Blonde Bliss Balls

Makes 24

Vegan/almost vegan; no gluten, dairy, soy; with options for cane sugar

Like coconut ice without all the sugar. Pretty white balls are flecked with the bright red of dried fruit. Make them in minutes – a good project for children, and a lovely hostess or festive gift in bags tied with red ribbons. Best stored in the refrigerator, but they won’t ooze if left out. They keep for weeks and are great to have on hand for surprise guests, lunch boxes, and soulful snacking.

Truffle-like Bliss Balls are very trendy: small, healthy nuggets of nuts and dried fruit. They are usually vegan and often raw. Nuts and dried fruit are great sources of blood sugar-balancing protein, brain-nourishing fats, weight-regulating soluble and insoluble fibre, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc and other micronutrients. Read more

Quinoa ‘Rice’ Pudding

Serves 2

Vegan; no gluten, dairy, egg, cane sugar; with options for soy

My daughter grew up as I did with a fondness for homemade rice pudding. More recently, my baby granddaughter tried this dessert quinoa-style and gave her approval. Versions of rice pudding are found in most cuisines. Possibly first developing in Persia, it was mentioned by the Romans, Confucius, Shakespeare and the Buddhist sutras. Sometimes different grains were used but the principle was the same.

This version is just as sweet and delicious as one using white rice and highly refined sugar. Quinoa is high in protein and along with dried fruit and cinnamon creates a relationship between parts that helps regulate blood sugar. Any left-overs make a great breakfast served hot or cold. Read more

Chocolate Nut Fudge

About 50 tiny pieces

Vegan; no gluten, dairy, soy, cane sugar – or cooking required

Really, really good. The results are gourmet while the skill level required is primary school. Two colleagues – Linda Outhwaite and Jamie Smith – inspired me with their versions of this super simple and luscious confection. The high cocoa density adds a caffeinated thrill – as well as ample magnesium, calcium, iron and antioxidants. Among the latter are phenols linked with lowering high blood pressure. Some studies show this effect is negated if the chocolate includes milk, which seems to impede absorption. One type of phenol is flavonoids including (yes, another sub-category) epicatechins. These score impressively on the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) score. This is used to assess how much power an antioxidant has for preventing destruction from free radicals. In excess free radicals are involved with premature ageing and disease. Read more

Frangipane Slice

Makes 20 – 24 small slices

(No gluten, dairy, egg, cane sugar; with options for soy)

Sweet, moist, long keeping and super easy. The apricots are particularly high in alkaline potassium, a key nutrient for calm nerves and muscles including the heart. Dried fruit supplies a surprising amount of protein, fibre and minerals including iron. For visual appeal, choose a selection of different coloured fruit. Candied ginger is an especially punchy flavour contributor, but it does have cane sugar….. Read more

Tropical Caramel Sticky Pudding

(Low salicylates; no gluten, dairy, cane sugar, citrus or soy)

Good food should please us first by its aesthetics. It should enchant by appearance, aroma and expectation. This stimulates the first phase of digestion termed cephalic – or having to do with the brain. Thinking about and seeing food can call forth supportive enzymes and other digestive juices, hormones and neurotransmitters released to prime us for pleasure, fuel and performance. It is one reason why mindless grabbing and grazing feels less satisfying. Then we might overeat to try and find the fulfilment that the process lacked.

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Maria Middlestead - Clinical Nutritionist, Auckland. Call (09) 418 5422

Peanut Butter Cookies (or make them peanut-free!)

Makes 24
(No gluten, dairy, cane sugar or soy – even with options for peanuts)

Children could easily help prepare this simple recipe. Although careful scrutiny is needed with helpers of any age as the raw batter is so yummy.

These cookies are high in protein and fibre, and low in starchy carbs. This dietary package helps regulate blood sugar critical for brain and body fuel. Peanuts are a particularly good source of Magnesium (see website TIPS page); have vitamins E and B, plus iron, selenium, manganese and Zinc (TIPS); and are similar to olives in monounsaturated fat levels. These fats are needed for the protection and flexibility of every one of your 50 trillion cells. They also help lower levels of sticky LDL cholesterol, which in excess can be obstructive to arterial blood flow. Peanuts are high in arginine, an amino acid that is a precursor to nitric oxide, which helps expand blood vessels and can decrease high blood pressure. They have significant levels of phytosterols which can also reduce LDL. Their antioxidant status rivals many berries. Some of these such as p-coumaric acid (linked with lowered free radicals and carcinogens) are considerably enhanced by cooking.

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Maria Middlestead - Clinical Nutritionist, Auckland. Call (09) 418 5422

Lumberjack Cake

(No gluten, dairy or cane sugar; with options for soy)

Possibly of Canadian origin, this may be named for its heartiness. It keeps, slices and transports well in lunch boxes. Dense and moist, almost like a pudding, there is the pleasing differentiation of a crisp caramelised topping. Contrasting textures give sensual satisfaction, while foods that are crunchy are slower to break down and thus assist with blood sugar regulation. Read more