Makes: About 1 cup
preparation: 10mns
Total Time: 10mns

Benefits:
This is a great dressing using heart healthy olive oil, garlic (a natural 'antibiotic' and immunity booster), and white balsamic vinegar which is healing and soothing for your digestive system and contains a number of nutrients and antioxidants, such as polyphenols that lower LDL cholesterol. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 clove crushed garlic
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 pinch salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Fresh Herbs of choice (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and mustard. 
   
2. Crush the Garlic clove with the back of a knife and drop into the mix.
   
3. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Stir in minced fresh herbs if desired. (think basil, thyme or tarragon!)
   

Tip: I sometimes add 1tsp of honey as a variation. It tastes delicious!

Makes: 1/4 Cup
Preparation: 5mns
Total time: 5mns

Benefits:
There is nothing like spices to add nutrients to your food, and a little adds a lot in terms of nutrition! Cinnamon is great for controlling blood sugar, in fact 1/2 a teaspoon a day is all you need to keep your blood sugar in check. Ginger is great for digestion...This mix is a great one to add to this delicious pumpkin cookie recipe or to your pumpkin pie this halloween.

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons cinnamon powder
2 teaspoons ginger powder
1 teaspoon allspice powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg powder

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container.
   
2. After you make this recipe and taste it – you can adjust the spices to suit your taste.
   

Makes: 6 large cookies or 12 small cookies
Preparation: 20mns
Total time: 40mns

Benefits:
These cookies are super healthy as they contain oats which is a slow release carbohydrate. The sweetness comes from the banana and the pumpkin, full of Potassium and Beta carotene. The almonds and flaxseed add lots of heart healthy fats and fiber. A great recipe for the kids!

Ingredients:
2 cups organic raw whole rolled oats
8 ounces (about 1 cup) organic mashed pumpkin 
1 small ripe banana, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoon ground flax seeds
3 tablespoon maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. I recommend buying the blend at your local natural grocer (it’s inexpensive and contains proper proportions), or follow this recipe to make your own.
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C (350 F). Lightly spray/brush a baking sheet with natural coconut oil or your usual cooking oil. 
   
2. Steam the pumpkin until tender and then puree in a food processor. 
   
3. Combine pumpkin, banana, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix on high with a hand mixer until mostly smooth, about two minutes. 
   
4. Fold in the oats, almonds and flax using a large wooded spoon until the mixture is uniform. 
   
5. Form 6 large cookies and bake for 14-16 minutes until set. They will stay soft but hold together well. Let cool 10 minutes before eating. 
   
6. Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
   

Tip: This recipe also works well if you make 12 small cookies of equal size and bake for 11-13 minutes.

Source: Kris Carr , Photo: kris Carr

Makes: 4 servings
Preparation: 30mns
Total Time: 60mns

Benefits:
This is a recipe that my daughter made for us from one of her cookbooks and its become a staple in our kitchen! It is such an easy, quick and delicious curry, especially for those of you who have never attempted to make a curry. the real goodness here comes from the great spices, all of which have great nutritional qualities. The Turmeric in particular, often referred to as 'liquid gold', is a vey powerful anti-inflammatory. I sometimes add vegetables to this recipe so that my kids can get their 5-a-day...

Ingredients:
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
2 level teaspoons of cornflour
300ml of thick plain yoghurt
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Half a teaspoon of ground Ginger
Half a teaspoon of ground Turmeric
2 teaspoons of ground Coriander
1 teaspoon of ground Cumin
150ml of coconut milk
75ml of chicken stock (I suggest making your own, I always make it in bulk and freeze it. On a day when you're planning to cook a chicken dish, simply boil a full chicken with celery, carrot and onion, cinnamon, cloves and a little salt. Use the chicken for your recipe and store the stock in several glass containers in your freezer.)
A pinch of salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander 

Directions:

1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 pieces.
   
2. Mix the cornflour with 2 tablespoons of yoghurt in a bowl, then gradually add the rest, a little at a time.
   
3. Fry the onion on low heat with oil for about 10mns.
   
4. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander and cumin. Gently heat the mixture for 2mns, stirring continuously.
   
5. Turn the heat down low and add the chicken. Add and stir in the yoghurt mixture, 1 tablespoon at a a time.
   
6. Stir in the coconut milk and stock, a little at a time. Add the salt and pepper, then cover the pan and cook for 30mns on low heat, stirring the curry often.
   
7. Check that the chicken is cooked by cutting a piece in half. If its not, cook for a further 5-10mns.
   
8. Finally stir in the chopped coriander and serve with rice (brown rice is always better!).
   

Makes: A medium sized bowl
Preparation: 10mns
Total: 15mns

Benefits:
Who doesn't love guacamole! It’s packed full of healthy fats from the avocado (Omega 3's) and is just delicious! The lower fat option with the peas (see tip below) is equally delicious.

Ingredients:
1 large avocado
1 yellow bell pepper
1 tomato
1 bunch of cilantro
1/4 small white onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 jalepeño (optional, for spice)

Directions:

1. Wash and cut veggies & garlic. 
   
2. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and mix well. You can add the Avocado at the end for a short whizz only if you prefer to keep some 'chunks' in there. Alternatively, you can mash the avocado with a fork to the consistency you like and mix the ingredients with it in a bowl (after they've been whizzed in the processor). 

Tip: For a lower calorie version, cut avocado in half and add 1/4 cup peas.

Source: Andrea Biethman

Makes: About 12 slices
Preparation: 15mns
Total: 135mns (includes 120mns refrigeration)

Benefits:
Raw foods, as opposed to foods that have been cooked, retain all of their nutrients and goodness. This recipe boasts a huge array of Vitamins and minerals from the heart healthy oils found in the nuts (Omega 3's), to the high antioxidants found in Raw Cacao and the rich Vitamins of the Dates and Coconut. Eat this without feeling guilty as you are giving your body a superboost of Nutrients... It really is to die for!

Ingredients: 
1 cup pecans (you can use walnuts too!)
1 cup dates
5 tablespoons raw cacao (cocoa) powder
4 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar (I use Manuka Honey)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt 

Directions:

1. Place pecans alone in your food processor and process until the pecans become small and crumbly.
   
2. Add dates and process again until the mixture sticks together and the dates are well processed.
   
3. Add the remaining ingredients and process again until the mixture turns a lovely dark chocolatey brown. Stop processing before it gets too buttery. (There should still be air between the small bits so that you will be able to press them down into your brownie pan.)
   
4. Dump the mixture into a brownie dish or small cake pan and press down firmly using your clean hands.
   
5. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. You do not have to refrigerate it, but it is much easier to slice when chilled. By the way, this is actually a raw brownie recipe that keeps its shape! 
   
6. Keep stored in the refrigerator (if it lasts that long!)
   

Source: Andrea Biethman