The wonder of Seeds

Seeds are good source of protein, fiber, vitamin E and monounsaturated fat. They are also high in minerals such as magnesium, iron, copper and zinc. Research suggests that eating seeds can help with blood sugar and cholesterol management. They are also appropriate for people who are eating vegan, plant-based or gluten-free diets.

There are many ways to incorporate seeds into our diet: add them to cereals, or use them in baking, salad, soup, and dip recipes. I recently found Nature Source brand of Salad Topper, Smart Life at our Costco. This product contains roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. It is salty with a hint of sweetness, and it is great for salads and eat it as snacks. 

This product inspired me to get creative with recipe developing. I am excited to share my cheese crisps, breakfast bars and mixed seeds vinaigrette recipes with you this month!

Use only three ingredients, you can have your own cheese crispy snack in less than ten minutes. I used a Mexican cheese blend in my recipe. You can experiment with different cheeses. I think they would be great with parmesan or Mozzarella cheeses too. Bake two to three minutes longer if you use Mozzarella cheese to get the same crispiness as Mexican cheese blend.

Add your favorite dried fruits to replace the dried cherries in my breakfast bar recipe. You can also add a hint of nutmeg or even chocolate chips for different flavors. I made my own “mixed seeds paste” in this recipe. You can skip this step and use pre-made seed butter or nut butter. These bars are definitely your quick, easy and delicious breakfast on the go food.

Instead of just using this product in your salad, how about making mixed seeds vinaigrette out of it too?! If you not a fan of Dijon mustard, you can just skip it. If you like Italian dressings, add a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning powder to the recipe. Use other types of vinegar such as balsamic, cider or rice vinegars instead of red wine vinegar if that’s what you have in your pantry. Just keep in mind that balsamic vinegar has added sugar. You may need to adjust the amount of sugar in this recipe if you are using balsamic vinegar.

I hope these recipes will spark your creativity to make your own favorite foods out of this Salad Topper, Smart Life product. 

Happy creating and eating!