STILL AT IT

I am finally getting some oomph back and have managed to get some small things done after work each day this week.

For example, tonight I finished roasting pumpkin seeds and also sliced zucchini to make chips in the dehydrator.

Roasted pumpkin seeds are an inexpensive, nutritious and easy-to-make snack. Pumpkin seeds have been shown to improve heart health, blood sugar levels, sleep quality and may even protect against certain types of cancer. They are a great source of protein, fiber, Vitamins A, K and E, riboflavin, folate, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and many more nutrients. The antioxidants in pumpkin seeds reduce inflammation and protect your cells from free radicals and many diseases.

I first tried making them five or six years. They were just okay, so I haven’t felt inclined to repeat the effort again, until now.

I spread out the pumpkin seed prep over three evenings but you really could do it all at once.

Tuesday, I cut the pumpkin, scooped the seeds into a bowl, which I put in the fridge. The pumpkin was fed to the chickens as a tasty snack that also serves as a natural de-wormer.

Wednesday, I washed the strings and pulp off the seeds and drained them in a colander. After I got them as clean as I could, I put them in a saucepan, covered them with water and added a teaspoon of salt. I brought them to a boil and simmered them for 10 minutes then laid them out on paper towels to dry overnight. I read that the drier you can get them, the better texture you will get when you roast them.

Finally, tonight, I sprinkled a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of ranch seasoning and stirred them until they were well coated. They were spread out on a tray lined with parchment paper.

I baked them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes total, stirring after 10 minutes.

These were so much better than the ones I made the first time. I really think that was because I boiled them. This not only helps get the last bits of pumpkin and string off them, it also gets the saltiness deeper into the seed and the final product comes out crispier than if they aren’t boiled.

While the pumpkin seeds were baking, I sliced a large zucchini on the mandolin slicer (without cutting any of my appendages!) to make zucchini chips. The first batch I made were a big hit and I wanted to try a different seasoning.

I repeated what I did with the pumpkin seeds and stirred the zucchini slices in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and ranch seasoning (I used this much because of the large quantity of slices I had) until they were as evenly coated as I could manage. These were put into the dehydrator. Tomorrow I will get to try Ranch Zucchini Chips!

#everybitcountschallenge