Living in Germany during his teen and early adult years, David Sweeney cultivated a taste for fresh-baked pretzels and whole-grain breads studded with all sorts of seeds: poppy, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flax, caraway, fennel.
Seeds have continued to figure prominently in his diet, and throughout his culinary career. The 51-year-old private chef, recipe developer and healthy-snack-food entrepreneur prizes them, not only for their flavor, crunch and versatility, but also for their health benefits.
Seeds are tiny powerhouses of fiber, healthy fats and protein, as well as an array of nutrients linked with potential benefits that include lowering the risk of chronic diseases, boosting bone health, keeping skin healthy, and maintaining muscle and nerve function. Quinoa and amaranth, seeds that function like grains — and sometimes are called “pseudograins” — are gluten-free, and loaded with double the protein of rice.
“Seeds are like bulk energy,” Sweeney said. “You can eat a very small portion, and your body stays fueled longer. And, the omega fatty acids in seeds (hemp, flax and chia in particular) are good for a well-nourished brain.”
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
At Dynamic Dish, the organic restaurant in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood that he ran 2007-2010, Sweeney’s artful quinoa bowls, millet cakes and vegan pates made with sunflower seeds earned him loyal fans, who follow him to farmers markets, pop-ups and cooking classes. (He also shares a bounty of ideas on his @dynamicdish Instagram account.)
About five years ago, he developed David’s Seedy Bars, a gluten-free, granola bar-like snack flavored with warm spices, such as star anise and cinnamon, and inspired by Turkish sesame brittles, Bolivian amaranth bars and Russian sunflower bars.
These days, Sweeney can be found on Saturdays at the Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center, selling bags of those bars, along with an assortment of seed-based spreads, handmade crackers, sweet and savory “pseudocereals,” and other seedy creations, such as butternut squash pies in sprouted millet crusts and banana-rum puddings topped with chocolate-coated popped amaranth.
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
“You can bake with seeds, toast them for salad or vegetable toppings, and grind them to blend into smoothies,” he said. Chia seeds thicken puddings and jams, and chia and flaxseed “eggs” bind vegan baked goods. Sweeney pops amaranth into pinhead-size kernels like popcorn for toppings and snack mixes, and sorghum seeds to combine with popcorn for kettle-corn balls.
Soaking and sprouting is a great way to benefit from the goodness packed in seeds, he said, mimicking the germination process and increasing the bioavailability of the nutrients. And, it’s easy to sprout and dry the seeds for snacking in a warm (115-degree) oven or dehydrator, if you have one. Instructions abound online for roasting fresh seeds from pumpkins and squash.
Use raw, hulled seeds for the spiced pumpkin seed topping that Sweeney pairs with his easy coconut curry cauliflower soup.
RECIPES
Millet and pumpkin seeds are two of Sweeney’s favorite seeds for incorporating into his cooking. Here are a couple of examples, along with a few other ideas for growing your seed repertoire in your kitchen.
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
BUTTERNUT SQUASH-RICOTTA PIE WITH MILLET CRUST
Sweeney sells slices of this savory custard pie on Saturdays at the Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center, where butternut squash currently are plentiful. Millet (which I found in a bin at Whole Foods 365) is soaked overnight, rinsed, and lightly toasted in a skillet for better baking, and to germinate the seed, so that the nutrients will be more readily absorbed. For an actual sprout to form, you’ll need to repeat this process several more times, and, even then, it may not happen. Not to worry — an overnight soak will do the trick for this application. The nutrients in the millet, combined with the egg and dairy, make this gluten-free dish a complete vegetarian protein.
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
Credit: Mia Yakel/For The AJC
COCONUT CURRY CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH SPICED PUMPKIN SEED TOPPING
This velvety autumnal soup gets its golden hue and an extra dose of nutrients from grated turmeric — now sold fresh widely in produce bins. I substituted the powdered spice and still got terrific results. I also used soy-based miso, which is available in most supermarkets, in place of the chickpea miso he calls for that I could find only online. I was not disappointed. The savory-sweet spiced pumpkin seed topping makes an ideal crunchy contrast.
SPICED PUMPKIN SEEDS
Sweeney suggests this simple formula for a versatile topping or snack that’s great sprinkled over soups, salads, rice bowls or roasted vegetables. You easily can vary the mixture by substituting sunflower seed, sesame seed and/or flaxseed for part of the pumpkin seeds.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
BERRY CHIA PUDDING
Amy Chaplin devotes a whole chapter of “Whole Food Cooking Every Day” to low-sugar puddings thickened with super-nutritious chia seeds, using the fruits of each season. This one can be made with fresh or frozen berries, so it is good year-round. Raw cashews and coconut butter (which I purchased at Whole Foods) give it a creamy texture and nutty flavor, and the intense fruity flavor is wonderful with a dollop of ricotta cheese or yogurt swirled in, for a fortifying breakfast or a refreshingly light dessert.
Reprinted with permission from “Whole Food Cooking Every Day” by Amy Chaplin (Artisan, $40).
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
SAVORY YOGURT BOWL WITH ROASTED CARROTS, CHICKPEAS AND PUMPKIN SEEDS
Pumpkin seeds are toasted quickly on the stovetop and then tossed with olive oil and spices to use as a topping in place of granola, for a savory twist on a yogurt bowl. I roasted the carrots and chickpeas the night before, and gave them a quick zap in the microwave before assembling. The recipe, which would be good for breakfast or a light lunch, is from "The Complete Vegan Cookbook: Over 150 Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Recipes, and Techniques by the Natural Gourmet Center.
Reprinted with permission from "The Complete Vegan Cookbook: Over 150 Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Recipes, and Techniques” by the Natural Gourmet Center (Potter, $35).
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