Good Gut Great Health May 2025 - Recipes by Aisling Larkin
Aisling’s High Satiety Granola
Ingredients
- 200g gluten free rolled oats
- 50g raw almonds chopped
- 50g raw pecans chopped
- 50g unsweetened shredded coconut
- 50g ground flaxseed
- 50g chia seeds
- 50g sesame seeds
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 50g avocado oil/coconut oil/vegetable oil melted
- 50g honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C.
- In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, chopped almonds, chopped pecans, chopped cashews, shredded coconut, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well coated.
- Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the pan.
- Once the granola is cool, transfer it to an airtight container for storage.
Roast Chicken & Courgettes with Herby Lemon Natural Yogurt, Toasted Pine Nuts & Quinoa Herb Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Roast Chicken & Courgettes
- 4 skin-on chicken thighs/legs or 4 chicken breasts
- 2 courgettes, sliced into thick rounds
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh herbs thyme, oregano
For the Herby Lemon Yogurt
- 200g live natural yogurt
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Small handful parsley and mint, finely chopped
- Sea salt, to taste
For the Quinoa Herb Salad
- 150g quinoa
- 400ml vegetable stock or water
- 1 small cucumber, finely diced
- 1 red onion
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- ½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ bunch mint, leaves torn
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Finish
- 40g pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan
- Extra mint leaves or herbs, to garnish
- Optional: drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Roast the Chicken & Courgettes
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
- Place the chicken thighs in a baking tray.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, dried oregano, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Pour over the chicken and massage into the skin.
- Scatter the courgette rounds around the chicken and tuck in the herb sprigs, if using.
- Roast for 35–40 minutes until golden, crisp, and the juices run clear.
Make the Herby Lemon Yogurt
- In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, chopped herbs, and a pinch of salt.
- Taste and adjust lemon or salt to your liking.
- Set aside.
Cook the Quinoa Salad
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water, then simmer in vegetable stock & cumin for about 12–15 minutes until the grains are tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- Fluff with a fork and let it cool slightly.
- Fold through the cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Taste and season again if needed.
Assemble the Dish
- Spoon the quinoa salad onto a platter or plates.
- Nestle in the roast courgettes and top with the chicken.
- Spoon over the herby lemon yogurt and scatter toasted pine nuts across everything.
- Garnish with extra herbs and a final drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
The Only Power Ball Recipe You Will Ever Need
Ingredients
- 200g dates
- 75g whole peanut butter
- 75g oats
- 40g dark chocolate
- 15-20g milled seeds
- 1g sea salt for mixture
- 5g vanilla extract
- 10g cocoa/chocolate protein powder
- 100g 70% dark chocolate
- Additional sea Salt for sprinkling
- 50-75ml hot water
Method
- Soak the dates in the hot water (water just off the boil) until soft (approx. 10-15 minutes)
- Drain dates, reserving the soaking liquid.
- Blend the dates and about half the water until smooth in a food processor.
- Chop up the dark chocolate and add it into the mixture in the food processor.
- Mix in the peanut butter, oats, milled seeds, salt, vanilla and cocoa. Blitz until well combined and very smooth. Go for a few minutes.
- Stop, have a taste and check the texture. If the mixture is too dry add more of the reserved date liquid, a small amount at a time, checking the texture as you go.
- Roll into 15 evenly sized balls. Each one should be about 25-30g.
- Melt the dark chocolate for coating. Roll, dip or drizzle with the chocolate. Sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate for an hour or until the chocolate is set.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or freeze for up to 3 months.
