healthy coco pops

healthy coco pops

gluten free

These are definitely a crowd favorite in our family. They feature on everyone's breakfast bowl most days. They have so much less sugar and just as much flavor as normal coco pops not to mention containing no nasties.

INGREDIENTS

180g puffed rice (wholegrain brown rice puffs GM free)

6 Tablespoons/65g coconut oil

60g hazelnuts

60g macadamia nuts

5 Tablespoons/30g maple syrup

4 Tablespoons/20g cacao powder

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

pinch Himalayan sea salt

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Place hazelnuts and macadamia nuts into thermomix and process 2 minutes speed 9 or until mixture becomes a smooth paste with oil, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.

Add the coconut oil (melted) and process for 1 minute speed 9.

Add all other ingredients (except the rice puffs) and cook for 1 minute 80 degrees speed 2. Process 30 seconds speed 8.

Tip rice puffs into a large bowl. Pour nut mixture on top and mix well until the puffs are completely coated in nut mixture.

Place onto a tray lined with baking paper and cook for 10 minutes giving the mixture a stir half way through.

Serve with milk, yoghurt (get recipe here)and berries. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

buckwheat and oat pancakes

Everyone loves a pancake stack now and again. My kids would always ask for pancakes as a special treat so I set out to find a recipe that wasn't high in sugar, butter and flour. After trialing lots of different recipes I developed my own recipe which I believe really hits the spot! They are much more filling than normal pancakes so you'll find you only need half the serving of normal. The banana in the mix gives the batter a lovely sweetness so you may find you can leave the maple syrup in the mixture out depending on how you like the sweetness factor!

buckwheat and oat pancakes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup buckwheat

1 cup oats

1 banana

1 cup milk

3 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)

butter or ghee for frying

blueberry sauce, greek yogurt (recipe here) and maple syrup to serve

BLUEBERRY SAUCE

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon honey

METHOD

Place buckwheat in thermomix or high powered food processor and mill for 30 seconds on speed 9. 

Add oats and blitz 30 seconds speed 9.

Add remaining ingredients and mix together on speed 5 for 30 seconds scraping down the sides as required.

Fry small pancakes till bubbles appear on top & flip making sure they are nice and golden on each side.

While pancakes are cooking place frozen berries into a pan and cook until heated through on a medium heat. Add honey and cook for a further minute.

Serve pancakes with blueberry sauce, greek yogurt and maple syrup (or any other toppings as desired!)

NOTE

To make these pancakes gluten free simply use gluten free oats and gluten free baking powder

chai tea

INGREDIENTS

20 cardamon pods

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

2 Tbsp fennel seeds

1 Tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks

1 vanilla bean

3 star anise

4 Tbsp chopped candied ginger, diced

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1 cup black tea (loose)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Combine cardamon, peppercorns, fennel, coriander, cloves, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean and star anise on a tray lined with baking paper. Roast for 15 mins. The spices will have a lovely fragrance to them. Remove from the oven and cool. 

If you have a thermomix pop the spices into the bowl and press the turbo button 5 or until the spices and chopped similarly to the picture seen above. Otherwise wrap spices in a clean tea towel and use a wooden spoon to crush. Add the ginger, ground cinnamon and tea leaves.

To brew, use approximately 1 heaped teaspoon to dessertspoon of chai mix depending on how strong you like it. Either let it brew in hot water for 3-5 mins or place the hot water and chai mix into a saucepan and boil on the stove for 5 mins. Add milk (can also use coconut or almond) and honey to taste.

For a lovely rich treat add the chai mix to coconut milk in a saucepan and bring to boiling point. Serve with honey if desired.

 

Quinoa, Tomato & Chorizo Soup

Quinoa, Tomato & Chorizo soup

serves 6-8

This is a hearty winter warmer that is perfect for lunch or dinner. It's packed with healthy vegetables and has a lovely rich & delicious flavor.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup lentils (or 2x 400g can)

1/2 cup quinoa

2 large carrots

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 chorizo sausages, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee 

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted) or 2 fresh tomatoes, diced

6-7 cups vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 bay leafs

2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika (if using hot use 1 teaspoon or to taste)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh 

himalayan salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 lime, juiced

lime wedges, greek yoghurt & coriander for garnish, optional

METHOD

Rinse your lentils & quinoa well. 

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil or ghee over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic & chorizo and saute for 5 minutes. Add smoked paprika, cumin and thyme and cook 1 - 2 minutes. Add in tomatoes, stock, lentils, quinoa, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once done, remove from heat, add balsamic vinegar & lime juice. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Spoon soup into serving dishes and top with Greek yogurt & coriander and serve with lime wedges on the side if desired.

salted caramel popcorn

Beware this recipe is highly addictive and parents will hide it from their children because they don't want to share it!

I had bible study at my house a couple weeks ago and made a bowl of this for the kids to eat. It ended up on the mum's morning tea table because they tasted it and loved it!

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients

1/2 cup popcorn kernals

1/3 cup natural peanut butter 

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan salt

Method

1. Pop popcorn kernals using a popcorn machine or stove top. If using stove top heat 2 Tb coconut oil in saucepan over medium heat. Place popcorn in saucepan and coat with kernals with oil. Place lid on top and allow popcorn to pop

2. To make caramel sauce, heat a small saucepan over low heat

3. Place all remaing ingredients into pan and stir. Heat til simmering and slightly thicker and well combined 

4. Pour caramel sauce over popcorn and mix til well coated.

ENJOY!

Hot Cocoa

Let's face it who doesn't want to snuggle up with a nice hot cup of cocoa on a wintery day. 

The problem is with store bought hot chocolate is it is full of sugar and preservatives. I set out to come up with a recipe that is delicious but not super naughty!

Hot Cocoa

2 cups coconut sugar(or rapadura or raw sugar)

1 cup cacao

1 cup good quality dark chocolate chips

Place sugar and cacao in thermomix (or food processor) and blitz on speed 9 for 1 minute.

Add chocolate chips and process speed 9 for 30 seconds (or until it is the consistency of fine powder

Place into jar and enjoy! 

Making a hot chocolate (seves 2)

500ml milk

 30g cocoa powder (3 Tablespoons)

Place milk and cocoa powder in thermomix and cook 8 mins at 80 degrees on speed 4

Please note you can add less or more cocoa powder depending on how strong or weak you like it.

If you don't have a thermomix alternately you can heat milk and powder on the stove top til simmering or steam in a jug using a coffee machine.

NOTE:

You can add a couple marshmallows when adding the milk and cocoa powder if you like.

This recipe makes a fantastic present. Find a jar and make a cute label with some instructions for drinking.