MESSY BENCHES

Bliss balls make for a great healthy snack, dessert or breakfast on the run and not only that the options of flavours and ingredients are endless. They are also very simple to make in a Thermomix of food processor.

Coconut bounty bars covered in white and dark chocolate. Filled with shredded coconut, maple syrup, vanilla and almond milk they make for a great snack or dessert.

Barbecued pork loin with crispy, crunchy crackling. Score the skin, rub with salt and allow to dry out overnight in the fridge for the best crackling.

These chickpea choc chip cookies have been kid approved in our house. Perhaps it’s the chocolate chips but we’d like to think there’s a little more to it than that! Chickpeas are packed full of protein, fibre and are a source of iron and zinc.

With a crunchy sweet base, a coconut flavoured filling, an almond flavoured caramel layer and a chocolate topping this caramel cheesecake slice might just be a new favourite in our house.

Tandoori chicken grilled on the barbecue and served with a yogurt, coriander and mint dressing and some crunchy poppadoms.

A good old fashioned Aussie damper recipe that can be baked in the oven or in a charcoal barbecue. Damper is best served with a smear of butter, honey or jam.

A light and fluffy banana bread made from almonds, almond pulp, bananas, dates and a few other bits and pieces. It’s also gluten, grain, refined sugar and dairy free.

These full flavoured frozen delights are simple to make and taste great. They’re sweet and crunchy and happen to be gluten, dairy and refined sugar free.

lamb ribs smoked and served with a refined sugar-free BBQ sauce The distinct flavour of lamb is ever present in lamb ribs. It comes through strongly and with the mix of a little fat and with a light brush of sauce lamb ribs are awesome. …

This tasty strawberry cheesecake slice happens to be gluten free, refined sugar free and paleo friendly. It is quick and easy to make in the Thermomix or food processor and also happens to look very cool!

Bacon. Strawberries… in a jam? Sounds good to me! Sweet spreadable strawberry jam with crispy bacon pieces. Great for burgers, on toast and as a condiment.

Paleo, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free brownies made with tahini are definitely a winner at home especially with our little boys.

Store bought sauces are typically loaded with sugar, calories, flavourings and preservatives. Besides being very unhealthy they have a tendency to overpower whatever you are serving it with. Medijool dates and maple syrup form the sweetener in this BBQ sauce.

Its only 30 days, 30 days eliminating foods that can potentially have a negative effect on your body. After a tough first week the rest of the program was a great educational experience which left my body feeling amazing.

Chicken breasts smoked in the Weber, seasoned, and brushed with… mayonnaise! Mayo helps to avoid the meat sticking to the grill, hold onto seasonings, encourage the Maillard reaction and potentially retain moisture in the meat.

Be warned. These are addictive! Marina and I first discovered coco mojitos on our honeymoon and they quickly became a favourite. Vodka, coconut rum, pineapple, lime and some other secrets make for one (or two) tasty cocktails.

Barbecued, cool looking, sweet and sticky chicken drumsticks. With a little bit of prep work you can make the average chicken drumstick look like a giant lollipop. Also makes eating them a lot easier. Oh and the taste really good too!

Beef back ribs are smaller than short ribs, cook in roughly half the time and are half the price. But do they taste as good as shorties? I think they go pretty close!

This cashew cheese was made to stuff inside some jalapeno and paprika poppers whilst on the Whole30 program. The flavour can be enhanced by adding chives, rosemary, green peppercorns, paprika, chilli flakes, dijon mustard, seeded mustard, lime or coriander.