Crunchola Granola

I admit…this isn’t exactly a detox recipe but it just tastes so good – I had to share it.

As you know, I’ve been trying to eat really, really well this week – and on the whole, I’m succeeding.  I set out yesterday to make this decadent granola from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Cooking thinking of all the nourishing, healthy ingredients it incorporates.  It’s full of oats, nuts, seeds and fruit and a little goes a long way.  I’m enjoying it spooned over organic natural yogurt which is totally awesome for your digestive health.

My interpretation of Heidi Swanson’s Grain-ola

(based on what I had in the cupboard!)

Crunchy, sweet and very more-ish...

Ingredients

makes about 8-10 cups

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup chopped walnuts (or any nuts you like best)

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup of your favorite dried fruits – I used paw paw and banana chips

zest of an orange

3/4 cup raw honey (normal is okay too)

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix the oats, seeds, coconut, zest and nuts in a big bowl.  Melt the honey and the butter together in a saucepan or the microwave and then stir it into the oat mixture coating everything evenly.

Divide the mixture between two large, lined baking trays and bake at 150 degrees celcius for around 40 minutes, stirring it up with a fork every ten minutes.  Be careful not to burn it.

Let it cool completely on the tray before stirring through your dried fruits and storing in an air tight container.

How to eat it…

Spoon over natural yougurt

Sprinkle over fresh or stewed fruit

Use it as a topping for fruit crumble

Only toast half the mixture in the honey and butter leaving the other half natural…mix together and eat like muesli, topped with fresh fruit and your choice of milk.

Place it in a pretty glass jar and give away as presents – if you can part with it!

So – as I said, not really a detox recipe but wholesome and delicious none the less.  Now, my gorgeous brother has just delivered me a box of farm fresh eggplants so I might think about what I will do with those…Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Enjoy!

mamacino x

 

 

 

Ultra Healthy Banana and Oat Cookies

No sugar, no flour, no butter…no way? 

Yes way!  I have finally found a great recipe for healthy cookies that are wheat and dairy (and even sugar – bonus) free.

As a mum, I am constantly thinking about food and what to feed my children.  The thing I find most difficult to provide is healthy snacks.  I don’t know about you but my kids are always hungry.  The girls are pretty easily satisfied with some fruit or some biscuits or veggies with hummus but my toddler, he’s much more of a challenge.  At fifteen months, he can’t walk, he can’t talk but what he does know for sure is that inside the pantry door is a jar full of biscuits and he wants one…NOW.  And at 4pm, right on meltdown o’clock, when I’m juggling ten things at once…I really just want to give him one!  These Banana and Oat Cookies are so full of healthy, energy giving, stay-full-for-longer ingredients that I am very happy to dish them out…in fact I’d be happy for him to have one every day.

Toddler Taming Tucker

This recipe is from The Healthy Chef’s website teresacutter.com I have been reading Teresa’s healthy recipes in House and Garden magazine for years but only just discovered her website through a friend (thanks Miss Mel).  It is well worth a look if you are into healthy and delicious fare!

Banana and Oat Cookies

makes 12 – check out The Healthy Chef website for a few alternative ingredients but this is how I made them…

1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 big banana)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups  rolled oats (make sure you get Gluten Free oats if you are Gluten Free!)
1/2 cup  desiccated coconut
1/2 cup  rasins or cranberries
1/4 cup  honey
1/4 cup  olive oil

What's more satisfying than a full cookie jar? Master L says an empty one!

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees fan forced and line a baking tray with baking paper.  Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well using your hands so the mixture comes together.  Use a tablespoon to measure out 12 cookies and roll them into balls, then flatten slightly before putting on the baking tray.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool before eating.  Store them in an airtight container and they last about 5 days…as if!

I would love to hear about the kinds of snacks you feed your kids…what works, what doesn’t…leave a comment and share the love on mamacino!

Happy Eating!