Apple and oat breakfast fritters

Quick and tasty healthy brekkie (detox approved!)

Ingredients:
1 small apple, grated (with skin)
3 tbsp oats
1 egg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

How to do it:

Mix the apple, oats, egg and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined.
Heat a frying pan and spray with low-cal spray or a small amount of butter or coconut oil. Add four dollops of the mixture to the pan and flatten to form fritter shapes.
Cook for a few minutes on each side until cooked through and browned.

Serve with a dollop of organic natural yogurt and a drizzle of agave syrup.
Perfect Sunday brunch!

Christmas tree cookies

Ingredients (makes 24)

120g olive oil spread
10g Stevia sweetener
1 egg
Finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
30g currants or cranberries
240g plain flour

Method

·         Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

·         Line two baking sheets with baking paper or lightly grease a baking sheet

·         Cream margarine and Stevia together until light and fluffy. Then beat in the egg.

·         Add lemon zest and juice and currants or cranberries.

·         Sift flour into mixture and stir to form a stiff dough. Knead well and then chill in fridge for 20-30 mins.

·         Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to about ½ inch thick. Cut into Christmas tree shapes and place on baking tray.

·         Bake for around 15mins until pale and golden.

·         Cool for 2 mins then lift on to wire rack to cool. Decorate with icing sugar if desired.

Cheeky chicken nuggets

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, cubed
wholemeal breadcrumbs (1 or 2 slices)
cous cous
40g parmesan, finely grated
2 tbsp olive oil
Olive oil spray
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and stir in the grated parmesan. Put the cous cous in a different bowl. Dip the chicken cubes in the olive oil, then the breadcrumb mixture, then coat in cous cous.

Lightly spray the olive oil spray on a large baking sheet. Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and cook in a preheated oven at 220 degrees C for around 12 minutes, turning halfway through.

Serve with sweet potato chips and green veg and any condiments you like (I love these with tomato salsa).

Lemon drizzle polenta cake

This polenta cake doesn't contain any flour which makes it perfect for those on wheat-free diets. It's also low GL so you can have an extra slice and not feel too guilty!

Ingredients:

200g ground almonds
115g polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3 eggs
125g unsalted butter
50g natural yogurt
225g caster sugar (or 150g xylitol/Stevia)
Zest of 4 whole lemons and juice of 1 lemon
For the drizzle:
juice of one lemon
2 tbsp granulated sugar or xylitol/Stevia

Method:

Mix all of the ingredients in a food processor or with an electric whisk. Grease a springform 25cm cake tin and pour in the mixture.

Bake for around 1 hour at a low heat (160 degrees C) or until a cocktail stick comes out clean and top is golden.

Get yer fill of oats - biccies in 20mins!

Quickest, easiest biscuits ever (now there's a promise!)

Ingredients:

75g porridge oats
75g wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp milk
70g butter
70g sugar (or equivalent of sweetener - Xylitol or Stevia are best)
1 tbsp agave syrup

Method:

Mix the oats, flour and baking powder in a large bowl. In the meantime, melt the butter with the milk and agave syrup on a low heat in the microwave. Add to the oats and flour and mix well.

Divide into 12 small balls and flatten. Place on a lightly greased baking tray and cook in preheated oven at 180 degrees C for around 15 minutes - or until lightly browned.

A quick tasty treat for when you've not got anything sweet in the cupboard - or they make a great elevenses snack or pre-gym energy boost!

Quick and tasty falafel

Ingredients:

300g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked or 2 tins ready-cooked chickpeas, drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 tbsp plain flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chilli flakes or 1/2 tsp dried chilli
1 handful fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Make small balls with the falafel mix and put onto a plate. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the falafel and cook for a few minutes until golden brown all over.

Serve with salad, tzatiki, or tomato salsa.

Finally, the perfect banana cake!

Every time I get those brown bananas in my fruit bowl I think 'ooh lovely, a yummy banana cake' and it never quite works out. BUT practice makes perfect! 

Here's the recipe for moist, sweet, moreish (and not too unhealthy) banana and walnut cake.

Ingredients:

3 small ripe bananas (the browner the better!), mashed
100g plain flour
3 eggs
100g butter or other spread
100g soft brown sugar / 50g sweetener (or you could use all sugar or all sweetener)
1 tsp baking powder
small handful chopped walnuts (or any other nuts)
handful of raisins
2 tsp cinnamon or ground ginger

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and grease a loaf tin.

Mix the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, eggs, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the banana, nuts and raisins. Pour the mixture into the tin. Bake in the oven for around 50 minutes (until a skewer comes out clean).

Serve warm with a dollop of creme fraiche, ice cream or greek yogurt.