Tag Archives: snack

Hummus

 Hummus is so versatile. Pair it with falafels, smother it on pittas or dip crudités into it. It’s quick to make, tastes great and packed with protein. There are loads of variations of hummus, you could add sundried tomatoes, roasted vegetables or experiment with spices. Here I’ve kept it simple and traditional. 
 

Ingredients 

  • 1 carton of chickpeas ( I use Tescos organic carton)
  • Juice of 1 or 1 & 1/2 lemons 
  • 1 heaped tbsp of light tahini 
  • Olive oil as needed 1-2 tbsp approx
  • Water as needed 1-2 tbsp approx
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Ground cumin optional


Method 

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend. You’ll need to scrape down the sides a couple of times. Add more liquid if it is too dry. Blend until smooth. 

Transfer to a bowl and enjoy with toasted pittas or as a starter with various crudités and family & friends. 


Here’s the juicy bit . . . 
  

Lemons are a fantastic addition to your diet.  Although they are seen as acidic, once ingested they become alkaline which is good news for your internal health. Acidity harbours disease. Maintaining balanced pH is beneficial for health. 

 Squeezing the juice of half a lemon into a cup of warm water first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day. If you crave caffeine when you wake, I find that taking this warm lemon drink knocks those cravings on the head. 

Taken first thing in the morning it helps to cleanse your digestive tract of mucus and toxins. Once you start the day with a really cleansing breakfast, you’re less tempted to reach for processed food throughout the rest of the day. 

Warm lemon juice aids digestion and supports liver function. Bottoms up!! 



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    Anytime Guacamole!

    Anytime Guacamole

    Anytime Guacamole

    I used to think guacamole was solely a dip. A luscious, green, creamy dip to scoop a salty nacho into or to be added to a hungry looking enchilada. How wrong I was! By chance I discovered that guacamole is very versatile and can be spread on toast for a satisfying breakfast, can be used as a creamy addition to a rice dish, used as a sandwich filling with crunchy cos leaves or used in the traditional manner as a dip. Most people have their own way to produce the perfect guacamole, add red onion or not, maybe some chopped tomatoes, chillies, or coriander, there are numerous possibilities. Here I’m keeping it simple but deliciously moreish. . . .

    Prep – 5 minutes
    Portions – 2

    Ingredients

    2 avocados mashed
    1-2 garlic cloves
    Juice 1 lime
    Salt & pepper
    1 plum tomato chopped optional
    Chilli flakes optional

    Method

    Mix the avocado, garlic, lime juice and salt & pepper together in a bowl and your done!

    Here’s the juicy bit . . .

    Fats can be categorised as 1) trans fats or hydrogenated fats 2) saturated fats and 3) unsaturated

    Trans fats are man made unnatural fats and should be avoided. Hydrogen atoms are added to a fat through a process which alters its natural chemical makeup in order to give it a longer shelf life. You’ll find trans fats in foods like pre packaged cookies, pastries and margarine.

    Saturated fats are mainly found in meat and dairy products. These fats can increase ‘bad cholesterol’ AKA low density lipoprotein or LDL. Cholesterol can raise blood pressure and lead to hardening of arteries among other conditions. Saturated fats are best limited in your diet.

    Unsaturated fats are found mainly in plant sources. They have a range of health benefits as they help increase good cholesterol AKA high density lipoprotein HDL and decrease LDL thereby reducing cholesterol. These fats are further divided in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated depending on their chemical makeup. Omega fats, 3 and 6 are examples of polyunsaturated fats and are essential in our diet as we can’t make these fatty acids.

    Avocados are rich in oleic acid which is an omega 9 fat. These are monounsaturated fats. Oleic acid is also found in olives and olive oil. Since oleic acid comes under the unsaturated fats category its health benefits include reducing LDL and increasing HDL. It’s also has anti inflammatory properties which helps reduce inflammatory conditions in the body like arthritis. Avocados also contain vitamin E which benefits the skin, fibre and antioxidants.

     


    Snack attack

    Snack attack!

    Snack attack!

    We all get the the munchies from time to time. Whether it’s late morning, a mid afternoon slump or night time nibbles, the desire for a pick me up snack hits us all. With busy schedules at work or at home with little children this is when it’s all too easy to reach for a handy ‘treat’, biscuit and coffee, tea and buttered toast, chocolate bar or crisps. I’ve a sweet tooth and and have fallen prey to this temptation numerous times. As an ex nurse on a busy ward, very often not getting a lunch break or afternoon tea break there were always boxes of chocolates or biscuits available to munch on and give me a burst of energy to keep me going for a few hours. However as we all know this isn’t a good way to sustain energy and depletes us in the long run. I began opting for 70% dark chocolate instead of sugar laden milk chocolate. This worked very well and surprisingly I now find milk chocolate too sweet. But chocolate as delicious as it is does not always hit the mark, so I came up with this super simple speedy snack! Nut butter on oat crackers with sliced banana. Simple, quick and tasty, Mmmmmm!

    Ingredients

    • oat or rice crackers
    • nut butter – I use almond and cashew
    • banana

    Method

    Spread your chosen nut butter onto the crackers and top with sliced banana.

    Here’s the juicy bit . . .

    If you have problems sleeping bananas may be able to help you. Packed with the amino acid tryptophan, this converts to serotonin and melatonin which helps calm us and aids restful sleep.

    Peanut butter is probably still the most commonly used nut butter. Unfortunately peanuts easily grow a mould. This mould produces toxins called aflatoxin. Aflatoxin Is a carcinogen which has been shown to have a connection with liver cancer. Because of this peanuts are usually heavily sprayed with anti fungals. Almond, cashew and walnut butters are a good alternative. Seed butters are also available if you have an allergy to nuts.