Another afternoon, another 3.30pm "WHERE ARE THE TREATS" dilemma.
Never fear. I bring treats with nutritional credit so you can feel satisfied AND highly self-righteous. And who doesn't need a bit of that during the mid-afternoon crawl to the finish line?
Coming to you from The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook by Mickey Trescott (Murdoch Books) - I know, it sounds very Pete Evans, hipster Crossfit what-have-you, but once you get beyond the title, the recipes are fabulous. Everything from salad to post-workout snack to dinner for 10.
Here's two of the fabulous finds - my favourites. I hope you love them and share them. I highly recommend popping the fig balls in a tupperware container and keeping in the fridge at work. They also make for some very happy post-school snack time and school fete fare.
Never fear. I bring treats with nutritional credit so you can feel satisfied AND highly self-righteous. And who doesn't need a bit of that during the mid-afternoon crawl to the finish line?
Here's two of the fabulous finds - my favourites. I hope you love them and share them. I highly recommend popping the fig balls in a tupperware container and keeping in the fridge at work. They also make for some very happy post-school snack time and school fete fare.
FIG ENERGY BITES
Time:
1 hour
Yield:
16 Bites
Tools:
Food Processor
370 g unsulphured dried
figs
130 g fine shredded
coconut, divided (unsweetened)
80 ml coconut oil, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1 Place the figs, 100 g of the coconut, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt
in a food processor and pulse on and off until a thick paste forms (you may
have to stop and scrape the sides of your food processor
a couple of times).
2 Form into 2.5 cm balls, then
roll them in the reserved 30 g of shredded coconut.
3 Refrigerate for at least 30
minutes to let the coconut oil set.
Note: Feel free to play around with the dried fruit in this
recipe-—dates, dried apples and apricots are all good substitutions for the
figs.
Storage: Keeps for a week or two stored in the refrigerator. Also freezes
well.
SEARED BROCCOLINI WITH COCONUT BASIL PESTO
Time: 30 Minutes
Serves: 4
2 tablespoons solid cooking fat
450 g broccolini, washed, ends of stems removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
250 ml Coconut-Basil Pesto (page 124)
1 Heat the cooking fat in a large frying pan on high heat. When the
fat has melted and the pan is hot, sear the broccolini for a couple of minutes
on each side. Turn the heat down to medium, add the garlic and let cook,
covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the broccolini is tender.
2 Serve with coconut pesto drizzled over the top.
Storage: Keeps well in the
refrigerator.
coconut-Basil Pesto
Time: 15 Minutes
Yield: 375 mls
125 ml coconut water or filtered water
100 g fresh basil leaves
60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
4 cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar
1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
A few sprigs of fresh mint
1 Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for 15 seconds,
stopping to scrape the sides if needed. If you want a smoother pesto, continue
to blend until desired consistency is reached.
Variation: Use apple cider or
coconut vinegars and add sea salt to taste, as those vinegars are not as salty
as the plum.
