9 Delicious Ways to Add Nutrient-Dense Seeds to Your Diet
Nuts tend to hog the spotlight, but seeds definitely deserve to play a starring (reoccurring) role in your diet.
Don’t be fooled by their size—whether it’s a tiny pepita, a fragile, flaky hemp seed, or a chia seed that’s smaller than a crumb, seeds tend to squeeze nutrients into tiny packages. Chia and hemp seeds are both great protein sources, for example, and virtually all seeds are rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Confused about what to do with them? The good news is you can sprinkle them on almost anything (yogurt! salads!) for added nutrition. Or, for a slightly more structured approach, try one of the nine simple recipes, below, that feature seeds as key ingredients in breakfasts, snacks, salads, and even dessert.
(Featured Photo: Shutterstock)
9 Simple Seed Recipes
Everything Bagel Seasoning
Make this cult-favorite, with two kinds of sesame seeds, and then proceed to sprinkle it on, well, everything.
That chia plumping quality works for jam, too. This brilliant recipe allows you to make jam that’s free of added sugar and is filled with antioxidants.
No choosing between nuts and seeds, here. You get almonds, cashews, and walnuts, and…pepitas! Pepitas, AKA pumpkin seeds, are rich in crucial nutrients like iron and zinc.
Speaking of pumpkin seeds, if you roast them with a little coconut oil, honey, and cinnamon, you end up with the perfect snack or a treat to top off your oatmeal or yogurt.
Important tip about flaxseeds: Unlike other seeds, you’ve got to grind these up in order for your body to access the nutrients. So, buy ground flaxseed and then add it to these pancakes. No problem, right?
With four different seeds represented, this one wins the award for seediest recipe. And not only does it provide gluten-free eaters with a way to eat bread, it’s ridiculously easy to make.