Banana Superfood Smoothie

This is breakfast in a glass, tastes delicious, and keeps you going well up to lunch. Plus, it's crammed with protein, amino acids and minerals.

You may find this an extensive list, so feel free to leave or add whatever you have (or don't have) handy. The ingredients on this list are pretty good to have in the pantry though, so add them slowly and you will use them, I guarantee it!






Ingredients:

1 Banana
1 1/2 cups almond milk (I make my own, but you can use whatever you fancy)
1 heaped tbsp protein powder (I find vanilla works best)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp raw walnuts
2 tbsp oatbran or rolled oats
1 date
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp goji berries
1 tbsp bee pollen
5 or 6 ice cubes

Blend for a minute until smooth, pour into a glass and enjoy!

Roast Cauliflower

Not long ago, if you mentioned cauliflower to me, I would have said that it was probably my least favourite vegetable. Not anymore! It's been a staple on the menu recently, and simply because I tried it a different way.

Simple. Roasting it changes everything. The flavour of cauliflower is rich, creamy and slightly sweet. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
salt to taste

Method:

Heat oven to 180C.
Separate florets and wash under cold water. Pat dry gently with a paper towel and arrange on a baking tray.
Drizzle over oil, garlic and salt and toss gently with hands to ensure all florets are coated evenly.
Bake until golden and enjoy as an accompaniment to fish, or in a salad.

Or, try this:

To the above ingredients, sprinkle some ground cumin and coriander - delicious!

The most decadent chocolate ice cream ever!

Fancy a velvety, rich, chocolatey frozen desert that not only tastes delicious and hits the spot, but is actually healthy? Well, you've come to the right place!

The ingredients may look familiar, and that's because they make up the filling of the chocolate avocado tart I posted earlier. I wondered what would happen to any leftover filling I had, so I froze it, and voila! And here's the good part... it is a good source of antioxidants, healthy fats and is low in sugar. Plus my kids love it. And I like that a lot.

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 cup coconut oil

10 medjool dates

2 tbsp agave syrup

Method:

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend till smooth. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze overnight or a minimum of 8 hours. Enjoy!

Cashew Nut Cream Cheese

I've been making various versions of cashew nut cream cheese ever since discovering that I had a mild allergy to dairy, and it is a dairy-free alternative to regular cream cheese. It's always been good, and useful in so many ways, but today I tried something different and I really like it. See what you think...

Ingredients:

2 cups raw cashews (unsalted)
1 litre water
1 cup unsweetened rice / oat / soy milk
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
2-3 shallots
3 basil leaves
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Method:

Put the cashews and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the temperature and simmer (lid on) for about 20 minutes.
Drain the cashews and transfer to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients.
Blend till smooth and the consistency of cream cheese. I did this in stages, so as not to overheat my processor, and also to keep scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure an even result.

Enjoy as you would regular cream cheese, or as a condiment, an addition to pestos and salad dressings (just add a little liquid to thin). I also use cashew nut cream cheese on my pizza - yum!

Spicy roasted chickpeas

After my recent trip to Portugal, I have become a little obsessed with chickpeas. And not the tinned kind, either.
The Portuguese tend to cook whole foods, simply, and largely from scratch and this includes soaking beans and pulses before cooking. This way of cooking may be more time consuming, but it's worth it. Give it a go and see what you think.

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked in salt water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
pinch of coarse salt

Method:

Rinse and drain the chickpeas, and cook till tender. Drain, and allow to cool.
Transfer the chickpeas to a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing it all together with your hands to ensure all the chickpeas are coated.
Spread the chickpeas onto a flat baking tray and put into a hot oven (I set mine to about 240C, but ovens vary so just make sure it's very hot) and keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn. About 20 mins should do it, but again, this may vary a little.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. They should be crunchy in texture.
Enjoy as a healthy, tasty snack!

Lentil & Kale Soup

With another cold, wet day outside and my eldest daughter home sick with a nasty cold, I felt a hearty, warming soup was just what the doctor ordered. So I used what I had in the pantry and fridge, and came up with this delicious soup. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 large stalk of celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tins lentils, drained and rinsed
750ml - 1L vegetable stock
Small bunch of kale, finely sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves

Method:

Over medium heat, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the pot and gently fry for about 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add the kale, allow to soften for a minute or two.
Add the tomatoes, lentils, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer (covered) for 10-15 minutes.
Use a stick blender to roughly process the soup, or transfer half to a blender and blent till smooth. Return to the pot and gently reheat before serving with crusty bread or toast.

Beautiful black bean brownies

Beans! Who knew? I was keen to try a healthy variation on an old favourite, and came across a recipe that uses black beans in place of flour in a brownie. My kids love chocolate (particularly my youngest, Stella) and I wanted to make them something delicious, but nutritious and healthy as well.

Today started with Sofia waking up with a fever, so I kept her home from school today. It was a miserable, rainy day outside too, so I cancelled all my appointments and decided to embrace my enforced downtime. And where better than in the kitchen, huh? I find it so therapeutic to cook and I love trying new things, so here we go - see if this doesn't impress you. A brownie that tastes yummy, but has added fibre and protein, no refined sugar or dairy, and is wheat-free? Indeed!

Ingredients:

2 cups tinned black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large, organic eggs
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar, or xylitol
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup coconut flakes + more for sprinkling

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C (or 160C fan-forced), and grease a square baking pan. Line with baking paper, or brush with coconut oil.
Add all the ingredients to your blender and whizz until very smooth. This mixture can be quite dense, so do this in stages if you need to.
Pour the mixture into your baking pan, smooth out the top and sprinkle with the extra coconut flakes.
Bake for around 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

Almond milk - practised and perfected!

My family loves almond milk and I've been making it for a few months, changing things here and there from my original recipe and making it perfect. Now it's time to share it!

Almond milk is a healthy alternative to dairy milk, and is just as creamy and delicious (more so, actually!). Having cut a lot of dairy from my diet a few months ago due to sensitivity, I have learned to become very creative and open to various options - many of them a lot kinder to my digestion, and absolutely delicious.

So, with 4 simple ingredients and a step-by-step guide give it a go and tell me what you think!

Ingredients:

2 cups raw almonds, soaked in cold water for 8 hours or overnight
3 pitted dates (I like medjool dates, they tend to blend better)
2 tsp vanilla extract (not essence! the alcohol in it will make the milk grainy)
5 - 6 cups filtered water (depending on how thick and creamy you like it)

Starting with 2 cups of almonds, you will end up with approximately 3 cups after soaking I like to add double the amount of water to nuts (so about 6 cups).

Drain and rinse the almonds, then place them in your blender. Add the water, pitted dates and vanilla extract. Blend at high speed for about a minute.

Now, the secret to the creamiest, smoothest milk is a nut milk bag (usually available from health food stores or online) or a sprouting bag, both of which give excellent results. Pour the blended milk into your bag (make sure you have a bowl beneath) and gently massage the bag to strain the milk through. 

Transfer to a jug and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You will need to give a stir every now and again before you drink it. My 2-year old is a reformed milk addict, and she loves it. It is delicious in all receipes where you'd like to substitute dairy milk, but it is especially good poured over my granola, or drunk chilled from the fridge. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Brownie Bliss Balls

Ooooh!! Wait till you try these... this was an experiment gone very right this afternoon when I was pottering around in the kitchen. I was attempting to make a raw chocolate brownie slice, but ended up making mouth-sized chocolatey balls, which I reckon are even better!

My friends know how much I love anything chocolate, and brownies are my absolute go-to treat. However, I wanted to have something not only guilt, dairy, egg and gluten free but a brownie that is actually good for you :).

Ingredients:


2 cups walnuts (I've always loved walnuts in my brownies)
1 cup raw cacao
Pinch of sea salt
2 cups medjool dates
1/4 cup agave syrup

Method:


Process the nuts till coarsely ground.
Add the cacao and salt and blend till combined (at this point I remove this mixture from the blender and transfer to a large mixing bowl).

Add the dates and agave to the blender in batches and process till they form a paste. Add this paste to the dry mix in the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon till combined into a doughy ball. I like to use my hands - I find the mix is blended a lot better this way.

Roll into balls and coat in coconut or cocoa and then... enjoy!

Super Breakfast Trifle

I love a delicious and healthy breakfast, so I came up with a novel way to use up some leftover granola I had. If you do a couple of things ahead of time, then this is a really easy bowl of goodness to make.

Ingredients:

2-3 apples, diced
Apple juice concentrate
Pinch of cinnamon
A few dollops of coconut yoghurt (a dairy-free yoghurt available from the health food store)
Granola

Method:


Stew the apples in a saucepan on the stove with a little water and a tablespoon of apple juice concentrate. About 10 minutes is just right. This is the part I do ahead of time, and keep in the fridge.

Layer apples, coconut yoghurt and granola in bowls or glasses and serve. You can sprinkle some cinnamon on top if you wish.

Yum!

Coconut Cookies

So here is the recipe for the delicious, chewy and super-easy coconut cookie as promised. This is the second batch I have made and they don't last long! They are sugar, gluten and dairy free, so a great option for kids' lunches and a guilt-free treat with a nice cup of tea.

Ingredients:


2 cups of desiccated coconut
1/2 cup of almond meal
1/2 cup of raw honey
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon

Method:


Mix all the ingredients really well in a bowl, then take large tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls. Flatten these slightly with your hands on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 mins at 160C (fan-forced) or 180C normal oven.

Allow to cool and watch them disappear!

(*Credit and inspiration to Leanne Vogel of Healthfulpursuit.com - check out her blog for heaps more delicious ideas)

Raw Chocolate & Avocado Tart

Aaaahh... the recipe you've all been waiting for! This has got to be the most delicious, decadent tasting chocolate tart around, and not only is it full of antioxidants, good fats and nutrients, but it tastes pretty darn awesome too.

Crust

1 cup organic nuts (I use whatever I have - walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, cashews or peanuts work well)
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup dried apricots (soaked in water for 1/2 hour, then drained)
3 medjool dates

Blitz together in a blender till crumbly and finely minced. Put the mixture into a springform tart pan and gently press into the base and sides evenly, using slightly moistened fingertips.

Filling


2-3 ripe avocados
1/2 cup - 2/3 cup raw cacoa powder
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cup medjool dates

 Optional extras:

2 tbsp agave syrup
rind of 1 orange

Blend the filling ingredients in a blender till it resembles a mousse in texture and consistency. Scrape the mixture out into the pie base and smooth it down with a spatula, making sure that you don't leave any gaps between the sides of the crust and the filling. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut or fresh berries and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up.

My new sprouter :)

Sprouted seeds are incredibly nutritious and delicious, and you would be surprised at how easy it is to incorporate them into just about anything... salads, stir-fries, wraps, even juices!

I recently invested in a 3-tier sprouter (available from most health food stores) and with rotational sprouting, we now have fresh sprouts available daily... yum! Plus, the kids (and me!) love watching them grow too.

The Best Granola Ever

I've always loved granola, especially the texture - a combination of crunchy and sweet with heaps of nuts and dried fruits. So I made my own, and it was so good that I want to share it with you... enjoy! We had ours with homemade almond milk, and it was (in Matt's words) "the best breakfast ever".

Ingredients


1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raw Brazil nuts (chopped)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 raw whole almonds (chopped)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 tbsp melted unrefined coconut oil
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup agave syrup (or brown rice syrup)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried sour cherries
1/4 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 150ºC and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Mix the oats, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

Heat the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the maple syrup, agave syrup, and vanilla and whisk just until blended and heated through. Drizzle the syrup mixture over the oat mixture and mix till the oats are completely coated. Spoon the granola mixture onto the baking sheet and spread out evenly.

Bake the granola for about 40 minutes, or until it is golden bown and clusters form. As the granola bakes, give it a gentle stir about every 15 minutes or so with a fork to make sure that it cooks evenly, but maing sure not to break up the clusters. Add the dried fruits and continue baking for another 10 minutes longer.

Set the granola aside to cool - it will become crunchier as it cools.

This recipe makes around 6 cups and can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!)

Raw chocolate cake with raspberry ice cream

Today I made a new jug of almond milk, and always feeling so guilty about throwing out the almond pulp (you get this from straining the milk through a mesh bag), I decided to try and use it. I was inspired by one of Alison Andrews recipes (Simple Raw Food Recipes) with my own twist on hers.

I soaked 2 cups of almonds overnight, drained the soaking water then blended the almonds with 4 cups of water, 3 dates, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. After blending for about a minute, I poured the milk into a mesh bag to strain the pulp (I use a sprouting bag from the health food store and it works perfectly).

Chocolate cake

2 cups almond pulp
2 cups dates
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 tsp agave syrup (if you like it sweeter)

Blend the dates till they form a thick caramel-like sauce (I added a little almond milk to help it along). Add the cacao and continue to blend to form a thick chocolate paste. Remove from the blender with a spatula and stir into the almond pulp to form a thick, very moist chocolate cake.

Raspberry Ice cream

2 cups frozen raspberries (you can use any frozen berries of your choice)
1 cup raw cashews

Blend till smooth, but still thick and easy to scoop into balls from the blender. Serve with the chocolate cake and enjoy!

My 2-year old absolutely loved this recipe and it's something I don't mind her having too much of!

Pumpkin Soup

I love pumpkin soup, and most weeks I buy a whole pumpkin from the farmers' market to make it with. I tend to slow roast my chopped (unpeeled) pumpkin for an hour or 2 before transferring it to a pot with some stock. I find that roasting it brings out its natural sweetness, and gives the soup a really full flavour. Also, roasting the pumpkin this way allows me to make use of the skin in my soup, which is full of nutrients and fibre.

This week's pumpkin is a hybrid - it is a cross between a butternut and a kent pumpkin, and it it beautiful! So, give it a good wash with cool running water, then chop coarsely, drizzle with olive oil and put onto a tray to bake at about 180C till soft and caramelised slightly.

This week I also am experimenting with adding spouted soup mix to my soup... why? Normally I add a variation of dried legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, peas and beans, but this week I wanted to sprout them first. When a seed begins to sprout, it is a richer source of protein for the young shoot to grow from, and so I thought this would translate nicely to a protein-rich pumpkin soup.

I got a small bag of soup mix and a sprouting bag from the health food store, and it took 2-3 days for them to sprout.

So, to get started... roast your pumpkin. When that's almost done, peel and chop a couple of onions and some garlic. Fry them in a little olive oil until they become translucent.

Add your pumpkin and sprouts, and enough water or stock to cover the contents of the pot. Bring to the biol and then lower the heat and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Season to taste, or add fresh herbs for extra flavour. Fresh thyme works really well.

I like to blend my soup with a stick blender, but that is up to you. I also like to add a can of drained and rinsed beans or chickpeas at the end, for a little added texture and fibre.

Enjoy!

Green drinks

I love starting the day with a green juice - and the ingredients vary all the time, depending on what's in the fridge and my mood!

I have 2 favourites that I made up, and they are very nice and green without tasting like you're drinking a spinach leaf! Studies have shown that including colours into your diet are vital to maintaining good health, and green is the first I get out of the way in a day... it is becoming easier and easier to do too. I now catch myself looking at the fresh produce at the farmer's market or the supermarket and getting hungry! It must be working... :)

Don't get too hung up on ingredients, I have a pile of books on green smoothies that I started out with and have progressed to designing my own... get creative!

Lean & Green

1/2 a cucumber
Handful of spinach
Handful of wheatgrass
1 cup green grapes
2 cups apple juice
ice

Blend together and drink immediately. You can blend your apples if you choose to, but if you like your drink a little smoother and less thick then use juice.

Green Sweetie

4 kiwi fruits, peeled
Handful of wheatgrass
Handful of spinach
1 banana
2 cups pear juice
ice

Yum! This one was really lovely and quite sweet. Again, feel free to experiment and switch up your ingredients to create new flavours and textures - these are my more palatable experiments (ask my husband and he'll tell you how hard some have been to drink! :))

Rainy Day Breakfast

Good morning!

It was rainy and cool this morning, so I felt like something warm for breakfast. I've been meaning to try a recipe by The Healthy Chef, Teresa Cutter (www.teresacutter.com) and this morning was the perfect opportunity. It's high in protein, filling, and it tastes delicious.

1  cup almond milk (or your choice of preferred milk)
2 green apple (cut into quarters with the skin and seeds included)
4 - 5  tablespoons LSA (ground linseed, sunflower, and almond)
pinch cinnamon
Fresh fruit to serve

Combine the almond milk and apple into your vita-mix container and secure the lid. Select variable 1.Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10 and then to high. Blend for 30 seconds then pour the combined mix into a  small pot along with the LSA and cinnamon. Cook porridge over a low heat for a few minutes until heated through and thickened. Serve topped with fresh fruit. 

This makes enough for 2 generous portions, just half it if you're breakfasting solo.

I was very fortunate to get a vita-mix blender for Christmas, which I use every day for just about everything. If you get into your cooking and nutrition, then it's definitely worth the investment, as you need a powerful blender to make some of these recipes. Also, a higher-powered motor allows you to process skins, seeds and stalks which is where there is a valuable source of extra nutrition. However, if you look around there are many cheaper options available, just compare and do your homework - it's worth your time!

Raw Cashew & Passionfruit Tart

Hello there! So I've finally got round to starting my own blog after numerous requests for my recipes and ideas for healthy food... here goes!
I am a thirty-something mother of 2 little girls, a part-time yoga instructor and I have a passion for healthy living and nutritious food. I like nothing better that a few hours on my own in my kitchen, trying new recipes and techniques, exercise, and good books.

Today it poured with rain, so after an early morning visit to the organic farmer's markets, I spent the afternoon in my kitchen, bliss! I made fresh almond milk, a green juice, and a raw cashew & passion fruit tart.

Here is the recipe for the tart... enjoy!

Raw Cashew & Passionfruit tart

Filing:

1.5 cups raw cashews, soaked
1 cup almond milk
5 passion fruits
3 lemons, plus rind
1/2 cup coconut oil
agave syrup

Crust:

1 cup organic nuts
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup dried apricots, soaked
3 dates

Blend all the ingredients for the crust together till they form a coarse mixture. Gently press into a spring-form pie tin to cover the base and press up the sides.

Blend all the ingredients for the filling together for about a minute at high speed till creamy and smooth. Gently pour into the pie base and allow to set in the fridge for a few hours.