VEGAN BANANA CHIA PUDDING

how?

2 bananas + a few extra slices for garnishing

4 tablespoons of black (or white) chia seeds

2 tablespoons of agave syrup

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1-1 ½ cups of non-dairy milk (I used a light soy)

grind the chia seeds to a fine powder (i used the wet/dry mill with my bamix, but you could use a food processor or coffee grinder). empty the ground chia into a medium sized mixing bowl. place the bananas in the wet/dry mill (or food processor) and blend these until smooth, add to the ground chia along with the agave syrup, cinnamon and non-dairy milk. stir until thoroughly combined.

divide evenly into two serving glasses and top with a few slices of fresh banana. place these into the fridge for at least an hour before digging in.

serves 2

MUM'S VEGAN RHUBARB CRUMBLE

ok... so rhubarb isn't on the top of most people's favorite fruits list, but my mum's vegan rhubarb crumble is certainly a mind changer!

made with vegan margarine (full of 'good' fats - the PUFAs and MUFAs) and an oh-so-healthy wholegrain crumble topping, a small bowl is definitely allowed in my vegan weight loss menu plan - yum!

STONE FRUIT LUST

o-m-gosh... feeling a little bit in love with stone fruit right this minute! what a great season for produce in europe (and the rest of the northern hemisphere i am going to assume) when the fruit and vegetable shops provide an abundant display of apricots, peaches, nectarines and cherries (or los albaricoques, melocotones, nectarinas y cerezas if you are hitting up the mercados in madrid like me)

for me stone fruits are a festive treat; with cherries and nectarines delivering a fragrant aroma, and sweet and delicious burst of christmassy-ness for your taste buds to enjoy! i am thrilled by the quality, abundance and reasonable price/kg of this wave of blushing fruits here in madrid - so i am determined to make the most by swapping my default apple and/or orange for a couple of apricots, hand-full of cherries or a sweet and juicy nectarine before they disappear. now the reference to christmas and stone fruit may be a little confusing to some - but i am from australia, so when the weather warms up... christmas is just around the corner! apart from enjoying my christmas carol repertoire, my housemates are also stocking their fridge spaces with plenty of seasonal delights!

if such a great supply for tasty fruit was available back home (and at such a reasonable price) i can just imagine my mum whipping up numerous batches of delicious jams to fill the pantry and share with the fam!

if you too are enjoying the sunshine in the northern half of the world right now, i encourage you to explore the many possibilities of the stone fruit season, whether it be in (vegan) fruit pies, crumbles or cakes; eaten fresh or as the basis of a refreshing juice or smoothie; or made into plentiful jars of glistening, deep red, orange and/or yellow sweet and sticky preserves! yummm!!

WATERMELON SLUSHIE

with the weather heating up a watermelon slushie seemed like a great idea that turned out great!

how?

2 cups of frozen watermelon pieces

place the watermelon pieces in a blender and blitz until smooth - enjoy!

OATY BANANA WALNUT CRUMBLE

craving something sweet, i decided to 'invent' a spin on the classic apple crumble - the result... a quick microwave oaty banana walnut crumble - yum! 

how? 

3-4 frozen bananas, thawed in the microwave and roughly chopped/mashed

1/2 cup of rolled oats

2 tablespoons of quick cooking oats

2 tablespoons of crushed walnut pieces

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of sesame seeds

2 tablespoons of golden syrup (or molasses/treacle - which is what i have used in this recipe, giving my crumble mix a slight bitterness which would be deliciously offset by a scoop of vegan vanilla ice-cream)

1/2 tablespoon of vegan margarine

combine the oats, sesame seeds, cinnamon, walnuts, golden syrup (or molasses/treacle) and vegan margarine. place the mashed, thawed bananas in a microwave safe dish and cover with the crumble. press the topping gently to form a 'lid'. place the dish into the microwave and cook for 5 minutes or until you can see the topping moving and bubbling at the edges. remove from the microwave and leave to cool slightly before serving - to avoid any burnt mouths! you may like to serve this with some vegan ice-cream or enjoy it on its own (for a healthier option), either way it was a success! (thanks to my taste testers for trusting in my creative cooking skills!) 

STICKY CINNAMON, SESAME + AGAVE APPLES

seeking a topper for your creamy morning oats, or perhaps a batch of hot vegan pancakes? try these sticky cinnamon, sesame and agave syrup apples that are easy as pie to make, super delicious and vegan!

how? 

1 red apple, cored and cut vertically into eighths

1 teaspoon of sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon of agave syrup

coat the apple sections in the other ingredients. place into a microwave safe bowl and cover. cook on high for 5 minutes, or until the apples have softened and the syrup has thickened. allow to cool slightly before serving with a creamy bowl of oats or fresh batch of delicious vegan pancakes - yum! 

FRUIT 'N SEED SALAD

a great low energy way to start your morning! at less that 900kJ (215 calories), this fruit 'n seed salad is a super healthy, super nutritious breakfast idea.

how?

1 cup of diced pineapple
1 cup of diced watermelon
1 cup of strawberries, quartered
1/4 of a green 'granny smith' apple
1 teaspoon of chia seeds
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
2 teaspoons of sunflower seeds

mix the fruit and sprinkle over the seeds... simple!

GREENER JUICE

how?

1 small cucumber, diced
2 kiwi fruits, diced
2 cups of fresh spinach leaves

put all ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth, you may want to add a little chilled water to thin slightly (about 1/4 cup)

serve and reap the benefits of this glowing green vitamin booster!

KIWI FRUIT FTW!

what's so good about kiwi fruit? well... for one they contain more vitamin c than oranges, as much potassium as bananas and a good whack of beta-carotene! but also contain a significant amount of vitamins E + A and are a great source of dietary fibre - which can guard against diabetes and some cancers

that's not all! kiwi fruits have also been shown to reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by 36%, protect our DNA from mutation, and help prevent asthma - particularly in children. 

for more information about these little green powerhouses check out kiwi-fruit.info and whfoods.com.