Sunflowers are one of our favorite flowers. With their rounded shape and casual-cool aesthetic, nothing quite brings the sunshine inside like the humble sunflower.
What’s more, their seeds last well beyond their days as sunflower bouquets. Not only are sunflowers the personification of dreamy summer afternoons spent lounging about, but they’re also an upcycle-able source of vitamins B, E, and some healthy fats. Get in touch with your DIY side and make your own seeds.
While you’ve likely been chowing down on sunflower-rich granola bars and trail mix for years, you probably didn’t realize you could make your own, courtesy of that gorgeous sunflower Bouq that’s seen some peppier days.
Before You Get to Roasting
First things first, you need to wait for the flowers to wilt. The key here is waiting for the head to tilt downwards and the petals to shrivel. At this point, you’ll remove the head from the stem and set it aside. Store in a cool dark place.
On average, the drying process takes 1-4 days. You can cover the plant with a cheesecloth if you’re worried about pests, but if you’re doing this inside you should be okay either way.
You’ll know the seeds are done as they begin to turn a dark brown color and will fall out with minimal effort. Grab a bag or bowl and collect your harvest. Finally, comb through your bounty and pick out any damaged or discolored seeds before getting started. Quality control, baby!
How to Make Your Own Sunflower Seeds
From a bouquet of sunflowers to snacks, here is your base-level recipe: salt, seeds, water. Easy as that. From there, you can dress these up with your favorite spices (more ideas below) or channel your inner MLB star and chew up a storm.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup of sea salt
- 2 quarts of water
Tools
- Colander
- Saucepan
Instructions
- First, you’ll want to pour the water into the saucepan.
- Grab a colander and rinse the seeds, removing any excess dirt, dust, or plant matter.
- Add salt and seeds to the saucepan.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the burner down to simmer.
- Let the seeds simmer for about an hour and a half, then preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Pour seeds into your colander and do not rinse. Let dry.
- Spread the seeds over a large baking sheet and place in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring often.
- Seeds are done when lightly browned.
- And that’s it!
Going Shell-less
Off of the baseball diamond, you might want homemade sunflower seeds that are less of an ordeal. While ditching the shells up front makes for a little more work, this approach brings more versatility to the table. These shell-less seeds can easily be added to a chocolate chip cookie recipe or a salad–hitting both ends of the health spectrum.
How to De-Shell Sunflower Seeds
Supplies
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Tools
- Ziploc bag
- Rolling Pin
- Colander
Instructions
- Fill a Ziploc bag with a ½ cup of sunflower seeds. Don’t overfill, do this process in batches if you’d like to shell more seeds.
- Zip up the bag and run the rolling pin gently over the contents a few times, crunching up the shells.
- Empty the bag, shells, kernels, and all into a bowl of water. The shells will rise to the top and kernels will sink.
- Using a slotted spoon, skim away any shell fragments.
- Finally, pour the seeds and water through a colander. Let dry and eat raw or roast.
How to Roast:
Ingredients
- Two cups of shelled sunflower seeds
- Two tablespoons of coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add oil to a large mixing bowl, heating in the microwave to melt. Add salt and seeds to the bowl and mix.
- Pour seeds onto a large baking sheet and spread evenly.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until seeds are a light, golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool.
How to Zest Things Up a Bit
Looking for something with a little more bite than plain old salt? We hear you. Here are a few ideas you can incorporate into the above recipe. Simply toss some extras in before baking the seeds.
- Chili+ Garlic Powder+ Lime Juice
- Maple Syrup+ Cinnamon+ Brown Sugar
- Hot Sauce+ Black Pepper+ Onion Powder
- Cumin+ Lime
- Honey + Ginger + Cinnamon
From Sunflower Bouq to Versatile Snack—It Couldn’t Get Any Better
Short of skipping out on work in favor of sipping rosé and lounging poolside, sunflower bouquets are the perfect way to bring those summer rays into your indoor space – a little cheer to get you through the day and a little protein-boost to look forward to. Our bouquets may not be suitable for snacking on, but we’re sure that they’ll add some warm vibes to any bedside table or kitchen counter. Read more if you want to learn how to take care of your sunflowers or learn some more fun facts about sunflowers.
At The Bouqs Co., we take pride in our local, farm-to-table Bouqs. We’ll ship directly to you or your loved ones, no matter where they’re located. So what do you say, time to order up a little dose of sunshine?