Braised Chicken with Squash and Pepitas
Next time you’re roasting pumpkins or squash, make a mental note of this: Don’t throw out the seeds! They’re incredibly easy to roast on your own. While these green-gray seeds may not look like much, they boast a high magnesium content and many potential health benefits, from enhanced immunity to better circulation, and they take well to the flavor of sweeteners in addition to spices such as chile peppers, which add an element of warmth. Here are six healthy ways to enjoy pumpkin seeds.
For a healthy dip, look beyond hummus. Try Zicil-P’ak, a Mayan vegetable dip made by frying pepitas, or shelled pumpkin seeds, until puffed, then combining them with tomatoes, chiles, fresh herbs and lime. Serve the dip with radishes, carrots and jicama for dipping.
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 Braised Chicken with Squash and Pepitas
Our test kitchen cooks like to sear chicken, then braise it with squash in just enough liquid to cover the meat without submerging the skin—this leaves the skin crispy!—then add dimension to the one-pot fall wonder with pumpkin seeds and sage leaves.
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Mesclun and Roasted Pears with Grain Mustard Vinaigrette
Fall’s most popular seed adds heft to an otherwise light mesclun salad tossed with endives and roasted pears.
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 Pumpkin Soup with Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
The best part of this autumnal soup is the pumpkin seed topping, which is both sweet (thanks to maple syrup) and spicy (thanks to cayenne pepper).
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 Roasted Chili-Spiced Chicken with Pumpkin Seed Sauce
One new way to enjoy roasted chicken? Rub it with chili before baking, then serve it tableside with a garlic, onion, chili, tomato and pepita sauce.
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 Pumpkin Cupcakes with Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin baked goods take well to cream cheese frosting, and even better to candied pepitas that have been given a sweet lacquer of sugar, butter and cinnamon.
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