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Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are those slippery little things tangled in the stringy, slimy, orange gunk that you scoop out of your jack-o'-lantern, then roll up with the pulp, pumpkin eyes, noses and mouths in old newspapers and dump in the garbage.

That's what my family did, anyway. Except for the time our son planted a seed in the ixora hedge and it grew like Jack's magical beanstalk and had to be yanked out, jack-o'-lantern seeds were of no earthly interest to us.

What unenlightened souls we were! People pay big money for pumpkin seeds - because they're edible!

Basics: Roasted pumpkin seeds' spicy, nutty flavor makes them perfect for snacks, and they're so chock full of healthful proteins, minerals and monounsaturated fat, a full list of their nutrients would fill this column.

Native Americans have long treasured pumpkin seeds for medicinal as well as dietary reasons, and today you'll find many tempting recipes for shelled seeds, often labeled pepitas, in Mexican cookbooks.

Ground pepitas are a key ingredient in the flavorful sauces called moles.

You might check out chef Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Chicken Braised in Pumpkin Seed Mole Verde on the Food Network's Web site, www.foodtv.com, for sauce ideas.

Uses: Pumpkin seeds can be eaten raw, but are much tastier roasted. Wash off the stringy pulp and rinse the seeds in a colander. Dry them, toss with a little butter or oil, sprinkle with salt, then spread on a cookie sheet. Roast at 350 degrees until golden (about 45 minutes). Cool, and they're good to go.

Make this fun food even more amusing by using sesame oil, or by sprinkling with whatever you love on your popcorn (garlic salt, paprika, pepper, Cajun or taco seasonings, etc.) before roasting. And if roasting takes too long, toast the seeds in a hot frying pan until golden, then do your sprinkling.

Shelled pumpkin seeds also are perfect over cereals, green salads and stir-fried vegetables. Some cooks substitute them for peanuts in brittles, or add chopped seeds to meat or veggie burgers.

Storing: Keep in airtight containers and eat within a week or so.

Where to buy: There's little chance that your own pumpkin seeds will last past Halloween, so look for seeds in health food stores (Down to Earth stores carry unroasted seeds in bulk at $3.69 a pound). Or let the kids plant you a pumpkin patch!

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