#star trek halloween

It’s almost that time of year again! Not a super Star Trek-y holiday but still a great opportunity to bring out some Star Trek-themed spooky delights. I’m posting this a couple weeks before Halloween to give you a chance to carve your own Trek-themed pumpkin! If you do, I would love to see a photo!

This is the first time I’ve carved a pumpkin so I am by no means an expert and wanted to keep the design simple. Having said that I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of carving and how many seeds there were to turn into a delicious snack! 

Replicate your own

There are many pumpkin carving websites out there and I am by no means an expert. However I can pass on 2 tips: first, draw your design on with a water-soluble marker (I used a whiteboard marker) - this means you can rub it off if you make a mistake and wipe it down when you’ve finished. Second tip: I used the torch/flashlight on my mobile phone to light the pumpkin - just angle it away from the designs so the light isn’t too strong. 

To toast the seeds:
Seeds from one Halloween pumpkin (I had about a cup and a half)
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
Spices to taste: I used smoked paprika and lemon pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 395°F.

First, separate the seeds from the pulp. I found the easiest way was to fill a large bowl with water and place the seeds/pulp in the bowl. Most of the pulp sank to the bottom while the seeds floated. I still had to separate some seeds from the pulp by hand, however. 

When you have separated the seeds, place them in a saucepan along with the water and salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, drain and pat dry. 

Place the olive oil on a baking tray and put the seeds on top. Scatter with the spices (I used smoked paprika and lemon pepper) and shake the tray a few times to distribute. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, give the tray another shake or use a wooden spoon to turn the seeds over. Replace in the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until the seeds are toasted and brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. The perfect snack while carving your pumpkin!