Banana choc chip walnut bread - low carb low sugar and dairy free options

                           

Low carb but still yummy!

125g butter or coconut oil, soft

¾ cup brown sugar / coconut sugar

1 cup ground almonds

½ cup whole meal flour or more almonds to be GF

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tbsp flax seeds

1 cup mashed rip banana

½ milk – cow; coconut; almond etc

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup rough chopped walnuts

½ rough chopped dark chocolate chips

Oven @ 180*C

Whisk the butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs till combined and fluffy; add bananas

Combine all the dry ingredients, add to banana mix

Pour in milk and mix then add walnuts and chocolate chips

Pour into a lined bread tin and cook for an hour, check after 45 minutes with a skewer, you don’t want to overcook it

Enjoy! It is best when still warm from the oven 

good mood food - 5 easy lunches to keep your mood good through till wine o'clock

Protein-rich, low carb lunch ideas – to sustain energy levels and good moods throughout the afternoon

·       Spanish tortilla or omelet filled with chopped peppers, broccoli, tomato, red onion, mushrooms, herbs, spinach and some crumbled feta with a side of salad leaves

·      Whole meal pita bread filled with tuna mayonnaise /or shredded cooked chicken, (or hummus for veggies) chopped red onion, sweetcorn, mayonnaise and rocket or lettuce or that old fav….coronation chicken

·      Stir-fry with cauliflower rice – stir fry whatever you have; onion, garlic, chili, cabbage, broccoli, peppers, carrot, courgette. Optionally add some chunks of tofu or beef or chicken. Meanwhile blitz the cauli in food processor and steam with a couple of tablespoons of water till cooked, 2 minutes-ish. Drizzle with olive oil & a touch of sesame oil

·      Soba (buckwheat) noodles cooked as per packet instructions served with julienned carrot, cucumber, courgetti, red onion & smoked salmon or mackerel drizzled with olive oil & soy sauce dressing & sesame seeds

·      Quinoa salad – I cook a whole packet and freeze in portions; defrost overnight and add some of the following: tomato, onion, radish, avocado, herbs, chickpeas / beans, cooked beetroot, goats cheese; dress with olive oil

B-Bites - banana berry brazil nut brownie bites GF coconut sugar

               

                                   

gluten-free – reduced sugar        

3 eggs whisked with 

200g coconut sugar

175g butter or coconut oil melted and mixed with 

80g cocoa powder

1 drip vanilla extract

1 tsp bicarb

200g almond flour

100g dark choc chips

100g roughly chopped brazil nuts

100g frozen mixed berries
1 very ripe banana

Mix altogether & spoon into little cup cake papers
Cook at 180*C for 15 minutes – you don’t want to cook till the skewer comes out clean!

5 quick easy breakfasts to balance your mood

Good mood food...

5 quick easy breakfasts for a good mood morning

Protein-rich, low carb breakfast ideas – to sustain energy levels and good moods throughout the morning

·      Poached egg on avocado and tomato served with a few spinach or rocket leaves

·      Home-made granola: gluten-free protein rich (recipe below) served with nut milk or your favorite muesli to which you add nuts and seeds

·      Overnight oatie: porridge oats, some flax and chia seeds; soaked overnight in coconut or almond milk topped with nuts and berries (fresh or frozen)

·      Paleo pancakes with berries – recipe below

·      Protein rich smoothie – 1 pot yoghurt, 1 kiwi, handful of frozen berries, a few spinach leaves, 1 tbsp flax seeds, 1 tbsp chia seeds (or 2 tbsp protein powder) and ½ an avocado, water or nut milk to desired consistency

Granola

50g unsalted cashew nuts

100g oats

50g Brazil nuts chopped

50g flaked almonds

25g flaxseeds

15g amaranth

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

a good pinch of sea salt flakes

3 egg whites 

50g Coconut chips

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a baking sheet with nonstick baking paper. Roughly crush the cashews with the back of a spoon, then mix with the remaining dry ingredients except the coconut chips.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then add to the dry ingredients, stirring thoroughly with a metal spoon until all the ingredients are fully coated.

Spread the mixture on to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes to break up the granola a little then add the coconut chips. Leave to cool completely.

Transfer the granola to an airtight container and store for up to three weeks. 

Makes 300g            inspired by the Hemsleys, ta girls!

Pancakes

1 ¼ cup almond flour

¼ cup coconut or chestnut flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup coconut milk

1 ripe banana, mashed

3 eggs

Coconut oil or butter for frying

Blend everything together and whisk until smooth. Cook in batches and keep some in the fridge for the next day or save the batter and cook more the next day.

Top with berries and yoghurt and chopped mint

Flapjacks- chocolate brazil and apricot

Brazil, apricot & chocolate chip flapjacks

 

250g oats

100g coconut sugar

125g butter

4 tablespoons maple syrup

50g chopped brazil nuts

25 g coconut chips

25g mixed sunflower & pumpkin seeds

100g chopped dried apricots

100g chocolate chips

Melt the butter adding the sugar to dissolve. Add syrup. Mix all dry ingredients together and pour over butter mix.

Press into a brownie tin and cook at 200*C for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Chocolate chunk, brazil nut & date cookies

Put the following ingredients in the food processor:

125g room temperature butter

1 drip vanilla extract

1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup almond flour

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon bicarb

Blend until smooth and comes together, tip into a bowl and add:

½ cup oats

1 cup dates chopped roughly

1/2 cup chopped brazil nuts

1 cup chocolate chunks or chips

Mix together and dollop onto baking paper and roll into a sausage shape. Chill for 20 minutes then cut thick slices, place on cookie trays spread apart and bake for 15 minutes at 180*C

Enjoy!

Stem ginger gingernuts - gluten free

Ingredients
250g ground almonds
50g butter or coconut oil
1 teaspoon bicarb of soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
4 tablespoons maple syrup
grated zest of a lemon 
small pinch of salt
50g chopped stem ginger or crystallised ginger

Method
Combine the almonds and bicarb in the food processor. Add everything else apart form the stem ginger and pulse to combine. form into a sausage and cut 10 slices. Top with ginger cubes and flatten slightly with your palm.

Cook @ 180*C for 10 minutes till just going golden around the edges. Chill,-if you can wait that long and eat!

Double dark chocolate & berry brownie muffins - gluten- free antioxidant rich immune support

3 eggs whisked with 

200g coconut sugar or sugar or half-half

175g butter or coconut oil melted and mixed with 

80g cocoa powder

1 drip vanilla extract

1 tsp bicarb

200g almond flour

100g dark choc chips

100g frozen berries, i used blueberries & raspberries

50g dried mulberries (opt)

Mix altogether & spoon into a lined cake tin

Cook at 180*C for 20 minutes – you don’t want to cook till the skewer comes out clean!

Corona cookies - gluten-free almond oat cinnamon & choc chip

What else is there to do but bake! I panic shopped 3 times but alas forgot to buy much butter so these and half-half butter and coconut oil

Ingredients
250g ground almonds
70g butter or coconut oil
1 teaspoon bicarb of soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup
50g small oats
30 chocolate buttons

Method
Combine the almonds and bicarb in the food processor. Add everything else apart form the chocolate and pulse to combine. form into a sausage and cut 10 slices. Top with choc chips and flatten slightly with your palm.

Cook @ 180*C for 10 minutes till just going golden around the edges. Chill,-if you can wait that long and eat!

Thanks to the Hemsley babes for inspiration.

Pumpkin spinach & feta quiche - gluten-free

20 cm quiche - 4 good portions

Pastry

150g buckwheat flour

90g butter, cold and cubed

1 egg yolk

20 ml cold water

Filling

200g pumpkin - skinned & roasted in chunks with seasoning & olive oil on 200*C for around 30-45 minutes until just turning brown on edges

75g lardons (optional for veggies)

½ red onion sliced

3 bricks frozen spinach, defrosted

75g crumbled feta

4 eggs

50ml cream

1 clove garlic, squashed

Combine the flour butter, egg yolk and water in the food processor and blitz until combined. Roll out between cling film and push into quiche plate making the sides all nice and neat. Fork it and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Blind bake base at 200*C until cooked through, it might crack on the bottom so try to patch it up best you can. 

Meanwhile, fry off the lardons adding the onion till coloured and tasty.

Fill the quiche base with pumpkin, lardons, onion mixing in the spinach and feta and season well.

Mix the eggs, cream and garlic together, season and pour into quiche.

Bake in the oven for around 20-30 minutes until cooked through but not too much

***the base is a bit crumbly but we’re going for GF not aesthetics! If you want a vain quiche, use half-half buckwheat and spelt wheat flour, it will still be low gluten. 

Fruit & nut flapjacks - gluten-free energy boost

Fruit & nut Flapjacks – great to pack for a school snack

250g oats

200g butter melted – could use coconut oil to be dairy free

200g honey / maple syrup combo

Add any or all of the following:

100g dark chocolate chips – or cacao to be dairy free or leave out

100g chopped dates  and / or apricots or combo

100g coconut chips

100g chopped pecans or hazelnuts or combo

100g raisins / cranberries / gojis

50g pumpkin seeds

Mix altogether and bake on 180*C for 15 mins, cool and cut into squares.

Combination of fibre, fat & protein balances the sugar from the fruit and honey and will keep them perky

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