Date Ladoo

Recipe taken from Diabetes Magazine and shared by nutritionist Azmina Govindji. (www.azminanutrition.com)

A vegan recipe

Makes: 10 – Prep time: 20 mins

Per 33g serving:
Carbs: 14g – Cals: 128 – Sugars: 11g – Fat: 6g – Sat Fat: 0.9g – Salt: 0.04g – Protein: 3.2g – Fibre: 2.5g
0 portion of fruit and veg

Ingredients:
30g almonds
30g cornflakes
60g cashew nuts
3 tsp flaxseeds (golden linseeds)
3 tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp cardamom powder (optional)
12 dried dates
1 tsp pistachio nuts, ground

Method:

Toast the almonds in a dry pan for about 5 minutes over a medium heat. Set aside to cool.
Toast the cashew nuts over a medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool.
Grind the cornflakes until they look like breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients.
Pulse the toasted almonds in a grinder or food processor until powdery. Do not over blitz as they will turn into almond butter. Add them to the cornflakes.
Roughly chop the toasted cashews and add to the almond and cornflake mix.
Roast the flaxseeds, sesame seeds and cardamom powder for about 30 seconds till they pop. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, remove the stones and chop the dates into small pieces. Add to the bowl of roasted nuts.
Pulse or crush the seeds and mix with the date and cashew mixture while the seeds are still warm from grinding.
Work the mixture with your hands until the ingredients are combined. Form into 10 ball shapes.
Dip each ball into the ground pistachios and serve.

Broccoli and Walnut Whip

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from Hungry Woman by nutritionist Pauline Cox.

Maximise your health, enhance your happiness, and re-balance your hormones with these wellness-boosting dishes.

This delicious salad is a nutrient powerhouse. It takes minutes to whip up, with all that walnut goodness and broccoli brilliance leaving you full and satisfied.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli
1 small red onion
A handful of walnuts
3 heaped tbsp natural or coconut yoghurt
4 tbsp Black tahini and miso dressing (see recipe)
A handful of pomegranate seeds

Method:

Cut the broccoli into florets, and steam or gently boil them for 5 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking.
Dice the red onion and roughly chop most of the walnuts, leaving a few pieces to serve.
In a mixing bowl, combine the yoghurt and 3 tablespoons of the black tahini and miso dressing (if refrigerated, mix with a fork, loosen with a little olive oil, or keep at room temperature for 30 minutes before using).
Add the broccoli, red onion and walnuts to the mixing bowl with the yoghurt and stir to coat. Plate up and finish with the remaining walnut pieces, drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon of the black tahini and miso dressing, and then scatter over a few pomegranate seeds.

Black Tahini and Miso Dressing:
Whisk together 1 tbsp black sesame tahini paste, 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp miso paste and 1 tsp salt until combined. Keep refrigerated and use within 5 days.

3 Ways to : power your pastries

Article from Lidl Easter brochure April 2021.

Add zing to spring brunches with these easy pastry twists, perfect for weekend feasting.

Crispy Bacon and Egg Slice

Makes : 6; Preparation time : 10 mins; Cook Time : 28 mins

Unroll a sheet of pastry (use puff for crispiness), cut into 6 even squares and arrange on a parchment lined baking tray. Stamp out the centre of each square with a 6.5cm ring cutter, replacing the circle back into the middle, and brush with beaten egg for colour.
Bake at 220 C / 200 C Fan / Gas Mark 7 for 10 minutes, then push the centres in a little and crack in 6 medium eggs for richness. Bake again, covered in foil, for 15 minutes.
Remove the golden pastries from the oven and garnish with a rasher of crispy bacon to bring smokiness.

Fruity Banoffee Bunnies

Makes : 12; Preparation time : 25 mins; Cook Time : 35 mins

Using 2 sheets puff pastry for crispiness, trim each into a 25cm square. Spread one with a generous layer of banoffee sauce for richness (leaving a border) and top with the other sheet. Seal along the border and slice into 12 even strips.
Preheat the oven to 180 C / 160 C Fan / Gas Mark 4. Fold the strips into a U-shape, then twist twice. Brush with beaten egg for colour and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Once cool, dot with banoffee sauce and garnish with banana for fruitiness and broken waffle for whiskers.

Crunchy Lucky Dip Croissants

Makes : 6; Preparation time : 20 mins; Cook Time : 5 mins

Slice open 6 croissants. Fill 2 with a generous layer of almond butter for richness. Melt 70g milk chocolate or drizzle over, topping with a handful of chopped pistachios and hazelnuts for crunch.
Fill another 2 croissants with strawberry jam, blueberries and raspberries for fruitiness. Top with 1 tbsp natural yogurt mixed with 70g melted white chocolate and decorate with flaked almonds.
Fill the last 2 croissants with chocolate orange spread for sweetness and zingy satsuma segments. Warm through and loosen extra spread to drizzle on top, garnishing with another segment.

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.

Hearty Italian Soup

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (December 2015) and taken from At Home with Umami by Laura Santtini.

Serves : 4-6

Ingredients :
75g pancetta, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 bay leaves
200g each fresh shiitake and chestnut mushrooms
small handful of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 250ml hot water
200g puy lentils
1 tblsp tomato puree
1 large glass (175ml) red wine
2 tblsp soy sauce
1 can chopped tomatoes, plus 1 can of water
2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 1 litre of water
100g cavolo nero, shredded

Step One : Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan, brown the pancetta, remove and set aside. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and bay leaves, then cook over a low heat until the onion is soft and glassy, but not coloured. Add the fresh mushrooms and stir well until they begin to soften.

Step Two : Remove the porcini and chop, reserving the soaking juice. Return porcini to the pan with lentils; stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add pancetta, tomato puree, wine and soy sauce.

Step Three : Turn up the heat and, once the red wine has almost evaporated, pour in the reserved porcini mushroom liquid, taking care not to let the gritty bits fall into the pot. Add the stock. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked but not too soft. Stir in the cavolo nero, five minutes before the end of cooking. Stir well, ladle into bowls and scatter over parsley and grated Pecorino cheese.

Chocolate-Orange Granola

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (June 2018) and taken from The Food Medic for Life: Easy Recipes to Help You Live Well Every Day” by Hazel Wallace.

Serves : 6-8

Ingredients :
200g oats
60g mixed almonds and hazelnuts
30g pumpkin seeds
30g coconut chips
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp salt
60ml maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
80ml coconut oil, melted
1 tblsp cocoa powder

Step One : Preheat the oven to 160oC / 325oF / Gas Mark 3 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Step Two : Place the oats in a bowl and add the nuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, orange zest and salt.

Step Three : Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour into the oats mixture and stir well.

Step Four : Spread out the mixture on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring gently every 10-15 minutes, or until the oats are a golden brown colour.

Step Five : Let the granola cool completely on the baking tray, before storing it in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Salute the Salad : Poached Salmon, Almond and Grapefruit Couscous

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (May 2016) and taken from “Savour : Salads for all seasons” by Peter Gordon.

For this light, healthy meal, poach the salmon in a pan wide and deep enough to hold the pieces in one layer. The couscous can also be served with other meats.

Serves 2 as a main course

Serve warm or at room temperature

Ingredients :
100g couscous
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (shredded)
1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 spring onions
1 small handful of flat-leaf parsley, still on the stalk
1 grapefruit
2 salmon fillets (150-175g each), bones removed but skin left on
3 tblsp flaked almonds, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
1 small handful salad leaves (perhaps use pea shoots)
1 lemon, halved

Step One : Mix the couscous with 100ml of tepid water and 1/4 tsp of salt, and leave for 5 minutes. Mix in the grated carrot and olive oil and leave for 5 minutes. Trim both ends from the spring onions. Thinly slice the green parts and mix into the couscous. Pick the parsley leaves from their stalks, coarsely shred and add to the couscous. Put the parsley stalks and spring onion white ends in a separate pan. Add water to a depth of 4 cm and 1 tsp of salt, bring to the boil then reduce to a rapid simmer. Peel three strips of rind from the grapefruit, avoiding any white pith, add to this poaching stock as it heats up.

Step Two : Gently lower the salmon pieces into the stock, skin side facing down, and bring back to the boil. Turn off the heat, put a lid on the pan and leave for 8-10 minutes, by which time it will be cooked (if the salmon is thin, and submerged, leave it for no more than 4-5 minutes).

Step Three : Meanwhile, segment the grapefruit, cutting off the peel and pith. Cut each segment into three or four pieces and mix into the couscous along with the almonds and any juice you can squeeze from the grapefruit core.

Step Four : To serve, divide the couscous among your plates and sit the salad leaves on top. Remove the salmon carefully from the poaching liquid and lay on a plate, skin side facing up. Peel off the skin and carefully scrape away any dark-coloured flesh (and blood line) under the skin using a teaspoon. Break the salmon into flakes and sit it on top of the couscous. Tuck in a lemon half and serve.

Salute the Salad : Grilled Carrots, Manchego, Orange, Agave, Pecans and Sultanas

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and taken from “Savour : Salads for all seasons” by Peter Gordon.

This relatively simple salad will seem all the more fabulous if you use a few different colours of carrots. I found the combination of just two colours worked well and decided against using purple ones. I’ve also made this using baby carrots, which looks and works a treat. Manchego is a fantastic ewes’ milk cheese from La Mancha, near Madrid, in Spain. If you prefer, you can use British Wigmore or Berkswell, Italian Pecorino, or some other firm ewes’ milk cheese – something you can shave or slice over the top. Agave syrup is a fabulous, earthy, sweet syrup, which complements the pecans – replace it with maple syrup if you can’t find it.

Serves 4 as a starter

Serve warm or at room temperature

Ingredients:
600g carrots, peeled, halved lengthways
3 tblsp olive oil
2 oranges, segmented
3 tblsp agave syrup (or use maple syrup)
50g sultanas (or golden raisins)
100g pecans, toasted and chopped
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
handful salad leaves (perhaps rocket)
60g manchego

Step One : Steam or boil the carrots in salted water for 6 minutes. If using baby carrots, cook for 4 minutes. Tip into a colander and leave to drain. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper, then cook in a heavy based pan until coloured on both sides and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes depending on their size. Leave to cool.

Step Two : Mix the orange segments with any of their juice you can squeeze from the ‘core’. Add the agave syrup, sultanas and pecans. Leave for 10 minutes, then mix in the remaining oil. Leave for at least 20 minutes to allow the sultanas to soak up some of the liquid, tossing from time to time. Just before serving, mix in the spring onion.

Step Three : To serve, lay the carrots on a platter or individual plates. Scatter on the salad leaves, then spoon on the orange, sultana and pecan mixture. Thinly shave the manchego on top just before you serve it.

Stilton and Walnut Wholemeal Loaf

Recipe courtesy of Ocado Life Magazine and taken from 100 Great Breads by Paul Hollywood.

This recipe tastes delicious with cheese.

Prep time : 2 1/2 hours
Cook time : 30 mins

Ingredients :
100g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
400g wholemeal flour
10g salt
50g butter, softened
300ml water
100g Stilton cheese, crumbled
125g walnuts, chopped

Step One : Put the flours, salt, yeast and butter into a bowl. Add the water, a little at a time, and gradually incorporate all the flour from the sides of the bowl.

Step Two : Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. Put back in the bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Step Three : Line a baking tray. Add the Stilton and walnuts to the dough and mix well together. Divide the dough into three pieces and roll each one into a long sausage. Plait the dough – place the three strips side by side and join them at the top, then bring the right strip over the middle strip, then the left strip over the middle strip, and continue until the plait is complete. Put on the tray and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Step Four : Preheat the oven to 230oC / Gas 8. Bake the loaf for 30 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Fruit and Nut Couscous with Fresh Herbs

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (August 2019) and taken from Summer Every Day by Acland Geddes and Pedro Da Silva.

Fruit and Nut couscous

Serves : 6 – 8

Ingredients :
500g couscous
Olive oil, for frying and drizzling
50g whole almonds
50g whole cashews
50g whole pecans
1 pomegranate
2 tblsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tblsp chopped fresh mint
2 tblsp chopped fresh basil
50g dried apricots, chopped into small pieces
50g raisins

Step One : Put the couscous in a serving bowl and add cold water until it is covered by about 2 cm of water. Leave until all the water is absorbed (about 10 minutes), then fluff it up with your hands.

Step Two : Put all the nuts in a pan with a splash of olive oil and toast over medium heat until they are nicely browned. Set aside to cool.

Step Three : Remove the pomegranate seeds by cutting the fruit in half, holding it over a bowl and bashing the outside with the back of a wooden spoon so that the seeds fall into the bowl.

Step Four : Stir the herbs, nuts, pomegranate seeds and dried apricots into the couscous. Add a little olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.