I am pretty nuts about nuts, but always forget about them seeds. This recipe is a really easy way of getting an array of both, and is the perfect snack, or posh-ish nibble for serving peckish friends or family round to dinner. It also looks like you've made a bit more of an effort than just opening up a couple of Walker's finest - although feel free to do that too if only crisps will get the party started. I usually use a selection of nuts and seeds depending on what's in the cupboard, so this is an easy recipe to play around with depending on what you've got and what you like.
What's the A to V?
Where to start? Nuts and seeds are a fantastic source of pretty much every one of the vitamins and minerals. Vitamin E and vitamin K in particular, with selenium, manganese, magnesium, copper and chromium all rich sources.
But the real powerhouse of this recipe is the marmite - yes, the humble yeast spread beloved of Brits the world over. Marmite contains Brewer's yeast, which is one of the best sources of B vitamins available. High in vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B9 (folate), it's also one of the few non-animal products to contain vitamin B12.
Ingredients (serves 2 to 4):
200g of assorted nuts and seeds (I like a mix of sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, cashew, brazil and hazelnuts in particular, but the world is your oyster - or nut? - here).
2 tsp of marmite
1 tsp of runny honey
1/3 of a lemon, juiced
1 tbsp of water
1/2 a tbsp of olive oil
Pinch of salt
1/4 of a tsp of cayenne pepper
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
In a small bowl or ramekin, mix your marmite, water, lemon juice, honey and olive oil. Stir vigorously with the back of a spoon until combined.
Pour over your nut and seed selection in a second, larger bowl, and add your cayenne pepper and salt. Stir well.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until nice and browned. Leave to cool, then tuck in.