Infused Water

So the big thing at the moment is infused water, and in Australia it is summer. Summer means bloody hot days where lots of water is required for hydration. We Aussies love beer...and wine...but water is essential in the day to day life of an Aussie.

Plain water can get boring. We can buy mineral water, soda water, tonic water, flavoured water or energy water. But who wants to waste money on those when you can make your own flavoured water?

There are numerous fruits and vegetables you can add to your water, this is my first one and I love it. It tastes so good that I'm drinking more water...and this is good, yeah?!

Ingredients:

• tap water
• ice
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 apple, quartered and core removed
• ½ lemon, peeled and quartered

Method:

Place all ingredients into a jug and keep in the fridge. I covered my jug with plastic wrap in case the leftover meat smell infuses it - which I don't want. Drink from it during the day. Once the jug is empty, fill it again - these fruits and vegetables will last a second time. Some won't though, i.e. berries. I will eat the fruit and veg at the end of the day after dinner for dessert.

D-E-L-icious  XD

CASH Juice

I made a green juice for breakfast this morning and was surprised how well it tasted. I will make it regularly and I've called it CASH juice because of it's ingredients...

Ingredients:
C is for celery - 4 stalks
A is for apple - 3 green, cores removed, but skin left on
S is for spinach - I used about 2 cups of leaves
H is for herbs - mint in this case, about a bunch

Method:
I added all ingredients to my juicer and  ½ cup of water near the end to swish around and grab some of those important fibres off the inside of the juicer. If the juice is too strong, you could add more cold water once you've poured the concentrated juice into your glass. Add ice and a straw and you're set to go.

D-E-L-icious  XD

Sugar-free, butter-free carrot cake

This recipe has been adapted from several carrot cake recipes I have on hand. I made it for the first time day and we were all surprised by the taste and texture - considering it has no butter or sugar. It is very healthy, easy and relatively quick.

Ingredients:

•  1 teaspoon vanilla flavouring
•  2 eggs
•  1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
•  1 large carrot, peeled and grated
•  1 apple, peeled and grated
•  4 tablespoons low-fat natural Greek yoghurt
•  1 cup self-raising white flour
•  1 cup wholemeal flour
•  2 teaspoons baking powder

Method:

1. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla flavouring
2. Add the grated carrot and apple and stir
3. Add the oil, yoghurt, both the flours (sifted) and baking powder
4. Stir with a wooden spoon
5. Pour into a loaf tin and bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30-40mins

Lovely served warm with a light sprinkle of icing sugar and a hot cuppa. D-E-L-icious  XD

Fat-free Carrot Muffins

I used 3 separate recipes to create these healthy muffins so I consider them my own invention. They are quick, very healthy, moist and tasty with NO oil or butter. This recipe makes 12 muffins in a 12 muffin silicone baking tray.

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 apple, peeled and grated (I used Pink Lady)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 level tablespoons natural Greek yoghurt
• 2 cups sifted self raising flour (alternatively you could replace 1 cup with wholemeal flour if you have it)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Using spray oil, spray your muffin tray
3. In a large bowl, whisk the 2 eggs
4. Add the grated carrot and apple and whisk together
5. Add the sugar, natural Greek yoghurt and vanilla essence and whisk again
6. Add the sifted flour and whisk all together (it looks runny, but it's OK)
7. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray
8. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 22 minutes.

Nice served alone or sprinkled with a small amount of icing sugar.  D-E-L-icious  XD