Preparing healthy meals that are both nutritious and delicious can seem like a challenge in today’s fast-paced world, where convenience often trumps well-being. Healthy eating entails consuming a balanced and diverse diet that provides essential nutrients for optimal health and wellness. It prioritises whole foods while minimising processed foods, refined sugars, and saturated fats. Developing mindful eating habits and enjoying meals with moderation and balance are fundamental principles of healthy eating.
Recently, Natureallé partnered with Chef Adhira, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, certified nutritionist, and professional food consultant, to host a captivating cooking workshop. This workshop combined expertise and passion for food and wellness, transforming the way our participants perceive produce and nutrition.
In our efforts to promote healthy living, we're excited to share some delicious and nutritious recipes from the workshop:
Chocolate Rice Crunch:
This delightful treat brings together the goodness of healthy fats and natural sweeteners. Nut butter provides a boost of protein and healthy fats, while honey or maple syrup from Natureallé’s Praakritik and The Herb Boutique adds sweetness without refined sugars. Dark chocolate from Lil' Goodness not only imparts rich flavour but also delivers antioxidants. Furthermore, the inclusion of seeds such as chia, pumpkin, and flax from Ecotyl, Praakritik, and Just Organik adds fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential minerals. With its wholesome ingredients and minimal added sugars, this chocolate rice crunch offers a guilt-free indulgence suitable for any occasion.
Recipe: Chocolate Rice Crunch
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup Nut Butter
- 1/2 cup Honey or Maple Syrup
- A pinch/ 3 ml Vanilla
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 cups Rice Cakes or Puffed Rice
- 1/4 cup Mixed Seeds (Chia/ Pumpkin/ Flax)
- 200 g Dark Chocolate
- 20 g Cold Pressed or Virgin Coconut Oil
Procedure:
- Warm the butter and sweetener just enough.
- Add the salt and vanilla, and stir to combine.
- Stir in the broken-up rice cakes or puffed rice along with seeds.
- Spread onto a lined tray and press into an even layer, about 1/2 an inch thick.
- Melt the chocolate until it’s spreadable with the coconut oil.
- Drizzle over the rice mixture and spread evenly.
- Refrigerate until set.
- Slice into squares and serve cold.
Classic Granola:
Packed with fibre, protein, and essential nutrients, this classic granola recipe epitomises healthiness. Rolled oats from Natureallé’s Zama Organics, Praakritik, and Ecotyl serve as a hearty base, offering complex carbohydrates for sustained energy. Mixed nuts from Praakritik, Conscious Food, Zama Organics, and Just Organik provide a source of healthy fats, while dried berries from Ecotyl add natural sweetness and a dose of vitamins and antioxidants. Coconut flakes or Cacao Nibs from Mason & Co and seeds from Just Organik and Ecotyl contribute additional texture and nutrition, including healthy fats and minerals. Sweetened with honey or maple syrup from The Herb Boutique, Last Forest, Flavours Avenue, Praakritik, Conscious Food, and Just Organik with vanilla and cinnamon, this granola is a flavourful and nourishing option for breakfast or snacking, providing a balanced blend of carbohydrates, protein, and fats to fuel the body throughout the day.
Recipe: Classic Granola
Ingredients:
- 4 cups Rolled Oats
- 1 1/2 cups Mixed Nuts
- 1/2 cup Dried Berries
- 1/2 cup Coconut Flakes or Cacao Nibs
- 1/4 cup Mixed Seeds
- 1/2 cup Honey or Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 5 g Salt
- 5 g Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil or Melted Butter or Clarified Butter (Ghee)
Procedure:
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Combine all dry ingredients except dried berries.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix well to evenly coat.
- Pour into a lined pan and even it out.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until lightly golden.
- Let it cool for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add dried berries and chocolate chips if using.
- Store at room temperature for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Cold Chocolate (Prebiotic Chocolate):
This innovative take on chocolate indulgence incorporates prebiotic-rich ingredients for gut health. Oat milk and coconut milk offer a creamy base, while coconut sugar from Ecotyl, Flavours Avenue, Praakritik, and Zama Organics provides sweetness with a lower glycemic index compared to refined sugars. Dutch cocoa powder from Ecotyl, Lil'Goodness, and Mason & Co not only imparts rich chocolate flavour but also contains flavonoids with potential health benefits. The addition of cardamom from Conscious Food and Just Organik lends a fragrant twist and potential digestive benefits. By incorporating Lil'Goodness Prebiotic dark chocolate from Natureallé with oat milk and coconut milk, this cold chocolate recipe promotes gut health by nourishing beneficial gut bacteria, offering a delightful fusion of flavour and wellness in every sip.
Recipe: Cold Chocolate - Prebiotic Chocolate
Ingredients:
- Prebiotic Chocolate: 100 g
- Oat Milk: 200 ml
- Coconut Milk: 400 ml
- Cardamom: 2 pods
- Coconut Sugar: 80 g
- Dutch Cocoa Powder: 25 g
Procedure:
- Start by melting the chocolate and set it aside.
- Combine oat milk, coconut milk, cardamom powder, and cocoa powder in a saucepan.
- Whisk until you have a smooth hot mixture without any lumps.
- Heat the milk until it boils and then remove from the heat.
- Fill a large bowl with ice cubes.
- Pour the hot chocolate mixture over the ice cubes.
- Add coconut sugar to the iced chocolate and serve immediately.
The prepared dishes were offered to our guests, emphasising wellness food that can be easily made and enjoyed most interestingly. Throughout the event, attendees could taste delicious dishes and actively participate in sessions guided by Chef Adhira. In a world inundated with unreal diets and conflicting nutrition advice, we wished to provide some easy swaps to show that nourishment and flavour coexist harmoniously on our plates.