Oaty Blueberry Muffins…of course, these are not your usual fluffy sugar-filled muffins like you might have grabbed en-route to work from your favourite coffee shop once… or twice…
These are a hearty, guaranteed-to-fill-you-up-with-goodness kind of muffin.
Oaty Blueberry Muffins Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 ½ cups almond milk, warmed
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds of one pod
1 sweet red apple, skin on, cut into small pieces
1 cup almond meal
1 cup frozen blueberries
Method
Preheat oven to 170°C and prepare the muffin pan by greasing with coconut oil or lining with baking paper. Mix oats, chia and warm milk together in a small bowl, and soak for 10 minutes. Add in coconut oil. Stir in maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, apples and almond meal Gently fold through the blueberries, still frozen. Spoon into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool to cold. They keep for about 5 days in the fridge.
These scrumptious muffins will keep you fuller for longer. They are a great breakfast on the go or snack that will keep you going. Love to meal prep? We do too! You can bake and freeze so you have a muffin on hand all week!
Have you been struggling for lunch ideas while in lockdown? Lost for inspiration amongst preparing all your own food? These lentil patties have been a life saver for me. With the weather getting colder, I’m sure most of use feel like a warm meal for lunch but want something that is quick, tasty and healthy. These patties are all of those things.
Lentils are a good source of minerals and B-vitamins, plus protein and fibre to keep you full and satisfied well into the afternoon and balance your blood sugar. The nuts, seeds and eggs in this recipe up the protein content further and provide further minerals and Bs. The other ingredients give plenty of flavour but I like to top my patties with some chilli hummus, babaganoush, or avocado and goats cheese for extra deliciousness. Plus, don’t forget the green leaves.
I make the mixture up on a Sunday, shape into patties and freeze. Then, I take them out in the morning as needed to thaw and cook at lockdown lunchtime. Here is how.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups cooked green lentils – also referred to as brown lentils (soak overnight and cook or use organic canned lentils), half whole and half blended to a paste
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnuts, ground
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, ground
1 cup rolled oats, ground
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh or dried thyme
1 tablespoon fresh or dried oregano
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4-1/2 cup wholemeal spelt flour (use chickpea flour for gluten-free)
polenta for coating
olive oil for cooking
Method
Use a food processor to prepare all your ingredients in a flash, process each on separately and add to a large mixing bowl as you go. I usually grind my walnuts, then sunflower seeds, then oats, then chop the wetter stuff like onion, garlic and carrot, and lastly blend half my lentils.
Once these are all in the bowl add the eggs, tomato paste, Worcestershire, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Then add the flour, starting with a 1/4 cup. Try rolling a 2-inch ball with the mixture, if it is too wet, add the rest of the flour.
Roll into 2 inch balls, coating each ball gently in polenta (spread your polenta out on a plate to do this) and then flattening onto a baking tray lined with baking paper to form discs about 1.5-2cm thick.
Pop your tray/s in the freezer for an hour or so until patties are frozen and enough to handle and then stack them in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to use.
Cooking
Take out your patties a few hours before you want to eat them and let thaw in the fridge.
Cook for a few minutes on each side in hot olive oil until crispy and warmed through.
Go crazy with healthy toppings, e.g.
try tomato, cheese, onion, rocket and organic tomato sauce
We are so lucky to have this guest post and recipe by the incredible Petrea King to share with you. Petrea is a naturopath, herbalist and founder of the Quest for Life Centre in New South Wales. She is also author of the wonderful Food for Life recipe book, full of nourishing recipes and now available at Fertile Ground. Here’s Petrea’s post and sample recipe for the book for you to enjoy!…
Petrea’s pumpkin pie
My children, Kate and Simon, were raised as vegetarians and this recipe was their all-time favourite. Even now we rarely have a family gathering where this dish doesn’t feature. It is also a great favourite at the Quest for Life Centre. Pumpkin is a great source of potassium and folate and this recipe is naturally sweet and filling. Other vegetables can be added to the basic recipe for variety.
1 kilo pumpkin, cooked and mashed
1 tablespoon sesame or extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 leeks, sliced or two large onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
8 eggs, lightly beaten
500gm low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup honey (optional)
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 heaped tablespoons dried mixed herbs
1 cup finely chopped fresh mixed herbs
sea salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220˚C. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the leek or onions and garlic. (A cup of sliced zucchinis, diced broccoli or cauliflower heads or other vegetables can also be added.) Saute until soft. Combine the mashed pumpkin with the remaining ingredients. Pour into an ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes covered with foil, then 30 minutes uncovered or until firm and golden. Serves 6–8.
The Quest for Life Centre in Bundanoon, NSW provides residential programs for people living with life’s greatest challenges including mental and physical health issues including grief, loss, post-trauma stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, cancer, chronic pain and other health challenges. Participants travel from all over Australia and beyond to attend our life-changing programs, which are based on the latest research and understanding of neuroplasticity – how we can change our brains by consciously choosing our response to life – and epigenetics – how the environment around every cell affects our genetic predispositions.
Last century we believed that health was dictated by our genetic predispositions. Now, because of epigenetics which means ‘above genetics’, we know our choices about what we eat and drink, our levels of sleep and exercise, our exposure to toxins in the environment and the chemistry of our emotions are modifying, suppressing or expressing our genetic predisposition. It’s inspiring to see people leave the program full of life and possibilities. They are so well nourished and nurtured on the program and they leave with a toolkit of strategies and practical skills for living well in the midst of whatever the challenges are that they have in their lives.
Regardless of whether you have an illness or are dealing with a challenge in your life, your nutrition is vitally important to your health. IF you are living with an illness or a stressful challenge in your life then your nutrition becomes even more important. It is essential you nourish your brain, body and nervous system when under stress as all nutrients are in higher demand at those times.
The Quest for Life Centre is renowned for its delicious and healthy fresh food, much of which is grown organically here at the Centre which is set in nine beautiful acres of grounds and gardens. Our cookbook, Food for Life contains a collection of 100 of the recipes we utilise at the Centre for our participants.
Petrea’s Pumpkin Pie is a delicious (savoury) recipe which my children love to eat – and, now they have children of their own, they also love Granny’s Pumpkin Pie! No family celebration would feel right without this dish as it’s one of everyone’s favourite recipes! It’s so easy to make and is full of great nutrition. You can also add other vegetables, like zucchinis or cauliflower florets, to the dish if you want. It’s also delicious hot or cold and it freezes very well too. I hope you enjoy Petrea’s Pumpkin Pie!
Petrea King, CEO Quest for Life Centre www.questforlife.com.au
Recipe from Food for Life recipe book by Petrea King
