Butternut Cookies

Another interesting way to get vegetables into your daily diet :)

Ingredients

• 1 banana mashed
• 1/3 cup butternut squash ( steamed and mashed)
• 4 dates pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetned dessiccated coconut
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond nut butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of ground ginger
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of himalayan rock salt ( or sea salt)
• 2 Tbsp almond milk ( start with one and omit other if mixture is moist enough)
• 1 tsp coconut oil, melted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180deg Celcius. 
2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
3. Mix all the ingredients in a medium shaped bowl.
4. Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten out. 
5. 
   
   
6. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
7. Remove baking tray once cooked and let cookies sit for a few minutes.
8. Remove cookies and place them on wire rack to cool.

Enjoy :-)

Franks Mince

Who's Frank you say.. well he's hot and saucy :-) It's Franks hot sauce of course.
Anyway a quick easy lunch/dinner i rustled up today, who says recipes on the blog need to be over complicated. This ones simple and just 3 ingredients

Ingredients

• 200g Steak Mince
• 1 Tbsp Franks hot sauce
• 2 Tbsp Greek Full Fat Natural Yogurt ( or Goats milk yogurt for those dairy free)
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil 

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil in the pan and fry up the mince until cooked through. 
2. Take off the pan and allow to cool.
3. In a small bowl mix the yogurt and hot sauce to create a dressing/sauce.

To serve
Put the mince on the plate and the dressing on top, on the side or mix through.
I also added a nice side salad of spinach, rocket, sunflower seeds and extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Raw Chocolate Dice

I'm not normally a gambler, but i took a chance on these raw chocolate treats from Ciara Beauge, and it totally paid off.. Winner alright :-)

I have to say while on my food experiments that i am on, i sometimes do miss my little chocolate treats. What better way to indulge than on homemade raw chocolate treats. With this one you can play around with flavors and enjoy them all, whatever flavors you like. For mine i used desiccated coconut, flaked almonds, raspberries and crushed oat cakes.

Ingredients

• 60g raw cocoa powder
• 60g cocoa butter
• 35g coconut palm sugar (you could also use agave syrup/raw honey or maple syrup)

Optional Additionals

• 2 Oat cakes crushed
• 1 Tbsp crushed frozen rasberries
• 1 Tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1 Tbsp flaked almonds

Method

1. Over a pan of hot water melt the cocoa butter in a bowl
2. Remove from heat and mix in cocoa powder and coconut palm sugar
3. Once everything is completely coated you can add in your additional fillers. *
4. 
   
   
5. Pour the mixture into the chocolate moulds and put in fridge or freezer to set ( depending on how much patience you have )

* Note for the frozen raspberries it is best to put the raspberries in the chocolate mould first and pour the chocolate mixture over it.

Once set these can be stored in the fridge or freezer and gamble at your leisure.

Almond Chocolate Fudge

This recipe I got from a friend of mine. I thank her for it! She has just started a paleo cheat treat delivery service - :-)

Cheat Free Treats

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Almond Butter(or any nut butter)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 cup Agave Syrup(you can probably substitute other sweetener) 
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Put all ingredients into blender and blend.
2. Pour mixture into ice cube tray .
3. Place in freezer for 10mins to set.

Theses can be stored in the freezer .

Fruit/Nut Clusters - with a bit of chocolate thrown in

These are a bit like these Eat Natural Bars with Dark Chocolate - just home made :)

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed nuts and dried fruit (here the choice is Endless)
• 1/3 cup Agave Syrup (or honey)
• 1/3 tsp himalayan rock salt
• 1/3 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup 85% Dark Chocolate ( or you can make your own - Dark Chocolate)
• 2/3 tsp cocoa butter

Nut/Seed/Dried Fruit mix you can use ANY combination.. that's whats so fun.
(try to keep the nuts unsalted and the dried fruit only fruit sweetened)

I used brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, dates cranberries and raisins
(next time i'm going to add sunflower and pumpkin seeds too)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180degC.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl combine, agave, nuts, fruit, cinnamon and salt; until all combined.
4. Pour the nut mix onto the baking sheet and spread evenly to about 1/2 inch thick; trying to keep away from the sides as the honey/agave with spread out. 
5. 
   
   
6. Bake in the oven for 18minutes.
7. Remove and let cool completely
8. Once completely cooled AND hardened, break the nut into clusters.
9. In a bowl over hot water, melt the chocolate and cocoa butter together until smooth.
10. Dip the nut clusters into the chocolate and leave to harden turned up on a baking sheet.
11. 
    
    
12. Once all the nut clusters have been dipped in chocolate and placed on baking sheet, cool in the fridge to harden.

Store in an air tight container

Herb Crackers - Gluten/Dairy Free

Been cracking up for crackers recently.. so i found a recipe and tweaked it slightly to make my own.. friendly ones :-)

Ingredients

• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 tsp himalayan rock salt
• 1 Tbsp dried Basil
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/2 Egg white
• 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp melted coconut oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180degC.
2. In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients, ground almonds, salt and herbs.
3. In a small bowl mix the wet ingredients, egg, water, olive oil and coconut oil.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and combine until dough forms.
5. 
   
   
6. Place dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll to to about 1/8 inch thick.
7. Transfer to a baking sheet and remove the top piece of parchment paper.
8. Cut the dough into squares.
9. 
   
   
10. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
11. Let cool and serve with dip of your choice

You can store in air tight container.

Cashew Almond chocolates

Feeling like a little chocolate fix... This one is quick and easy and above all tasty and almost guilt free.

Ingredients 

1 and 1/2 tbsp cashew nut butter

1 tbsp coconut oil

3/4 tbsp raw cocoa powder

1/2 tsp raw honey

7 almonds

Method

Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Place cocoa, honey, coconut oil and cashew butter into the bowl.

Stir until melted and all combined.

Place and almond into the bottom of each chocolate mold.

Cover each almond with the melted chocolate mix. (About 2 tsp per mold)

Place in freezer to set.

(This yields about 7 chocolates)

Can be stored in fridge or freezer.

Lime and Coconut Chicken Bites

Surely you don't feel like chicken nuggets?! Do you??

But if you were craving a snack, lunch or dinner that was easy to make and tasty too. Try these out

Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded coconut
• zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp himalayan rock salt
• 1 egg beaten
• 350g diced chicken

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190degC.
2. in a small bowl mix the shredded coconut, lime zest, cumin and salt.
3. In a second small bowl beat the egg.
4. 
5. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg, shaking off the excess. 
6. Dip the chicken coated in egg into the coconut mix and ensure completely covered.
7. Repeat for a chicken pieces and place on a baking tray or glass oven dish.
8. Repeat for all pieces.
9. 
10. Place tray/dish in the oven and bake for 25minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with salad and avocado.

Chicken, Avocado, Lettuce Wraps

So.. this is like a sandwich without the bread :) I'll give a list of ingredients that i used for it, but to be honest you can use whatever you have to hand, whatever your preferences are

Ingredients

• 1 avocado
• 1 cup cooked chicken chopped
• 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
• handful cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
• 2 spring onions - finely chopped
• 4-6 Lettuce leaves 
• 1/2 lemon  (juice ).. or can use lime
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Mash up the avocado into a bowl until smooth
2. Squeeze the lemon (or lime ) juice into the bowl and mix
3. Add all the other ingredients and mix until everything combined. 
4. sprinkle a little salt and pepper on to taste and combine again
5. Serve mixture into clean dry lettuce leaves and enjoy

Insanely chocolate sweet potato brownies

Don't let the name fool you.. These brownies are all about the chocolate taste and less(none) of the sweet potato taste.. Yes you've read it right there is 1/2 cup cocoa but because these are so rich tasting you can cut them into bite sizes and should be enough to satisfy the sweet tooth :-) ( I did say 'should' )

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed sweet potato
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
• 
  
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan rock salt
• 1/4 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips(optional)

Flaked almonds and carob chips for sprinkling. 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180deg C.

Grease / Line a 9inch square baking tray.

In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients.

In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.( except the chocolate chips)

Mix the dry ingredients gradually into the wet ingredients stirring continuously until everything is combined . 

Mix in the chocolate chips until combined.

Pour the mixture onto the baking tray's and flatten out.

Sprinkle flaked almonds and carob chips on the top. 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the edges start to come away and a tooth pick inserted into the centre of the baking tin comes away dry. 

Cut up and eat :-) 

You can store these in the fridge in an airtight container also ( IF they make it that far ) 

Honey Almond Drizzle ( to go with your chocolate Cake

So i was looking for something to go with the chocolate cake that i made.. and i came up with this one.

It worked well but as it is so sweet you only need a little drizzle.. probably less honey would be ok too :-)

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites (whisked/beaten)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tbsp greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp Ground Almonds

Method

1. Whisk up the egg whites in a  bowl until peaks start to form ( no need to be stiff peaks though)
2. In a small pot over a medium heat bring the honey to the boil stirring continuously.
3. Reduce the heat and continue to stir occasionally for about 8 minutes
4. Drizzle the honey into the egg whites whisking continuously until blended.
5. Spoon in the greek yogurt and continue to whisk.
6. Spoon in the ground almonds and whisk up until completely combined.

To serve drizzle on the plate beside a slice of chocolate cake with some greek yogurt. and Devour :) or did i mean enjoy .

Chocolate Cake :)

Well i haven't posted in a few days so thought i'd make it a good one today :)

It was my little ones birthday and i was having a few over and i really wanted to make something clean as her birthday cake… this was my challenge..

Step up Elana's Pantry.. I found one of her recipes and modified it slightly.. it was so tasty and moist too.. Try it yourselves you won't' be disappointed

Ingredients

• 2 cups ground almonds ( almond flour )
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( i used green and blacks)
• 1/2 tsp himalayan rock salt
• 1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup mashed banana
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180degC
2. Grease a 9 inch cake pan with coconut oil and dust with ground almonds
3. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients - ground almonds, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
4. 
   
   
5. In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients - maple syrup, mashed banana, eggs and vanilla extract.
6. 
   
   
7. Stir the wet ingredients into the ground almonds mixture until combined completely.
8. 
   
   
9. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake pan
10. Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. 
11. Let the cake cool in the pan for an hour.
12. Serve straight away or you can wait till later :)

Serve with some Greek yogurt and berries