Author: Chris Johnston

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Hazelnut and chocolate muesli bars

1 tablespoon white chia seeds

¼ cup (60ml) water

½ cup (125ml) maple syrup

¾ cup (70g) rolled oats

¾ cup (70g) toasted protein flakes

1 cup (140g) hazelnuts, finely chopped

½ cup (70g) wholemeal lupin flour

½ cup (40g) desiccated coconut

6 fresh dates (90g), pitted and finely chopped

50g 70% dark chocolate, melted

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Place the chia seeds and water in a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. 
  2. Add the maple syrup, oats, flakes, hazelnut, flour, coconut, cacao nibs and date and stir well to combine. Press the mixture firmly into a lightly greased 20cm square tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 25–30 minutes or until golden. Set aside in the tin to cool completely. 
  3. Using a serrated knife, slice into 8 bars. Place on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper and drizzle with the chocolate. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes or until set. Serve.

Note: this recipe has been adapted from Donna Hay’s website.

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Cinnamon Scrolls

Ingredients

Dough

3/4 cup (185ml) warm skim milk

2 tsp (1 sachet/7g) dried yeast

1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar

1 Coles Australian Free Range Egg, lightly whisked

50g butter, melted

2 cups (300g) plain flour

1 cup (150g) lupin flour

1/2 tsp salt

Ground cinnamon, to sprinkle

Cinnamon filling

2/3 cup (150g) brown sugar

1 1/2 tbs ground cinnamon

60g butter, softened

Buttercream

50g butter, softened

3/4 cup (120g) icing sugar mixture

2 tsp milk

Method

Place the milk, yeast and 1 tsp sugar in a small jug. Stir until well combined. Set aside for 5 mins or until the mixture is frothy.

Add the egg, butter and 1 tbs water to the milk mixture. Whisk to combine.

Combine flour, salt and remaining sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add milk mixture and use a round-bladed knife to stir until a soft, sticky dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover loosely with a clean damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.

Meanwhile, to make the cinnamon filling, place the sugar, cinnamon and butter in a small bowl and stir until a smooth paste forms.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 22cm square cake pan and line the base and sides with baking paper. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out the dough to a 30cm x 40cm rectangle. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 2cm border at 1 long end. Starting from the other long end, roll up the dough to enclose the filling. Use a serrated knife to cut evenly into 9 scrolls. Arrange the scrolls, cut-side up, in the prepared pan. Cover loosely with a clean damp tea towel and set aside for 20-30 mins or until the dough rises to the top of the pan.

Bake for 10 mins. Reduce oven to 180°C. Bake for a further 20-25 mins or until the scrolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the top. Set aside in the pan to cool.

To make the buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter in a bowl until very pale. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the milk and beat to combine.

Place the scrolls on a serving platter. Spread with the buttercream and sprinkle with cinnamon. 

Adapted from Coles recipe.

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Giant chocolate chip cookie

Ingredients

  • 5og lupin flour
  • 15g Greek yoghurt
  • 5g butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • Chunks of chocolate
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Method

  1. Mix dry ingredients, then add in yoghurt, butter and egg. Combine, then add chopped up chocolate.
  2. Mould into 1-3 big cookie dough balls and place on oven tray.
  3. Bake in 180C oven for 10-15 minutes. Let cool on tray slightly before transferring to a wire rack.
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Pizza dough

Pizza and salad spread

Ingredients

375ml (1 1/2 cups) warm water

Pinch of caster sugar

2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast

300g (2 cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

300g (2 cups) lupin flour

1 tsp salt

60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, plus extra for brushing

Table spread

Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. Combine the flours and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

Brush a bowl lightly with oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in the prepared bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

Dust work surface with flour. Knead dough and form into a long cylinder. Divide into thirds. Use a rolling pin to roll each third into a 20cm disc, then add your favourite toppings and bake.

Note: adapted from taste.com.au recipe

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Balance bowl

Balance Bowl flatlay

Ingredients
1/4 cup kibble, cooked (4 minutes in boiling water).
10 sweet potato chips
Small handful of baby spinach
Small handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
3 mushrooms, sliced and sautéed in olive oil, salt and pepper
cube of feta
1/4 avocado sliced
1 tsp pesto
sprinkle of pumpkin kernels

Method

  1. Layer each item in a bowl.
  2. Mix with a fork – eat.

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Joanna McMillan’s Lupin Chicken Nuggets

Joanna McMillan Lupin Chicken Nuggets Video

Ingredients 

1/2 cup lupin flour

1 tsp salt & good grind of black pepper

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cardamom 

1 egg 

1 cup lupin crumb 

2 chicken breast fillets

Extra virgin olive oil to fry 

Method

In one bowl combine the lupin flour with the salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, coriander and cardamom. 

In a second bowl whisk the egg with 1 tbs water.

Place the lupin crumb in a third bowl. 

Dice the chicken into desired nugget size. (You can also dice small to make chicken popcorn). Toss the chicken cubes in the flour mixture, then the egg and finally the crumb. This can be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge.

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Protein Muesli

Protein Muesli

Ingredients

1 cup toasted protein flakes

2 cups rolled oats

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons goji berries

2 tablespoons dried strawberries

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

½ cup rice puffs

Greek yoghurt, to serve

Method

Mix all ingredients together, adding more or less of ingredients as you prefer. Store in airtight container.

Serve with yoghurt and fresh or frozen berries (defrosted).

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More Nutrition Info

nutritional panel

Australian lupins have the lowest GI of any commonly consumed seed!  Low GI foods are known to:

  • lower post-digestion glucose rise
  • reduce daily mean insulin levels
  • lower total and LDL cholesterol levels
  • reduce liver cholesterol synthesis
  • decrease serum Apolipoprotein B levels
  • decrease 24h urinary C-peptide output
  • higher satiety rating, control appetite

For information on Glycemic index visit www.glycemicindex.com.

LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE

Lupins are identified as one of the best natural sources of the amino acid arginine, which is reported to improve blood vessel performance. Recent studies have shown that including lupin in the diet assists with hypertension.

Cardiovascular disease, or heart disease, remains the number 1 cause of death in Australia, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor. Eating products made with 40 per cent lupin-fortified flour replacing wholemeal wheat flour has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure and so reduce the risk of heart disease.

To determine if a lupin-enriched diet would have a positive effect on key health risk factors Dr Regina Belski, now an Associate Professor of Dietetics and Course Director at Swinburne University, led a study involving 131 overweight but otherwise healthy people. The aims of the research were to determine if eating lupin flour-enriched foods would assist in weight loss and hence improve cardio-vascular health.

In the study, half the participants were given bread, biscuits and pasta made with lupin-enriched flour while the rest of the group had these same foods made using wholemeal flour. At the end of 12 months, despite similar weight loss in both groups, the group eating lupin flour foods had significantly larger improvements in a number of key risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The results of this study were published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2011.

HELP FOR DIABETICS

High fasting insulin concentrations and insulin resistance are precursors to diabetes and both appeared to be reduced when an individual’s diet included lupins. Diabetes is Australia’s largest and fastest growing chronic disease. If the addition of lupin ingredients to meals and food products can stem the tide of this disease many lives will be improved and the large cost of treating and managing the disease can be reduced.

IMPROVES BLOOD LIPIDS

Lupin fibre acts as a soluble fibre and drops the total cholesterol without affecting the HDL cholesterol. A study by Hall et al (2005) involving 38 men each eating a control diet and then a diet of food products enriched with Australian lupin fibre for a month found that the lupin-enriched diet lowered total blood cholesterol by 4.5 per cent and the bad LDL cholesterol by 5.4 per cent.

IMPROVES BOWEL HEALTH

Lupin foods reduce transit time, lower the colon pH (anti-cancer) and act as a ‘pre-biotic’ and, therefore, are potentially very beneficial for bowel health.

EXCELLENT SOURCE OF UNSATURATED FATS

Provides an excellent source of unsaturated fats, including the beneficial omega 3 alpha-linoliec acid, along with micronutrients and antioxidants.

GLUTEN FREE

Lupins are gluten free and are therefore potentially suitable for people with coeliac disease. Our sweet white lupins are carefully processed through our 100% gluten-free environment.

www.coeliac.org.au      www.gastro.net.au/diets/glutenfree.html

AUSTRALIAN LUPINS ENJOY GMO-FREE STATUS

IMPORTANT NOTE

Please be aware that lupin is an allergen. It may produce an allergic reaction for a small percentage of the population. People with a peanut allergy may also react to lupin. Find out more 

FOR SOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION ON THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING BENEFITS OF LUPINS:

Lupins.org: www.lupins.org

Pulse Australia: http://pulseaus.com.au/blog/post/unique-food-value-lupin

For information on Glycemic index visit the website: www.glycemicindex.com

Dr Regina Belski

Health benefits of legumes and pulses with a focus on Australian Sweet lupins

The effects of lupin-enriched foods on body weight, body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors

Catherene Julie Aarthy.C

A study on the lupin seed (lupinus albus) its nutrient content and health benefits in comparison to soyabean.

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Burrito bowl

Burrito bowls

Ingredients
½ cup lupin crumb

½ cup tri coloured quinoa

400g can black beans, drained

400g can corn, drained

200g cherry tomatoes, quartered

Spinach

Tortilla chips

Avocado

Lime

Method

Cook the lupin crumb and quinoa in rice cooker with 3 cups water.

Arrange all ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle with lime. Optional: add sour cream, salsa, grated cheese and tabasco sauce.

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Lupin hummus

Lupin hummus

Ingredients

60ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice

250g (1 ½ cups) cooked lupin crumb, see note.

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

2-3 tablespoons water

Dash ground paprika for serving

60ml ( ¼ cup) well stirred tahini

Method

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 second more. 

Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin and a ½ teaspoon salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30seconds or until well blended.

Add half the lupin to the processor and process for 1minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining lupin and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.

Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of lupin. To fix this, with the processor going, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the ideal consistency.

Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of paprika.

Store lupin hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.