3 Ways with Sunflower Seeds
These small-but-mighty seeds are usually enjoyed whole, but we cleverly worked the healthful superheroes into three nutritious dishes.
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It’s time to think about sunflower seeds as so much more than a crunchy snack. Seeds – like sunflower seeds – might be small, but they pack a hefty dose of nutrients into every individual seed.
Rich in healthy fats, sunflower seeds offer an array of beneficial plant compounds as well as vitamins and minerals. In every serving, you’ll get both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (up to 9.2 grams in total!), plus 5.5 grams of protein. And when it comes to must-have nutrients, the mighty sunflower seed delivers 37 percent of your daily recommended total of vitamin E, 30 percent of your much-needed manganese, 32 percent of your selenium, 17 percent of the folate you need – and that’s just the short list of perks.
While seeds might be most popular as a snack or mixed into trail mix with other sweet, salty or tart ingredients like nuts, they also make for a filling, satisfying and flavorful addition to all kinds of dishes. It’s time to broaden your approach to using seeds. We’ve created three can’t-miss recipes, all of which highlight deliciously creative ways to incorporate the nutrient-rich sunflower seed into your meals. And once you give them a try, you’re going to make sure your pantry is stocked with sunflower seeds.
Sunflower Seed Pesto & Veg Pasta
This pretty-as-a-picture pasta dish is beefed up with fibrous zucchini, asparagus and tomatoes and served with a nutty sunflower seed pesto. Get the recipe here.
Super-Easy Smoky Sunflower Dip
If you like snacking on sunflower seeds, you’ll love the smoky flavors in this easy dip. Get the recipe here.
Sunflower Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Once you taste the combo of succulent chocolate and nutritious sunflower seeds, you’ll be glad you made these cookies. Get the recipe.