Sugar Free Challenge: Week 1

by Martin Hayman

BREAKFASTS

Peanut butter granola

Makes 1 large jar

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 1/2 tbsp raw honey

Method:

1⃣ Heat oven to 180°C. Melt coconut oil, raw honey and peanut butter together in a pan on a low heat.
2⃣ Pour over oats in a mixing bowl and mix until oats are coated. Line baking tray. Spread oats mixture over 1 or 2 baking trays. Put in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Check every 5 minutes as they will suddenly go brown! Serve with fruit and nut milk.

Banana peanut butter green smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• large handful spinach
• 1/2 apple
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp peanut butter

Method:

Whizz everything in blender (except peanut butter) until smooth. Add 1/2 tbsp peanut butter. Blend for a couple seconds. Top with more peanut butter and cinnamon.

 

Eggs on toast

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of toast (sourdough)
• 2 free-range eggs
• handful wilted spinach
• 1/2 avocado
• handful tomatoes

Added extra: smoked salmon

 

LUNCHES

Broccoli, kale and pine nut fitters

Makes 16 small fitters (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup broccoli, chopped into small chunks
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 cup kale, finely chopped
• 4 spring onions
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 free range eggs (use an egg replacement to make recipe vegan)

Method:

1⃣ Preheat oven to 180°C. Toast pine nuts for 3 minutes (or until golden)
2⃣ Steam broccoli and kale for 5 minutes, until soft.
3⃣ Whilst the veg is steaming, combine all other ingredients in a large bowl. Add the broccoli and kale. Heat coconut oil in a frying pan and use a teaspoon to shape the fritters in the pan.
4⃣ Cook for a few minutes on each side, until browned. Serve with a squeeze of lemon. Viola!

 

Leek and spinach soup  (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 450g leeks
• 2 medium onions
• 225g spinach
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 60g cashew nuts
• 200ml soya milk
• 300ml vegetable stock
• 300ml water
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1⃣ Slice the leeks and dice the onions
2⃣ Place the leek and onion in a saucepan with the oil and sweat until soft. Add spinach and sweat until wilted.
3⃣ Process cashews in a food processor until finely ground, and then add the leek, spinach and onion mixture and the soya milk. Process until smooth.
4⃣ Pour the mixture back into the pan, add the stock and water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add more water if too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

 

Mixed salad  (serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 2 large handfuls chopped lettuce
• 1/2 a cucumber
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 handful spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 salmon fillets
• 1/2 lemon

Method:

Squeeze lemon over the salmon fillets and wrap it in tin foil and put it in the oven for 15 minutes. Once cooked through brake it into flakes and lay it on the bed of salad. Toast the pine nuts in the oven for 2 minutes and sprinkled them on top. Use roasted sweet potato or butternut squash instead of the salmon to make this salad vegan.

 

DINNERS

Lentil and sweet potato bake  (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium carrots
• 150g green beans
• 300g potatoes
• 800g sweet potatoes
• 350g puy lentils/or green or brown lentils
• 2 bay leafs
• 50ml tamari/soy sauce
• 100ml raw milk, almond milk, or coconut milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1⃣ Cut the carrots into bite-size pieces. Trim the green beans and cut them in half. Cut the unpeeled potatoes and sweet potatoes into small chunks.
2⃣ Steam carrots and beans for 10 minutes until soft. Meanwhile rinse the lentils and put them into a large pan with bay leaves, salt, pepper, tamari and 1 litre of water. Turn the heat up high and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, leave the lid ajar so that the steam can evaporate. Add carrots and beans and simmer for approx 25mins until the lentils are cooked and most the liquid has gone.
3⃣ Put the potatoes and sweet potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil then reduce and simmer for about 15 mins until tender.
4⃣ Drain the potatoes, put back in the pan and mash with the milk. Season with salt and pepper.  Add the lentils into a oven proof dish, and cover with the mash. Bake in the oven for 25mins or until golden brown.

 

Lentil and leek bake topped with chopped almonds  (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 225g split red lentils
• 600ml water
• 1 bayleaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 680g leeks
• 3 tbsp chopped almonds and cashews

Method:

1⃣ Chop the onions and garlic, and place in a saucepan with olive oil. Cook until soft.
2⃣ Add the lentils, water, bayleaf, thyme, grated ginger, paprika and turmeric. Bring to boil and summer until water is absorbed.
3⃣ Remove bayleaf and process mixture in food processor until smooth. Cut leeks into 1/2″ lengths and steam for approx 5 mins. Place leeks in gratin dish, pour lentil mixture over and smooth. Sprinkle with nuts.
4⃣ Place in the oven at 200°C for 20mins or until topping is brown.

 

Vegetable Korma  (serves 4)

Ingredients;

• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 med. potatoes, cubed
• 4 carrots, cubed
• 1 aubergine, cubed
• 3 large handfuls of washed spinach
• 1 chilli, chopped
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can coconut milk

Method:

1⃣ Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender.
2⃣ Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking for 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, chilli, aubergine, chopped tomatoes and coconut milk. Season with salt and the curry powder.
3⃣ Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Stir peas, red bell pepper, and spinach into the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

 

DESSERT

Vegan chocolate and orange mousse  (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup dates, chopped and soaked
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1/2 tin coconut milk (more or less, depending on thickness)

Method:

1⃣ Soak dates in water for 1 hour.
2⃣ Drain dates. Add all ingredients to blender minus the coconut milk and blend until smooth.
3⃣ Add coconut milk to adjust thickness. Viola!
It can either be eaten straight away if you can’t wait BUT if you pop it in the fridge for an hour, it will thicken and taste even better!

 

SNACK

Banana Flapjack  (makes 10)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups oats (gf)
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 2 ripe bananas (mashed)

Method:

1⃣ Preheat the oven to 170°C. Put the dates in a pan over low heat with about 1cm of water in the bottom. Let them turn into a thick paste. (It doesn’t matter if there are lumps left)
2⃣ Mix all ingredients in a bowl until the oats are all covered. Push into a baking tray and flatten. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.
They taste much nicer fresh out of the oven so make some room!! (Or heat them up before eating).

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