Ingredients 260g self-raising flour (gluten free if required) 40g plain flour (gf if required) 500g overripe bananas, well-smashed/pureed 2 eggs or egg replacer pinch of sea salt vanilla essence 100g sugar of choice 1tsp cinnamon half cup milk or dairy alternative of choice half a cup of apple sauce
Method Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a loaf pan with baking paper, allowing it to overhang. Sift the flours, salt and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre. Add mashed bananas, apple sauce, egg replacer, vanilla and milk. Stir until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and cut into slices. Keeps well in the fridge for at least 5 days.
Who doesn’t love Japanese curry? That burst of Umami just always seems to hit the right spot. Unfortunately, store bought Japanese curry relies on roux made with butter so it is never a light meal. But what if you could create a Japanese curry in your own kitchen without all the added fat from butter and oil?
Now, I will not call this an “authentic” Japanese curry because it isn’t, but if you’re craving that umami flavour without fat, oil, onions, garlic, dairy, and gluten, then this recipe is for you! Needless to say, it is quick and easy like all my recipes.
It is also very customisable – while I consider carrots and peas somewhat crucial you can absolutely use up any vegetables that are lingering in your fridge. Obviously regarding the protein, the options are endless. The version pictured has marinated tempeh, but please feel free to use any protein you/your family like. My kids love it with chicken nuggets (a kind of cheat’s katsu curry!), but beef, tofu, chickpeas would also be great options.
4 cups of vegetables (I recommend peas, carrots, and potatoes, but broccoli, cauli, zucchini and pumpkin would also be great options)
1-2 apples (Fuji or Pink Lady are great)
4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp (vegan) Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp curry spice
3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
Bring stock to boil in a large pot/saucepan, add vegetables, apple, and condiments (Ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, curry spice) and cook on low to medium until potatoes are tender.
In a separate small saucepan, mix cornstarch/flour with the same amount of water until all the lumps are gone, then add about a cup of the curry liquid and stir until thick and viscous. This is your fat-free roux. Add the roux into the curry and cook for another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook rice for serving as well as your protein of choice.
Bliss balls, energy balls, power balls – there are many names for these beautiful little babies that are not only your best mate when the 3pm munchies hit, but also a great addition to your little one’s lunchbox as they are completely nut free and allergy friendly and provide sustained energy thanks to rolled oats, dried dates and a smidge of protein powder!
Of course these are very customisable, but here I am offering my quick, easy, healthy and yummy version for a snack/treat/breakfast that my kids actually eat and that is just as good for grown-ups too!
Makes 24 balls
One cup packed dried dates (approx. 170g)
2/3 (two thirds) cup shredded coconut (approx 40g)
1.5 cups rolled oats (approx 120g)
One scoop vegan vanilla or choc protein
1 tbsp raw cacao
Pinch of salt
Start by soaking the dates in hot water until soft. Drain, but keep the date water. Blitz all ingredients in a high-powered blender while adding the date water gradually until the mixture comes together. If you add to much loquid you might have to add some more of the dry ingredients. It’s okay for the mix to be sticky but it should still be able to be formed into balls.
Roll into balls (roughly 22-28 depending on size) and roll in more coconut or oats as desired. Pop into fridge or freezer until ready to eat.
Waffles are the ultimate comfort food – unfortunately, they are usually also loaded with fat and other unhealthy ingredients. If you are looking for a healthy but no less yummy version of waffles to pop into your kids’ lunchboxes or have ready for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack, please give my waffles a try.
If you don’t have a waffle maker (I highly recommend this mini waffle maker from Kmart), the batter also works for mini pancakes!
For 12 mini waffles, you will need:
2 cups oats 1.5 cups plant milk or water 1 cup apple sauce 1 tbsp flaxseed (optional, but thickens the batter up nicely) 1 tbsp raw sugar or other sweetener 2 tsp of vanilla essence 1 tsp cinnamon (optional) 1 tsp baking powder pinch of salt
Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Let sit for a few minutes for the batter to thicken. Heat up your waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Make waffles according to the manufacturer’s instructions and enjoy!
This is probably the recipe I am making most often in my kitchen and still it has taken me so long to get around to posting it!
Everyone needs a recipe for a quick and easy lunchbox-friendly bar in their repertoire, so here comes my version of a low-fat, vegan, nut-free, gluten free (if you use gf oats) oatmeal bar that is a hit in lunchboxes, for picnics, afternoon tea, and at kids birthday parties alike! It is full of fibre to keep small (and big) tummies full and slow carbs to get those brains working. I also love it as a mess-free and satisfying breakfast on the go with its great balance of plant protein, complex carbohydrates, fibre, and a small amount of healthy fats (naturally occurring fats in oats and from any seeds you are adding if any).
Whip it up every Sunday afternoon for the week ahead and fill your house with the cozy aroma of this healthy and yummy oatmeal bar! This is an extremely customizable and forgiving recipe – use whatever milk or sweetener you like, add any combination of dried fruits, nuts and seeds (if nuts are allowed) or even chocolate chips. Add gingerbread spice or pumpkin pie spice for an autumnal twist, glaze it with chocolate – the options are seriously endless. You can adjust the sweetener to your liking and even leave it out altogether and your bars will still be tasty! It is also pretty fool proof – I don’t even really follow a recipe anymore and always manage to create something delicious based on this loose recipe matrix.
4 cups old-fashioned oats (you can use quick oats, but the result will be a bit more mushy and with less of a “bite” to it, still delish tho!) 4 flaxseed eggs or egg replacer eggs (or use “real” eggs if not vegan) 1/4-1/2 cup (more or less) honey, maple syrup or raw sugar or mix hereof (adjust to taste) 1 cup plant milk 3/4-1 cup apple sauce 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tbsp of vanilla essence pinch of sea salt 1 cup (adjust to taste) any mix of dried fruit (dates, sultanas, cranberries, candied peel etc.) and seeds/nuts (optional) 1 tbsp Cinnamon and/or other spice (gingerbread or pumpkin pie spice is lovely) optional: melted dark chocolate to drizzle over
Mix all ingredients and let stand for 20 minutes for the pats to soften and the flavours to develop. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line a square 20cm baking pan with baking paper and pour the batter in, smoothing the top. Bake at 180°C for around 30 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 30 squares.
Vegan Cottage Pie – gluten free, dairy free, oil free and low in fat!
Is there anything more comforting than a cottage pie on a cold night? I think not. However, this popular classic originally involves meat as well as other heavyweights such as butter and milk and flour which makes it not suitable if you are gluten free. My plant-based version uses lentils as base as well as carrots and celery for flavour which also makes it a very economical dish. My kids normally hate lentils but they absolutely love this dish and I hope you do too! My trick is to blend up the lentil ragu before using it in the pie. You could skip this step if you don’t mind a coarse texture (I actually love it).
The lentil base for this pie freezes terrifically so I suggest making a big batch and then freeze some to whip up a comforting cottage pie on a week night!
Serves 4
Ingredients Lentil base 2 onions (leave out of low FODMAP) 2 cloves garlic (leave out of low FODMAP) 3 carrots, washed and finely sliced or cubed 3 celery sticks, finely sliced 500g dried lentils, any variety works well 400g diced tomatoes 1 cup tomato paste 1 cup red wine 1l vegetable stock
Mashed potato crust approx. 800g potatoes, washed and diced Flavourings of choice (nutritional yeast, salt, plant milk…)
Method Sauté the onion and garlic (if using) in a large cast-iron pot in a bit of water or stock until fragrant. Add carrots and celery and cook until softened. Add lentils, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cook until the lentils are fully cooked and the ragu has a nice bolognese-style texture (about 45-60 minutes). You can now let the ragu cool and then freeze for up to 3 months or use it straight away for this pie. If you need a smooth texture for fussy eaters, blend the ragu with a stick blender until nice and smooth. To make the mashed potato, steam or boil the prepared potatoes until very soft. Add flavourings if using. Nutritional yeast and salt are great. If you are not concerned about fat content you can use plant milk, vegan margarine and/or vegan cheese. Mash with a potato masher. Scoop lentil base into 4 portion-size baking dishes. Top with mashed potato. Either serve straight away or broil in the oven to get a nice crust.
With school thankfully being back again this year (yay!), my frantic mornings are filled with two dilemmas. One is packing a snack in my daughter’s lunchbox that is a) nut-free and b) actually gets eaten. The other is that I often don’t have time for a full-on breakfast but need the energy to tackle the drop-off and dealing with those first work emails. Enter my allergy-friendly hemp and coconut bliss balls – a nutritious and delicious breakfast or snack that is very versatile and can even be frozen for meal prep.
I used to make bliss balls with rolled oats and pea protein powder to replace nuts but at the moment my digestive system hat hit rock bottom sadly so I cannot even have oats or pea protein anymore. Enter hemp protein! I don’t care for it much in smoothies but it is superb in these bliss balls.
Most bliss ball recipes suggest to use Medjool dates and they are definitely superior in texture (much softer) but they are also very expensive. I find I can achieve the same result with just regular dried dates from the baking aisle. I soak them for a bit in hot water and then drain them well.
Ingredients 1 cup packed dried dates (approx. 210g), soak in hot water before using to soften them up 1 cup desiccated coconut (reserve some for rolling) 1 scant cup of hemp protein powder (can use other protein powder) 2 tbsp raw cacao optional: spices like cinnamon, gingerbread spice optional: vanilla or almond extract
Method Blend the dates first into a date paste using a high powered blender. Then add everything and blitz into a sticky dough. I should come away from the sides of the blending cup after some time. Add a few drops of water if it seems to crumbly. Wet your hands a bit to form 20-24 balls and roll in reserved desiccated coconut. Store in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months.
For a super quick and easy yet healthy and delicious salad which is also great for meal-prepping try this recipe for my cauliflower super salad!
It takes next to no effort, is incredibly versatile, delicious hot or cold and delivers healthy plant protein to fuel your afternoon. You can use whatever veggies, legumes and grains you have at hand. My secret is to use a tin of chickpeas and use the chickpea juice (ie. aquafaba) to coat the vegetables in before roasting. They get nice and crispy and any spice sticks to them much better. Aquafaba also eliminates the need to use oil.
Healthy, easy, yummy and of course vegan, gluten free and oil free – my Cauliflower Super Salad
Serves 3
3 medium potatoes, washed and cubed or cut into wedges 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets optionally any other vegetables such as kale or pumpkin grains of choice (I use a pre-cooked mix of brown rice and quinoa) 1 tin of chickpeas, drained (but reserve liquid!) and rinsed well favourite spices/sauce (e.g. cajun spice, curry mix, bbq sauce)
Method
Preheat oven to 240 °C. Mix the potatoes, cauliflower and chickpeas (or any other legumes and vegetables) in aquafaba and spices.
Bake on a lined sheet until cooked to your liking (about 20-30 minutes). Add precooked grains, mix through and serve with your favourite dressing!
Whether you are veteran vegan, someone who is new to the plantbased lifestyle or just looking for a meat-free staple recipe for lent and beyond, this superb vegan mushroom bourguignon is for you!
It is easy and economical to make yet refined and elegant, looks fancy enough for a dinner party, it is comforting and warming and with its meaty texture will convince even the staunchest meat eater! It is the perfect dish on a gloomy autumn night – and actually for any other night as well!
Mushrooms are a rich, low calorie source of fiber, protein, selenium, and antioxidants. This recipe does without any oil, butter, cream or other fat sources and is therefore low in fat and calories and suitable for pretty much any diet!
It freezes well and is therefore suitable for meal prep.
Mushroom Bourguignon for Meal Prep
4 garlic cloves, minced 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 3 carrots, finely sliced 3 stalks celery, finely sliced 480g mushrooms, brushed and sliced (any type is fine) 120ml (half a cup) tomato paste dried thyme and rosemary 1-2 tsp cornstarch or tapioca starch 1 cup vegetable broth 1 cup red wine salt (or soy sauce) and pepper to taste
Sear garlic, onions, carrots, and celery in a bit of water or broth in a heavy pot until softened, add mushrooms, thyme, rosemary. Add one cup red wine and broth and let cook until reduced and alcohol smell has evaporated (about 25-30 minutes). Add tomato paste and salt or soy sauce and pepper. Dissolve cornstarch or tapioca in equal amount cold water and add to the bourguignon while vigorously stirring. Let simmer until thickened. Serve with mashed potatoes or alternatively over pasta or rice.
I love the savoury flavour of sesame in sweet treats, it adds a gentle Middle Eastern note (baklava anyone!) and tones down the sweetness. Besides, sesame seeds are a real nutrition powerhouse. The seeds may be tiny, but they do pack a punch: Besides fibre and protein, just three tablespoons of these little guys provide as much as 22% of your daily calcium, 25% magnesium, 32% manganese, and 21% of zinc (source). They are also said to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation, among other benefits. Shall we tuck in?
Delicious and healthy sesame bliss balls
One cup packed, pitted, chopped dates One cup oats, preferably ground 2 tbsp cacao 2 tbsp tahini 4 tbsp sesame seeds
Blend the dates in a high-powered blender until you achieve a smooth date paste texture. Add the remaining ingredients, but only 2 tbsp of the sesame seeds and blend to a homegenous dough. Shape into approx. 20 balls, roll in remaining sesame seeds and refrigerate.
Nat's Ladle 