Pumpkin Loaf and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkins aren't just for Halloween you know?  If all you've ever done with a pumpkin is carve it out and stick a candle in it, then you're seriously missing out.  Don't get me wrong, it's great fun and I love scaring the kids with my silly squash faces just as much as the next gal.

But using the tasty orange centre for cooking is really where it's at.  Pumpkins are a member of the squash family and are a nutrient dense plant; which means high in vitamins - low in carbs.  So if you're into eating healthy or just into eating yummy - then this is for you!


There are all kinds of delicious dishes that you can use pumpkin for as it's a super versatile food; from pies to smoothies, salad to soup.  But I decided to go for something a little different this time and perhaps a little less healthy!  Bring on the muffins and the cake bread!

What ingredients will you need for these yummy treats?

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup olive or sunflower oil
• 300g grated pumpkin 
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup raisins

Now to make them you need to mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl.  Put that to one side and mix the grated pumpkin, oil, egg and milk together, then add to the dry ingredients.  Stir them all together in the bowl until the mixture is nice and moist, then add in the raisins and oats.  

Preheat your oven to 190 or Gas Mark 5.  Grease your loaf tin and spoon in the mixture, then use the remaining amount to fill the muffin cups.  In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup brown sugar with 1 tbsp plain flour and 1 tbsp of butter and cut in until crumbly.  Sprinkle 1 rounded teaspoon of this mixture over each muffin.  Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle a few oats over the top and place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then serve warm.  The pumpkin loaf is lovely as a snack with butter and a big mug of tea!  

Now hold on, because we're not finished yet, you might be thinking "what on earth more can I possibly do with a pumpkin?"  You can toast the seeds is what!  Every time someone just uses a pumpkin for Halloween they throw away easily a hundred seeds or more; yet they're fantastically tasty little lunch box snacks and creative finishing touches for so many meals!  That's if they ever make it that far, mine barely last five minutes they're so yummy!

Keep your oven on as you're going to need it again soon.  So assuming you've already washed your pumpkin seeds and pulled off all the stringy flesh, (if not, now's the time!) you're going to want to spread them out over a baking tray and cover them in a few glugs of olive oil.  Now to choose the ingredients; the essential one is always sea salt but after that it's really up to you and you can make them sweet or savoury!  There's a thousand different ways of seasoning pumpkin seeds and they're all super yummy!  So get imaginative, raid your ingredients and experiment with whatever takes your fancy!  The following are some of my favourite versions (remember all of these have sea salt in too):

• 1 whisked egg white, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cayenne and 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground fennel and 1 tbsp chili flakes
• 1 whisked egg white and 2 tsp curry powder

Once you've chosen your ingredients give the seeds a good toss, so that they're all covered in the herbs and spices you've chosen.  If using the egg white version you'll want to pop the mixture in a bowl and then dunk the seeds in; allow them to drain a little and then place on the tray, don't put any olive oil on this version as you want them nice and sweet.  Oven bake your seeds at 180 or Gas Mark 4 for about 10 - 15 minutes until the seeds are golden, then remove and munch to your hearts content!