14 Seeds You Should Be Cooking With

There are quite a few distinctions that make elite cooks stand out from the rest. One of the most important elements found in fine dining is contrast, whether that be in temperature, flavor, or texture. There are several ways to achieve varied textures, one of them being how the food is prepared. As we all know, frying and crisping can add an irresistible mouthfeel to almost any dish, but another way to get there is with the use of naturally crunchy foods like seeds. Most home cooks consider which proteins, grains, and vegetables to incorporate into their daily dishes, but seeds often go overlooked.

Not only do they add texture, but seeds often have subtle yet distinctive flavors that can make a meal pop. In addition, they add visual texture as a garnish and can make even a scoop of white rice go from boring to exciting. When it comes to seeds, there is no shortage of diversity. If you're new to the seed game, there are a number of starter seeds that you should be cooking with. Let's get started.

Do you remember chia pets from the '80s? Those clay structures that grew a mane of grassy hair when watered? Well, the seeds responsible were chia seeds. Besides making for a nostalgic decoration, chia seeds are gaining back popularity, this time as a food in the United States. They come in several varieties, don't have much flavor, and look like poppy seeds. Like flax, they can be used as an egg replacer when cooking with chia seeds, and they contain quite a bit of fiber, as well as protein, and Omega 3s, per the USDA. Chia seeds have a unique ability. When soaked in water, they swell up to several times their size and resemble frog eggs. Their slimy texture is something you're either going to love or hate, but the vegan community has been quick to harness this superpower to make plant-based pudding.

Beyond pudding and pancakes, chia seeds can be used to add texture to just about anything. Sprinkle them on your salad or oatmeal, or blend them right into a smoothie. Beware though, don't consume raw chia seeds without adequate liquid. If hydration is an issue, consider making a homemade goo-pack for your athletic endeavors. Simply mix chia seeds with lime juice, maple syrup, and water and let it all sit overnight until it's a drinkable mass. Slowly sip during your next run or tennis match for ultimate energy and stamina.

Every year there's a horror that takes place on October 30, and we aren't talking about Halloween. Millions of pumpkin seeds are tossed into the compost when eager kids and parents carve their very own jack-o-lanterns. Instead of throwing away those precious seeds, toast them to make a healthy, savory, or sweet snack. If the fibrous outer layer of the pumpkin seed is a little too much for your teeth to handle, try squeezing out the green inner seed called a pepita.

Simply roast the seeds with a little oil and seasoning. Look up a pumpkin seed or experiment with your favorite spices. Think of flavoring these seeds as you would popcorn. Go savory with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder, or choose something that aligns more with the pumpkin spice season and opt for cinnamon, sugar, and salt. These seeds can be eaten as a protein-rich healthy snack or sprinkled on salads, soups, or proteins for added crunch and flavor.

Poppy seeds are famous for their classic pairing with lemon-flavored baked goods or bagels, but they have a much wider range. Eastern Europeans, in fact, use them in a variety of dishes from poppy seed stuffed cake to poppy seed bread pudding. The reason poppy seeds are beloved across Eastern Europe is that they symbolize wealth and prosperity, which is why they make a dominant appearance around the New Year.

These little black seeds are quite flavorful, with nutty undertones and a pleasing crunchy texture. They can be eaten raw or sprinkled on just about anything, but tend to pair well with bread and sweet treats. Salad dressing hosts the seed well, especially those with fruity flavors, as they add some texture to the mix. But, if you're starting a new job and are about to take a drug test, beware. Although the little seeds don't contain nearly enough opioid properties to intoxicate you, even in large quantities, they may produce a positive result on a drug test per The University of Florida Health. Blaming a muffin for a positive opioid result isn't a great look, so better to avoid them altogether until you've passed.

While it may feel like the U.S. and Italy are scattered with sunflower farms, most of the world's sunflower seeds actually come from Russia and Ukraine. In fact, much of the countryside is plastered with beautiful, deep yellow fields ready for harvesting and export. However, getting domestically grown seeds is easy to do.

Although most seeds are enjoyed as a complementary part of a dish, sunflower seeds are quite often enjoyed on their own as a snack. In fact, you can buy them salted in the shell and chew them free yourself. If you'd prefer to incorporate them into your cooking, then you're in luck, because sunflower seeds are just subtle enough in flavor to hide their way into any dish while adding richness and texture.

Often, sunflower seeds are found sprinkled on freshly baked bread, which can add an element of chewiness to the crust. They can also be sprinkled on salads and grain bowls, and are often found topping vegetable soups like tomato or roasted red pepper bisque. Consider rolling them into energy bites or adding them to your morning granola for a little protein boost. Sunflower seeds can also be made into sun butter, which is similar to peanut butter but can be a more allergen-friendly option.

It should be no surprise that celery seeds taste quite a bit like celery itself, only a little earthier and slightly bitter when ground. That means it has that sodium-rich, fresh flavor that we love about celery, only concentrated into little dry seeds. Be sure that you're purchasing celery seeds instead of celery salt if you want to regulate how much salt you're adding to your dish, as celery salt has quite a bit more sodium.

You can use celery seeds for just about any recipe you'd consider adding celery to. Consider using them for chicken and chickpea salads, egg salad, seafood salad, potato salad, lobster rolls, and even salad dressing. The seeds also flavor soups beautifully and pair well with parsley and dill. Top grilled fish or meat with the spice, and don't forget to add a tablespoon or so to your homemade pickling recipes. Or add celery seeds to steamed carrots and sautéed onions for a quick and healthy side dish.

I know, we were surprised too: Although quinoa has been masquerading around as a grain, it's actually a seed. But if you really think about it, when cooked, the little seeds produce those funny tails, which are actually the nutritious germ of the seed. There are plenty of other hidden tricks up the seed's sleeves that could expand your horizons in the kitchen considerably. Instead of simply boiling quinoa in water and enjoying it in a grain bowl or on a salad, venture into a few new cooking approaches.

Quinoa can be toasted right in a dry pan or toaster oven. Do this with raw quinoa that has not been cooked to produce a nutty, toasty, seed-like flavor. These crunchy bits can be added to salads, used to top homemade bread, or even sprinkled over oatmeal for added texture. In addition, raw quinoa can be ground together with water to produce a batter that can be baked into a pizza crust. This is the simplest gluten-free crust out there. It's simply a 1:1 ratio of raw quinoa to water processed in a high-speed blender until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to smear it out on parchment paper to the desired shape, and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Then flip it and continue baking for about 10 minutes, or until the crust looks crunchy and begins to brown. Top with your favorite ingredients and bake again.

Although their name might be misleading, pine nuts are in fact not nuts, but seeds. Pine nuts are most famous for their appearance in pesto and Mediterranean dishes, although they grow anywhere from the piney American Southwest, to Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Pine nuts are tender, oily, soft, and sweet, and can become quite aromatic and nutty when toasted. Their flavor is mellow, which is why it may surprise you that they are harvested from pine cones.

Pine nuts, unlike most nuts, are not often enjoyed by the handful because of their expensive price tag. This is because they take quite a bit of time to grow, and it's quite a process to free the seeds from their pinecone encasements. However, they may be worth the splurge because of their unique flavor and versatility. Pine nuts can be sprinkled on almost any savory dish from a fish fillet to creamy tomato bisque. They often accompany pasta dishes and can be found on hummus and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean spreads. They can also be used in delicate cookies, shortbreads, and other baked goods because of their mellow flavor and buttery texture.