Flapjacks

A simple, tasty snack full of nutritious nuts and seeds.

I used walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and chopped dates in this recipe. You could also use other nuts, seeds and dried fruit like cashew nuts, sesame seeds, dried apricots, raisins, etc.  I recommend using chia seeds if you can though. They help the flapjacks stick together.

Ingredients

100g butter

8 tablespoons porridge oats

1 handful walnuts chopped

1 handful dates chopped

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon honey

 

Step 1: Melt butter in a saucepan over a low heat. 

Step 2: Add melted butter to mixing bowl along with all the other ingredients. Mix everything together well. 

Step 3: Transfer mixture to baking dish lined with parchment paper. Spread evenly. Bake in oven preheated to 180 c for 15-20 minutes. 

Step 4: Take out of oven and allow to cool. 

Step 5: Cut into squares. Then you can eat. Enjoy anytime as a snack. 🙂

Vegetable Pilau

A simple, tasty one-pot dish made with rice and vegetables.

I used curry powder in this dish. If you don’t have curry powder you could also use other spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili, paprika, garim masala, etc.

The vegetables I put in this dish are carrots, sweet potato, cauliflower and pepper. You do not have to use the exact same vegetables. You could also put other vegetables like potato, butternut squash, green beans, etc. The recipe is flexible!

I made enough for three people. You can increase or decrease the quantity of ingredients depending on how many people you are feeding. This dish is best eaten straight away so I wouldn’t make extra to keep for the next day.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

some fresh ginger chopped

2 teaspoons curry powder

1-2 handfuls cashew nuts

1 cup brown basmati rice

2 sweet potatoes peeled and chopped

2 carrots peeled and chopped

about 100g cauliflower chopped

1 pepper chopped (I used a red pepper but you could use any colour pepper)

2 cups water

a handful of fresh coriander chopped

juice of 1 lemon

 

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a saucepan and cook onion, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes. 

Step 2: Add in curry powder and cashew nuts. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Step 3: Add in rice, sweet potato, carrot, cauliflower and pepper. Cook for one minute, stirring continuously so that the rice and vegetables are coated in the spices. 

Step 4: Add in water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minutes. 

Step 5: Stir in fresh coriander and lemon juice. 

Step 6: Enjoy hot! 

Chocolate Banana Porridge Muffins

These muffins are very simple to make. They are very healthy and tasty. Enjoy them as a snack or as part of your breakfast.

Ingredients

500g carton natural yogurt

porridge oats (2 yogurt cartons full)

1 teaspoon bread soda

2 bananas (mashed with a fork)

2 tablespoons cacao powder

1 tablespoon honey

a drop of vanilla essence

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Step 1: Empty yogurt into a mixing bowl. 

Step 2: Use empty yogurt carton to measure out 2 cartons full of porridge oats. Add to mixing bowl. 

Step 3: Add in bread soda. Mix everything together well. 

Step 4: Add in mashed banana, cacao powder, honey, vanilla essence and cinnamon. Mix everything together well. 

Step 5: Spoon mixture into muffin cases in muffin tray. I made 12 muffins from this mixture. Bake in oven preheated to 180 c for 20 minutes. 

Step 6: Enjoy hot or cold. 

Banana Almond Butter Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are a great, quick, healthy breakfast. You prepare everything the night before so in the morning you just have to take it out of the fridge and eat it.  Having the overnight oats in a jar means you can take it with you to eat on the go. I keep empty honey and jam jars to use for my overnight oats. Banana and almond butter in this recipe add nice texture and flavour to the oats.

Ingredients

1 banana chopped

1 tablespoon almond butter

half a cup porridge oats

half a cup almond milk

a quarter teaspoon cinnamon

 

Step 1: Before you go to bed put all the ingredients into a jar. Mix well. Cover with lid and put in fridge. 

Step 2: In the morning take it out of the fridge and eat it. The oats will have absorbed liquid and flavour from the other ingredients overnight.  You can add some honey to sweeten if you like.