Autumn Overnight Oats

by Liz Child

Overnight oats are so creamy and delicious, they fill you up and feel a bit special. Make these and give your past self a pat on the back in the morning! This autumnal version is probably my favourite. A creamy and sweetly-spiced pumpkin and cashew cream layer topped with an apple, oat, chia and pumpkin seed layer. I eat mine with a dollop of natural yoghurt on top.

Overnight oats last well in the fridge for 3 days. Mix up the ingredients and layer them up in jars or glasses and that’s breakfast sorted for a few mornings. This recipe makes 6 portions. Enjoy! And don’t forget to share your recreations with us in the comments or over on our friendly community Facebook group.

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 6)

Pumpkin Cashew Cream:

  • 500g kuri squash pumpkin (or sub with butternut squash or similar)
  • 100g cashew nuts
  • 6 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Apple Overnight Oats:

  • 180g porridge oats
  • 3 tbsp chia seeds
  • 6 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 2 apples, grated
  • 500g milk (any milk you prefer)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • Yoghurt to serve

Method

  1. Chop the kuri squash into bite sized chunks, no need to peel but do remove the seeds, and roast at 200C until soft. This usually takes around 20 minutes.
  2. Spoon the cooked squash into a blender with the rest of the Pumpkin Cashew Cream ingredients and blend into a smooth, thick cream. Taste and add more maple syrup if you prefer it sweeter.
  3. Mix all the Apple Overnight Oats ingredients in a large bowl.
  4. Divide the pumpkin cream between 6 bowls/glasses/jars. Top with the apple-oat mixture.
  5. Cover the portions and refrigerate overnight (or eat right away). They should stay fresh for 3 days in the fridge.
  6. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt. Scoop down to get a bit of both layers in each bite!

Super Seedy Crackers

by Liz Child

My super seedy crackers are easy to make and packed full of toasty, nutty flavour and incredible nutrients. They contain all these amazing ingredients which can be added to your next veg order. Did you know that our nuts and seeds come in compostable bags?

  • pumpkin seeds (protein, fibre, healthy fats, magnesium, zinc)
  • sunflower seeds (protein, healthy fats, selenium, vitamin E)
  • linseeds (fibre, healthy fats including omegas, protein)
  • chia seeds (fibre, protein, omega fatty acids, minerals and antioxidants)
  • oats (fibre, protein, manganese)
  • flour (you can use any flour you like, plain wheat flour or try our buckwheat or spelt flour)
  • salt (minerals)
  • olive oil (antioxidants and healthy fats).

So you can see why I love including these crackers in my diet and in my kids lunchboxes. They make a brilliant afternoon snack too! Scoop up hummus with them (find the recipe here), pop on a slice of cheese (we stock an amazing range or organic dairy and vegan cheeses here), or eat with soups.

Liz x

Ingredients (makes around 32 crackers)

  • 50g sunflower seeds
  • 50g pumpkin seeds
  • 50g porridge oats
  • 50g flour
  • 25g chia seeds
  • 25g linseeds
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 250ml water

Method

  1. Turn your oven on to 150C and find your largest baking sheet. You may need to use two depending on the size of your oven. I used one sheet approximately 38x46cm as a guide. You’ll also need to line your tray with a sheet of baking parchment and have another sheet of parchment ready. Find a mixing bowl and wooden spoon or spatular.
  2. Measure the seeds, oats, flour and salt into your mixing bowl. Stir well to evenly disperse the ingredients.
  3. Then add the olive oil and water and mix well until there are no dry clumps. Leave the bowl to stand for about 20 minutes to allow the chia seeds and linseeds to absorb the liquid.
  4. After 20 minutes your mixture should be thickened and spreadable. Scrape it out onto the lined baking tray and use the spoon/spatular to spread it as evenly as you can. A good tip is to avoid the edges, don’t worry about getting it perfect yet, the next step will ensure your crackers are thin and even.
  5. Place the second piece of baking parchment over the sticky cracker dough. Use your hands to spread the dough out into a thin, even layer. Make sure there are no thicker bits anywhere as these will take longer to cook. The layer should be about 3mm thick all over.
  6. Then carefully peel off the top layer of parchment and use a knife to score the cracker dough to the size and shape you prefer.
  7. Put the tray in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until toasty and dried out. Allow the crackers to cool completely before snapping them apart from each other and storing them in an airtight container. They should stay fresh at room temperature for 2 weeks, in the fridge for 1 month or frozen for 3 months.
Kale crisps, hummus, crackers and raw veggie sticks – a colourful and nutritious snack box.

10 Minute Chia Jam

by Liz Child

Traditionally made jam needs lots of sugar, boiling, simmering and pectin to help it set. My chia jam recipe is far easier. All you need is fruit, sweetener and chia seeds and you can whip up a quick jam in less than 10 minutes. Not only is it far simpler to make than regular jam, but it is actually remarkable healthy! Chia seeds are incredibly nutritious – think fibre, protein, minerals and omega 3s – and they naturally want to become a jelly-like substance. As they absorb liquid, they swell up and create a little jelly bubble around themselves. If you prefer a smoother jam then just blend it up in a smoothie maker or with an immersion blender before putting it in jars.

The only downside of making chia jam rather than traditional jam is that it doesn’t last as long. But you can freeze it in portions or just make smaller batches and use them up within a week. As it’s so simple and quick to make, it’s really no bother to make lots of little batches as you need them. This also provides opportunity for playing around with seasonal fruit and fun flavour combinations. Today I made raspberry, pear and ginger chia jam. My favourite is probably a classic cherry chia jam…especially on almond butter toast. What combos will you try? Let me know in the comments.

Liz x

Ingredients

  • about 2 mugs of fruit of your choice (I went for 3 ripe pears and a mug of frozen raspberries)
  • the juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 4 tbsp chia seeds
  • maple syrup to taste (or sweetener of your choice)
  • optional added flavours (I went for some freshly grated ginger but leave plain or match your added flavour to your fruit eg apple and cinnamon, rhubarb and vanilla, plum and star anise, raspberry and rose petals…)

Method

Prep your chosen fruit (rinse, peel and core or deseed/stone if needed) and put it in a pot. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice and if you like, some natural flavourings like ginger, vanilla, rose, cinnamon…

Put the pot on the highest heat and bring the fruit to a rapid boil then turn down and simmer for 5 minutes or so until mushy. If your fruit is quite dry (eg apples) you may want to add a splash of water. Stir well with a wooden spoon as you go.

Mash the fruit to your desired consistency, take the pot off the heat.

Sweeten with maple syrup or another sweetener to your taste and add the chia seeds.

Stir well then allow the chia seeds to absorb the liquid.

Pour the hot mixture into a jar, put the lid on and once it’s cool keep it in the fridge and eat within a week.

It’s brilliant on toast or dolloped onto porridge or yogurt for breakfast. You can sandwich a sponge cake with it or make jam tarts. Enjoy!