Chocolate peanut butter cookies

The secret ingredient is lentil flour! You can get this in the flour section at Woolworths (hopefully) if you can’t get you can replace with most other flours, spelt, gluten free, etc

What I loved about these is only a few ingredients, very quick to prepare and bake, and the texture was so good, you get that slight chewiness :)

In my practice you see people looking to improve the nutrition content in their diet and by making little changes like these biscuits (they will have biscuits no matter what!) instead of people buying biscuits that have calories and little nutrition to swapping for home made and improving the nutrient profile smile emoticon

You don't need to go without cookies!

Lentil flour has 25g of protein per 100g and 16g fibre! That’s pretty cool!

Lentils are an excellent food source for molybdenum too!  (1 cup of cooked lentils has 330% of your RDI!)

The main known function of molybdenum is to act as a catalyst for enzymes and to help facilitate the breakdown of certain amino acids in the body. Molybdenum combines with sulfite oxidase to catalyse sulfur-containing amino acids that are crucial for human health.

Did you know that peanuts are a fantastic source of biotin? (B7)

Yep, per 1/4 cup they have 88% of your daily intake.

Biotin is involved in blood sugar regulation and also in skin, hair and nail health

Yes they have sugar but as far as cookies go they are healthier than most due to the protein and fibre content, plus other vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients

½ cup of lentil flour

½ cup of peanut butter

½ cup of granulated sugar such as panella

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp cacao powder

Method

Preheat oven to 160 c fan forced or 180 c normal

Mix together and roll into tbsp sized balls and place on a lined baking tray. Flatten the balls with slightly damp fingers or the back of a damp fork and bake for 10 minutes. Keep in an airtight container.

Ricotta hotcakes

Makes 8

Ingredients

250 g tub of smooth ricotta

1 egg

300ml milk

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup of white spelt flour or gluten free flour

Method

Whisk until smooth, but do not over mix or they will toughen. Lightly oil or butter a non-stick pan on a medium to low heat.  Using a ladle or large spoon pour in 2 x 5cm diameter pancakes. When bubbles appear on the top flip over and cook the other side for another minute. Continue this with the rest of the mix. You should get 8. 

Serve the hotcakes with maple syrup a dollop of greek yoghurt and some berries or banana.

You can also make mini ones as pikelets and pop in a lunch box sandwiched with butter and/or jam or cream cheese. You can also use these for savoury and top with smoked salmon, avocado etc

Pork with prune and apple

Serves 4
Ingredients

4 x 125g boneless pork steaks, you could also use chicken

1 cup chicken stock

¼ cup of red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 green apple, peeled, cored and 1 cm dice

1 brown onion, diced

½ cup of prunes, this is about 10, diced

Method

Season your pork steaks with salt and pepper. In a large pan put in some oil and when hot cook your steaks about 4-5 minutes each side, it can be a little pink in the middle. The time will vary depending on thickness. When done set aside and cover to keep warm. In the same pan (don’t wash) add your onion and apple and cook for 1-2 minutes and then add your vinegar and stock, simmer for 5 minutes until it has thickened like a gravy. Then add your prunes to warm through. Add your pork back into the pan to warm and serve up with some mash and steamed vegetables. Pour your sauce over everything and enjoy! ! I used carrots, green bean and broccoli.

Laksa

Ingredients for the paste

1 stalk lemongrass, white part only

3 cm piece of ginger or galangal

1 red onion or 2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

 2 tsp shrimp paste

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground turmeric or 3 tsp fresh turmeric

3-4 coriander roots (when I use coriander I chop the roots off and about 4 cm stalk and keep in the freezer)

1-2 red chilies- use the amount to your taste and this will depend on how hot the chillies are!

Put all this in a food processor and blitz, add some oil to form a smooth paste.

**As an option-a garnish of bean sprouts, chili, lime wedges and coriander leaves.

Plus you will need some fish sauce and palm sugar to balance the flavors. You can also use rapadura, brown sugar or coconut sugar

Method

For the laksa- take the vegetables of your choice, I have used, broccolini, baby corn, bok choy and small button mushrooms that you can leave whole.

Use prawns or tofu, chicken, salmon or whatever protein source you choose- about 80g or so per person, you can use whatever amount you want. Chop the chicken small so it cooks quickly, tofu can just be heated through at the end when you serve it. If using salmon use about 2 cm chunks as it cooks quickly.

I also made carrot noodles using a spirooli- you can also use a vegetable peeler. You can also use cooked vermicelli noodles.

This will be enough for 4 serves or if you like the strong flavour you can use this for 2 serves.

Take your paste and fry off in a large pot for 1 minutes until fragrant. Then add your stock and coconut cream.

For each serve add 250 ml chicken or fish stock and ¼ cup of coconut cream, so for 2 serves you want 500 ml stock and ½ cup of coconut cream.

Then add your vegetables and your meat/prawns and let them simmer for 4-5 minutes until the meat and vegetables are cooked, taste and add some palm sugar and fish sauce, and then taste again to make sure its ok.(start with 1tsp of each and see how you go)

Add the carrot noodles right at the end along with your bokchoy as these cook quickly (and tofu if using), if using vermicelli noodles, place the heated, cooked noodles in your bowls. Then serve up your meat and veg and ladle in the liquid left in the pot into your bowls. Garnish with bean sprouts, chili and coriander leaves, plus a wedge of lime.

For the kids take approx. 2-3 tsp of the paste and put in a small pot, fry off and add 1 tbsp of coconut cream and about 150 ml stock (per child) and add the meat and veg in to simmer.

Raspberry, coconut and chocolate slice

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of desiccated coconut

1 ½ cups of rolled oats

1 tsp of baking powder

2 eggs

1 cup of frozen raspberries, I used half raspberry half blackberry

100g butter or coconut oil

¼ cup of honey

2 tbsp- 1/3 cup chocolate chips, white/dark/milk

Method

Preheat oven to 160c fan forced or 180c normal

Line a 20 x 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Scrunch the paper up with damp hands this makes the paper sit in your tin better.

Melt butter and honey together.

Add butter mix to all the other ingredients and mix until well combined. Press firmly into your tin, sprinkle with chocolate chips, press down and bake for 15-18 minutes, should be golden brown on top and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin and when cool cut into squares, Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Black bean chocolate brownie

Ingredients

This stevia is mixed with erythritol

1 x 425g can black beans rinsed and drained

2 eggs

¼ cup of stevia powder/natvia or honey or maple or rapadura

½ tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup of cacao powder

1/3 cup of olive oil or butter or coconut oil

½ tsp salt

Optional…but is it ever really optional? 2-3 tbsp choc chips scattered over the top

Method

Preheat oven to 160 fan forced or 180 c normal

Put everything in a blender/food processor, scrape down the side and make sure it is nice and smooth. Line a 20 x 20 cake tin with baking paper. A good way to line this is to get your paper and screw it up with wet hands, this make it easier to sit in your tin. Pour in your mix and then scatter the choc chips over if using.

 Bake for 12-15 minutes, the centre will still be a little soft and the outside edges with be firm. Leave to cook in the tin and then cut into squares when cold. Keep in the fridge