If you're anything like me, the fun of an evening of pumpkin carving isn't complete without roasting up and then devouring a batch of pumpkin seeds. Those crispy, salty seeds are a true Halloween tradition around my house.

The great thing about roasting pumpkin seeds is that removing the hull becomes basically unnecessary. Through the roasting process, the hulls become crisp and brittle, easy to chew. If it's fiber you're after, try eating a couple handfuls of unhulled roasted pumpkin seeds. One ounce of pumpkin seeds contains ten grams of fiber, three milligrams of iron, and seven grams of protein.

Roasting Your Pumpkin Seeds

To get started, scoop all of the pulp and seeds out of your pumpkin. The most time consuming part of the whole process is removing the seeds from the rest of the goop. I find that sitting at the table with two bowls in front of me (one for the seeds, and one for everything else) and watching my husband and kids carve the jack o' lanterns makes this task pass much faster. Once you've got the seeds separated out, put them in a colander and give them a good rinse. Some recipes say not to rinse, and even to leave some pulp attached for flavor, but I prefer starting with clean seeds. Once they're dry, place them on a clean kitchen towel and pat the excess water off.

Now you're ready to oil and season your seeds. Some options for oil are olive oil, canola oil, or butter. I'm a butter girl. Melt two tablespoons of butter and pour into a bowl. Now you can add seasonings to your butter. Some popular seasonings for pumpkin seeds are salt, chili powder, seasoning salt, cumin, or cayenne pepper. I like a butter and salt combo on mine. Add one teaspoon of salt or seasoning salt, about 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, cumin or cayenne. If you like it really spicy, you can always sprinkle a bit more on later. Once you've got your oil and seasonings combined, place your seeds on a cookie sheet and pour the mixture over them. Use your fingers to stir everything together; you want your seasonings on all of the seeds. Once everything's combined, make sure your seeds are in a single, even layer, and pop them into a preheated 350 degree oven. Roasting times vary, but seeds will typically be golden brown and crispy in a half hour to 45 minutes. Let them cool a little, and enjoy!

Storing Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Roasted pumpkin seeds store well, but I can guarantee you won't have them around for long. To store them, make sure they are completely cool, and then place them in either an airtight canister or bowl or a Ziploc bag. They'll keep for a week stored at room temperature, or for up to six weeks in the refrigerator.