Two snacks and a drink. The chips take a couple of hours in the oven, the muffins about twenty minutes, and the tonic is worth making a double batch of.
Crunchy zucchini chips
These take a little investment in time, but they’re simple, healthy and very tasty — definitely worth the effort.
Pick your zucchini carefully: firm, free from soft brown spots, more firm than soft.
Ingredients
- Zucchini, firm and ripe
- Olive or avocado oil
- Salt and pepper, or your favourite dried spices
Seasoning ideas
- Classic: sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Smoky: smoked paprika, garlic and marjoram
- Spicy: cumin, coriander and chilli powder
- Herbal: dried basil, oregano and red chilli flakes
- Exotic: curry powder, cardamom and ginger
How to make it
- Use a mandoline to slice the zucchini as thinly as possible — about 1/16 inch. Thin slices are what make them crunchy; thicker ones crisp at the edges but stay soft in the middle.
- Toss the slices gently in olive oil to keep the rounds intact. Season lightly with salt and pepper or your chosen spices — go very light, because the spices concentrate as the zucchini shrinks.
- Bake at 200°F for 2 to 2½ hours. Low and slow is the key to the crunch.
Line the tray with parchment paper rather than a silicone mat, which stops the chips crisping underneath. If any oil is clinging to the bottom, rest them on paper towel.
Serve with a dip, crumbled over a salad for crunch, or just on their own.
Gluten-free banana nut muffins
Good as a post-workout snack or a treat any time of day. The oats are ground into flour, which is what keeps them gluten-free.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 4 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup nut butter of your choice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a blender, spice mill or food processor, grind the oats to a flour-like consistency. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, blend the mashed bananas, eggs, melted coconut oil, vanilla and nut butter until well combined.
- Add the oat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and bake for 15–18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then take them out of the tin to finish cooling.
Makes 12. Per muffin: 180 cal · 5g protein · 18g carbs · 10g fat · 3g fibre
Golden iced tea tonic
A mid-afternoon pick-me-up, thanks to the caffeine in the green tea. What I like about it is the sweet, sour and spicy combination you can tune to suit your mood.
This originally called for fresh ginger and turmeric, but powdered works if that’s what you have. It’s usually made with lime — skip the fruit, use another citrus, or experiment with frozen berries.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 1 bag of green tea
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, or ¾ tsp dried ginger
- 1 tbsp grated fresh turmeric, or 1 tsp dried turmeric
- ½ tbsp honey, preferably manuka
- ½ tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
- Ice cubes
- 1 cup (250ml) sparkling water
- Optional: lime, lemon or orange wedges, or frozen berries
How to make it
- Pour the water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm to almost a boil, then stir in the tea, spices, honey and vinegar.
- Turn the heat to low and let the mixture steep for 10–15 minutes.
- Strain through cheesecloth or a mesh strainer into a glass container. Alternatively, pour it into a French press and press the tea and spices to the bottom.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour.
- To serve, add the sparkling water and ice cubes, with optional citrus wedges or berries.
Double or triple this so you can have some ready to grab a couple of days in a row.
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