Tag Archives: recipes

Green for go!

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green for go smoothie

Here’s the super smoothie recipe Sue Mcfarlane shared with the Girls Around Town on yesterday’s show.

It’s packed full of green goodness, quick and easy to make and perfect for a healthy breakfast that will set you up for the day ahead. Oh and it tastes pretty good too, as June, Tina and Fiona can confirm!

Scroll down the page for recipe – before you do, if you’re interested in the ‘science bit’ behind the ingredients, here it is…

Avocado – High in monounsaturated fats (second only to olives) which may help lower unhealthy LDL whilst raising healthy HDL cholesterol levels: potassium, vitamin E, B vitamins (great for energy) and fibre

Banana – Source of Vitamin C and B vitamins (great for energy), soluble/gentle fibre, potassium (may help with blood pressure levels), magnesium, calcium and carbohydrates (sugars = fructose, glucose and sucrose)

Kiwi Fruit – Great for Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, copper, Vitamins A and E (all fab antioxidants) and fibre

Nuts – Depending on which you use, the nutrition content varies but nuts are an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, magnesium, healthful fats, protein and fibre; the oilier the nut = less protein

Spinach – Great source of Vitamin K (excellent support for blood and bone health), antioxidants including Vitamin C and E and folic acid as well as fibre, magnesium, manganese, iron and other B vitamins

Live Yoghurt – Adds more protein as well as healthful bacteria to the mix

Milk – Depends on which you choose but should provide protein and healthy fats; may also be a mix of B vitamins, zinc, iron etc

Lime – Source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium, folic acid & other antioxidants

Sue's Green for Go Smoothie

  • Servings: Serves 2 adults
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 avocado, deskinned, pipped and chopped roughly
  • 2 bananas, deskinned and chopped
  • 2 kiwi fruit, deskinned and quartered
  • 30g (2tbs) smooth unsweetened nut butter (peanut/almond/hazelnut, etc or tahini)
  • ½ pack (125g) spinach, washed and drained
  • 125g natural, live yoghurt (cow/sheep/goat, soy or coconut to your preference)
  • 250ml chilled filtered water or milk of choice (Note: cow’s milk may curdle!)
  • 125ml cloudy apple juice
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Sea salt (omit if using salted nut butter)
  • Chilli powder  (optional)

Directions

  1. Roll the lime around on the kitchen table so that the juice is more easily released.
  2. Put the milk and yoghurt in a blender, add the spinach and blend together.
  3. Add the avocado, banana, kiwi, apple juice and nut butter, then blend again.
  4. Add a pinch of sea salt and the lime juice – taste and, if using, add a pinch of chilli before blitzing again.
  5. Drink straight away or put in an airtight container, in the fridge or in a Thermos and use within three hours.

Sue’s gluten-free cookies

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pbbrowniecookiesAnother Chocolate Moment recipe for you to try, this one from Sue who brought samples to the studio for June and Tina on Sunday…

Freshly baked croissants from Gail Hooley and cookies from Sue – if you were listening in, you’ll already know there were treats galore for the Girls Around Town yesterday!

Crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle, these Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies are gluten-free, so they’re perfect if gluten is something you choose to avoid.

You can even make the dough in advance and pop it in the freezer – just defrost it, shape your cookies, top with the chopped hazelnuts and bake whenever you’re ready for a chocolate moment of your own!

GF Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Servings: 30 cookies
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 150gms butter
  • 190gms dark soft brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 1 egg
  • 100gms chocolate chips
  • 200gms gluten-free self raising flour
  • 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum
  • 50gms chopped hazelnuts
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped, roasted hazelnuts for decoration

Directions

  1. Beat together the butter and sugar, add the peanut butter and beat again.
  2. Add the egg and beat well.
  3. Add the chocolate chips, flour, cocoa powder, xanthan gum and hazelnuts and fold in.
  4. Place the bowl in the fridge for 30 mins to chill. Grease 2 baking sheets.
  5. Heat the oven to 200OC (180OC fan) or gas mark 6.
  6. Taking tablespoons of the mixture, roll into balls and place on the greased baking sheets.
  7. Squash each ball down with a fork and sprinkle a few of the roasted hazelnuts on each cookie.
  8. Bake for 14 minutes – they should be crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle.

The proof’s in the pudding

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chocolate chia seed puddingIf you’re looking for a healthy breakfast that’s quick and easy to prepare, chia seed puddings are the perfect choice…

And they make great desserts too – especially when chocolate is involved!

Packed with fibre, omegas, potassium and magnesium, the little superfood seeds in them are great for boosting energy, improving endurance and will even help to regulate digestion.

Make the pudding the night before, adding just a few other ingredients, pop it in the fridge to set and by morning it will be ready and waiting for you.

If you’re really pushed for time first thing, you can even put your breakfast in a lidded jar or cup and take it with you for later!!

The variations are endless – check out some of the different recipes here – or why not try the one June made earlier for this week’s Chocolate Moment?

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Adapted from a recipe by The Minimalist Baker

Will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days but best served fresh

Ingredients

  • 360ml unsweetened almond milk
  • 63gms chia seeds
  • 24gms cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Quarter teaspoon of sea salt
  • Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional)
  • Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
  • 2-5 tablespoons of maple syrup

Directions

  1. Put all the ingredients except the maple syrup in a bowl and whisk well to combine.
  2. Sweeten to taste with the maple syrup.
  3. Cover or put into a lidded jar and leave to set in the fridge overnight or until a pudding-like consistency is achieved (at least 3 to 5 hours).
  4. Serve chilled, topped with fresh fruit, nuts or granola.