BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE – 1 serve

1/2 cup yoghurt of your choice

1/2 cup milk of your choice

1 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped

1 small banana or handful of berries

1 teaspoon honey or syrup

1 dessertspoon rolled oats

2 teaspoons seeds eg chia Or LSA

Ice

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

GREEN SMOOTHIE – serves 2

3-4 kale leaves (stalks removed) or 1 cup spinach leaves

1 celery stalk

1/2 small cucumber, peeled

Fresh italian parsley

Mint leaves

Fresh turmeric or ginger (fingernail sized nob)

1 small green apple

1 ripe kiwifruit, peeled or chopped mango cheek

250ml coconut water

1/2 small peeled beetroot (optional)

Ice

Blend together on high for up to a minute and drink asap

(NB you can use a variety of vegetables (carrot, broccoli etc), seasonal fruit (pineapple, pear, oranges, berries) & herbs eg basil etc.)

PROTEIN POWER SMOOTHIE

1 banana or 1cup berries

2 tablespoons vanilla or chocolate flavoured protein powder

2 tablespoons yoghurt of your choice

200ml milk of your choice

1 teaspoon honey/syrup if desired

Ice

Blend together

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees or 165 degrees fan forced.
2. Line the base of a large loaf tin (25cm x 10cm) with baking paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl place flour, oats, sugar, ¾ cup of the seed/nut mix, cranberries, cinnamon, salt and stir well.
4. In another small bowl place apple sauce and bi-carb soda (will froth up).  Add mashed bananas, greek yoghurt, eggs and vanilla to apple sauce mixture and mix well.
5. Pour liquid mixture into flour and stir only until they are just combined.
6. Pour into lined loaf tray and sprinkle with remaining seed/nut mix on top.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester come out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack.  Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

1.      Making of the dough:  Place flour, yeast, and salt into a large bowl, making a well  in the middle.  Pour in most of the water and use your fingers or a wooden spoon to mix the flour and water together.  Combine until a slightly wet, pillowy, workable dough.
2.      Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for atleast 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Throughout the kneading process add in most of the seeds and nuts until all combined.
3.     Leave to rise in a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until double the size.  Knock back the dough and shape into a large round oval.  Roll the round  oval dough into the remaining seeds then place onto tray to prove (rest) for about 30 mins until it doubles in size.
4.     Heat oven to 200 degrees (220 fan forced).  Bake bread for 15 minutes , then reduce heat to 170 degrees (190 fan forced) and continue to bake for 30 mins until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Leave the bread of a cooling rack to cool completely. The loaf will stay fresh for ~3 days in an air tight container or can be frozen for up to a month.
5. Ideal toppings:  Spread some goats cheese and fresh berries with small drizzle honey; Low fat ricotta cheese with sliced pear; Poached eggs with smashed avocado and feta.

Kerry and Lauren prepare pre-game fuelling and post-game recovery for our Roar football players.  What are their favourite selections?

Banana bread, date & fruit loaf and protein balls.   Players will often use the banana bread and date & fruit loaf to top up glycogen (energy) levels before the game while protein balls proved a hit for recovery after the game.  Would you like to eat what the elite athletes eat to optimise their performance and recovery?  Here you go!

Banana Bread (serves 8 or slice smaller for non-athletes)

 2 tbsp oil

3 large ripe bananas

½ cup sugar

½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ cups plain flour

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp salt

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

1. Preheat oven to 180’C.
2. Mash banana with fork.
3. Add the egg, oil, milk, sugar, salt, soda and baking powder. Beat well.
4. Gently blend in the flour and mix lightly.
5. Pour into a lightly greased loaf tin. Bake for 45 minutes.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before taking out of pan.

Healthy Date & Fruit Loaf (serves 8 – or slice smaller for non-athletes)

½ cup chopped dates

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

½ cup shredded coconut

1 cup self-raising flour

½ cup chopped apricots

½ cup sugar

1 cup low fat milk

1. Mix all ingredients together and bake in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes.

1. Mix all dry ingredients together.
2. Place Peanut butter and honey in microwave safe bowl and heat for 35-40 seconds and mix well until blended smooth
3. Pour mixture into dry ingredients and mix well.  Use hands to knead ingredients together.
4. Roll into small balls and place into fridge to set.

Banana Chia Pudding – a great snack or dessert for days you do more activity (or make 8 portions for a regular snack!)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup chia seeds (Black preferred as higher in protein)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 300ml unsweetened almond milk
• 300ml water

Method:

Mash banana well, add chia seeds, vanilla and cinnamon and stir until well combined.

Add water and almond milk and stir thoroughly – place in fridge for a minimum of 2-3 hours, however overnight is best!

Nutrition Facts:

Per serve:  343 Calories; 19.4g Total Fat  (1.9g Saturated Fat); 34.5g Carbohydrates (6.9g Sugar); 10.5g Protein; 1.3g Dietary Fibre.

Banana Pancakes

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 Eggs (1 whole, 1 egg white)

1 tbs Plain Greek Yoghurt

½ Banana (Mashed)

½ tsp nutmeg and cinnamon

1 tsp Honey or Agave Syrup

1-2 tbs Berries (fresh or frozen)

Extra-1 tbs Plain greek yoghurt for serving

Method:

Whisk eggs and yoghurt together until light and fluffy.  Mix in banana, spices until blended well.  Pour prepared batter mix in a pre-heated pan (use either non stick pan or spray olive oil or rice bran oil).

Makes 1 large pancake or 2 small pikelets.  Serve with some fresh berries, yoghurt and a drizzle of honey or agave syrup.

Nutrition Information:  Per serve (Including toppings):  252 Calories; 8.05g Total Fat  (3.3g Saturated Fat); 32.25g Carbohydrates (26.5g Sugar); 15.65g Protein; 1.75g Dietary Fibre.

There are a range of ‘new’ flours on the market which are offering those with intolerances more baking options, or for some are a nice flavour change.  These baked treats are delicious but should be an occasional treat (not every day!)

Spelt flour Berry Delicious muffins            Makes 12 muffins                      Low FODMAP friendly

135g rolled oats                                                            1 cup spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder                                    ⅔ cup castor sugar
2 eggs                                                                        ½ cup mild flavoured oil
¾ cup low fat milk or plain yoghurt  (lactose free if low FODMAP)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ tsp vanilla bean paste

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C for fan forced) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin papers.

Blend the oats in a small food processor to make course flour.  Add to sifted spelt flour and baking powder, and sugar a large mixing bowl.

Combine eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla; mix well.  Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the muffin papers.  Press the raspberries into the batter and swirl a little with a table knife.

Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius (fan-forced) or 170 degrees Celsius.

Combine first 7 ingredients until well combined.  Add the coconut flour and chia seeds but mix until just combined only.

Rest for 10 mins to allow the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid.

Line a loaf pan with baking paper (use a little butter/oil on the pan so the baking paper sticks to the pan)

Pour in the batter in the pan and sprinkle top with coconut flakes/chips.

Bake for 50-55 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

As the weather warms up, the morning porridge looks less appealing, so what’s new for Breakfast in Spring?

1. Place all ingredients in the blender and mix.

Eat Smart Nutrition Consultants are famous!  Dietitian Lauren Nugent has been filming segments for Totally Wild on Network Ten over the last few months presenting Sports Nutrition tips, hints and recipes.

Totally Wild on Network Ten

See Segment 3 Totally Wild EXTREME – TW19/076   TX: 22/04/2011
Reporter: Lauren
Blurb: Looking for energy right before a match.  Our nutrition expert, Lauren shows you how to make an easy, energy packed Oat fruit slice

See Segment 3 Totally Wild EXTREME – TW EXTREME – TW19/080   TX: 29/04/2011
Reporter: Lauren
Blurb: Sports & Training dietician Lauren shows us how to make a Berry and Banana smoothie which helps your muscles recover after a big game

More will be filmed in air in coming months so stay tuned…..