Ask most children what they like best about Easter and undoubtedly the answer will be chocolate eggs!
Who doesn't enjoy a foil-wrapped treat that comes with a perfect excuse?
Easter is, indeed, a time of year when our family relaxes a little when it comes to what we eat and it's certainly the only time of year when chocolate is allowed for breakfast!
However, there still needs to be a balance and when we seem to be bombarded by sugar at every turn these days, I think now, it's even more important.
I was astounded the other day to discover just how much sugar is added to most everyday breakfast cereals.
If I saw one of my children adding 4 to 5 teaspoons of sugar to their cereal, I would hit the roof, but when it comes pre-packaged and ready to go, it's easy to miss.
So why not, after all that Easter chocolate, have a think about other holiday treats with a healthier theme and exclude added refined sugar.
Natural sugars such as honey, maple syrup and agave can all be great substitutes for the nasty stuff.
Even bananas give the kick we crave but without all the empty calories.
So these school holidays, give your body the break it deserves.
Tip: Try your local organic or health food shop for ingredients such as steel-cut oats and buckwheat flour.
Blackberry and buckwheat muffins
Makes 6 large muffins
Ingredients
2 cups buckwheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 free-range eggs
½ cup maple syrup
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
grated rind of 1 small lemon
2 cups frozen blackberries (or any other frozen berries)
Method
Heat oven to 180degC.
Sift buckwheat flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
Place eggs, maple syrup, sour cream, oil, vanilla essence into a separate bowl and mix to combine.
Stir in blackberries and then fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
Pour into paper muffin cases or a greased muffin tray and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
Remove from oven, gently take muffins out of pan and place on a wire rack to cool.
Sugar-free Chewy muesli bars
Makes 12 bars
Ingredients
½ cup steel-cut oats
½ cup boiling water
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup honey
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas
1 cup currants
2 Tbsp chia seeds
Method
Heat oven to 180degC.
Place steel-cut oats in a small plastic container with a lid. Add half a cup of boiling water, screw on the lid and allow to soak for at least 1 hour.
Place rolled oats, coconut and almonds on a baking tray and toast for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
Remove from oven and cool.
Place coconut oil, honey, sea salt and vanilla extract in a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat until lightly bubbling. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer liquid to a food processor, add bananas and blend until smooth. Place toasted ingredients and banana mixture in a large bowl.
Add chia seeds and currants and mix well.
Line a 15cm x 20cm baking pan with baking paper. Pour mixture into the pan and press down firmly.
Place into oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Cut muesli bars into squares or rectangles and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Raspberry and banana sorbet
Makes 1 litre
Ingredients
5 medium-sized ripe bananas, peeled
800g free-flow frozen raspberries
juice of 1 small lemon (optional)
Method
Place bananas in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add raspberries slowly with the machine still running and puree until smooth. Add lemon juice and freeze immediately. Enjoy!
• Bevan and Monique Smith own Riverstone Kitchen, supreme winner of the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year 2010 and first-equal best casual dining (regional) in 2011. He is also author of Riverstone Kitchen: recipes from a chef's garden and Riverstone Kitchen Simple.
Situated on SH1 in North Otago, just south of the Waitaki bridge, they are open Thursday-Monday from 9am-5pm, and also from 6pm from Thursday to Sunday, but closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
