Avocado and Chickpea

I'm usually too lazy in the mornings to make much for our breakfasts, actually no I'm not lazy, I'm exhausted. Being a mum is hard sometimes, let's face it, being is hard sometimes! But it really only takes a maximum of 10 minutes and is a little bit more exiting than avocado and Marmite on toast (sorry Marmite, they're making me say it!)

NUTRITIONAL OVERVIEW

AVOCADOS, CHICKPEAS, LIME AND PUMPKIN SEEDS are all sources of protein. AVOCADOS are nutrient dense and although known to be fatty are high in monounsaturated fat (good fat). You'll find all the B vitamins in an avocado with exception to B12, in fact, there are few nutrients missing from it! Most phytonutrients are found in the darker green bit of the flesh at the peel so try to peel your next avocado to get the most of what it has to offer!

CHICKPEAS are an excellent source of fiber and extremely helpful for your digestive tract. they're said to keep you full and stop you from snacking and regulate blood fat. They are also an incredible supplier of anti-oxidants.

LIMES are a powerhouse as far as fruits go. Numerous studies have documented their antibacterial effects against disease and cell. They're also packed with vitamin C, strengthen that immune system!

PUMPKIN SEEDS have a diverse mix of ant-oxidants and is an excellent source of manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and copper but is also a good source of zinc. try to eat the seeds with the shells on (like in the pictures) as zinc is found in the film between the seed and the shell and so eating them whole maximises intake.

Recipe

SMASHED AVOCADO AND CHICKPEAS ON TOAST

SERVES 1-2 HUNGER DEPENDING

PREP TIME 5 MINS | EXECUTION 5 MINS | TOTAL 10 MINS

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup chickpeas* (butter beans also work well)
juice of 1 lime (or more, to taste)
1/2 shallot finely chopped (spring or red onion would be great too)
1 crushed garlic clove (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper (to taste)
1/4 tsp crushed chili flakes (optional, to taste)
6 ripped mint leaves (coriander or parsley would also work)
Pumpkin seeds (handful?)

*Save the brine to use as an egg-replacer and use the remaining chickpeas to make hummus or throw in to a curry (or make this 5 days in a row).

METHOD

Add the onions and lime juice and let them sit together while you do everything else, it softens the onion flavour a bit.
Add everything else (not the pumpkin seeds yet) to a mortar and smash it all up with a pestle, a good old fashioned bowl and fork will suffice!
Put pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan (do not add any oil) and dry fry the seeds until most of them have popped and you have that lovely toasty smell.
Serve on whole wheat toast, in a sandwich with some fresh spinach leaves, in a wrap, with brown rice, in a sweet potato.....