Pepitas aren’t just for roasting anymore.

You can sprout them. How? It’s easy. All you need is an empty jar, a piece of plastic screening and a rubber band. Put your pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) in the jar, add water, and fasten the screen over the top with the rubber band. Soak for one hour. Drain. That’s it!

Why sprout? The answer: sprouted pumpkin seeds are delicious. They have a nutty, buttery taste. You won’t be able to eat just one. But that’s only the beginning. Seeds undergo an amazing transformation when they begin to germinate. They’re bursting with energy, on their way to becoming a full fledged plant. Your plain old pepitas, in just one hour, have become nutritional dynamos!

Sprouts are live food. According to the naturopath and herbalist Isabell Shipard: “Sprouts are a tremendous source of digestive enzymes. Estimates suggest there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than in fruit and vegetables.”

Raw food advocates promote sprouting as an effective way to increase the nutrient value and digestibility of beans, seeds and nuts. Sprouts are in fact the most nutrient dense food on earth, rich in digestible energy, bioavailable vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins and beneficial enzymes. The vitamin content of some seeds can increase by up to 20 times their original value within several days of sprouting.

Most sprouts, such as mung bean and lentil, are soaked overnight and allowed to grow for three days or so. Not pepitas. Pepitas are a quick crop. One hour soaking time and they’re crunchy, delicious and super nutritious.

Sprouting Instructions
Yield: 1 Cup

1. Pour 2/3 Cup of pumpkin seed into your sprouting jar.
2. Add 2-3 times as much cool (60-70°) water.
3. Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
4. Soak seeds for 1 hour.
5. Drain off the soak water.
6. Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70°) water.
7. Drain.

Voila! Your sprouted pepitas are ready to eat.

Note: pumpkin seeds do not store well, so sprout only as many as you’re going to consume right away. You can store them in the fridge for a maximum of 1-2 days—if you can keep from eating them.

Happy Sprouting!