How To Roast Seeds After A Pumpkin Patch Visit Around Brookline

BROOKLINE, MA — The holidays, including Halloween, will look very different this year thanks to the coronavirus. However, some quintessential fall activities such as visiting pumpkin patches near Natick and carving jack-o’-lanterns will stay the same.

In 2020, more people are cooking at home and trying to maximize every penny spent. Here’s a simple way to keep that up: Don’t toss out those pumpkin seeds. Instead, turn them into a delicious snack.

First, pick up a pumpkin from the local pumpkin patch.

• Allandale Farm, 259 Allandale Rd Chestnut Hill, pumpkins available. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Seniors 9 am to 10 a.m)
• Verrill Farm, 11 Wheeler Rd. Concord, MA 01742, pumpkins available through the end of October. Weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
• Lookout Farm, 89 Pleasant St. South, Natick. Pumpkins available with other you-pick options.
• Hanson's Farm, 20 Nixon Road, Framingham. Through Nov. 1. Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Dowse Orchards, 90 North Main St., Sherborn. U-pick apples, pumpkins also available. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
• Shelburne Farm, 106 West Acton Road, Stow. Pumpkin patch open now. Check website for daily hours.
• Boston Hill Farm, 1370 Turnpike St., North Andover 01845, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After you gut the pumpkin for carving, keep the seeds in a bag until you are ready to roast them. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with potassium, packed with fiber and protein, and are the perfect snack to serve your little ghosts and goblins.

Here’s our favorite recipe for baking seeds:

Separate the seeds in a bowl as you clean each pumpkin. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Rinse the seeds in cold water and strain. Pat seeds dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, toss the seeds in just enough olive oil to coat.

Spray an edged baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and spread seeds in a single layer. Season seeds with kosher salt to taste. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy. Seal leftovers in an airtight plastic container.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Sea salt

Pro tip: Make Your Jack-O’-Lanterns Last: When you carve that pumpkin, you can plan on it lasting up to 10 days before it starts to show signs of aging, yes, it will mold. However, if you want to make it last longer, you can mix three teaspoons of bleach with 3 gallons of water and spray the solution throughout, according to Clorox.