Let the Sunshine (seed) in!

Sunflower seeds are a wonderful source of plant based protein and healthy fats. Easy to obtain and relatively cheap these seeds should be a regular part of a vegan's meals. Especially when sticking to the out of shell variety. Despite all this sunflower seeds are a still pretty new to many people and there may not be a full understanding of how to eat this food. This article should clear up any confusion about sunflower seeds and open you up to this nutritious solar themed food.

The easiest way to prepare this food is as a blended seed pate. Soak 3 cups of sunflower seeds in 4 cups of water in a glass jar or food storage container for at least 5 hours or overnight. Drain the water from the seeds and place them in a high powered blender or food processor. At this point preferred seasonings and vegetables can be added to the seeds. Try a blend of Italian seasonings such as oregano, basil, parsley, fresh olives and olive oil. Blitz all of the ingredients into a paste of preferred consistency whether smooth or lightly chunky. This can be eaten alone or placed over a bed of salad greens or even eat with crackers.

Try using this as a base for sauce. For example pesto recipes call for pine nuts as an ingredient but these tend to be very expensive. Try replacing those pine nuts with sunflower seeds for a more affordable homemade version.

Sprout as a micro green for salads. Simply take a clean glass jar and fill it with 1 to 3 cups of the dry sunflower seeds and fill the rest of the way with water. Allow the seeds to soak for 6-12 hours or overnight then pour off the soaking water. Set the jar in a spot with access to sunlight and rinse the seeds with water two times a day for the next 4-5 days or until the seeds have grown into developed leafy sprouts.

In the case of a favorite vegan paleo bread recipe try adding sunflower seeds. In a food processor or high powered blender grind dry sunflower seeds into a powdery meal and add as a flour to a paleo bread recipe. Try exchanging the sunflower seed meal with the almond meal or oats for a richer flavor.

For those who enjoy making their own snack bars or granola sunflower seeds make a great addition. Many of these recipes only contain a couple of ingredients anyway. After soaking blend the seeds into a chunky mash with preferred seasonings like cinnamon or nutmeg and add to a favorite granola recipe. The mash of sunflower seeds can especially be helpful as a binder in snack bars.

Hopefully the incredible versatility of these tiny seeds is now realized. Interested in getting some for yourself? Shop in the affiliate link below.