Vegan Sunflower Seed Bread Loaf

Sunflower season is here and it is one of the most beautiful times of the year. It signifies harvest season is on its way, and expresses the beauty of nature and the lessons learned from it. 

​Sunflowers are amazing not only for its beauty, but because of some of its unknown astonishing facts. Many people don't realize that the center of the sunflower contains tiny little flowers, some of which contain two thousand little blooms. And each sunflower contains between one to two thousand seeds per plant. 

The patterns on the sunflower have deeper spiritual symbolism as it connects to the laws of the spiral and the Fibonacci sequence. Sunflowers always face the sun as it blooms in a process called, "heliotopism." 

Nature has its own healing capabilities and in fact, sunflowers absorb toxins. In fact, millions were planted in Japan after the tsunami to soak up toxic waste from the destruction. 

It's no wonder that after finding this handmade vintage sunflower apron, I've decided to create a sunflower recipe that is also homemade. 

“Sunflowers end up facing the sun, but they go through a lot of dirt to find their way there.”
​― J.R. Rim

I also found vintage sunflower recipe cards that is the perfect addition to any vintage kitchen or chef's kit. Sunflowers are strong, healthy, hearty and beautiful. 

Life isn't easy right now. It is a battle between the light and the dark. And we can all learn from the sunflower on how to be strong but keep looking forward toward the sun. Beauty is inspirational and I choose to follow beauty and nature's creations. 

“If I were a flower… I would be a sunflower. To always follow the sun, turn my back to darkness, stand proud, tall and straight even with my head full of seeds.”
– Pam Stewart

This vintage apron + recipe cards and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.

Vegan Sunflower Seed Bread Loaf
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf of bread

**See Cooking Note**

Ingredients:
Dry:
2 cups of pastry flour
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup flax  meal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds  (set 2 tbsp aside for the topping)
Wet::
1 2/3 cup nondairy milk
1/4 cup agave nectar syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together, except for 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds which will be used as the topping. 

Melt the vegan butter on the stove top using a pot or in the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the wet ingredients together. 

**Cooking Note: This is a drier bread as I used the sweetness of jam on top as a breakfast bread. To make it moister and / or sweeter increase the applesauce and/or the agave nectar to 1/2 cup each.**

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into the dry. Gently fold until a dough is formed. Grease a bread pan (used 8x4 inch) and carefully pour the dough into the pan. Spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of sunflower seeds on top of the loaf. 

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Check the bread by inserting a fork or knife, if the utensil comes out clean then the bread is finished baking. 

Cool entirely before cutting. 

Let's Connect! Enjoy my other bread  recipes below! 

No Sugar Vegan "Salted Date Caramel" Banana Bread

Vegan & Gluten Free Apple Cherry (Blossom) Almond Bread

Vegan Blueberry Breakfast Cake

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