Hazelnut Butter

This tastes almost like nutella, just without all the sugar!! The bonus is that it’s super easy to make and versatile too. In a nut shell (what a pung!) Hazelnuts have numerous health-benefits, that are rich in dietary fiber, excellent course of vitamin E (which is great for the skin), rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, copper and iron are to name a few. 

Hazelnuts are grown on a trees and begin to fruit after about 3 years. They grow in clusters and are surrounded by a capsule or case which encloses about 3/4 of the kernel. They take about 7-8 months to grown into these healthy little morsels of goodness.

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups hazelnuts
Simply roast the nuts on a baking tray in the oven on 180C fan forced for about 10 minuets. Be careful not to burn them, this will give the nut butter a much bitter texture, you are aiming to release the oils from the nuts which helps to great the consistency of a nut butter. 
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 15 minuets. You will see that the skins of the hazelnuts start to fall away from the nut itself, this is what you want to happen.

Take a clean tea towel, place the nuts into it, then gather up the four corners into a bundle. Now you want to carefully massage the skins off the hazelnuts, this takes a few minuets. Once you have achieved this, put all the ‘nude’ hazelnuts into a food processor and discard the skins. Turn your food processor on, leave it running until you have the desired consistency.
Note that it will turn to a fine powder just before it starts to turn into a more runny consistency, you don’t need to add anything to your food processor. Trust me, leave it to do it’s thing. It will take about 4-5 minuets, depending on your food processor.

While the food processor is doing it’s thing, sterilize a glass jar; wash in hot water then place in a preheated oven to remove the water and any potential bugs, make sure you do the lid too.

Once you have the desired consistency of almond butter. Remove the jar from the oven (wearing oven mitts!!!) and scrap the almond butter into it, place the lid on top and enjoy!

 Vanilla Almond Butter

As I mentioned below one of the best things to go with the ‘super nutty bread’ is homemade vanilla almond butter. Almonds are technically the seed of the fruit of the almond tress, a medium-size tree that bears fragrant pink and white flowers. The almond tree bears fruits with stone-like seeds within. The seed of the almond fruit is what we refer to as the almond nut. Full of healthy nutrients the flavonoids found in almond skins team up with the vitamin E found in their meat to more than double the antioxidant punch than other nuts. 20 potent antioxidant flavonoids were identified in almond skins, some of which are well known as major contributors to the health benefits derived from other foods, such as the catechins found in green tea, and naringenin, which is found in grapefruit.

Win win for those of us that love almond butter and just means we can eat a little everyday. This is a super easy recipe, you only need a few ingredients. But, you do need a good food processor.

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups roasted unsalted almonds
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Simply place the almonds in the food processor, turn this on and keep it going for approximately 5 minuets. It will turn to a rough powder, then a fine powder and just like magic turn into the consistency of peanut butter. At this point pour in the vanilla extract and allow the food processor to continue to do it’s thing for another minuet.

While the food processor is doing it’s thing, sterilize a glass jar; wash in hot water then place in a preheated oven to remove the water and any potential bugs, make sure you do the lid too.

Once you have the desired consistency of almond butter. Remove the jar from the oven (wearing oven mitts!!!) and scrap the almond butter into it, place the lid on top and enjoy!

Bacon and Asparagus (or Avocado)

Who doesn’t love Bacon? The sell of bacon makes anyone hungry and it is simply irresistible. This recipe is excellent as a snack, starter, made into the weekend breakfast with poached egg and super nutty bread or just really whenever you feel like it!


Ingredients

  • Fresh Asparagus (not the canned stuff)
  • Bacon (preferably streaky)
  • Salt & Pepper

Preheat the grill to 180C. Line a baking tray and have it ready to load the asparagus spears onto. Take one spear of asparagus and snap the foot off wherever it naturally breaks. Take one piece of streaky bacon and wrap it tightly around the asparagus spear. Continue until all the ingredients are used up. Then grill for a few minutes on each side. Serve with a poached egg or much them while no-one is looking. :)

Bacon and Egg Cups

These make fantastic morning tea goodies, after work hungry busters or breakfast on the run. You can add in whatever you would like to suit the seasons and your mood. They keep well in the fridge inside an airtight container for a few days.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 6-8 rashes of bacon
  • Optional extras: Goat cheese, salt & pepper, capsicum or tomato

Preheat the oven to 180C fan bake. Lightly grease a muffin tin. Line each muffin compartment with a piece of bacon, or half a piece if they are really big. Crack the egg into a mug, then tip this into the muffin compartment lined with bacon. Add any optional extras on the top and bake for 10-20 minutes until eggs are cooked through.

Once cooled, remove from the muffin tin and allow to cool before putting into an airtight container. Enjoy!

Blueberry Madness Muffins

I couldn't quite decide what category to put these under. They are perfect for a 'oh my goodness im late to work breakfast', muffin to go with my coffee smoko, a 'sweet treat' or just cos...so they are in this category. But really, they are delicious and go well with coffee or equally as good with yoghurt after lunch/gym/cuppa. I think you get the picture, you just have to make them and taste them for yourself. 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 cup greek yoghurt
  • 3 free range eggs
  • 1 T flax seeds, crushed
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 1 cup water (only use if your mixture is stiff)
  • 1 1/2 cup wholemeal flour
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1 t nutmeg
  • 1 t baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups Frozen blue berries

Preheat the oven to 180C fan bake. Lightly grease and line a muffin tin, the mixture makes 12. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients, except the blueberries, until combined. Add water or milk until you achieve a cake like consistency. Then fold through the blueberries. 

Distribute evenly into the muffin tin, sprinkle with seeds if you desire. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until centers are cooked, check bu pressing the middle of the muffin, if it springs back they are ready. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. These keep in a air tight container for about a week, if they last that long!!!