When you crack open a pumpkin or any other winter squash, you've got handfuls of pulp and seeds to contend with. Sure, you could just pitch it in the garbage, down the disposal, or into the compost pile. Or, you could invest just a little bit of time and finger work and have yourself a tasty treat!

I roasted two medium sized butternut squashes and faced this pile of gooey innards:



The hardest part of this whole process is separating the seeds (the stuff you want) from the sticky, stringy pulp (the stuff you don't want). It just takes some time, and there's no way to do it but by hand, and it's best to do it immediately after the pulp is removed from the rest of the squash. If you wait, the sticky mess will dry up and make your job a lot more difficult. Each clump of pulp has seeds inside it, so you'll need to grab it and press it with your fingers to squeeze the seeds out.

This would be a good time to preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once you've freed your seeds from the pulp, you can discard the pulp. You won't be needing that anymore. The next step is to give your seeds a little bath in some cool water. This helps to rinse off any bits of pulp you might have missed, as well as to wash away some of the squash juice. There's no fancy technique involved here. Just place the seeds in a bowl of water and swish them around for a minute with our fingers.



After rinsing your seeds, drain them and turn them out onto kitchen towel and pat them dry. Then, spread them in a single layer on your parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with just a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake 15 minutes, stir them around, and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container - or consuming in one sitting.

The toasted seeds are a yummy, nutritious snack all by themselves. However, consider your other options! They are a great addition to fall salads and as a garnish on soups (like, uhm, butternut squash soup!). You can also make your own autumn trail mix by combining your toasted seeds with dried cranberries, dried figs, sunflower seeds and perhaps some carob chips. Whatever you decide, congratulate yourself on making the most of your winter squash!