High protein chia & flax bread

I love this bread because it’s so tasty and incredibly good for you, with lots of protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Here, I’ve adapted the original recipe a bit by using 50:50 chia and flax, plus sunflower and pumpkin seeds to add a lovely nutty crunch and flavour. 

Most shop-bought gluten-free bread is full of additives, so if you’re looking for an easy home bake option, then this is a great recipe. The best thing about it is that it’s a no-rise method; all you have to do is mix all the ingredients together, scrape into a tin, and bake. It literally takes 5 minutes. 

This bread is a great source of protein from all the seeds, plus it’s made with 6 eggs. It’s also high in fibre, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, and various vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which keep your muscles, nerves, and bones healthy!

It’s great topped with nut butter and slices of apple or banana for breakfast, and it works really well with savoury toppings, too, like mashed avocado, roasted tomatoes, smoked salmon, houmous, or feta.

Ingredients

• 115g / 1 cup chia seed

• 115g / 1 cup flaxseed

• ½ cup mixed toasted seeds

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 6 large eggs

• 130ml / ½ cup water

• 50ml olive oil

• ½ tsp sea salt 

Method

• Preheat the oven to 175°c.

• Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment (you can buy shaped loaf tin liners from Sainburys).

• Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with a whisk. 

• Scrape the mix into the lined tin, and top with the remaining toasted seeds and a sprinkle of sea salt.

• Place in the oven for 40 minutes. Check that the loaf is cooked by making sure a skewer comes out clean. 

• Keeps in an airtight container for 5-7 days.

My superfood ‘savoury’ breakfast: nutty Overnight chia & flax pudding

This is one of my go-to breakfasts, packed with all the good stuff. I call it ‘savoury’ as there is no added sugar, only sweetness from fruit and a few raisins, so it shouldn’t cause a spike in blood sugar, which can make you feel hungry after a couple of hours. I’ve packed this breakfast with fibre from all the seeds, nuts, oats, and coconut, which is another reason you should get a slow release of energy through the morning, and your gut microbes will thank you for it too!

The pudding contains lots of plant-based protein, from the chia, flax, and Greek yogurt, which are complete proteins containing all 9 essential amino acids. These aminos are ‘essential’ because our bodies can’t synthesize them; we need to eat them in our diets.

I often add a spoon or two of protein powder as well - whey has a creamy taste, or you can use pea protein as a vegan option. The yoghurt can also be swapped for plant-based to make this a vegan dish too - I like Coconut Collaborative for Coyo.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• 3 tbsp flax seed

• 3 tbsp oats

• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut

• 4 tbsp sultanas

• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

• 4 tbsp cashew nuts (broken in half)

• 3 tbsp nut butter (@deliciouslyella has a great almond butter with a touch of ginger and cinnamon- so good!)

• 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt

• 450ml nut milk (or any you prefer) I used @plenishdrinks cashew

Method

• Add all the ingredients except the milk to a large container with a lid.

• Pour a small amount of the milk into the mixture, mashing the nut butter into the other ingredients with a fork, and then add the rest of the milk once it is blended in.

• Put an airtight lid on and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours.

• If the consistency is a bit thick, loosen it with a bit of extra milk - adjust to how you like it.

• Serve with any combination of toppings: berries, banana, chopped apple (or any fruit you prefer), any nut butter, Greek yoghurt, cacao nibs, coconut, nuts, seeds.

Tip

• The recipe can be simplified by leaving out one or two ingredients, like the sultanas (I know some don’t
  like them!), one of the seeds, cashews, or coconut - it’s a very flexible recipe!

• Cashews can also be switched for any nut you prefer, same goes for the sultanas if you want to change for a different dried fruit.

Dukkah: nut, seed and spice blend

Dukkah is an Egyptian and Middle Eastern spice and nut blend that adds a massive flavour injection when sprinkled on many different types of food. I love it on any kind of eggs, roasted veggies, labneh dip, houmous, roast chicken, or grilled fish.

I’ve tweaked the traditional recipe a little, adding more sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds and switching hazelnuts (as I didn’t have any!) for almonds, so this is my take on dukkah, and I hope you like it.

You’ll be doing your gut a favour by adding fibre and a few more plants to your weekly total, as each ingredient counts as one of the 30 you are recommended to eat by @zoe @timspector. Happy microbes!

Ingredients

Fills a 0.5 litre Kilner jar (medium-sized)

• 2 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
  2 tsp cumin seeds 

• 2 tsp fennel seeds

• 40g black and white sesame seeds

• 40g sliced almonds, toasted

• 40g sunflower 

• 40g pumpkin seeds

• 1 tsp dried oregano 

• 1 tsp paprika

• ½ tsp salt

Method

• Toast the nuts, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds for a few minutes in a hot frying pan until they pop a little and start turning golden, then remove and set aside in a bowl. Separate 1/3 of this mix into another smaller bowl.

• Add the coriander, fennel, and cumin seeds to the pan for about a minute, followed by the paprika and oregano for 30 seconds.

• Mix all the ingredients and leave to cool in a bowl.

• Put the mix into a small blender and blitz for a few seconds until you have a rough texture.

• Mix in the remaining nuts, sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds.

Honey & soy glazed almonds & seeds

I’m trying to quit my Christmas chocolate habit (thanks Covid), so I thought I’d make something healthy to pick at instead of reaching for the sugar! These crunchy almonds and seeds are great to have to hand as they’re super tasty and filling whilst being full of nutrients. So far all of us have been eating them, even the kids, as we all like the sweet and slightly salty flavour. They’re also a good snack to make for friends when they come round for garden drinks or sprinkle on a salad to add some crunch. Try them out, they take about 10 minutes to make and are so good for you!

Ingredients

Makes a medium sized bowl full

• 100g sunflower seeds

• 100g pumpkin seeds

• 100g whole almonds, skin on

• 50g flaxseeds

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• ½ tbsp maple or honey

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp cinnamon (I used 1/8th as I only like a bit!)

• ½ tbsp low salt soy sauce

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Measure all the nuts and seeds into a medium sized bowl.

• Put the coconut oil on a large baking tray and melt in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

• Mix the ground spices and soy into the nuts and seeds, then tip them on to the tray and stir well to combine with the coconut oil.

• Then mix in the honey and place in the oven for 8 minutes, turn and put back in for another 2 minutes.

banana & sunflower muffins

I baked these yesterday as I’m trying to make my daughter’s lunchbox a bit more interesting, but to be honest I’ve eaten more of them than her so far!! They’re basically banana bread in bun form and this is something I struggle to resist! But although they’re a ‘treat’, the sunflower seeds, oats and obviously banana mean they have a decent nutritional content, making them a healthier snack for you or your kids to eat. Always a bonus in my book!

Anyway, it’s a good idea to freeze a few before they get scoffed, so you have some in stock for lunchboxes. Pop a frozen muffin in their pack up and it’ll be defrosted by the lunchtime, so they’re great for those days when your cupboard is empty.

But if you fancy some yourself, then they’re really good for breakfast as they’re sweet, but not too sweet or you might save one as a treat with a cuppa in the afternoon. I’ve just had my second!!

Ingredients

Makes 12 muffins

• 30g sunflower seeds

• 125g soft light brown sugar

• 200g plain flour

• 50g rolled oats, plus ½ tbsp for topping

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 200g banana

• 150ml plain yoghurt

• 50ml rapeseed oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Prepare the muffin tin by putting in paper cups or grease lightly with butter or a spray oil.

• Put the sunflower seeds on a baking tray and toast for 6 minutes in the oven. Set to one side.

• Weigh all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: sugar, flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder.

• Put the bananas into the bowl of a mixer and beat for a minute or so until mashed. You can do this with a fork if you don’t have a mixer.

• Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the banana: yoghurt, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

• Add 20g sunflower seeds to the dry ingredients, stir and then gradually add to the banana mix.

• Beat with the mixer briefly until the ingredients are just combined, don’t over do it or you’ll develop the gluten and have tough muffins. No one wants tough muffins.

• Put about 2 big tbsp of the mix into each cup and then sprinkle with a pinch of oats and the rest of the sunflower seeds.

• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

tip

• As with most muffins, the paper will stick to them a bit if you eat them warm, but if you can’t wait don’t worry about it, just scrape the casings!