All Posts by vitalassurance

Sunflower Seed Smoothie Bowl

Sometimes smoothies are meant to be eaten with a spoon and this is definitely the case here.  Each mouthful will be thick and creamy.  This can very easily be nut free too if you choose to use dairy or an alternative milk such as sunflower seed or hemp seed.   

Ingredients:

1/4 cup activated sunflower seeds, 
1/2 frozen banana, chopped
2 Medjool dates, pitted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
1 tablespoons flaxseeds
1 cup almond milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Roasted Vegetable and Lentil Soup

I have had many lentil and vegetable soups in my time, but this one is one of my favourites.  Roasting the vegetables first brings the sweetness out of them and adds an amazing flavour to the soup.  Packed with protein from the lentils, this soup is clearly a meal in itself. 

Ingredients:

1 leek white part only, sliced
300 g butternut pumpkin, peeled and roughly diced
1 parsnip, peeled and roughly diced
2 red capsicum, membrane and seeds removed, roughly diced
2 zucchini, roughly diced
½ cauliflower, cut into florets
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable stock
½ cup red lentils, soaked for 1 hour
handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper, as required.

Method:

Prepare your lentils by placing them in a bowl and covering with filtered water. Set aside for 1 hour. Rinse lentils after they have been soaked.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Place your leek, pumpkin, parsnip, capsicum, cauliflower and zucchini in a roasting dish. Add the minced garlic and toss to combine. Roast in oven for 1 hour, tossing occasionally so everything cooks evenly.

Transfer your vegetables into a pot on the stove. Add your vegetable stock and lentils. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for 20 minutes until lentils are cooked through. Check seasoning and adjust to taste. Add fresh parsley and serve.

Serves 6-8

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothie

A really vibrant looking smoothie that packs a punch with flavour.  If you like a more lemony flavour then you may want to add the juice of another lemon or even some lemon zest.  No matter how you make it, this is a smoothie that will leave your taste buds wanting more!

Ingredients:

¼ cup activated cashews
¼ cup frozen blueberries
½ frozen banana, chopped
1 Medjool date, pitted
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup coconut water

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Orange Cleanser Smoothie

Orange coloured fruits and vegetables get their colour from anti-oxidants called carotenoids. These carotenoids are crucial in improving immunity and fighting rusting damage in the body which causes chronic diseases. What better way to get all of this goodness into you, then by a yummy, tasty smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 orange, peeled and chopped
1 frozen banana, chopped
½ carrot, chopped
¼ cup activated cashews
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup coconut water

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Banana Bread

Thanks to Wholefood Simply for this banana bread recipe. What I absolutely love about it is that there is no sweeteners added to it apart from banana and dates and my kids love it! Having no nuts in it, it is also school friendly and using coconut flour makes it grain free too! You really can't get much better than this.

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas, peeled and quartered
10 medjool dates, pitted
3 tablespoons hulled tahini
pinch salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup coconut flour, sifted
4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
squeeze lemon juice

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 175 degrees. Grease and line you loaf tin, measuring 19.5cm x 9.5cm.

In your blender or food processor, place your bananas, dates, tahini, salt and cinnamon and process until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add the coconut flour and eggs and mix to combine. Add the baking soda and lemon and mix to combine.

Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow loaf to cool in tin for 5 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack.

Makes 12 slices

Chocolate Lovers Smoothie

For all you chocolate lovers you are going to absolutely love this smoothie. It is so decadent that I would recommend that you eat it with a spoon and enjoy every mouthful. It is amazing that something that tastes so good can actually be so healthy for you. Sweetened only by the fresh dates and packed with an anti-oxidant punch through the raw cacao and cacao nibs. Your body will be thanking you for this one.

Ingredients:

2 dates, pitted
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
¼ avocado
½ cup coconut water
1 cup coconut milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Cumin Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts has definitely been given a bad wrap from our childhood days when we were forced to eat them boiled and bland. I would recommend that you give them another go, as they are absolutely delicious when cooked with beautiful seasonings to make them really tasty. They are great as additions to salads or simply as a side dish to your protein.

Ingredients:

20 Brussels sprouts, washed and halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Place Brussels sprouts in oven proof dish. Add oil, cumin and seasoning. Toss well and bake in oven for 40-45 minutes until sprouts are golden brown and crunchy.

Serves 2

SKB Smoothie

Smoothie combinations are absolutely endless and the blend of these 3 fruits works really nicely together.  I prefer my smoothies less sweet, however if sweetness is what you are after, then use a whole frozen banana.  Hope you enjoy.  

Ingredients:

1 cup hulled fresh strawberries
½ kiwi fruit, peeled
½ frozen banana, chopped
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 teaspoon lucuma powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup almond milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Breakfast Cookies

With many people having little time to sit down and enjoy their breakfast, these biscuits will become a fabulous option as you can easily grab and biscuit and eat it on your way to work or school.  They are filled with lots of wholesome ingredients and are free of preservatives and refined sugar.  They are great as snacks as well as they will keep your blood sugar levels stable and stop those sugar cravings.    

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa flour
1 cup oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 carrot, grated
1 red apple, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup raw honey, melted (increase to 1/3 cup if you prefer sweeter)
1 egg beaten

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees and line a tray with baking paper.

Combine your flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon. Then add the remainder of your ingredients and mix well.

Using slightly wet hands, take 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture and shape into biscuits before placing on the tray.

Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes until slightly golden. Allow to cool completely before eating. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Makes 10 biscuits

Banana Acai Smoothie

This smoothie tastes just as good as it looks.  A nice hint of sweetness from real, whole foods and plenty of protein from the nuts and hemp seeds to get you feeling satisfied.

Ingredients:

 ¼ cup activated cashews
1 frozen banana, chopped
1 frozen packet acai
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoon maca powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup coconut water

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

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