10 Healthy Ice Cream Recipes!

January 6, 2014 · 16 Comments

10 Healthy Ice Cream Recipes!

Who doesn’t love an ice cream on a hot summer’s day?

Unfortunately, the commercial ice cream you buy can be truly horrendous. Just start looking at labels and you will see sugar, sugar and lots of sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils and additives galore (some even use msg!). Urrrk!

Truth is, it’s pretty easy to make your own ice cream at home. You can turn an unhealthy treat into a healthy treat!

We invested in a good Cuisinart ice cream machine and have loved every minute of it! Gourmet ice-cream is cheap as chips when you make it yourself. Don’t pay $10 for half a litre! You can also control exactly what ingredients go in to your ice cream – use organic ingredients and healthier sugar substitutes like honey, maple syrup, rapadura or coconut sugar.

A thermomix or food processor will often do the job too for some of these recipes, so you don’t even need an ice cream maker. Have a go at whipping up some soft fruit that needs to be used up and adding some sort of liquid – juice, milk, milk substitute or coconut water. Whack it into containers and into the freezer!

Here are ten totally delicious and healthy ice cream recipes to get you started.

Pine Lime Splice

Dairy free, gluten free, sugar free.

Honey Macadamia Gelati from Sarah at Clever Cook

Gluten free, thermomix friendly.

Choc Mint Icecream from Iwa at Additive Free Bites

Dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free, thermomix friendly.

Magic Fruit Icecream from Wendy at Vegie Smugglers

Dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, thermomix friendly.

Lemon Kefir Ice cream from Elizabeth at A Chook Woman

Gluten free, refined sugar free, thermomix friendly.

Nutty Banana Blueberry Icecream from Alexx Stuart, Low Tox Living

Dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, thermomix friendly.

Peace Pops from Adele at Vegie Head

Dairy free, refined sugar free, gluten free, vegan.

Avocado, Coconut and Lime Ice Cream from Tenina at Cooking with Tenina

Dairy free, gluten free, thermomix friendly, easy to make refined sugar free.

Chocolate Fudge Ice Blocks from Georgia at Well Nourished

Dairy free, gluten free, egg free, nut free, thermomix friendly.

Double Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream from Jo at Quirky Cooking

Gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, thermomix friendly.

I hope these recipes get you inspired to get into the kitchen and make some of your own home-made ice cream!

Click here to get Cuisinart Ice Cream makers

Salted Caramel Popcorn

October 25, 2013 · 33 Comments

Popcorn is one of the most favourite snacks in our house.

It’s gluten free and it tastes yummy. I jazzed up our normal, plain popcorn with this sticky salted caramel sauce. A bit of a treat and dead easy to make when you get a yearning for something sweet late at night.

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Vital Stats: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Naturally Sweetened, Nut Free, Egg Free

Okay, so this is what’s in it:

6 cups popped organic popcorn

1/4 cup organic maple syrup

1/4 cup virgin, organic coconut oil

1 tablespoon organic coconut sugar

1 scraped vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

1 – 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Pop your popcorn and chuck it into a large stainless steel or glass bowl.

Mix all other ingredients in a saucepan and heat over a medium temperature.

Cook it for about five minutes or until it has reduced a little and is all gooey and syrupy thick.

Resist urge to pop finger in and test – this stuff burns!!

Pour over popcorn and mix well with a large metal spoon.

Let it cool down before chowing down. Refer to above advice.

Tips:

♥ Using organic popping corn means you don’t have to worry about GMO corn. Get it at your health food store or online here.

♥ Popcorn is actually pretty good for you – it contains lots of fibre and the antioxidant polyphenols.

♥ Use an electric popcorn machine or pop it the old fashioned way on the stove. Microwave popcorn is nasty!

♥ If you want to get fancy, add in some coconut, nuts or fruit and press it into a slice tin or roll into balls.

♥ You can totally swap out the maple syrup for rice malt syrup if fructose bothers you or honey if you prefer. And if you are okay with dairy, try it with some organic, grass fed butter instead of coconut oil.

Easy Seed Crackers

October 9, 2013 · 61 Comments

Easy Seed Crackers

My family are completely (into) crackers!

Unfortunately, once I started reading labels and learning more about what goes into our food, the list of crackers from the supermarket that I thought were okay has dwindled to practically zero! Even the crackers that appear to have no additives still use vegetable oil (most likely canola if none is stated) and are heavily processed.

So we were cracker-less for some time and the kids were not happy! I tried making my own using my pasta maker and they were okay but so time-consuming to make.

So I was beyond excited when I first saw all these seed cracker recipes popping up around the internet on the paleo and vegan pages. I can’t believe it took me so long to find out about them and make them. This is my version – I make lots as they go quick around here and I give mine a cheesy, herby twist!

We have made them lots of times now and everyone loves them. They are perfect with some avocado and tomato on top for a little snack, served alongside a salad for some crunch, dipped in some cashew cheese or as a portable snack for kids on the go. They keep for ages -I just pop them in a glass jar in the pantry.

Easy Seed Crackers

Vital Stats: Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free, Vegan, Paleo

Okay so this is what you need:

3 cups filtered water

1 cup organic sunflower seeds

1 cup organic pepitas (or pumpkin seeds)

1 cup organic chia seeds

1/2 cup poppy seeds

1/2 cup organic sesame seeds

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1 tablespoon dulse flakes

2 tablespoons dried onion flakes or onion powder

2 teaspoons dried garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried chives

1/2 tablespoon Herbamare seasoning

Okay this is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 180° celsius.

Whack everything together and mix. I told you it was easy! You can even get the kids to do this one!

Wait a minute or two until all the water is absorbed by the chia seeds.

Line two large, shallow baking trays with non-toxic baking paper. Spread the mixture out evenly over both trays. I use a spatula to smoosh it down so it’s nice and smooth. Make sure the mixture is an even thickness or you will get some bits burning and some bits still wet in the middle.

Fling the trays in the oven for 30 minutes.Take them out and then flip over. Peel away the baking paper. If the baking paper won’t peel away easily, it means they need a bit more cooking on that side.

Score them if you like into squares – but don’t cut all the way through. The scoring will just make it easier to break into bite-size chunks later.

Fling them back in the oven for another 30 minutes or until really dried out and crispy. This will depend on your oven and how thick you spread the crackers.

I like to keep an eye on them and knock the temperature back to 150° celsius if they are starting to burn on the edges.

When they are done, put them on wire racks to cool. Break into chunks and store in an air-tight container.

Jazz up your crackers:

You could pretty much use anything you want in these crackers!

*Replace the seeds for nuts or any combination of seeds, just as long as your quantity is equal to 4 cups. But you do need chia seeds to gel the water and make them stick together, so leave that in.

*Add spices like turmeric and paprika or even dukkah

*Add superfood powders

*Add finely diced organic sun-dried tomatoes

*Add fresh onion, garlic or finely grated vegetables like carrot and zucchini

*Whizz a little spinach into the three cups of water and make green crackers

* If you can tolerate dairy, try some finely grated parmesan cheese

* Add some dehydrated chicken bone broth to make chicken flavoured crackers

* Add psyllium husks for extra fibre

* Use freshly squeezed vegetable juice instead of water

* Add a little pureed banana or apple to the water

…… you get the idea right?!

Give these Easy Seed Crackers a go and let me know what you think!

Raw Food 4 Kids

September 21, 2013 · 186 Comments

Natural new age mum, Sarah Nolan, has just released her first book, Raw Food 4 Kids!

I am really excited to feature it on the blog today and give you a chance to win a copy.

Let me start by saying this book is not just for kids and it’s not just for raw foodies. It’s pretty much for anyone who wants to eat well. As well as being a great introductory book for people exploring a raw diet, it’s also great for people just looking for some healthy meal ideas and snacks for the kids.

I love the way Sarah has set out the book – it’s a funky design, bright, colourful and easy to read. As well as over 100 recipes – all of which are raw, dairy-free, gluten-free and additive-free, Sarah also gives us a lot of tips and info on eating healthy.

I hadn’t even had a chance to open the book before my beautiful daughter raced off with it and made the Raw Chocolate! Yes, it was delicious! I am dying to make the Raw Cheese which is based on macadamia nuts but looks like real cheese. Some other recipes that caught my eye were Buckwheat Crunchies, Raw Pizza, Apple Goji Bars, Vegie Crackers and Chocolate Brownies.

Sarah has done a brilliant job with this book and she is going to be helping families everywhere to eat better. You can get it in print form or as an ebook.

You might be wondering……. What is RAW?

The raw food diet is where you eat food that has not been heated above 46° celsius. It includes fruit, veges, nuts, seeds, sprouts, superfoods, seaweed and cold pressed oils.

Sarah and her family have been eating this way for four years and after following her on Facebook and reading this book, she has convinced me to add lots more raw food into our family’s diet.

Why are the benefits of…… going RAW?

Well, lots and you will have to read the book! But, the one thing that really stood out for me was that eating more raw food alkalizes your body. Too much acidity in your body encourages decomposition, decay, disease and energy loss. You can start by adding one raw meal into your diet or eating raw snacks or eating raw food with every meal. It’s not hard!

But I don’t have…… a dehydrator!

It’s cool! If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven on a low setting with the door ajar. It won’t be necessarily ‘raw’ but they will still be a healthier option.

Want to check out a recipe?

Raw Pasta!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 tomatoes and 4-6 medium zucchinis

• 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt

• 2 Tablespoons of nama shoyu
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 4 dates pitted
• 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 1/3 cup of cashews

Method:

To make the noodles cut one end off the zucchini and spiralise (or use a grater).

Place all pasta sauce ingredients into a high powered blender until the sauce is creamy!

Pour sauce on top of the noodles and stir through! It is so quick and easy and kids just love the spiral noodles!

Check out Sarah’s daughter Issy enjoying the raw pasta. Cute!

*************this giveaway is now closed! The winners were Peta and Bek ********************

Want to win a copy of Raw Food 4 Kids?

Sarah is kindly offering to giveaway TWO of her fabulous new cookbook to my readers.

How to enter:

♥ Be a blog subscriber (add your email to the box on the right)

♥ Be a The Raw Food Mum liker on Facebook (go here)

♥ Pop over the The Raw Food mum website and check out her recipes (go here). Comment on this blog post, telling us which one (specifically) you would like to make.

Terms:

The two winners will be chosen from those meeting the entry requirements, using a random number generator. Sorry, only available to those with an Australian address. The giveaway runs from now until Monday the 30th of September at midnite (AEST). The winners will be emailed (please make a note to check!) and announced on this blog post. Good luck!

Connect with Sarah – The Raw Food Mum

Website: www.therawfoodmum.com

Email: sarah@therawfoodmum.com

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8 Beautiful Banana Breads

September 16, 2013 · 29 Comments

Banana bread is such a favourite amongst families. As long as you steer clear of white flour and refined sugar, banana bread or cake is a great way of getting kids to eat fruit!

The only trouble in our family is having bananas hanging around long enough to get spotty! I have to hide a few for cooking and nurture them until they are just right to go.

I am sharing with you one of my favourite ways to make banana bread and seven other amazing recipes as well.

Your only problem is deciding which one to try first!

Berry Banana Bread

Vital Stats: Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free

Okay this is what you need:

2 cups organic spelt flour

1 tspn bicarb soda

1/2 cup organic coconut sugar

2 tablespoons NutraOrganics Acai Berry Blend (or C Berry Blast)

2 really ripe 0rganic bananas (about 120g skin off)

2 organic eggs

¾ cup organic coconut milk

1 cup chopped strawberries

Okay, this is how you do it:

Preheat oven to 160°c. Line a 11x18cm loaf tin with baking paper. Sift the flour and soda into medium bowl.

Mash the bananas and whisk in the Acai Berry Blend, eggs, sugar and coconut milk. Mix gently into the flour mixture with the strawberries until just combined.

Whack it into the tin and bake for about 40 – 50mins or until cooked through. Let cool on a rack. Enjoy.

Thermomix: Whizz the eggs, banana, coconut milk, sugar and Acai Berry Blend in the thermomix for 10 seconds on speed 7. Sift over the flour and bicarb and mix, reverse, speed 4, 5 seconds. Fold in the strawberries with a spatula gently.

What is Acai Berry Blend?

I love the flavour of this yummy superfood powder from Nutra Organics. I pretty much sprinkle it on everything!

1-3 Heaped Teaspoons of Acai Berry Blend is equivalent to 3 punnets of Berries. Acai Berry Blend combines the world’s most nutrient packed and antioxidant loaded berries, with mango, beetroot, fermented papaya and pomegrante extract to bring you a delicious and potent nutritional burst which can easily be added to your diet everyday.

Acai Berry Blend will leave your skin glowing thanks to Acai (the beautiful berry) plus the revolutionary formula can help improve your mental focus, boost your energy levels, cleanse and detoxify your body, improve your circulation, reduce inflammation and boost your immune systems capabilities.

Click here for full ingredient list and to buy Acai Berry Blend!

Paleo Banana Bread from the Nourished Psychologist

Grain free, GAPS friendly

Absolutely Scrummy Banana Bread from Naughty Naturopath Mum

Dairy Free, Gluten Free.

Banana Cake from Clever Cook.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Option, Thermomix.

Banana Bread with Walnut Crumble Topping from Our Nourishing Roots.

Dairy Free, Gluten Free.

Banana Bread by Alexx Stuart.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Option, Thermomix.

Bek’s Banana Bread

Gluten Free. Dairy Free.

Coconut Banana Bread from Healed Nutrition.

Low Fructose, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free.

Right, so who has some bananas ripe and ready to go??

this post contains affiliate links

Easy Peasy Lamb Moussaka

August 19, 2013 · 8 Comments

I know the Greeks will throw their hands up in horror at my version of lamb moussaka but hey, mums are busy and we need cheat versions sometimes!

This recipe is so tasty and it is a great way to eat a ‘lasagne’ type of dish without the wheat. The eggplant sort of smooshes into the meat and you can’t really tell it’s there – so try it on the kids!

When making and serving this moussaka,you must also pronounce it like George from Masterchef – moooo (long) sah-kah (short) just to annoy your offspring! 😉

Easy Peasy Lamb Moussaka

Vital Stats: gluten free, grain free, nut free, dairy free option

Okay, so this is what you need:

500g organic lamb mince

2 large organic eggplants

1 jar of organic pasta sauce (or make your own with passata, onion, garlic and herbs)

1 can of organic diced tomatoes (use a BPA free brand)

250g fresh full cream ricotta cheese (from the deli)

2 organic eggs

1/2 cup milk of your choice

Okay, this is how you do it:

Pre-heat your oven to 180° celsius.

Cook your lamb mince in a large frypan, breaking up the lumps as you go.

Add the pasta sauce and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes.

Slice the eggplants into rounds, about 1/2 cm thick.

Oil a large lasagne dish.

Put the eggplant in the bottom and then top with a layer of mince. Keep going until you run out of ingredients.

If you have too much for the dish, just make some mini ones in ramekins.

Whisk the ricotta, eggs and milk until smooth or whizz in an appliance.

Spread with a spatula over the top of the moussaka.

Bake, covered, in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and the top is brown. I usually take the cover off in the last ten minutes.

Serve with a green salad and enjoy!

Notes:

* This moussaka makes about 6 portions.

* If you have time, feel free to add garlic, onion, grated vegetables or Vital Veggie Power to the mince mixture and make your own pasta sauce. Both ways taste equally nice!

* For a dairy-free version, top with Quirky Cooking’s Melty ‘Cheese‘ instead of the ricotta mixture.

* You can also make this with beef mince, but it’s just not as nice! 😉

So, have a go at this one and let me know what the family thought!

3 Easy Ways to Jazz up Chicken

August 5, 2013 · 25 Comments

We eat a lot of chicken.

It’s one of the cheaper meats to buy organically and it’s a kid pleaser.

We are lucky enough to have a local farmer who has beautiful organic, free range, pasture-fed chicken at a great price. If you are not so lucky, Woolworths and Coles usually have organic chicken. Please, at least try to get free range. It’s just nicer for the chookies.

These are our three favourite go-to recipes to jazz up our chicken pieces.

Okay, so this is what you do:

I like to make up the mix and marinate in the morning or the night before for better flavour, but you don’t have to. Use any chicken pieces you like. If you have drumsticks, I put two slashes in the meaty part. It makes the chicken cook quicker and it helps get the flavour into the meat. I like to massage the marinade into the meat with my hands to really get it well coated (and maybe it feels a bit therapeutic as well!). These marinades are good for about 500g – 700g of meat. Any more than that, double the recipe.

At dinner time, just whack your chicken in the oven and while they are cooking, steam some fresh veges or knock together a salad. I use either a pyrex lasagne dish or a rack on a biscuit tray, both uncovered.

How long it will take to cook depends on the cut of chicken you use. I find chicken breast or thigh fillets take about 10-15 minutes and chicken on the bone, about 25-30 minutes. I usually cook it on 200º celsius, as this gives a nice brown, caramelization on the chicken. Baste a few times with the marinade if you like.

I always make extra for lunches the next day. The chicken is really beautiful sliced cold on top of a salad or in a sandwich or wrap. You could also use the extra to put on top of pizzas for the next night’s dinner. Get creative and save yourself time in the kitchen!

Healthy, wholesome food, dead easy!

Sticky Pomegranate Chicken

This one (pictured) is simply 1/2 cup of tomato relish or chutney and 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses. When I am organized, I make my own tomato relish with rapadura sugar in the thermomix. When I am not, I just use the Macro organic one from Woolworths. Just check the one you use has no numbers! If you can’t get pomegranate molasses, balsamic glaze is also really nice in this recipe. Yes, there is a bit of sugar in these products, but you are only using a little bit and it makes it nice and sticky and appealing to kids. The excess marinade left in the pan also makes a nice little bit of sauce to go over the chicken.

Spicy Yoghurt Chicken

Mix together really well, 1/2 cup of natural, organic greek yoghurt with 1 tablespoon of organic spice blend or 1-2 tablespoons of curry paste. I really like the Five AM brand of yoghurt – there are no fillers or anything artificial added. For spice mix, we like Your Inspiration at Home blends. You could also try the mild curry rub from Artisse Organics or the blends from Gourmet Organic Herbs. If you are clever, make your own blends! I just find that using a blend is easy and it gets used up quickly, rather than having heaps of spices in the pantry.

Use more or less spice, depending on how much your kids like. Or you can make up a very mild batch for them and make an extra-spicy adult batch. I like to cook this one on a rack so the chicken doesn’t go too wet and gloopy, but goes nice and dry and crispy.

Maple Mustard Chicken

This is a beautiful combination – sticky and flavoursome. Just mix 1/2 cup of dijon mustard with 1/4 cup of maple syrup. You can now get organic mustard from the Woolworths Macro range. Always buy real maple syrup, not imitation maple flavoured syrup – it’s loaded with artificial stuff! This recipe is also really tasty if you wrap the chicken pieces in some good quality organic bacon first. Mmmmm yummy. I like to cook this one one a rack too, but you don’t need to!

Okay, so they are just some of the ways we like to jazz up our chicken. I have a few more ideas up my sleeve I will share with you in the coming weeks.

How do you jazz up your chicken? Leave me a comment or a link!

Get Lee’s new book at my affiliate link here.

Choc Banana Protein Smoothie

July 29, 2013 · 27 Comments

Choc Banana Protein Smoothie

I have been experimenting with different smoothies lately.

They are a great way to get superfoods into your diet. This recipe came to me in the middle of the night (and yes, I had to get out of bed and write it down so I didn’t forget it).

I wanted to make a smoothie for breakfast that tasted good but also had a good amount of protein to get me through the morning. It did both of those things. I was actually a little surprised at how well it filled me up – sometimes drinking smoothies for breakfast means I need to eat morning tea!

Let me give you a rundown on some of the superfoods and why they are so good for you before we get to the recipe.

* CACAO. Rich in magnesium, iron and antioxidants, cacao is also a natural appetite suppressant. But what I love most about it, is that it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which leads to the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of joy and may help prevent mild depression. Start the day off happy!

* MACA POWDER. I am a recent convert to maca powder, but I am loving the general health benefits and feelings of energy I get when I take it. Maca is a nutritionally packed super food rich in amino acids, vitamins minerals & essential fatty acids. Maca is rich in vitamin B12 and protein (handy for vegans). It contains vitamins B1, B2, B12, C and E. It provides plenty of calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and amino acids.

It is also well-known for helping to regulate hormones, increasing libido, increasing energy, improving acne and skin conditions and alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety. Read more here.

* CINNAMON. I put cinnamon in everything. Not only because I love the taste, but cinnamon has so many health benefits, including lowering our blood sugar. It can also help with things like PMS, candida, arthritis, headaches and migraine! Read more here.

* BANANAS. High in potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and antioxidants, bananas also produce tryptophan! Find out some more good things about nanas here.

* ALMONDS. Almonds are a good source of calcium, vitamin E, some of the B vitamins, and are about 20 percent protein, so they are also very filling. Copper, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, magnesium, manganese and selenium are present in almonds.

* INCA INCHI POWDER. You may not have heard of inca inchi before. It’s fast becoming very popular as a natural protein supplement. Inca Inchi Protein Powder is over 60% complete protein. It’s also high in vitamins A and E, calcium and omega 3.

“Inca inchi powder is made from the nut that has been cold pressed to remove the oil (Inca Inchi Oil). The dried nut powder contains one of the most highly digestible, low-irritant, high quality proteins (unlike some whey based, chemically enhanced protein) and thus has become one of nature’s superfoods!” Cyndi O’Meara

So this little smoothie is a powerhouse of nutrition, will fill you up and make you happy! Now, Let me tell you how to make it:

Choc Banana Protein Smoothie

Vital stats: dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, egg-free, vegan, vegetarian, full of superfoods!

Okay, so this is what you need:

1 organic banana

1 cup (250ml) organic milk of your choice (I used nut milk)

1 teaspoon inca inchi powder

1 teaspoon maca powder

2 teaspoons raw, organic cacao

2 teaspoons almond or other nut butter

1 large medjool date

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Okay, so this is what you do:

Whack everything into your blender/thermomix/ food processor and whizz it like crazy for a minute.

Pour into a glass and enjoy! It serves one large glass or two small.

Do you like smoothies for breakfast? What do you put in them?

Get superfoods at my affiliate shop.

10 Healthy Muffin Recipes

July 11, 2013 · 35 Comments

10 Healthy Muffin Recipes

Who doesn’t love a hot muffin straight from the oven? Even better when they are made with love and real foods.

I have 10 amazing healthymuffin recipes for you, from some very clever Natural, New Age Mums

They are perfect for lunchboxes, mum’s morning tea or just a sweet treat after dinner.

Actually, some are cupcakes and some are muffins. I really don’t know what the difference is. Maybe we feel more virtuous eating muffins rather than cupcakes?? Let’s go with that!

These Chai Cupcakes from Katrina at Farmer K’s Kitchen are sublime. I could not stop eating them!! They are gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free and dairy-free (I use coconut oil instead of butter).

Kristin at Mamacino makes these Banana Maple Muffins that are verrrry tasty. They are grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-fre and sugar-free.

Alexx’s Coconut Cupcakes at Alexx Stuart are fast gaining legendary status around foodie circles. Check them out and see what you think! They are grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and nut-free.

Date and Cinnamon Muffins from the beautiful Brenda at Brenda Janscheck Health and Lifestyle. They are wheat-free, nut-free, sugar-free and easy to make dairy-free (just use oil instead of butter).

Jane from Marinya Cottage Kitchen has these delicious Little Hummingbird Cakes. They are grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and sugar-free.

Iwa from Additive Free Bites says this is her most popular recipe! Lemon, Coconut and Chia Seed Muffins. Yum. They are wheat-free, nut-free and easy to make dairy free but using oil and a milk substitute.

Blueberry Muffins (my favourite) from Tash at A Girl, A Guy, Fur Kids and Food. Tash is very clever and has given you options so you can make them egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free and sugar-free. They are nut-free too!

What about a raw muffin? Yes, there is such a thing. Check out these yummy raw Carrot Cupcakes with Orange Vanilla Frosting from Fully Raw via Rachel Campbell. They are vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free and sugar-free.

If you are not into sweets, a savoury muffin if delicious with soup. Beck at Author Rebecca Mugridge makes these fabulous Fetta and Sundried Tomato Muffins. They are vegetarian and nut-free.

Healthy Chocolate Muffins from me! Grain free, gluten free, nut free, dairy free!

Do you have an awesome, healthy muffin recipe? Link us up!

Beetroot and Strawberry Brownies

June 19, 2013 · 41 Comments

You may have noticed on Facebook the other day I shared my tip of throwing some vegetables in to roast when you have the oven on.

It saves energy and you have yummy roast vegetables at the end to eat!

Anyway, I ended up with two and a half roasted beetroots and was pondering what I should make with them.

This fabulous recipe by Lori at What Runs Lori was just the ticket!

Of course, I had to do a little tweaking, Australiafying and thermifying (technical term for converting a recipe to be thermomix friendly).

I am so excited about all the health benefits of this brownie and the fact that it has 1 cup of vegetables and 1 cup of fruit!

Here is my version of Lori’s fabulous recipe.

Beetroot and Strawberry Brownies

Vital Stats: grain free, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, naturally sweetened, vegetarian, antioxidant rich

Okay so this is what you need:

1 cup cooked organic beetroot, chopped roughly (you can roast, steam or boil)

1/2 cup virgin organic coconut oil

3 tablespoons organic coconut milk

4 organic eggs

6 medjool dates (without the pit!)

1 tablespoon Heilala vanilla bean paste

1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup organic coconut flour

1/2 cup organic raw cacao powder

1 cup chopped strawberries (or any berries)

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line a slice tray with a piece of baking paper.

Whack your beetroot, coconut oil, coconut milk, eggs, dates and vanilla into the thermomix.

I don’t worry about melting the coconut oil because it melts into the mix on it’s own (unless it is super cold where you live!)

Blitz on speed 9 for 30 seconds or until all is well combined and no lumps are left.

How beautiful is this colour!!

Now add in the rest of the ingredients and mix on reverse, speed 4 for 10 seconds.

If you want the strawberries to be chunky in the mix, fold them in by hand with a spatula.

Mine ended up smoodged in the mix a bit too much.

Don’t let the mix sit too long. Coconut flour can be temperamental!

Whack the mix into your slice tin and smooth out the top really well.

Chuck it in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until firm.

Cool down well on a wire rack.

For non-thermomix instructions, please refer to Lori’s recipe.

Notes:

You can freeze the brownies in portions if you like.

This recipe is really moist and delicious but not overly sweet. Add a little honey or maple syrup if you need.

Serve it with some double cream or cashew cream and some berry coulis if you want to make delicious dessert.

It is perfect with a cup of Crio Bru for a double choc treat that is all good for you (oh yes I did!).

Do you like brownies?

Get the Heilala Vanilla at my Crio Bru Affiliate Shop.