I love using sprouted seeds and grain and regularly incorporate them into my breads. Sprouted seeds are a great source of nutrients. The nutrients from sprouted seeds are absorbed better in digestion than un-sprouted making them a great addition to salads. If you have time you can sprout your own seeds but you don’t have to as they are readily available in most health food shops and some supermarkets.

The black beans, avocado and coriander gives this dish its Mexican flavours highlighted by the spicy jalapeno in the dressing. Rather than use a soured cream which you might associate with Mexican dishes we’ve used a savoury cashew cream. It’s vegan, lower in fat and high in protein.

Method for Mexican black bean salad:

Savoury Cashew Cream

Soak the cashews overnight (or 4-6 hours) in the almond milk, apple cider vinegar and garlic. Once soaked blitz everything in a blender or NutriBullet. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice if needed. If the cream seems too thick, thin down with 1 tbsp almond milk at a time. It will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Prepare the vegetables. Cook the beans until al dente, blanching them in hot water.

To make the dressing finely chop 1/2 a jalapeno, mix with 1 dsp rapeseed oil and a squeeze of lemon and lime. Season and adjust the acidity from the citrus to your taste.

Mix the lettuce, beans, cucumber, radish, pepper, spring onions and avocado. Top with the black beans, parsley, coriander and sprouted seeds. Add a dollop of the cashew cream and pour over dressing.