Tag Archives: nuts

Fruit and Nut Damper

Traditional damper, developed by the Aussie stockmen, is made with plain flour and water and typically cooked in the ashes or coals of a campfire. Nowadays, there are hundreds of variations to the original recipe.

I usually make beer damper, just flour and beer. However, on a recent road trip from Darwin to Adelaide, I decided to try something different and threw in a heap of fruit, nuts and cinnamon for a sweet treat.

Chocka-block full of fruit, nuts and seeds, I didn’t bother adding a sweetener. I got Dwayne, who likes things a little sweeter than me, to add his sweetener with honey or jam. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth and enjoy my damper with dripping hot butter.

Our Camp Kitchen

I made this yummy fruit and nut damper when camping at Burra Creek Gorge with Dwayne, our friends Kate and Martin, and their dog Boris.

Fruit & Nut Damper – Ingredients

3 cups of self raising flour

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 cup of raisins

1/2 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup of sunflower seeds

About a cup of water

Method

Mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon or your hands and shape into a cob shape.

Line the camp oven with grease baking paper or a layer of flour to stop the damper from sticking.

Put the damper in the camp  oven, put the lid on and coat the lid with hot coals.

To cook the damper with hot coals.

If you want to cook on coals from a campfire, you need to burn large logs to create hot coals. It can take an hour or so for your campfire to make enough coals to cook upon. Be sure to factor the process of producing the embers into your prep and cooking time. Alternatively, if you have time limits or a lack of good wood, use heat-beads as they heat up quickly and hold their heat well.

The easiest way to cook in a camp oven over hot coals is to lift the coals out of the fire with a long-handled shovel. Select a safe place next to the fire and put a small amount of *coals on the ground. Place the camp oven onto the coals. Get some more coals from the fire to place on top of the oven. Getting the right amount of coals is not always easy. Be aware of cooking the damper too hot and burning it. It will take some experimentation to get the temperature right. Therefore, check the damper after 10 minutes to make sure you are not cooking it too hot or not hot enough.

*You only need a small number of coals under the camp oven or none at all. Too many, and you will burn the bottom of the damper.

Many factors determine the heat of the coals, such as ambient temperature and wind. If you have wind, the coals will cook hotter. Make allowances for wind by reducing the number of coals used.

The time it takes to cook the damper is directly related to how hot you cook it. It should take approximately 30-40 minutes. You can tell when the damper is cooked by tapping on the top. If it sounds hollow, it is ready. Alternatively, stick a knife in it, and if it comes out clean, it should be ready.

To Serve

Serve with butter, maple syrup, jam and cream, chopped fruit or any other topping you desire.

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Fruit and Nut Damper cooked on the campfire over hot coals. Full of dried fruit, nuts, seeds and cinnamon. #campfirecooking #fruitandnuts #damper #campcooking

Chia Seed Pudding

Pudding for breakfast? Yes, please! I love this delicious, super nutritious breakfast dish. What’s not to love? I love how easy it is to make; I love how tasty it is, and I love how simple it is to dress it up and add different flavours. I also love that this breakfast is packed full of superfood goodness. This is my simple recipe for Chia Seed Pudding and a few simple modifications to add variety as well as ideas to increase the fibre!

Chia Seed Pudding Superfood Nutritional High Fibre
Layered chia seed pudding with chopped mango.

Before we look at the recipes, please note I have not added any sweetener. This is precisely how I like it. However, it is simple to make this ‘pudding’ sweeter. Experiment with adding honey, maple or sugar syrup.

Making it even easier! I don’t know about you, but I love things to be simple in the morning. I am a morning person, but I like to sit with the computer, write and drink tea. That is when my brain is at its best, and I get the most done. So having breakfast prepared and ready to eat is super handy. I also have a ready-mix of chopped nuts, seeds and coconut, which I keep in an airtight container. This makes topping my chia breakfast pudding quick and easy!

Chia Seed Pudding Superfood Nutritional High Fibre
Chia Seed Pudding with blackberries and natural yoghurt

Basic Chia Pudding

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/4 cup Chia seeds
1 cup milk – almond milk, coconut milk or cows milk

Method

Mix the chia seeds and milk well with a fork, breaking up any lumps, then leave to sit for 10 minutes. Mix again with the fork, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

I refrigerate mine overnight. It will keep in the fridge for a few days. So I make several breakfast puddings at one time.

*Alternatively, you can mix as above and pour into individual serving dishes (after the second mix) before refrigerating.

To serve

Divide the chia seed pudding between two serving dishes and top with yoghurt, berries and nuts and seeds. Get creative!

Some of our favourites!

Choc Berry

1/4 cup Chia seeds
1 cup almond milk
2 Tablespoons of cocoa

Fresh or frozen berries

Mix all ingredients well with a fork, breaking up any lumps, then leave to sit for 10 minutes. Mix again with the fork, cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve topped with berries, nuts, seeds and desiccated coconut.

Choc Coconut

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup of almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 Tablespoon coconut

Mix all ingredients well with a fork, breaking up any lumps, then leave to sit for 10 minutes. Mix again with a fork, cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve topped with coconut, and chopped nuts.

Tropical Fruit Salad

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup almond milk

Mix all ingredients well with a fork, breaking up any lumps, then leave to sit for 10 minutes. Mix again with a fork, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning I layer chia seed pudding and chopped tropical fruit (mango) in several layers. Top with tropical fruit such as mango, dragon fruit, passionfruit, pineapple and banana.

For a bigger fibre hit, I use Psyllium.

Banana Berry

2 Tablespoon chia seeds
180ml almond milk
1/2 cup water
3/4 – 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons psyllium husk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Mix all ingredients well with a fork, breaking up any lumps, then leave to sit for 10 minutes. Mix well again with a fork, and pour into serving glasses. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Top with berries and yoghurt, a sprinkle of coconut and seeds.

Chia Seed Pudding Superfood Nutritional High Fibre

Banana Choc

2 Tablespoon chia seeds
180ml almond milk
about 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons psyllium husk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 Tablespoons cocoa

Mix all ingredients well with a fork, breaking up any lumps, then leave to sit for 10 minutes. Mix again with the fork, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  I then serve this in bowls topped with banana, coconut, seed and nut mix.

Chia Seed Pudding Superfood Nutritional High Fibre
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding with Banana

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Chia Seed Pudding Superfood Nutritional High Fibre

Chia Seed Pudding Superfood Nutritional High Fibre

High Fibre Chocolate Slice

Dwayne and I are trying to shed a bit of weight by cutting out our carbohydrates (i.e. rice, potato, pasta and bread, as well as most fruits).  We are eating a lot of vegetables but it is not quite enough fibre for my loopy gut. So I have come up with a high fibre treat. This recipe is an excellent source of fibre, in fact, every ingredient has significant fibre, it also has a lot of good fats and antioxidants.

This slice is packed full of superfoods! However, I haven’t made it very sweet (it is perfect for my taste buds), so adjust it to suit your needs. It is easy to add a bit of sweetness by adding a couple of tablespoons of honey. If you add the honey just reduce the amount of almond milk a little.

Bonus! This recipe is gluten-free and  lactose-free.

Choco High Fibre Slice - Superfood bar, healthy and high in protein

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup psyllium
1/2 cup cocoa or cacao
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup walnut and/or hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup goji berries
1/2 cup tightly packed pitted prunes (I used 24 “sunset brand” prunes)
1 and 1/4 cups almond milk

Method

Place the dry ingredients (including nuts, coconut and goji) in a bowl and mix well breaking up any lumps.

Place the prunes and the almond milk into a food processor and give it a whiz. I blend until well chopped but still has biggish lumps of prune.

Mix the prune and almond milk with the dry ingredient. Mix it very well, ensuring all dry ingredients become moist. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Press the mixture into a 15cm x 24cm tray or similar (lined with baking paper) and refrigerate for several hours before cutting into slices.

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Choco High Fibre Slice - Superfood bar, healthy and high in protein

About the ingredients

Almond meal – is a good source of fibre, high in protein (21% by weight), low in carbohydrates, high in Omega-6 fats and gluten-free.

Coconut flour – high in fibre and gluten-free.

Flaxseed meal – high fibre and protein. Flaxseed also has lots of good fats – Omega-3 and Omega-6. It is gluten-free.

Psyllium – an excellent source of fibre and is gluten-free.

Chia seeds – high in fibre and good fats – omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, high protein (14% by weight) and gluten-free.

Cocoa – high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is also gluten-free.

Hazelnuts –  contain beneficial dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of vitamin-E. Is gluten-free.

Walnuts – low Carbohydrates (and most carbs in the walnuts are fibre).  High in good fats omega-6 and Omega-3, and contains huge amounts of antioxidants. Walnuts contain many vitamins and minerals and are gluten-free.

Desiccated coconut – essential nutrients and high in fibre. Contains saturated fat which makes it very filling. Also gluten-free.

Goji berries – good source of fibre and protein, contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants… and gluten-free.

Almond milk – unsweetened almond milk – lactose-free and gluten-free.

Prunes – high in dietary fibre, and a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants. Also gluten-free.

Do you like this recipe? Pin for later using the image below or share with friends on social media. Sharing is caring…. Thank you!

High Fibre Chocolate Slice #highfibre #superfoods #almondmeal #phyllium #cocoa #coconutflour #flaxseed #chiaseed #walnuts #coconut #gojiberries #prunes #amondmilk #recipe #healthy #delicious #healthfood

Want more delicious recipes like this?

HIGH FIBRE BLISS BALLS

TRIPPIN’ BLISS BALLS

CHRISTMAS PUDDING BLISS BALLS

APRICOT AND COCONUT BLISS BALLS

POWERSTART FRUIT & NUT BARS

FRUIT AND NUT RUM BALLS

RUM AND RAISIN BLISS BALLS

High Fibre Fruit & Nut Bars

I am always trying to formulate ways of adding more fibre to my diet. Dietary fibre prevents constipation and is excellent for weight loss as it makes you feel fuller. However, the benefits are far more significant than that alone. Did you know that high fibre diets reduce blood pressure and inflammation and may prevent colorectal cancer?

Adults need 30g of fibre a day. So I set to work selecting high fibre ingredient to blend into a delicious fruit and nut bar.

I first made this recipe with 1/4 of a cup of dried fruit and I had a couple of people tell me it wasn’t sweet enough. I don’t have a sweet tooth so it was perfect for me. I made a second batch with more fruit and it was better received by the friends who have a sweet-tooth. I, on the other hand, found it a little too sweet and will go back to using only a 1/4 of dried fruit. So you may want to play around with the amount of fruit you use (ingredient six**). If you like very sweet start with 1/2 a cup of fruit etc. You can always add a little honey for sweetness also.

Powerstart Fruit and nut Bar1.1

Ingredients

3/4 cup LSA*
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts 
1/4 – 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit** (cranberries, blueberries, goji etc)
1/4 cup cocoa or cacao
2 Tbs psyllium
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup coconut milk
A little dark chocolate to melt to top the slices (optional).

Method

Add the first eight ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until well blended.

Put the raisins and the coconut milk in a food processor and blend for a minute.

Mix the coconut and raisin into the dry ingredients until well blended.

Press into a tray, sprinkle with coconut and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Once it is firm slice it into bars. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

Keep refrigerated.

*LSA is a ground mix of linseed, sunflower and almond.

Powerstart Fruit and Nut Bar #recipe #highfibre #nuts #seeds #almondmeal #superfood

About the ingredients

LSA (Linseed, Sunflower and Almond) –  Healthy fats –  omega’s 3 and 6, high fibre, vitamins and minerals and it is gluten-free.

Desiccated Coconut – High fibre, iron and minerals (gluten-free).

Raisins – High fibre, iron, calcium and anti-oxidants (gluten-free)

Psyllium – an excellent source of fibre and is gluten-free.

Chia seeds – high in fibre and good fats – omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, high protein (14% by weight) and gluten-free.

Goji berries – good source of fibre and protein, contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants… and gluten-free.

Cocoa – high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is also gluten-free.

Walnuts – low Carbohydrates (and most carbs in the walnuts are fibre).  High in good fats omega-6 and Omega-3, and contains huge amounts of antioxidants. Walnuts contain many vitamins and minerals and are gluten-free.

Do you like this recipe? Please share with social media and pin using the image below… thank you!

High Fibre Fruit & Nut Bar #highfibre #superfood #recipe #LSA #chia #walnuts #coconut #gojiberries #raisins #healthfood #healthy

Want more yummy recipes like this?

CHOCO HIGH FIBRE SLICE

FRUIT AND NUT RUM BALLS

APRICOT AND COCONUT BLISS BALLS

TRIPPIN’ BLISS BALLS

CHRISTMAS PUDDING BLISS BALLS

RUM AND RAISIN BLISS BALLS