Mexican Chilli Beans

This recipe is super easy and cheap to make and great for a vegetarian option.  Make ahead of time and freeze for those nights when you don't want to cook and lets face it we all have those nights.  

Use instead of mince in taco's, on nacho' s or over a baked Kumera (sweet potato) or baked potato.


Ingredients – Thermomix

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 clove of garlic, peeled (or 1 teaspoon of minced garlic)

1 red chili or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili flakes

2 large carrots, roughly chopped

1 red capsicum, deseeded and roughly chopped

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

20g olive oil

1 tin kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste (a few grinds of each)

How to – Thermomix

1. Add garlic, onion, chilli, carrots and capsicum to TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7. 
2. Scrape down sides of bowl, add oil and saute for 3 minutes at 100C on speed 1.
3. Add cumin, coriander and paprika, and saute for a further 1 minute at 100C on speed 1.
4. Add the beans, tomato paste, tin tomatoes, soy sauce, salt and pepper and cook for 17 minutes at 100C on reverse + speed soft. 

Dairy free sour cream - Thermomix

Soak nuts and seeds overnight in water. Add all ingredients (including soaking water) to Thermomix and blend for 1 minute on speed 9, scrape down sides, blend again until smooth:

85g (1/2 cup) sunflower seeds
85g (1/2 cup) pine nuts
250g (1 cup) filtered water
1 tsp sea salt
75g (1/3 cup) fresh lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, or dash of garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

If you want to use this ‘sour cream’ in sweet dishes, leave out the onion powder and garlic!

(Original recipe from “Rejuvenate Your Life” by Serene Allison; variation by me.)

Cheaper version

Soak nuts and seeds overnight in water. Add all ingredients (including soaking water) to Thermomix and blend for 1 minute on speed 9, scrape down sides, blend again until smooth:

100g blanched almonds (you can blanch your own by pouring boiling water over raw almonds, leaving to sit for a while, then popping the skins off)
50g sunflower seeds
1 tsp herb/vege salt
3 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp *savoury yeast flakes
60g fresh lemon juice
250g filtered water


Tip:
* You can buy savoury yeast flakes from the health food shop – they add a bit of a ‘cheesey’ flavour.

Vitality truffles – Choco dream

Vitality truffles – Choco dream

100g pitted dates (or a mixture of figs & dates)
100g apricots (soak in hot water for ½ hr first)
100g rolled oats
4 t cacao powder (or good quality cocoa powder)
2 T coconut oil (or use water if the budget does not run to coconut oil)
½ cup hazelnuts

Process all ingredients except the hazelnuts until well combined. Add hazelnuts and pulse or turbo until they are finely chopped. Use damp hands and roll into balls. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tip
If you want to make them extra decadent, melt some good quality chocolate (I like to use 70%) and dip them. Set and keep in fridge. Might not tick the supper healthy box :) but a great nourishing homemade option for a chocolate hit.

Green Smoothie - Simple Goodness

Mmmmm just made the best green smoothie ! 

a handful of spinach

frozen pineapple about 1/4 to 1/2 cup

1 frozen banana

2 dates  

1/4 greek yoghurt

almond milk - about 1/4 cup or any milk of your choice, water or cold green tea

1 teaspoon of almond pulp (left over from making almond milk) - optional

Blend till smoothie, tastes so good !

Tip

If almond milk not in the budget, make up a jug or jar of green tea and keep in the fridge, a great way to give your smoothies a nourishment boost !

Enjoy :)

Banana Choc smoothie - surely too good to be nourishing !

This is a great smoothie to whip when you are having one of those I need something sweet afternoons, this is my go to recipe when I feel like a chocolate fix but are wanting to be healthy, yes healthy food can be yummy to !!

Combine ...

1/2 cup of milk 
1 banana
1 1/2 teaspoons of dutch cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of chai seeds
2 dates (to sweeten) 
around 1/2 cup of ice

Blend until smooth! 

If you don't want to use Dutch cocoa powder simply use some raw cacao powder (to be extra healthy, you will find cacao powder at your local Organic Store). 

These quantities are for one serving  -

Hummus

This is the best homemade hummus ever ! Making my own hummus has been a bit hit and miss until our awesome foodie friends came to the rescue, not only did they bring and cook a super yummy dinner, they showed me how to make their hummus ! Yum !!  we will now be feasting on hummus.  Once you have a basic recipe it is so easy to mix it up a bit by adding roast pumpkin, kumera or eggplant etc (just cook a bit extra when cooking dinner). 

Ingredients 

300g chickpeas (cooked)

2 cloves garlic

Lemon juice from 1-2 lemons 1/2 cup approx 

2 tablespoon tahini 

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste (three grinds) 

80 ml olive oil 

1 teaspoon cumin ground 

1/4 cup water approx. to get the right texture

Method 

Blitz the garlic first, then add all the remaining ingredients except water, blend till smooth, add water if required (I added 40 water)

Check taste and add more lemon juice, salt or cumin if required (I didn't add anything extra) 

Enjoy !! 

Nourish Snapshot

Hummus as a whole contains plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are great for improving intelligence and maintaining a healthy heart. It also has iron, vitamin B6, manganese, copper, folic acid, and amino acids. Tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine are the amino acids found in hummus that can promote good quality sleep and uplift one’s mood.

Hummus is packed with nutrients that can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Include this in your diet by using it as a:

• spread on sandwiches and wraps
• dressing to your salad or pasta
• dip for raw vegetables
• side dish for main courses

Beetroot and Carrot Salad

This is one of my favourite salad recipes and is always a hit with family and friends. It is such a simple, tasty and nutritious side dish that goes well with almost any meal. I really recommend you give it a go and experience the benefits of these incredible ingredients for yourself! I have no doubt it will soon become one of your favourite salad recipes too.

I have also included some of the numerous amazing health benefits of carrot and beetroot below, to boost your enthusiasm to try this recipe and others like it.

INGREDIENTS
1 large peeled whole beetroot
1/2 C shredded coconut
2 peeled carrots
1/2 C organic raisins
1 T Raw honey

INSTRUCTIONS
Warm honey in saucepan on low heat to melt. Grate beetroot and carrot or place in Thermomix and pulse to desired consistency.
Mix honey, beetroot and carrot with shredded coconut, raisins
Serves 4

Nourish Snapshot - Beetroot

Beetroot is related to Chard, Spinach, Sugar Beets and Quinoa. Originally only the leaves were used for culinary purposes, while the roots were kept for medicinal use.

The numerous health benefits of Beetroot include:

·        They are one of the best bodily cleansers – they dissolve and eliminate acid crystals from the kidneys

·        Build strong blood

·        Detoxify the liver and gallbladder

·        Contain iron which cleanses blood cells and helps to wash away fatty deposits

·        They stimulate lymph fluid – for detoxification

·        They lubricate the intestines and are recommended for constipation

Nourish Snapshot - Carrot

The abundance of health benefits of carrot, include: Detoxifying, alkalinising, cleansing, nourishing and stimulating to almost every body system

·        They are great for the liver and digestive tract

·        Helping kidney function

·        Help to balance the endocrine and adrenal systems

·        Increasing bulk elimination from the colon

·        Rich in Beta Carotene, a strong antioxidant and the precursor to Vitamin A

·        Beneficial for the eyes

·        Improves the immune system, by helping it to produce ‘killer cells’

·        They contain an oil that helps to kill parasites and unhealthy bacteria

There are many more benefits to eating carrots, but the above list is enough in my book and they are readily available, cheap and make a great on the run snack. I will often prepare a container full of sliced carrot (kept in the fridge wrapped in a damp clean tea towel) ready to grab as a snack.

Give this salad recipe a try and please let me know how you get on – or if you have any other recipe suggestions for these two wonderful ingredients!

Chocolate Chunk Biscuits GF

These are really good and easy to whip up.  If you wanted them to be nut free just use 1 cup on sunflower seed butter.  We made our own almond butter using raw almonds and blending in the Thermomix.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter 
1/2 cup Almond butter
⅓ cup raw honey
1 egg, whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 to 1 cup Chocolate chunks (use a dark chocolate bar roughly cut up or dark chocolate chips)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 180 C
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out a dollop of cookie mix and pour onto baking sheet. Space out so cookies do not form together when they bake.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, be careful not to overcook these.
Put on cooler rack.
Enjoy!

These last well in an airtight jar. They were still great day 3.

Berry Jam

A super easy recipe using Chia seeds. Also great to use as a berry sauce - pour over Greek yoghurt or homemade ice cream.

1 cup of your favorite berries
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1 tsp of honey


Simply toss 1 cup of your favorite berries into a blender with 1 tbsp of chia seeds, and a tsp of honey.

Blend, pour into a jar and place in the fridge over night. The chia seeds create a lovely jelly like texture to the sweet berries and honey.

Fresh, easy, and artificial sugar's and pectin free jam!

Banana Pancakes

These nourishing pancakes are quick to whip up and taste great...ideal for a that special weekend brunch.

Banana Pancakes
1/3 cup of oat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Banana
1/4 cup of milk
1 egg

serve with:
1/2 banana
Berries of choice
Plain Greek yogurt
Raw honey

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz on high for about 10 seconds or until the mixture is combined. (The mixture should be runny)

Turn the fry pan onto medium heat. Melt a little bit of butter in a non-stick fry pan pour 1/3 of the mixture into the fry pan and tilt the pan in a circle to spread the crepe out so it's nice and thin, about hand size. Cook until bubbles start to form in the centre of the crepe then flip the crepe and cook it on the other side.

Serve warm with banana, berries of choice and Greek yogurt, drizzly honey on top or mix with the Greek yogurt.
Makes 1 serve

Tips:
Times by 3 for 4 people
To make your own oat flour just place oats in #Thermomix or Kitchen Wiz and blitz till flour like