Fresh and Fluffy Honey-Cinnamon Popcorn

Popcorn is my biggest weakness. Put a bowl of the fresh-fluffy kind in front of me and I'm not likely to stop! This popcorn is a combination of both sweet and salty, with the Cinnamon giving just a little something extra! What's more it's super cheap,  only takes 5-10 minutes to make fresh and is a relatively healthy way to snack!

REALLY?! Popcorn?! A healthy snack? 

Popcorn, before we add all of our toppings, is high in dietary fibre, low in fat and free from both sodium and sugar! It also contains antioxident substances called polyphenols, which are linked with the reduction of heart disease and certain cancers! In terms of calorie, fat and sodium intake.... It all depends on our toppings, but varieties doused in butter, oil, sugar or salt will counteract all the health perks mentioned above!! 

Cinema sold popcorn is some of the worst culprits for 'naughty' popcorn with a large box of salty popcorn (Odeon UK) containing approximately 812 calories, 29.7g fat, 137.4g carbohydrates and goodness knows how much sodium; that's the equivalent of two MacDonald's Quarter Pounders! That's not even looking at the Butter Variety yet! More info:  www.myfitnesspal.com/nutrition-facts-calories/odeon

Microwave popcorn is great for convenience but it has its negatives... 'Artificial butter flavouring' contains Diacetyl (and it's related compounds), which cause lung disease when inhaled in large quantities; The Microwave bags contain Perfluorinated Compounds (PFC's)  which are chemicals that have shown to cause cancer in animals and suppress immune function in kids... if that isn't enough to put you off?! 

So... you're best bet is to make it Fresh! And Fluffy! This is only one way of flavouring popcorn; over this year I think I'll be experimenting with quite a few ways to put popcorn together! I'll keep you posted... but for now its my favourite flavour: Honey and Cinnamon...

Ingredients:

Popcorn kernals

Vegetable oil

Squeezy honey

Salt

Cinnamon

Cinnamon carries many health benefits; it's said to be effective in combating menstrual pains through regulating hormones, it has a natural anti-infectious compounds, it helps to regulate blood sugar and contains dietary fibre, calcium, iron and manganese. Yippeeee!

I haven't put any measurements as its nearly all about preference!

Directions:

In a large saucepan (make sure you have the lid too!) pour in a little bit of oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Pour in your Corn Kernals until the bottom of the pan is covered.

Put on a LOW heat (if too high, the Kernals won't pop and you'll end up with a burnt saucepan!), sprinkle over a bit of salt, put the lid on and give the pan a little shake to coat the Kernals. Simply wait until you start to hear popping noises. Keep the lid on- they really do fly everywhere!

Meanwhile, squeeze some honey into a mug and warm up in the microwave for 10 seconds- this only makes it pour easier when drizzling over your popcorn. 

Once the popcorn is done, (should take about 5 mins and your pan should be almost full), drizzle over the honey, sprinkle a little more salt if you feel it needs it and generously powder some cinnamon over. With the lid back on, give the pan a big shake and tip into a big bowl.... enjoy!!

NB: your hands will get very sticky when eating!

Beetroot Hummus

Beetroot has a sweet and earthy flavour and is notorious for its super strong colouring. This only makes it more fun when adding it to foods giving this particular Hummus a luscious pink colour! Beetroot is known for stamina and helps make muscles work harder, as well as provides the body with countless nutrients, powerful antioxidants, carbohydrate, protein and soluble fibre! Moreover, only three small beetroots are equal to one of your five a day!












Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas
1 large beetroot, cooked (not pickled!!), roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp linseeds
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp bouillon vegetable stock (flavour)
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Seasoning



Directions:

Take the fresh beetroot and cut off all of the leaves. You can save these as when washed up they are great as slightly exotic salad leaves or just like spinach wacked in a soup!
Wash all the mud off and place in a saucepan to boil until soft. This should take approximately 15-20 minutes depending on size... Once cooked through (you can test with a toothpick), peel the beetroot and roughly chop.

Note!! You may want to wear protecting gloves to stop your hands from staining pink!

For all you lazy kids out there- the supermarkets do do all that prep'in for you, offering beetroots cooked and vacuum packed (NOT PICKLED!) ready on supermarket shelves- just so you can whizz up this delicious dip in 5 mins!!

In a food processor or using a 'hand whizzer', add all of the ingredients together, and simply blend until you get a relatively smooth mixture. This recipe is just about throwing everything together and adding more or less of the ingredients so you feel you have the right consistency and flavour. Blend less for a chunkier dip... add more chilli for a spicier dip... more olive oil for a richer smoother dip.... more salt for more flavour.... you get the idea!

Store in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days... although I'm almost certain you would have gobbled it all up before then!

Ideas for use:

Crudites:     Carrots, celery, toasted rye bread (see picture), Bell Peper, Crackers.... 

Alternatively use a dollop on top of fish, chicken, salad to give a little something extra. 

Blend a few tablespoons in a home made soup to give it an extra zing.

Spread it generously in a wrap or sandwich.

Quinoa and puy lentil Tabouleh

This is a spin on the classic middle eastern dish Tabouleh, which I threw together for a light lunch. It goes perfectly with some grilled chicken or fish, or with a sprinkling of Feta cheese for a little something extra; and for those vegetarians and healthy eaters out there, smoked tofu is a delicious accompaniment too!! So many options!

So what actually is Quinoa? Quinoa (pronounced keen-wahhh... I know I was calling it Kwin-ohh-aaa for a while too!!) is a small bead-shaped grain which originates from South America- The Incas regard it as 'The Mother Grain' with it being a staple in their diets, and for having various nutritional benefits. It has a nutty flavour, a firm-fluffy texture and takes less than 15 minutes to cook!
It makes a great substitute for rice, its fabulous to use as a stuffing, and is occasionally used in/as a breakfast cereal.  Quinoa is gluten-free, a complete protein containing all 9 of the essential amino acids, as well as it being packed with dietary fibre, magnesium, iron and phosphorus.... All in all, pretty good don't you think?!

Like Champagne, Puy lentils are given their name based on the region 'Le Puy-en-Velay' where they are cultivated in France.  Puy lentils have made a come back onto the food scene and are extremely beneficial for us to eat.  Compared to other pulses and Legumes, Puy Lentils are (very) high in dietary fibre and have a sufficient amount of protein in them, keeping you fuller for longer; they contain other vital nutrients such as zinc, folate, potassium, calcium and in particular, magnesium and iron. I know they slightly resemble rabbit droppings... but they really are worth trying! 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup puy lentils

1/2 Quinoa (any variety)

Bunch of Parsley

Bunch of Coriander
Handful of Spinach leaves, roughly chopped

200g or small punnet of cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion

Pumpkin seeds

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Juice of one lemon

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Seasoning

If serving at a dinner party, plate up in a small mound in the middle of the plate, finish off with a little extra Coriander or Parsley for garnishing and drizzle over some Balsamic glaze (the thicker-more-syrupy kind) to add as decoration. Et Voila!

Optional: feta cheese cubed / smoked tofu

Directions:

In two small saucepans, cook the quinoa and the puy lentils according to directions. Each should be boiled in water for approximately 15-20 mins until soft all the way through but still maintain some 'bite'.

Meanwhile, chop red onion, parsley and coriander very finely and add to a salad bowl. Roughly chop Spinach up and add. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and add along with the other ingredients. Throw over a handful of pumpkin seeds.

For the dressing, whisk the juice of one lemon, the olive oil and crushed garlic together and season generously with salt and pepper.

The quinoa and puy lentils should be cooked by now.... (check they are both cooked before you take them off of the heat! Both the Quinoa and the Lentils should be soft all the way through but still have a firm texture.) 

Drain both into one large sieve and rinse through with some cold water to cool the grains down and get rid of any unwanted starches. Once completely drained of all water and moisture, add to the large salad bowl containing the tomatoes, seeds, herbs and onion. Toss the ingredients together, drizzle on the dressing toss around once more to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed. Have a 'chef's taster' and season to taste. Remember you have already put in salt and peper in the dressing!

Serve and Enjoy!

Lemon Chilli Coriander Turkey Burgers

Turkey is a meat which is always under-estimated, described as dry, flavourless and bland. BUT with the right ingredients added,  it can be turned into something absolutely mouthwatering.   Not to mention it is a great substitute for chicken when you may feel you want to try something different!  This is a real simple recipe which tastes great and has all of the 'right things in it' to leave your belly feeling full and happy! 

When looking into the nutritional content of Turkey, the most obvious thing to mention is that it is an excellent low fat, high protein food. As I mentioned chicken earlier, I was thinking into what the nutritional differences may be between the two with both meats being poultry.  I did a bit of online research into the differences and here's what I found in brief:  Turkey has a higher content of vitamins and minerals, it contains about 2/3 of the calories of chicken, and almost half the content of protein. If you want to find out more about the meat war of 'Chicken vs Turkey', read: 

www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/turkey-breast-vs-chicken-breast

When buying turkey mince in the supermarket, some may give you the choice between thigh mince and breast mince. It goes without saying that Turkey thigh mince will be higher in fat and therefore more moist, making it a good choice for something like burgers. However Turkey breast mince is just as good, a lot leaner and if you have opted to use Breast instead of thigh, I suggest you add a bit of olive oil to make those burgers just that little bit juicier!

I made these the other night when staying over at 'the boys'.  Taking into account that male's have almost bottomless pits as stomachs, I decided these would be the perfect thing to cook. This recipe yielded 18 patties which managed to feed 5 hungry boys and myself well!

Ingredients:

1200g Turkey Mince (three packs)

2 cans of Cannelli Beans

2 Bunches of Coriander, washed and roughly chopped

tbs chilli flakes or 2 fresh chillies finely chopped

4 large cloves of Garlic, pressed or roughly chopped

1 egg

2 oxo chicken stock cubes or alternatively chicken flavouring

Zest of 2 lemons

1 onion finely chopped

5 spring onions

3 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

Olive oil or any fragrant oil for frying (sesame oil is delicious with this recipe!)

Directions

Drain the Cannelli Beans and add to a LARGE mixing bowl along with the chicken oxo cubes crumbled up, roughly chopped Coriander, and egg. Using a hand blender, whiz up the mixture until the Coriander, beans and egg make a almost Hummus like consistency. Grate the zest of the two lemons over the top, add the chilli flakes and garlic. Blend again.

Chop your onions and spring onions finely.  The lumpier the mixture the more difficult it is to bind together so chop those onions! Add in the pumpkin seeds and all of the turkey mince on top.

Using your hands, squeeze, knead and blend all of those ingredients together to form your flavoursome meaty-mix!! Shape into approximately 18 patties. 

Line a large baking tray with grease proof papper and set next to your hob.  In a large frying pan lightly fry each of your patties on either side so they seal in all of the flavour. Lay them out on the tray. Once all lightly fried, put in the oven to bake for about 20 mins on 190 degrees. Before you take them out, test one of them to check it is cooked through all the way! However, try not to overcook them as this will dry the meat out!

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Accompaniment suggestions:

If your a traditional burger eater, of course there is the bun, and chips to go along side a delicious patty. However, I went a bit rogue when I served these.... I made a brocoli, spring onion, lemon and sweetcorn bulgar wheat to go on the side (recipe to follow), with shop-bought salsa and hummus. 

These went really well with the burgers, and of course I would have liked to say I made the Hummus and Salsa myself, but sometimes short cuts are just a bit easier!

Another thing I can really recommend doing with the burgers is assembling them into a wholemeal wrap (of course wholemeal!). Lay your wrap out, spread some hummus, layer a few spinach leaves, any Parsley or Coriander you may have spare, any seeds you may fancy to give a bit of a crunch, crumble up your burger evenly, and wrap!

They really are just DELICIOUS with just about anything- even for a cheeky meaty snack!

Anyway, there's a few ideas! Hope you enjoy them! More posts to come! X

Yoghurt, Banana, Cinnamon and Dark chocolate Muffins

These Muffins are absolutely delicious and make a great tasty snack between meals- not too mention they're not too bad for you! 

Natural Yoghurt is full of all those pro-biotic 'healthy bacteria' we get told to eat, helping your body to keep a healthy digestive system and fight against 'bad bacteria'.  The banana in the muffins provide a great source of potassium, which is involved with muscle control, nerve function and blood pressure in the body.  The dark chocolate is full of anti-oxidants (those molecules which prevent oxidisation of other molecules in your body, consequently inhibiting the occurrence of free-radicles and damage to cells) and helps to satisfy that 'chocolate' craving everyone gets! Cinnamon has antiseptic properties, aids digestion and supports your body to metabolize sugar! On top of all of this, they are wholemeal, adding fibre to your diet!

Ingredients:

100g dark chocolate (at least 70%) I like Green and Blacks dark chocolate range!

1/2 cup Caster Sugar

2 cups Wholemeal Flour

1 tbsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 cup vegetable oil (not olive oil!!)

1 1/4 cup low fat natural yoghurt

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 large ripe bananas

Icing sugar to decorate

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. In a blender (Magimix or something similar), add the dark chocolate and whizz into small chunks. Otherwise use a knife to chop into rough chocolate chip sized pieces. Put these in a bowl and leave to one side.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon). In a separate bowl, beat together all of the wet ingredients (oil, yoghurt, egg, vanilla essence).
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat well until a smooth batter forms. This can also be done in the magimix if you have one!
5. Peel the bananas, quarter each of them lengthways and slice into small half cm banana chunks.
6. Fold this into the mixture along with the chocolate chunks. Add any dried fruits or nuts if desired!
7. Put into muffin cases and bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. 
8. Turn them out on a wire cooling rack and let them cool for a while.  Sift over the icing suger to decorate. ENJOY!

Suggestions for accompaniments:

MORE YOGHURT!! In my eyes, natural yoghurt always goes a treat with any desert! You could serve this with some raspberries to add some colour and a sprig of mint for garnish.

Peanut butter would be a delicious spread on top!

Ice cream for those with a flavour for cream....

Hope you enjoy them! X