Cinnamon & Black Sesame Roasted Carrots

We all need some "comfy" when the weather cools down. A snugly jumper, cups of tea and of course deliciously warming foods. The new season vegetables are in and what better way to celebrate this than warm roasted veggies! This recipe is super easy and a fun new take on roasted veg. A great addition to your Sunday roast lunch instead of potato or sweet potato, or teamed with your lunch greens and grilled chicken. It even works as an afternoon snack with a tablespoon of hummus!

Cinnamon & Black Sesame Roasted Carrots - a beautiful dinner side dish to wow your guests with! By 'Not Your Typical Dietitian'

Here's  a quick comparison between carrots, potato and sweet potato. You can see that carrots are a lot lower in calories and carbohydrates, but still very high in fibre.

Carrot 100g

Potato 100g

Sweet Potato 100g

Kilojoules

171

322

360

Calories

41

77

86

Carbohydrate

10g

17g

20g

Dietary fibre

2.8g

2.2g

3g

Cinnamon & Black Sesame Roasted Carrots - a beautiful dinner side dish to wow your guests with! By 'Not Your Typical Dietitian'

Ingredients:

2 large bunches of baby carrots 2 tablespoons macadamia oil (or olive oil) 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds 2 tablespoons honey ½ cup macadamia nuts (raw unsalted) ½ teaspoon chili powder

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius 2. Combine the carrots with macadamia oil, cinnamon and sesame seeds

Cinnamon & Black Sesame Roasted Carrots - a beautiful dinner side dish to wow your guests with! By 'Not Your Typical Dietitian'

3. Place onto roasting tray lined with baking paper 4. Drizzle the honey evenly over all the carrots and place into the oven 5. Roast carrots for 30-40 minutes or until golden and crunchy

Cinnamon & Black Sesame Roasted Carrots - a beautiful dinner side dish to wow your guests with! By 'Not Your Typical Dietitian'

6. Roughly chop the macadamia nuts and combine with the chili powder 7. Place warm carrots onto serving plate and top with macadamia nut mixture

Enjoy!

Cinnamon & Black Sesame Roasted Carrots - a beautiful dinner side dish to wow your guests with! By 'Not Your Typical Dietitian'

Oh! And this will be a super duper addition to my Bountiful Lunch Plate recipe! Why not make a big batch of these carrots for the week and add them to your lunches as you go? Leading a healthy lifestyle and achieving your nutrition goals is all about being organised and prepared. Upload your photos on instagram and tag me @notyourtypicaldietitian or share it with me on facebook - here!

Wild Quinoa, Date, & Banana Protein Muffins

I am a big fan of preparing ahead for meals. It means my week is less stressful and more organised, which also means I stick to healthier options. This week I had so many things going on that I completely forgot about the mix of quinoa and wild rice made up to add to salads or to use as a base for hot dishes. There was no way I was going to waste this precious bundle of nutrients. So from there....the wild rice and quinoa muffin was born with the ever-so-complimentary additions of date and banana.

The quinoa and wild rice somehow combines with the rest of the ingredients into the perfect mix of crunchy, chewy, and delicious sticky sweetness...

The ultimate must-have's in a muffin? I think so! Even the nutrient profile is impressive, delivering all 9 essential amino acids (proteins) as well as a good dose of fibre and healthy fats.

Ingredients:

½ cup almond flour 1 scoop protein powder 2 cups cooked quinoa & wild rice mix* 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ cup organic coconut sugar* 2 ripe bananas mashed 1 large free range egg ¾ cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract ½ cup dates Cinnamon for dusting

* use ¾ cup dry quinoa and ¼ cup dry wild rice – cook with 2 cups of water * OR ¼ cup rapadura sugar OR ¼ cup brown sugar OR 3 tablespoons honey OR stevia

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 180C. Combine almond flour, protein powder, quinoa and wild rice mix, spelt flour, baking powder, and coconut sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the bananas, egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Finely chop the dates and fold into the mixture. Scoop into a muffin tin and place in pre-heated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and the skewer comes out clean. Dust muffins with cinnamon and enjoy warm with a cup of tea.

You might think that this muffin combination is a bit strange.

But don't knock it until you've tried it. It really delivers on taste.

Link of the day: Rhubarb & Raspberry Tart

Supercharged Protein Oats

This breakfast truly is supercharged with nutrients to fuel your muscles, maximise energy levels, and skyrocket your metabolism. It is a bowl of goodness that is packed with protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, and other good fats to keep you full and satisfied for a good 4 hours - which means that you're less likely to reach for that refined sugar-laden biscuit at morning tea and more likely to go for the healthy choice at lunch time.

This recipe is so quick to make - it literally takes only 5 minutes to throw together and is very portable and easy to eat on the run (if you are one of those people who have to eat their breakfast in the car).

Oh, and it also tastes amazing.

Ingredients:

1/3 of a cup rolled oats 2/3 of a cup milk (almond//soy/cow's) 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed 1 egg white Half a mashed banana (small) 3 drops liquid stevia (or sweetener of choice) 1/2 a tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. almond butter 1 tbsp. chopped walnuts 1 tsp. maple syrup Cinnamon & Vanilla Baked Pears for topping (or any other baked or fresh fruit)

Method: Combine the oats and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until creamy. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the egg white. Stir to combine thoroughly until the egg white is cooked through. Then add the mashed banana, ground flaxseed, stevia, and vanilla. Pour into a breakfast bowl and top with almond butter, walnuts, pears, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Divine!

Question of the day: What is your favourite way of eating oats?

Link of the day: Breakfast Crepe with Protein Berry Filling

The Life-Changing Bread

I love bread. It is definitely one of my weaknesses. If I didn't know better and didn't have all the nutritional knowledge from studying for 6 years, I'd probably eat french bread sticks and sourdough from my local baker with lashing of butter at every meal. But unfortunately (and fortunately for my health and yours!) I do have the knowledge.

By no means am I saying that bread is bad for you. There is definitely a place in a wholesome, well-balanced diet for bread that has been made from good quality ingredients in small amounts. But unless you're willing to fork out $8-$12 for a good quality bread these days (or have the skills of a Danish bread maker) you're stuck with the mass-produced loafs from the supermarkets. These are often laden with processed wheat products, soy flour, colours, preservatives, sugars and syrups. If this is news - learn to read your labels.

One of my passions is to create healthy versions of everyday foods and dishes, and to encourage others to do the same. I simply had to look for a healthy alternative. These sorts of pursuits don't often stop until I find what I look for and it has ticked all my nutritional boxes. It didn't take me long though, to find this life-changing bread that was geniusly invented by Sarah at My New Roots. When I saw it, I simply had to try it. The end result was a very impressed dietitian with a huge smile on her face holding a piece of life-changing bread in her hand. With lashings of homemade jam (my treat).

The best thing about this bread? It actually is HEALTHY for you. And it is REALLY easy to make, with minimum kitchen mess. You the combine ingredients, stir, soak, and bake all in the one dish - perfect!

Here is the recipe from the My New Roots blog

Ingredients:

Makes 1 loaf

• 1 cup / 135g sunflower seeds
• ½ cup / 90g flax seeds
• ½ cup / 65g hazelnuts or almonds
• 1 ½ cups / 145g rolled oats ( contains far less gluten than bread)
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
• 1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
• 3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
• 1 ½ cups / 350ml water

Directions:

1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.

3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).

4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast

Mediterranean Multigrain Salad

Today is Salad Inspiration day - and this one will fill up your tank with lots of flavour, fibre, and fat-fighting goodies!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup 4Grain Protein Rice (I also added wild rice and buckwheat to the mix) 10 cherry tomatoes 1/4 onion 2 handfuls of green leaves 1 tsp tahini Juice from half a lemon 2 - 3 tbsp almond milk 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tbsp goats cheese fetta (optional)

Add the chopped onion and cherry tomatoes to the protein rice, and lay the mixture on a bed of green leaves. Place tahini, lemon juice, almond milk and spices in a small glass jar and shake vigorously until well combined and a dressing consistency is achieved. Pour the dressing over the salad and top with goats cheese fetta. Enjoy!

What is your favourite go-to salad?

I love a freshly grilled fish salad with some sort of fruit added to it - like mango or peach! In case you haven't realised - I'm a bit obsessed with fruit :)

Link of the day:

Fresh Fig & Goats Cheese Salad

Breakfast Crepe with Protein Berry Filling

Ohhh yes...

This is too good to be true. Surely you can't eat something that looks this good for breakfast, can you? Yes you can, and you should!

Another addition to my dessert-like breakfast recipes. Think of it as the sister of this one, the cousin of this one, and the obscure relative of this one.

Nutrition Perfection: - Loaded with protein and fibre - Sugar-free - Gluten free - Great for blood sugar stabilisation - Provides sustained energy release

Ingredients:

- 3 medium egg whites - 1 tbsp greek yoghurt - 1 tbsp ground chia seeds - 1 tsp cinnamon - 1/2 a tsp vanilla

Filling

- 1/2 cup frozen berries - 1 tbsp protein powder - 1 tbsp greek yoghurt

Method: Combine egg whites, yoghurt, chia, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl and mix well. Spray a non stick pan and cook on a medium heat for 2-3 mins with the lid on or until mixture is no longer runny on top. Slide it onto a plate.

For filling: Blend the berries in a blender to form a berry "paste". Add the protein powder and yoghurt and blend well until it forms a nice and creamy texture.

Fill the crepe and flip it on both sides so that it looks like a crepe. Top with berries and if you feel like some extra indulgence - pour a little agave or maple syrup!

Question of the day: What is your favourite dessert-like breakfast food?

Link of the day: Creamy Almond Milkshake

Moroccan Chicken Salad

There are few things as satisfying as enjoying the taste, smell, and look of your food whilst knowing that it is good for you. It is even better when it is easy and quick to make!

This chicken is so tasty, you'll never want to make it any other way! But there is a bit of cheating involved which cuts prep and cooking time in half and gets the food on the table in less than 15 minutes! Whatch out Jamie!

Ingredients:

2 - 3 small free range chicken breast tenderloins 1 tablespoon Moroccan paste (this is a pre-made paste that you can buy if you're short on time that has whole ingredients, but if you have some time to spare you can make it from scratch using this recipe) 2 cups fresh dark green leaves 1/4 avocado 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method: Evenly space the tenderloins between 2 leaves of baking paper or cling wrap. Take a kitchen hammer or the flat end of a wooden spoon and give it a few good whacks to flatten the meat. This greatly reduces the cooking time!

Uncover the meat, make a few small cuts/slits in each tenderloin, and spread the paste evenly onto each side. Cover it with the paper and massage the paste from the outside into the meat on both sides. Heat pan.

Meanwhile, wash the leaves and dice the avocado. Combine the cherry tomatoes, a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Pour onto an oven tray and bake in very hot oven for 5-10 minutes. When the tomatoes start to blister take them out of the oven, squash them slightly with a potato masher to release their juices. Add the remaining balsamic vinegar. Combine the tomato mixture, salad leaves and avocado in a bowl. Mix well.

Add the remaining olive oil in a pan and grill the chicken on each side for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Stack the chicken tenderloins onto the salad mixture and enjoy!

If you're looking for more sustenance, the addition of some 4Grain Protein Rice would be perfect!

What is your favourite way to cook chicken?

Sprouted Buckwheat Granola

ooohhhhh granola...

...there's something about the crunch that makes you want to go back for more. And why wouldn't you? This one is super duper nutritious with loads of flavour!

 

Buckwheat is a wonderous little grain-like seed that is not related to wheat at all so its naturally gluten-free and wheat-free (yay for all our gluten intolerant friends)!

It is really high in fibre and has a low Glycaemic Index (GI) which means you have sustained energy throughout the day and you'll feel fuller for longer - great for weight loss or maintenance!

 

Ingredients: 2 cups buckwheat groats (soaked and sprouted) 2 bananas 1/4 of a cup chia seeds 2/3 of a cup almonds 2 tbs acai berry powder (optional) 2 tbs agave syrup 1/2 cup of shredded coconut 1/3 of a cup goji berries 1/2 cup macadamia nuts 1/4 cup sultanas

Method: Soak 2 cups buckwheat groats and let them do their magic by sprouting! There is a really helpful tutorial on how to sprout buckwheat here.

Next, combine the chia seeds, almonds and acai berry powder in a blender and blend to a fine consistency. Add the banana and agave syrup and blend until a paste is formed. If the mixture is too thick you can add a little water to make it thinner (you dont want the consistency to be too thin, but it needs to be thick enough to hold together when mixed with the buckwheat to form clusters when dried). Scoop mixture into a bowl and add sprouted buckwheat, shredded coconut and goji berries. Mix well.

 

Spread evenly onto an oven tray and dehydrate the mixture in a food dehydrator or in an oven (set at the lowest temperature) for around 8-10 hours or until the mixture is dry to touch. Let cool and add the macadamia nuts and sultanas. You're done!

 

You're set for breakfast for the next 2 weeks! Hooray!

 

These little clusters are of course delicious with some fruit and yoghurt for your morning food! A perfect start to the day.

 

How much do you want to dig into this? yummmm

 

What is your favourite morning food?

Saturday Sandwich

Weekend lunches are the best...

...we had lunch on our sunny balcony enjoying some relaxing Saturday tunes, an icy cold drink and the perfect open sandwich (even better than a steak sandwich - trust me)!

My local fruit and veg markets sell a delicious organic 9-seed sour dough bread from their bakery. This is my treat for weekend! This sandwich was so yummy that there was almost no exchanging of words as we gobbled up every last crumb.

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

- 4 slices of good quality bread - 1 large Spanish onion - balsamic vinegar - 1 handful fresh basil - 1/2 a teaspoon agave syrup - 1 handful cherry tomatoes - 3 cloves garlic - olive oil - 1/2 a cup of low fat Greek yoghurt - 1 tablespoon tahini - 1 lemon - 1/2 avocado - handful chives

Method:

Chop the onion into strips. Heat the pan on medium and add a splash of olive oil. Add onion and cook for 5-10 minutes until translucent. Add 2 to 3 good splashes of balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until the vinegar evaporates into a reduction. Tear the basil into small pieces and add to onion. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add agave syrup. Combine cherry tomatoes, a good splash of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and 2 roughly chopped garlic cloves in a bowl. Once well coated, pour the tomatoes onto an oven tray and cook under a hot oven grill for 5-10 minutes or until their skins are blistered. Take them out of the oven and squash them gently with a potato masher to release their juices. Stir and combine well with surrounding juices.

Combine the yoghurt, tahini, 1/2 lemon's juice and 1 glove of crushed garlic. Assemble the sandwich - spread tahini yoghurt onto a slice of bread, top with sliced avocado, roasted cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions and chopped fresh chives.

I paired it with a baby spinach, chive and green apple salad dressed with some lemon juice. It would go great with some baked sweet potato fries if you're trying to impress or have some friends over for the weekend.

What is your favourite Saturday sandwich?

4Grain Protein Rice

Love your rice but feel like you're not getting as much from it as you'd like?Say hello to 4Grain Protein Rice! Now with more protein, fibre and B-vitamins than ever before!

This staple is colourful, crunchy yet soft, satisfying and exciting! It has a low Glycaemic Index (GI) giving you slow-released energy and stabilised blood sugar levels - perfect for weight management or diabetics! The seeds in this are also really high in protein so it will keep you fuller for longer and help repair your muscles to keep your metabolism sky high. Who wouldn't want this new rice? Even those who are gluten-intolerant can have this as it is 100% gluten free!

This is SUPER easy to make if you have a rice cooker at home. If you don't, it is still very easy. I promise :)

Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice 1 cup quinoa (I used red) 1/2 cup amaranth seed 1/2 cup millet 5 cups water

Don't worry these are not difficult to find! Quinoa and brown rice is widely available in Australian supermarkets these days - look in the healthfood isle. Amaranth and millet will need to be sourced from your local health food store and are very affordable. I want to talk a little bit about these grains and their nutritional value:

Quinoa is a seed that contains all essential amino acids required by the body, therefore a complete protein source! It is not a grain but a seed and when cooked becomes soft with a nutty, satisfying taste. You can read more about it here.

Brown rice is an unmilled, whole natural grain that has only had its outer husk removed. This means that it contains more B-vitamins, magnesium and iron than white rice. It is also a great source of fibre!

Amaranth seed is often called "grain" because is behaves like a grain but is technically a seed. There have been a few studies to show that amaranth may help with high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This seed is also naturally gluten free and is rich in B-vitamins!

Millet is a traditional food source for many countries including India, Russia, Germany, China and West African countries like The Gambia! This little seed is rich in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. These are all important for healthy bones, skin and energy levels.

Have I convinced you yet? Well maybe the easy method will...

Method: Combine all ingredients in your rice maker and turn it on "cook". It should be ready in about 20 minutes! Voila...it's that easy!

* If you don't have a rice maker, simply add everything in a big pot on high heat until it starts to boil. Turn heat down and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until cooked.

This 4Grain Protein Rice is PERFECT to add to your food prep for the week! It is something that will keep in the fridge for the whole week and works really well added to salads for lunch or as a foundation for dinner!

This is how I had it for dinner last night...a delicious purple raw kale & brocolinni salad and oven-baked sweet potato with a creamy tahini sauce drizzled over it!

You could even make it into a healthy dessert like this one! Or use it in a salad like this one.

Question: Do you get bored with rice? What else have you tried to make it more nutritious and exciting?

Quinoa, Chia and Cacao…

I’m sure you’ve seen these words being thrown around in your latest issue of ‘body & soul’ magazine, your local health shop or at the neighbourhood farmer’s market. If you are anything like me, you’re probably a bit sceptical about “new” foods appearing like this, especially if you can’t even get past the first syllable when trying to pronounce it. But are these “superfoods” just a money-making scheme or can it actually benefit your health? Well here is the lowdown: Quinoa is pronounced “keen-wah” and is not a grain but actually a seed.

It is however an excellent substitute for grains as it is easy to cook, naturally gluten-free and high in protein. In fact, it contains all 9 amino acids that are required by the body for building muscle, making it a complete protein source! Who needs protein powder?

It is also a GREAT source of fibre, to help keep those bowels regular and waistline in check. Need more convincing?

Quinoa is a great source of phosphorous, magnesium and iron, especially when you compare it to grains like wheat or barley. These minerals help form healthy bones, strong muscles and take part in biochemical reactions within your body to give you energy that will outlast the energizer bunny!

This little nifty seed will give you an energy boost now, but will also sustain you well into the next 3-4 hours after eating it. Want to know how to incorporate it into your daily diet?

Have a look at this delicious recipe you can try for breakfast, or even as a snack or for dessert. There are ofcourse many other tasty and healthy ways you can have your quinoa, including savoury dishes. But I am on a bit of a sweet tooth wagon right now, and all things sweet, creamy or chocolate-y is attracting my attention on pinterest today!

Stay updated for more posts this week on other superfoods like chia seeds, cacao and your leafy greens!