Recipe by Clare Mcelhatton.
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The freshest sunflower seeds- picked straight off the sunflower head.
This guide uses mature sunflower seed heads from Platt Fields Market Garden but homegrown sunflowers can be used. The seeds will start to mature after the leaves have started to droop and brown. You may want to harvest early and ripen indoors to beat the birds and squirrels!
Take 1 mature sunflower head and gently brush the seeds using your hand. This can be messy, so is best done outdoors or on some newspaper.
As you brush, the seeds should be dislodged and fall out.
Once all the seeds have been collected, wash the well in cold water to get rid of mud and fibres
Coat the seeds in a little vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and roast in a 200°C oven for 20 minutes.
Check the seeds, if the shell has become dry and cracks easily, they are ready. If the shell is still soft, return to the oven for 5 more minutes at a time and keep checking.
Once they are out of the oven and cooled slightly they are ready to eat!
The shells shouldn’t be eaten, so discard them after eating the seed inside.
When roasting, spices such as pepper or smoked paprika can be added along with salt.
Roasted sunflower seeds are not only a crunchy and delicious snack but also come with a variety of health benefits. These nutrient-packed seeds are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, making them an excellent addition to a balanced diet.
One of the standout benefits of roasted sunflower seeds is their high content of healthy fats, particularly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health. They also contain a good amount of protein, making them a great plant-based protein source for vegetarians and vegans.
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