Hi guys, Jay-Jay here!
I went on a ten-day health and wellness retreat and it has changed my life!! I am eating healthy, not drinking, and prioritising my health now. And one thing that has really helped me change my mindset is the fantastic food I ate while on this retreat.
Healthy food doesn't have to be dull or gross. I asked my friends at Resolution Retreats if I could share some of my favourite dishes from their retreat with you, and it just so happens that they have all their recipes to share in their own cookbook - 'Retreat Yourself' by the Retreats' founder Joelene Ranby.
Take a look at my five favourite recipes from 'Retreat Yourself' below:
Snickers Bites
Serves 12 - vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and freezer friendly
Ingredients for Peanut Filling:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Ingredients for Chocolate Icing:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 4 tbsp cacao
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Method:
- Place the ingredients for the peanut filling layer into a bowl and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl combine all icing ingredients.
- Spoon the filling mixture into a mini silicon muffin tray. Top each one with a teaspoon of chocolate icing.
- Place in the freezer to set.
- Store and eat from either the fridge or freezer. These need to be kept cool as they melt quickly.
Joelene's Chicken Filos
Serves 1 - freezer friendly
Ingredients:
- 100g chicken breast, chopped into cubes
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp lite sour cream
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup chopped spinach or silver beet
- 1 tbsp low-fat feta cheese
- 1/4 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 or 2 sheets filo pastry
To Serve:
- 1 tbsp relish
Method:
- Heat a non-stick frying pan and brown the chicken. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Leave to cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, add sour cream, egg white, spinach, feta cheese, mushrooms, and mustard. Add chicken and onion mixture to the bowl and mix well.
- Lay out the filo pastry and pour the mixture into the middle of the filo sheet. Roll up and place on baking paper and bake at 180°C until filo has browned.
- Serve with 1 tbsp of relish or pesto.
- If freezing, wait until cool before individually wrapping for the freezer.
Tip: These make a tasty and filling on-the-go lunch option, hot or cold!
Light Pad Thai
Serves 2 - vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free
Ingredients:
- 1 brown onion, chopped into 1cm chunks
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Fresh red chilli (as much as you like)
- 200g prawns, diced chicken or diced tofu
- 2 small red capsicums, chopped
- 2 zucchini, spiralized or diced
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 1 cup shelled edamame beans
- 2 cups konjac noodles or other low-carb alternative
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
- Juice of half a lime
- 2 tbsp cashews
To serve:
- Lime wedges
- Mung bean sprouts
- Handful of coriander
- Sprinkle of sesame seeds
Method:
- Sweat the onion in a pan on low heat before adding the chilli and garlic. Cook for a minute or so before adding the prawns (or chicken, or tofu).
- Once the prawns begin to go pink in colour, add the capsicum, zucchini, edamame beans and spring onion. Cook for a further couple of minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, place the noodles in a bowl with boiling water and let stand for one minute. Drain the noodles and place on paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible before adding to the wok.
- Add the fish sauce, tamari, maple syrup and lime. Stir through.
- Finally, stir through the cashews and serve immediately with a lime wedge, mung bean sprouts, sesame seeds and coriander.
Massaman Fish Curry
Serves 2 - Dairy-free and gluten-free
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp Massaman curry paste
- 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
- 1/2 can coconut milk
- 300g fish fillets (Snapper or Tarakihi)
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini, cut into batons
To serve:
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves
Method:
- In a large frying pan or wok, sauté onion and curry paste in peanut oil for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the capsicum and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and stir.
- Add the fish fillet, lime juice, fish sauce and remaining vegetables. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn the fish and stir the vegetables so they are well coated with the sauce. Put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander.
Retreat-Famous Chickpea Cookies
Serves 12 - dairy-free and gluten-free
Ingredients:
- 2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
- 2/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder (or gluten-free alternative)
- Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (or cacao nibs for a dairy-free alternative)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. The mixture will be thick and sticky. Stir through the chocolate chips.
- With damp hands, form into golf ball- sized balls. Place onto lined baking tray and gently flatten with a fork (these cookies don't do much rising).
- Bake for about 10 minutes. The cookies will be soft when you take them out of the oven but harden as they cool.
Want to win one of two copies of 'Retreat Yourself' from Resolution Retreats founder Joelene Ranby? Enter below! (competition closes 23rd July 2023)
