Raw Homemade Chocolates
Most people think of making chocolate as time consuming, difficult & fiddly, myself included until I discovered that you only need 3 ingredients for the basic recipe & making up flavours can become addictive – be warned so are the chocolates!
These make brilliant gifts, if you are looking for that personal touch, for Christmas, Easter, Birthdays…or just to take along to a dinner with friends! Read More
Energy Bar
Keep a stash of these in the freezer to grab when you are on the go, to stave off the temptation of chocolate bars!
Ingredients
- 250g dates (pitted)
- 150g gluten free oats
- 270g mixed nuts & seeds (your choice) larger nuts roughly chopped.
You can actually add any nut & fruit ingredients you like. My favourites are: goji berries, cranberries, dried blueberries, sunflower seeds, pumkin seeds, sesame seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans.
Chocolate Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 punnet of strawberries
- 1 bar of good quality organic chocolate 70% or above.
Oat Cakes
Oat cakes are a great, quick snack. They are available to buy in the shops, but I actually prefer to make my own because they are so quick & easy & adding different flavours makes them much tastier. (See below for some ideas).
Basic Oat Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 225g oatmeal, plus extra for dusting (buckwheat flour can also be used)
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 150 ml filtered water
Mushroom ‘Pate’
I adore mushrooms & I was looking to find a way to make mushroom pate that didn’t use a ton of butter or cream cheese – in fact I wanted it to be completely dairy free. Cashew ‘cheese’ was my saviour! This is so creamy, rich tasting & moorish that there are never leftovers, but if you do strike lucky (or make extra, as I do) this is rather delicious slathered on toast with a poached egg plopped on top.
INGREDIENTS;
- 250g mushrooms
- A handful of fresh, chopped herbs of your choice. (Thyme works well with mushrooms, but I use a mix)
- 4 tbsp Cashew cream (made to a pate consistency – see recipe in ‘Sauces & Sides’)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 large or 2 medium cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped/grated
- Big handful of chopped parsley
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil
Choco Fudge Bites
My husband is a chocolate fiend, so I had to find a healthy alternative to stop him from buying up the whole of the supermarket sweet aisle! These fudgy bites do the trick.
INGREDIENTS:
- 100g hazelnut butter (or any nut butter – almond works well too.)
- 50g raw cacao powder
- 100g maple syrup or raw honey
- 100g coconut oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- A good handful of chopped sour, dried fruit – my favourites are: cranberries, cherries, mulberries or goji berries, but you can choose just about anything. I sometimes add chopped nuts for extra crunch.
- Pinch of salt (sea salt or Himalayan pink salt)
- Options for decoration ingredients: Dried raspberry/strawberry powder, cocoa powder, dessicated coconut, chopped pistachio nuts, bee pollen.
Quick Energy Bites
These are just ridiculously easy & quick to throw together. I make a double batch & keep half in the freezer for a healthy grab & go snack.
INGREDIENTS
100g Nuts & Seeds of your choice.
(My favourites are almonds, walnuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds & I always add a good helping of flaxseeds)
50g dates (soak them in enough water to cover them for at least 20 mins)
100g oats or quinoa flakes or buckwheat flakes
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp Maca powder (optional)
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
For the coating:
Good quality cocoa powder, finely chopped pistachios, freeze dried strawberry powder or pounded bee pollen (last 2 available online)
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Chocolate Pomegranate Clusters
Ingredients
- 1 bar of good quality dark chocolate 70% or above
- 1 pomegranate
Method
- Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with baking parchment
- Cut the pomegranate in half & de-seed by bashing it with a wooden spoon making sure all the pith is left behind.
Hummus
Ingredients For Basic Hummus Recipe
- 1 can of chickpeas, drained & washed (or 400g dried chickpeas soaked overnight, drained & rinsed.)
- 3 tbsp Tahini
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Pinch of Salt & pepper
Sweet Potato Fries
These sweet potato fries are delicious and packed full of nutrients.
They are both addictive and healthy!
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes cut into wedges or fries
- 1 Tbsp Coconut oil
- Pink rock/sea salt & pepper
- 2 peeled cloves of garlic
- Flour for coating (optional) choose gluten free eg, chickpea or buckwheat flour