Most kids enjoy cooking and all kids love treats. So when you’re wondering what to do with the kids on the weekend, get them in the kitchen to make something delicious and also nourishing. Nourishing treats? Yep, time to know a few basic refined-sugar free recipes that can tick both boxes.
1. Deliciously Ella’s Chewy Sultana Cookies
I’m a big fan of Ella Woodward, and these cookies are my absolute favourite. I omit the honey because the apple, banana and sultanas provide plenty of sweetness and I also add some chia seeds for extra goodness and binding action.
2. Homemade banana bread
There are plenty of great recipes out there, but when you choose one try cutting out the sugar or honey. If your bananas are ripe, there’s really no need to add it.
I mash 4 large ripe bananas and add 2 beaten eggs. Sometimes I throw in some chopped walnuts and a tablespoon of cinnamon; other times chopped dates. Then I mix everything together with 2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp bicarb soda. I pour the batter in a greased rectangular cake tin, decorate with a banana or pecans, and bake at 180 degrees celsius for about 45–50 mins or until skewer comes out clean. Muffins take 15–20 mins.
3. Jaffa mousse
Blend 2 avocados, 18 pitted dates, 3 tablespoons raw cacao powder, the juice of 1 fresh orange and orange zest to taste.
If that’s too many dates for you or you don’t dig orange, try blending 2 avocados, 300g unsweetened natural yoghurt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup cacao powder, 1 date and 1 small banana. You can top with a mint leaf, crushed pistachios or cacao nibs.
4. ‘Snickers’ smoothie
Blend 1 date, 1 tsp tahini, 2 tsp peanut butter, 1 tablespoon cacao powder and 1 cup milk for a delicious smoothie that tastes too Snickersy to be healthy.
5. Bliss balls
Soak about ten medjool dates in water for a few hours or overnight, then blitz in a blender with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Place in a bowl with 1/4 cup cacao, 1 cup nut meal and 1/2 cup of crushed nuts or seeds. Add 1 tbsp tahini or nut butter if you like. Roll into balls. You can roll in dessicated coconut or cacao nibs to decorate. Refrigerate. If you use seeds and tahini, they make a great lunchbox treat for nut-free schools.
6. Teresa Cutters’ Gingerbread Men
When it comes to fun food, gingerbread men are the best. The Healthy Chef’s recipe provides lots of nutrients as well as decorating fun.
7. Nicecream
Slice a couple of bananas and pop them in the freezer overnight. Blitz frozen bananas in the blender for yummy banana nicecream, or experiment with other flavours. I like to throw in mango or raspberries and top with coconut flakes. My kids like to add a tablespoon of cacao to make chocolate, or you can add tahini and date to make caramel.
8. Rhubarb and apple crumble
Chop rhubarb and apple and place in a saucepan with a splash of water, 2 tsp vanilla paste and a good shake of cinnamon.
Mix rolled oats with chopped nuts, seeds and a tablespoon or two of melted coconut oil.
Place fruit mixture in an ovenproof dish and top with rolled oat mixture. Bake at 180 for 30 mins or until browned.
9. Peanut butter cups
Melt some good quality dark chocolate (85% cocoa). Spray an icecube tray with coconut oil, then spoon the melted chocolate into an icecube tray and move around so it coats the sides. Refrigerate. Once the chocolate has hardened, remove from the fridge and spoon an equal amount of peanut butter into each cup. Top with dark chocolate and refrigerate until hard.
10. Hummingbird cupcakes
I can’t remember where I got this recipe, but it’s good. Very good.
1 cup crushed ripe pineapple
1 cup mashed ripe banana
4 tablespoons milk
4 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
Pinch salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
Mix ingredients in a bowl, then place 50g batter in each muffin patty. Bake at 180 for 18 minutes If you prefer a cake, bake for about 35 mins.
11. Popcorn
Corn is a good source of fibre and healthy alternative to crisps and other salty snacks. Better than salt, you can serve with a sprinkle of Sea Seasonings seaweed flakes or go for a cheesy taste with a good shake of nutritional savoury yeast flakes. If they don’t float your boat, eat plain or choose iodised salt over plain salt.
12. Pancakes
Pancakes are an awesome vehicle to peddle healthy foods that your children don’t usually eat, like flaxmeal. There are so many good recipes, but here’s one my kids love:
1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 tbsp maca (optional)
1 banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup milk
½ cup natural unsweetened yoghurt
1 tbsp flaxmeal
13. Chocolate blueberry cake
The blueberries are a great addition to this refined sugar free chocolate cake recipe.
1½ cups wholemeal spelt flour
½ cup cacao powder
1½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb soda
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
80ml olive oil
1 cup milk
2 ripe bananas, mashed
100g blueberries plus extra for decoration
Combine all ingredients except blueberries in a bowl. Mix well, or use an electric beater. Gently stir in the blueberries once you’re done. Place batter in a greased cake tin, decorate with some more blueberries, and bake at 190 for 50 mins.
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