Date Cake Squares

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups sifted pastry flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 pound pitted dates, diced
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, pastry flour, salt, 1 cup brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix in the butter until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the dates, water, and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook until thickened. Stir in lemon juice, and remove from heat. Spread the filling over the base, and pat the remaining crumb mixture on top.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in preheated oven, or until top is lightly toasted. Cool before cutting into squares.

Home Made Energy Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw honey
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons peanut butter or other nut butter
• 1 cup organic unrefined coconut oil
• 2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 4½ cups oats (use organic whole rolled oats and soak according to instructions below)
• 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1 cup sprouted sunflower seeds
• 1 cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup almonds, chopped
• 10 oz. bag of soy-free mini chocolate chips
• 1½ cups sprouted flour
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⅛ teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. Add oats to a large bowl with 4½ cups warm water and ½ cup lemon juice.  Allow oats to soak in water mixture for at least 7 hours or overnight. When soaking is complete, drain off as much excess liquid as possible.
2. Beat together honey, nut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs in a BIG bowl.
3. In another large bowl, mix all remaining ingredients (including soaked oats) with a wooden spoon. Add this mixture to ingredients that were beaten in the BIG bowl. Mix well.
4. Spread into a large greased baking sheet with sides. Pat mixture down evenly with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Bake at 325° for about 45 minutes or until light golden brown. Let sit for 20 minutes, then place parchment paper over top and roll with a rolling pin to compress.
6. Allow to cool completely, then cut into desired size, wrap, and freeze. Bars will also keep in a sealed container at room temp for 1-2 weeks.

Tabbouleh

Ingredients

• 30g fine bulgar wheat
• 400g ripe tomatoes
• 6 spring onions
• 2 lemons, juice only
• ½tsp ground black pepper
• ½tsp ground allspice
• ½tsp ground cinnamon
• ½tsp ground coriander
• ¼tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼tsp ground cloves
• ¼tsp ground ginger
• 175g flat-leaf parsley
• 45g mint
• 80ml olive oil

Directions

1. Rinse the fine bulgar wheat in cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well in a sieve and put in a bowl. Fluff up with a fork.
2. Rinse the medium bulgar, if using, in boiling water, drain well, spread out on a baking tray and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Fluff up with a fork when done.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop the tomatoes and finely slice the spring onions and add both, plus juices, to the wheat. Add the juice of 1½ lemons. Mix the spices together well, and add 1tsp to the bowl.
4. Douse the herbs in cold water, chop most of the stalks off the parsley, and then take a small bunch, gather together on the board and slice it as finely as you can. Repeat with the rest. Pick the leaves from the mint and do the same, being as gentle as possible.
5. Add the herbs to the bowl along with the oil, season and toss well. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or spice mix to taste. Scatter with the pomegranate and toasted bulgar, if using, just before serving.

Gluten Free Brownies

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 ounces baking chocolate, unsweetened
• 2 teaspoons plain stevia powder
• 1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, GF
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 4 tablespoons milk of choice (I used 1%)
• 1 -1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons liquid chocolate stevia
• Optional: Chocolate chips, cacao nibs

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a small bowl melt your coconut oil and baking chocolate.
3. Stir until combined then mix in stevia powder. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl combine GF flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder.
5. Once combined mix in the rest of the ingredients listed.
6. Take a spoonful of batter and mix it into the chocolate and coconut oil and whisk until incorporated.
7. Then pour it all back into the batter.
8. Spray an 8 by 8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
9. Pour batter and spread out evenly.
10. Top with chocolate chips or cacao nibs.
11. Bake for 25 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean.
12. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing into 9 squares. Enjoy warm!

Grilled Halloumi

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• handful sugar snap peas
• 175g couscous
• ½ tsp each cinnamon, cumin and coriander
• 300ml vegetable stock
• handful cherry tomatoes, halved
• 250g pack halloumi cheese
• ½ lemon, juice only
• drizzle olive oil
• small handful coriander leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Firstly, put the kettle on then cut broccoli into florets and thickly slice stalk. Pour boiling water into a steamer, steam broccoli for 6 mins, add the peas and steam for 2 mins more.
2. Meanwhile, mix the couscous with the spices in a bowl, pour over the hot stock, then cover and leave to stand for 5 mins.
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle pan. Cut halloumi into 6-8 slices and cook quickly on each side for 2 mins until lightly tinged brown.
4. Mix vegetables and tomatoes into couscous, fork in the lemon juice, oil and coriander. Pile onto plates and top with halloumi.

Mango, almond and honey breakfast smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 mango
• 400ml skim milk
• 1/2 cup low-fat natural yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons almond meal
• 1 tablespoon Manuka honey
• Ice cubes

Directions

1. Peel and chop mango and place in a blender with skim milk, low-fat natural yoghurt, almond meal, manuka honey and a few ice cubes.
2. Blend until smooth. Divide between 2 glasses.

Whole-meal banana pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 large bananas
• 1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Honey and reduced-fat passionfruit yoghurt, to serve

Directions 

1. Mash 1 banana in a bowl.
2. Place flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Combine buttermilk, eggs, honey and mashed banana in a jug. Pour into well. Whisk until smooth. Stand for 10 minutes.
3. Spray a large, non-stick frying pan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter to make 12 pancakes.
4. Thinly slice remaining banana. Place pancakes on plates. Top with sliced banana, honey and yoghurt. Serve.