All posts filed under: Fruit

Breakfast Crumble Bars & Herbal Infusion

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What a great way to start the day! ‘It’s like having pudding for breakfast!’  This recipe is so beneficial for maintaining and supporting digestive health and they certainly pack a punch!! Read on after the recipe to find the health benefits.  I’ve paired the Crumble Bars with a herbal infusion (‘tea’) containing a soothing blend of herbs, also great for hydrating the gut. Certainly not exclusive to breakfast you can enjoy these crumble bars anytime.  A perfect mid morning or afternoon snack, great as a pudding or you could even wrap one up for a packed lunch or as a great healthy snack for the children to take to school. If you need to follow a gluten free diet just make sure to use gluten free oats. Makes 9 pieces 3 eating apples 1tsp ground cinnamon 6 Medjool dates, pitted, about 100g total weight 75g coconut oil 3tbsp maple syrup 100g ground almonds 100g rolled oats 50g pumpkin seeds 50g sunflower seeds 50g ground flaxseeds salt Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Wash, quarter, core and coarsely grate the …

Fresh Pineapple & Turmeric Smoothie

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  Quick and easy to prepare, this amazingly coloured smoothie provides a mildly spiced, warming start to the day, perfect for chilly Autumn/Winter mornings! The cucumber and coconut water give a refreshing and quenching base to the smoothie and the body and punch comes from the pineapple, ginger and turmeric. If you’re not sure about having turmeric for breakfast then add a little less and gradually build up the quantity you use, allowing your system and tastebuds to get used to it. If you’re keen to add more veggies to your diet, then throw a handful of spinach in as well! This recipe was developed to support joint and bone health as part of my Diploma in Culinary Medicine. You can read on at the end to see what benefits each ingredient may bring.  If you can get fresh root turmeric, peel and finely chop a generous teaspoonful instead of the powder, but be careful, it stains everything in sight! If your pineapple is really ripe, consider using the core, as this contains more of the …

Mango Salsa

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Keep the feeling and flavours of summer going a little longer with this delicious Mango Salsa!! I was planning to marinate and barbecue some pork fillet for dinner and wanted to serve something with it! Looking around my kitchen, I spotted four ripe mangoes sitting in the fruit bowl, (sounds like the start to a joke!!) having bought a box of eight, I was keen to use up the rest before they became over ripe!  My plan was to make mango salsa to go with the pork. Searching through the fridge, I luckily found what I wanted and quickly put it together! It was so good we had the same again the next day!! And now there’s only 2 very ripe mangoes sitting in my fruit bowl!! Hopefully tomorrow there’ll be another flash of inspiration as to what to do with those!! Its really so very easy to make and can turn any grilled meat, fish or deliciously juicy grilled prawns into a very impressive meal!  For a vegetarian option, try serving alongside some chargrilled aubergine, courgette, pepper and halloumi cheese. …

Berry & Toasted Chocolate Granola Pots

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  These delicious little pots make a perfect start to the day. All the preparation can be done the day before, making it a very quick and easy breakfast to put together. You could even layer it in a jar and take your breakfast with you. I love having a jar of the granola ready made, in the cupboard, it keeps well stored in an airtight container or jar. I like the fact that it gains its sweetness from a small amount of dark chocolate and the natural sugars in the berries. A perfect summer breakfast or brunch! Make this a perfect gluten free breakfast by using gluten free oats. This recipe formed the first part of a days menu I had to design for the module on the Heart & Circulatory System in my Diploma in Culinary Medicine. Read on, at the end, to find out why the ingredients I’ve included are heart healthy and how they can benefit the body. I’m lucky enough to be writing this as I sit overlooking Mylor Creek, one …

Very Berry Smoothie

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I’m really enjoying this smoothie packed full of zingy berries, kefir and subtly flavoured with a hint of coconut. It makes a perfect breakfast, is great after a run or I have may have one as a quick lunch when I feel like something light and refreshing. It perfect for those times when you need a little energy boost or pick me up. I’ve recently discovered kefir after being told to try it by a good friend of mine. It’s a cultured milk packed full of good bacteria which are amazing for your gut and supports digestion, metabolism and your immune and nervous systems as well as being beneficial for skin, bones and muscles! So if it does all that then I felt I had to try it! You can make your own kefir by using live kefir cultures, mine were passed onto me by the same friend, but you can buy them online where there is loads of information and videos to help you learn what to do. I’m having mixed results at the …

Ginger Banana Bread

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We all like a sweet treat every now and then, and some of us more than others! But what if that sweet treat became a nutritious snack that delivered benefits to our bodies as well as instantly satisfying that sweet craving? Having tried other gluten free cakes I’ve often been disappointed either by a dry solid texture or discovering that the wheat flour alternatives will have your blood sugar levels reaching sky high! It makes it all the more exciting to share this Ginger Banana Bread, it has an amazingly moist texture and great flavour. This really is so quick and easy to make and I don’t think anyone will realise its gluten free! So these nutritional benefits? Well it doesn’t contain any refined sugars (no blood sugar peak and slump to deal with), is gluten free and can be dairy free if you opt for the coconut oil in place of the butter.  We get added fibre from the flax seeds, good fats and protein from the nuts and antioxidants from the cacao. Buckwheat flour …

Blueberry, Spinach & Chilli Smoothie

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This is the Autumn version of my Feel Good Smoothie! It’s such a great way to start the day, grab a quick nutritious snack after some exercise or maybe even a quick lunch! I’ve packed it full of goodness with a warming hint of chilli to kick start my metabolism in the morning. Don’t worry this doesn’t make a spicy smoothie, the warmth kind of creeps up on you very slowly and gently!! I’ve tried to create a smoothie that contains a good amount of protein to keep me full, isn’t too sweet and is packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals as well as some good fats to keep me healthy as the days get shorter and weather cooler. Having spinach for breakfast isn’t everyones cup of tea (sorry!!) but its a great way to increase your daily vegetable intake alongside the banana and blueberries. I also add a generous half teaspoon of broccoli powder for an extra boost but this is completely optional. Maca powder is a great to include in your diet …

Roasted Strawberries (& Figs)

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Not a throw back to summer but rather an attempt to make it last longer! My aim with this recipe was to try to jazz up some end of season strawberries that are beginning to lose their flavour and colour, then I noticed a couple of ripe figs in the garden. Now I’m not usually very lucky at timing picking the figs as most of them get eaten by birds and insects before I realise they’re ripe! But having picked them I was determined they weren’t going to sit on the fruit bowl, so they became the perfect addition to the strawberries in this recipe, adding some valuable fibre too. This is completely optional so please don’t go hunting around for figs to include here as the recipe is perfect with just strawberries. I think the whole family was amazed by the result of roasting the strawberries for such a short time. The secret ingredient, a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar, helps to caramelise the juices into a rich syrup and adds an amazing flavour. There is no …

Feel Good Smoothie

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I’ve been really enjoying this delicious smoothie on holiday, especially after a quick yoga session and a dip in the pool! The colour is amazing, thanks to the spinach. It not only looks good but also packs in an early dose of vegetable into your day! Actually you can’t taste the spinach but its great for all the nutrients its supplies! Use the ripest melon you can find for a really full summer flavour. The seeds add good fats and the cashew nut butter increases the protein level further, keeping you fuller longer and also help to make a deliciously creamy smoothie. You could also try coconut water instead of water for extra great flavour. I’m going to make this whenever I feel like a pick me up or quick breakfast. It would also be great to take out on the move or as a post workout snack! I bought my Nutribullet away with me which whizzes everything up so smooth. If you don’t have once you could use a blender but maybe try the …