Ideas with Ryvita

Recipe ideas from advert by Ryvita in Psychologies Magazine (Spring 2021)

Chicken & Avocado

A classic combo, but who knew avos were so high in fibre? Combine 80g of fibre from half an avo with 2 Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads and you have a filling snack with 6.3g of fibre. For added protein, top with chicken.

Ingredients :
2 Ryvita Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads
1/2 avocado
Cracked black pepper
Cooked Chicken

Cut the avocado in half and mash the flesh. Reserve the other half.
Spread the mashed avocado on 2 Ryvita Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads, add the chicken and season to taste with black pepper.

Hummus & Cherry Tomatoes

Hummus and rye breads make for easy high-fibre meals. Add roasted on fresh cherry tomatoes to get 9.4g of fibre over 4 slices.

Ingredients :
4 Ryvita Red Quinoa & Sesame Protein Crunch Rye Breads
100g cherry tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp hummus

Preheat the oven to 200 C / Gas Mark 6.
Toss the tomatoes in the olive oil, season and bake for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst.
Spread the hummus on the rye breads and top with the tomatoes.

Peanut Butter & Banana

Nuts are a great source of fibre and the average banana gives you 1.7g of fibre per 80g serving. Combine these with crunchy rye breads and you have a delicious snack with a whopping 6.6g of fibre – in less than 5 minutes!

Ingredients :
2 Ryvita Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads
1 tblsp peanut butter
1/2 banana
1 tsp toasted, chopped peanuts

Top the crunchy rye breads with the peanut butter.
Slice the banana and place on top.
Sprinkle on the peanuts.

Fruitful breakfast

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (Spring 2021)

This refreshing, original acai bowl from ‘Plant Over Processed‘ by Andrea Hannemann is a great substitute for hot porridge as the days get warmer.

Serves : 2

Ingredients :
2 cups frozen blueberries
3 frozen ripe bananas
2 acai superfruit packs of 1 scoop acai powder
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup plant milk

For the toppings
Sliced banana, granola, shredded coconut, goji berries or blueberries

Place all the ingredients except the toppings in a high-powdered blender.
Blend, starting on medium speed and gradually making your way up to high, for 1-2 minutes, stopping every 20 seconds to mix the ingredients and push them down with a smoothie stick.
Once you see the ‘swirl’, you will know it’s done. Pour your smoothie into your favourite bowl and add your choice of toppings.

The Benefits of Ferments

Article courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (Spring 2021) and taken from Happy Gut, Happy Mind: How to Feel Good From Within by Eve Kalinik.

As research into fermented foods gains traction, Eve Kalinik explains how to easily include them in our diet and reap the healthful rewards.

Some might say the benefits of fermented foods are anecdotal, but they have been eaten for millennia for their health-giving properties. You could look at them as a demonstration of a long-standing give-and-take relationship with our microbial world. We feed microbes their preferred food, depending on the ferment, and they reciprocate by producing positive substances. These include compounds such as organic acids that can help us by supporting energy, detoxification and the production of neurotransmitter chemicals that benefit both gut and brain.

Fermented foods are also higher in both concentration and absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, biotin, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc. The fermentation process also means that proteins are, to varying degrees, ‘pre-digested’, including casein in milk and gluten in bread, which can make them easier to digest and absorb. This is why fermented dairy in cheese and yoghurt can often be better tolerated if someone has issues with straight-up milk, and why sourdough can be easier on the gut than non-fermented bread. Fermented foods also contain prebiotics, which has a positive feeding effect on our existing gut microbiota.

Probiotics a la carte

The other, more obvious benefit of eating fermented foods is the ingestion of a high source of gut-boosting microbes. Think of them as probiotics in food form. In addition, fermentation increases lactic acid production, which makes it tricky for many other microbes to thrive, therefore the beneficial acid-loving bugs win out, which is a quid pro quo for our resident gut microbiota.

Last, but by no means least, there is a depth of flavour in fermented foods, derived from their natural umami. Once you foray into fermentation, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner, and how the simple addition of a spoonful of sauerkraut or kimchi can elevate the simplest of sarnies.

Sourdough depends on a live culture starter. Baking destroys most of these, but transforms the bread into a prebiotic, feeding microbes in our gut.

Kim-cheese toastie

Turn lunch into a main event with this easy recipe taken from the book ‘Happy Gut’ by Eve Kalinik.

Ingredients :
2 slices sourdough bread
Organic butter, to spread
Few slices hard cheese, such as Cheddar or Manchego (try to get unpasteurised if you can); 2 tblsp kimchi

Toast the bread on both sides. Spread with butter.
Lay the cheese on one slice (don’t melt it), top with kimchi and the second slice of toast. Cut into quarters and crunch into the goodness.

Summer Fruits – Smooth operator

Recipe courtesy of The Co-operative Food Magazine.

Nothing evokes summer quite like the taste of plump and juicy summer berries. Whether you’re planning a weekend picnic, making a fruit tart or a healthy smoothie.

Ingredients :
115g blueberries
115g raspberries
150ml apple juice
2 tblsp natural yogurt
Some crushed ice
Extra blueberries and raspberries to garnish

Method :

Pop all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with the blueberries and raspberries.

Salted Vanilla and Walnut Smoothie

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (February 2018) and taken from ‘Well Being’ by Danielle Copperman .

Enjoy this energising drink, which is more like a milkshake than a smoothie, in the morning, or before or after a workout to aid muscle repair. Add raw cacao powder for a chocolatey version.

Serves : 2

Ingredients :
20g raw almonds (with or without skin)
2 tbsp hemp seeds or golden linseeds
30g raw walnuts
110g banana, sliced and frozen
2 tbsp avocado flesh
200ml filtered water or plant-based milk
1 tsp maca powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 – 1g salt
20g tahini or nut butter
2g vanilla powder
1 medjool date
6-8 ice cubes

Method :

Put all the ingredients, apart from the ice, in a blender and whizz on a medium to high speed for 1-2 minutes, until everything is combined.

Scrape down any mixture on the sides, add the ice and then blend again on the highest speed, until the ice has fully broken down and you have a silky smooth, creamy texture.

Serve immediately.

Mocha Morning Buzz

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (July 2016).

This chilled smoothie take on a cappuccino is sweetened with dates, and the rolled oats keeps you fuller for longer.

Serves : 1
Nut-free

Ingredients:-
3-5 soft dates, pitted
2 teaspoons cacao powder
3 tablespoons rolled oats (choose certified gluten-free if allergic)
250ml (1/2 fl oz / 1 cup) unsweetened plant milk
1-2 shots espresso (approximately 2-4 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon cold-pressed coconut oil
2 ice cubes

Method:

Put the ingredients in a blender and blast on a high speed until smooth.

Taste and adjust the sweetness and coffee flavour to your liking by adding dates, espresso or milk. Pour into one medium-size glass or cup and enjoy straight away. Stir in a splash of extra plant milk, if you fancy it.

Flax to the max

Article courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and written by Eve Kalinik.

These tiny seeds may fall short in size, but they’re big in terms of benefits.

One of the most notable facts about flax is that the seeds are considered to be one of the highest sources of ALA, a type of plant-based omega-3 essential fatty acid. These are necessary for myriad processes in the body, including helping to manage inflammation and support cardiovascular health. This type of omega-3 is different to the ones in fish oil that contain EPA and DHA fatty acids. Studies show that, depending on your gender, you may convert more or less ALA into EPA or DHA components – women seem to have higher levels than men. It is crucial that we get enough of these and we should try to obtain them from different sources.

From a gut perspective, flaxseeds give a welcome boost, as they provide fibre that feeds our beneficial gut microbes. This has a positive knock-on effect, as the microbes can produce more anti-inflammatory substances like butyrate and, as research is starting to show, potentially increase out output of positive mood neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

The mucilage gel-forming fibre that flaxseeds provide helps keep things moving along nicely in the bowel too. Flaxseeds are a good source of lignans and are considered a phytoestrogen foods, which means they may have an influence on hormones, mimicking and moderating the effects of oestrogen in the body. This can be beneficial during menopause, although, if you have any type of hormonal condition, you may need to check with a practitioner before you introduce flax regularly into your diet.

When it comes to eating flaxseeds, and to really tap into their benefits, it is best to grind or sprout them. In their whole raw form, the seeds pass through the gastrointestinal tract undigested, so try to grind from fresh using a coffee or spice grinder, and store in the fridge as they can go rancid. Flax is brilliant in Bircher muesli or stirred into yogurt with a lick of raw honey, but they also work as an excellent substitute for eggs if you need to bind in a vegan or egg-free dish.

Suggested products:-

Grind – Use a De’Longhi Coffee Grinder that can give you freshly ground flaxseeds in a flash. Remember to store your ground seeds in an airtight container in the fridge.

Baked – Flaxseeds can give a delicious boost of flavour in a simple loaf. Try Biona Organic Rye, Chia and Flaxseed Bread.

Seeds – You could buy whole seeds from the supermarket and grind at home but, for pre-ground, try Linwoods Sprouted Milled Organic Flaxseed.

Raspberry, Liquorice and Star Anise Gummies

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (June 2019) and taken from ‘The Beauty Chef Gut Guide’ by Carla Oates..

These gummies contain ingredients that help repair the lining of your gut. Liquorice is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds that suppress pathogenic bacteria. Paired with gelatin, rich in gut-healing amino acids, you have a remedial snack that tastes more like a childhood treat.

Makes 375ml

Ingredients :
340ml cold water
2 tblsp grass-fed powdered gelatin
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 star anise
240g fresh or frozen raspberries
2 liquorice root teabags
Stevia equivalent to 1 1/2 tsp of normal sugar

Step One : Pour 180ml of the water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface in an even layer. Set aside for 10 minutes to bloom.

Step Two : In a medium saucepan, toast the fennel seeds and star anise over a low to medium heat for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Pour in the remaining 160ml water, add the raspberries and bring to the boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Step Three : Remove the pan from the heat, add the teabags and set aside to steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the teabags, squeezing out all of the liquid, and discard.

Step Four : Add the gelatin mixture and Stevia to the hot raspberry liquid and stir until dissolved. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring jug, using a spoon to press the raspberry pulp to ensure you get all the juice out. Don’t scrape, as you don’t want to push too many of the seeds through. Top up the liquid with water to make 375ml, if necessary.

Step Five : Place ice-cube trays or silicon moulds onto small baking trays. Fill with the raspberry liquid. Refrigerate for al least 1 hour, or until completely set.

Step Six : To unmould, briefly dip the base of the ice-cube trays or moulds into boiling water. Using your fingertips, pull the gummies away from the edge of the moulds to release the seal, then invert onto a plate.

Step Seven : Store the gummies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Super Snack Tip : Asma’s Beet Brownies

Recipe taken from Psychologies Magazine (October 2015)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
2 cans black beans, drained (approx. 480g)
80ml melted coconut oil
4 eggs
1 cup cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
4 tblsp beetroot powder
Seeds of one vanilla pod
12 dates
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

Step One : Preheat oven to 170oC. Grease the bottom of a 13 1/2 x 8 x 1 inch brownie pan with coconut oil.

Step Two : Add all the ingredients to a large food processor and blend until smooth.

Step Three : Spoon into the pan and bake for approximately 35 minutes until you can see slight cracking on the top, and it is springy to the touch.

Step Four : Leave to cool fully before cutting into squares.

Trends & Facts : What should a balanced lunchbox for kids look like?

Article taken from Psychologies Magazine (October 2015)

healthy lunchbox

Assuming allergies or intolerances are not present, this is a rough idea of what a packed lunch should include:

Carboyhydrates
Sandwiches made from additive-free, wholegrain seeded bread with real butter; wraps made with wholegrain or gluten-free flours; cooked quinoa; sweet potato wedges, mini buckwheat pizza bases.

Protein
Fill or top the above with full-fat organic cheese, nut butters, organic cheese, nut butters, organic meat or fish, hummus, free-range eggs.

Antioxidants
Create posts of your favourite veggie bites with tasty dips (raw carrots, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and celery with tzatziki, tahini, hummus and guacamole). Smoothies are ideas for hiding veggies. Blend a banana, 2 teaspoons of cashew nut butter, a handful of spinach, a drizzle of maple syrup or good honey and a cup of dairy or non-dairy milk.

Calcium
Use full-fat organic yogurt of full-fat organic milk for milkshakes and smoothies. Remember, green vegetables, almonds, tahini and white beans are also good non-dairy sources of calcium.

Better treats
A small bar of good-quality, high-cocoa chocolate (try Oh So bars, a unique probiotic chocolate proven to support good gut flora), an oatcake with hummus or nut butter (check out Nairns range or Heavenly’s Wafer Wisps) or an oaty homemade flapjack or muffin. Try fresh and seasonal fruit – banana boats are usually a hit. Slice one in half, add peanut or other nut butter, and decorate with goji berries, cacao nibs and coconut chips. It’s nutritious, delicious and gets kids’ creative juices flowing.