Fuel Your Day: Fruit, Nuts & Seeds

"A good few years ago, there was a popular advert for a well-known chocolate brand with the tagline, ‘Everyone’s a Fruit and Nut Case’. There's a good few reasons to include more of both ingredients in our diets. Fruit is an excellent source of dietary fibre, Vitamin C, minerals and antioxidants that may boost our bodies' defences. Nuts are a good source of protein, healthy unsaturated fats and essential nutrients such as Vitamin E and Magnesium." - Christian Gott

Banana & Oat Muffins

Bananas are perhaps the original superfood, and their natural sweetness reduces the amount of processed sugar needed in the recipe. I boost the fibre content using rolled oats with wheat bran.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe Bananas

• 200g Self-Raising Flour

• 75g Light Brown Sugar

• 50g Porridge Oats with Wheat Bran

• 50g Plain Yoghurt

• 100ml Vegetable Oil

• 100ml Full-fat Milk

• 2 Free-range Eggs

• 2 tsp quality Vanilla Essence

• 1 level tsp Baking Powder

METHOD

1. Mix the oats and milk together and soak for at least an hour.

2. Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4. Prepare a muffin tin with 12 cases.

3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the sugar. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, vanilla, oil, and yoghurt together.

4. Mash bananas and stir into the pre-soaked oats. Combine all ingredients with the flour mix thoroughly. Carefully spoon into the muffin cases.

5. Bake for 25-30 mins until a sharp knife or skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Nut & Seed Trail Mix

Trail Mix was originally made as a short-term energy boost for walkers and hikers. It is a great mid-morning snack or ideal to eat after a workout.

INGREDIENTS

• 160g Whole Almonds

• 160g Dark Chocolate Chips

• 120g Dried Apricots, cut into quarters

• 120g Sunflower Seeds

• 120g Pumpkin Seeds

• 60g Golden Raisins

• 40g Coconut Flakes

• A generous sprinkling of fine Sea Salt

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Date & Walnut Flapjacks

 Packed with nutrients, this flapjack is ideal for a dairy-free or vegan diet.

INGREDIENTS

• 250g Porridge Oats with Wheat Bran

• 100g pitted Medjool Dates

• 100g Chopped Walnuts

• 50g Flax Seeds

• 1 ripe Banana

• 3 tsp quality Vanilla Extract

• A generous pinch of fine Sea Salt

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 350F/180C/Gas Mark, and butter a twenty-centimetre square, non-stick baking tray.

2. Finely chop the dates and place in a bowl. Lightly press the dates down with a spoon, cover with boiling water, and leave to soak for thirty minutes.

3. Place the banana into a food processor, add the soaked dates, liquid, salt, and vanilla - blitz to a puree.

4. Add half of the nuts and one hundred grams of the oats and process to a thick paste. Thoroughly mix the paste with the remaining oats, nuts and seeds in a large bowl. Transfer the mixture to the buttered tray and level down with a wooden spoon.

5. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into pieces.