This creamy cucumber salad is a lovely refreshing side dish especially in summer months.

Ingredients

• Cucumbers sliced 2

• Sour cream 1/2 cup

• Onion sliced in rings 1

• 1/4 cup dill

• White vinegar 1 tablespoon

• Salt good pinch

• Pepper pinch

Instructions

1. Mix sour cream, white vinegar, salt and pepper together.

2. Place Cucumber and onion on a plate or bowl.

3. Pour dressing over the top.

4. Serve as a side and enjoy!

5. Sprinkle with your favourite spices for different flavours.

Serves 6

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Lets face it we eat enough food that isn't good for us in the silly season, but we don't have to feel quite as guilty eating these Healthier Rum balls. They still have sugar in them so moderation is recommended but they are a lot better then condensed milk filled balls that we normally see at Christmas time. These are a yummy sweet delicious treat and I guaranteed they will be eatenn just as quick as traditional Rum balls.

Ingredients:

• Dates pitted 400grams

• Oats 1 cup

• Rum 4 tablespoons

• Coconut 3/4 cup

• Cocoa powder natural, we use Loving Earth

• Maple syrup 1/4 cup

• Almonds 1 cup

• Coconut for rolling

Method:

Add dates, Rum, oats and nuts to a food processor and blitz, the mixture will be a fine crumb and slightly sticky.

Pop mixture into a bowl and add syrup, almond milk, cocoa and coconut and mix well.

Roll mixture into approx 1 inch balls and roll in coconut.

Pop in a sealable container until ready to eat, can also be frozen for up to 4 weeks in a freezer.

Tip: If you don't like Rum replace with Baileys or Almond Milk yum!

I don't know about you but my kids love potato gems and to be honest so do I. These are a healthier take on the traditional gems and a lot lower in carbs. They are always a hit in our house!

Ingredients

• Cauliflower head and leaves removed 1

• Greek yogurt 1/3 cup

• Garlic cloves minced 2

• Cheddar cheese grated 1/2 cup

• Eggs 2

• Egg whites 2

• Salt pinch

• Pepper pinch

• 1 cup bread crumbs or rice crumbs blitzed fine < optional

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Boil or steam cauliflower until soft and tender, drain any liquid and transfer to a food processor. Make sure all liquid is drained otherwise your mixture will be to moist.

3. Add garlic salt and pepper and blend until smooth.

4. Transfer to a large bowl and add yogurt whole eggs (not egg whites) and cheese and mix through well.

5. In another bowl beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold through the mix.

6. Add bread crumbs and gently form into the shapes you like.

7. Transfer mixture to a line tray.

8. Cook for 20 - 25 mins until golden brown.

9. Once cooked serve warm or let cool and store in sealed container in fridge for lunches.

10. Freezable for up to 4 weeks.

Just because you follow a gluten free diet, it doesn’t mean you have to go without sweet treats, as these delicious 14 gluten free slices prove.

Edit: Please note since posting this blog it has been bought to our attention that one of the recipes uses oat flour, which is not classified as gluten free in Australia, and would make some people with Coeliac Disease very sick. Some other countries have a differing system of grading 'gluten free' so please check this before making.

  1. Gluten free lemon bars from Gluten Free On A Shoestring These lemon bars have a chewy and crunchy crust, with a lemony custard filling. These are the perfect summery dessert when served chilled. 2. No bake salted caramel slice from The Big Mans World This no bake slice can easily be made with crackers, store bought caramel and store bought chocolate, but the recipe includes instructions to make your own caramel and chocolate. After all, it’s always going to be a little bit healthier if it’s homemade. 3. Raw chocolate raspberry slice from Frankies Feast If your looking for something a little healthier in a dessert, not to mention gluten free, this raw chocolate raspberry slice is it. It involves no baking, and is dairy free, egg free, gluten free, raw and vegan. 4. Chocolate chip almond butter bars from Emilie Eats These gooey chocolate chip almond butter bars are so easy to make, and best of all are sweetened naturally using apllesauce. 5. Gluten free blueberry bars from Petite Allergy Treats Another raw recipe, these blueberry bars are made from gluten free oat flour, and sweetened with maple syrup and blueberry puree. 6. Cherry pie crumble bars from Wicked Good Kitchen These cherry pie crumble bars are the perfect summer inspired slice. While the main recipe does include gluten, just follow the gluten free option notes below the recipe to adapt the recipe. 7. Healthy no bake carrot cake bars from Happy Healthy Mama These no bake bars are like a healthy carrot cake in slice form. Like any good carrot cake, they are also topped with cream cheese frosting, yet at the same time contain very little sugar. 8. Gluten free chocolate chip cookie bars from Ask Anna Moseley Chocolate chip bars are the ultimate lazy way to make chocolate chip cookies; why shape each individual cookie when you can just pour the entire batter into a slice tin? This delicious version contains no gluten, egg or dairy. 9. Chocolate peanut butter fudge bars from Averie Cooks Peanut butter and chocolate are one of those combinations that just always work. These chocolate peanut butter bars combine the two in this super easy no bake, one bowl, gluten free recipe.

Balls are the ultimate healthy snack. They are quick and easy to make, usually only contain a few ingredients, and most recipes freeze extremely well. Make a big batch, pop them in the freezer and you always have healthy snacks on hand. Some are so healthy they even make a great breakfast.

No bake oatmeal protein energy balls from The Healthy Maven

These tasty no bake balls have an added boost of protein thanks to the vanilla whey protein powder. You can add chocolate chips to make these balls even more delicious, or instead add raisins for healthier oatmeal balls.

Chocolate date balls from Cake Whizz

These chocolate date balls are much healthier than just eating squares of chocolate. They are extremely easy, with no baking involved, and look fun covered in sprinkles.

Heavenly coconut bliss balls from Danette May

These coconut balls are the perfect on the go snack. They are filled with healthy fats and filling fibre, making them great for an energy boost.

3 Ingredient apricot balls from Bargain Mums

It does not get any simpler than these 3 ingredient apricot balls. These are so good, you will find it impossible to stop at one.

Apple cinnamon energy balls from Frugal Coupon Living

These apple cinnamon balls use only 4 ingredients, that you might just already have sitting in your cupboard. They are great for those times you feel like something a little sweet, but healthy at the same time.

Raspberry zinger energy balls from The Wholesome Dish

These raspberry zinger balls contain nothing but fruit and nuts; perfect for a quick energy boost.

Blueberry muffin energy bites from The Healthy Maven

Next time you crave a sugar filled muffin, try one of these blueberry muffin bites instead. They are made with healthy, raw and all-natural ingredients that will satisfy those cravings in an instant.

Cranberry vanilla energy bites from Recipe Runner

These tasty cranberry vanilla balls are perfect for curbing sugar cravings, and are also gluten-free, vegan and paleo.

Brownie cookie dough swirl protein balls from Fit Foodie Finds

These healthy treats include brownie and cookie dough flavor's swirled into one protein ball. Perfect for those times you can’t decide between vanilla and chocolate.  

Fruit and nut trail mix energy bites from With Salt and Wit

These healthy no bake trail mix balls are filled with dried cranberries, oats and pistachio nuts. They make a great snack or even breakfast on the go when you are short on time.

Pink chocolate chip cookie dough balls from Super Healthy Kids

These pretty cookie dough balls get their pink colour naturally from beetroot, which also makes these balls super healthy.

Sea salt dark chocolate quinoa energy balls from Simply Quinoa

These simple quinoa energy bills are turned into something special by adding a layer of dark chocolate and sprinkling of sea salt.

Salted caramel snickerdoodle protein bites from Cotter Crunch

While these balls do contain caramel chips, the rest of the ingredients are completely healthy, making them a great healthy dessert.

This is a great pudding when you feel like something sweet but you still want it to be healthy.

Ingredients

• 2 Avocados seeds and skin removed
• 1 Over ripe banana peeled
• 1/4 cup Cocoa powder we used Loving Earth
• 120 grams Dark Chocolate we use Lindt
• 1/3 Cup Coconut cream
• 3 tablespoons Rice Malt syrup or honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 Banana Sliced for garnish

  Method

1. Place the avocados, banana, rice malt syrup, vanilla and vanilla extract into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
2. Pop the chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 1 minute until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.
3. Add the coconut cream and blitz until smooth.
4. Add cooled chocolate into the mixture and blitz again until smooth.
5. Scoop into four serving bowels or glasses.
6. Garnish with more banana and chocolate, you can also add nuts.
7. Pop in the fridge to set for a couple of hours or eat straight away.

We all love a good chocolate sauce don't we? Nothing better then using lashings of it over ice cream or poured over a wicked dessert, but lets face it chocolate sauce is not the healthiest of things to eat is it?

This sauce is still only good for a treat although the ingredients are a lot healthier it still contains calories < when we work out how to make a chocolate sauce with no calories we will let you know haha

Ingredients:

1 cup of coconut sugar or rice malt syrup

1 tbsp natural cocoa we use natures way

2 tbsp coconut oil

½ cup coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan on med to high heat.

Continually stir and bring to the boil.

Turn heat down to a simmer and stir for a further 1-2 minutes.

Pour into a container or jug.

Enjoy!

Sevres: 200 mills

It’s always good to know what time of year different fruits and vegetables are in season. Produce that is in season is likely to taste much better, be sourced locally, and of course will be much cheaper than out of season produce. Alternatively, if you buy out of season fruit or vegetables it probably won’t be the same quality as in season, will be significantly more expensive, and will either have been kept in cold storage for months or has been shipped in from overseas.

There are a few more benefits to eating in season produce. By only buying what’s in season you will be eating a great variety of foods year round, after all who wants to eat the same thing every day indefinitely. Nothing beats eating stone fruit and melon in summer, and vegetables like pumpkin in winter. Eating them out of season wouldn’t have quite the same appeal. Eating what’s in season is better for the local economy and the environment. You will be supporting local farmers, especially if you buy from local farmer’s markets. If you buy out of season produce it has probably been transported a long distance to make it to your supermarket, which has a much bigger impact on the environment. Otherwise the produce would have been kept in cold storage for a long period of time, which requires large amounts of energy to keep it refrigerated. Fruit and vegetables that are sold while they are still in season will have ripened properly, which means they will be packed full of nutrients, whereas produce that is picked for cold storage it is picked early rather than ripening naturally. They are then kept in cold storage for the length of time required, before being artificially ripened ready for sale, which results in less nutrients. The easiest to see benefit is that you will save some serious money on your grocery bill. It’s not hard to find in season produce at extremely low prices, even supermarkets sell it cheap. If you just buy produce that’s in season year round your food bills are going to be far less than someone that buys produce no matter what the season. Take grapes for example. In winter they can regularly be at least $15kg, whereas in their peak season they can be easily found for only a few dollars per kg. So now that you know the benefits of eating fresh fruit and vegetables in season, you might be wondering just what produce is in season and when. The following list will help you decide which fruits and vegetables to buy in which season in Australia. Print this chart out and stick on your fridge for later!       

The thing I love about this Healthy hidden veggie smoothie is that I can actually hide cauliflower in it without the kids knowing. < genius!

The trick is to make sure the cauliflower is blended to a really fine dust, I use a Thermomix or Nutri - Bullet, then I add the coconut milk and blend well, your little ones will never know that this super smoothie has a hidden veggie in it!

Ingredients

• 250 mills coconut milk
• 1/2 cup cauliflower
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• 4 drops liquid stevia
• shredded coconut to garnish

  Method

1. Pop the cauliflower into a blender and blitz until a fine sand texture.
2. Add coconut milk and blend for 1 minute.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a further minute, you want to make sure there is no grainy texture.
4. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Serves 2

This Gluten Free Berry Green Smoothie is a great go to drink not only for breakfast but also good for when those 3pm sugar cravings come around. Perfect for kids afternoon tea, it is sweet and I tell my little ones it is an Oscar The Grouch shake < works every time.

Healthy, delicious and quick to make yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped kale

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 banana roughly chopped

3 large frozen strawberries chopped

½ cup frozen blueberries

1 cup coconut water

Instructions:

Place the Spinach leaves, kale and coconut water in a blender and blitx until smooth.

Add other ingredients and blend for a further minute until smooth and creamy.

Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

Serves: 1

These Hidden Veggies are my go to mid week meal, they are super tasty and you can pretty much use whatever you have in the fridge.

You can add more Tuna, I find that my kids don't eat them if they have to much tuna in them, if you do add more tuna use less tin tomato's. You can change these up by using left over chicken instead of tuna, and add your favorite herbs and spices yum!

Ingredients

6 Potato's boiled and mashed

8 Weet - Bix crushed fine

150 grams Tuna

1 Egg

1 1/2 cup crushes tin tomato's

1 celery stick finely diced

1 Carrot grated

1 onion finely diced

1/2 zucchini grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Vegetta

Oil for frying

Method

Add all ingredients except the Weet - Bix to a mixing bowl and combine well.

Place the Weet - Bix crumbs in a separate large bowl.

Roll mixture into approx 11/2 inch balls and coat in the Weet - Bix crumbs.

Heat oil in frying pan and place balls in, gently flatten with the back of a spatula to form a patty shape,

Cook for approx 2 mins each side and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel to drain any excess oil.

Makes 12

These Gluten free chicken Curry Rissoles are a perfect cook ahead meal, I make them in bulk and then freeze them into separate containers for easy pull out meals or lunches. If you don't have Gluten free rice crumbs, bread crumbs will work the same but they won't be gluten free.

Ingredients

500 grams Pork mince

1 carrot grated fine

1 Apple grated fine,I used granny smith.

2/3 cup of Rice crumbs < we use Casalare premium gluten free.

1 Onion diced fine

sprig of parsley finely chopped should be approx 2 tablespoons.

1 egg beaten

Good pinch of salt and pepper

Olive oil to cook in

Method

Add the onion, pork mince, carrot, apple, parsley and rice crumbs to a bowl and combine well.

Add the, salt, pepper to the beaten egg and mix well.

Pour the egg into the pork mixture and  combine well.

Heat a large frying pan on high and add oil.

Once really hot add approx 2 inch balls to the pan and press slightly to form a Pattie shape.

Let cook until golden and crispy then turn over reduce heat to medium for another 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and let them cook through, making sure the middle is cooked but still juicy, if you over cook them they will dry out.

Once cooked let rest on paper towel to remove any excess oil.

Enjoy!

Tip:  you can hide any veggies you like in these, mashed pumpkin corn etc. Just adjust rice crumbs accordingly.  You can also substitute the egg for your favourite sauce.

These muffins are egg and refined sugar free, they are very moist and kids love them!

Ingredients

1 Banana

400 grams of butter beans drained and rinsed well

3 Tablespoons of coconut oil

4 tablespoons of almond milk

1/2 cup Cocoa We use Loving Earth 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

150 grams Self raising flour

3/4 cup coconut sugar we use global organics, you can use brown sugar but they wont be refined sugar free.  

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

Place 12 cupcake shells in a muffin tray.

Place butter beans, coconut oil, almond milk, banana and vanilla extract into a blender and blitz until smooth.

Add mixture to the bowl along with all other ingredients and mix well.

Add approx 2 tablespoons of mixture to each cupcake case.

Pop in the oven for 20 minutes and cook until they slightly spring back in the middle of cupcakes.

These have a moist soft consistency and are really yummy.

makes 12 

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult. These healthy eating tricks are a great way to eat healthier without even realising it. A few substitutions and a little planning ahead can completely change the way you eat, for the better. Turn fruit into healthy crisps Turn fruit into crisps like these pear crisps from Charlottes Lively Kitchen. This works well with fruits like pears and apples, or even root vegetables like carrots, sweet potato and beetroot.  

Make noddles from zucchini Instead of using noodles or pasta, make noodles (or zoodles) from zucchini using a spiraliser, like these stir fry zucchini noodles from Diet Hood. You could also try spirilising vegetables like carrot or sweet potato.

Use your slow cooker to make bulk batches of soup We all have those nights when we don’t feel like cooking. Rather than head out for takeaway, use your slow cooker to make healthy soup like this slow cooker butternut squash soup from Gimme Some Oven and freeze in individual portions. Then you always have a healthy dinner in hand for those busy nights.

Turn apple slices into donuts Cut a big apple into slices, spread with peanut butter or cream cheese and sprinkle with your favourite topping to decorate, just like these donut apples from Babble. The are so much healthier than donuts, but just as much fun.

Swap a burger bun for lettuce Next time you make burgers, swap the bread burger buns for lettuce leaves, just like these lettuce burgers from I Quit Sugar. You can also try this healthy trick to substitute other foods like flour wraps or taco shells.

Enjoy!

This slice is great for making ahead for easy lunch and dinners, serve with  a side salad or veggies or eat on its own delicious. You can also add other hidden veggies or even shredded chicken if you like to change it up.

Ingredients

5 eggs

2 carrots grated

2 zucchinis grated

1 onion diced fine

200 grams bacon diced fine

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

1 cup grated cheese

1/4 cup vegetable oil or oil of your choice

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 180C

Line a tray with baking paper, you can use a slice tin or a round cake tin, we used a 25cm round tin for this recipe. a 22cm slice tray also works well.

Place the eggs flour an doil in a bowl and bmix until smooth batter.

Add all other ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Pour mixture into tin and spread out evenly.

Cook for 30 mins until the top is golden in colour.

Eat warm or cool.

Serves  6

This salad is great for when you have left over roast veggies and you don't want them to go to waste> Often their isn't enough veggies left over to feed the whole family for another night so I like to add to them and turn into this salad.

Ingredients

Left over roast veggies, whatever you have will work we used:

Left over roast pumpkin

Left Over roast sweet potato

Small amount Left Over roast Potato

We then added:

1/2 red capsicum diced

1 onion diced

3 cups baby spinach

1 carrot cut into 2 cm pieces

1 teaspoon Vegetta

Pinch pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C

Line a tray with baking paper

Place the capsicum garlic, onion, carrot and olive oil in a bowl along with the Vegetta and pepper and coat well.

Place the mixture on the tray and spread out evenly.

Pop in the oven for approx 15  20 minutes, until veggies start to brown slightly.

In the mean time heat your left over veggies in the microwave for 1 minute and pop into a bowl.

Add the baked veggies to the roast mix and stir through, use the oil to coat the veggies.

Line a serving tray with baby spinach and pop the roast mixture on the top.

This is a great healthy alternative to store bought ice cream. My Miss 4 and Mr 2 always ask for  ice cream, so I came up with this healthy alternative to the store bought stuff. I normally give the kids one of these in the afternoon for a snack, I can even bribe them to pick up their toys in exchange for an “ice cream” < insert wicked mum laugh here.

Seriously these are so yummy, low calories, each one averages about 110 calories per serve and each recipe will serve 4 people. I like that I can use whatever we have in the fridge, you can also try other ingredients like: honey, coconut, carob powder, apple, pear, etc Get creative!

Here are 3 of the flavor’s I make regularly:

Chocolate / Banana: 3 Frozen bananas and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. I also sometimes use protein powder.

Mango: 2 Frozen bananas and 2 cups of frozen mango.

Berry:  2 Frozen bananas and 2 cups of mixed frozen berries.

Simply pop ingredients into a blender or Thermomix and blitz on high for 2 minutes. After a minute of blitzing check how it looks you may want to add 10 mls of milk, or juice to bind it together. (I find the berry mix needs a little bit of juice to get a smooth consistency).

Then simply scoop into cups and serve YUM!

What other flavors would you do?

In Victoria we’re now officially in SPRING! Oh how I have longed for you! Sun, food, family and friends! This means that as the weather warms up, it’s time to dust off the BBQ, don the apron, grab the tongs and get cooking. Lots of Dad’s have this affiliation with the BBQ and believe that if the BBQ is involved then it’s their ‘job’ to cook. Perhaps they feel we women are unable to handle the heat of a flaming BBQ? Who knows, more importantly….Who cares! Let him at it I say -one less thing for us busy Mumma’s to do =) To celebrate Father’s day what better way to make up some spice rubs for them to use over the spring and summer season? These are quick, easy and inexpensive and the best bit is you can get the kids to give you a hand.  The beauty of this idea is that you can make whatever combination your Dad or even Poppy. I thought these would be a great Idea for my Hubby who enjoys cooking on the BBQ but also enjoys preparing the meat Here are three that I prepared took about 20 minutes from start to finish. You could even get the kids give the jars a personal touch with a bit of decorations: These are great for Chicken, Beef, Veal, and Pork. Why not sprinkle a little over roast veggies, salads, or scalloped potatoes? Whatever you feel needs some added excitement these will do the trick and Dad will love them. Use as much or as little as you like it’s totally up to you. They will last in an air tight jar for up to 3 months. I guarantee that they will be gone before then!

SEASONED SALT

¼ cup Onion powder

¼ cup Garlic powder

¼ cup Ground black pepper

3 tbsps. Paprika

2 tbsps. Dried parsley

1 tbsps. Red pepper flakes (optional)

Simple measure all the ingredients, pop them in to a jar and shake and you’re done.

 
ITALIAN SPICE MIX

3 tbsps. Italian seasoning

4 tbsps. Oregano

2 tbsps. Basil

2 tbsps. Dried minced onion

2 tbsps. Dried parsley flakes

3 tbsps. Salt

Measure all the ingredients, pop it all into a jar and shake and you’re done.

DADS MIX

3 tbsps. Thyme

3 tbsps. Rosemary

3 tbsps. Dried parsley

1 tsp Cumin powder

½ tsp Hot paprika

3 pinches of salt

3 pinches of ground black pepper

Same as before, measure, put in to the jar and shake shake shake!

 I hope you enjoy them. If you give them ago please let us know what you think.

This would have to be one of the easiest meals we make, the best bit is you can have the meat and veggies prepared in a zip lock bag and frozen fro when you need a quick easy meal. You can also choose to use less meat and more veggies if you want to save some extra dollars. You can also make this the night before so that the marinade soaks into the meat yum!

 Ingredients

• 400 grams Blade steak cut into thin strips

• 2 carrots peeled and julienned

• 1/2 red capsicum sliced thinly

• 1 packet egg noodles you can use veggie noodles as well

• 3 stems shallots

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 1/4 cup plain flour, can use gluten free flour as well

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1tablespoon honey or rice malt syrup

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Instructions

1. Lightly dust the steak in the flour and add to a container.

2. Add the soy sauce, honey,  garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, carrot and capsicum to the container and pop the lid on. Give a good shake to coat all the meat.

3. Heat a wok or large pan on high and add the sesame seed oil.

4. Add the beef mixture to the pan and sear quickly, it should take about 2 minutes all up, you want the meat to be tender and juicy.

5. Add the egg noodles and stir through until softened approx 1 minute.

6. Serve in bowls with diced shallots.

Serves 4

This chocolate chia pudding is not just for dessert it also makes a great healthy breakfast with healthy fats and protein to keep you full until lunch yum!

Ingredients

• 4 tbs Chia seeds
• 3/4 Cup of milk of your choice, we use Almond Milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbs Cocoa powder
• 2 tbs honey or Rice malt syrup

Method

1. Place the milk, honey and vanilla into a mason jar or container and stir well.
2. Add the cocoa and chia seeds and stir well.
3. Place in the fridge over night and eat in the morning.
4. Add your favourite berries or toppings yum!