Sunflower's Gift of Generosity and a Summery Antipasto Dish

Read below to discover the lessons I’ve learned from sunflowers and to find a delicious recipe for their unopened buds!

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I love watching the sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) that pop up in community gardens, neighbor’s yards, and dot the foothills progress throughout the season. The first delights are their sprouts, nutty and toothsome, a treat for me or for the small critters that snack after nightfall. Soon, strong stalks grow up, up, up as if they are magnetically pulled by the sun rather than the gravity of the earth. Tight green buds form, a delicious treat that tastes a bit like artichoke hearts when they are cooked. Then those buds open to reveal bursts of yellow and orange, large faces that are always watching the sun, following its journey across the sky each day with reverent focus. I nibble on a petal or two as pollinators buzz amidst those beacons of brightness, getting their fill of pollen and nectar. Near the end of the summer, the petals fade and drop, leaving a disc of seeds ready to be nibbled or saved for the wild critters in the cold days of winter. Even after their life cycles, the sunflowers keep on giving; they are often used as a soil conditioner on new construction sites to aerate and enrich the soil with nutrients for a new generation of plants. They also help the soil to retain water, allowing your garden to remain resilient in times of drought. What a gift. 

Sunflowers are such a symbol of hope, always looking towards the light, sharing their bounty at every step along their lifecycle. To me, they represent generosity, as well as the blessings that come your way when you give freely of the knowledge or resources you possess. I can honestly say that the more I am able to give, the richer my life becomes. I have seen this modeled over and over by the people I admire, the mentors and teachers that have come and gone in my life. I watched the herbalist I apprenticed for (Darcy Williamson) give plant medicine and compassion to people that needed it most. I listened as she shared her knowledge and personality with those of us lucky enough to learn from her. I teared up when she told me that she never locks her storeroom of plant medicine just in case someone needs something late at night or when she is not home. I asked her if she was afraid of being taken advantage of, of people stealing from her. Her response was humbling: she trusted those that could afford to pay would leave some cash on the table for her, and she didn’t expect or want payment from those that needed help but couldn’t afford her products. I watched her give and give, saw the way her eyes lit up as she helped so many people, including me, from her heart. Then, during a time of hardship, I watched as all of those bits of love she had released into the world came back to her, as so many people stepped up to offer all kinds of support when she needed it herself. I, too, have experienced that tidal wave of unexpected compassion humbling me in times of hardship. I think of one particularly memorable October, when I fell so ill that I stopped tolerating any food or drink at all and had to be hospitalized. I was in absolute agony and needed an emergency surgery and just did not have the time to negotiate with my insurance company. I desperately needed that life-saving and expensive surgery as soon as possible. I felt hopeless and afraid for my life. Then, my community stepped up. They launched a fundraising campaign for me and the word spread like wildfire. Old family friends prayed for me. A group of French and Italian witches created protective sigils to send me. Little comforting gifts full of compassion showed up out of nowhere and soothed me during my long recovery. And the money came too, a life-saving fund that appeared in a matter of days. Even though my experience was excruciating and my recovery was long and difficult, those aren’t the parts I remember. What I remember is feeling swaddled in the pure love and care of countless people sending me support on every level. Tears fill my eyes even now as I remember that tidal wave of kindness that engulfed me. I had no idea the little ripples of wonder I had put into the world had spread so far. 

Life is a balance of push-and-pull, light-and-dark, give-and-receive. There are times when I feel too empty to give, like I am pouring from an empty cup. There are times when I feel like a full lake of compassion to splash forth into the world. There are endless transactions, every single day, that do not depend on the almighty dollar. Giving is healing to me. I don’t do it expecting reciprocation, I do it because I genuinely want to put a little more light into the world. And, perhaps a little selfishly, it feels good to give. What gifts do you have to offer? Do you find purpose in the act of generosity too? 

Every time I see a sunflower, I think of the powerful magic of generosity. My heart warms in gratitude to exist in a world where such beautiful compassion is possible. Sunflowers bestow upon me the gift of understanding giving, along with the many other physical gifts they bring to the table (literally) too. Today, I’m ready to gobble down some of those other gifts in the form of a summery antipasto salad. I’ll make enough to share with a friend, of course. Would you like to join me? 

Sunflower Antipasto Salad: 

I recently learned that tightly-closed sunflower buds are edible and similar to artichokes! They take just a bit of processing to become a wonderful summery treat. (Just be sure to leave plenty of buds behind to bloom into those glorious flowers!) You’ll want to prepare them a day or two before you plan to make your salad. To harvest the buds, select ones that are tight and firm, a little smaller than the largest buds on the plant. Cut 3-4” of stem with each bud and place them in water to stay fresh. Before cooking, cut the stems to 1-2” and rinse the buds well, placing them into a bowl of water with some lemon juice as you process them.  Bring a medium pot of water to boil and add a Tbs. or so of sea salt. Add the sunflower buds and boil for two minutes, then strain and plunge into cold water. Repeat this process one more time. Trim away the outer parts of the bud that are furry and green. If the outside of the stalks are fibrous, trim that away too. Put 1 part lemon juice to 5 parts water into a bowl and submerge the sunflower bud halves, using a plate to hold them down in the water. Let them sit overnight or up to two days  in the fridge. This will help to dispel bitterness, plus the inside of the buds will turn a tremendous purple color!  Now you are ready to get creative in the kitchen! My mind immediately went to Italian-inspired antipasto salad, rich with briny olives and peppery salami. Yum. (Note: I love the addition of cheese and salami, but this dish would also be a tasty plant-based treat without them!) The sunflower buds taste nutty and green, with a faint hint of bitterness that is counteracted by the dressing and rich flavors of toasted sunflower seeds. 

Ingredients: 

½ c. unsalted raw sunflower seeds 

13 cooked and prepared sunflower buds

⅓  c. high quality sunflower or olive oil

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs. capers

1 Tbs. fresh dill, chopped 

¼ c. pickled cherry peppers, sliced

½ c. olives of choice, sliced

½ c. mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes

½ c. salami, cut into slices, then quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

Sunflower petals to garnish (optional) 

Directions: 

1. Toast the sunflower seeds in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant and just slightly browned. Set aside. 

2. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, capers, and dill. Stir in the roasted sunflower seeds. 

3. Cut the prepared sunflower buds in half and place them in a bowl or on a platter with the cherry peppers, olive slices, cheese, and salami. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat. Season as needed with salt and pepper, then garnish with some sunflower petals. Enjoy!

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