Part 2: Easy, Healthy Recipe Swaps

 Last week we posted part 1 of our easy, healthy recipe swaps and I promised that if we got plenty of ‘likes’ we’d follow up with a part 2. Well, about a gazillion of you showed your support, so here we go… enjoy!Original: Instant PorridgeHearty, warm, satisfying… but often pretty processed and contaminated with gluten and added sugars, why not try a whole grain alternative. We have two options for you. Healthy Swap #1: Slow Cooked Steel Cut OatsStart with this:

• 1 cup of Steel Cut Oats (I like Bob’s Red Mill Oats, which you can buy online or if you’re a Bondi local, at the health store on Gould Street)
• A few cups of water
• Some organic butter
• A few teaspoons of cinnamon
• A pinch of nutmeg
• A little desiccated coconut and your milk or yoghurt of choice for serving. Fruit is optional too.

Do this:

• Melt a few generous slices of butter in a saucepan, then add your cinnamon and the steel cut oats. Stir until the oats are coated and start to smell 'toasty'.
• Now add the water, stir, cover and set aside (on your stove top is fine) to soak overnight.
• In the morning, bring your oats to the boil in the same liquid they sat in overnight, then reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 10-20 minutes until they’ve absorbed a lot of the liquid and the grain has softened considerably.
• Stir through a few big pinches of desiccated coconut and add extra cinnamon and/or fruit to taste.
• Scoop a little into your bowl, add a drizzle of milk or a scoop of yoghurt and enjoy!
• There should be plenty left over and you can eat it for days, it will last well all week. Also good as an afternoon snack if you’re craving carbs!

 Healthy Swap #2: Breakfast QuinoaStart with this:

• 1 cup of quinoa (any colour)
• 2 cups water
• Extras: A teaspoon or two of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, a sliced apple, a few berries of choice and a little milk of choice (I love coconut or almond but a little organic, full cream cows or goats milk is nice too)

Do this:

• Pop the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
• Add the cinnamon and apple, stir and then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa starts to look a little fluffier and more like a grain than a seed.
• Pop into a bowl, stir through your berries and serve with a dash of milk (and a little honey if you must)

 Original: Mashed PotatoHearty, satisfying, creamy but full of starch and more simple carbs than you probably need, we reckon you can do better... Healthy Swap: Mixed Veggie MashStart with this:

• Cauliflower
• Sweet potato
• Red onions
• Organic butter
• Maybe even a little broccoli if you want to see some greenery in there

Do this:

• Steam your cauliflower and sweet potato, as well as your broccoli if you’re using some.
• While this is happening, dice/slice and cook your red onions in a pan with a little organic butter until soft.
• If you like a little more flavor, you can add garlic, chilli, or spices at this stage too.
• Once your veggies are steamed (you want them to be pretty soft), mash them as you would regular potatoes!
• Add butter and herbs/spices to taste, them serve up. It’s just as yum, has a lot less calories and you’ll feel healthier too!

 Original: Chocolate Mousse CakeYUM! Need we say more? Healthy Swap: Chocolate Mousse Pie... with avocado!Start with this:

• One large avocado
• 2 heaped tablespoons of raw cacao
• A generous squeeze/spoon of maple syrup, or honey and (optionally) a few raw cacao bits or a few squares of 85%+ dark chocolate.
• You'll also need a handful of nuts (we love macadamias and pecans), some desiccated coconut and a few dates for the base.
• Optionally a little organic cream/coconut cream and raspberries to serve!

Do this:

• Start by making your base - either chop your nuts and dates finely, or pop them in a food processor for a few seconds, until chopped finely.
• Add a little desiccated coconut and mix together, now press this mixture firmly into the bottom of your serving bowl/s and pop in the fridge while you make the rest.
• To create the 'pie', pop your avocado, raw cacao, choccy bits and syrup/honey into a blender or processor and whizz up!
• Now pour this mixture into your base and return to the fridge. In a few hours, your choc-avocado pie will be ready to serve and delicious!
• It's even better if you pop a few (ideally frozen) raspberries and a little organic cream or chilled coconut cream on top to serve!

 Original: Store Bought Muesli with Strawberry YoghurtOf COURSE it's delicious... most store-bought mueslis pack a bigger sugar punch than most chocolate bars, even the 'organic' and 'healthy' looking ones in their brown cardboard boxes with 'no added sugar' labels. Cereal brands can label their products this way but still pile on the sugar in other forms - honey, syrups, sugar alcohols, dried fruit and candied nuts. Time to make your own. Healthy Swap: Home Made Muesli with Natural Yoghurt & Fresh BerriesStart with this:

• 3 cups rolled oats (or you could do cooked steel cut oats or quinoa if you need gluten free)
• ¼ cup psyllium
• ¾ cup seeds of choice (we love pumpkin, sunflower, pepitas, sesame)
• A handful of nuts, your choice (we love almonds, walnuts and macadamias)
• A handful of organic dried fruit (we love apricots for iron and a few raisins)
• Plus these items to serve: natural yoghurt, or milk of choice, chia seeds, LSA mix, desiccated coconut, berries.

Do this:

• Combine all ingredients, except the ‘to serve’ items.
• Pop them in your favourite Tupperware container until you’re ready to eat it.
• This recipe makes about a dozen serves and when you’re ready to eat it, top with a few spoons of yoghurt (or a small serve of milk) and a sprinkle of all the ‘to serve’ ingredients.
• If you want something a little more indulgent, pop a serve on a baking tray, drizzle with honey and pop in the oven for 5-10 mins at about 150-200 degrees Celsius for a toasty treat, or soak in coconut milk overnight to create a delicious bircher!

 Original: Corn FrittersDelicious, crunchy but full of starchy carbs, we’ve got a better option.Healthy Swap: Zucchini FrittersStart with this:

• A few large, grated zucchinis
• A handful of diced chives
• The zest from a few organic lemons
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 4 tablespoons of corn/rice/buckwheat flour (your choice)
• 2 eggs and salt/pepper/nutmeg to taste

Do this:

• Give your zucchini a little squeeze to release excess moisture, then place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt (we love Himalayan Crystal Salt)
• Stir in the chives, garlic and zest. Add your nutmeg and pepper, as much as you like to suit your taste.
• Add your flour and eggs, mix.
• Create your ideal zucchini fritter shapes, then pop them in a fry pan with a little butter or oil and cook on each side until brown and toasty.
• Serve with whatever it is you usually top your corn fritters with!

 Original: Zesty Lemon TartA favourite on posh menus around town, this simple dessert is an oldie but a goodie, except for the several cups of refined sugar that will poison your system. Hmmm… there’s gotta be an alternative, right? Luckily for you, we’ve found one! Healthy Swap: Papaya-Banana Pie (or Mango-Banana, your choice of fruit)Start with this:

• FOR THE CRUST – 1.5 cups raw almonds, 1.5 cups raw walnuts, 3 pitted medjool dates, 1 tablespoon either agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup.
• FOR THE FILLING – 2 Papayas (or mangoes), 2 bananas (we like sugar bananas for texture), a few tablespoons of lime juice.

Do this:

• Throw the nuts, dates and agave/honey/maple in a food processor until well combined.
• The mixture should feel a little sticky. Pop this mix into a pie or tart pan (or a bowl will do!) and press into place.
• Next, process or blend the fruits and lime juice until smooth. Pour into prepared crust.
• Freeze for a few hours, then slice and serve. Perfect!