Gluten-free/paleo porridge

If you're either following a gluten-free diet or if you've cut out grains to be "paleo" then this breakfast might work for you, especially now that we're officially in Autumn and that the mornings are getting colder.

This is a really easy recipe that can be done with regular ingredients you'd normally have in your kitchen. It's also very versatile so once you've mastered the base, you can change the toppings according to your tastes/what you have at home.

I'm neither gluten-free nor paleo but I still have it now and again and so do my children. It doesn't taste like normal porridge since they aren't any oats but it has a similar consistency and it's more filling because it contains more protein.

Ingredients: (serves 1)

For the base

• 1 medium banana 
• 1 egg
• 1 serving spoon or 2 heaped tbsp. of milled seeds
• a splash of milk 

For the topping

• 1 apple, grated 
• 1 heaped tsp. of almond butter
• a few raspberries

You can use regular milk if you want, it's just that oat milk is what we have at home. I know, I know this it isn't paleo, so use almond milk or anything you want to loosen things a bit.

Method:

Put your base ingredients in a saucepan and mash it all up.

It's not on the picture but I often add a splash of vanilla extract, which gives a lovely sweetness to the porridge. You could use cinnamon too.

Then gently heat on the hob stirring constantly, you want the egg to scramble together with the banana and seeds.

This is what it looks like all mashed up and raw.

This is what it looks like after, once it's cooked. See how much thicker it is?

Pour into a bowl and add your toppings and tuck in!

You can't actually see the almond butter for the heap of grated apple but it is there, thank goodness, as it really makes this breakfast into something special.

I quite like this porridge to be quite dry, which is why I squeezed the apple juice out (and then drank it) but you don't have too and you could add some more milk at the end if you prefer. If you're not dairy-free, you could top your porridge with some plain Greek yoghurt instead of the almond butter. I sometimes top it with a sliced pear or mango or lots of different berries. Find a combination that works for you - in my opinion, each meal should be special so make sure you enjoy what you eat.

Sour cherry balls

For those who I met at Woodbury Golf Club a couple of weeks ago, here's the recipe of the cherry balls I had promised you - the apricot/chocolate squares are coming!

I have to confess to have largely inspired myself from this lovely lady (http://fedandfit.com/2013/04/07/paleo-sour-cherry-energy-balls/), who should get all the credit for the recipe. I've slightly adapted it and made it metric - 1 cup? 1 inch? 1 foot? Talk metric people pleeease!

Ingredients:

• 340g raw almonds
• 6 Medjool dates (pitted)
• 90g sour cherries (make sure you get the ones that are sundried and not the ones covered in sugar -  I buy mine online)
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 zest and juice of an orange
• Some unsweetened dessicated coconut

Method:

In a food processor, coarsely blitz the almonds (don't do that in the morning when everyone is asleep, bad, bad move it turns out). Add the dates, cherries, chia seeds, zest and juice of the orange and blitz again until you have something that's fine enough to bind together but coarse enough to have some bite. I make sure mine don't have any whole nuts so that I can safely give them to my boys for their snack.

I store them in the fridge and they keep pretty well.

Breakfast protein bars

I'm always going on to people to eat more protein at breakfast and it's true that when having some chicken stew for dinner or a tuna salad for lunch is quiet easy, breakfast can prove trickier. Of course, lots of people around the world wake up to savoury protein rich breakfasts but that not what we're used to do...

Eggs are a good idea, you could even throw some bacon and some spinach if you felt liked it. You could, couldn't you? And yet I don''t, why Mrs nutritional therapist don't you do it? Because I have a guilty secret, in the morning I'm quite lazy. I don't want to be preparing food, let alone doing too much washing up. And the last thing I want is to be clattering around the kitchen and wake up the kids - breakfast is pretty much the only time I have to myself when I'm not working or sleeping.

I like to eat my breakfast in peace and I like it to be quick to prepare, with minimal washing up AND it has to taste good. I will never eat something that tastes bad just because it's healthy, especially not in the morning!

So I came up with these bars, which are mainly made with protein powder and nuts/seeds. I prepare a batch of 6, stick it in the fridge that's me and my husband sorted for 3 mornings. They taste nice, they're filling, they're healthy, take no time to prepare and don't require washing up since it's all prepared beforehand.

For 6 bars you'll need:

• 6 scoops of protein powder. I use Solgar Whey to Go, chocolate flavour and each scoop is about 35g and brings 20g protein.
• 3 scoops of toasted pecan nuts (sometimes I use a mix of pecans, cashews and almonds)
• 3 scoops of mixed sunflower and pumpkin seeds (sometimes I toast them, sometimes not)
• 1.5 scoop unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1.5 scoop coconut flour
• 1/2 scoop of coconut oil
• 1 scoop of raisins
• 1 pinch of unrefined sea salt
• Sometimes I also throw a handful of cocoa nibs
• Water - I'm sorry I don't know how much, I just wing it a bit... I'll check next time and update the recipe.
• Non PVC cling film 
• A tin - mine is 23cm x 16cm

I use my Kitchen Aid mixer because it's there but you can do it by hand with some elbow grease.You basically need to mix everything together apart from the coconut oil which you first need to melt. Once melted add the oil and then a bit of water until it all clumps together - you don't want it too wet or it'll be very sticky; if it does become sticky add some coconut flour.

Line your tin with the cling film (very important or it'll be a nightmare to get out!!) and press the mixture in the tin. Put in the fridge until the next morning and cut into 6 pieces.

Ok, it looks tiny but it's very filling I promise. My husband is practically a black hole when it comes to food and he manages not to eat until lunch time after one of these.

Sweet treats

Here are a few treats that will satisfy your sweet cravings but won't end up on your hips.

Banana and nutty gooey chocolate 

Ok, this probably shouldn't be an everyday treat but frankly sometimes, only chocolate will do. It really hits the spot when you feel like chocolate and it's pretty filling - don't let your children see it though or you may have to share!

Ingredients: (serves 1)

• 1 banana sliced
• 1 heaped tsp. cocoa powder
• 1 heaped tsp. crunchy hazelnut butter (I use Meridian's)
• 1 tsp. coconut sugar or xylitol
• a bit of warm water (about 1 or 2 tbsp.)

Method:

Mix the cocoa powder, hazelnut butter and sugar into a paste  then gradually add the water until you get a smooth and spoonable sauce. Fold the chocolate sauce into the banana slices and tuck in!

Baked apple 

I grew up in the countryside in Brittany. We had a huge orchard so most of my Autumn weekends were spent picking apples in the rain in preparation for the cider making around December. Needless to say that I hated it, I hated the cold, the rain, the mud, the worms, the rotten apples, the lot. Thankfully we also had some eating apples, which were turned into all sorts of hearty desserts: apple tarts (mum always burned hers a little bit but I don't hold it against her anymore), apple compote, apple and banana compote, apple far (a traditional Breton cake, a bit a a flan) and of course baked apples. We were obviously sick of apples by Spring but now I'm quite nostalgic of those times (age I'm sure) and really wish my apples didn't come from Sainsbury's...

Ingredients: (serves 1 - I do sometimes make treats for other people then myself by the way...)

• 1 large apple
• a little chunk of marzipan
• a splash of water
• Greek/natural yoghurt
• Cinnamon

Method:

Wash and core the apple, ideally with an apple corer, it's less faffy. Place your apple in an oven-proof dish and insert a little chunk of marzipan in the hole. Add a splash of water in the dish to prevent it from burning and bake for 20 min or so in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees. Serve with cold yoghurt to which you've added a pinch or two of cinnamon.

Raspberry ice cream

This is an old time favourite with the kids and it tastes so good that they have no idea it's uber healthy.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

• 1 ripe banana
• 2 handfuls of frozen raspberries (it works with strawberries too but not so well with blueberries)
• 1 tbsp. of cashew butter (again, I use Meridian's)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

Place everything in a blender and blitz until smooth. You can eat it straight away but it'll be a bit like a slush puppy in consistency. If you place it in the freezer for an hour, you'll end up with a consistency closer to ice cream.

Protein power

I've found myself recommending protein powders to a lot of clients recently so I thought I'd share some recipes with everyone.

First of all, I know protein powders are hardly the unprocessed stuff I usually advise but I still think they can be useful, especially for vegetarians. I started using them when I was vegetarian and I still use them now when my meal is low in protein - when I work for example, I sometimes have a quick vegetable soup and a then a protein bar to keep me going in the afternoon.

Most people make milkshakes with protein powders but that try as I might I just don't like protein milkshakes, I don't know what it is about them but I hate them. Hence why I got the idea to experiment with bars.

Here are three recipes I make regularly and that I think are really tasty. You'll see, they all follow the same basic recipe and then it's a matter of tweaking a few things.

I know, I know, that's three recipes involving chocolate and some of you will wonder why she hasn't given you any non-chocolate recipes and that would be because she hasn't yet managed to come up with a non-chocolate recipe that doesn't taste like it's come out of a porcupine's bottom... When I do, you'll be the first to know.

I use Solgar Whey To Go chocolate powder because it tastes nice and it's a good quality with 20g of protein per scoop and rBGH free. It's quite expensive but it's worth it, there are some atrocities out there, full of chemicals and sugar. If you care about your health, care about the raw materials.

I've been told good things about Vital Health's vanilla powder but I haven't tasted it yet - I probably should since Solgar's vanilla powder is sooooooooooooo evil. Anyway, apparently it tastes nice and it's vegan.

Choco-seeds

Ingredients: (for 2 bars)

• 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder
• 2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp coconut flour (it prevents it mixture from being really sticky)
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp water (40ml)

Method:

Place the protein powder, seeds, cocoa powder and flour in a bowl. Add the almond butter and squish it about to try and incorporate it to the powder. Add the water and mix until you get a slightly crumbly mixture and that kind of holds togehter. It probably will look too dry but trust me, and press it down with your hands to make it stick together. You really don't want too much water or you'll end you with a sticky mess. 

Once it all sticks together, shape it in a log and cut it into two to make 2 balls/bars. Wrap in non PVC film (not cling film please!) and store in the fridge. It keeps well for ages, although it doesn't really last long in our house so I can't tell you how long.

Choco-cocoa

Ingredients: (for 2 bars)

• 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp coconut flour
• 1.5 tbsp cocoa nibs
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp water (40ml)

Method:

Same as above

Protein Bounty

I call them like this because they really do taste like Bounty bars but slightly healthier! I usually roll them in dessicated coconut once they're done but, for some reason, I forgot today.

Ingredients: (for 2 bars)

• 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp toasted dessicated coconut
• 1 tsp coconut flour
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (not 2 or it ends up being too greasy and not very pleasant)
• 2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp  boiling water (32.5ml)

Method:

Pretty much the same as before except that I mix the oil and the water together first and then add that to the dry mixture - I think it blends better.

That's the mixture, just before adding the water.

Ok, it doesn't look good and suspiciously familiar. Yet, if you have a 4 year old/husband, they'll think it's hilarious....

That's them done, ready for the fridge.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Do you remember me mentioning stuffed tomatoes a while back when I had done my paleo trial? Vaguely? No? Well, let me refresh your memory...

On the hunt for low-carb recipes I had tried to make stuffed tomatoes, something my mother often did in the summer when I was little. So a few weeks ago, before it was too late to get decent tomatoes I thought I'd take some pictures in the view to share the recipe with you.

It's nothing fancy I suppose but it hits the spot: it's filling, warm and juicy not to mention healthy, of course...

Now I used chicken because that's all I can cope with meat-wise. I was vegetarian for a long time and then understanding the impact of protein and carbohydrate on our metabolism literally forced me to put meat back on the menu. I'd like to eat other meats but I don't think I can, at least not now. I cried the first time I ate chicken... My mum's recipe used sausage meat and lardons (bacon), hence why I've added feta and smoked paprika. I'm sure you could use minced beef too.

Ingredients:

• 4 beef tomatoes
• 400g or so of boneless chicken
• 1 + 1 cloves of garlic
• 1 egg
• 100 feta in small cubes
• 2 tsp of smoked paprika
• 1 tsp of hot chilli powder
• 2 tbsp of parmesan
• 1 big handful of fresh herbs, I used a combination of parsley and basil
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 onion 
• salt 
• pepper
• olive oil
• dried oregano and thyme

Method:

Cut the top of each tomato. Core and season them all. Turn them upside down in an oven-proof dish while you make the rest.

Finely chop your onion and one clove of garlic, place in a saucepan with a glug of olive oil and the dried herb and saute until soft. Add your chopped tomatoes, season to taste (I sometimes add a tiny bit of ketchup to balance the acidity but don't tell anyone) and simmer until you have a nice sauce - not too thick as it's going in the oven later on and you don't want to end up with jam.

Now place your chicken, herbs, egg, paprika, chilli powder, parmesan and garlic in the food processor and blitz. Season (not too much salt but a decent amount of pepper), add the feta and mix to distribute the cubes evenly.

Stuff your tomatoes, place their tops (or hats as we used to call them) back on. Pour the tomato sauce all around and drizzle some olive oil on top of the dish before placing it in the preheated oven (180 degrees) for 30 to 40 min until piping hot.

Serve with a generous amount of greens and feel secure in the knowledge that it's not just your stomach and taste-buds that are happy, so is your entire body.

I'm hungry

It’s been a while, sorry – holiday and all that….

Did I ever mention I live in a house where everyone is always hungry? I reckon “I’m hungry” is the sentence (is it a sentence?) that I hear the most throughout the day. One of my 4 year old’s first words was yum quickly followed by cake – I should have known my pantry would never be mine again.

So in a bid to stall the said 4 year old’s hunger I decided to give him a bigger breakfast – it is after all what I tell my clients: start the day with a big breakfast.

I’ve been adding nuts, seeds as well as dried and fresh fruit to his cereal and that seems to help a bit but on days when he decides he wants toast I had to come up with something else.

So I give you banana smoothie! Sounds obvious, now that I mention it, doesn’t it?

First attempt wasn’t pretty and resulted in a runny mess that clogged up the straw, didn’t quite go down the drain but it may as well have.

Second attempt, however, was much more successful and was faintly reminiscent of those frozen snickers bar we ate in the 90s - Do they still sell them??? Hopefully not.

You need to be a bit organised and freeze your banana, say the night before, if you want it for your breakfast. It would probably work without it being frozen it won’t be as thick and not as a good I think. What I do is that I slice the bananas on a plate that I have first covered with non PVC cling film and then freeze. That allows me to have small pieces of bananas, which means my blender won’t break and having them on cling film means it’s much easier to peel off the plate.

Here’s the recipe for 2 people because quite frankly there’s no point doing it just for 1 as it’s so good that someone else is bound to want some.

Ingredients:

·      2 frozen bananas

·      2 tbp of good quality peanut butter

·      1 tbsp of coconut flour

·      ½ tsp vanilla extract

·      2 glasses of milk – we used oat milk because we don’t do dairy milk well in our family but you could

u  use whichever milk you wanted.

Method:

Chuck everything in the blender and whizz until it’s lump free and thick, yet pourable – add more milk if needed.

I’m in the process of tinkering with other flavours. I replicated the same recipe was raspberries and it was good but not OMG it’s good!, which means it needs to be worked on.

See how thick that is?? The straw stands by itself!

One happy and slightly less hungry child.
Gosh, the garden is messy!