespoon of Ghee in a fry pan. To this, add one tablespoon of sugar, half a tablespoon of ground cumin, quarter tablespoon each of cinnamon, paprika and cayenne. Stir well until they get caramelized after adding quarter spoon of salt. Add plain Pumpkin Seeds and cook, stirring occasionally until pumpkin seeds become puffed and golden. Once done, allow the mixture to cool and remove clumps with your fingers.

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