Caveman Cuisine: Piquant Pepitas

Why not kick up the flavor and nutritional content of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)?

Ingredients:

8oz raw pepitas

1-2 tsp chili powder 

1-2 tbsp avocado oil

2-3 tsp sea salt

Filtered water

Step 1: Soak 

In a small pot, warm up several cups of water and stir in the sea salt.  Put your pepitas in a large glass or non-reactive bowl and pour salted water over them until completely covered.  Put a towel or sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the bowl and place in a warm area of your kitchen.  Allow the pepitas to soak for at least 12 hours.

Step 2: Rinse

After the pepitas have soaked, rinse them until the rinse water runs clear.  It help speed up the process if you agitate the seeds with your hand while you rinse them.

Step 3: Season

Pour avocado oil over the seeds and mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle them with chili powder (more or less depending on taste) and mix again.

Step 4: Dry

Spread the pepitas out on a baking sheet covered with wax paper.  Set your oven to it's lowest possible setting, preferably no more than 150 degrees to prevent the sees from cooking.  If your oven doesn't have this low of a setting, crack open the door of the oven to reduce the heat.  Put the pepitas in the warm oven, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until they are completely dry (60-90 min).  Turn off the oven and leave the pumpkin seeds in the warm oven to dry out even more.

Step 5: Enjoy!

Piquant Pepitas make a spicy addition to soups, salads, or can be eaten as is as a snack.

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About Tony Fed

Tony is the host of the Paleo Magazine Radio podcast, author of "Paleo Grilling: A Modern Caveman's Guide to Cooking with Fire", and Cofounder of Powerful PT, an innovative information resource for Fitness Professionals. He has appeared on numerous local and national television and radio broadcasts and regularly hosts healthy cooking workshops and informational lectures. He is also a full-time Personal Trainer and Wellness Consultant who lives in Jacksonville Florida with his wife Jamie.