15-minute food: An afternoon energy boost to set you up for class.

A clock-friendly salad to help you avoid the afternoon slump

Broccoli and avocado spicy seed salad

Broccoli and avocado spicy seed salad

By Anna Hansen, head chef at The Modern Pantry

Ingredients

For the salad
Broccoli
90g quinoa
2 avocados
Rocket
1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil

For the seeds
1tbsp olive oil
1 handful fresh curry leaves
2tsp fennel seeds
2tsp poppy seeds
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp caraway seeds
150g sunflower seeds
150g pumpkin seeds

The 15-minute method

1-3mins The quinoa will take 15 minutes to cook, so get it going first. Cook as you would rice, then drain. Set the broccoli to steam and heat a frying pan over a moderate heat with a bit of olive oil.

3-7mins Add the curry leaves to the pan and fry until aromatic then throw in the fennel, poppy seeds, mustard and caraway seeds. Reduce the heat, shaking the pan until the seeds begin to pop. Add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

7-13mins Lightly oil the fish fillets, lower the heat under the grill and lay them skin-side down. Once they’re done put them on a plate. Don’t pick at them, mind.

13-15mins Put the broccoli, quinoa and rocket together in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Scatter over plenty of seeds and the chunks of avocado. Devour.

Your body’s benefit

“Quinoa is a complete protein source – giving you a boost when you’re beginning to flag,” says sports nutritionist Trevor Bedding. The avocado contains fat, your body’s preferred energy source for a quicker effect, but it’s monounsaturated, which is far, far better than saturated fat. Avocado also contains plenty of vitamins (A, B and C) which can be depleted by a hard training session. Recovery is still important and the green goddess of nutrition is there to help.