Hooray for Halloween!
LaVonne Taylor
Here’s the real reason to celebrate: The king of squash is a nutritional giant too. One cup of canned pumpkin puree contains 32 milligrams of beta carotene–as much as 520 percent of the amount recommended daily by nutrition experts.
And there’s more: Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas (Spanish for “little seeds”) are high in iron, magnesium and zinc. Turn them into a spicy-sweet Halloween treat using the recipe below.
Candied Pepitas
Serves 8
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
2 cups raw hulled pepitas
(available at supermarkets
and health-food
stores)
1 medium egg white, beaten
until frothy
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350[degrees] F Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread pepitas in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake until golden, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container Nutrition Score per serving (1/4 cup): 213 calories, 62% fat (15 g 3 g saturated), 22% carbs (12 g), 16% protein (9 g), 1 g fiber, 16 mg calcium, 5 mg iron, 12 mg sodium.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
