How I chose the ingredients for our snacks
I have told the story many times about why I started the business but not really delved into how the ‘seed snacks’ recipe was devised or how we selected our ingredients.
When I sat down and thought about how I was going to plug the gap of providing nutritious, plant-based snacks, I was guided by the following principles:
- Tasty: ‘the Lekker’ - This I knew would be a challenge as I was not going to use refined sugar, salt or saturated fat.
- Nutritious: ‘the Pep’ - the snacks needed to be high in fibre and a good source of protein to fill you up in a truly satisfying manner!
- ‘Kitchen cupboard ingredients’ :not being a food scientist or product developer myself, I had to work with everyday, healthy ingredients that I knew and understood
- Baked not fried: Clearly there are plenty of crisps on the market and a ‘slow bake’ would enable me to use minimal oil. I experimented briefly with dehydration but this did not give the ‘biscuity bite’ I craved, creating a snack that was unsatisfyingly soggy in texture.
Having established these as my ‘guiding principles,’ I set about deciding which ingredients to use.
I knew there were already countless nut-based snacks in circulation that generated a lot of unease among snack enthusiasts with allergies. Then it dawned on me, why not create a snack that people could eat on-the-go, in public places or within schools without raising any nut allergy alarm bells?
Having decided to exclude nuts, it was not a massive leap to lean towards seeds, since these also tick all the natural & ‘packed with nutrients’ boxes.
I appreciate that Gordon Ramsay believes that seeds should be left for the birds, but the more I read, the more I became convinced about the manifold merits of top-notch seeds: Linseeds (flax seeds/help with digestive health), Sunflower seeds (enviable source of vitamins and minerals that can support the immune system) and Pumpkin seeds (rich in minerals like manganese and vitamin k). There are also ‘superfood’ seeds like Chia and Hemp which provide an invaluable source of protein. Unfortunately my commitment to no allergens meant there was no room for the moreish sesame seed as this is a top 14 allergen.
It was also important to me that Seed Snacks offered more than a cursory nod to seeds, which is why my recipes are over 40% seeds. Without wanting to sound braggy, this is almost double what other seeded snacks or crackers bring to the party!
I even selected seeds for 2 of the flavours: cumin and fennel, as both offer very distinctive flavour notes.
The next decision revolved around the perfect flour base. I discounted oats as most healthy snacks are oats based which have such a distinct flavour. Instead I opted for buckwheat flakes as they provide a deliciously distinct texture of their own. Buckwheat also helps to regulate blood sugar whilst offering a good source of fibre and protein.
Realising the importance of avoiding gluten for a healthy product, I chose rice flour (provides a healthy lick of fibre) before adding a dash of protein powder, which ensured that I was creating a healthy snack that filled you up.
Then came the innovation angle, what to use as the binding agent? Golden syrup was obviously not a goer, but I was determined to add natural sweetness. The lightbulb moment was ‘pureed fruit’. This was a perfect choice and would help to support our snack’s 5-a-day commitments.
I did not want to add oil, but it was soon apparent that some would be needed to ensure a good bake. Initially I was persuaded to go with sunflower oil to keep costs down, but eventually switched to an olive oil, which was low in polyunsaturated fats whilst allowing me to extend our appeal to the ketogenic community.
Excluding gluten, brought challenges as we scaled, because the mixture simply refused to hold together. This meant another ingredient was needed which led me to chicory root fibre, the perfect choice because it includes the prebiotic inulin that supports good gut health.
With the main ingredients and basic recipe chosen, I experimented with different flavours to come up with the unique flavour marriages that we have today.
I certainly didn’t get the recipe right first time and there have been a fair few tweaks and adaptions over the years, taking on board customers feedback whilst allowing us to scale. That said, I’m proud that I have remained true to my guiding principles, choosing each ingredient with love and care to help support people living a fuller and healthier life.
I enjoy eating Seed Snacks every day and they certainly allow me to be active when I have so little time shopping and cooking. I hope they help you too!
Susan