Chicken Meatball Harvest Bowls – NEW RECIPE

Chat Leave a comment May 14, 2018 nutritionadsa

Harvest bowls are awesome – lots of nutritious, yummy food and different flavours in one bowl to enjoy.

This Chicken Meatball Harvest Bowl, created by registered dietitian and foodie Cheryl Meyer from Dish & Delite, packs in cooler-weather seasonal veggies – brussels sprouts, zucchini, cauliflower and carrots. A great fibre boost and lovely variety of colour, vitamins and minerals.

We also love this recipe because all the elements keep well in the fridge and can be mixed and matched through the week for on-the-go lunches and quick, easy dinners.

 

This recipe serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Rice

½ cup raw brown & wild rice

 Chicken meatballs

250 g chicken mince

1 cup coarsely grated zucchini

¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup fresh wholewheat or low GI bread crumbs

½ onion, diced

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

½ tablespoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon chicken stock powder

vegetable oil – for frying

Roasted veggies

300g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

300g cauliflower florets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

Dressing

1 cup fat-free plain yoghurt

¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper, to season

Carrot

1 large or 2 medium (200 g) carrots, coarsely grated

 

METHOD

1. Rice: Cook the rice as per the package instructions.
2. Meatballs: Combine the chicken meatball ingredients. Using a tablespoon to measure, divide the mixture into 20, roll each meatball between your hands to form 20 small balls. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. When ready to cook, heat a frying pan with a shallow coating of vegetable oil and cook the meatballs in batches until lightly golden on all sides and cooked through. Once cooked, place on paper towel to soak up any excess oil.
3. Roasted veggies: Line a baking tray with baking paper or foil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cauliflower to the tray, drizzle with olive oil, thyme and crushed garlic and toss to combine. Roast at 200°C for 15-20 minutes, tossing mid-way.
4. Dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients.
5. Assemble: Enjoy your bowls warm or cold. Divide the rice, roasted veggies and grated carrot into four bowls, add 5 meatballs to each bowl and top with a generous drizzle of dressing.

 

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving

Energy: 1532 kJ; Protein: 26.8 g; Carbohydrate: 37.1 g of which, total sugars: 7.1 g; Fat: 16.1 g; Fibre: 10.0 g; Sodium: 287 mg

 

A Delicious One-Pot Meal!

Chat 1 Comment April 13, 2018 nutritionadsa

Beef and Butternut Casserole with Mushrooms and Tomato

We love the latest NutritionConfidence recipe from the authors of Food for Sensitive Tummies, registered dietitians Cath Day and Gabi Steenkamp! It is packed with vegetables (a whopping four servings), high in fibre and a good source of iron. Comfort food, which is still a healthy balanced meal.

This is a meal-in-one casserole, which is easy to prepare ahead of time. Perfect for dinner guests and to make during a very busy week. Butternut contains double the starch compared to the other vegetables, so may be used as a carbohydrate in this dish. Since there are four other vegetable servings, the butternut can serve as the starch of the meal.

RECIPE (Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

1 onion

1 leek

4 cloves garlic

2 rashers bacon, optional

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 t olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 butternut, large (800 g)

250 g  mushrooms, mixed are most delicious

410 g  tinned chopped tomatoes (1 x 410 g tin)

150 ml red wine, optional

500 g beef goulash pieces, check for minimal visible fat.

8 black olives

2.5 ml salt & freshly ground black pepper (½ t)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC
2. Peel the onion and chop. Trim, wash and slice the leek. Peel and slice the garlic.
3. Heat a large pan or ovenproof casserole on medium heat.
4. Finely slice the bacon. Pick the leaves off the rosemary sprig and chop finely.
5. Pour the olive oil into the hot pan, add the sliced bacon, chopped rosemary and the bay leaves and gently fry, stirring regularly
6. Add the sliced garlic, chopped onion and leek and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
7. Meanwhile, peel and cut the butternut into bite size cubes and add to the pan.
8. Clean the mushrooms and cut off the stems. Add both the stems and whole mushroom tops to the pan.
9. Add the meat cubes, pour over the wine and simmer for 10 minutes.
10. Add the tinned tomatoes.
11. Rinse the tomato tin out with quarter tin of water and add to the pan or casserole.
12. De-stone the olives by cutting in half. Add to the casserole and mix in gently.
13. Bring the casserole to a boil and then place in the pre-heated oven to bake for 45 mins, until thick and delicious.
14. Serve on its’ own as a complete balanced meal.

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING (600 g)

Energy                                                      1918 kJ

Protein                                                      30.3 g

Carbohydrates                                         31.3 g

Total sugars                                               4.5 g

Added sugar                                              0.0 g

Total Fat                                                     18.5 g

Saturated fat                                              7.7 g

Fibre                                                           7.7 g

Sodium                                                       682 mg

One serving is equivalent to 1 carbohydrate, 4 proteins and 4 vegetables

 

Zucchini, oatmeal & chickpea fritters with grilled chicken, tomato, feta & mint salsa

Chat 1 Comment November 15, 2017 nutritionadsa

We have a brand new NutritionConfidence recipe, created by chef, Vanessa Marx!

The oat bran and chickpea flour used in the fritters provide a good source of healthy soluble fibre, which lowers the glycaemic index of this dish and aids in blood sugar control. Adding zucchinis not only ups the fibre content even further, but is also an easy way to get in a portion of veggies.

Instead of using store-bought marinades, which are often high in salt, sugar and preservatives, Vanessa has packed in some punchy flavours by using paprika, lemon and thyme to season the chicken.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

For the Fritters:

1/2 cup ground oats or oat bran

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup low fat milk

2 free-range eggs

3 medium zucchini, grated

10 ml chopped fresh parsley

a pinch of salt & pepper to season

10 ml canola oil

• In a bowl, mix together the ground oats and chickpea flour, with the baking powder and seasoning.
• Make a well in the centre, and add the two eggs and milk.
• Mix the wet and dry ingredients into a batter, and then add the grated zucchini and mix well.
• Heat a non-stick pan on a medium heat, and drizzle with half a teaspoon of the canola oil.
• Spoon a tablespoon at a time into the pan to make the individual fritters.
• Let the fritter form a crust on the underneath side and become golden brown and set a little, before flipping them over with a spatula.
• Let the fritters cook through and have colour on both sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.
• Cook the fritters in 2 batches, so you don’t over crowd the pan.
• Set them aside on a platter or plate.

Makes 12 fritters

For the Chicken:

4 free-range chicken breasts

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

zest & juice of 1 lemon

5 ml chopped fresh thyme

salt and pepper to season

10 ml canola oil

• Cut the chicken breast into strips and season with the paprika, lemon, thyme, salt & pepper
• Put a frying pan on a high heat and add the canola oil.
• When the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for around 2 minutes on each side, until browned, and cooked through.
• Remove the chicken strips from the pan heat and set aside until you are ready to serve.

For the Salsa:

2 large tomatoes

30 g spring onion

1 TBL chopped fresh mint

100 g feta, cut into cubes

1 TBL lemon juice

1 TBL olive oil

salt & pepper

• Roughly chop the tomatoes into dice, and slice the spring onion
• Mix together the chopped tomatoes, mint, spring onion and feta and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste and mix well.

To assemble:

• Place the fritters onto individual plates or a platter to serve.
• Top the fritters with the grilled chicken
• Pile the salsa over the top of the chicken and garnish with fresh coriander leaves

 

Nutrition information: Per serving (recipe serves 4)

Chicken*: Energy: 160 kCal/ 675 kJ, Fat: 3.6 g, Carbohydrates: 0.27 g, Fibre: 0.33 g, Protein: 31.4 g, Sodium: 95 mg

*130 g raw portion per chicken breast

Fritter: Energy: 43 kCal/ 178 kJ, Fat: 2.1 g, Carbohydrates: 2.9 g, Fibre: 1 g, Protein: 2.5 g, Sodium: 210 mg

Salsa*: Energy: 107 kCal/ 448 kJ, Fat: 6 g, Carbohydrates: 4.9 g, Protein: 6.2 g,  Sodium: 181 mg

*Using reduced fat feta

The perfect Braai Day side dish!

Chat Leave a comment September 22, 2017 nutritionadsa

If you are planning to celebrate Braai Day this weekend, add this delicious, South African Baby Marrow, Feta & Peppadew Salad to your menu. Created by dietitian and co-author of Eat Ting, Mpho Tshukudu, this salad is versatile and goes well with meat, chicken and fish.

Baby marrows are indigenous to South Africa. They make beautiful salads, soups, stir-fries and can also be used in baking to add moisture and fibre to the dish. They are a relatively low kilojoule vegetable and are a source of fibre and vitamin C.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium baby marrows (about 180 – 200g)

1/2 cup (125 ml) peppadew peppers, drained and roughly chopped and 1 Tbsp of the liquid

1 tsp (5 ml) + 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, divided

1 cup (250 ml / 220 g) halved cherry tomatoes – use different colours if available

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh thyme

3 Tbsp (45 ml) chopped chives

(60 g) feta cheese, broke into small pieces or cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat grill to medium. Slice baby marrow into 1/2 cm rounds.

Toss the baby marrow with 1 tsp (5 ml) oil.

Lay the baby marrow on a hot grill and turn once water droplets form on top, and there are slight char marks on the heated side.

Place the baby marrow on a cooling rack to cool, in a single layer to prevent them going too soft

In a large bowl, toss together baby marrow, peppadew peppers, tomatoes, chives and thyme.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic and black pepper.

Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss to coat.

Add feta cheese.

 

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING

This recipe serves 4.

 

Energy: 113.75 kCal / 477.75 kJ

Carbs: 9.7 g

Protein: 4.2 g

Fat: 8.2 g

Sodium: 197.8 mg

Fibre: 1.5 g

 

NEW NutritionConfidence recipe: Fish en Papillote

Chat Leave a comment August 18, 2017 nutritionadsa

“Many people do not know how to cook fish or dislike making their entire kitchen smell like fish. Cooking fish en papillote (in a baking paper parcel) is an easy way around both these issues”, says Nathalie Mat, registered dietitian and creator of our latest NutritionConfidence recipe.

The fish used in this recipe is hake, a fish on the SASSI green list. You are welcome to use any other fish in the recipe. Choosing a SASSI green listed fish will ensure that your heart-healthy dish is also one that is healthier for the planet.

If you have “vegetable resistant” children, get them involved in packing their own parcels. They can choose more of the vegetable they prefer and limit the ones that they do not like. Involving children in cooking improves familiarity with foods and increases the likelihood that these foods will be eaten.

Ingredients per parcel

½ a yellow pepper

2 baby marrows

150-200 g hake fillet

1 slice of lemon

Black pepper to taste

Herbed dressing

30 g fresh parsley

10 g fresh basil leaves

1 tbsp capers

4 tbsp olive oil

Juice of ½ – 1 lemon (to taste)

Black pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200˚C
2. Fold baking paper to make a large square and then cut the folded paper like you did in school to make a rounded heart shape. Cutting a shape like this increases the amount of food you can easily seal into the parcel.
3. Chop the pepper into batons; trim and quarter the marrows.
4. The vegetables will form a bed on which we will place the fish. Open the baking paper and near the centre fold, make a layer of peppers. Top with a layer of marrows. Finally, place the fish on the marrows.
5. Season the fish and place the lemon slice on top of the fish. To close the parcel, close the heart shape. With the edges lying together, start at the top of the heart, making small overlapping folds the whole way around to the bottom of the heart. Be sure to fold the bottom of the heart securely so that the parcel does not open in the oven.
6. Place the parcel in the oven for 15-20 minutes. If the hake fillet is 2cm or thicker leave it in the oven closer to 20 minutes. If you have a thinner fillet the fish will be ready after 15 minutes. If you are not sure, this steaming method is a gentle way of cooking fish, leaving it up to 20 minutes should not be a problem. With practice, you will become more confident with this way of cooking.
7. For the herbed dressing: put all the ingredients (start with the juice of ½ a lemon) and blend until nearly smooth. Check for acidity, add more lemon juice if needed and season to taste. Blend one last time.
8. Serve by letting everyone empty their parcels onto their plates. Top the fish with 2-3 teaspoons of herbed dressing. This dish is delicious served with boiled baby potatoes or herbed whole-wheat couscous and a green salad.

The herbed dressing is delicious dotted onto the fish before cooking but it does lose its vibrant green colour when cooked.

 

Nutritional information per parcel (175g fish) with 3 teaspoons herbed dressing:

Energy: 1308 kJ; Protein: 37.2 g; Carbohydrates: 6.9 g; Fat: 14.1 g; Sodium: 268 g

 

Turnip Tagliatelle with Chicken & Herb Sauce

Chat Leave a comment May 25, 2017 nutritionadsa

Registered Dietitian and food blogger Cheryl Meyer, from Dish & Delite, kicks off our new series of NutritionConfidence recipes with a delicious ‘Turnip Tagliatelle with Chicken & Herb Sauce’. As always, the focus is on real food that is healthy and delicious, encouraging local, close-to-home ingredients.

We love this recipe because turnips are easy to spiralize and make lovely veggie noodles. When raw, they can tend to have a sharp distinct taste, warming them softens the flavour and makes for a perfect veggie noodle base for your dish.

Cheryl says: “Veggie noodles are a great way to the boost the vegetable component of a meal and plain yoghurt serves as a nutritious alternative in this twist on classic creamy carbonara.”

INGREDIENTS

(serves 4)

4 medium turnips

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

4 chicken breasts, cubed (approx. 125 g each – 500 g)

4 leeks

250 g mushrooms

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

½ cup plain yoghurt

2 large eggs

30 ml fresh chopped parsley

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to season

METHOD

1. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a non-stick pan and cook the cubed chicken pieces. Set the cooked chicken aside.
2. Slice the mushrooms and leeks.
3. Heat the other 2 teaspoons of olive oil and soften the mushrooms and leeks. Just before cooked, add the garlic for the last 2 minutes. Remove and combine with the chicken.
4. Peel turnips and cut the ends off flatly and evenly. Spiralize them to tagliatelle thickness (blade C on the inspiralizer).
5. Boil turnip noodles for 2-3 minutes.
6. In a small bowl or jug whisk the egg, yoghurt and parsley together well. Season with salt and pepper.
7. When the turnip noodles are done, drain them, return them to the pot off the heat, pour in the egg mixture and toss until evenly coated (the warmth of the cooked noodles cooks the egg but it is important to do this off the heat, otherwise the egg will scramble when you add it, and we don’t want that).
8. Serve the noodles topped with the chicken, leek & mushroom mixture and garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

 

Nutrition Information: Per serving

Energy: 1487 kJ Protein: 38.7 g Carbohydrate: 25.7 g Of which, total sugars: 11.0 g Fat: 14.8 g Fibre: 4.7 g Sodium: 303 mg

 

To find a dietitian in your area, visit http://www.adsa.org.za

 

Melk Tart, a South African Classic

Chat Leave a comment November 25, 2016 nutritionadsa

We love the sweet tooth satisfaction offered by this better-for-you twist on a classic South African dessert. Created by chef, Vanessa Marx, this Melk Tart recipe is a great family dessert.

Dietitian Cheryl Meyer says that seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds are easily incorporated into a variety of dishes. They not only boost flavour and crunch, they pack a nutritional punch loaded with fiber, protein and healthy fats.

For the crust:

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

20g sunflower seeds

20g sesame seeds

20g pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup unsweetened fresh apple juice

4 Tbl honey

1/4 vanilla pod

• Preheat the oven to 160℃
• Mix together all the coconut , seeds and oats
• Cut the vanilla through the pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds
• Put the apple juice, honey & vanilla pods and seeds into a small sauce pan and heat until infused and combined
• Pour the apple juice over the oats mixture
• Spread the mixture out onto an oven proof tray and bake until golden and crispy, stirring every 10 minutes, to make sure it is cooked evenly
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool
• Line the base of your pie dish with the mixture to prepare it for the milk tart filling

For the filling: 

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs

80ml corn flour

½ tsp vanilla extract

2½ cup low fat milk

¼ vanilla pod, seeds removed

½ cup xylitol

Cinnamon for dusting

• Mix together the eggs and corn flour in a bowl
• Cut the vanilla through the pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds
• Put the milk, vanilla pods and seeds, vanilla extract and xylitol into a saucepan and heat together until it comes to a boil
• Remove from the heat and pour a little of the warm milk into the egg mixture, whilst whisking
• Add the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk, and whisk
• Put the mixture back on the heat and whisk vigorously until it thickens and comes to a boil
• Have your pie dish with the base ready, and pour the custard mixture into the pie dish
• Leave the tart to cool at room temperature, and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until completely cold
• Remove the tart from the fridge and dust generously with cinnamon

Nutrition Information: per serving (recipe serves 12)

Energy: 825 kJ Protein: 6.8 g Carbohydrate: 25.4 g Of which, total sugars: 8.9 g Fat: 8.3 g Fibre: 1.3 g Sodium: 64 mg

 

CHICKEN SKEWERS, DIPS & SEED FLATBREAD

Chat Leave a comment November 18, 2016 nutritionadsa

We love this recipe – it makes a delicious starter for summer entertaining. Making your own dips and marinade rather than using store-bought varieties gives you more control and means you know exactly which ingredients have gone into those dishes.

Not only are the chickpeas in the hummus rich in slowly-digested starch and fibre, helping to control blood sugar levels, but they are also a great source of plant-based protein, vitamins and minerals.

Using whole-wheat flour and oat flour in the flatbread adds healthy fibre, lowering the glycaemic index and aiding in blood sugar control. Because this is still a carbohydrate-containing food, people with diabetes should enjoy the flatbread in appropriate portions.

Homemade chicken skewers are a great lean protein option, and this protein further lowers the glycaemic index of the meal.

RECIPE (Serves 4 as a main or 8 as a starter/snacks)

Chicken skewers

600 g free-range chicken breast

2 lemons

1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard

salt & black pepper

30 g chopped oregano

8 sosatie sticks (you can cut them in half if you want smaller ones for snacks)

 TO MAKE IT

• Cut the chicken breasts into cubes, about the size of an ice cube
• Put the chicken in a mixing bowl, and add the zest and juice of the lemons, mustard, and chopped oregano, then season with salt and pepper.
• Leave the chicken to marinade in the juices for an hour or so
• Skewer the cubes of chicken onto the sticks
• Put a pan onto a medium/high heat and add some canola oil
• When the pan is hot, add your chicken skewers, and allow them to cook on the first side for about 2 or 3 minutes before turning them. Cook the other side for another 2 or 3 minutes and then check between the pieces of chicken to see that the flesh is white, and no longer translucent. You want the chicken to be cooked all the way through, but not dry. Remove from the pan and set aside until you are ready to serve.

Hummus

1 can chickpeas, drained

125 ml Extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

salt & pepper

5 ml tahini

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

 TO MAKE IT

• Put the chickpeas, oil, lemon juice, garlic, tahini into a blender or food processor, and season with salt & pepper.
• Blend together until smooth
• Scrape the hummus from the jug with a spatula into a serving bowl
• Top the hummus with toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with olive oil

Tzatziki

1 cup plain yoghurt

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

15 g fresh mint

salt & pepper

1/2 a cucumber

TO MAKE IT

• Grate the cucumber into a bowl, and squeeze off the excess water
• Add the yoghurt, lemon juice, mint, and season with salt & pepper and put into a serving bowl

 Tomato Pesto

100 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil

30 g roasted plain almonds

10 g fresh parsley, chopped

TO MAKE IT

• Roughly chop the tomatoes
• Put the sundried tomatoes with the oil into a blender
• Add the roasted almonds & chopped parsley
• Pulse the blender to combine the ingredients into a chunky pesto
• Scrape from the blender into a serving bowl

Seed flatbread

100 g whole-wheat flour

100 g oat flour

150 g cake flour

100 g plain yoghurt

250 g water (lukewarm)

1 sachet yeast

2 tsp salt

50 g mixed seeds: sesame, flax, sunflower, poppy, pumpkin

TO MAKE IT

• In a large mixing bowl, add the flours, yeast, salt and seeds and mix together
• Mix together the water and yoghurt
• Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and gradually add the yoghurt/water mixture little by little and mix together to form a dough.
• Stop adding liquid once the dough comes together, or add extra if you find the dough to be too sticky.
• Knead the dough together to form an elastic ball of dough.
• Separate the dough into golf ball sized balls
• Put a griddle pan onto a medium high heat
• Dust a clean working surface with a little flour, and roll each dough ball into a flat bread (about 3mm thick).
• Place the flatbreads onto the hot griddle and allow to cook until a little golden and firm on the first side, and then repeat on the other side.

TO SERVE

On a large board or platter, place the flatbreads and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place your bowls of dips and you chicken skewers onto the platter and sprinkle with fresh herbs

 

 

Ostrich Stew with Gremolata

Leave a comment September 30, 2016 nutritionadsa

A great choice for health-conscious red meat lovers and a wonderful in-between seasons recipe – Ostrich Stew with Gremolata, created by chef Vanessa Marx.

Our dietitians say: Ostrich is a great tasting lean read meat. It is low in fat (only 1.4 g fat per 100 g meat), rich in protein (22 protein per 100 g meat), lower in cholesterol than other red meats (only 60 mg per 100 g meat), and a good source of biologically available iron  (3.2 mg iron per 100 g serving of meat)

INGREDIENTS

500 g ostrich fillet cubes

1 tablespoon (15 ml) canola oil

2 cans (400 g each) chopped tomato

1 cup (250 ml) red wine

1 carrot

1 onion

100 g mushrooms

100 g green beans

10 g thyme, fresh

10 g rosemary, fresh

1 can (400 g net, 244 g drained) beans e.g. kidney, butter beans or cooked sugar beans, drained and rinsed

salt & pepper

1 tablespoon (15 ml) xylitol

2 cloves garlic

10 g Italian parsley

1 lemon

METHOD

1. Peel and chop the onion and carrot, and slice the mushrooms and green beans.
2. Place a large pot on a high heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the onion, mushroom and carrot and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add the ostrich cubes, chopped tomato, wine and chopped herbs and reduce the heat to low.
4. Allow the pot to simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally, the sauce will reduce and thicken and the ostrich will soften. Once this happens, add the green beans and season with salt and pepper, add the xylitol and the can of beans & stir.
5. Simmer the stew for another 5 minutes to cook the green beans.
6. To make the gremolata, chop the fresh garlic finely, chop the parsley and zest the lemon. Mix the parsley garlic & lemon zest together.
7. Serve the stew hot and sprinkle with the fresh gremolata.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING

(recipe serves 4)

Energy: 1400 kJ Protein: 35.6 g Carbohydrate: 23.8 g Of which, total sugars: 9.1 g Fat: 6.7 g Fibre: 17.2 g Sodium: 180 mg

 

 

Add to your ‘must try’ dessert list: Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Chat Leave a comment August 24, 2016 nutritionadsa

We just couldn’t resist re-sharing this amazing ‘Raw Avocado Chocolate Mousse’ – a much healthier alternative to regular chocolate mousse and just as delicious. The mousse is packed with healthy unsaturated fat and an ideal alternative for vegans. It also contains none of the major allergens (cows milk, egg, soya, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat/gluten) and is ideal for individuals suffering from allergies to these food items. Developed by chef, Vanessa Marx, this should be at the top of your list of ‘desserts I must try’.

Our dietitians say:

Avocado pears contain primarily mono-unsaturated fats that have been shown to assist in keeping your heart healthy! They are also a good source of Vitamin E, which keeps your skin healthy and speeds up healing, as well as protecting red blood cells; Folic Acid, which helps with the production of red blood cells; and Selenium, which is an integral part of anti-oxidants (these help protect body cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and also needed for the proper functioning of the immune system)

RECIPE

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

1 ripe banana

1 orange

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons xylitol

How to make it

– cut the avo in half. Remove the pip from the centre and discard. Remove and discard the skin too.

– in a food processor, add the avo, banana, cocoa powder, and xylitol.

– zest and juice the orange and add both to the food processor.

– blend the mixture until completely smooth and dark chocolate brown. The sweetness and darkness can both be adjusted by adding more or less xylitol and cocoa powder. The xylitol can also be substituted with honey, a low calorie or non-nutritive sweetener.

– you can remove the orange and replace with another flavour variation like cinnamon, lemon zest etc.

– spoon the mousse into 4 glasses for serving and refrigerate until ready to serve.

– serve with fresh fruit or biscotti

The nutritional value serves 4:

Energy: 1075 kJ

Protein: 3 g

Carbohydrate: 17 g

Total fat: 19 g

Dietary Fibre: 6.5 g

Sodium: 46 mg

To download the recipe card, visit http://www.adsa.org.za/Public/Recipes.aspx