I
used to work as an investigative journalist for the BBC. About 8 years ago I was tasked with working undercover in an abattoir to research the quality of meat going into our supermarkets. It was more the experience itself than what I discovered there that prompted me to become a vegetarian. The years passed and I slowly started to eat meat again. But then I read about the Edinburgh-based LeanFit programme and it felt absolutely right that I should take part. David Waine is a personal trainer and fitness coach who runs classes in Edinburgh, including a popular “Fit Mummy” bootcamp. He used to be an overweight smoker with a junk food addiction. The loss of his mum to cancer prompted him to reassess his lifestyle, and after years of trying different diets he came across plant based nutrition. Last year he and his wife Carly launched LeanFit, an eight week online plant based nutrition programme. They have two little boys, so make the recipes as simple to prepare and family-friendly as possible. ‘My kids are super fussy,’ he tells me. This revelation comes as a huge surprise to me, after seeing numerous photos of his children eating platefuls of veggies. ‘Carly has had to find ways to get their greens into them,’ he says. ‘A huge proportion of people who take the course are mums and dads and our recipes have been a revelation.’ As soon as I received my password for the LeanFit recipe book, I clicked on the “Sweet Treats” section. To my amazement, I found carrot cake muffins. What’s more, the recipe says that you can eat them for breakfast! No wonder David and Carly’s little chaps are loving mealtimes.
You wouldn’t know that there is zero naughtiness in these! To make them yourself you’ll need: • • • • • • • • • •
300g grated carrots 100g grated apples 140g rolled oats 100g buckwheat flour 100g raisins 5 tablespoons almond butter 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 8 tablespoons date syrup 250ml almond milk
made MAR / APR 2018
THEN: 1. Preheat your oven to 160C (140C fan). 2. Place the grated carrots and apples and all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 3. Heat the almond milk and almond butter in a saucepan and warm until combined. 4. Add your warm liquid to the bowl with all the other ingredients and combine everything well. 5. Scoop your mixture into 12 muffin cases that are in a 12 hole muffin tray (sprinkle some chopped walnuts over the muffins if you like). 6. Bake for around 35 minutes, until the tops turn golden brown. 7. Remove them from the oven and let them sit for 10 minutes to cool slightly in the tray and then place them on a cooling rack for another 20 minutes before digging in. I have to say, I was a little sceptical that I could hoodwink my two little chocoholics into eating this carrot cake, or the no-added-sugar (and entirely plant based) cookies and brownies. But they didn’t even blink. The Easy Quinoa Pizza went down a treat too. To try making your own you’ll need: FOR THE PIZZA CRUST • ¾ cup quinoa (soaked for about 8 hours or overnight) • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar • 2 tsp mixed herbs - I use oregano and basil • A sprinkling of chilli powder/flakes • 1 tsp garlic powder • 2 tbsp of tomato paste • Any vegetables you fancy on top!
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