I ummed & ahhed over this, dear reader – is it hummus? Is it tapenade? Pesto, almost? Either way, this smooth green dip is a nifty way to get more greens into your belly – and it’s a great way to use up those random leftovers like cooked broccoli & chickpeas. I’ve been merrily munching it all week, liberally splodging it on my nut & seed crackers (have you tried my cumin pepita crackers? Sooo simple! Recipe here. Or for the crunchy caraway version, click this one!! I always make a double batch) The olives give a salty little kick to this brilliantly green, chlorophyll-rich, almost creamy, soft spread….
Sesame Tofu Bites with Ginger Dipping Sauce
Deliciously salty little protein bombs, crunchy on the outside & soft in the centre. Sesame & tofu are a long-honoured combination, but instead of using whole seeds, I’ve crushed the sesame to form a floury coating on the tofu chunks. The dipping sauce adds a gingery zing – perfect for snacking….
Chocolate Muesli Slice
Warning: addictive. This is simply a swag of nuts & seeds held together with dates and smothered with healthy rich chocolate. No dairy, no refined sugar, just fruits, nuts & seeds singing their sweet symphony….
Quinoa Sushi with Ginger & Tahini
As much as I adore brown rice sushi, quinoa is has become a real favourite – it’s lighter, plus it’s packed with protein & all nine essential amino acids. This recipe seasons the quinoa with tahini, fresh ginger & lemon juice, which not only helps to hold it together nicely, it also delivers a pleasing, zingy backdrop to your sushi filling. It’s unusual, but sheesh, it works. Fresh apple is my secret wow ingredient. It adds a snappy freshness to the roll, a lovely sweet-ish complement to the salty tamari & tangy ginger….
Zucchini Fritters
Hats off to the crazy growth of a summer courgette plant – one moment they’re all delicate yellow flowers, the next you’ve got a stonkin’ great marrow. This recipe was born on one of those balmy summer evenings when I grabbed fresh eggs, herbs & zucchini from the garden, introduced them to a little brown rice flour and hey presto, green fritters for supper. With only a handful of ingredients, they’re simple, light & quick to make – feta gives them a creamy tang, while the zucchini is all about softness. They’re also a great way to use up those unexpected marrows!…
Tempeh Lettuce Boats
Fresh, crisp, crunchy – these little lettuce boats are a popular weekend lunch in our house. Who needs carbs when you can load up a leaf with green goodness, nut butter & salty tempeh? (I love tempeh more than tofu – it’s nutty, savoury, hearty, earthy…umami, that’s the word I’m after. “Pleasant savoury taste”) This is a pretty loose recipe – basically you’re assembling a ‘wrap’ on a lettuce leaf, so rather than going for exact quantities, below is a list of ingredients inspiration. Work with what you’ve got & what you enjoy….
Chocolate Cinnamon Chia Pudding
Thick, gloopy, chocolatey goodness! Super-quick to make, this raw pudding lasts for several days in the fridge – perfect for a guilt-free breakfast, chocolate-hit snack, or a healthy treat to chuck in a lunchbox (my son loves a small container of it with a frozen strawberry dunked in the middle to keep it cool). Chia seeds are mini nutritional powerbombs – rich in antioxidants, minerals & fibre, laden with omega-3’s AND a complete protein. Boom!…
Quinoa & Sunflower Seed Pizza Bases
With only a handful of ingredients, these super-healthy pizza bases are light, thin & tasty, with a pleasing springy bite of elasticity. Quinoa delivers an easily digestible protein, while sunflower seeds are wonderfully versatile sources of vitamins E & B1, healthy fats & minerals. You can also make tiny biscuit-sized bases, load them with toppings & use them as canapés. The ‘dough’ stores well in the fridge for a couple of days – I usually make extra so I can have a quick repeat performance the next day….
Cauli Cumin Fritters
These super-simple savoury snacks are quick to make, light & tasty to eat. The warming earthiness of cumin sparkles with the nuttiness of the cauliflower, all held together by a high-fibre chickpea batter (chickpea is an under-rated flour, I reckon – it’s cheap, protein-rich & brings a lovely depth to savoury dishes). Serve these fritters with a salad for a simple weekend lunch, or slice into wedges as a welcome addition to an antipasto platter. They’re even good in lunchboxes the next day.
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Lemon Pepper Tofu
At the Gluten-Free Food Show, my kids sampled some free-range chicken tenders, seasoned with a lemon pepper crust. So I set out to recreate the flavour bursts, switching out the chook for tofu, and choosing to fry it instead of baking. These chunky hunks of protein ain’t the prettiest, but they certainly rack up points for flavour. My kids wolfed a whole batch for afternoon tea. You could serve them with a dipping sauce, but really, they’re little grenades of flavour all by themselves.
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