Healthy banana muffins recipe

May 23, 2016 By

We’re a little obsessed with these healthy banana muffins at the moment because they are simple to make. Made with wholemeal flour these honey-sweetened healthy banana muffins are so fluffy and moist. It’s easy to forget they’re healthy muffins. They use basic ingredients and only one mixing bowl! Looking for a recipe to go with these banana muffins then check out our blueberry and lemon muffins or our healthy savoury muffin recipe.

Making your banana muffins with fiber-rich wholemeal flour, honey and coconut oil means they are relatively guilt-free.

These healthy banana muffins are the perfect treat for when you feel like something sweet. If you are trying to watch your treat intake, then it is so much better to bake muffins yourself, as you can choose exactly what you put in them! Meaning you can go easy on the refined sugars or leave it out completely if you like. These are perfect brunch snack on the weekend or for bringing to work for morning tea.

Making healthier snack choices, like these healthy banana and oat muffins is a great way to decrease your daily sugar intake. Feel free to add mix-ins of your choice, like or toasted nuts or raisins to put your own spin on the recipe.

The recipe calls overripe bananas and basic cupboard ingredients. Mixing them together in one bowl makes this the perfect snack recipe for busy people.

When cooked to perfection these wholemeal, honey-sweetened, healthy banana muffins are delicious.

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate.

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Homemade healthy banana muffins – Recipe Instructions

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Healthy banana muffins recipe
 
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Made with wholemeal flour these honey-sweetened healthy banana muffins are so fluffy and moist. It’s easy to forget they're healthy muffins.
Author:
Recipe type: Brunch
Cuisine: American
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed banana, approx. 3
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 ¾ cup wholemeal flour
  • ⅓ cup rolled oats, plus extra for sprinkling on top
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 165 degrees Celsius (325 degrees Fahrenheit). Grease the cups of your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and honey together with a whisk. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. If you’d like to add any additional mix-ins, like nuts, chocolate or dried fruit, fold them in now.
  4. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats (about 1 tablespoon).
  5. Bake muffins for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
  6. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan. Enjoy!

 

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Sweet Potato Hummus

August 18, 2014 By

I love snacking. It’s one of my favourite past times. If I am watching the footy, a movie, or if friends are coming over, there must be snacks. Chips and dips are always a crowd pleaser and so easy. Now I do love guacamole, but this recipe for healthy sweet potato hummus with its spicy flavour is definitely one of my new favourites.

Hummus is so easy to make and for some reason, it can be an expensive dip in the shops, even though it uses low-cost ingredients. To add a little sweetness and colour to our recipe we use roasted sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are great as they are full of beta-carotene, are low-gi and work great with spices like cumin and ground coriander.

To make this recipe we use a basic hummus recipe and spiced it up using cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika along with the roasted sweet potato. After roasting the sweet potato first, simply add this to the remaining ingredients, blitz in the food processor and voila! Homemade sweet potato hummus!

We usually serve the sweet potato hummus with crackers, some fresh vegetables or if we have some time, some of Brooke’s homemade green onion flat bread!

If you are looking for other dips and spreads then check out our Basil Pesto Recipe or Simple Guacamole Recipe.

Sweet Potato Hummus IngredientsRoasted Sweet Potato HummusSweet Potato Hummus RecipeSweet Potato Hummus RecipeSweet Potato Hummus Recipe

Healthy Sweet Potato Hummus – Recipe Instructions

Sweet Potato Hummus
 
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Sweet potato hummus made with cumin, coriander and smoked paprika along with the hero ingredient roasted sweet potato.
Author:
Recipe type: Snack
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1 can of chickpeas, washed and drained
  • 400g sweet potato, roasted
  • 3 -4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1½ tsp cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ground sea salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180 °C. Bake the sweet potato in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Once the sweet potato is golden and soft in the middle it is ready. Allow to cool.
  2. In a food processor, combine remaining ingredients with cooled sweet potato and puree. Scrap down the sides of the food processor as you go. You can thin the hummus with a little water if necessary. If you are sensitive to spice, season gradually.
  3. Serve fresh, or refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 week. Serve with crudités or crackers.

 

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Homemade Muesli Bars

May 12, 2014 By

Muesli bars are a staple item for most. They are an easy energy snack to take with you to work, on a trip, before the gym or to pack in a school bag. For me they are still a regular mid-morning snack and it is so easy to just buy a box at the shops as they are individually wrapped and ready to go. The only downfall is this “healthy” snack isn’t always so healthy. Typically processed muesli bars tend to contain a high level of butter, sugar and other added fats.

This recipe for homemade muesli bars is a quick and easy solution to the processed ones – and you don’t even need to turn on the oven! Now this recipe still contains butter, sugar and honey to bind the dry ingredients, but given the amount of slice you make it will be far less than any sugar contained in the store bought ones.

The ingredients we used are very versatile and can be swapped out for your own preferences. However we used a combination of rolled oats, desiccated coconut, dried sultanas and cranberries, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds and chia seeds.

As you don’t bake the bars, simply toast all the dry ingredients till you have a nice golden colour on the oats and coconut. In the meantime melt the butter with some brown sugar and honey till it is almost like caramel. Once the caramel mixture has cooled pour this onto the dry ingredients mixing well. When putting the mixture in the tin ensure you use a metal spoon to compact the mixture firmly in the tray. Allow to completely cool.

Once the slice has cooled, the slice will be firm and ready to cut into bars or squares. You can keep the bars in an airtight container for a week or as long as it lasts!

Homemade Muesli Bars IngredientsNo Bake Homemade Muesli BarsHomemade Muesli Bars RecipeHomemade Muesli Bars with ChiaHomemade Muesli Bars RecipeHomemade Muesli Bars RecipeHomemade Muesli Bars

Homemade Muesli Bars
 
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Homemade Muesli Bars made with a combination of rolled oats, desiccated coconut, dried sultanas and cranberries, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds and chia seeds.
Author:
Recipe type: Snack
Cuisine: Australian
Serves: Makes 10 bars or 20 squares
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats
  • 1 ½ cups desiccated coconut
  • ½ cup sultanas
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • ½ sunflower seeds
  • ¼ chia
  • ½ honey
  • ⅓ brown sugar
  • 125 g butter
Instructions
  1. Grease and line a 20cm square baking pan with baking paper.
  2. Add oats, coconut, sultanas, cranberries, pepitas, sunflower seeds and chia to a non stick frying pan over a medium heat, stirring for 5 – 8 minutes or until golden.
  3. In a small pot cook butter, honey and sugar over a medium heat, stirring for 4 – 5 minutes until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer for 1 – 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before pouring over dried ingredients. Stir until well combined.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the pan. Using a metal spoon press the mixture down firmly.
  5. Allow to cool and cut into squares or bars.
  6. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

 

Filed Under: Snacks

Coconut and Vanilla Chia Pudding

April 7, 2014 By

If you are like me a couple of months ago I had no idea what chia was – now I am seeing it everywhere I go, it’s in magazines, shops and Kelly Slater is even flogging it on TV! These ancient seeds are derived from a desert plant which is grown in Mexico, and for thousands of years formed part of a staple diet for the Mayans and Aztecs. These days Chia is also grown in the North Western corner of Australia, 15 degrees from the equator in the Kimberley region. I can see why this “superfood” has been the latest trend as it offers a countless list of nutritional value. The seeds are the best plant-based source of Omega-3, dietary fibre, protein and antioxidants and the coolest thing about them is they can absorb up to 12 times their weight in liquid! As you can see from the nutritional value these seeds are becoming a popular addition as a topping or added to smoothies, breakfast cereals, yoghurt or as we have been using them to make chia pudding.

For those who haven’t had chia pudding yet, it is a similar texture to sago or tapioca. At the beginning I was a little unsure how I felt about the strange texture however it has now become a staple breakfast option for me during the week now. Not only is the pudding extremely easy to prepare, due to the high fibre it leaves me full a longer period of time.

This simple Coconut and Vanilla Chia Pudding is made with nothing more than chia seeds, almond milk, vanilla extract and for our addition some dried coconut. Simply combine the ingredients together in a bowl and leave for a couple of hours allowing the seeds to absorb their miraculous amounts of liquid allowing it to form a “pudding” like texture.

To top off we used some toasted almonds and fresh fruit to add more texture. However you can easily mix and match what you want mango, berries, toasted coconut or even add a little lemon. In addition we used almond and coconut milk this time, however you can use unsweetened vanilla also or if you don’t find the pudding sweet enough add pure maple syrup. Once you have made your batch of pudding it will last for a 3-5 days in the fridge – so make a jump start this week to a nutritional packed week!

Coconut and Vanilla Chia PuddingBlack Chia SeedsOrganic Black Chia SeedsCoconut and Vanilla Chia Pudding IngredientsCoconut and Vanilla Chia Pudding Recipe

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Coconut and Vanilla Chia Pudding
 
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Coconut and Vanilla Chia Pudding made with black chia seeds, almond milk, vanilla extract and some dried coconut.
Author:
Recipe type: Coconut and Vanilla Chia Pudding
Cuisine: Australian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 Tbsp black chia seeds
  • 2 ½ cups almond and coconut milk; or unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • ½ dried coconut
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Fresh fruit and toasted almonds to serve
Instructions
  1. Place the chia seeds in a medium bowl
  2. Add the almond and coconut milk, vanilla and coconut and stir.
  3. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir well before serving to avoid lumps.
  5. Top with desired topping.

 

 

Filed Under: Snacks

Ham and cheese croquettes recipe

March 17, 2014 By

Today we have a ham and cheese croquettes recipe to share, these delish small bread-crumbed fried delights originate from France. However the first time I had these was when I was travelling around Spain and the same goes for Brooke. To make croquettes the main ingredient starts with either mashed potato or with a béchamel sauce (which is what we used). These are then flavoured with meat, fish, cheese, and vegetables before being coated and fried off giving them their name croquer, which means “to crunch”.

I love these little snacks and they are definitely a crowd pleaser. You can simply make them ahead of time, and fry when ready to be served. Or cook them then simply reheat in the oven to crisp and warm through.

To make our croquettes we have used onion, ham, cheese and added a bit of spring onion for freshness and colour. However all these ingredients are interchangeable with other meat, fish or vegetables.

To start, simply saute the onion off in the olive oil and butter until the onions are soft. Gradually add the flour and cook it off before adding the milk. It is very important that you add the milk slowly ensuring there are no lumps. Once this is done add in your grated cheese, ham and spring onions. We have used pecarino cheese for a bit of extra bite, but you can use manchego also. Once this is all combined spread the mixture on a tray to allow too cool. This will leave you with a mixture that is easy to form and shape before crumbing.

Refining our ham and cheese croquettes recipe we learned it is important to crumb twice, as not only will it help contain your filling, it will give your croquette the necessary crunch. To cook, fry in small batches watching them closely to get a nice golden brown colour. Serve these warm with a simple dipping sauce or on their own!

If you are looking for some alternative snack options then check out our savoury muffin recipe or Vietnamese rice paper rolls recipe.

Ham and Cheese Croquettes IngredientsHam and Cheese CroquettesHam and Cheese Croquettes RecipeHam and Cheese CroquettesHam and cheese croquettes recipe

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Ham and Cheese Croquettes
 
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Ham and Cheese Croquettes made with onion, ham, cheese and spring onion for freshness and colour.
Author:
Recipe type: Snack
Cuisine: Spanish
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ½ finely chopped ham of your choice
  • ½ cup plus ¼ cup grated Pecorino cheese
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 2 tablespoons spring onion
Instructions
  1. Heat butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted.
  2. Add onion, and cook until onions are translucent.
  3. Add flour gradually; cook, stirring, 1 minute.
  4. Whisk in milk gradually ensuring no lumps and cook, whisking.
  5. Whisk in ham, ½ cup cheese, and spring onions.Season with salt and pepper as desired.
  6. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet, and let cool completely.
  7. Whisk together eggs in a shallow dish. Stir together breadcrumbs and remaining ¼ cup cheese in another dish.
  8. Scoop tablespoons of cooled mixture, and shape.
  9. Working with 1 ball at a time, coat in beaten egg, then in breadcrumb mixture. Repeat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  10. Heat 2½ inches oil in a large, heavy stockpot until it reaches 375 degrees.
  11. Working in batches, fry croquettes, flipping once, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes total.
  12. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. (Adjust heat between batches as needed to keep oil at a steady temperature.)
  13. Serve warm.

 

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