Hey congratulations on surviving the Christmas frenzy with only a few leftovers still lazily lying around in the fridge. At this time of year, over-indulgences are common, especially with so many opportunities for holiday celebrations and end of year gatherings taking place.

To help combat indulgent festivities over the next few weeks, I’m going to be sharing some healthy recipes from my new cookbook Eat Yourself Beautiful which you can order here.

Enter this from-scratch raspberry studded pumpkin pie, one of my favourite make-an- impression desserts to contribute to a party, or even enjoyed as a family heirloom recipe.

Pumpkin pies aren’t just for Halloween and can be enjoyed cold in summer with a side of delicious banana ice cream or warmed for the cooler months ahead.

The crunchy base is nutritionally wholesome and dense using a combination of seeds and nuts and has been sweetened with rice malt syrup, which is a good substitute if you’re trying to cut back on refined sugars.

Now that you have a bit of time on your hands why not dig out your pie pans and attempt this easy-to-make delectable comforting dish bursting with pumpkin, warming spices and hints of vanilla.

In-season raspberries add a sublime luxuriousness with every mouthful. (more…)

Tis the festive season. So let the hunger games begin.

The decorations have been hanging around the supermarket for months, weekly gift guides have been falling out of newspapers across the country and now Christmas is so close we can almost touch it. It’s a time when dessert making is at its peak and there's no better time to get re-acquainted with trifles.

Loved by many, trifles are a somewhat retro Christmas dessert where indulging in seconds or thirds is not uncommon. Laying out the fruit sponge, scattering with delicious fruit and adding thick layers upon layers of custard, cream, jelly and whatever else you have on hand is all part of the process. Maybe Christmas trifles are still a tradition at your house and even now you love to pile your plate high with this popular and colourful dessert?

With these memories in mind, I’ve combined some of my favourite nutritious ingredients to recreate the classic trifle recipe. The recipe is from my new cookbook Eat Yourself Beautiful, which will be hitting the shelves in January, a good time to start the year off with healthy intentions!  

In this layered quinoa trifle there are layers upon layers of health-promoting ingredients.  I’ve substituted sponge for quinoa, giving the dish a distinctive creamy nuttiness. I’ve added a couple of dollops of full-fat Greek style natural yoghurt added in place of cream but if you don’t consume dairy why not try this cashew nut cream instead.  Just sprinkle through some coconut flakes for crunch and texture and your trifle is ready for tasting.

I think you’re going to enjoy my layered quinoa trifle recipe with a twist!  You may like to serve it in a glass jar with a ribbon tied around the edge.

Layered Quinoa Trifle Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 100 g (31/2 oz/1/2 cup) quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of Celtic sea salt
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
• 6 drops stevia liquid, or 1 tablespoon rice malt syrup
• 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 130 g (43/4 oz/1/2 cup) full-fat Greek- style yoghurt
• 4 tablespoons coconut flakes 110 g (33/4 oz/1/2 cup) mixed berries
• 1 teaspoon almond butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds, for sprinkling

Method

• Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse with cold running water for 2–3 minutes, moving the seeds around with your hand to ensure that the seeds are well rinsed and any residue is removed.
• Bring 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) water to the boil in a large saucepan.
• Add the quinoa, return to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to low for 12–15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.
• Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Place the quinoa in a bowl and stir through the cinnamon and salt.
• In a saucepan over medium–low heat, warm the almond milk for 3–4 minutes.
• Stir in the vanilla and stevia or rice malt syrup.
• Add a couple of spoons of quinoa to four glass jars, or glasses.
• Mix through the almond milk and follow with layers of slivered almonds, banana slices, yoghurt, coconut flakes and berries. Repeat until the jars are full, with berries as the top layer.
• Top with the melted almond butter and chia seeds.

For more Christmas inspiration, I’ve compiled a list of some favourite recipes over the past year that are all gluten-free and packed with nutrients. So treat you and your guests to this delicious spread.

The Starters

Bite-sized appetizers are perfect to serve as guests arrive. Try this smoked salmon and pistachio terrine, which can easily be assembled in the morning, left to set in the fridge, and taken out when needed.

This pea and lamb soup works well as an entrée too, with the beautiful flavour of the peas and parsley garnish keeping it light and summery.

Fancy a salad option? This kale, strawberry, and avocado salad is an exciting combination, as is this warm beetroot, carrot and pear salad, both full of warm Christmas colours.

The Main

For an alternative to turkey or ham, buy an organic chicken and make this delicious paprika, garlic and rosemary chicken, bursting with flavour and warmth.

Serve the chicken with sage mashed cauliflower as a light alternative to potatoes, as well as a hazelnut-encrusted pumpkin, and a nutrient-packed side of green beans and spinach. Here are the recipes.

Dessert

Looking for a sweet treat that is healthy too? My luscious sugar-free chocolate is sweetened with natural stevia.

You can also find more recipe ideas on my Christmas post last year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Cooking!

Lee xo

You can buy my recipe books here.

Have you ever noticed how what you eat affects how you feel?  Research suggests that good food can really put you in a buoyant mood. According to a study in the UK, The Food and Mood Project, 80 percent of people who were surveyed reported a significant improvement in their mood and found that when they were drinking more water and eating more ‘supporter foods’ such as vegetables, fruits, oily fish, nuts and seeds, brown whole grains, fibre, protein and organic foods they experienced less depression and anxiety.  

The researchers also discovered that excess stressor foods such as refined sugar, caffeine and alcohol improved mood at first but then left people feeling stressed because they weren’t providing adequate nutrition and their bodies were left depleted.

The science behind foods effect on mood comes down to chemical and physiological changes in our brain structure which can lead to altered behavior. The survey indicated that supporter foods have been proven to alter your metabolism and brain chemistry, ultimately affecting your energy level and mood.  (more…)