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- 08 January 2015 < Back to gossip

5 Weeks to Sugar-Free 3 Day Meal Plan: Day Three

Homemade Granola with Whole MilkPowerballFeta, Watermelon and Avocado SaladBlueberry and Lime compoteCoconut and Lime LollyRagù Sauce with Spaghetti and Green Salad

Day One | Day Two | Day Three

Breakfast

Homemade Granola with Whole Milk

Makes 10–12 portions

  • 250g jumbo oats
  • 50g desiccated or flaked coconut
  • 150g nuts, lightly crushed into pieces (any kind are good, but almonds add sweetness)
  • a pinch of salt
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil (or another type of oil, but coconut oil is best)
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 egg white
  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C Fan/Gas 2. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. Put the oats, coconut, nuts and salt in a large bowl. If your coconut oil has set, warm it gently in a pan until just melted. Pour the oil and the maple syrup over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly so everything is well coated.
  3. Whisk the egg white until it’s frothy. Pour this over the oat mixture and mix thoroughly again. Spread the granola over the baking tray as evenly as you can.
  4. Bake the granola in the oven for 40–50 minutes, turning it over half way through. Start checking after 40 minutes to see if it’s done – it should be lightly browned and dry.
  5. Remove the tray of granola from the oven and leave it to cool completely. Gently break up the granola into clumps as big or small as you want. You will find some of the mixture is loose, but that’s unavoidable so don’t worry.
  6. Store the granola in an airtight jar – it will keep well for a few weeks. Enjoy it with milk or yoghurt, or just in handfuls when you feel like a yummy snack.

Snack

Powerball

  • 100g crunchy nut butter (peanut butter can be over-powering and salty: try cashew, almond or hazelnut butter, or there is a nice three-nut one)
  • 100g honey
  • 25g cocoa powder
  • 100g desiccated coconut OR 50g desiccated coconut and 50g oatmeal
  • 25g sesame seeds
  • extra desiccated coconut, cocoa, or sesame seeds, for rolling
  1. Put the nut butter and honey in a saucepan and stir them over a low heat until they have melted together.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cocoa, coconut (or coconut and oatmeal) and the sesame seeds. Mix very thoroughly until everything has come together in a firm but sticky mixture. Allow this to cool completely, then chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes to make rolling easier.
  3. Roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls, then roll each one in a coating of your choice. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container.

Lunch

Feta, Watermelon and Avocado Salad; Blueberry and Lime compote

Feta, Watermelon and Avocado Salad

Serves 4

  • ½ small watermelon (about 500g)
  • salad leaves (lamb’s lettuce, rocket or baby leaves)
  • 2 avocados, peeled, stoned and cut into small chunks
  • small bunch of radishes, halved
  • 150g feta, cut into small cubes
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • a few sprigs of mint
  • salt and black pepper
  1. Cut the watermelon into chunks, removing the peel and seeds. Do this over a bowl to catch any juice and set the juice aside.
  2. Put the salad leaves in a bowl or on a serving platter and add the watermelon, avocados, radishes and feta.
  3. Whisk together any watermelon juice with the lime juice and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Drizzle this dressing over the salad and garnish with a few sprigs of mint.

Blueberry and Lime compote

  • 400g blueberries
  • zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp honey (to taste)
  • To thicken (if required)
  • 2 tsp arrowroot
  1. Put the blueberries in a saucepan with the lime zest and juice and 100ml of water. Add a tablespoon of honey and slowly bring to the boil.
  2. Reduce the temperature and simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has turned a deep purple colour and some of the blueberries have burst. Taste and add a little more honey if you think the compote needs it.
  3. This compote can also be thickened to use as a topping for cheesecakes, pancakes or flans. To thicken, mix the arrowroot with a little cold water. Add this mixture to the blueberries and heat gently, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and is very glossy.

Snack

Coconut and Lime Lolly

Makes 6 x 50ml lollies

  • 150ml coconut milk
  • 100ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 35ml lime juice
  • grated lime zest (optional)
  1. Blitz everything together in a food processor or blender, including the zest, if using. Make sure the coconut milk is lump free. Pour the mixture into moulds, put in the sticks and freeze until solid. These lollies are quite zesty so perhaps more to the grown-ups’ taste.

Dinner

Ragù Sauce with Spaghetti and Green Salad

Serves 4–6

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 500g pork mince
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or mixed dried herbs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 200ml red wine
  • 500–800ml beef stock
  • 400g can of chopped tomatoes, puréed
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • salt and black pepper
  1. Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan and start browning the meat. It’s best to do this in 3 or 4 batches, as if you add all the meat at once, it will boil rather than fry and you won’t get any caramelisation. Remove each batch of meat once it is well browned and set it aside.
  2. Add the remaining olive oil to the saucepan, then fry the onion until it’s starting to soften – this should take about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs and bay leaf, then put the meat back into the pan.
  3. Pour the red wine into the pan and bring it to the boil. When it has reduced by at least half, add 500ml of stock, the tomatoes and tomato paste and season with salt and black pepper. Bring it all back to the boil, then cover the pan and turn down the heat.
  4. Simmer the ragù gently for an hour, then take the lid off the pan and continue to cook for another 30 minutes to 1 hour until the sauce has reduced down. Add more stock if you need and stir regularly to make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.
  5. Serve with wholewheat or spelt pasta.

Davina’s tip

OMG, this is one of my kids’ very favourites – it is delish. Make a big batch of the sauce and freeze it in portions for quick suppers.

Davina’s Five Weeks to Sugar Free: Yummy, easy recipes to help you kick sugar and feel amazing, can be ordered here:

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