Tasty Ticker Tipples Popping the kettle for those traditional brew lovers is easy peasy but for your friends and family who aren t keen on a normal cuppa, simply offer coffee, lemonade or a fruit Mocktail or smoothie as a substitution! Check out some of our yummy beverage recipes and ideas below and over the page. Lemon-Zen Green Iced Tea 1 large lemon 5-6 green tea teabags (1 teabag per 8oz of water) 1. Cut lemon into wedges and add to a glass jug, mine is the quadro jug from crate and barrel. 2. Fill teapot full and bring to a boil 3. Once boiled pour entire contents of teapot into your jug with lemons. Add teabags last making sure the strings are hanging out. 4. Put in fridge to cool. Once cooled pull out teabags, pour over ice and enjoy! Homemade Honey-Sweetened Lemonade (Serves 6) 8 cups Water 6 Lemons, juiced ½ cup Honey Ice (optional) Warm water on stovetop and add honey. Once honey is dissolved in warm water, remove from heat. Add juice from 6 lemons (use a strainer when pouring to keep out seeds). Pour into pitcher and chill!
*Depending on whether you prefer your lemonade tart or sweet, feel free to adjust the amount of honey to taste! Also - try adding other frozen fruit (like raspberries) to vary the flavour! Iced Green Tea Mojito (Serves 1) 1 tbsp fresh lime juice 4 large spearmint leaves, plus more for garnish 2 tsp sugar 1/2 cup brewed green tea, chilled Muddle the lime juice, mint, and sugar together in a tall Collins glass until the leaves bruise lightly and the flavors release. Add ice until glass is about 3/4 full and then pour in green tea. Stir well and garnish with mint and lime. Ginger Tea 12oz of water 2oz of ginger root 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cloves 1 teaspoon honey, and juice from ½ lemon 1. To make one mug full, start by heating 12oz of water in a small pot. 2. While you re waiting for the water to boil start peeling approximately 2oz of ginger root. Slice the peeled root into thin strips for more surface area. 3. Add the sliced ginger, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cloves to the water and bring to a boil. 4. Let the ingredients simmer for 15-20 minutes or longer if you would like a stronger flavor. 5. Discard the cloves and ginger when finished but save the cinnamon stick for your next cup. 6. Stir in 1 to 3 drops cayenne extract (depending on how spicy you would like your tea to be), 1 teaspoon honey, and juice from ½ lemon. Pour the tea into your favorite mug and enjoy! Rise and Shine Skinny Coffee Smoothie (Dairy & Gluten Free. Serves 2.) 2 bananas 1/2 Cup coffee, cold or room temperature 1/4 Cup coconut milk* 2-3 Tablespoons coconut flakes (optional/if you like it sweeter) handful of ice 1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. 2. Garnish with flaked coconut or a swirl of chocolate syrup if desired. *Substitute any kind of milk that you like in place of the coconut milk and if you don't need to keep it dairy-free, you could add a few tablespoons of Greek Yogurt for protein. Skinny Vanilla Iced Coffee Recipe (Dairy & Gluten Free) 1/2-1 cup ice 1/2 cup coffee, cold 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk, unsweetened 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Pinch of sugar or a tea spoon of honey (optional)
1. In a tall glass add ice. Pour coffee, almond milk and vanilla extract on top. Add a pinch of stevia, agave syrup if you wish. Stir with a long spoon and enjoy immediately. 2. You can also add cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder. Storing Instructions: Do not throw away "old" coffee. Refrigerate for up to 2 days and when ready combine all ingredients and make a Skinny Vanilla Iced Coffee. Sweet Ticker Treats Sometimes tea just isn t the same without a bite to eat! Check out the following healthier, homemade recipes for makin muffins, cakes and other sweet treats below. Kitchen Sink Cookies 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 65g light brown sugar 60ml applesauce 1 egg white 1 tsp vanilla essence 90g wholemeal flour 50g porridge oats 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 35g chopped dried cherries 35g chopped dried apricots 30g lightly toasted walnuts 55g dark chocolate, cut into chunks Cooking spray 1. Preheat oven to 170 C/ gas mark 3. 2. Combine butter, oil and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down bowl, until mixture is light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add apple sauce, egg white and vanilla and mix to combine. Add flour, oatmeal, salt and cinnamon and mix just until just
combined. Add cherries, apricots, walnuts and chocolate and mix to combine. 3. Spray one baking sheet with cooking spray. Using one tablespoon cookie dough at a time, roll into balls and place 5cm apart on baking sheet. Press cookies down with the palm of your hand to flatten slightly, as cookies will not spread as much as cookies with more butter. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned but still soft. Remove from oven and cool on racks. Soft & Chewy Baked Granola Bars 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour 1 cup water 3/4 cup packed pitted Medjool dates 1/2 cup chia seeds 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. 2. Add rolled oats into a high-speed blender. Blend on highest speed until a fine flour forms. Add oat flour into a large bowl. 3. Add water and pitted dates into blender. Allow the dates to soak for 30 minutes if they are a bit firm or your blender has a hard time blending dates smooth. Once they are soft, blend the dates and water until super smooth. 4. Add all of the ingredients into the bowl with the oat flour and stir well until combined. 5. Scoop the mixture into the pan and spread it out with a spatula as evenly as possible. You can use lightly wet hands to smooth it down if necessary. 6. Bake at 325F for about 23-25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift it out and transfer it to a cooling rack for another 5-10 minutes. Slice and enjoy! 7. I suggest freezing leftovers to preserve freshness. Low-Fat Peanut Butter Bar 100g caster sugar 85g honey 95g reduced-fat peanut butter 95g puffed wholegrain rice 1. If you love Snickers, you ll definitely love this. Melt the caster sugar, honey and peanut butter in a pan. The caster sugar is what makes the bars deliciously brittle and crunchy. Stir the puffed rice into the mixture, then press into a 9in x 9in non-stick baking tray. 2. Refrigerate overnight (if you can wait that long). Remove from the fridge 30 mins before cutting it into 3in x 3in squares. That was so easy. Now you re allowed to devour it, guilt-free. Lemon Icebox Bars The Crust: 14 whole-grain digestive biscuits 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter 1 tbsp dark brown sugar 1/4 tsp salt Cooking spray
The Filling: 1 (225g) packet low-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature 1 (400g) tin fat-free sweetened condensed milk 60ml pasteurized egg product 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 60ml fresh lemon juice 2 tsp powdered gelatine 3 tbsp boiling water The Crust: Place digestive biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until crumbs are formed. Add butter, brown sugar and salt and pulse to incorporate, until crumbs resemble wet sand. Coat an 20cm square pan with cooking spray and pack crumbs firmly into the bottom of it. Refrigerate until ready to use. The Filling: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, condensed milk and pasteurized egg product and beat on high with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about two minutes. Add lemon zest and juice and beat until fully incorporated, another 30 seconds. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and boiling water and whisk until gelatin is entirely dissolved; let cool two to three minutes. Stir the gelatin into the cream cheese-lemon mixture until well incorporated. Pour the filling over the crust. Refrigerate for eight hours or overnight, until filling is firm. Slice into 5cm squares using a chilled knife coated with cooking spray. Chocolate Magic Bean Cake 240g cooked kidney or adzuki beans (or pretty much any cooked beans/chickpeas of your choice - chickpeas are a little stronger though), rinsed and drained if from a can (you will need a 400g can). 120g softened butter (or use extra virgin coconut oil, the solid white variety if you want to make it dairy free, in a direct swap - it works very well) 170g golden caster sugar (or your preferred sweetener, e.g. rapadura, coconut sugar etc. rapadura has quite a strong flavour, so you might want to use less, whereas coconut sugar is not so sweet) 5 eggs 1 tablespoon water 1 tsp instant coffee granules (you don't have to add coffee, it just enhances the flavour of the cocoa - it doesn't make the cake taste of coffee) 1 tablespoon good vanilla extract 75g unsweetened cocoa powder (I highly recommend Green & Black's organic) 1 teaspoon (gluten free) baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4 / 160C fan oven, and use a teaspoon of the butter to grease a suitable cake tin (or put paper cases into a muffin tin). I use a 9inch/22.5cm springform tin identical to this one, which has a choice of two bases - ring or flat. This cake is best cooked in a ring tin, to avoid the centre being undercooked / the edges drying out or burning. 2. Cream the butter and sugar together - easiest done with a hand mixer, or in an electric mixer or food processor - until pale and fluffy. Lightly beat the eggs, add the vanilla extract, water and coffee, then gradually pour into the butter / sugar mixture whilst
beating. Don't worry if the mixture begins to look slightly curdled. 3. Next, you need to add the beans. If you're not using a food processor or similar to mix your ingredients, then you need to use it to blitz up your beans in one as fine as possible, then add to the mixture and combine thoroughly. If you *are* using a food processor, then add your (drained) beans into the mix, and blitz it all together until as smooth as possible. 4. Sift in the cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and add the salt and mix together until well combined, making sure any mixture from the sides is scraped in. 5. Pour batter into greased ring tin pan or cake tin. Bake in the centre of the oven at gas mark 4 / 160C fan oven for 35 to 45 minutes (around 20 minutes, if making cupcakes - you can get 24 small / fairy cake sized muffins out of the mixture - I up the sugar to 200g and skip the coffee, and only use 1/2 tsp vanilla essence for childrens fairy cakes.) or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. (I find it's still wobbly at 30 minutes, but fully cooked by 42 minutes - don't over-cook as you want a nice moist cake). Allow to cool for 10 minutes, before taking out of the tin, and allow to cool fully if you're going to ice/frost the cake/cupcakes. Enjoy, and be amazed at just how good a chocolate cake made out of beans tastes! Summer Fruit Salad With Mint and Almonds 3-4 apricots, pitted and sliced 1 (6-ounce) container blueberries 1 (6-ounce) container raspberries 6 ounces strawberries, quartered Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1/2 bunch mint, leaves only 3/4 cup Marcona almonds In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together. Serve immediately. *Depending on what's available, add in other Spring or Summer produce to the salad like blackberries, cherries, grapefruit, peaches, plums, or whatever your favourite fruit is! Breakfast Muffins 2 large eggs 150ml pot natural low-fat yogurt 50ml rapeseed oil 100g apple sauce or pureed apples (in supermarket baby food section) 1 ripe banana, mashed 4 tbsp clear honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 200g wholemeal flour 50g rolled oats, plus extra for sprinkling 1½ tsp baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon 100g blueberries 2 tbsp mixed seeds (we used pumpkin, sunflower and flaxseed) 1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with large muffin cases. In a jug, mix the eggs, yogurt, oil, apple sauce, banana, honey and vanilla. Tip the remaining ingredients, except the seeds, into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and mix to combine. 2. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix briefly until you have a smooth batter. Divide the batter between the cases. Sprinkle the muffins with oats and the seeds.
3. Bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Blueberry Muffins 5 tbsp rapeseed oil 85g golden caster sugar 225g self-raising flour 2 tsp baking powder 115g wholemeal flour zest ½ lemon and 1 tsp juice 50g light muscovado sugar 1 small very ripe banana 1 egg 284ml pot buttermilk 225g fresh blueberries 1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Use 1 tsp oil to lightly oil a 12-hole muffin tin. Mix both flours with the baking powder and lemon zest. Reserve 1 tbsp caster sugar, then stir the rest into the flour with the muscovado. 2. Mash the banana well. In another bowl beat the egg, then stir in the banana, buttermilk and oil. Using a large metal spoon, very lightly stir into the flour mix, just to combine. Over-mixing will make the muffins tough. Toss in the blueberries and give just a few turns of the spoon to carefully stir them in without crushing. 3. Spoon the mixture into the tin. Bake for 20-25 mins until risen and golden. 4. Mix the reserved caster sugar with the lemon juice. When the muffins are done, remove from the oven, then brush with the sugar and lemon mixture while they are still hot. Gently loosen the edges of each muffin with a knife, then leave in the tin for 15 mins to cool a little as they re very delicate while hot. Remove to a wire rack. Best eaten the day of making, but will keep for up to 2 days. Grab and Go Bars 150g jumbo oats 2 medium very ripe bananas 60g melted butter 60g cherries 60g cranberries 40g sunflower seeds 40g pumpkin seeds 1. Preheat the oven to 200 C (fan 180 C, gas mark 6). In a bowl, mix together the oats, cherries, cranberries and seeds. Pour in the melted butter and mix in thoroughly to make sure the oats are well coated. 2. On a separate plate, mash the bananas into a pulp with a fork, add to the oat mixture and mix well. Spread the mixture into a 30cm x 20cm tin. 3. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool, then cut into six bars. Carrot & Chickpea Traybake 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 70-80g/2½- 2¾oz dates 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 free-range egg
3 pinches salt 1 tsp finely grated root ginger 1 large carrot (approximately 160g/5¼oz), grated 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line a high-sided baking tray with baking parchment. 2. Blend all of the ingredients except the carrot in a food processor until smooth and well combined. 3. Add the carrot to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine, being careful not to over-blend (the carrot should provide texture and colour to this snack). 4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking tray, spreading and smoothing it into an even layer using a palette knife. 5. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until cooked through and browned on top. Remove and set aside to cool slightly, then cut into squares. Serve warm or cold. Chewy Lemon & Thyme Cookies 150g/5oz ground almonds 1 tbsp arrowroot ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tbsp maple syrup ½ tsp fresh thyme or lemon-thyme leaves, or to taste 1 tbsp grated lemon zest 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. 2. Pulse the almonds, arrowroot, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a food processor until the mixture is well combined and resembles breadcrumbs. 3. Add the maple syrup, thyme leaves and lemon zest and pulse again until the mixture comes together as a ball of dough. 4. Remove the dough from the food processor. Tear off 10 equalsized pieces of the dough and roll them into golf-ball-sized balls, then flatten each between the palms of your hands and place onto the prepared baking tray, leaving plenty of space between each cookie. 5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown at the edges. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside to cool. The cookies will crisp up as they cool, but will still be soft in the middle. Lower Fat Chocolate Brownies 125g/4½oz reduced-fat sunflower spread 2 free-range eggs 125g/4½oz light soft brown sugar 75g/2¾oz self-raising flour 50g/1¾oz cocoa powder, sieved, plus extra to decorate 50g/1¾oz plain dark chocolate, chopped 1 tsp chocolate extract pinch salt 1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Grease and line an 18cm/7in square deep cake tin. 2. Beat together the sunflower spread, eggs and sugar. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder, then add the chocolate and chocolate extract. Stir in 1 teaspoon of boiling water and a pinch of salt. 3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre. 4. Leave to cool in the tin then cut into 9 squares. Dust with a little cocoa powder and serve.
Fruit Yoghurt Jellies 4 sheets leaf gelatine 6 tbsp sugar-free lemon or orange squash ½ lemon, zest only, finely grated 150g/5½oz fat-free natural yoghurt 200g/7oz mixed fresh berries (alternatively use frozen berries) small handful fresh mint leaves 1. Put the gelatine sheets in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for five minutes or until they soften. Turn them a couple of times to make sure they don t stick together. 2. Pour the squash, lemon zest and 100ml/3½fl oz of water into a small saucepan and heat very gently until just warm. Remove from the heat. 3. Squeeze the gelatine sheets to remove excess water and then add to the pan, stirring until it melts in to the liquid. 4. Stir in 250ml/9fl oz water and the yoghurt until they are thoroughly combined. 5. Pour the jelly into four glass tumblers or dishes, cover with cling film and chill for 5-6 hours or overnight until set. 6. Serve the jellies topped with fresh berries and mint leaves to decorate. Blueberry & Lemon Ice-Cream 500g/1lb 2oz frozen blueberries, plus extra for garnish 500g/1lb 2oz fat-free Greek yoghurt 125g/4½oz icing sugar, plus extra to decorate 2 lemons, grated rind and 1 tbsp juice 2. Spoon the mixture into a freezer-proof container and freeze. 3. When the mixture is softly frozen and easily spoonable, serve with a few blueberries and a sprinkling of icing sugar. Banana Bran Muffins 115g/4¼ oz butter 100g/3½ oz brown sugar 3 bananas, mashed 115ml/4¼ fl oz milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 free-range eggs 175g/6¼ oz wholemeal flour 100g/3½ oz wheat bran 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt handful chopped walnuts, to taste 1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and grease a muffin tin or line with muffin cases. 2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the bananas, milk, vanilla and eggs and mix well. 3. Combine the flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda and salt and blend into the banana mixture. Stir in as many walnuts as you desire and pour the mixture into the muffin tray or cases. 4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean. Cool in the tray for five minutes then place on a wire rack to cool completely 1. Place the blueberries in a food processor or blender with the yoghurt, icing sugar, lemon rind and juice and process until smooth.
Chocolate Beetroot Cake 75g/2½oz cocoa powder or powdered drinking chocolate 180/6½oz plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 250g/8½oz caster sugar 250g/8½oz cooked beetroot 3 large eggs 200ml/7fl oz corn oil 1 tsp vanilla extract Icing sugar for dusting 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4. Arrange paper muffin cases in a 12-mould muffin tin. 2. Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the sugar, and set aside. 3. Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla and oil and blend until smooth. 4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the beetroot mixture and lightly mix. Pour into the muffin cases. 5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger. 6. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve Spiced Oat Cookies 50g/2oz porridge oats 75g/3oz wholemeal flour, plus a little extra pinch fine sea salt ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp ground mixed spice 75g/3oz baking spread, plus extra for greasing 50g/2oz pear or apple spread/purée 1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and grease and flour two baking sheets. 2. Mix together the oats, flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice. 3. Cream the margarine in a bowl and beat in the pear and apple spread/purée, a little at a time. Beat in the oat mixture. 4. Place walnut sized portions of the mixture on a baking sheet, leaving a space of about 5cm/2in round each one. Flatten them slightly, with a fork. 5. Bake the biscuits for 15 minutes or until they are beginning to turn golden. Leave the biscuits on the baking trays until they are cool and firm. Honey Flapjacks 200g/7¼oz unsalted butter 200g/7¼oz demerara sugar 200g/7¼oz honey 400g/14¼oz porridge oats 50g/1¾oz nuts, dried fruits or glacé ginger, chopped or desiccated coconut (optional) You will also need a 20cm x 30cm (8in x 12in) cake tin, greased 1. Put the butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Add the oats and nuts, fruit, ginger or coconut, if using, and mix well. 2. Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared cake tin and spread to about 2cm (¾in) thick. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges, but still slightly
soft in the middle. Let cool in the tin, then turn out and cut into squares. Lemon Soufflé Cakes 170ml/6fl oz buttermilk 2 free-range eggs, separated 2 tbsp lemon juice 3 tsp grated lemon zest 1 tsp vanilla essence 25g/1oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for cooking 90g/3¼oz plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 3 tbsp caster sugar pinch of salt To serve berries 1 tbsp honey icing sugar 1. Place the buttermilk, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla essence into a bowl and stir well to combine. Add the melted butter and stir again. 2. Sift the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and gradually stir in the buttermilk mixture, until the dry ingredients are just moistened, being careful not to over mix. 3. Place the egg whites in a dry, clean bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter mixture, using a large metal spoon. 4. Melt a small knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and, when foaming, place two tablespoons of batter per cake into the pan. 5. Cook each cake until golden brown on the underside and appearing dry at the edges, then carefully turn the cake over and cook the other side. 6. When each cake is cooked, transfer to a plate and keep warm while cooking the remaining batter in batches. 7. To serve, toss the fresh strawberries with the honey and a light dusting of icing sugar. 8. Dust the lemon soufflé cakes with icing sugar and serve with the strawberries. Brownies 400g (2 medium) sweet potatoes 100g dark chocolate chips (these melt easier) or 70% dark chocolate 2 heaped tbsp (20g) oats 1 scoop chocolate brownie whey protein 3 egg whites 1-2 tsp honey 1/2-1tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp oil (coconut or rapeseed) Optional extra ingredients: 1-2 tsp coffee, 1-2 tsp orange zest, 1-2 tsp cocoa, a handful of dried cranberries or raisins or a handful of chopped almonds or walnuts 1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees C (350 F or gas mark 4) 2. Skin the potatoes, chop into chunks and cook in the microwave until soft (5-6 minutes)
3. Either mash the sweet potatoes in a bowl or add into your food processor & blend until 'mushy' 4. Add the chocolate protein powder, oats, cinnamon and baking powder & blend/mix again 5. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together (in a microwave - stir every 20 seconds and make sure that the chocolate doesn't burn) and add to the blender along with the egg whites and honey and blend. (& then stir in any extra ingredients) 6. Pour your mixture into a lined or greased baking tray (8" by 8") and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked (a knife into the mixture should come out clean) 7. Allow to cool & slice in to 9 or 12 pieces Savoury Delights If you ve decided to go the extra mile and provide some lunch, supper or savoury snacks for your guests, the recipes below should give you some healthy inspiration! Hummus with Veggie Dips or Crackers 3 garlic cloves, minced, more if you like 30g plain low-fat yogurt 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped 1. Combine everything in blender or food processor and process until smooth. 2. If you need more liquid to make a nice consistency, add a bit more yogurt. 3. Chill and serve with vegetables such as celery, carrots or peppers or crackers. Healthy Guacamole Dip 1 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed 1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice, or to taste 1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into ¼-inch pieces
½ red or sweet onion, cut into ⅛-inch pieces 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded and minced 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1. In a blender or in the bowl of a food processor, process the peas until smooth. 2. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher. Add the juice, tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Add the peas and mix well. 3. If the guacamole won t be served immediately, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent browning. Spicy Red Pepper Dip 1/3 cup sunflower seeds (unsalted) 1/2 cup hemp seeds (try sesame seeds if you don't have these) 1/2 of a red pepper (seeds removed) 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Put all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. Spicy Sweet Potato Salad 4 large sweet potatoes 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 1/2 cup sliced scallion 1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves 1 or 2 fresh minced chiles (jalapeño, Thai, serrano, or habanero), or to taste 1/4 cup raisins (optional) 1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into bite-size pieces. Put them on a baking sheet, drizzle with two tablespoons of the oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast, turning occasionally, until crisp and brown outside and just tender inside, about 30 minutes. Remove and keep on the pan until ready to dress. 2. Make the dressing while the potatoes cook. Put the remaining six tablespoons of oil in a blender, along with the vinegar, bell pepper, cumin, and zest if you're using it. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Purée until smooth. 3. Toss the warm potatoes with the scallion, mint, chiles, and raisins if you're using them. Add 1/2 cup of the dressing, and toss to coat, adding more if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Spiced Chilli Popcorn 100g popcorn kernels 1 tsp cracked black pepper 1 tsp chilli flakes 2 tsp mixed spice
1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pop the natural microwave popcorn pouch (or popcorn kernels) following pack instructions. 2. Meanwhile, mix together chilli flakes, cracked black pepper and mixed spice. Toss the popcorn with the spice mix, then tip onto a large baking tray and place in the oven for 5 minutes until the corn is crisp and the spices are fragrant. 3. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and eat warm or once cooled. Will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. Mini Ham and Cheese Frittatas 115g cubed fully cooked ham 115g shredded fat-free cheddar cheese 6 eggs 4 egg whites 3 tablespoons minced chives 2 tablespoons fat-free milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1. Divide ham among eight muffin cups coated with cooking spray; top with cheese. 2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and whites. Beat in the chives, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over cheese, filling each muffin cup threequarters full. 3. Bake at 375 for 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Carefully run a knife around edges to loosen; remove from pan. Serve warm. Tuna Pasta Salad 2 tsp finely chopped red onion 185g can of tuna in spring water, drained 1 tsp caper 100g leftover cooked pasta shapes 1 tbsp pesto 3 sundried tomatoes, chopped 2 tsp olive oil 1. Mix the onion, capers, pesto and oil. 2. Flake the tuna into a bowl with the pasta and tomatoes, then stir in the pesto mix. Roasted Vegetable Cous Cous or Quinoa Salad Cup of Quinoa or cous cous 2 tbl spoons of mild curry powder 3 peppers (preferably 3 different colours) 1 medium onion Half a courgette 3 tbl spoons of balsamic vinegar 2 tbl spoons of honey 2 tbl spoons of oil (preferably?) Handful of feta cheese A few sprigs of parsley 1. For the roasted vegetables, chop the peppers, onion and courgette into small to medium size chunks, add to a baking tray and mix in the balsamic vinegar, honey and oil and put into oven on 200c for around 30minutes or until the vegetables have softened and the onion has browned a little.
2. For the cous cous or quinoa - add the curry powder to either the cous cous or quinoa and then follow packet instructions for cooking. 3. Once the vegetables have cooled, mix with the cooked quinoa and cous cous, crumble and add the feta cheese as well as a few sprigs of parsley and serve.