• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
1. To sprout chickpeas: soak in water
overnight or up for 24 hours, then drain,
rinse and spread on a cookie sheet
or Pyrex dish. Rinse every few hours.
Sprouting time depends on humidity.
2. When ready it will be pretty obvious
and you will see sprouts emerge! (If
you don’t want to use the sprouted
chickpeas straightaway, you can store
in airtight container in the fridge – they
will last about a week.)
3. Now blend all ingredients in Vitamix
or blender, adding water to thin to
desired consistency. The hummus will
keep in the fridge for 2 days.
Maple cayenne spiced
pecans
Homemade spiced pecans are such
a great staple to keep in the fridge.
Nibble on them, add them to salads,
or add them to my all-time favourite
dessert, Chunky Monkey ice cream.
They are wonderfully addictive, and
it’s a good thing because they are
also good for you! They keep
beautifully for a couple of months
refrigerated, or a couple more tightly
sealed in the freezer.
Ingredients
• 2 cups raw pecans
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¹⁄ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp melted coconut oil
Method
1. Soak pecans in water for 3 hours,
then drain and pat dry.
2. In a large bowl, mix pecans with all
other ingredients.
3. If you have a dehydrator, spread
nuts in a single layer on a dehydrator
sheet and dehydrate for 24-36 hours.
Alternatively, you could roast the
pecans in the oven (in which case you
can omit the soaking stage). Preheat
the oven to 150°C / 300°F, spread the
nuts on a baking sheet, put in the oven
and set a timer for 5-minute intervals
to check and mix so none of the sides
burn. You’ll start to smell a nutty aroma
when they are ready. They should take
anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
No-mayo tuna salad
Did you grow up eating tuna
sandwiches? I did, and the memories
of that creamy, salty taste wedged
between two crusty slices of bread are
so strong that some days I crave the
familiarity of a good ol’ sandwich! Here
I’m sharing my updated, grown-up
version of the tuna sandwich. I’ve used
avocado in place of mayo to achieve
that luxurious, creamy taste –avocado
has the added benefits of vitamin K, C
and folate, and is also rich in oleic acid,
which is shown to reduce inflammation.
When it comes to the tuna, I
recommend sourcing a good quality
tuna that’s wild caught and limiting
your tuna consumption to one serving
a week to avoid high volumes of
mercury. I’m a big fan of the Italian
flaked tuna in olive oil. It’s a splurge
and it has more calories, but it is
full of flavour and since I do not use
mayonnaise this recipe requires some
fat. If you use tuna in water, I suggest
adding about a tablespoon of olive oil
to this recipe for moisture.
Ingredients
• 2 cans tuna in olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped red onion
• ¼ cup finely shredded carrot
• ¼ cup finely chopped celery
• ½ avocado, mashed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
1. Drain tuna and transfer to a medium
size bowl.
2. Mix the vegetables and seasonings
to tuna. Mash to achieve desired
consistency.
3. Refrigerate before serving to blend
flavours.
8
April 2016
79
