When following a healthy eating pattern, the biggest challenge according to me is resisting a deep-fried and indulgent snack. I try and look for ways to keep my snack cravings at check without going too overboard often.
I prefer roasted snacks as they consume small amounts of oil, gives the snack a lot of crunch and renders the ingredients a smoky flavour, which is very appetising.
Talking about snacks, one of my favourites is a seed and/or nut mix. Seeds and nuts are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and good fats.
Consumed in moderation, they keep you full for longer while fixing that incredible snacking urge.
Pumpkin seeds or pepita is one of my favourite seeds. It tastes mild, is easy to digest and tastes amazing. Seasoned, roasted/toasted or plain, pepita never disappoints.
My pick for the best way to consume pumpkin seeds is to roast them in the oven or toast them on a skillet.
In this recipe, I have shared both methods with the chilli lime seasoning.
The combination of chilli and lime is a marriage made in heaven. The tangy notes are contrasted by the spicy kick all subtly balanced by the pumpkin seeds.
This savoury snack keeps well for about 5 days in an airtight container. Sprinkle this in soups, salads and pastas to make it crunchy and flavoursome.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin seeds/ pepita – 1 cup
- Lime juice – 1 tblspn
- Chilli powder/ cayenne pepper – 1 tspn
- Garlic powder – 1 tspn
- Salt – To season
- Chilli-flavoured olive oil (or any oil of your choice) – 2 tspns
Directions
Prep:
- In a small mixing bowl, add all the ingredients.
- Combine them well so the seeds are evenly coated with the seasoning, oil and lemon juice.
Method (Stovetop):
- Heat a skillet or pan.
- Add the seasoned pumpkin seeds.
- Keep tossing until the pumpkin seeds are golden in colour.
- Ensure you don’t burn the seeds. Keep the flame medium-low if you find the pan too hot.
- Once done, transfer the contents onto a dry container, allow it to cool.
- Serve as a snack or sprinkle it on soups or salads for some crunch.
Method (Oven):
- Pre heat oven at 150ºc.
- Line a baking tray with a baking sheet.
- Transfer the seasoned pumpkin seeds to the baking tray. Make a single layer, and spread it out well so the seeds don’t stick together.
- Place the tray in the pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes.
- Once done, allow the roasted seeds to cool.
- Transfer the contents onto a dry container.
- Serve as a snack or sprinkle it on soups or salads for some crunch.
Tips:
- You could do the same for assorted seeds, nuts or a mix of both.
- I used store-bought pumpkin seeds for this recipe. You could use seeds from the pumpkin, clean and dry them well, and follow the recipe.
- Add/ omit ingredients depending on your preference.
- I like my pumpkin seeds spicy, adjust the spices to suit your taste.
- I used chilli-flavoured olive oil, use any other oil or oil spray depending on your preference.
