Festive and nutritional!
By Pippa Mitchell, Nutritional Therapist
Delicious, healthy and nutritional recipes for Christmas – a Super Smoothie and Oat & Carrot Muffins. Do give them a try – good for your health and good for your soul!
SUPER SMOOTHIE
This is a great way of serving up a nutritious breakfast for those who are reluctant to eat, or as an after school snack.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR TWO SMOOTHIES
- 1 glass of juice (orange, apple) or milk
- Good handful of berries – raspberries, blueberries, blackberries etc (you can use fresh or frozen)
- 1 small banana or half a large
- One tablespoon linseeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds ground together (optional) *
- 1 tbsp natural oatmeal or 1 tbsp natural porridge oats soaked in water overnight (optional)
- 2 tbsp of plain live yogurt (if you don’t have dairy then you could use a plain soya yoghurt)
WHAT YOU DO
- Blend all the ingredients together in a liquidizer to make a delicious and filling smoothie.
ABOUT YOUR SMOOTHIE
This really is packed with nutrients: vitamin C, zinc, vitamin E, Omega 3 & 6, fibre, calcium, protein and live beneficial bacteria (yogurt)! Adding oats to your smoothie will make it more filling and you will have the benefit of lots of B vitamins which are great for your hair and skin! The seeds add beneficial oils which help dry skin and hair.
A pack of frozen mixed berries are useful to have in the freezer for this smoothie.
* grind together equal amounts of linseeds (flax – look for Linusit Gold in supermarkets), pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Keep in the fridge and use a tablespoon to add to smoothies, sprinkle on salads or porridge. They provide a good source of vegetarian omega 3 fatty acids – always add to food after cooking. Heating these seeds destroys the beneficial oils.
OAT AND CARROT MUFFINS
WHAT YOU NEED
- 170g self raising flour (you could use wholemeal, spelt or wheat free, or half and half white and wholemeal)
- 50g porridge oats (rather than jumbo)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 75g raisins (optional)
- 75g dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons skimmed milk (or dairy free alternative)
- 2 free range eggs, lightly beaten
- 75ml sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
WHAT YOU DO
- Line muffin or cup cake cups with paper cases (smaller cases will bake quicker)
- Mix together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together all the wet ingredients.
- Combine the two and mix thoroughly.
- Divide mixture between cases and bake in preheated oven at Gas Mark 5/190° C for about 20 –
- 25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool on a rack. Serve when slightly cooled.
ABOUT YOUR MUFFINS
Oats are an excellent source of soluble fibre, iron and protein as well as being rich in B vitamins and minerals, and are low on the GI index. Carrots are a great source of Vitamin A and folate, as well as many minerals. Wholemeal flours contain B vitamins. The eggs and milk provide protein.
