IN A NUTSHELL
healthy’s Rebecca Seal shares three sweet and savoury dishes to make the most of small but mighty nuts
Food styling Oliver Rowe
Prop styling Joanna Levitas
Hair and make-up Claire Portman, using Clinique and Paul Mitchell
CARROT AND BEETROOT SALAD WITH DUKKAH
With all the new and exciting superfoods now readily available to us, sometimes we forget just how versatile and healthy a humble nut can be. They are simple to cook with and punch well above their weight in terms of goodness, combining heart-healthy fats and essential nutrients, such as selenium (in Brazils), folate (in hazelnuts), oleic acid (in pecans), vitamin E (in almonds), potassium (in pistachios), and omega-3 (in walnuts), along with antioxidants and fibre. They’re so beneficial, that even my deliciously fudgy, nutty chocolate brownies, over the page, are good for you... well, almost. Dukkah is an Egyptian nut, seed and spice blend. Its warm, rich flavour is intensified by toasting the ingredients before grinding them together. This recipe makes more than you’ll need, so store in an airtight container and use it on top of houmous or yoghurt dips; as a crispy topping for roasted vegetables, meat or fish; or sprinkle on to warm flatbreads, which you’ve brushed with extra virgin olive oil. For a vegan substitute for the feta:mix ground almonds with a pinch of salt, a good squeeze of lemon juice and enough olive oil to make a crumbly dough. Use straight away or keep in the fridge for a few days.