Sweet & Smoky Pumpkin Seeds (LC, GF, SF, GAPS)

These little Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are an easy, tasty and incredibly addicting snack! And healthy to boot! The are coated in this sweet caramelized glaze with just a bit of salty smokiness - all covering that nutty, toasty little seed! So good!
Try them for yourself today!

Ingredients:

1 cup  Pumpkin Seeds, hulled (for GAPS/SCD crispy seeds - soaked and dehydrated)
2 tsp avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oi, or coconut oil (melted)
3 tbsp. xylitol or erythritol, divided (organic evaporated cane sugar, maple sugar and honey can also be used.)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cumin 
1 tsp smoked paprika

Preparation:

Mix 1 tbsp. of erythritol or xylitol, salt, cumin and smoked paprika in a bowl.
Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat. In a bowl, toss pumpkin seeds with oil and 2 tbsp. of the erythritol  and add to the hot pan in an even layer.
Let the seeds toast for about 4-5 min, stirring occasionally. They are done when they are fragrant, toasted and puffed, with some of them golden brown.
When the pumpkin seeds are done, immediately toss with the spice mix.
Allow to cool before serving. I find it’s the easiest and fastest to just spread them out on a lined cookie sheet to cool.
They may seem a little sticky at first, even after they cooled down. Just let them air dry for a few hours or even over night (for a larger batch)  and they will loose the stickiness and get a crunchy glaze!
Can be stored in an airtight container for about 2 weeks. Longer in the refrigerator.

The whole recipe is 26 g of carbs, minus 20g of fiber, so 6 g of net carbs.

Tips:

• If you are making a larger batch, you may want to do the initial toasting in the oven. In that case, preheat the oven to 350 F and toast the pumpkin seeds for about 6-7 minutes, then toss with the spices!
• If you have it handy, use bacon fat instead of the olive oil for a hearty variety! You may however want to cut down on the salt!
• You can also use sunflower seeds for this, but you will need to up the seeds to 2 cups. All other quantities stay the same!
• If you’d prefer them in clusters, instead of spreading the seeds out on a baking sheet after they are tossed in the spice mix, form little heaps with a teaspoon on the cookie sheet and let them dry that way!
• Toss them on a salad, top your favorite casserole or veggie dish with these seeds  for a flavorful crunch!

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