Tasmanian scientists are testing a chocolate bar designed to help soldiers fight for longer without frequent meal breaks.
Eating under combat conditions is no picnic but it is hoped the new chocolate bar might make it a little tastier.
The bar has been developed by the Centre for Food Innovation, which is a collaboration between the University of Tasmania, the CSIRO and the Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG), which has a laboratory at Scottsdale in north-east Tasmania.
DSTG’s Paul Capella said the extended energy bar was designed to provide energy over an longer time period, instead of an instant sugar hit.
“We need food that’ll release energy slowly so they can remain focused and alert while on extended missions,” he said.
“The question is time and having the opportunity to sit down and eat.”
The bars contain flour made from green bananas and plantains.
The Centre for Food Innovation’s director, Professor Roger Stanley, said the unripe fruit contained a resistant starch, which takes longer to digest than sugar from ripe fruit.
“You do have sugars come through and you’ll get the sugar hit, but that will be over in about about two to three hours, whereas when it moves through to the large intestine, we expect a much longer delay and energy production over extended periods, which may be up to 10 to 12 hours.”
Chocolate may also help prevent troop illness
University of Tasmania PhD student Tanvi Shinde is also testing whether the bars could incorporate prebiotics and probiotics, which help improve gut health and prevent conditions like irritable bowel disease and colitis.
They can also boost immunity.
Read More
This week I took a leaf from the very talented Jo at Quirky Cooking and made her incredible Gooey Fudge Brownies. They are dairy free, grain free, gluten free, sugar free and made from green banana flour! Seriously easy and number one for taste! You’ll be lucky if you have any left! Gooey Fudge Brownie Recipe (instead of coconut flour I used Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour which is green Cavendish banana flour) https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/2013/08/gooey-flourless-fudge-brownies-with-video/ Recipe Courtesy of Quirky Cooking – Jo Whitton Ingredients
- – 200g dark chocolate
- – 130g raw Medjool dates, pitted
- – 180g coconut oil
- – 30g banana flour
- – 4 eggs
- – 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- – 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Preheat oven to 190C. Line a 22cm square baking dish with baking paper.
- Place the chocolate (broken into pieces) into the mixing bowl and mill for 10 sec/speed 9.
- Add the dates to the bowl and chop 15 sec/speed 10.
- Add the coconut oil and cook 5 mins/60C/speed 2.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix 20 sec/speed 8. Scrape down lid and sides of bowl and mix another 10 sec/speed 6.
- Scrape mixture into a lined, square baking dish. Bake in preheated 190C oven for 18-20 mins. Cook until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool, cut into small squares, and refrigerate until cold.
- If you don’t have a Thermomix, you’ll need to finely chop the chocolate and dates (in a food processor if you have one) and melt together over a double boiler with the coconut oil, whisking until smooth. Then stir in the remaining ingredients with a wooden spoon.
This week while surfing Instagram in search of some foodspiration for Miss 4’s birthday party I stumbled across the most decadent looking peanut butter and chocolate banana bread I had ever seen, beautifully created by @neuroticmommy. Instantly I knew not only did I have to make that for my family, but also the impending group of party goers would be pleased! I have slightly tweaked from the original and made it gluten free, grain free, dairy free.
Ingredients
3/4 cup green banana flour – Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of bicarb soda
1/3 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy because that was in my pantry – any would be fine :))
1/2 cup cacao
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
pinch of salt
teaspoon of vanilla
1 extra banana for decorating top
1/4 cup peanut butter for decorating
1/4 melted choc for decorating
Method
- Prepare bread tin either by lining or lightly grease/dust.
- Put all ingredients into TM or food processor mix until well combined. If using a hand mixer mash bananas first and then mix everything together.
- Pour into prepared tin. Slice banana and gently push into the batter.
- Melt peanut butter and chocolate in separate bowls, then use the back of a spoon to drizzle across the top.
- Enjoy!
With demand for gluten-free foods high and growing strong, the hunt is on for new non-wheat flours.
Alternative flours made from nuts, rice, coconuts, and tapioca are experiencing the strongest growth in a U.S. gluten-free flour market that grew by 10.8% in the last year, reaching $126 million as of May, according to SPINS (Schaumburg, IL). But banana flour, a newcomer to the U.S. market, may have what it takes to rise, brown, and bake with the best of them.
“Bananas pretty much speak for themselves in the world of nutrition,” says David Wintzer, co-creator, WEDO (Park City, UT). WEDO first began selling green banana flour last year after a successful Kickstarter launch in February 2014 and is the first U.S.-based supplier of banana flour, says Wintzer.
Widespread knowledge of banana’s nutrition may be what hooks consumer interest, but pleasant taste, formulation ease, and environmental sustainability are a few reasons why this new gluten-free flour could be here to stay.
Replacing Wheat
There has to be one question that comes first with an alternative flour: how does it compare to wheat in formulations?
“Green banana flour, in high-standard form, bakes incredibly well and is a very rare gluten-free flour that can rise and remain, as it is starch-based,” says Krista Watkins operations manager at Natural Evolution Foods (Australia). Natural Evolution Foods has been selling banana flour for the past five years within Australia, and in May the company began selling to North America over the Internet.
Watkins says banana flour does differ from wheat flour with its “wholesome earthy flavor” and slightly darker coloring when cooked, and, as with many gluten-free flours, a binding agent may be necessary in certain formulations.
Read More
Well this week saw the evolution of an old recipe “5 minute Citrus Cake”. True to my ideal quick and easy cooking style it’s a one bowl mix everything and bake – quite literally the 5 minute cake to prepare. I hope you enjoy this absolutely delicious gluten free, dairy free, grain free and refined sugar free cake. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Rind and juice of 1 orange (You can easily substitute to make lemon or lime(if using lime use 2))
1 ¼ cup banana flour – Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour
1 teaspoon of bi-carb soda
¼ cup coconut milk (you can use any milk according to your preference)
4 eggs
170gr coconut oil (butter or different oil of choice according to your preference)
1 cup coconut sugar (or honey 1/4 cup)
Method
1.Preheat oven to 180C, prepare tin.
2. In a bowl or TM put all ingredients and pix until well combines. Mixture will have a creamy appearance once ready. TM users work up to speed 8 for 30 seconds.
3. Pour mixture into tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Top as desired and enjoy!
Pictured with cream cheese frosting and orange rind.
Mrs Natural Evolution xo
Mmmm don’t you just love a great tasting, easy muffin recipe? Yes I know you’re thinking how can anyone be “excited about a muffin recipe”?!? In a busy home nourishing food that is versatile and time efficient to prepare is key! These make a great plate for anything from morning tea, lunch box, breakfast or a snack on the go. This recipe ticks (nearly) all the boxes …. can be enjoyed fresh or frozen and thawed for convenience.
gluten free
grain free
dairy free
refined sugar free
….. and can be enjoyed fresh or frozen/thawed for convenience. Most importantly they are healthy, nutritious, light textured and delicious!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup of green banana flour – Natural Evolution Ultimate Baking Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons of bi-carbonate soda
1/4 cup honey
1 cup coconut milk
95 gr coconut oil
2 eggs (lightly whisked)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
125 gr fresh (or frozen) blueberries
Method
1. Preheat oven to 150C. Prepare tins with muffin papers or grease with oil/dust with flour.
2. In TM, food processor or bowl combine green banana flour, bi-carbonate soda, honey, milk, oil, eggs, cinnamon and ginger. Mix until well combined, mixture will become slightly lighter in colour.
3. Food processor and bowl mixers gentle fold blueberries through mixture until even. TM users use backspin speed 3 for around 20 seconds or until evenly distributed.
4. Pour into tin/papers and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Enjoy!
Life is all about evolving, and for me in the kitchen it’s about evolving my methods to easier and quicker ways to create wholesome nourishing food for my family that doesn’t compromise on flavor. This date loaf is an old recipe of mine that I’ve evolved so it’s less fuss and quicker to create. With two young munchkins getting around I know that time is precious. This gluten free, grain free and dairy free loaf is sure to please. The flexibility to enjoy as a snack (lunch boxes), breakfast slice or even dessert this date loaf can be sliced and enjoyed or if there is any left it can easily frozen to be used at a later date.
Ingredients
- 300grams pitted dates
- 200grams water
- 2 teaspoons of bi-carb soda
- 1/4 cup coconut of sugar (optional)
- 80 grams coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 130 grams of Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour (Green Banana Flour)
Method
Mrs Natural Evolution xo
- Preheat oven to 160C. Lightly grease or line bread tin.
- Chop dates finely or Thermomix chop for 8 seconds on speed 7.
- Add water and gently simmer on stove for 5 minutes constantly stirring. TM 5 minutes, 100C, on Speed 1.
- Add bi-carb soda and mix well. TM 3 seconds, speed 2.
- Set date mixture aside.
- In a bowl, TM or food processor beat sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs and flour. TM users 20 seconds speed 9, scrape down sides and mix until evenly combined.
- Add date mixture to flour mixture and mix well. .
- Pour mixture into prepared tin and place in preheated oven. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown/skewer inserted into center comes out clean.
- Leave in tin 10 minutes before turning out onto a cake plate.
- Best left to completely cool before cutting and enjoy!
ENTREPRENEURS Rob and Krista Watkins are preparing to peel open a new international market for their world-leading “super food” grown and produced in the Far North.
The husband and wife team invented a world-first technique to process green banana flour and say their product is the highest resistance starch in the world.
Mr Watkins said green banana flour as a supplement was a high-protein, high-fibre product that could be used in cooking, drinks, or even sprinkled on cereal.
“There’s not another supplement like this in the world,” he said.
Green banana flour has been used globally as a gluten free replacement to wheat flours and, in places such as Africa and Jamaica, as a cheaper alternative to conventional flours.
Mr Watkins said because the bananas were still green they contained no sugar, meaning they were “technically a vegetable”.
The Watkins’ Natural Evolution company is the only source of the powder in Australia.
Read More
This week I was craving Apricot Chicken, an easy dinner that could be enjoyed by the whole family and even better if I could puree some for bub. While it might be easy to go to the supermarket and use a “no thought required” recipe base I promise you it’s just as easy to make your own. The added benefit of knowing exactly what is in you food and avoiding unnecessary ingredients like modified corn starch … what exactly is that?!?
Just as easy and more delicious here is my Apricot Chicken for your family to enjoy!
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts (approx 800gr)
1/3 cup Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour (Green Banana Flour)
1/2 cup dried apricots (organic if possible)
400ml of apricot nectar (organic if possible)
2 tablespoons of oil
1 brown onion cut into rings or wedges
2 cloves of garlic crushed/cut finely
1 tablespoon of Moroccan seasoning
Optional
Rice or Cauliflower to serve
Parsley to serve
Method
-
In a shallow dish add green banana flour (reserve 1 tablespoon of green banana flour for later) and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. Toss chicken pieces in flour shaking of excess.
-
In a large fry pan heat oil and cook chicken gently until golden. If required add extra oil.
-
Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Now cook the onion and garlic until tender.
-
Return chicken to the pan with onion and garlic and add in Moroccan seasoning. Pour apricot nectar into pan and stir then add dried apricots.
-
Cover and gently simmer for 20-25 mins. Add one tablespoon of Green Banana Flour to thicken (add more for a thicker sauce).
-
Serve on a bed of steamed rice or cauliflower rice.
-
Enjoy!
Brrrrrr! Winter is well and truly here for us Tableland North Queenslanders and while comparatively it is mild it’s cold enough to get out the ugg boots, scarves and all the other winter woollies. This gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegan and refined sugar free crunchy apple crumble is sure to warm your soul!
Ingredients
6 medium Granny Smith apples – peeled cored and cut into wedges
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of clove
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil (non-dairy version use butter)
Topping
50g coconut oil
1/4 cup Green Banana Flour (Natural Evolution Ultimate Gluten Free Baking Flour)
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup coconut sugar
Method
1. Preheat oven to 160C. Combine apple, cinnamon, clove, sugar and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally ensuring that apples don’t burn. When ready apples will be tender. If there is excess liquid simply strain off (can be retained later for serving). Transfer to oven safe dish (20cm round or similar).
2. Topping: In a bowl use your fingers to rub ingredients together until mixture is like coarse bread crumbs.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Serve as desired and enjoy!
Mrs Natural Evolution xo
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- Next Page »