Category: Nutritious

For the times when you realise you should probably eat something with some healthy stuff in it.

Wholegrain Crackers with Homemade Hazelnut Butter and Strawberries

Wholegrain Crackers with Homemade Hazelnut Butter and Strawberries

Last week I made some delicious hazelnut butter, now it’s time for something to it with! I’ve found it really good as a sandwich filler, a porridge topper and a yoghurt pal, however if you want to make something specific to pair with your creation look no further than these delicious wholegrain crackers.  These can taste a little bland on their own, but they’re the perfect carrier for all kinds of toppings from caramel, to nutella to this nut butter.

I’ve also found by topping it all with some fresh berries you can end up bringing some sweetness to the package which makes a great little healthy, filling snack!

Recipe

Makes 18 biscuits

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the crackers

  • 160g Whole-wheat flour
  • 55g Sesame seeds
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 60ml Olive oil
  • 4-5 tbsp Water

To top

  • 3 tbsp Homemade nut butter (see last week’s recipe for how to make your own!)
  • 4 Fresh Strawberries
  • A few Mint leaves to garnish

Method

  1. Begin by making the crackers. Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Mix the flour, sesame seeds and salt in a large bowl. Then add the oil and mix it in with a fork to make a crumbly texture. Add the water and then mix with your hands until a smooth dough comes together.
  3. Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper until the thickness of a 1p coin. Cut rounds out of the dough with a cookie cutter, transferring the crackers to your lined trays as you do. Make sure to space them out enough so they’re not touching.
  4. Bake the crackers in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Leave to cool completely.
  5. When cooled spread your nut butter over the crackers. Hull and slice the strawberries and arrange them on top of the crackers. Garnish with a little mint and then serve!

Alternatives:

Why not try topping the crackers and nut butter with…

  • Sliced banana and chocolate shavings
  • Fig quarters and a drizzle of honey
  • Raspberries and white chocolate

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

Black Wild Rice, Cherry, and Rocket Salad

Black Wild Rice, Cherry, and Rocket Salad

Recently I’ve decided to try going on a detox again and this time I’m really going to try to get into the habit of healthy eating. I’ve said this before, however at the moment I’m not going away in the near future, I’m not being catered for and I’m free to really focus on what I’m eating, so I’m determined to make this work. They say it takes 30 days to make a habit and 90 days to make a lifestyle, so that’s what I’m aiming for! As of yet it’s going really well: I’ve started thinking out of the box and I’m now getting into the habit of making things that will nourish my body but also taste great. I am craving cake and would like nothing more than to make some danish pastries right now, but I’m standing strong and I’m hopeful that this time I won’t crack.  Something I experimented with the other day was this wild rice and cherry salad and I was chuffed with how well it worked. Delicious, filling and super quick to throw together!

Recipe

Serves 2

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100g Black wild rice
  • Roughly 8 Fresh cherries
  • 4 tbsp Puy lentils
  • 50g Feta cheese
  • A handful of Rocket

Method

  1. Fill a medium sized pan half way full with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rice. Stir once and then leave on a gentle simmer until soft to preference.
  2. Meanwhile, halve and de-stone the cherries and leave to one side for now.
  3. Then put the puy lentils into a medium sized bowl and microwave for 20 seconds to gently warm through.
  4. Drain the rice and then add it to the bowl with the lentils. Stir gently to combine.
  5. Portion the rice out between your two plates. Arrange the halved cherries on top and then scatter over chunks of the feta cheese. Finish with a sprinkling of rocket leaves.

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

Falafel Salad

Falafel Salad

Oki so I have exams next week and needless to say I’m stressing like crazy so I’m going to keep things simple this week. Say hello to falafel salad…

Recipe

Serves 1

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 Falafel
  • 1 tbsp Pine nuts
  • A handful of Cherry tomatoes
  • A handful of Mixed salad leaves
  • Hummus to serve

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Put the falafel into a small roasting tin and warm in the oven for about 5 minutes (or to packet instructions). Add the pine nuts to the tin 1 minute before they come out.
  2. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Arrange some salad leaves into a bowl and then scatter over the tomato quarters.
  3. Arrange the falafel around the plate, sprinkle over the pine nuts and then serve with hummus!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

Bacon and Leak Hash with Eggs and Beans

Bacon and Leak Hash with Eggs and Beans

Did someone say brunch? Sorry it’s been a while since my last post, even on holiday things can be a little crazy. There’s a saying at Oxford that holidays (or ‘vacations’) are not times to stop working and relax but rather times when you just ‘vacate’ Oxford and go and work somewhere else. So much for rest and recuperation eh! At least my degree is basically what I do for fun anyway, so I get to spend my days drawing, cooking and planning various drama projects I’ve got lined up for next term.

So, back to brunch. When you’ve not got a lot of time on your hands what’s better than to combine two meals into one and have a hippy, hearty, filling bowl of comforting deliciousness? Since coming home I’ve basically stopped having breakfasts at all and I really miss starting the day with a hot plate of fried up morsels, so the other I decided to get off my arse and actually make myself a cooked breakfast. This bacon and leek hash might seem like a bit of a paph – especially when you can just fry up some bacon and have it with potato smiley faces from the freezer (and why not – they’re so good!) – but trust me, if you want a fancied-up snazzy brunch try adding it to your classic eggs and beans and you won’t regret it!

Recipe

Serves 2

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 300g Potatoes (about 2 medium)
  • 1 Leek, trimmed, washed and sliced
  • 3 Rasher of bacon
  • A sprinkling of Paprika
  • 100g Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 Large tin of baked beans to serve (optional)

Method

  1. Wash and chop the potatoes into small chunks. Then bring a pan of water to the boil and boil the potatoes for around 5 minutes until just cooked through. Drain and leave to steam-dry.
  2. Take a large frying pan and put it over a medium heat. Add the bacon rashers (as many as will cover the base of the pan at any one time) and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy and golden brown. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate and repeat with the rest of the bacon until all the rashers are done. Leave until needed.
  3. Wash the leek and then cut the ends off it (top and tail). Half lengthways and then finely slice. Add the leek to the pan the bacon was cooked in and fry for 5-10 minutes until soft and starting to caramelise.
  4. Cut the bacon up with a pair of scissors to make small pieces and then add it to the leeks. Add the drained potato and paprika and mix together.
  5. Transfer the hash mixture to a small roasting tin and then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. If using cheese sprinkle a little of it over the top of the hash 5 minutes before coming out of the oven.
  6. Meanwhile prep the eggs. Spray a little oil into the pan you cooked the bacon in to add a little more grease. Then crack the eggs into the pan and leave to fry until the whites are opaque. Using a fish slice transfer them to a couple of plates.
  7. Whilst the eggs are cooking heat the beans in a pan or in a microwave until piping hot. Serve with the eggs and the hash!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x

Blood Orange Salad

Blood Orange Salad

Everything’s a little bit hectic at the moment so I’ll keep this short and sweet like this salad recipe…

Blood orange + Hazelnuts + Feta cheese = an incredible combination!

Recipe

Serves 1

Time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Blood orange
  • A handful of salad leaves
  • 1 tbsp Chopped hazelnuts
  • A little Feta (around 15g)
  • 1 tsp Clear honey
  • A small drizzle of Balsamic vinegar

Method

  1. Slice the ends of the orange and use a knife to cut the skin off. Then slice the orange horizontally into discs.
  2. Scatter some salad leaves on a plate and then arrange the blood orange on top.
  3. Sprinkle over the chopped hazelnuts, crumble over the feta and then finish with a drizzle of honey and balsamic.

Thanks for reading!

Emma x