Herb or Dukkah Yoghurt - Healthy Snack Option

I love the benefits of eating yoghurt, I just never seem to eat enough of it.

Enhancing my yoghurt with herbs or Dukkah has solved this issue.  I spread it on my morning toast in place of butter and it is DELICIOUS.  And healthy!

Yoghurt on toast I hear you say?  Trust me, I would have said the same thing until I tried it.  Still balking at the idea?  Try the yoghurt spread on to some crackers or use as a dip with crudites instead.

Here is how I make it:-

I take one 1kg tub of Greek Yoghurt and stir through about 2 teaspoons Salt.

Take a piece of muslin and lay it in a sieve that is sitting over a bowl.  Fill the muslin with the yoghurt.  You can tie the muslin if you like, to cover the yoghurt. 

Place the yoghurt, sieve and bowl in the fridge for the next 1 - 3 days.  This drains all of the liquid from the yoghurt.

Once your 1 - 3 days are up, it is time to add your herbs or your Dukkah.  Or you can split the quantity of yoghurt in two and make both!

For my herb yoghurt, I used Rosemary, Mixed Herbs, Oregano and Garlic Salt.  You can use whatever dried or fresh herbs you like.  I took half of the drained yoghurt mixture and stirred the herbs through.  Place this into a container and keep refrigerated.

For the Dukkah yoghurt, I made my own Dukkah.  You can use store bought or make your own as well.  For mine I used Sesame Seeds, Coriander, Cumin, Moroccan Seasoning, Salt and Pepper.  Once again, I stirred this through the plain, drained yoghurt, then placed it into a container to store in the fridge.

Try it - let me know what you think!

Turkey & Cranberry Patties

The deliciousness of this recipe is all in the Cranberry and Caramelised Red Onion Chutney.  One word. Yum!

TURKEY & CRANBERRY PATTIES

500g turkey mince

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (add more if required)

3 tbsp cranberry and caramelised red onion chutney

1 tbsp parsley

1 egg

1 clove garlic, crushed

Photo Cred: Yours truly!

1 tbsp olive oil

plain flour

Mix all ingredients (except oil and flour) in a bowl.

Roll mixture into the size patties you prefer, and toss in the plain flour to give them a slight dusting.

Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frypan and cook patties to your liking.

Serve with your preferred side of salad or vegies.  Or put them on a burger!

Bon Appetit!

NB: I have modified the original recipe because that is what I tend to do in the kitchen a lot...is improvise!  If you cannot get your hot little hands on the cranberry and caramelised red onion chutney (I got mine from Aldi), then finely chop 1 small red onion and use 2 tbsp cranberry sauce.  I also use minced garlic from a jar instead of crushing a clove.  

Snack Time - Super Healthy Cookies

One of the things I always find the most difficult when it comes to healthy eating, is snacks.  It's the whole 'grab and go' thing.  In the past, if I have had to prepare a snack, that's when I have tended to become unstuck.  I just haven't allowed myself the time.

Whilst doing the Newport Skinny Tea Teatox program, I promised myself, and all of you, that I would be going in to this knowing that planning and deliberate decisions about my food would be a big part of my success.  Whilst these are still true, I also had no idea at the time how easy the tea makes it.  This is honestly the easiest lifestyle change towards a healthier me that I have ever done!  No word of a lie.  This is one secret soooo worth sharing!  In my past attempts, I try to eat healthy but my biggest thing has been that sugar craving in the afternoon.  I just haven't been able to escape it....until now. Drinking the Newport Skinny Tea in the morning before breakfast and again just before lunch has worked wonders.  The even easier part?  It is delicious!  How easy is that?

Going back to snack time, I still wanted to be prepared and this week got back to baking on Tuesday so that I had a 'grab and go' healthy snack.  I found a recipe and after improvising on some of the ingredients that I either don't like or didn't have, this is what I came up with:-

2 cups self raising flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup psyllium husk

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup protein powder (I used chocolate flavoured)

1 cup LSA (Linseed, Sunflower and Almond)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup sultanas

1 cup dried apricots diced

125g butter

1/2 cup golden syrup

1/2 cup boiling water

Pre-heat your oven to 150 deg C.  Line your baking trays (you'll need 2-3).

Pour all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Melt the butter in a saucepan (or microwave).  Add the golden syrup, mix and then add the boiling water and mix again.  Pour this into the dry ingredients.  Mix together.  If the mixture is too dry, add a little more of the boiling water.  You can either mix with a spoon or get your hands in and give it a good go.

Scoop out about a dessert spoon size of the mixture and mould into a ball.  Flatten it out a little on the baking tray.  Keep each cookie about 5 cm apart on the tray.

Pop the trays in the oven for about 20 - 25 mins or until the cookies are golden on top. Allow the cookies to sit on the tray for 5 minutes once you take them out of the oven before transferring them to a cooling wire rack. The cookies will continue to harden as they cool.

This mixture made 24 for me.

I have had one of these with a cup of green tea as one of my snacks this week.  Delicious. I highly recommend them!

I Have The Secret To The Best Brownies In The World!

I consider my children, at 3, to be well informed, experienced connoisseurs of the ever popular "Brownie".  Above all slices, biscuits and cakes I have ever baked, the one they repeatedly request is this ever loyal treasure.  It never fails in its delightful taste and texture and is so easy to make...all with ingredients we more often than not have residing in our pantries.  All credit goes to Donna Hay - Australian celebrity chef, food stylist, editor, author and Midas touch giver to these fast and fabulous Brownies!

STANDBY BROWNIES  

You'll need:-

• 150g butter
• 1 1/4 cups castor sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plain flour

How it happens:-

In a saucepan, stir the butter, castor sugar and cocoa over a low heat until smooth. Place this in a bowl and adding the eggs and vanilla extract.  Sift the flour into the mixture and combine.  Pour the mixture into a tin lined with baking paper and put into a 160 deg C oven for 30-35 minutes or until a knife blade comes out clean.  Allow the Brownies to cool in the tin before cutting and dusting with icing sugar.

I am asked for this recipe time and time again.  Everybody says they are the best Brownies they have ever tasted!  Enjoy....