Healthy Recipes

Healthy homemade recipes for you

Our Director Dr Melanie Young, Registered Osteopath, is a foodie and has shared some of the favorite recipes she has deveoped with her growing family. These can cater for different dietary requirements and an have emphasis on eating for nutrition.

Warm Bircher Porridge

A WARM AND SWEET BREAKFAST OPTION – VERY SUITABLE FOR FAMILIES

A patient was asking me yesterday if we as a family had porridge for breakfast. I explained that we used to, but now we have developed a warm version of Bircher Muesli using soaked oats. It is such a nutritious and delicious breakfast I thought more people may like to benefit from it. 

First you soak your preferably organic oats overnight in either milk or water. If it's in milk then cover it and put in the refrigerator overnight.

We use two cups of oats and half a cup of ground almonds (to boost the protein content) for two adults and two primary school aged children. You could also have some sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds, some desiccated  coconut and a couple of tablespoons of Chia seeds in the soaking mix for more essential fatty acids (EFA's)

Then in the morning, chop up some fruit, add to a pot and simmer till softened. This makes a warm and naturally sweet base for the Bircher. We use apple and pear with adding frozen berries for variation and more antioxidants. 

When the fruit has stewed, turn it off and add the oats, almonds and chia seed mix, stir in and heat gently if required. Try not to cook the oats so you get all the benefits of the raw, soaked grain. 

Then serve with yoghurt, chopped banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon if you like. 

Our kids love it, as its real comfort food and naturally sweet.

It is free of processed sugar, high in healthy soluble fibre, antioxidants, protein and vitamins.

RAW VEGAN/PALEO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Ever felt ill after eating traditional chocolate mousse? I certainly have. The cream and sugar was all too much for me.

I figured this recipe out recently while trying to make good chocolate ice-cream without the cream, sugar and eggs. The result was so thick and creamy it didn't need freezing and it was found to be delicious straight from the fridge which is always handy!

It's super easy to make and has a good amount of sustaining fats, antioxidants, iron, calcium and magnesium from the cacao and also some protein from the nuts.

I always make a decent amount so its worthwhile but you could halve the recipe if you are worried you might eat it all in one go! (or pop some in the freeze for another day)

If you can buy your ingredients in bulk its much cheaper. If you like to use cashews in your life, ask at Commonsense organics for their price on 2.5 kilos of cashew nuts. You can then store them in the freezer for longer shelf life.

Recipe:

Two cups of cashew nuts (preferably organic) soaked overnight and rinsed and drained.
One can of quality coconut cream (we use Karo from Moore Wilsons)
One cup of cacao powder (we use Natava brand)
Half a cup of maple syrup (or honey)
Three tablespoons coconut oil melted on a low heat
Half a teaspoon vanilla extract
A good pinch of salt

Method:

Put all the ingredients into a high speed blender, the food processor will also work but you need to blend it for a while till the nuts are all blended in. Test it every couple of minutes till it is smooth. Then put into a container and into the fridge to chill. Done!

We love to serve the chocolate mousse with coconut yogurt and berries - in the photo above those are New Zealand blackcurrants. Not grown in China like many frozen berries are!

CELEBRATORY CHRISTMAS DESSERT

CELEBRATORY CHRISTMAS DESSERT THAT IS GLUTEN FREE, REFINED SUGAR FREE, NUT FREE, DAIRY FREE, EGG FREE AND DELICIOUS!

Move over trifle, step aside Pavlova, this is a three layer cake that most people with allergies will be able to eat and enjoy!

I had been figuring this recipe out for a while and decided to make it for Christmas to cater for those family and friends with allergies. It was a great success so I decided to share the joy!

It's based on a 'Bounty Bar' - dark chocolate and creamy coconut. Delicious on its own or with berries - here with fresh raspberries for that Christmassy look.

(Note: I suggest you make the creamy coconut filling before the base so you don't have to wash all that chocolate out of the food processor between layers).

Chocolate base

2 cups desiccated coconut
1 cup pitted dates in a bowl or small pot, cover with boiling water and after five minutes to cool slightly, add:
1/2 cup cacao butter (melt gently with the dates)
1/2 cup coconut oil (melt gently with the dates)
1 cup raw organic cacao powder

Put all ingredients into the blender or better still, the food processor (easier to get the mixture out of) and blend till combined and smooth. Press into the bottom of a 22-24cm round cake tin. I used a 24 cm round silicon baking tin for ease of removal.

Coconut Filling

4 cups desiccated coconut
2/3 cup liquid sweetener ie maple syrup/honey or other non-refined sweetener of your choice
3/4 cup coconut cream
2 Tblsp coconut oil
1/4 cup gently melted cacao butter
1tsp vanilla extract
One pinch sea salt

Blend briefly in food processor to mix well. Then press down in a thick layer on the chocolate base. Try to get the top as level as possible.

Move over trifle, step aside Pavlova, this is a three layer cake that most people with allergies will be able to eat and enjoy!

I had been figuring this recipe out for a while and decided to make it for Christmas to cater for those family and friends with allergies. It was a great success so I decided to share the joy!

It's based on a 'Bounty Bar' - dark chocolate and creamy coconut. Delicious on its own or with berries - here with fresh raspberries for that Christmassy look.

(Note: I suggest you make the creamy coconut filling before the base so you don't have to wash all that chocolate out of the food processor between layers).

Chocolate Topping/Ganache

This can be made two ways...

The easiest and quickest way by far is to melt a 250 gram bar of Whittakers Dark Ghana Chocolate over hot water, taking care not to get any water in the melting chocolate, then add half a cup of good quality coconut cream. Stir it through and you have delicious ganache to spread on the coconut layer.

This sort of dark chocolate has a small amount of sugar in it and has no dairy added so should be dairy free although it is made on the same line as the dairy milk chocolate, so if you are highly allergic to dairy this recipe is your best option:

200 grams cacao butter
1 cup raw organic cacao powder
1/2 cup maple syrup/coconut nectar/honey or other non-refined sweetener of your choice
1/2 cup coconut cream
One pinch sea salt

Easy Paleo Pancake Recipe

This may be the best paleo pancake recipe around!

I must admit I am rather proud of it as I pulled it together experimenting on my family (as you do). I have made these pancakes many times over the past year and since I have hand written it out for lots of patients I thought it was time to share properly.

They are gluten free, grain free, dairy free and sugar free. They provide you with protein from the eggs and nuts, fats from the nuts and coconut and carbs from the nuts, tapioca flour, banana and coconut. There is some fructose from the bananas to sweeten the mix. If you want them sweeter just add another banana. These pancakes should keep you going till lunchtime and our active children love them as pancakes or pikelets for breakfast, in their lunchbox or for after school.

It is easy to make in that you put all the ingredients into the blender or food processor, whiz it up, then just pour the mixture into a suitably hot pan. I use organic butter, but you could use ghee or coconut oil. It also makes very good pikelets which will keep a day in the fridge. I have always found the mix to hold together well and turn easily in the pan. We use a solid stainless steel pan, as we found that even good quality non stick only lasts a short time before it is stratched and not safe to use.

This recipe makes enough for four good sized breakfast pancakes. You can also make the mixture and store it in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple of days of good eating!

Ingredients:
2 ripe- ish bananas
6 eggs (ideally organic and free range)
1 cup of ground almonds or other nut meal
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1/2 cup of dessicated coconut
1tsp baking powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
Optional 1/2 cup of cacao (or cocoa) to make chocolate pancakes. Very good with berries

Blend it till smooth

Heat the pan dry, when it is hot, add butter/ghee/coconut oil. Pour an amount (about quarter of the batter) into the hot fizzing buttered pan and tilt the pan to make a good shaped pancake. When bubbles start to form on the surface, then pop, easily turn the pancake, it will only need a short time on the other side. Slide onto plate.

Serve with your choice of toppings. We use stewed organic apple and berries with some clearwater yoghurt. Enjoy!

Sugar Free and Grain Free, Banana Chocolate Bread/ Cake / Muffins

In our family we have been experimenting with improving our nutrition, we cut out refined sugar a couple of years ago and don't miss it at all. My son does well on a grain free/dairy free diet so hence the exploring recipes that are easy to make, nutritious and delicious to go into the lunchbox or for after school snacks.
A generous friend sent me through a great recipe similar to this, we have modified it, have made it repeatedly and now are sharing it with you.

It has relatively high protein, has good fats, is gluten and grain free with no sugar!

Into the food processor put:
4 ripe bananas
4 eggs
2/3 cup of nuts such as walnuts or cashews
2/3 cup tapioca starch
2 cups almond flour (ideally soaked to activate then dehydrated and ground almonds)
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter (gently melted)
1tsp cinnamon
4 Tblsp cacao or cocoa
1 and a 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tblsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 tsp salt

Blend till smooth and pour into silicon cake/muffin or loaf tins. You can add raisins at this stage if you want to make it sweeter or dark chocolate chunks for decadence. You can alternatively leave out the cocoa/cacao and add 1/2 tsp nutmeg and/or orange zest.

Cook 45 minutes at 160 degrees till metal skewer comes out clean.

This recipe freezes well for healthy snacks for lunchboxes, a picnic or the office. I find a double batch of the recipe will fit in my food processor. Very quick and easy to make.