Sunflower seeds offer a versatile flavor that can easily be combined into recipes with other sweet, sour or salty flavors. Adding sunflower seeds to a recipe can provide healthy benefits such as adding vitamins E and B1 to your diet. They are also a healthy source of polyunsaturated oil.
Breads
Add sunflower seeds to bread recipes, either as an ingredient or a garnish, to promote healthy eating and add a yummy crunch. Try these ideas:
- Bake sunflower seeds into your pumpkin or banana bread. The flavor and texture of the seeds will interact nicely with your sweet breads, much like walnuts do in traditional recipes.
- Use sunflower seeds as a topping on whole-grain or whole wheat breads. They will add visual interest and crunch.
- Carrot muffins. Sunflower seeds work well in carrot cakes and muffins, too.
Appetizers and Salads
Sunflower seeds can make a great garnish or addition to any opening course. Try these ideas:
- Toss in a lettuce salad with avocado, and coat with a mixture of oil, vinegar and mayo. Provides a pleasant crunch to balance out the softer avocado.
- Use in a strawberry salad in place of poppy seeds.
- Punch up a traditional broccoli salad (broccoli, cauliflower, mayo, bacon) with the addition of sunflower seeds.
Main Dishes
can be a part of every course. Try these ideas for main dishes:
- Roast with bell peppers and drizzle with an oil-and-vinegar dressing.
- Add to your pasta primavera to provide a little extra crunch and flavor.
- Put them on top of your pizza. You probably won't notice them much, but you'll benefit from their healthy presence.
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