Tasty Ways to Enjoy Nuts and Seeds

With chia and flax occupying the trendy seed spotlight, you may have forgotten about pumpkin seeds until they start popping up in fall-themed foods. But they’re a delicious superfood you can enjoy year-round! In addition to packing heart-healthy fats, pumpkin seeds are one of the best food sources of zinc, which is crucial for immunity, wound-healing and overall skin health. Inside their shells, pumpkin seeds are great for snacking straight out of the bag, but shelled varieties are the way to go when you want to combine them with other foods. Sprinkle them over yogurt, oatmeal, cereal or cottage cheese, or add them to your blend for homemade low-fat granola.

They also make an excellent addition to tossed salads and sautéed veggies; you can even mix ground pumpkin seeds into vinaigrettes and other salad dressings. Another idea: Throw some pumpkin seeds into the food processor with your usual ingredients for burger patties (veggie, turkey or beef–anything goes!). Of course, you should also feel free to extend your fall baking menu to all 12 months of the year; add pumpkin seeds to whole-wheat flour for pancakes, muffins, breads and other baked goodies.