Looking for a healthy snack to take on the go? Look no further!
The Story
Last week I was chatting with the lovely Vivian from vibesandfitness about all things nutrition and skin health. Vivian mentioned that she really struggles with ideas for nourishing, savoury snacks to take with her on the go.
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been more of a savoury girl, so a wee while back, I set out to make a savoury equivalent of the bliss ball - packed with whole foods, vitamins and minerals, but without the sugar overload!
The beauty of this recipe is that you can mix and match the ingredients, depending on what’s important for you! This combo was especially designed for Vivian to cover the nutrients that needed a boost in her diet!
Vivian and I enjoying a Super Seed Cracker Platter (try saying that fast!)
These S U P E R Seed Crackers are a great way to include seeds on the daily, especially if you’re like us and find it hard to remember to add them to your meals. This recipe could not be more simple - just mix the ingredients together and pop in the oven.
Just whip up a batch on the weekend and you’ll have your snacks sorted for the whole week!!
The Nutrition
Packed with healthy fats, fibre and minerals like zinc and magnesium, these crackers are designed to keep you full until your next meal. You can also pick which seeds (or nuts) you want to add, based on which nutrients you feel might need a little extra love in your diet.
S K I N F O O D
Lots of our vitamins and minerals have been shown to help with our skin health, like zinc, magnesium, selenium, our B vitamins and vitamin A & E. And of course, we can’t forget our magic omega 3’s, which are great for our skin, and pretty much every other aspect of our health!
So how do we get these in?
Well…
Our seeds are powerhouses for these nutrients, and when we combine them, we get a bit of everything! Seeds are built to provide all the energy and nutrients that a baby plant needs to grow, so they’re great at giving us a good variety of nutrients.
Not only do seeds have all the essentials for nurturing our skin health, eating seeds has also been linked to improved blood pressure, reduced blood cholesterol and improving blood sugar levels. So not only are we doing the right thing by our skin, but we’re reducing our risk of developing conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
So here’s the low down:
C H I A S E E D S
Chia seeds are high in fibre, and protein. Both help to keep us satisfied until mealtime. Chia seeds are also a great source of plant based omega 3’s, magnesium, zinc, vitamins B1, B2 and B3. Chia seeds absorb a lot of water, which means they can act like a glue and stick all the rest of the seeds together!
P U M P K I N S E E D S
Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium and zinc, which both act as antioxidants and play a role in cell repair. Both are essential for keeping our skin healthy.
S U N F L O W E R S E E D S
Sunflower seeds are rich in Vitamin E and selenium! Vitamin E works in harmony with zinc to help skin cell regeneration, while zinc provides antioxidant properties.
S E S A M E S E E D S
There are 3 different types you can go for - hulled, unhulled and black sesame seeds. Choose unhulled sesame seeds for extra calcium and B vitamins!
This was the mix we went with for Vivien to cover the nutrients that she needed more of! You can tweak the recipe to get more of what Y O U R body needs too!
O P T I O N S
H E M P S E E D S - Swap sesame seeds for hemp seeds for a little extra protein and omega 3’s. This is a great substitution if you’re choosing to follow a completely plant based diet.
A L M O N D S - Swap pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for almonds for extra Vitamin E and magnesium.
F L A X S E E D S - Swap sesame seeds for whole flax seeds to get a little extra omega 3’s in. This is a great option for heart health!
Take your pick - black sesame seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds!
The Recipe
I N G R E D I E N T S
C O R E I N G R E D I E N T S
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 cup water
1 clove fo garlic
Salt
T A K E Y O U R P I C K
Pick three other seeds or nuts and add 1/2 cup of each!
Today I used:
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
You can also add extra herbs or spices to mix things up a bit - I like using rosemary or smoked paprika!
M E T H O D
1. Heat oven to 150 °C.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients (chia seeds, your chosen nuts/seeds, salt, garlic any herbs and water).
3. Leave for 10 mins or until chia seeds have absorbed the water, so that there’s none pooling at the bottom of your bowl.
4. Line two baking trays with baking parchment. Using a spatula, spread mixture evenly across these two trays. You want to make sure that the mixture is ~1/2cm thick.
5. Bake for 40-50 mins, until seeds are looking a little toasty. Allow to cool in the tray for 10 mins so they develop a good crunch. Once set, break into cracker sized pieces.
6. Store in a container for up to 2 weeks. Top with a dollop of peanut butter, some smashed avo or hummus, or pop them on your Christmas platters and watch them disappear!
I’d love to hear how you get along with the recipe and see your take on it! Drop us a comment below or tag us on Instagram @purelyfuchsia or @feednutritionnz
Like the idea of personalised recipes? Want to know more about nutrition for your skin? You can get your hands on some of your own tailored recipes by booking in for an appointment and meal plan here!
Until next time, F E E D your body and mind xx
Fuchsia Goldsmith
NZRD, wellness enthusiast.