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Wednesday 30 October 2013

Porridge with a protein boost!

This is probably the simplest 'recipe' on here! I've only just started having this for breakfast as I am trying to increase my protein intake recently. Protein keeps you fuller for longer and a high-protein diet is usually recommended for weight loss. At first I did think that adding egg whites to my porridge sounded rather weird, but it doesn't taste 'eggy' at all and adds some protein to an otherwise carbohydrate packed meal! It actually improves the texture, making the porridge creamier, lighter and more fluffy, so its a win win situation!

So basically for about half a cup of cooked porridge, I use one egg white, but you can alter this according to your preferences:). When the porridge is just about cooked, beat in the egg white for a minute or so until it is well combined and cooked through. This isn't a great picture but I was in a rush on my way to university! Serve with fruit, yogurt, seeds, whatever you fancy really!


Here is a sneaky look at some of my Halloween treats for tomorrow, hope you all have a great one!

Xx



Sunday 27 October 2013

Gluten free and vegan banana and date cakes

Made these little beauties for the meditation society social and have to say that they went down a treat!!!  For the flour, I used coconut flour but as I know how hard this is to find in Mauritius, I would recommend a mixture of 80g almond meal and 40g rice flour or spelt flour or if you are not bothered about a gluten free cake, half almond meal and half whole wheat flour.



Before I get to the recipe, I thought that I would attach a link to these creepy witch fingers biscuits I'm planning to make for halloween, for anyone looking for some scary treats. 
 http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spooky-witches--fingers.aspx/. You can't really go wrong with an 'all-recipes' recipe!



GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN BANANA AND DATE CAKES
Makes about 8 individual cakes
I call these "cakes" as they are much more moist as opposed to muffins, you could easily make this into a large round cake, perfect for a dinner party, adjusting the cooking time to the point whereby a skewer comes out clean.  
  • 1 large ripe banana
  • 50 ml olive oil
  • 40 g honey or sweetener of choice
  • About 10 dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tsp baking powder 
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 130 ml coconut milk (or any other type)
  • 120g gluten free flour( I used coconut, variation in intro)
  • 20 g oats
  • 2 tbsp of chia seeds or any other seeds i.e;pumpkin (optional) 
  1. Mash up the banana and mix in the oil, honey, milk and vanilla extract.Pour in the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and oats and combine until thoroughly combined.
  2. Toss in the chopped dates and seeds and fold carefully into the batter.
  3. Divide the mix into muffins cases and bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius.


Saturday 26 October 2013

Peanut butter and banana muffins

These are my new all time favourite muffins!!!!! Just so yummy! Plus for 12 muffins, no added fat apart from 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and sweetener wise only 45 grams of honey! These will not disappoint:) We made these during a girly sleepover, original recipe from my_healthy_habit on Instagram.


PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA MUFFINS
Makes 12 large muffins
  • 2 large ripe bananas
  • 2 tbsp crunchy or smooth peanut butter
  • 1 cup wholewheat flour (about 120 g)
  • 1 cup oats (about 100g)
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds (50 g) (I use 1/4 almond and 1/4 coconut flour)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup yogurt (125 g)
  • 45 g honey (more if you want a very sweet muffin)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds (optional but adds nice texture, could use lin seeds)
  • A few dark chocolate chips to top (optional)
  1. Mash the bananas and mix in the eggs, vanilla, honey, yogurt and peanut butter making sure it is all nicely combined.
  2. Add all the dry ingredients to the wet mix and mix until just combined (don't overmix or they'll become more cake-like vs a more muffin-like texture). Spoon into muffins cases and top with a few chocolate chips.
  3. Bake in a preheated oven at 165 degrees celsius for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Xx

    Monday 21 October 2013

    Quick and easy tuna bake

    Sorry for the lack of posts recently! This year has been so ridiculously hectic compared to my first 2 years at university, only four weeks in and I've got a pile of assignments and deadlines to deal with!
    Anyways I have a few good recipes coming your way:)! This pasta bake was super easy to make for a dinner party yesterday and was delicious! I've also got a gluten free/ vegan banana and date cake coming up which I made for the meditation society and was a hit! Also, Ember came over the other night and we made some peanut butter and banana healthy muffins which are to die for! I've also joined Instagram (mojojojo473 if you want to check me out) and I've been participating in cooking challenges such as "chopped Wednesdays" whereby the ingredients this week were: salmon, avocado, rice cakes and oranges, to which I came up with this plate of yumminess;


    Yesterday's dinner was very last minute which meant that I had no time to make a proper dessert so I opted for pancakes,  such an easy yet impressive dessert for any occasion and very versatile as you can play around with different toppings and fillings.


    EASY TUNA PASTA BAKE
    for 3-4 servings
    • 3 tomatoes, chopped
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste ( or use half a can of tomatoes instead of fresh toms+paste)
    • Half a large onion, chopped
    • 3 stalks of celery, chopped
    • 1 large carrot, cubed and lightly boiled
    • Large handful of peas ( add any other desired vegetables : courgette, peppers, mushrooms...)
    • 1 can of tuna flakes
    • Salt & pepper
    • Optional seasonings: paprika, dried herbs, Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 handful of whole wheat pasta, boiled until cooked
    For the white sauce:
    • 1.5 tbsp butter/ olive oil
    • 1.5 tbsp flour
    • Non fat milk
    • Salt & pepper
    • 1 tsp Mustard (optional)
    Topping:
    • Light cheese 
    • Oats/ wheat bran / crushed rice cakes
    1. In a large frying pan, drizzle in some olive oil and cook the onion and celery until cooked through. Add in the tomatoes, tomato paste, peas, carrots and seasonings, season according to your preference.
    2. Let the tomato mix cook for a couple of minutes adding in some water if it dries up, add in the cooked pasta and tuna and mix until well combined.
    3. Pour the pasta mixture into an ovenproof dish and set aside whilst you make the topping.
    4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add in the flour to create a roux. Stir around for a minute or so to cook the flour and bring it together into a sort of dough, slowly pour in some milk stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Keep adding milk until you obtai a thick but pourable sauce, season.
    5. Pour the white sauce over the tuna pasta mix. Top with light cheese and oats or alternatives. 
    6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes until nicely browned.


    Sunday 13 October 2013

    Teriyaki style inspired salmon

    Just a quick post about yesterday's lunch. Yesterday was my second crossfit class, I woke up this morning with the most ridiculously sore shoulders- obviously to do with the intense 'Fran' workout, crazy amount of thrusters and pull ups. Once crossfit was over I went to play football for a good hour or so which was good fun but the weather left little to be desired at around 10 degrees, winter is sadly on its way. Anyways, after all this I really wanted something filling to munch on and had some salmon marinating in the fridge in readiness.

    I wanted something that tasted like teriyaki but without the excessive amount refined sugar, therefore I used some light soya sauce and honey. I served the salmon on a bed of cooked wholewheat vermicelli noodles, tossed with spinach, avocado, peas and chia seeds. So simple but oh so satisfying!

    SIMPLE TERIYAKI STYLE SALMON
    Per salmon steak
    • 2 tsp light soya sauce
    • 1-2 tsp honey or agave syrup
    1. Rub and marinate your steak for a minimum of 2-3 hours in the soya and honey mixture.
    2. On medium heat, warm up a frying pan and drizzle with some oil, pan fry the salmon for a couple of minutes each side, turning frequently as the honey can burn really easily. Use a knife to test whether it is cooked through et voila!


    Tuesday 8 October 2013

    Spinach omelette stuffed with onion and apple chutney!

    Hello everyone!! This week has been amazing so far! Went to a careers talk which has not only really helped me focus on what I want I do in the future but I also managed to leave with a free iPad in hand- got chosen as the winner!:D I've also started Crossfit today with my friend Ember and loved every second of it! It was only an introductory class but I am  definitely itching to get going!


    The weather is slowly getting chillier day by day, which is gradually making me miss Mauritius more and more as the days go by! I've been indulging in a can of coconut water nearly everyday which although does not compare to the fresh ones in my garden, will do for now!


    Anyways back to food talk! This is a very simple recipe but adding a few unusual ingredients does make the difference!! Firstly in the omelette itself, I added spinach and water chestnuts to the mix. Currently loving water chestnuts, their crunchiness is ideal for something like an omelette, contrasts the soft gooey-ness perfectly! As for the onion/apple chutney, I used some leftover store bought stuff my mum had from her visit here but it is so easy to make a delicious healthy version! The sweetness of the chutney works so well here:)!

    APPLE & ONION CHUTNEY
    Enough to stuff 2-3 omelettes
    • 1 large green apple, cored and finely cubed
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp honey/ agave syrup
    • 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • Cinnamon
    1. In a saucepan, sautée your onion in a little oil until soft. Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook down for about 15-20 minutes on low heat until soft, add some water if it dries up quickly. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

    MAKING THE OMELETTE 
    1. Prepare your omelette as you normally would, either mix everything together or fry your onions & veggies and have the egg ready to pour in. Once the egg mixture is in the pan, spoon a few teaspoons of chutney along the centre of the omelette, flip and serve.


    Simple but won't disappoint!

    Sunday 6 October 2013

    Dry brushing- bye bye cellulite!

    Hola everyone!
    It's been ages since my last post, the last few days have been pretty hectic, flying back to Manchester, sorting out Uni related stuff etc! My sister came up to Manchester with her boyfriend for the weekend which was lovely and us three siblings were once again reunited after about 4 years!


    Sadly, Not much inspiring cooking has been happening in my little kitchenette, sticking to salads and stir fried dishes whilst the family are visiting- it's soooo nice coming back to Greek yogurt though, the one thing I missed when in Mauritius!

    I've always seen a lot written about dry brushing and it's benefits but have only recently properly paid attention to what it actually is. So basically, dry brushing is exactly what it sounds like, you brush your skin with a brush without any water involved. Doing so is supposed to promote good circulation, improve the skins appearance (reducing cellulite- yay!), strengthen the immune system, reduce the appearance of bloating just to name a few. As there isn't much to lose in trying this technique, I decided to give it a go! I've only done so for about 3 days so far but I do have to say that my skin feels so much healthier and my legs feel slightly more toned.

    A few points to remember:
    1. Use a brush made from natural bristles.
    2. Always brush from extremities towards the heart, doing the opposite can put extra pressure on the valves in the veins and lymph vessels which may lead to ruptured vessels.



    3. Dry brush in your shower/ bath before you wash yourself, so that you can easily wash off any dead skin afterwards.

    With so many associated benefits, what is to lose? Definitely worth a try!
    Xx

    Saturday 5 October 2013

    Sweet potato and coconut craze!

    For some reason lots of random bits and bobs pointed towards the need to make a healthy gateau patate! Fresh coconut and sweet potatoes at home (yay finally managed to break a coconut!), ravioli on sale in most shops and basically just missing Mauritius and all it's yummy food!

    Sweet potato and coconuts are actually really healthy foods, low GI along with healthy fats but with the addition of lots of sugar, white flour and deep frying makes these traditional cakes rather unhealthy! For those who aren't sure what these are, Here is what the original deep fried cakes look like.



     So here's my healthy take on this Mauritian street food :)

    HEALTHY GATEAU PATATE
    Makes about 7
    • About 150 g mashed sweet potato
    • About 35 g flour + more for rolling ( I used almond powder and rice flour to make these gluten free)
    • Cinnamon
    • 1/4 of a coconut- roughly grated
    • 5 dates soaked in water
    1. To make the filling, mix the grated coconut and crumble up the dates (squeeze excess water away) together until it is all well mixed.
    2. For the pastry, mix the sweet potato mash, choice of flour and cinnamon together until well combine. It will still be quite sticky.
    3. On a floured surface and with floured hands, make several small balls from the dough. Place a ball in your palm and flatten with the other hand, constantly turning around and adding a little flour to prevent from sticking.
    4. Once you have a nice circle, add a tiny bit of the filling to the middle (not too much or it will crack!), fold the pastry over and press the edges with a fork to seal.
    5. Once they are all ready, place on a non stick tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15/20 mins until golden brown and crunchy!


    Because I had so much sweet potato left, I then decided to make some sort of macaroon/ cookie.

    SWEET POTATO & COCONUT MACAROON
    • 180g sweet potato
    • 1 egg
    • 30 g coconut oil
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 3 tbsp honey
    • 30 g ground almonds
    • 45 g oats
    • 30 g whole wheat flour (or oat flour for gluten free)
    • 0.5 tsp baking powder
    • 0.5 tsp baking soda
    • Cinnamon
    • 6 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut
    • A couple of broken up walnuts (optional)
    • Dark choc chips (optional)
    1. Mix together the mash potato, egg, vanilla, honey and oil until really smooth.
    2. Fold in the flours, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon until you obtain a dough.
    3. Fold in the coconut and walnuts (if using). Drop spoonfuls of the dough onto a non stick baking sheet and top with a few dark chocolate chips. 
    4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.

    Hope you enjoy these recipes:) also just joined Instagram! I'm Mojojojo473 on there :)
    Xx

    Thursday 3 October 2013

    Stuffed butternut squash & courgette halves

    Yum yum! Eating this right now as I write this!! Although this is a very simple recipe, I always find that making your food pretty and serving it in different ways makes it so much more appealing! Here's one of my porridge bowls:)



    Also, just got back from an intense HIIT class! I really feel like I'm pushing myself so much more this time round and can definitely see slow progress! I've also started a "gym jar", 50 p for every day of gym, this is a great way to keep motivated and on track and I already know what I'm going to treat myself too once I've saved enough:)!

    STUFFED ROASTED VEGETABLES
    For the stuffing:

    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
    • 1-2 large pieces of celery, roughly chopped
    • Any mince of your choice, whether meat or veggie, I used turkey- about 150g
    • 1 can of chopped tomatoes
    • Spices of your choice- I used cumin seeds, cinnamon and some chilli flakes (worked great!)
    • Salt & pepper
    • 1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
    • Any extra chopped veg, I used peas
    1. In a large frying pan, drizzle in some olive oil and fry your garlic and onion until soft. Add in the celery and cook for a couple of minutes.
    2. Add in the mince and stir fry until cooked through. Pour in the can of tomatoes and additional veg if using. Add in the spices and alter to taste. Leave to simmer for about 5 minutes.
    3. Season with salt, pepper & Worcestershire sauce et voila your stuffing is done!

    For the rest of the recipe:

    • Vegetables to stuff - I used mini courgettes and butternut squash, you could use peppers, sweet potatoes etc but vary baking time accordingly
    • Some light mozzarella cheese to top
    1. Cut your veggies into halves, and using a spoon try to scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh.
    2. Place on a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 180 degrees Celsius until a knife can go through (make sure it isn't overcooked!). Mine took about 20 minutes for the squash and 15 for the courgettes.
    3. Once cooked through, remove from the oven, stuff with the filling, top with some cheese and bake for a further 5 minutes to brown. Enjoy!