Try these healthy and delicious snacks to fuel your revision

Ingredients

• Half an avocado, chopped and drizzled with lemon
• 1/3 cup cooked black beans
• 1/3 cup sweetcorn
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup carrot, ribboned
• 1 handful baby spinach mixed with chopped coriander
• 1 small handful of smashed unflavoured tortilla chips
• 1 16oz mason jar/other large jar

Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 2 tablespoon lime juice

Method

1. Put the dressing ingredients in a bowl together and whisk to combine, then put aside.
2. Wash, chop and prepare all other ingredients.
3. Layer items in your jar so that the dry and wet ingredients stay separated until you eat.
   • Layer 1: dressing
   • Layer 2: black beans
   • Layer 3: corn
   • Layer 4: avocado
   • Layer 5: tomato
   • Layer 6: carrot
   • Layer 7: spinach and coriander
   • Layer 8: tortilla chips.
4. Keep your salad jar upright until you are ready to serve, then turn the jar upside down on a plate, tapping the bottom to remove all the ingredients. Toss and eat.

Brain-boosting benefits

• Black beans: legumes are a great source of protein, fibre, carbohydrates and micronutrients, including B vitamins and folate, said to play a critical role in the production of a range of brain chemicals.
• Avocado: avocado is high in omega-3 oils, which play a vital role in maintaining proper neuronal structure and function. Omega-3 appears beneficial for symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress.
• Tomato: these contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, which may be a great brain-booster– studies find individuals with mild cognitive impairment have lower levels of lycopene in their blood.

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 9 dates
• 1 cup flaked almonds
• 2 tablespoons raw cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 orange
• handful of dark chocolate nibs
• chopped almonds, cocoa powder, desiccated coconut, or chopped goji berries for decorating

Method

1. Place banana, dates, nuts and cocoa into the food processor or blender, and mix together until the material is bound together to form a sticky lump.
2. Zest peel of half an orange into your mixture and combine.
3. Throw in the chocolate nibs and mix.
4. Select a decoration such as coconut, cocoa, almonds or goji berries, and pour some of the decorating mix into a small bowl.
5. Using your hands, roll the choc-orange mixture into small balls and place them one by one into the decoration bowl, rolling them to cover the exterior.
6. Place on a sheet of baking paper on a tray, and refrigerate or freeze (will keep for a week in the fridge or longer in the freezer).

Brain-boosting benefits

• Nuts and seeds: these are a source of good things like omega 3 fats, amino acid, folate and B vitamins, which are said to play a critical role in the production of a range of brain chemicals.
• Cocoa: raw cocoa appears to be packed with brain-boosting compounds that improve cognitive function, as well as being one the world’s most antioxidant-rich foods, full of minerals like magnesium, iron and copper, which are great for overall health and vitality.
• Banana: rich in healthy vitamins, minerals and potassium, bananas contain tryptophan, which research has found helps us relax, improve mood and reduce depression when converted into serotonin in our bodies.

Ingredients

• 300g skinless salmon fillet
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• small red capsicum, cut into matchsticks
• 2 spring onions, cut into matchsticks
• 1 handful of chopped cashews and sesame seeds
• 1 small handful of coriander and mint, chopped
• 6 x 16cm rice paper rounds

Dipping sauce:

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon chilli sauce

Method

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to boil, and add a pinch of salt. Place fillet in the water, ensuring it’s covered with water, and cook for eight or nine minutes (until opaque) with the water just below boiling.
2. Prepare and chop your other ingredients.
3. Flake the salmon fillet into small pieces.
4. Get a large bowl of warm water, then place one piece of rice paper into the water for 10 seconds. Place on a clean surface and allow to soften for a further five seconds.
5. Place a few avocado slices in a thin row down the middle of the circle, then layer a little salmon, cucumber, pepper, nuts, onion and herbs on top.
6. Enclose ingredients, starting by folding in the top and bottom of the circle, and then tightly roll.
7. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make six rolls.
8. In a bowl, mix the peanut butter and hoisin and chilli sauces together. Serve with dipping sauce.

Brain-boosting benefits

• Avocado: avocado is high in omega-3 oils, which play a vital role in maintaining proper neuronal structure and function. Omega-3 appears beneficial for symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress.
• Nuts and seeds: these are a good source of things like omega 3 fats, amino acid, folate and B vitamins, which are said to play a critical role in the production of a range of brain chemicals.
• Salmon: salmon is also packed with omega-3 fatty acids – and studies indicate a diet lacking in these nutrients may cause your brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 25 grams walnuts, chopped
• 100 grams oats
• 25 grams pumpkin seeds, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Greek yoghurt
• fresh blueberries

Method

1. Spray a standard muffin tin with cooking oil or line with baking paper.
2. Combine the honey and butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the oats, walnuts, cinnamon and pumpkins seeds together to make a simple muesli. Add the honey mixture to the muesli and stir until it’s coated.
4. Divide the mixture in four to six portions in the muffin tray and then press the mixture so it’s packed tightly in a cup shape.
5. Refrigerate overnight.
6. To serve, fill the cups with Greek yoghurt and fresh blueberries.

Brain-boosting benefits

• Nuts and seeds: these are a good source of things like omega 3 fats, amino acid, folate and B vitamins, which are said to play a critical role in the production of a range of brain chemicals.
• Blueberries: high in antioxidants and fibre, studies suggests people who eat greater amounts of blueberries could delay cognitive decline as they age.
• Yoghurt: yoghurt with live cultures is good for your gut health, and researchers have found that gut microbiota has the potential to influence our brain development, stress and emotions.