Filling & Healthy Rhubarb Breakfast Crumble

Dont worry I did not have dessert for breakfast! This is a savoury crumble but you could make it a dessert by adding sweetener to it if you fancied.

I was out and about very early, not like my typical Sunday where I grab a nice lie in and then make a yummy Filling & healthy Brunch. Today i was Babysitting at 9am, so I was up at 8am and grabbed a bowl of Bitesize Shredded Wheat. When I got back home at Midday I was feeling peckish and I started to stew some Rhubarb & cooking apples, I was going to have them with yogurt when William came up with the bright Idea of turning it into a sort of Crumple, Genius!

Filling & Healthy Rhubarb Breakfast crumble

2 sticks of Rhubarb, chopped
2 cooking apples, peeled & chopped
Porridge oats (I didn't Measure them, so this will need t be done by eye)
Cinnamon
Ground Clove
Ground Ginger
water
0% Greek Yogurt

Preheat oven to 200 Degree C

Place the chopped fruit into  saucepan with a tbsp of water, Stew on low/medium heat for 20 minutes
Pour out a large portion of Oats (enough to cover the top of your baking/pyrex dish)
gradually mix in the water to the Oats a bit at a time, to make a spreadable paste like consistancy and mix in the spices.
when the fruit is done pour it into your baking dish and spread the Oat mixture on top.
Sprinkle the top with more Oats and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until golden on top.
Serve with a dollop of Greek Yogurt and enjoy!

Filling & Healthy Falafel

I was inspired to try and make Filling & Healthy Gluten Free Falafel after a conversation with my friend Amy, who told me that she misses being able to have them since she began to suffer from a gluten & wheat intolerance.

Filling & Healthy Gluten Free Falafel

Makes: 10

(If you were to eat all 10 you will need to take 2pp for the Gluten free Flour out of your weekly 49)

1 Can Chickpeas, drained
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 small Onion, finely diced
1 tbsp fresh/dried Parsley
1 tsp ground Coriander
1/2tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 1/2 tblsp Gluten Free Flour (alternatively use regular flour)
1/2 tsp Gluten Free Baking Powder (alternatively use regular baking powder)
Salt & pepper to taste
Fry Lite

Preheat oven to 200.

Place the drained chickpeas into a food processor, add the garlic & onion and blend together.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend well, until a thick paste has formed.
Form the paste into small balls and place on a lined baking tray that has been sprayed with Fry Lite.
Spray the tops of the balls with more Fry Lite.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, turning halfway.

I made a delicious Filling & Healthy salad out of my Falafel. I placed 3 of the falafel on a bed of  Rocket & Spinach leaves, topped with left over Whole-wheat couscous, a sprinkle of Feta cheese (taken from my 49 weekly pro Points)
You could also make some Filling & healthy Humus and make a falafel wrap/pitta with shredded lettuce or red cabbage. Yummy!

A Simple Dinner For Your Simple Start

Whole-wheat Couscous is free on simple start/Filling & Healthy, eager to have another Filling & Healthy food in my cupboard for dinner & lunch inspiration I had been keeping a vague eye out for whole-wheat couscous for the past couple of weeks. I hadn't managed to find it in the supermarkets I tend to visit on a regular basis.
While In Bantry on wednesday, putting up posters to promote my new class opening there, I came across a small organic supermarket and found a bag of whole-wheat Couscous there.

I was very keen to use it and decided that I would Make it for dinner today. I had a busy day, I went for a fabulous walk with my friend Amy & her dog in Ballincollig park, I hadn't been there before and it was stunning. I headed off after that to do my weekly grocery shop and then did a spot of cleaning at home for the rest of the afternoon. I wasn't feeling in the mood to do anything too timely in the kitchen after that and I decided on simple roast veg for the Couscous.

I wasn't really expecting anything amazing and I did worry that the vegetarian meal would not be enough for my boyfriend William. I knew I was onto a hit when after two mouthfuls william said ''we have to have this again, its delicious!'' and for once he didn't go back for seconds, he was full!

Roast Veg & Whole-wheat Couscous.

Serves 3 ( I made enough for 2 dinners & one lunch)

1/2 Butternut Squash, diced
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
3 Carrots, diced
1 Large Onion, cut into wedges
5 Baby Potatoes, quartered
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Cumin
Turmeric
2 Cups Whole-wheat Couscous
Fry Lite
0% Total Greek Yogurt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200

Place the chopped veg into an oven proof dish and sprinkle on your desired amount of seasoning, toss and spay with Fry Lite.
Place in the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes
When the veg is done, turn off the oven & leave the beg inside to keep warm.
bring 2 cups of water to the boil & add the 2 cups of Couscous, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for 5 minutes.
Fluff with a fork & serve with the roast vegetables.
Top with a tbsp of 0% Total Greek Yogurt & enjoy!

Sometimes a simple meal can be very tasty & satisfying, this meal is certainly that. It is easy to prepare and cook so is suitable for people who are not that confident in the kitchen. The leftovers would be ideal cold for lunch the next day with some rocket & spinach leaves thrown in, which is what William is getting to take to work tomorrow.

As you all probably know by now I have become a Weight Watchers leader so spread the word!
I am Opening two new classes on Monday 28th April.

10:30 am in The Westlodge Leisure Centre, Bantry
6pm The West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen.

I also have a class on Tuesdays in Youghal at 5:45pm.

Porridge Bread Scones & Home Made ''Nutella''

Firstly I would like to apologies for my disappearance lately, I have been very busy. I have been doing my Weight Watchers leader Training. I passed my assessment last week and I am now officially a Weight watchers Leader! I am very excited and also eager to get going with classes. I will have more news soon about where my classes will be, for those of you interested in that.

Now I would like to make a splash back into blogging with my new recipe.

Porridge bread is by no means a new creation to us Weight watchers people, since the beginning of Simple Start in January we have all been raving about its wonderfulness. It truly is genius! However I did begin to get a little bored with the bread and mine was ever turning out quiet right, it was always a bit soggy in the middle. I would leave it in the oven for double the stated time but no such luck would come about.

So I decided to try turning the bread dough into scones instead and it worked a treat, they cooked perfectly and I am now in love with them. The scones, like the bread is free on Simple Start or Filling & healthy. I have worked out the Pro Points for those of you who prefer to count. I am now a complete convert to Filling & Healthy myself, so I do recommend you give it a try if you haven't already.

porridge Bread Scones

Serves 12

Free on Filling & Healthy
or 4 Pro Points each.

500g  tub Low Fat Natural Yogurt
Twice the empty Yogurt tub filled with Porridge Oats
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp bread Soda

Preheat oven to 180c

Empty the Low Fat Natural Yogurt into a mixing bowl,
Fill up the Yogurt tub twice with Porridge Oats and mix into the Yogurt along with the Salt and Bread Soda. Mix well to form a wet dough.
Grease a 12 spaced Bun Tin with Fry Lite. Using an Ice-Cream/Potato Scoop, Scoop the dough between the 12 spaced Bun Tin. Sprinkle over Wheat Germ if desired and bake in the oven for 40 Minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Place on a wire rack to cool.

*update - I got a new oven and now my Porridge Bread Scones cook in 20 - 25 minutes, so make sure you keep an eye on them.

Now the scones are just to get you started, the real delight is the home made ''Nutella'' I have come up with. It is what I would describe as a healthy grown-ups Nutella, a dark Chocolate and Hazelnut spread. It works out much the same in Pro Points as Nutalla does but it has less Sugar and no Palm Oil, so is much better for us. I am really in love with this one! It is the perfect accompaniment for the scones and will curb any Chocolate craving!

Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Spread

2pp for 1Tbsp or 3pp for 2 Tbsp

150g Whole Hazelnuts
60g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
50g Sweet Freedom Syrup (Light or Dark)
120ml Skimmed Milk
1tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat the oven to 180c

Place the Hazelnuts on a lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
when the hazelnuts are done place them between 2 pieces of Kitchen paper and rub to remove the skins (this is tiresome work but do prevail!)
Place the skinless Hazelnuts in a food processor and blend on a medium/high setting for 10 minutes or until a peanut butter consistency is achieved, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend until well combined.

Spoon into a sterilised jar, I used 2 small ones and refrigerate and use within one week.

Enjoy! :)