Pumpkin Seeds

So I was thinking about pumpkins... it is only a few days till Halloween after all, and what I was thinking about was pumpkin seeds. I love the seeds and always try to roast them if I carve jack-o-lanterns. Of course I also try to use the pumpkin too if its still fresh, just cook it down and use in recipes. Most people will say you have to use pie pumpkins for that, but that's just not true. Thinking of all this got me to wondering about seeds with and without the hull. So I did a little reading and interestingly enough, I learned a lot! For instance did you know,
the hull or shell as most people call it is not a shell at all, but a fibrous coating that is edible? Of course many people already eat the hull, but did you know its full of healthy benefits? The seed is of course healthy but the hull is a beneficial source of fiber, and the benefits don't stop there. The other reports are of treatment of urinary tract problems and gastritis, even kidney problems. Pumpkin seeds were even listed with the United States Pharmacopoeia as an official medicine for parasite elimination from 1863 to 1936. Just google it, I have only scratched the surface on the great pumpkin!
Check out this video of my favorite chef Alton Brown roasting pumpkin seeds:

Now for a great way to use up that yummy pumpkin, roast it and use it in recipes! Here is a great link for learning to do that: How to roast a pumpkin in 10 steps
I won't go into recipes today, there are so many great ones.
So while you are carving those holiday pumpkins don't forget to appreciate the uses of that gourd and its glorious little seed.