Maman champignon date slice

I recently completed an experiment to determine the β-glucan content in oats and barley so I thought this was an appropriate recipe to post. Believed to reduce cholesterol, β-glucan is found in high concentrations in oats and barley (you may have see the advert about porridge oats on Australian TV). Like starch, β-glucan is a chain of glucose molecules. However the bonds in β-glucan differ in spatial arrangement and consequently cannot be broken down by our digestive enzymes. β-glucan is instead destined for microbial fermentation in the colon like other dietary fibres. Due to its chemical make-up, β-glucan is termed a soluble fibre. Many studies have proven it can reduce cholesterol, possibly by binding with bile acids (which make cholesterol) and excreting them in the faeces.

Naturally lowering cholesterol is a matter close to my heart since Marcus has familial high cholesterol – the type that is difficult to manage without statins. I therefore try to include oats in the diet as much as possible. Barley actually has a higher β-glucan content than oats so I will be making sure I include more barley in the future. This is a recipe from my mum which brings oats and dates together to make a delicious and nutritious snack. I have altered the recipe slightly to bring the Glycaemic Index (GI) down a little – australian dates tend to have a higher GI than other varieties.

• 150 g dates - put in pan with water and simmer to make a paste - can use more or less of water and dates
• 150 g Flora – it does lower cholesterol after all…
• 120 ml of honey (I’m using snow gum honey at the moment)
• 280 g oats – use small oats if possible
• Handful of chopped nuts - walnuts or pecans

Line smallish tin with greaseproof paper. Melt flora with honey then add oats and nuts. Spread half on bottom of lined tin - press lightly with fingertips. Spread dates on top and add rest of mixture - press lightly with fingertips. Bake in oven until golden brown – about 180 - for about 20 -25 mins. Leave to cool and cut whilst still in tin and warm into desired slices. When cooler lift onto cooling tray and when really cold take off grease proof and leave to set.

Energy Cookies

I am often asked about snack foods that can be eaten on the run by busy people. There are lots of muesli bars, snack bars, energy bars and protein bars on the market but to be honest, I wouldn’t touch most of them so I know how hard it is sometimes to find a snack that is healthy and convenient. It’s rare to find a packeted product which has unprocessed organic ingredients, healthy good quality oils and is devoid of flavourings and excess salt and sugar so I would go for homemade snacks every time. And it’s good to know what you are eating.

Marcus is doing the Oxfam 100 km walk in August and he was given an energy cookie recipe by one of his team mates. I have been dutifully making the cookies for their training sessions and they are really quick and easy to make (which means he can start making them himself!). I have changed the recipe a little here and reduced the saturated fat and sugar content because we are not all walking 50km a day. However, these cookies are made from low GI grains and contain lots of soluble fibre along with protein and essential fatty acids. They should keep you going for quite a while…

Makes about 12

All ingredients organic where possible

• 1 cup of wholewheat flour
  
• 1 tbsp of baking powder
  
• 1 cup of rolled oats
  
• 1 cup of oat bran
  
• ½ cup of LSA mix (ground linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds, found in the fridge in health stores)
  
• 1 cup of chopped up organic apricots
• 100mls of EV olive oil
•  ½ cup of honey
  
•  ¼ cup of boiling water
  

Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the olive oil, honey and boiling water and then pour the liquid into the dry mix and beat it all together, moistening it with more water if needed. Make approx 12 cookies with the mixture and cook on a non stick baking tray in the oven for about 25 minutes at 150 degrees. When cooked, place on a wire rack until cool and firm.

Healthier crumble with apple, rhubarb and ginger

During my quest to reduce the amount of alcohol in my diet, I have found myself craving sweet carbohydrate substitutes, particularly after eating dinner. A healthier alternative to eating chocolate, lollies or fatty desserts is fruit. Fruit can be made into great desserts, crumble being one of the most popular. Unfortunately, most crumbles are full of saturated fat, sugar and simple carbohydrates, not a combination that should be eaten too often. However, crumble can be a dessert that is full of fibre, high in complex carbs and essential fatty acids and lower in sugar. And it can be wheat free. If you need to sweeten the fruit, you can use agave nectar instead of sugar. Agave nectar is 90% fructose giving it a low glycaemic index. Cinnamon also helps to sweeten fruit without adding calories and it also balances blood sugar levels – important for those with sugar cravings. Ginger gives the fruit a nice twist and has countless health benefits. Instead of using flour, butter and sugar for the crumble, I use oats, nuts, honey and olive oil/butter. This increases the fibre and essential fatty acid content and lowers the GI, unusual qualities in a dessert. It’s a dessert that is healthy enough to be eaten as a snack too. Serve with goats yoghurt.

· Bunch of rhubarb, washed and chopped into 2 inch lengths
· 4 or 5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
· 2 tsp of organic agave nectar
· 2 inch stick of ginger grated
· ½ tsp of cinnamon

For crumble topping

· 1 cup organic rolled oats
· ½ cup of puffed brown rice
· ½ cup of almonds, cashews and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy) crushed
· 2 tbsp of olive oil or butter
· 1 tbsp of honey

Put the fruit, agave nectar, ginger and cinnamon in a saucepan with a small amount of water, cover and cook until soft. Meanwhile, mix together crumble ingredients. Place stewed fruit into an ovenproof dish and cover with crumble mixture. Bake in the oven at 180oC until golden.