Tag: Recipes

Recipes

Almond Caramel N’ice Cream

Dr Nancy P

Perfect weather for n’ice cream! This is really scrummy and tastes delish. It doesn’t need any extra sugar as the bananas and date caramel give it tonnes of rich sweetness and creaminess. It’s also pretty quick to make. I usually make up a big batch of the date caramel so I can use it for other stuff (or just eat it by the spoonful!).

If you don’t have dates you can just add use caramel syrup with almond butter (the sugar free one for coffees works well) or any liquid sweetener or sauce! You can even buy date syrup if you wanted to use that 🤗

The caramelised almonds are yummy as a snack on their own too!


You will need:

8 – 10 Medjool dates (this will create extra caramel so reduce if you don’t want any spare)

1 tbsp Almond butter

1 tbsp hot Water

4 frozen bananas

Handful almonds

Drizzle of maple or date syrup or any liquid sweetener

It’s best if you peel and slice your bananas for freezing as it makes it easier for the blender to handle so make sure your bananas are well frozen first.

First caramelise the almonds. Pop the almonds into a dry frying pan, add a good drizzle of maple, coconut or date syrup and heat. You need to keep an eye on this – you want it to start to bubble and thicken but not burn. Keep stirring so they don’t catch. Once the syrup is reduced down and they’re well coated tip them out in to some baking paper and allow to cool. You can break them apart once cool.

  

Then make the almond caramel. Chop the dates and pop in to a high speed blender together with the almond butter. Depending on how dry your dates are you may not need all the water so start with half. Process well, adding the rest of the water if necessary, until you have a smooth caramel. Remove this from the blender (don’t worry about getting every last bit out and there’s no need to clean the blender).

Pop your frozen bananas in to the blender and pulse to blend the banana. Once it’s almost smooth add a tablespoon or so of the caramel back in to the blender with the bananas (add as much as you want – to taste). Blend well and then serve with the almonds sprinkled in top. If you want to serve it later freeze in small portions (plastic food bags or ice cube trays work best) and reblend briefly before serving to remove any large ice crystals.


Recipes

Easy Easter Biscuits

Dr Nancy P

I thought it might be fun to do a little Easter baking! These are fun super easy, spicy Easter and spring biccies that are great fun to make, and eat! You can leave the spices out if you prefer of course or add any flavouring you like! Something fun to do with the kids too 🙂 The icing is flavoured with either lemon, fresh raspberry or fresh blueberries.

I use low fat spread and “half spoon” sugar – but you can use normal butter/spread and any sugar you like! 🙂

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For the biscuits you need:

300g plain flour

140g Sugar (if using “half spoon” sugar then just 70g)

180g Dairy free spread

Optional spices: 2 tsp Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, 1/2 tsp Cloves

For decoration:

Sugar and cinnamon

Currants

Icing sugar

Lemon juice, raspberries and blueberries

Sugar balls etc

Preheat the oven to 175 C.

Put the spread and sugar in a bowl and cream together. Combine the flour and spices if using and mix really well. Once it forms a dough, wrap it in clingfilm and pop it in the fridge for 20 mins if you have time (you can also save it in the fridge for use later that week or you can freeze it for months if you need).

Remove and roll out. Use whatever shaped cutters you like to it your biscuit shapes and transfer to a baking tray.

If you are using currants for bunny eyes and noses then add those now. Sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon. Place in the oven and cook for 8 – 12 mins or until golden. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Once cool you can ice the biscuits. Mix up your icing powder with lemon juice or fresh mashed raspberries or blueberries and then spread on the biscuits (or just water if you prefer). Add sugar decorations if you like. Allow to set and then eat!

Enjoy! 🙂

xx

Recipes

Spicy Lentil Soup

Dr Nancy P
Soup is always a good option for a filling lunch or dinner and this one really packs a punch!
spicy-halloween-soup
You will need:
1/2 tsp each mustard & cumin seeds
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
3 x celery stick, sliced
1 tsp each chilli powder & paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric & cayenne pepper
2 cups red lentils
2 litres of stock made with vegan stock powder
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
Heat the oil on a med-high heat & add the seeds. When they start popping, add the onion, garlic & celery and reduce heat slightly.
Cook for 5-10 minutes until soft & then add all the spices and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the lentils and mix well.
Add the stock, tinned tomatoes and puree and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Blend before serving and add pepper & cayenne to taste.
Enjoy 🙂
xx
Recipes

Chickpea Chili

Dr Nancy P

Another bowl of warming goodness! This one combines the veggie mince with chickpeas for an added boost. This is a great one to batch cook and then it’s ready for lunches or dinners all week.

chickpea-chilli

You will need:

250g Veggie Mince (Quorn/soya etc)

2 cans of Chickpeas (or equivalent amount of dry chickpeas cooked in vegetable stock)

2 Leeks, sliced

2 Red Chilli’s, finely chopped

4 cloves Garlic

1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp Celery salt

400 g chopped Tomatoes

1 small can Sweet Corn

4 tbsp Tomato Puree

Salt and pepper to taste

Warm some oil in a pan, add sliced leeks and a pinch of salt, allow to brown gently. Add chilli, garlic and spices. Simmer for a couple of minutes then add the veggie mince, mix well and allow to cook until the mixture starts to brown,  3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato puree. Add sweet corn and chickpeas, gently simmer for about 15 minutes, adding more vegetable stock if required. Make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the pot. Cook until the chickpeas are cooked through.

Serve with fresh rocket and a dollop of 0% greek yoghurt or hummus.

Enjoy! 🙂

xx

Recipes

Spiced Lentils

Dr Nancy P

This is another perfect comforting meal. It’s filling and spicy and the combination of sweet, aromatic spices with the hot spices really gives this a wonderful richness. I used the spices I had in the cupboard, and yes, there are a lot, but you could use whatever you want so don’t stress if you don’t have them all.

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1 cup Brown Lentils
1 Onion
1 Red Chilli
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Carrot, 1 Courgette, 1 Stick of Celery (whatever veg you have can be used!)
½ Red Pepper
2 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
10 Plum Tomatoes
1/2 cup Tomato Puree/Passata
1 cup Vegetable Stock
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Mustard Seed (fenugreek seed is better but I didn’t have that!)
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom
1/4 tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp Coriander Seeds
1/8 tsp Ground Allspice
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
1/8 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Turmeric
¼ tsp Chilli Powder
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Saute the onion, red pepper, garlic and chilli in a pan with a little oil. Add the ginger and spices and sauté for another 5 mins. Add in the carrots, celery and courgette and sauté for another 5 mins, then add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and lentils. Simmer until the lentils are tender. Serve with baby spinach leaves and a dollop of natural yoghurt.

Enjoy 🙂

xx