Pear and Walnut Muffins

My hubby Manuel is a true muffin addict or lover; in other words he can kill a whole tray of muffins in a day! This week my parents and us got our hands on a whole box of fresh pears from the markets with approximately 5-10kg for only $3! We couldn't believe. So to make my hubby's day I decided to make some healthy muffins using wholemeal spelt flour. Spelt flour is an ancient grain which can be good for people that are intolerant of wheat but it also has many other health benefits. It is said to be an excellent source of manganese and a good source of fiber, phosphorus, Vitamin B3, magnesium, copper and protein. For more information refer to the World's Healthiest Foods Website to find out more.

For these muffins you will need the following

• 2 cups of wholewheat spelt flour
• 1/3 cup rapadura sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 free range eggs beaten
• 3/4 cups of fresh pear juice (made in the juicer)
• 1/4 cup macadamia nut oil or olive oil
• 1 handfull of walnuts chopped

1. First preheat your oven to 180 degrees or 160 degrees if fan forced
2. In a bowl mix together dry ingredients
3. Next add all other ingredients until combined
4. Spoon into the muffin trays until they are 3/4 full and bake for 30 minutes approximately or 20 minutes if using fan forced. They should be golden brown on top when they are finished.

 You can also use your thermomix for these. I first add all dry ingredients and mix them on speeds 4-5 for half a minute. Then I add the remainder ingredients apart from the walnuts and mix them for 2-3 minutes speed 6 until combined. Then I add the walnuts and mix them on reverse on speed 3 for a minute or so. Spoon into muffin trays and bake as mentioned above.

These are also great to bake and freeze individually so that you always have something handy when you feel like a treat but want something healthier than the store bought muffins.

Enjoy!

Sweet Kale Crisps

Today I made kale crisps in my dehydrator. Previously I have made them in the oven but I found this recipe online using a dehydrator I wanted to try. The great thing about dehydrators is that because they use a lower heat it doesn't kill as many of the good things such as vitamins, minerals and enzymes as if they were for example made in the oven at a much higher temperature.

To make these you need

• 2 bunches of kale
• olive oil
• sea salt (I use Himalayan)
• lemon juice
• raw honey

1. First wash the kale and dry it
2. Then cut it in bigger pieces; I made them approximately the size of potato chips you can get at the shops
3. In a bowl combine the kale, a bit of olive oil (start with a little and work your way up to get a thin coating), the salt and lemon juice
4. Massage in the bowl with your hands
5. Add some raw honey and also massage this into the kale (I used about a tablespoon but it really depends how sweet you like it)
6. Dehydrate in the dehydrator for about 8 hours or until crisp.

These make great healthy snacks and are delicious.

Below I have included some pictures of when mine were ready to be dehydrated :)

How to sprout Mung Beans

In order to include more raw foods in my diet I decided to try something new and start sprouting mung beans a few days ago.  You may be wondering why...

Research has shown that sprouting mung beans results in the beans becoming highly nutritious and high in enzymes and can transform it into a superfood. Sprouting mung beans results in the bean being high in Vitamin C, a good source of plant protein (some websites reckon up to 23%) and it is also good for sensitive digestive systems.

With the sprouted mung beans I am going to make Carrot Mung and Celery Burger Patties once they are ready. You can also eat them as snacks or put them over your salad. They are so easy to sprout that I just had to share it; an easy way to include more superfoods into your diet!

What you will need is a big glass jar (I started with a 2 litre jar but later had to divide them because they are getting bigger in size as they sprout).


1. Soak approximately 1 cup mung beans or a smaller quantity if you prefer in water for 12 hours.


2. Drain seeds and rinse them after the soaking time.


3. Cover with a cheese cloth or mesh screen and secure with an elastic band. Set at an angle (I lean them against the rack on my gas stove or put it in the second bathroom against the basin).

4. They will take 2 days for sprouting and during this time ensure that you rinse them 3-4 times daily to ensure they are as healthy as possible. The end result will look something like this

I hope you enjoy trying this out as much as I did!