Come autumn, as the temp drops, its not uncommon to crave more warming foods and the usual summery snacks such as smoothies, veggies and dip and fresh fruit appeal less.
The cooler months are also when we may be more susceptible to catching a cold/flu and paying attention to immunity leading up to winter and during winter is key.
This is because a large proportion of our immune system is housed in the gut and therefore it only makes sense our gut health will therefore impact our immunity.
Snacking is a good way to add additional nutrients to our diets and when it comes to the cooler months – gut supportive ingredients!
With this in mind, here I am sharing some autumn snacks, which tick both boxes – contain key gut friendly ingredients and are more warming than usual summery snacks, hope you enjoy!
Pear and Macadamia Loaf
Key gut ingredients
- Pear: famous for its pectin content, which is a famous prebiotic known to stimulate the growth of good bacteria.
- Macadamia nuts: contain fibre which acts like a prebiotic in the gut. Also contains healthy monounsaturated fats.
Serves: 6-12
Pre: 5 minutes
Cooking: 60 minutes
Ingredients
½ cup macadamia nuts, coarsely ground
2 cups spelt flour, sifted (or wholemeal is ok)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 pear, sliced
3 cups pear, cored and cut into cubes
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. honey
4 eggs
1 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla essence
2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch nutmeg, optional
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 160C.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add the pear and water, cook for 5-7 minutes until soft, puree.
Add the flour, baking soda, pear, oil, honey, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until well combined.
Pour into a greased 9×5″ loaf pan or 2 7×3″ pans lined with baking paper, top mixture with sliced pear and bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked.
To serve warm up and serve with a spread of nut butter.
Sweet Potato and Chilli hummus
Key gut ingredients
- Chickpeas and sweet potato: both good sources of fibre and also resistant starch which cannot be digested and goes straight to the colon to feed bacteria.
- Miso: fermented food containing “live” good bacteria
Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup steamed or roasted sweet potato, cooked and cooled
1/3 cup tahini
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp. chilli flakes, increase or decrease quantity to suit
pinch cumin, ground, optional
1-2 tsp. miso paste or pinch salt
pepper, to taste
Method
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth, add extra oil or even water, to thin if needed.
Season to taste.
Store in a glass container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Seed crackers with and Sweet Potato and Chilli Hummus and Sauerkraut
Key gut ingredients
- Psyllium: another source of prebiotics, which support the production of short chain fatty acids, reduce the ability of bad bacteria to grow and help to increase the uptake of minerals from the foods we eat.
- Flaxseeds, Chia and hemp: good sources of fibre and also plant-based omega-3 fats which exert anti-inflammatory effects in the gut.
Ingredients
1 cup water + more if needed
¼ cup flaxseeds
2 tbsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. psyllium husk
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. hemp seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds, optional
1 tsp. cumin seeds, optional
pinch salt, optional
Method
Preheat oven to 180C and line a baking try with non-stick paper.
In a large bowl combine flaxseeds, chia, psyllium, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp seeds, fennel, cumin seeds and salt. Combine well.
Add water to the bowl and mix well. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-12mins until all of the water has been absorbed and the mixture comes together.
Spread mixture thinly onto the prepared baking tray, using a sharp knife score crackers into large rectangles or the size preferred.
Bake for 20-30mins until lightly brown on top. Remove tray from oven and let cool slightly, break or cut into individual crackers.
Top with a few spoonful’s of sweet potato and chilli hummus and sauerkraut.
Tip: for a sweet version of the crackers, add 1-2 tbsp. honey to the mix.
Other Quick Ideas
- Roasted pears or apples with and LSA and yoghurt (cow or coconut)
- Fresh figs stuffed with cottage cheese and dates
- Cooked quinoa warmed up and topped with yogurt, mashed berries, honey and nuts/seeds
- Roasted sweet potato topped with cottage cheese/ricotta and drizzled with maple syrup
- 3 ingredient pancakes (egg, banana and almond meal) and spread with nut butter (can pre-make and take to work)
- Spice toasted nuts/seeds (ie use turmeric, chilli and cayenne pepper)
- Wholegrain crackers/rice cakes/sourdough topped with cottage cheese and roasted pears
