With three kids (and their friends) always on the prowl for something to keep them going between meals, I’m always on the hunt for healthy, protein-filled, easy-to-nibble foods. Sunflower seeds are the perfect intersection of these two searches — delicious AND nutritious. Plus, they’re safe even for those with nut allergies.
Here’s the cloud to my silver snack: The roasted sunflower seeds at my grocery store are also served with a helping of unpronounceable ingredients and are frequently roasted in peanut oil, meaning my nut-allergic friends can no longer safely scarf them! So for years, I’ve been searching for a solution. After several dead-ends, I finally came up with a method that was easy, tasty and healthful. I’m sharing it here in case you’ve ever experienced my same frustrations. It’s not hard, I just didn’t know what to do for so long!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw, hulled organic sunflower seeds (I get mine from the bulk aisle of Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op; if you’ve got a Whole Foods Market, you can likely find them there.)
- 2 Tbsp. fine sea salt
- 8 cups water
Directions
- Mix sunflowers seeds and salt in saucepan filled with water. Place the lid on the pan and let the seeds soak for 10-12 hours or overnight.
- Drain water. (This is how to salt your seeds.)
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Pour seeds onto large cookie sheet. Place in center or top rack of oven.
- Roast for 20 minutes. Stir seeds or shake pan to roast all seeds evenly. Roast for another 20 minutes.
- Seeds are ready when they are slightly browned. Cool and enjoy!