We carved pumpkins last night with the kids, and being the health nut that I am, I took the opportunity to make carving pumpkins not only fun, but also nutritional by saving and roasting the pumpkin seeds. Raw pumpkin seeds are rich in vitamins B, C, D and K, essential fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. They can help lower cholesterol with their high levels of fiber, help to prevent the enlargement of the prostrate and promote bone health. Plus, they are a yummy snack!

Why not share all the health benefits of pumpkin seeds with dear friends? After you carve pumpkins with your friends/family this year, save the seeds for a healthy snack and give as a small token of thoughtfulness to a friend. I made the tags, “you are pumpkin pie spice and everything nice, that’s what friends are made of,” using a pumpkin template online and Microsoft Word, and attached them to a mason jar {my fave…everything looks cuter in a mason jar} with black and white twine.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Thoroughly wash the seeds after they’ve been removed from your pumpkin.
Spread the seeds out to let them dry. You can pat with a paper towel.
Rub them sparingly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Roast at 350 degrees for 15-16 minutes {watch them carefully as they will go from being perfectly roasted to totally burned within a minute or less}.

Oh, and as for the fun part, Jameson wanted a dragon, Gabriella wanted a heart and Jackson, well, we opted to carve a cute smiley pumpkin face.

{images via Tutto Bella}