Smokey chickpea salad

If salads don't fill you up, try adding some beans and pulses.
They are great sources of fibre as well as protein, all of which contribute to keeping you fuller for longer (or actually filling you up in the first place).
For this recipe, chickpeas are mixed with smoked paprika, tomato, tamari and ground coriander for a subtle hint of flavour. Balance it with a crunchy salad of fresh leaves and a honey mustard dressing add to sweetness and acidity.

Ingredients for 1 (multiply as required)
Chickpeas:
1 tin of chickpeas
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
2 teaspoons of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of tamari or soy sauce

Honey mustard dressing
1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard (ideally a sugar-free one)
1 teaspoon of honey
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1.5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 bag of mixed leaves
1/2 little gem lettuce or any other crunchy lettuce variety

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. 
Mix the tamari, tomato, smoked paprika and ground coriander until it forms a paste.
Coat the chickpeas in the paste and pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients until well combined (around 5 minutes).
Coat the salad leaves and lettuce in the dressing and top with the chickpeas.

Smokey super seeds

Get a daily boost of fibre, antioxidants and minerals by snacking on seeds.
Check out my previous post to discover why snacking on seeds is a smart move.

For this recipe, I combined pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds with smoked paprika for a hint of bacon-like flavour.
Try them, they make an amazing afternoon snack and also go well sprinkled on salads.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup each of pumpkin & sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Combine the tamari, tomato paste, paprika and cayenne (if using). It should form a paste.
Coat the seeds in the paste by stirring it all together until well combined.
Put the whole thing on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes. Give it a good stir every 5 minutes to ensure the seeds toast evenly.

Chia breakfast

Do you fancy a guilt-free pudding for breakfast? Chia seeds are what you are looking for.
These tiny black seeds have the ability to turn any liquid into a luscious, custard-like pudding.
As well as the transformative power of chia seeds, they are also high in fiber (this is great news for digestive health) and antioxidants.
Vegan? Chia seeds are a good vegan source of calcium, magnesium and Omega 3s.

For a grab and go breakfast, prepare them the day before. They keep well in the fridge for a couple of days.

Ingredients for 1:
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
2 teaspoons of honey
1 small banana to top
a handful of blueberries to top

Method:
Put the chia seeds, honey and almond milk into a bowl. Stir until it is well combined.
Leave to stand for 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes, you should come back to chia pudding. If the consistency is too thick, just add some more almond milk & stir again.
Top with banana and blueberries before devouring it.