Sweet Treats by our Healthy Chef, Teresa Cutter

Cutter readily admits she has a chronic sweet tooth. "But if you follow the 80/20 principle - eat like a saint 80 per cent of the time, eat what you want the other 20 per cent- you can still maintain a healthy eating plan." Sounds like a sweat deal to us.

Muesli Cookies
Makes 12



400g rolled oats
50g desiccated coconut
80g dried sultanas
80g dried apricots
50g pumpkin seeds
50g sesame seeds
50g walnuts, chopped
2 eggs
120ml macadamia nut oil or coconut oil
140ml honey

1. Preheat over to 170 degrees celius. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well for about 10 minutes. Scoop out with an ice cream scoop to make it easier and flatten slightly on a tray lined with baking powder.
2. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on the tray before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.

Teresa's Favourite Banana Loaf



1 ½ cup wholemeal self-raising flour
½ cup wheatgerm
½ cup vanilla whey protein powder or skim milk powder
1tsp cinnamon
2 large ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)
Rind from 1 orange
2tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites
½cup honey
250g fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2cup chopped dried apricots

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees celius. Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas, with the rind, vanilla egg whites and honey.
2.Pour the banana mix into the flour and combine. Fold the blueberries and apricots. Pour into a loaf tin lined with baking powder and bake for about 50 minutes. IF necessary, cover with foil halfway through cooking to stop over-browning. Remove the break from the oven and cool.

Chocolate Brownies
Makes 12 to 16

1 cup wholemeal, gluten free or spelt flour
1/2cup almond meal
1/2cup cocoa powder
1tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2tsp vanilla essence
125ml macadamia nut oil or coconut oil
180ml maple syrup or honey
1 egg, separated
60ml skim or soy milk
60g chocolate, chopped into small pieces
60g walnuts, chopped

1.Preheat oven to 175 degrees celius. Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and spread into a lined square cake tin.
2.Bake for 20 minutes until the brownies are cooked through on top, but slightly moist in the centre. Cool in the tin and refrigerate before cutting in squares.

Tricks of the trade
Cookies: Feeling a chocolate fix? No probs. Ditch the fruit and use dark chocolate chips instead.
Banana Loaf: Replace wheatgerm with coconut and the blueberries and apricots with chunks of dried pineapple for a tropical spin.
Brownies: These are delicious served warm- like pudding- with a little raspberry sauce (300g frozen raspberries, thawed, blended with 1/2cup icing sugar.)

Got a variation you would recommend for these treats? Let us know: