Thai Candied Pumpkin Seeds – Hilton Head Health

The Chef and Culinary Team at Hilton Head Health have created a low-calorie, healthy gourmet cuisine with an emphasis on local and natural ingredients to ensure a well-balanced weight loss diet.   One of the popular features of the program is when H3 teaches participants how to prepare meals, snacks and beverages, and make interesting condiments, treats and unusual add ons — such as THAI CANDIED PUMPKIN SEEDS.    

Pumpkin seeds are lower in fat than other seeds, and rich in zinc and protein.  When mixed with a sweet, spicy and salty glaze, and baked until crunchy, they make an addictive sweet treat, a nice topping to yogurt or frozen yogurt, and an outstanding salad topper.   If you like, you can mix in a few sunflower seeds as well, as shown here.

Thai Candied Pumpkin Seeds

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizers and Snacks

Cuisine: Healthy Spa Cuisine

Keyword: Maple, Pumpkin Seeds

Servings: 24 Servings

Calories: 189kcal

Courtesy Of: Hilton Head Health, SC

Pumpkin is a lower fat seed and rich in zinc and protein, but when mixed with sweet-hot-salty syrup and baked until crunchy they do become rather addictive so be sure to follow the portion size! A few scattered on a salad go a long way, or sprinkle a few on frozen yogurt.

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup Demerara raw sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ ½ cup maple syrup - do not use pancake syrup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper - or to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 3 cups raw organic pumpkin seeds - or a mixture of pumpkin and sunflower seeds

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400°.
• Combine first five ingredients in a sauce pot and gently simmer to a light caramel color
  1 cup Demerara raw sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Stir in seeds and gently combine until coated evenly
  3 cups raw organic pumpkin seeds
• Spread seeds thinly on a spray-oiled baking sheet and place in hot oven for 10 minutes
• Remove from oven and stir seeds with a broad, flat, metal spatula, pulling seeds away from the edges of the pan to the middle, and from the middle of the pan to the edges to help evenly brown all seeds
• Return pan to oven and bake 5-10 minutes longer until seeds are vigorously bubbling, watching carefully to prevent the sugar from burning
• Remove from oven and stir once more before setting. The final stirring causes crystallization.
• Scatter seeds onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper and press thinly as quickly as possible, with a piece of wax paper over your hands. Allow to cool.
• When cool break apart into shards. Store in an air-tight container.
• Enjoy!
  

Spa Index Kitchen Notes

This recipe makes approximately 24 servings  of "2 tablespoons each / per serving."

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 189 kcal (9%) | Protein: 8 g (16%) | Fat: 12 g (18%)

Hilton Head Health is a destination health resort in an elegant facility on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, surrounded by all the natural beauty of a Lowcountry island getaway.  The program guides you to achieving your weight loss, wellness and longevity goals with  programs focusing on fitness, nutrition and SELF (Stress management, Empowerment, Longevity, and Fulfillment).   Guests benefit from a community of supportive dietitians, psychologists, wellness educators, fitness trainers, chefs and spa therapists, and graduates continue their lifestyle change with the H3@Home program and receive continued support and structure at home.

Karla Williams is the Executive Chef for Hilton Head Health in South Carolina.  A graduate from The Chef’s Academy in Indianapolis, Karla’s past experience includes Culinary Intern and Sous Chef at H3, as well as Sous Chef at Kona Grill in Carmel, Indiana.   Chef Karla has been featured live on the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family Show.  In addition to her love for nutrition and healthy cooking, Karla enjoys teaching part-time fitness classes. Her passion for living a well-balanced healthy lifestyle is apparent in her cooking demonstrations at Hilton Head Health.