Beauty & The Feast

These tasty recipes by health advocate Carla Oates are bursting with nutrients to help get you in tip-top shape, inside and out

‘Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire.’

— Edith Sitwell

Quinoa, spiced apple and pecan bircher

Serves 2

65 gm quinoa, rinsed 150 ml water

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

A pinch of ground cloves

1 tart green apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated

125 gm natural or coconut yogurt (or-coconut kefir), plus extra to serve

½ orange, juiced

60 gm pecans, coarsely chopped, plus extra to serve (optional)

2 medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped

1 tbsp raw honey, warmed up, plus extra to serve (optional)

Raspberries, to serve

Place the quinoa, water, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Decrease the heat to low and gently simmer for 10 minutes, or until most of the water has been absorbed.

Cover and remove from the heat to finish cooking for another 5 minutes, or until tails have sprouted and all of the water has been absorbed. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside to cool slightly. Alternatively, use 200g of pre-cooked quinoa.

Add the apple, yogurt (or kefir), orange juice, pecans, dates and honey and stir to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.