KEFIR - HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN PROBIOTICS AND WHY YOU SHOULD

This year so far has been more about focusing on me, being kind to myself and my body and putting the most effort into sorting out the most important things in my life. One of them being my daughters

BANANA AND YOGHURT MUFFINS {HEALTHY & GLUTEN-FREE}

So I have been trying different alternatives for the kids lunch box (from baking all sorts of Gluten free bread to baking muffins) And I am finding the bread to be SUPER hard by day 2, and by day 5 it is worth using as a rock and you could actually hurt someone! So in my search for a bready alternative for the school week I decided to look at muffins.

Last week I made the batch on Sunday night - baked them ALL and put them in a sealed container (much the same as the bread) and by day 2 they were also quite hard. Then I read a recipe somewhere for a batch of muffins that you could keep the batter in the fridge and bake fresh every day!!! Why hadn't I thought of that?

But the recipe i was looking at contained WAY to much sugar and didn't seem healthy at all! It was more like eating a cupcake for breakfast minus the icing (and it wasn't gluten-free either). So I set about trying to make my own recipe. So the recipe I threw together last week was very sticky and chewy so yesterday I set about swopping ingredients and changing quantities and it seems to have come out quite nicely (if I do say so myself) I made 3 muffins immediately after whipping up the batter last night (Sunday) to test and taste - YUMMY. They took roughly 15 minutes to bake. Then I placed the entire batch of batter in the fridge in a large bowl with a lid.

This morning (day 1) I woke up half an hour early, stumbled through to the kitchen turned on the oven to preheat and placed the large bowl of batter on the counter and then went back to bed to doze. Once the alram went off I got out of bed at the usual time went through to the kitchen placed batter in 6 cupcake cases in a muffin tray and put them in the preheated oven. I carried on making lunches as usual , slicing up cucumber. peppers etc... Since the batter was cold I noticed the muffins took 20-25 minutes to bake but rose just as nicely and tasted yummy and fresh! Yay hard rock-like lunch for the week sorted! - AS LONG AS I GET UP AND PREHEAT OVEN otherwise I will run out of time before The Kid and Husband run out the door.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup Coconut oil (or a neutral oil like sunflower oil)
2 rounded Tablespoons Honey
4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 Eggs
1/2 cup yoghurt
2 cups Gluten-free flour mix
1 cup Buckwheat flour 
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Bicard
2 Bananas
1/3 cup Water
1 cup Raisins (optional)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
3 Tablespoons Agave syrup (or use honey)
1/3 cup Sunflower seeds 
a small handful extra dried fruit (optional) I used dried peaches

METHOD
In a large bowl mix (on low if using a mixer) together the coconut oil, honey, sugar and butter until smooth and pale.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Mix in the yoghurt, mix may seem likes it going to curdle (don't over mix - just stir in)
Mix in the flours, baking powder and bicarb adding a bit at a time until all is incorporated - The dough will be thick.
Mash up the bananas with a fork and mix into the batter
Add the water and mix until nice smooth consistency
Add the raisins (if using)
Then add the cinnamon, agave syrup, sunflower seeds and any dried fruit (optional) you like.
Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
If you are baking immediately place batter in cup cake liners and in muffin trays, Sprinkle with a tiny bit of brown sugar and bake for roughly 15 minutes until well risen and brown.
If keeping in the fridge place in a seal-able container until needed. I am gauging that the batter should be ok for 5-6 days.
 
Enjoy in your lunch box or with a morning cup of coffee

UPDATE BELOW PIC (scroll down)

UPDATE:
SUNDAY: I manage to make 3 muffins on Sunday night when I whipped up the batter.
MONDAY: baked 6 in the morning
TUESDAY: baked 6
WEDNESDAY: baked 6
THURSDAY:baked 6
FRIDAY: baked 6 (2 of them were very small)


TOTAL so far: 33 (cupcake size) Muffins

NOTES:
Thick Mixture: If you find your mixture is getting very think after sitting in the fridge over night (dried fruit seems to suck up the liquid) add a little water in the morning when you take the bowl out the fridge and stir in. keep adding water until you get to a nice thick cake batter dropping consistency.

Cupcake cases sticking to my muffins: I find that when I eat the muffins hot that some of it stay on the cupcake cases. I simply brush the inside bottoms of the paper cases with coconut oil before filling them up.


Oven Temp and Time: I have been baking my muffins at a lower temp of late. at about 160 degrees celcius for about 18 mins. I have a thermo fan oven.

EASY NECTARINE & YOGHURT DESSERT

I always hope to give my family healthy food. Delicious... but healthy. This is one of those times it really works. Fresh fruit full of vitamins and Greek yoghurt filled with dairy. There is a little brown sugar in there but I did mention it was a little.
Lying below the layer of yoghurt could be any fruit your fancy - Adapt this recipe with fruits like fresh soft plums, peaches, cherries or even bananas.
The time that the bowls sit in the fridge allows for the sugar and fruit to make a small amount of syrupy juice that gives it an extra yumminess. (could make a nice breakfast too)

INGREDIENTS
Nectarines (organic if you can get) OR Fruit of your choice
Greek Yoghurt
Organic Brown Sugar

METHOD
Wash your nectarines and then slice up into thin-ish slices. Take ramekins or teacups and line the bottom of the dish with slices of the fruit until you have a nice layer in each.
Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on the fruit.
Cover with the Yoghurt until you can't see any fruit peeking through. *all the fruit must be covered*
Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar on top of the yoghurt and place in the fridge for an hour or 2 for the sugar to turn to syrup.

Serve


*if the yoghurt doesn't cover ALL the fruit then the air may cause your fruit to brown