Seeds are the new miracle food. They are also the old miracle food, of course. But to get the benefit of the miracle we really do need to eat many more whole grains and seeds.

It’s easy enough to include more seeds in your diet as a supplement, simply by scattering linseed over your porridge or sunflower seeds into salads, but I am more interested in using seeds in a greedy (or gastronomic) sense, so that they become something much more interesting.

The Egyptian seed mix of dukkah, for instance, is a pleasurable way to consume protein-rich sesame seeds. I have also been experimenting with a seed bread that makes a very dense, moist loaf similar to pumpernickel and just as delicious. Even better, it requires no yeast, no rising and no faffing about: just mix and bake.

Shelled hemp seeds, or hemp nuts, are the new seeds on the block, containing the perfect ratio of omega-3, 6 and 9 oils and packed with minerals and proteins. They taste sweet, nutty and surprisingly like almonds, and their soft texture makes them not only a great sprinkle for cereals, yoghurts and soups but a welcome newcomer in springtime salads. They taste so good that every second spoonful doesn’t even make it to my plate.

Look for Devon-based Good Seeds (£2.49) at Waitrose, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges; Canadian-based Virginia Harvest shelled hemp seeds (£2.75) at Waitrose and health-food stores or online at www.virginiafoods.net; or Dr Gillian McKeith hemp seeds at Holland & Barrett and at www.drgillianmckeith.com.

Ingredients

Prep: 15min

Play with different oils (hemp, pumpkin seed, or sesame) and different sprouts (baby alfalfa or radish). And try it as a weekend meal with prawns or grilled chicken. Nigella seeds (called kalonji in India) look like black sesame seeds and have a peppery, nutty taste.

1 firm ripe avocado
handful of sprouts or cress
1tbsp shelled hemp seeds
1tsp nigella seeds
1tsp pumpkin seeds
half red onion, finely sliced
100g baby spinach
1 tbsp hemp oil, pumpkin seed oil or sesame oil
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp cider or white wine vinegar
sea salt and pepper

METHOD

Whisk the hemp oil, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Peel and roughly chop the avocado, then lightly toss it with the sprouts, sliced onion, baby spinach, hemp seeds, nigella seeds and pumpkin seeds in the dressing. Pile on to a large platter and serve.

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