These crunchy and delicious bites made with pumpkin and sunflower seeds are simple, healthy and satisfying! Containing minimal ingredients, these vegan friendly pumpkin seed clusters are free from gluten, nuts, dairy, artificial colours and flavours – and they deliver a powerhouse of nutrients, making them the perfect healthy snack or lunchbox treat.
My kids love eating the Munch pumpkin seed bites by ‘Thinkfood’. I will often add them to their lunchboxes. They make a delicious and nutritious snack that I know is good for them and will keep their energy levels up between meals. But I found if I purchase a small bag from our local supermarket, they disappear so quickly that they end up being quite an expensive lunchbox snack. So, I decided to try making my own version at home!
They surprised me by being incredibly quick and easy to make – and they are now become a regular in our lunchbox rotation! Making your own version at home means the same healthy bites, in much larger quantities. You can also control exactly what ingredients go into them and adapt to suit your taste and dietary requirements.
And they are so much cheaper to make yourself! You will end up with a much larger quantity at a fraction of the cost. Easy school snacks that can be made ahead are always such a time saver too.
These bites deliver a power of nutritional benefits! They contain protein and vital nutrients, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, Vitamin E and phosphorus. They are also high in fiber- perfect for keeping you full and satisfied until your next meal. I think you’ll love them as much as we do!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Quick and easy – you’ll only need a pot, a bowl and about 10 minutes to prepare!
Kid and freezer friendly – kids will love the flavour and you can keep them in the freezer for a convenient and healthy snack on the run!
Healthy – packed full of healthy ingredients like pumpkin and sunflower seeds, linseed, dried blueberries, bound together with rice malt syrup and raw sugar.
Dietary restriction friendly – this recipe is vegan friendly and also free from gluten, nuts and dairy – and contains no artificial additives. The recipe can also be adapted to suit specific requirements.
What you’ll need
Ingredient notes
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. For full ingredient quantities and methods, see the detailed recipe card below.
Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – can be sourced at most supermarkets, grocers and health food stores. They are really affordable and full of nutrients! You can adjust the quantities of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds to suit your personal taste.
Linseed/flaxseed meal – linseed (also called flaxseed) can also be found in supermarkets and health food stores. You can swap it for hemps seeds, other seeds of choice or LSA (linseed, sunflower and almond) mix, but be mindful that the bites will then include nuts.
Raw sugar – is used to bind the seeds together. There is minimal sugar used and I recommend keeping it in the recipe, but it can be skipped if needed. Just keep in mind that the bites will be more crumbly and won’t hold together as well!
Dried blueberries – I used dried blueberries in this recipe for a burst of sweetness. In Australia, I purchase them from Aldi and have also seen them in other supermarkets and grocers. If you can’t find any, you can swap them for currants or even chop up your favourite dried fruits.
Coconut oil – I used a little coconut oil with the sugar and rice malt syrup. If you don’t like the taste, it can be left out.
Step by step instructions
This recipe is so easy to make! To start, mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. **For a stronger seed flavour, the pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds can be lightly toasted in a pan (the pan can be re-used to cook the syrup afterwards). I highly recommend this step!
Then, add the binding ingredients into a small pan and bring to a low simmer, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes bubbly and slightly foamy. Pour the syrup over the seed mixture and stir to combine.
Press the seed mixture onto a lined tray (it doesn’t have to be neat, the slab will be cut or broken when it has set) and refrigerate until firm.
Either cut or use your fingers to break the slice into the desired sized pieces.
Handy tips
Storage – These healthy bites can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can even pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the pieces in a single layer into a lined, airtight container. They will thaw at room temperature, so can be placed directly into lunchboxes from the freezer.
Adapt to suit your taste – seeds are incredibly versatile. Add or swap them to suit! Swap in hemp seeds, chia seeds or any of your favourite seeds.
Make in bulk – this recipe makes about 5-6 cups of seed bites. You can easily multiply the recipe to make more and store it in the freezer for convenient snacking.
Related recipes
For other great lunchbox and sandwich substitution ideas, check out these recipes!
- Healthy homemade muesli bars
- Vegan oat and banana cookies
- Vanilla bean chia pudding
- Apple and cinnamon muffins
Have you tried this recipe? Let me know your favourite seed combinations! Leave a comment below and let me know how you went, or send me a message. For more lunchbox inspiration, tips and to share your own recipes and creations, head over to my Facebook Group; Healthy Lunchboxes Australia.
Blueberry, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds pepitas
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 6 tbsp sesame seeds
- ¼ cup linseed meal also called flaxseed meal
- ½ cup dried blueberries or currants or other dried fruit
- ⅓ cup rice malt syrup
- 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
- 5 tbsp raw sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare a large, flat slice tin with a layer of baking paper.
- Optional- place the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds into a medium pot or pan and lightly toast the seeds, stirring over low heat, for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. This step is optional, but recommended!
- Place the toasted seeds into a mixing bowl and add the linseed (flaxseed) meal and dried blueberries and stir to combine.
- In the same saucepan that you toasted the seeds in, place the rice malt syrup, coconut oil and sugar and stir over low heat until the mixture comes together and starts to simmer. Once the mixture becomes foamy and the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and immediately pour over the seed mixture.
- Mix until combined and press the seed mixture into the prepared slice tray. This does not need to be neat, as once the slice has set it will be broken or cut into pieces.
- Refrigerate until set and firm (at least 30 minutes). Once set, the slice can be cut or broken into bite sized pieces.
Notes
- Storage – These healthy bites can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can even pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the pieces in a single layer into a lined, airtight container. They will thaw at room temperature and can be placed straight from the freezer into lunchboxes.
- Adapt to suit your taste – seeds are incredibly versatile and can be added or swapped to suit! Swap in hemp seeds, chia seeds or any of your favourite seeds.
- Make in bulk – this recipe makes about 5-6 cups of seed bites. You can easily multiply the recipe to make more and store it in the freezer for convenient snacking.
- Linseed meal – linseed meal can be found in most supermarkets and health food stores. You can swap it for hemps seeds, other seeds of choice or LSA (linseed, sunflower and almond) mix, but be mindful that the bites will then include nuts.
- Raw sugar – is used to bind the bites together. There is minimal sugar used and I recommend keeping it in the recipe, but it can be skipped if needed. Just keep in mind that the bites will be more crumbly and won’t hold together as well!
- Dried blueberries – I used dried blueberries in this recipe for a burst of sweetness. In Australia, I purchase them from Aldi and have also seen them in other supermarkets and grocers. If you can’t find any, you can swap them for currants or even chop up your favourite dried fruits.
- Coconut oil – I used a little coconut oil with the sugar and rice malt syrup. If you don’t like the taste, it can be left out.
Nutrition
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