Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges

Let me introduce you to another one of my addictions - spiced sweet potato wedges.  The first thing I did when trying to break bad eating habits was to find healthier alternatives to the things I liked to eat, and this was one of them.

It's hard to believe that something which tastes this great can be so good for you too, but not only do they taste and look amazing, they're full of nutritional benefits!

Sweet potatoes contain powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre.  They're a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene and iron and so promote healthy vision, skin, and immune system, whilst releasing energy slowly to keep you energised without peaking your blood sugar levels.

They're so soft and sweet, which balances perfectly against the spices.  What's more is that they feel like a such a treat, but there's no reason to feel like you've over indulged!

There's a number of ways I like to serve them; with avocado, leafy greens and feta, with garlic or sweet chilli sauce; but sometimes the simplest ways are the best, and some guacamole is all that's needed.

Recipe: (serves 1)

2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes (about 500g)

1 tsp of chilli powder

1/2 tsp of ground cumin

1/4 tsp of salt (scant)

1 tbs of olive oil

Method:

Pre-heat oven to gas mark 8.  Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into wedges, about 1cm thick.  In a bowl, drizzle olive oil over the wedges, then add the salt, chilli powder and cumin and stir until the chips are evenly coated.  Line a baking tray with baking paper and bake for around 25-30 minutes.

To make the guacamole, simply mash an avocado in a bowl and add some salt and lemon juice to taste.

Then enjoy!

Have a wonderful week ahead x

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Banana & Coconut Porridge

As the weather gets colder I find myself reaching more and more for a warming and filling breakfast, and this really does hit the spot! 

Gluten-free oats keep me filled but not bloated, while the banana and coconut milk bring a dairy-free yet totally creamy taste to the bowl which is just delicious.  On its own the oats, coconut milk and banana are full of fibre, vitamins B12 and B6 but with a few choice toppings you can bring even more nutritional goodness to this bowl.  

I like to add pumpkin seed, flaxseed and cocao nibs to mine as they're high in healthy fats, zinc, magnesium and omega-3; cocao nibs are fantastic as they are actually anti-oxidising chocolate!

Recipe:

3/4 cup of gluten-free oats

1 cup of Alpro Coconut Drink (a coconut & rice milk blend)

1 banana

Honey to taste

I also add

Pumpkin seeds

Flaxseed

Chia seed

Cocao nibs

Add the oats and coconut milk in a pan and heat for about 5 minutes on a low-medium heat, stirring often.  When the oats are almost ready, add the chopped banana and stir in for another 3-4 minutes until softened and warmed.  Pour into a bowl and add your toppings of choice, though go easy on the powders, you don't want the porridge to dry up! Drizzle with honey if needed and serve immediately, then enjoy a deliciously warming and nutritious start to the day.

Enjoy!

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