Snacks & Shakes

  • Ali

Healthy Homemade Hazelnut Spread - Vegan, gluten free

When I first posted the negative side of the kids favourite spread Nutella I had mums clamouring for me to devise an alternative recipe. Well months later,and tasting after tasting I can honestly say I have cracked it (excuse the pun!). My own daughter has been the guinea pig for my batch testing and when I gave her the jar with a spoonful of this on it she beamed and exclaimed – mummy you’ve cracked it! Now we all love the commercial Nutella but healthy it is not! The key ingredient in this version is… well nuts! Plus some cacao and maple syrup. No palm oil, no refined sugar. Just healthy

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  • Ali

Spiced Roast Beetroot Hummus

You know how much hummus we go through in the Hutchinson household. So much in fact that I’m always looking for new ways to spice up a batch so when I saw Dr Rupy’s spiced beetroot side dish I felt the need to experiment with it and create hummus from it too. Here’s my take on it. You can eat the beetroot as a side dish once it’s cooked so if you have more than 300g beetroot and want to make hummus and a spicy beetroot dish just cook more beetroot, add more spices, and serve the roasted beetroot straight away as a side dish with a roast or curry. Ingredients 300g beetroot scrubbed and cut into

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  • Ali

Ali's Lemon and Poppy Seed Protein Biscuits

I was off to a business network yesterday and wanted to take a sweet treat which was almost sugar free to show just how delicious eating sugar free can be. I’ve been eating what I call ‘clean’ – mostly plant based and wholefoods - for almost 4 years and it has quite literally changed my life. I no longer have the debilitating headaches I used to suffer with, my brain fog and lethargy have lifted, I’m energised throughout the day and I sleep really well. My skin glows and my hair grows so fast my hairdresser can hardly keep up! These little zesty Lemon and Poppy Seed Protein Biscuits were what

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  • Ali

Ali's Almond Joy Energy Balls

You know how it is. You have a favourite recipe that you make week in and week out for months and then something changes and you forget all about it. Well that’s what happened to these delicious energy balls. I simply stopped making them – no idea why as I love them, I’d just forgotten all about them. I remembered them this morning and cooked up a batch (technically there’s no real cooking involved so even the kids could make them. I think that using a good quality plant based protein is key here as the whey variety really isn’t serving you. Have a go and let me know what you think

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  • Ali

Chilli and rosemary seedy crackers (Vegan)

We love these tasty seedy crackers straight from the tin but they are equally nice with a spicy topping. You can experiment with the flavours but I’ve found the sweetness of the molasses and the fiery nature of the chilli work really well. Ingredients 125g quinoa flakes 50ml rapeseed oil 250g pumpkin seeds 130g sunflower seeds 50g linseeds 3-4 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary ¼ tsp salt 1 – 4 tsp dried chilli flakes, to taste 200g molasses Directions Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas 3. Line a 19–20cm baking tray with baking parchment. Put the quinoa flakes into a large, dry frying pan over a

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  • Ali

Magical Matcha Energy Protein Balls

I got into Matcha last year after discovering Matcha Latte (made with almond or coconut milk). It made a refreshing change from peppermint tea when I wanted a warm drink that felt more indulgent than a herbal tea. Having given up caffeine 4 years ago I don’t miss the taste or the ritual of it (or the headaches I used to suffer) but I do sometimes miss the warmth of a creamy drink. These protein balls are my homage to Matcha – I now cook with it all the time – from cookies to overnight oats I can’t get enough of it! Packed with antioxidants matcha is considered a super food and this 'ceremonial

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  • Ali

Coconut Cacao Carob Granola

I love a home made granola where I know what’s gone into it and how much healthier it is than the shop brought stuff. This is the king of Granolas. It’s gluten free and made with coconut so is great for those who are oat intolerant too. Coconut is a fantastic source of good fat and helps you metabolise bad fat. Cocao, the purest form of chocolate without any added sugars is packed with anti-oxidants and carob, a relatively new ingredient for me, has many health benefits including being low in fat and high in fibre. I love this granola sprinkled on a protein shake in the morning, on gluten free

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