Hopefully, you can forgive me with these ‘so easy to throw together you might actually be considered a proper baker’ muffins.

The husband fancied some kind of chocolate fix, and ever the diligent partner (and control freak when it comes to the kitchen) I gladly stepped in (this benefits me hugely as I know I can create something pretty good without any unnecessary sugars). The bananas provide the sweetness so no added sugar is needed (er, although they do have dark chocolate chips which makes them a teensy bit decadent, but hey, life’s about balance eh? You could substitute the dark chocolate for vegan chocolate if you wanted to. Straight out the oven with the chocolate melting and gooey peanut butter centre makes this one of my most favourite happy accidents to date. Please do give them a go and let me know you think!

Prep time: 15 mins

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The beauty of overnight oats is that there’s no exact precision when it comes to making it.  The basic rule of thumb is one part oats to one part liquid.   That aside, you can pretty much add what ever ingredients that take your fancy.

These will keep in the fridge covered for 3 days, although you may need to add some more milk to loosen it.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

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Whenever I’m making it, I think ‘why don’t I make this more often?’. And then I remember. Making pancakes is a messy job. 5 minutes to whizz up all the ingredients. And then somehow in the making process I seem to get the batter EVERYWHERE. All over the kitchen, the walls, the surfaces, me.

No fun.

I am in awe of American families who make 10,000 of these for breakfast and make it look so easy. How do they do that? It takes me about 5000 hours hours to cook the entire lot.  If you have any tips for me please do share!

Moving on. These are my favourite pancakes to date. I used my standard recipe and added some peanut butter to the mix – DIVINE! I hope your pancake flipping skills are much better than mine.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free oats
• 2 medium sized ripe bananas
• 2 medium eggs
• 240g cottage cheese
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• Oat milk to thin to desired consistency

Directions:

1. Blitz all the ingredients together (I used my NutriBullet)
2. Melt butter/coconut oil over a medium flame
3. Spoon two tablespoons of batter onto the pan (I use food rings to keep the pancakes contained)
4. Cook for a few minutes then flip over and cook until done.
5. Serve with whatever takes your fancy – bananas and berries work really well or some dark chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy!

Disclaimer: That makes it sounds SO easy! Don’t be disheartened if yours end up a bit crap, or a bit burnt, or not round. I always ruin the first few until I get into a bit of a groove (yes I still ate them). The main thing is that they will still taste amazing, are full of protein, have no refined sugar and are gluten free. Winner.

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Over-ripe, about to die bananas make the best banana bread, so don’t ever throw them away.  This is a doddle to make, and will make you look like quite the accomplished baker (even when you’re not – like me – hah!).

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 ripe, medium bananas (the more the merrier I say), mashed
• 2 eggs, large
• 1/2 cup organic peanut butter (I used salted, smooth peanut butter but any would do). Almond butter would work well too
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted (can substitute for coconut oil too)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1/4 cup agave/honey (optional)
• 1 cup of gluten free oats, ground (I use my nutribullet but any kind of blender/food processor will do)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• Handful of dark chocolate chips (optional)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 175°C (I use a fan oven)
2. Line a standard loaf pan (9 x 5 ) with baking parchment (this makes for super easy removal of the banana bread, alternatively you could oil the pan)
3. In a large bowl mix together the oats, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt
4. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, banana, peanut butter, vanilla essence, butter and agave/honey (if using)
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently stir to combine (be careful not to over mix)
6. Gently fold in the chocolate chips if using
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until set in the centre and a knife/tooth pick comes out clean.  It’s easy to burn this so keep an eye on it!
8. Let it cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before moving to a wire rack to let cool completely (although this almost never happens – there is little else that makes me happier that warm banana bread with melting chocolate chips in the middle!)
9. Dig in!
10. This stores well in an airtight container for up to a week, although ours tends to get devoured way before then.

Additional notes:

This mix also works well as muffins. Instead of filling a loaf pan, divide the batter into muffin cases in a muffin tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife runs clear. This batter makes about 14 muffins.

The post Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana Bread appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

Curry’s are very much a part of my culture, and I’ve got to admit I much prefer vegetable based ones these days as they have so much flavour and added goodness.

Good food that tastes good too.

This dish came about rather randomly, as it’s not made in the traditional way.  I had a whole load of root vegetables that needed to be cooked, and so in the oven they went, without much thought of what I was going to do with them after. I had to make something for my 11 month old, and had some chickpeas in the larder, and thus decided to make a curry with it all.

This is the grown up version with more spice and added salt (although if you wanted to make it for the kids I usually just add a pinch of turmeric and some ground cumin for flavour).

If you can manage to wait, let the whole thing sit for a couple of hours (or even better, overnight) as it tastes even better when all the flavours have soaked in.

Ingredients:

• 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, with any loose skins removed and discarded
• Selection of sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and sweet red peppers, diced (2 of each will suffice)
• 1 large handful spinach, washed
• 2 large cinnamon sticks
• 1 large red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 inch root ginger, minced/grated (top tip – In the supermarkets you can find frozen cubes of garlic and ginger – I always have these to hand)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons medium curry powder
• Pinch of ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder (or adjust to suit your tastes)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin powder
• 1/4 – 1/2 litre vegetable stock (depending on whether you like your curry thick or runny – I prefer mine on the thicker side)
• 2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes (tinned or fresh)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (to serve)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
2. Place the vegetables on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender (watch they don’t burn!)
3. Whilst the vegetables are roasting, heat a little olive oil in a medium saucepan over a low/medium heat and add the garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, onion and stir continuously until the onion is translucent
4. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes if using and the remaining spices and stir to coat.  Let the spices cook for a couple of minutes
5. Add the vegetable stock and simmer for 20-30 minutes (you can gently ‘mash’ the chickpeas with a potato masher to soften them a little, which also helps the chickpeas absorb the flavour of the spices. Taste and adjust seasoning as required
6. Add the roasted vegetables once they are ready, add the spinach and let simmer for 5 minutes (you don’t want them to simmer for too long otherwise they will over cook and go mushy)
7. Turn the heat off, stir in the coconut cream, top with coriander and serve.

I can happily eat this on its own, but it would also work well served with some cauliflower pilau rice, or good old fashioned brown rice. Enjoy.

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

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The New Year is the perfect time to start afresh, especially with your eating habits that may have gone slightly awry over the last few weeks.

It’s always such an excessive time isn’t? There’s no other season that makes it ok to stuff your face. But that’s life, and it’s always about balance, so I hope you’ve had a good time doing it!

That said, it’s always nice to get back on track as there’s only so much one can consume in those quantities, so if you’re feeling the after effects of the festive season (I know I am!) then a few simple changes can really help you to feel back to your perky best.

This isn’t about making drastic changes, although if that’s what you fancy, then go for it.  This is more of a quick way to help your body cut down on any excesses, aid detoxification, reduce any sluggishness and to give you more energy.

1. Sip smart

Swap your morning latte for a cup of antioxidant rich green tea, a cup of hot water with lemon or a green juice/smoothie.

Whilst caffeine can give you a superficial boost, it actually places a stress on your system leaving you feeling drained and craving more caffeine for another boost of energy.

It’s a vicious circle. Hot water and lemon is a common cleanser, and a green juice is packed full of nutritious vegetables, helping to restore diminished nutrient stores.

Dehydration is likely so remember to keep sipping on water throughout the day.

2.  Reduce your sugar intake

Alcohol, cakes, chocolate, mince pies…  December is packed full of them and eventually they will zap your energy (as well as becoming addictive).

You need to come off this sugar rollercoaster by cutting these out.  Your digestive system, skin and energy levels will thank you.

3. Think clean, lean and green

Tis the season of heavy, rich and unprocessed foods.  Give your body a break by avoiding these (including red meat and wheat) and stick to whole, natural and unprocessed foods.

Smoothies like this and soups are a great alternative to heavy meals and provide your body with a much needed nutritional boost.

Alternatively, lean meats, poultry, fish, leafy green vegetables, brown rice and quinoa are always a good bet.

4. Stick to 3 meals a day plus 1 snack

Eating constantly throughout the day with little break places a HUGE burden on the digestive system.

If you are constantly metabolising food it leaves little time for any other essential functions like detoxifying, cleansing, recovery and repair.

Sticking to a schedule of three meals plus a snack or two allows your body to be able to fully digest your food and concentrate on the other important functions as well as healing.

5. Move your body

This doesn’t have to be a super intense workout (although it won’t hurt if you’re up to it!), as your body might require something a bit more gentle, but anything to get the heart pumping, muscles moving and blood really circulating.

Sometimes moving in a restorative way like yoga, hiking or cycling means you’re able to release tension from your body in more restorative way, aiding recovery and repair.

6. Sleep well and often

It’s likely you’ve been burning the candle at both ends and the cost of this is always sleep.  Even if you have been sleeping longer hours, consuming alcohol means that the quality of your sleep is compromised.

Get to bed earlier, switch off from technology and get some much needed R&R.

The post 6 Quick Detox Tips appeared first on Neema Savvides | Fertility Nutrition.

This is a great post workout smoothie as the banana (carbohydrate) helps the body to absorb the protein powder more efficiently.

Having protein with every meal and snack is really important to help balance blood sugar levels, manage energy levels and balance hormones.

Serves one.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 scoop Vega Sport Performance protein powder in vanilla
• 1/2 frozen banana
• Handful raspberries
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds

Method

Mix all together in a nutribullet or blender and voila.  Add more almond milk accordingly if you like your smoothies thinner (I prefer mine on the thicker side).

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I always find butternut squash to be slightly underrated as vegetables go, and it baffles me somewhat considering it’s so rich in antioxidants such as Vitamins and A and C. The texture is great and holds a sauce really well.

Who needs pasta eh?

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Noodles

• 1 large butternut squash, spiralised (you can only spiralise the straighter top bits – use the bottom to make soup to avoid waste), or for ease buy the prepared shop bought ones
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 large red pepper, sliced
• Handful of kale, prepared and cut into 2 inch slices OR handful of spinach

Pesto:

• 1 large handful of spinach
• 1 large bunch of basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (plus a few extra to serve
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pinch of sea salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
2. Toss the noodles in the olive oil, herbs and season accordingly. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper
3. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until soft
4. Whilst the noodles are cooking, blitz together all the ingredients for the pesto, adding a little water if it gets too thick
5. Mix together the pesto, noodles, tomatoes, peppers and kale/spinach, top with toasted pine nuts and serve                                               

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The trick is not to over crowd them otherwise they steam and go soggy, and to keep an eye on them as the burn easily (as I soon found out when my first batch were on the charred side!).

Kale is PACKED full of antioxidants, LOADED with Vitamin C, Vitamin K, minerals AND is good for the heart.  It’s an all-round winner.

Ingredients:

• 1 small bunch of kale
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• Handful of sesame seeds
• Squeeze of lemon
• Pinch of sea salt (or 1 tablespoon light soy sauce)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 95°C
2. Rinse the kale and thoroughly dry with a kitchen towel (better yet, use a salad spinner if you have one)
3. Tear the leaves from the stems into 4/5 inch pieces
4. Drizzle over the oils, sesame seeds, lemon juice and salt/soy sauce.  Toss together ensuring each leaf has been coated evenly
5. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and arrange the leaves in a single layer, ensuring they are evenly spaced and not too close together
6. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over and continue to bake for another 5 minutes, then enjoy!

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In the Winter I prefer something warm and comforting – usually eggs, oats and healthy pancakes fit the bill here, however I have been experimenting lately with warm smoothies.

This way I can still get all the benefits that a smoothie provides as well as providing some variety to my breakfasts.

Try this warming smoothie to warm you up first thing.

Directions:

1. Heat the almond milk in a pan until warmed through.
2. Add the oats, banana, almond butter, chia seeds, flaxseeds, cinnamon and the water and approx. one fifth of the almond milk to your blender/nutribullet. Add in an extra splash of cold water if you think the liquid is too warm (see warning above about hot liquids and blenders makers).
3. Blend on high for a minute until smooth.
4. Whilst it’s blending, further heat the rest of the almond milk until hot, but not boiling.
5. Pour the blended oat mix into your cup, stir in the heated almond milk, mix and serve.

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