Earlier this year I was visiting Toronto for the first time. After many hours meandering through the huge urban sprawl, I was so hungry and had ended up in a small suburb mall where the food court was less than appealing. Thankfully, I discovered a small health food store carrying dry goods. In the snack area something interesting caught my eye as it had MY name on it, SACHA INCHI SEEDS. I had never heard of sacha inchi seeds before. I, of course, chose the organic dark chocolate covered ones and was pleasantly surprised and energized by this little snack. I have since discovered that Savi Seeds are the fruit of sacha inchi plants, herbaceous vines that produce star-shaped green pods which yield these edible seeds. Savi seeds are the super food of the ancient Inca peoples, native to the Peruvian Amazon. Also known as the "Incan peanut," the seed has several health properties, including easily digested protein. This superfood has high levels of the amino acid tryptophan, making the seed a natural mood enhancer that lowers the risk of brain chemistry imbalances and depression. An exceptionally good source of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, sacha inchi is among the most concentrated sources of omega-3 in the plant kingdom. Also high in vitamin A and E, sacha inchi is rich in antioxidants. You can find them in a tasty snack form covered in dark chocolate, caramel or plain. Try soak the plain ones and add to your smoothy for extra nutrition or process them to make pate, butters or spreads. The following recipe I found in the 'Whole Foods To Thrive' cookbook.

SACHA INCHI AND SUNFLOWER SEED CHOCOLATE SPREAD:

A delicious, healthy, omega-3-rich, nut-free alternative to Nutella.

1/2 cup sacha inchi seeds 1 cup sunflower seeds 2 tbsp roasted carob powder 1 large pitted dates (fresh or soaked for 8 hours)

- Using a food processor quipped with the S-blade, process all ingredients for 5-10 minutes, or until desired creaminess is reached. Remove with rubber spatula.