6 Ways to Make Refreshing Poppy Seed Goodies

Poppy seeds are blue-black seeds that are used in both sweet and savory dishes. You probably know them best as a companion for lemon, since the two just go together so fantastically.

Healthwise, poppy seeds have much to offer. They’re loaded with fiber, which is useful for keeping you full and maintaining a healthy, moving digestive system. Poppy seeds contain 3.4 grams of dietary fiber per 2-tablespoon serving, which is 14 percent of the recommended daily intake for women and 9 percent for men, according to Livestrong. They’re also good sources of calcium and copper. A 2-tablespoon serving of poppy seeds will give you  253 milligrams of calcium and 286 micrograms of copper, which is 25 and 32 percent of your recommended daily calcium and copper intakes, respectively. Those 2 tablespoons will also give you 22 percent of your recommended daily phosphorus intake, and they provide 65 percent of the daily manganese intake requirement for women and 51 percent for men.

Poppy seeds come from Papaver somniferum, the opium poppy, and could actually yield a positive result for opium in a drug test. But don’t worry, they will not make you high. So, if you’re going to enjoy these little seeds, just make sure you’re not scarfing them down on a bagel, knowing you’re soon to take a drug test. Otherwise, eat away.

To eat poppyseeds, it’s best to bake them in something or place them in food rather than eat these itty bitty seeds by themselves. Try these ways for making refreshing poppy seed goodies.

1. Pancakes

The tart taste of lemon poppyseed works well for fluffy pancakes, so start your day off right with these refreshing Lemon Poppyseed Vegan Pancakes. The ingredient list is fairly simple; you’ll need plain flour, whole lemon, almond milk, baking powder, mashed banana, poppy seeds and stevia.

2. Muffins

Muffins are another item whose fluffiness works well with the tart punch of fruit and poppyseed. Instead of lemon, branch out and try orange flavor instead for these Orange Poppyseed Muffins.

3. Paste

This Indian Alu Posto – Potatoes in a Poppy Seed Paste is a fairly classic Bengali recipe full of soft and comforting flavors. To make the paste, soak the poppy seeds over night and then ground them into a paste.

4. Bars

Poppy seeds have a nutty taste that makes them great candidates for making raw food bars. Try these Poppy Seed Bars from RAW Food for Truth. Instead of sprinkling the seeds overtop as with other poppy seed recipes, you use them to make the actual filling for this snack.

Raw Food for Truth

5. Dressing

Poppy seeds make for nice dressings. Try this Poppy Seed Ramp Dressing and pour over one of these delicious salad recipes.

6. Cake

Try this Lemon Poppy Seed Vegan Bundt Cake recipe for a plump, sweet dessert complete with a lemon glaze overtop.

Lead image source: Orange Poppyseed Muffins