I’m a big fan of some crunch in my basket lettuce salads – so here’s an easy method of toasting seeds.  I’ve seen bags of ‘salad topping’ in the supermarket, but it’s so easy (and cheap!) to make your own at home.

It’s worthwhile to check out where you can buy seeds in bulk if you use them frequently – they’re not expensive, but you can save some cash if you stock up at somewhere like Moore Wilson’s, Toops or Gilmours.

To make your own salad seed mix, brush a roasting pan with some olive oil and tip in a about 4 cups of seeds.  You can make as much or as little as you like, but I enjoy having a good store on hand to keep me going!  I like to use pumpkin, sunflower, linseed (also known as flax seed) and sesame seeds in my mix.  Mix them around and roast in the oven at around 180 degrees.  About half an hour in the oven will have them nicely crisped – just stir them from time to time.

For extra flavour, add a few splashes of soy sauce or tamari sauce towards the end and mix it around.  Once it has cooled, store the mixture in an airtight container.

As well as adding some savoury crunch to salads, it’s a great way to get some protein into your food.  I also like to use this topping for pasta bakes and other miscellaneous meals – it’s very versatile.  It’s also good by itself, although I sometimes melt some honey and stir in the seeds for a snack.

Just make sure you check your teeth after eating – seeds LOVE to stick in your teeth to add some, uh, mystery to your smile…

x Libby