Eating more legumes as part of a healthy diet can help lower blood sugar, blood pressure, heart rate, and other heart disease and diabetes risks.

INGREDIENTS -:

Serves 4

1 tbsp. coconut oil

2 medium onions

4- 6 cloves garlic

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. cumin

4 ears fresh corn

2 cups vegetable broth

1 x 270ml tin coconut cream (can replace with broth if desired)

1 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice

½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight (4 hours minimum)

METHOD -:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add turmeric, cumin and cayenne and cook for about a minute, until fragrant.

Add onions and salt, and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic. If the bottom of the pot becomes dry, add a little broth instead of oil to moisten things up.

While the onions and garlic are cooking, husk the cobs of corn. Cut off the kernels by standing the corn on one end and slicing downwards. Add corn kernels to the pot and stir to coat with spices.

Cook for 5 minutes then add the remaining broth and coconut cream. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the corn is bright yellow and sweet, about 5 minutes. During this time, make the coriander cream (see recipe below)

Once the corn is cooked, remove pot from heat and transfer the soup to a blender, reserving a few tablespoons of the whole corn kernels for garnish.

Add soaked and rinsed cashews. Blend on high until completely smooth. Add water to thin, if desired. Season to taste. Return soup to the pot to keep warm if necessary. Serve with coriander cream, a drizzle of olive oil, a few kernels of corn and plenty of cracked black pepper.

ThermoMix style

Place the onion and garlic into bowl, blend 5 minutes, speed 5.

Add coconut oil and cook for 5 minutes at 100C, speed 1.

Add spices and corn and cook for 5 minutes at 100C, speed 1 or until the corn is bright yellow and sweet.

Add broth and cook for 5 minutes at 100C, speed 1.

Add soaked and rinsed cashews. Blend on speed 6 up to speed 8 for 10 seconds or until completely smooth. Add water to thin, if desired.

Coriander Cream

½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight (4 hours minimum)

1 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice

1 cup corriander (leaves only, loosely packed)

½ cup water

1 tbsp. raw honey (or agave)

1 tsp. sea salt

½ small clove garlic, if desired

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until completely smooth. Season to taste. Store leftovers in a sealed glass container.

 1 cup (150g) raw buckwheat flour

1 tbsp psyllium husk (optional, but helps the base stick together)

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

2 tsp olive oil

Water (approx.. 3 tbsp)

METHOD -:

Mix dry ingredients together.

Add egg, olive oil and half of water and mix with a spoon or your hand until combined, adding more water as necessary so that the dough comes together without being too sticky

Sprinkle a small amount of flour over the dough to stop if sticking and roll our with a rolling pin until it reaches the desired thickness and size.

Cook at approx. 220’C until crisp and golden

INGREDIENTS -:

3 cups of oats ( I prefer spelt oats)

2 eggs

2 green apples

2 large ripe bananas

1 cup berries (I use frozen mixed berries, you can choose blueberries, raspberries or a Mix)

3 tbps virgin, organic coconut oil

2 tbps chia seeds (or use any other seeds or chopped nuts)

1 tbps organic cinnamon

METHOD -:

Smush up the banana and whisk in the eggs and coconut oil in a large mixing bowl.

Chuck in the oats, mix it up well and let it sit for a bit while you keep going.

Grate the apple as chunky as you can. I like to do it on the julienne setting of my mandolin. Leave the skin on!

Add the apple, cinnamon, chia and berries. This is where I like to get messy and use my hands to mix it all in really well.

Chuck it all in a slice tin that you have lined with non-toxic baking paper.

Into the oven and cook for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees celsius (a medium oven).

Cool down on a wire rack. Slice with a bread knife.

It is nice served warm with some yoghurt on top (or for the dairy-free, use cashew cream or coconut yoghurt) and more fresh or frozen berries.

It will keep in the fridge, in a sealed container for about three days.

Eat. Enjoy.

Thermomix Friendly: Chop the apple in the thermy and set aside (don’t make it mushy or the texture of the slice will be weird). Whizz up the bananas, egg and coconut oil all together – about speed 4 for a few seconds. Add remaining ingredients and mix in, reverse, speed soft, until it’s well combined. Be very gentle, you want a nice texture.

Courtesy of Natural New Age Mum

Thanks to Jo at Quirky Cooking for this great healthy recipe for Hot Cross Buns with spelt flour, dairy free and no processed sugar. Easy to make with a thermomix. This recipe is also delicious as fruit bread – just cook the dough in a loaf tin instead of making rolls.

Happy Easter to all and enjoy this family time together!

Ingredients;

zest of 1 orange

60gm (3 tbsp) raw honey

250ml nut milk (macadamia/coconut/almond)

70g (1/3 cup) macadamia oil or light olive oil)

550g (4  3/4 cups) spelt flour (I used 150g wholemeal, 400g white)

1 tsp salt

2 heaped tsp instant yeast

1 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon & nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

100g (2/3 cups) sultanas

70g (1/4 cup) currants

Method:

Whizz the orange zest and honey, on speed 9 in Thermomix, until ground

Add remaining ingredients expect sultanas and currants and mix on speed 6 for 6 seconds.

Add the sultanas and currants and then knead on interval speed for 2 mins

Wrap dough in silicon bread mat and place in cold oven with a tray of boiling water underneath. Leave to rise for 20 minutes.

Punch down and shape into small rolls. Place close together on lined baking tray, and leave to rise for 10-15 mins.

Pipe with crosses made from:

80g white spelt flours
1 tsp light olive oil
pinch salt
100g water

Place rolls in cold oven, again with a pan of boiling water underneath. Turn oven on to 220 degrees (C) and bake for 15-20 mins or until golden.

Brush with syrup while still warm. For syrup, I used 2 tbspns of honey with 2 tbspns warm water

2 cups Cauliflower (grated)

1 large egg

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3 tbsp parmesan cheese (grated)

1 pinch salt and pepper

METHOD -:

Preheat oven to 185’C.

Grate cauliflower and steam for 3 minutes or until warm

Place the cauliflower into bowl and add the egg, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well

Lay baking paper onto pizza pan

Spread cauliflower onto paper into circle of your size and cook for 15 minutes or until brown.

Makes 2-3 bases

Raspberries are not only sweet and tasty but are also healthy option for a sprinkle over cereal, add sweetness to porridge or add to a smoothies.

I love this recipe to make a birthday cake for those that don’t like a baked cake or don’t make chocolate their favourite. This is also a great dessert or treat.

THE BASE

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brazil nuts
10 dates, seeds removed
1 tablespoons cacao or cocoa

THE RASPBERRY LAYER

INGREDIENTS – Step One
2 cups frozen raspberries
8 medjool dates, seeds removed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 rounded tablespoon honey

INGREDIENTS – Step Two
2 cups raw cashews
1/4 cup milk (you can use any type of milk, water also works. I prefer coconut milk)
3 tablespoons coconut oil, soft
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
squeeze of lemon juice

METHOD

1. Start by placing the cashews into a bowl and covering with hot water, for the raspberry layer. Set aside. (you can do this up to 12 hours before making the cake, I am seldom that organised and typically do it about 10 minutes before making a start).

2. Place all of the ingredients for The Base into your processor and blend until the mixture is well combined and resembles a fine, sticky crumb. Press the mixture firmly into the base of an 18cm spring form cake pan. Set aside.

3. Place all of the ingredients for the Raspberry Layer – Step One into your processor and blend until the mixture is well combined. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

4. Strain the cashews and place them into your processor, blend the cashews to form a smooth paste. You can add the milk to assist with achieving the desired consistency.

5. Add the remaining Step Two ingredients and blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

6. Add the raspberry mixture and blend until the mixture is well combined.

7. Spread the cheesecake mixture over the base and place in the freezer for approximately six hours to set.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy!

Courtesy of Wholefood Simply 

One of my favourite parts of the weekend, is having yummy, healthy Spelt Pancakes with a cup of tea.

We often think of pancakes with a breaky treat but you can enjoy eery bite with a healthy option.

This recipe is a light, fluffy and totally comfort by having a natural choice for breakfast. While pancakes font have a reputation as a healthy option, this recipe still gives you nutrients that can benehfit your health.

Spelt flour is a great option to substitute for other flours such as whole wheat flours. Spelt flour is much more densely packed with nutrients than the regular wheat flour and gives you a super charges breafst otion to start your day. An extra bonus is that spelt is sweeter than regular wheat flour and has a mild, butty flavour too. Its a lighter grain which helps to have fluffier, lighter pancakes.

A tip is to be aware of how much sugar, processed or natural, are topped on top

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp (30gms) coconut or macadamia oil (can opt to you use soft butter if prefer)

2 cups (250g) spelt flour  (white and/or wholemeal) or can use plain gluten free flour

3 eggs

300ml almond or coconut milk

1/2 fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tbsp baking soda

1 tbsp (30g) raw honey

METHOD

1. Place all ingredients into your food processor and blend until smooth. Or you can place all ingredients into a large bowl and blend.

2. Heat a frying pan over medium-high and place 1-2 tbsp coconut oil. Then turn heat down slightly so that its doesn’t burn the pancakes.

3. Once its melts, pour into 10cm circles of pancake batter.

4. Cook until bubbles are formed and starts to pop in the batter. Then turn over nd cook until lightly browned.

5. Remove pancakes to a plate, add another 1-2 tbsp coconut oil, and continue cooking pancakes until batter is finished.

4. Serve with berries, coconut yoghurt and raw honey, or with yoghurt and fresh lemon.

5. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days and be reheated.

Notes: You can opt for egg free by using 1 tbsp chai seeds and 3 tbsp water or add a touch more milk.