Some super treats to ad to the Christmas table and not feel like a Plum Pudding.
Here are some recipes from my favorite chefs and cooks. Natural ingredients, Digestively wise and Taste Sensations
From Good Most of the Time -some delicious treats for Christmas Breakfast, Lunch and Dessert
Raspberry, banana, chia and coconut whip with nuts and seeds
With this deliciously warm, humid weather this fruit whip is a perfect start to my Christmas day. It could also be the perfect end to my day…….
Ingredients
- 2 cups of frozen raspberries
- 2 bananas peeled
- 1/2 cup of coconut water
- 1/2 cup of coconut yogurt (unsweetened)
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp of vanilla powder
- coconut flakes for top
- handful of activated almonds chopped for top
- sprinkle of activated buckwheat groats for top
- sprinkle of activated pepitas for top
- 2 tsp of probiotic powder
Instructions
- in a thermomix or high powered blender whizz raspberries, bananas, coconut water, coconut yogurt, chia, vanilla and probiotic powder on high speed until smooth
- pour out into two bowls and sprinkle with coconut flakes, almonds, buckwheat groats and pepitas. YUM.
Buckwheat Stuffed Turkey Breasts
Why go to the trouble of a whole turkey on Christmas day? By covering the breasts in foil the moisture and flavour from the stuffing steams through and the carving is a breeze. These can be prepared the day before so there is more time unwrapping presents……
Ingredients
- 2 x 1.25 kg turkey breasts with skin on (get your butcher to lightly butterfly them)
- Buckwheat turkey stuffing (see last post)
- Butter or ghee
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Using your fingers gently lift the skin from each breast, push in as much butter or ghee between skin and meat towards the centre of the breast. Using your palm gently push down on the turkey skin ensuring that it is evenly distributed
- Turn your turkey over and place a large handful of buckwheat stuffing down the middle of the turkey then bind together with kitchen string or bamboo skewers
- Place down onto a baking tray and rub some more butter or ghee onto the top of the skin and season with sea salt
- Cover with foil ensuring no steam can escape and bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg for 1 hr and 15 mins
- Then take off the foil cook for a further 15- 20 mins until skin is golden
- Take out and test with a skewer if juice is clear, stand for 10 mins, serve with extra stuffing and pan juices
Tomato, herb, sheep’s milk fetta and seeded salad
Not a day goes by where I don’t eat an abundance of fresh vegetables. My body just craves it, the more I have the more I want. As a result I feel alive, my immune system is strong my skin is great. Remember you are what you eat………how many ALIVE foods have you eaten today?
Ingredients
- 2 punnet of organic cherry tomatoes (try to get your hands on a mix of colours)
- 4 baby cos lettuce leaves sliced
- handful of chopped parsley
- 2 shallots sliced thin
- handful of basil leaves torn
- 1 tablespoon of chives chopped
- handful of micro green herbs ( I used radish)
- 3 tablespoons of activated pepitas
- 3 tablespoons of activated sunflower seeds
- good quality olive oil
- apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup of sheep’s milk fetta cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- halve tomatoes and place in a serving bowl, add all greens and seeds, drizzle with olive oil and 2 caps of apple cider vinegar then toss add fetta and toss again. YUM.
Christmas sort of pudding with coconut creme’ anglaise
Christmas sort of pudding with coconut creme’ anglaiseThis was my first attempt at a Christmas pudding and I have to say it turned out exactly how I had hoped! You see I have never had good reason to attempt one on my own until now. For the last fifteen or so years I have celebrated Christmas day with my husbands family and they have been quite traditional in how things should run and who makes what. My brother in law makes a outstanding glazed ham with pineapple and homemade cranberry sauce, two sister in laws create delicious witlof and potato salads and last but certainly not least is the famous sister in law’s gobsmacking pudding with brandy butter and the new addition creme’ anglaise that I managed to sneak in over the years. All of the children and perhaps even some of the adults are hopeful to get the slice with the hidden coin inside to have luck until the next Christmas…….Having this passion for food and now creating for Good Most Of the Time has forced me out of my comfort zone to try things that I wouldn’t ordinarily make. The small effort was well worth it. Merry Christmas xx.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond meal
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger ground
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups of mixed dried fruit ( I used sultanas, dates, prunes)
- 1-2 peeled green apples cubed
- 1 small bunch of rhubarb chopped
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup of butter room temp
- 1/2 cup of rice syrup
- zest of 1/2 an orange
- 3 cups of coconut milk
- 2 whole eggs beaten
- 2 egg yolks beaten
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 heaped tsp tapioca starch
Instructions
- in a food processor add dried fruit and whizz until crumbly
- steam rhubarb and apple then whizz until smooth poor onto a plate to cool
- in a large mixing bowl combine, almond meal, buckwheat flour, baking soda, spices orange zest
- in a separate large mixing bowl beat butter with rice syrup, add eggs one at a time and beat
- once rhubarb and apple has cooled add slowly to the butter mix and beat then add flour mix and beat then dried fruit and mix with your hands for an even distribution
- pour into two medium well greased pudding moulds and cover tightly with foil
- place in a large baking dish with water up to halfway and bake in a preheated oven at 170 deg for 1 hr
- cool on a wire rack then return to moulds and pop int the fridge covered until ready to use. To warm keep in pudding mould a steam over water.
For the coconut creme’ anglaise
- pour coconut milk into a medium sized saucepan and heat gently on a medium heat add vanilla once warm to hot add little bits of egg mix at a time whisking at the same time
- keep whisking until it starts to thicken add tapioca starch and keep whisking it will take 10 – 15 minutes to the end result strain through a sieve
- store in a jar in the fridge until ready to serve. YUM.
ANOTHER OF MY FAVOURITE CHEFS – HEALTHY, DIGESTIVELY WISE AND DELICIOUS TO BOOT.
CHRISTMAS PUDDING – MY HEALTHY CHEF SECRET RECIPE
Christmas isn’t Christmas without a traditional pudding. I love the fragrant aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, orange and nutmeg infused into plump sun-dried fruits then finished off with a home made custard poured over the top. This is a recipe I designed especially for YOU ! It features in the December issue of Women’s Fitness Magazine and it needed to fit into the healthy chef philosophy and be Purely Delicious !
For those who prefer a more traditional style of baked pudding, keep reading below – all bases are pretty much covered here. Please keep an eye out for this Friday’s post on my purely delicious baked fruit cake.
WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT THEM:
My Christmas puddings only take 5 minutes to make. What I love about them is that they’re so easy to make and you feel great after eating it, as it won’t bloat you out like traditional versions and they are gluten free too!. The dried fruit adds sweetness and moisture, so you don’t need to add extra cane sugar or added fats like most traditional puddings. Almond meal adds protein, vitamin E + the good heart healthy mono-unsaturated oils which are anit-inflammatory to the body. They can be eaten warm topped with proper vanilla bean custard. or cold served with my lush mango coconut custard (see recipe below).
225g fresh pitted dates – approx 10 – 15 dates depending on their size
zest from 1 orange
250g organic dried apricots, chopped
150 g (1 ½ cups) almond meal / ground almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
80 g white chocolate, melted for decoration – optional (please see other great topping ideas below)
Combine dates, orange zest, apricots, vanilla, ground almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a food processor.
Process until mixture is combined and looks like fine crumbs.
Spoon mixture into a large bowl and add 1 – 2 tablespoons orange juice then mix again. Your pudding mix should come together in the hands when lightly squeezed.
Divide puddings into 6 small puddings. The best way to do this is to line the base of your desired mould with glad wrap and press the pudding mixture into it firmly.
Invert the pudding and remove the glad wrap. Repeat until all the puddings are formed.
Melt white chocolate in a small bowl that is set over a simmering pot of water.
Spoon a little white chocolate over the tops of the puddings if using and garnish. You can use goji berries, fresh cherries or anything you fancy. Alternatively omit the topping if you wish.
Arrange onto a serving plate and set aside until needed.
Store in the fridge for upto 2 weeks.
I love to make double the mix so I have extra for second helpings.
Serve puddings with cold mango coconut custard or warm with custard!
PLEASE NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED TO BAKE THESES PUDDINGS !
Mango Coconut Custard
1 mango, chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk
Juice from ½ orange
Combine all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Serve chilled along side puddings.
FOR A PROPER EGG CUSTARD RECIPE – click here
OTHER SERVING SUGGESTIONS + GREAT TOPPING IDEAS
1 Garnish with fresh red cherries or raspberries
2 Top with thick yoghurt in place of custard
3 Serve with sour cherry compote or smashed raspberries
4 As an alternative to white chocolate combine 100 g melted cacao butter with 100 ml coconut cream and 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix well and drizzle over the puddings then allow to set.
THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS SALAD
This is one of the simplest salads of all time to create. The perfect addition to a festive Christmas Lunch The flavour of this magnificent salad depends solely on the quality of the ingredients you use. I especially enjoy making this over the summer months, as juicy, ripe tomatoes are bountiful and at their seasonal best.
For me, healthy cooking is all about using real food and the simplicity of the ingredients. The aim is to keep things as fresh and pure as possible. The ingredients in a classic Caprese Salad are very minimal – tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, a little lemon, salt and pepper. This is the way it should be eaten and the clean classic flavours are glorious, with every mouthful being pure heaven.
Buffalo mozzarella is traditionally used to make Caprese and it’s just glorious with fresh sun-ripened tomatoes ! I love to gently open up the mozzarella with my fingertips and arrange it loosely beside juicy tomatoes.
What’s great about it:
Tomatoes are loved around the world for their versatility, vibrant colour and flavour. They are a wonderful source of vitamin B6, C, K, beta-carotene, potassium and manganese. The lycopene(a phytonutrient) in tomatoes have been linked to lower rates of heart disease. Buffalo mozzarella is rich in protein and minerals such as calcium and magnesium needed for muscle contraction and strong bones. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is my number one favourite oil and I love to use it liberally in this delicious summer salad. It’s a rich source of antioxidants and mono-unsaturated fatty acids – one of the main reasons why a traditional Mediterranean diet is wonderful for heart health.
800 g (28 oz) sun-ripened tomatoes, juicy and at room temperature
2-4 balls buffalo mozzarella
Cold-pressed olive oil to drizzle around 2 – 4 tbsp
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Fresh torn basil leaves to garnish
Generous pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Slice the tomatoes or cut into generous wedges.
Place onto serving platter.
Break up the mozzarella highly with your fingertips and mingle in amount the tomatoes.
Drizzle over olive oil and a little lemon juice.
Finish with sea salt, black pepper and torn basil leaves.
Serves 4
– See more at: https://www.thehealthychef.com/2015/12/the-perfect-christmas-salad/#sthash.K1KtTCSk.dpuf