y Toni Reilly

We often think we need to compromise our health to celebrate special occasions. Mother’s Day is no exception and is often observed with rich chocolates, delicious lunches and delectable desserts...and often a fair dose of guilt afterwards when we cannot fit into our favourite pants. But, we can have our cake and eat it too! Imagine a Mother’s Day picnic hamper filled with indulgent goodies that are also beneficial to your health. Here are some scrumptious ideas for a beautiful day out.

Mother’s Day Picnic Hamper

By Christine Cronau

Crumbed Chicken (serves 8)1½ kg of chicken thighs (with the skin on)½ cup coconut flour1 tbsp paprika½ tsp pepper1 tsp saltExtra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil

Rice Salad 2 cups of brown rice 2 cups of chicken stock or filtered water150g sliced organic, nitrate-free ham1 red capsicum1 Lebanese cucumber1 red onion or a few shallots1 cob of steamed cornFrench Dressing½ cup extra-virgin olive oil3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar2 tablespoons Dijon mustard½ teaspoon salt

Sweet Potato Crisps 2 large sweet potatoesCoconut oil (enough to cover 2 cm of a small saucepan)Paprika Salt

Salad with Grapefruit 4 eggs, hard boiled

1 pink grapefruit 2 cups of salad greens, eg. baby spinach, mixed lettuces 1 avocado, chopped

Guacamole1 ripe avocado ½ lemon or lime¼ cup organic salsa (with no sugar in the ingredients)

Fruit SaladMixture of seasonal fruit - apples, strawberries, orange, passionfruit, bananaSqueeze of orange or lime juice to prevent fruit browningFresh cream

Bliss Balls ½ cup almonds, soaked overnight in lukewarm water2 bananas1 tablespoon carob powder1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar1½ cups desiccated coconut  Orange Cake 1 large orange3 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ teaspoon Stevia1½ cups almond meal1 teaspoon baking powder 100g butter, melted

GuacamoleCut 1 ripe avocado in half, remove the seed and peel. Squeeze juice of ½ lemon or lime over the avocado and mash with a fork till smooth, then add ¼ cup organic salsa (with no sugar - available from health food stores).

Crumbed Chicken (serves 8)Add 1 tablespoon paprika, ½ teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon salt to ⅔ cup coconut flour and coat 1½kg of chicken pieces or drumsticks. Brush with cold pressed olive oil or coconut oil and bake at 140°C for approximately 30 minutes.

Rice Salad A colourful salad made with brown rice. Soak 2 cups of brown rice overnight, drain, rinse and drain again. Add 2 cups of chicken stock or filtered water, bring rice to the boil and simmer on very low heat for 40 minutes. Leave in the pot to

cool without lifting the lid, then place rice in fridge to cool further. Dice 150g organic nitrate-free ham, 1 red capsicum, 1 Lebanese cucumber, 1 red onion or a few shallots, and kernels from 1 cob of steamed corn. Mix all ingredients together and douse with a beautiful French dressing, made with ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and ½ teaspoon salt.

Salad with Grapefruit A refreshing salad. Hard boil 4 eggs, peel 1 pink grapefruit and remove the white pith and cut into small slices. Arrange 2 cups of salad greens, like baby spinach, mixed lettuces or rocket with a handful of sunflower sprouts

(optional), and add 1 chopped avocado. Note: eggs can be replaced with any protein.

Sweet Potato Crisps Deep-frying is healthy if you use a quality oil and keep it below its smoking point, 170°C in the case of extra-virgin coconut oil. Add a few centimetres of oil to the bottom of a small saucepan, use a potato peeler to peel thin strips of sweet potato,

fry in batches once the oil reaches 160°C, and remove when they are very slightly golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with paprika and salt.

Yummy Treats

Bliss Balls Soaked ½ cup almonds overnight, then put in a food processor with 2 bananas, 1 tablespoon carob, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1½ cups desiccated coconut. Process into a smooth paste, roll into balls, coat in remaining coconut and chill.

Orange Cake Boil a large orange for one hour, changing water halfway through to keep it from being bitter (NB: have water pre-boiled in a kettle so it does not have to be reheated). Once cooled, cut into quarters, remove seeds and process in a food

processor, skin and all, until it becomes a smooth paste. Beat 3 eggs until very fluffy and full of air, then add ½ teaspoon stevia and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat again. Gently fold the orange paste into the egg mixture, and then fold in 1½ cups of almond meal with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 100g of melted butter. Pour into a small buttered cake pan and bake at 140°C for approximately 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and skewer comes out

clean. Cover with foil after 30 minutes if the cake is golden brown, as this will keep it from getting too dark.

Fruit Salad If you have been missing cream because you thought it was fattening, enjoy a beautiful fruit salad for dessert with a generous serve of whipped cream. Prepare a mixture of seasonal fruit beforehand, such as apples, strawberries, orange,

passionfruit and sliced banana with a good squeeze of orange or lime juice to prevent the apple and banana from browning. Pack a bowl and whisk in your picnic hamper so that the cream can be freshly whipped before serving.

MOTHER ’S DAY PICNIC HAMPER - SHOPPING LIST

A HEALTHY AND INDULGENT DELIGHT

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FEATURE MAY 2012 MAY 2012 FEATURE

Christine Cronau is a nutrition expert, author and speaker. Her latest book, The Fat Revolution, exposes the truth about fats and health. Learn why fat can’t make you fat and why saturated fat is NOT the demon it has been portrayed to be, and in fact why conventional low-fat diets are fattening. www.christinecronau.com