FROZEN MANGO & STRAWBERRY YOGHURT CUPS

These frozen yoghurt cups are the perfect summer snack - the kids will love them! 

Ingredients

1 large mango (or two small mangos)

300g of Greek, plain or vanilla yoghurt (my favourite is Chobani Greek yoghurt)

1 tablespoon of honey

approximately 4 large strawberries, thinly sliced

you will also need some (preferably reusable) plastic or paper cups and some paddle pop sticks

Method                                                                                          

Blend mango, yoghurt and honey until all ingredients have been blended to an even consistency.

Line the bottom and sides of the cup with the sliced strawberries (approximately one strawberry per cup).

Pour 100g of the mango/yoghurt mixture into each cup.

Place in the freezer until frozen (cover each with a piece of foil).

Tip

You can try any fruit and yoghurt blend! Next week I might try yoghurt, mashed banana and cinnamon.

Enjoy!

poached eggs with sweet potato and kale

Since returning home from our Italian escape (and yes I need to report back on that amazing foodie adventure) we have been thrown back into the hectic life we lead. My husband is back training and studying, while I have taken on a little more work in the sports nutrition world and have decided to run a little event we call the marathon. The thought of the marathon isn’t making me crazy just yet (or maybe I am crazy for contemplating it)?… I like to run for my daily exercise and running with my group on Tuesday and Thursday nights has become a nice habit and time to relax…

Again we need to make sure we are prepared. This has been working well, however the other Thursday night we were both home late and I didn’t have anything pre-prepared. I knew however that I could whip up something quick and healthy with some ingredients that I had in the house.

Now I believe these meals are often the best, and in this case we both thoroughly enjoyed what I came up with.

This meal can be served as a breakfast, lunch or dinner option and the quinoa could be replaced with any grain of choice (or leave that part out if you haven’t had an active day). This meal is gluten free for those requiring a gluten free diet, provides carbohydrate for refuelling and sustained energy and provides the benefits of the nutrient dense ingredients – sweet potato, kale, quinoa and olive oil (you will notice that I don’t use this sparingly).

Because I had just been running I wanted to ensure that I had enough protein for recovery. Two eggs gives you about 50% of your protein needs after training so I had a glass of milk after the meal to make up for the rest.

Here it is…

Ingredients (serves two)

 1/3 cup (60g) quinoa - or other grain of preference

 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small-medium (300g) sweet potato, cut into 1cm x 1 cm cubes

1 handful kale roughly chopped into strips

¼ cup water or vegetable stock

1 teaspoon chilli flakes (or more if you like it hot)!

 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

 ¼  teaspoon paprika

 ½ teaspoon cumim

 ½  teaspoon ground coriander seeds

 2 tablespoons fresh coriander or parsley

4 fresh eggs (the freshest you can find for perfect poaching)

 Method

1.    Start cooking quinoa (or grain of choice) and set to the side when ready.

2.    Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over a medium-high heat.

3.    Add sweet potato and sauté for about 3 minutes then add the chilli and garlic and sauté for a further 2 minutes  or until almost tender, stirring frequently.

4.    Add paprika, cumin and ground coriander and stir through sweet potato for a couple of minutes.

5.    Add kale and water (or stock) and continue to stir frequently on low-medium heat for ~5 minutes or until the kale starts to shrink.

6.    Once the kale is tender add the quinoa to the pan, stir through and turn off the heat.

 Poaching the eggs

1.    Fill a small saucepan with about 2-3 inches of water from the kettle and add a pinch of salt.

2.    Bring water to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer.

3.    Crack an egg into a cup and gently pour it into the water. Do this for each egg.

4.    They should be ready in about 4 minutes for soft yolks or 5 minutes for firm yolks. When they are cooked to your liking, remove the eggs from the water and set on paper towel to soak up excess water.

To serve, divide the quinoa, sweet potato and kale mix between two bowls, top with the eggs, a little salt, cracked pepper and the fresh coriander or parsley.

Nutrition information (per serve): Kilojoules: 1978kJ (470cal) Protein: 22g Carbohydrate: 48g Fat: 20g Saturated fat: 5g Fibre:7g Sodium: 178mg

Breakfast on the RUN - Overnight Oats

Breakfast is my most favourite meal of the day.

I always look forward to breakfast and I often find myself drifting off to sleep thinking about what I am going to eat the next morning….this is true.

In winter I love stove cooked rolled oats (cooked in half water, half milk), which I vary with different toppings. Some of my favourite combinations include:

• Chia seeds, banana, cinnamon and a drizzle of honey
• Stewed apple and rhubarb
• Blueberries and honey
• Grated apple and cinnamon
• Spiced poached pears or quince

Traditional rolled oats (not the instant quick oats) have a low glycemic index (GI) and can help to lower your cholesterol due to the presence of beta-glucans. You will find that after a good bowl of rolled oats your energy levels will be nicely sustained and you will feel fuller for longer.

Those of you who have read my earlier posts will know that in my wedding vows earlier this year I officially declared, in front of the ones that I love, to continue to cook my husband delicious meals. During winter this year my husband and I had a ritual of enjoying breakfast together, a previous rarity in our household. There was nothing that I loved more than showing him my love through a warm bowl of delicious cooked oats each morning.

Now that I have dedicated many of my mornings to training for a long distance triathlon, my husband has to settle for weet-bix and I am looking for more ‘on the run’ breakfast options – not the same winter romance we once had.

Before swimming or a long ride in the morning I often enjoy an ‘up and go’ for a quick fix.

Following training I need a breakfast option that I can often enjoy at the office or one that takes no time to prepare. This option needs to provide the right amount of protein for recovery (~20g) and enough carbohydrates to refuel my tired muscles. I still use oats as a basis of this meal, however I have embraced the recent trend of ‘overnight oats.’

If you google ‘overnight oats’ you will find thousands of recipes, some that are extremely creative which almost sound like a dessert instead of a breakfast option.

‘Overnight oats’ are exactly what their title implies. Oats that you prepare the night before that are ready to be enjoyed the next day. As long as you are willing to dedicate a small amount of preparation time the night before, ‘overnight oats’ are the most quick and convenient breakfast option you will find.

My version of ‘overnight oats’ is quiet simple and not too sweet. If you like a touch more sweetness you may try adding a grated apple or a little more honey to the mix.

The combinations of ‘overnight oats’ are endless and I am going to aim to explore some new options throughout this summer, however this is my staple for now. I hope you enjoy.

Simple Overnight Oats

Ingredients

1/2 cup of rolled oats

1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

1/2 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of honey

1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon of slithered almonds

1 teaspoon of chia seeds

A pinch of ground cinnamon

Strawberries and blueberries

(you can use frozen berries as in the photograph, however I believe in this instance the fresh type taste better)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients and place on a jar

2. Put on the lid and pop in the ridge overnight

3. When ready to eat top with berries

The MuffQuin - Made with Love from Leftovers

Yes you read right, this post is about a little snack that was dubbed the muffQuin by my good friend Nancy. This snack was born when I had some leftover quinoa and vegetables at the end of the week.

As a child I was always aware of the environment and encouraged my family to recycle.  As I have grown and matured I have adapted these traits to my eats. I always look for opportunities to use leftovers from meals or produce that will soon perish. It often means that left over roasted veggies are made into slices or omelettes, or older vegetables are made into soups or thrown into those always interesting “one pots.”

When I had some leftover quinoa and sautéed sweet potato and kale I knew I could do something a little more interesting than add it to my salad (although this is a good option too).

Lets start with how I made the sautéed sweet potato and kale because this dish is enough to write about in itself. This dish is a great side to any meal and adds a good punch of nutrients with a great taste to say the least.

Sautéed sweet potato and kale

Ingredients

Approximately 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (type as you desire)

1 medium to large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 handful of kale, leaves cut from stems and roughly chopped 

1 teaspoon of chilli flakes

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

¼ of a teaspoon of paprika

1/2 of a teaspoon of cumin

1/2 of a teaspoon of ground coriander seeds

Method

Heat oil in a pan over medium to high heat.

Add sweet potato and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until almost tender, stirring frequently.

Add chilli, garlic, cumin and ground coriander, a dash of water and stir through sweet potato for a couple of minutes.

Add kale and continue to stir frequently for ~5 minutes or until the kale starts to shrink.

I served this with a lamb roast, green beans and a quinoa salad.

With the left overs I made these MuffQuins…

Ingredients - Makes 6 MuffQuins

1 cup of sweet potato and kale mixture (although I am sure you could use any leftover roasted veggies or tinned corn and with some spices).

1 cup of cooked quinoa

2 eggs

¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese

Cracked pepper to season

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl.

Add quinoa, vegetables, cheese and season with pepper.

Lightly grease muffin moulds.

Evenly distribute mixture into 6 muffin moulds.

Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes.

These are tasty, nutrient dense snacks with approximately 5g of protein, 10g of carbohydrate and 365 kilojoules (87 calories).

 Bon Appetit