Healthy Chocolate Tart

March 22, 2013 · 21 Comments

Today I am welcoming the gorgeous Alison from Relauncher to share a fabulous healthy chocolate recipe with us. She has created this amazing raw, vegan tart which would finish off an Easter feast perfectly and give you a nice hit of chocolate!

Healthy Chocolate Tart

Vital stats: sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, egg free

Okay, so this is what you need:

Crust

2 cups activated mixed nuts

3 tablespoons organic coconut oil

1 1/4 cups dessicated coconut

2 tablespoons organic cacao powder

8 dates

Filling

Handful of berries

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

2 tablespoons organic cacao powder

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 tablespoons organic coconut oil

4 dates

1/2 teaspoon stevia

NOTE: if you want a creamier filling, you can omit the coconut milk and stevia and replace with coconut cream!

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Crust

Whizz up all the ingredients in a powerful blender. If you don’t have a powerful blender, just whizz the ingredients in small batches

Pack the mixture into a lined cake dish and place in the freezer whilst making the filling

Filling

Blend the dates, then remove from the blender and set aside

Whizz the coconut milk and stevia in the blender for 7 minutes (this helps slightly thicken the milk)
- If you have opted to use coconut cream instead, whizz the coconut cream in the blender for about 5 minutes

Add dates and the remaining ingredients (except the berries) to the blender and give it a quick blend to mix the ingredients thoroughly

Place the berries on the crust, then add the filling on top

Return to the freezer for approximately 4 hours before you enjoy

Alison is Director of Relauncher, an online destination for health, wellbeing, beauty and lifestyle. Alison lives and breathes a healthy authentic life through daily yoga and meditation practice. Her love of this life is encompassed in her online store bringing about beauty for the body, mind and soul.

Connect with Alison:

Website http://www.relauncher.com.au/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/relauncher

Twitter https://twitter.com/Relauncher

Instagram http://instagram.com/relauncher_alison

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/relauncher/

Seven Sensational Healthy Chocolate Recipes

March 18, 2013 · 13 Comments

I am obsessed with all things chocolate at the moment.

Because I am so lovely, I am sharing some more amazing healthy chocolate recipes with you. These wonderful women know how to have a good time with chocolate! Enjoy.

Almond Chocolate from Jess at The Wellness Warrior.

Healthier Home-Made Tim Tams from Michelle at Health Food Lover.

Superfood Nut Butter Cups from Sarah at My New Roots.

Healthy White Chocolate from Chocolate-Covered Katie.

Raw Dark Chocolate Bars with Lucuma “Fudge” Filling from Lou at Fridge Scrapings.

Chocolate Coated Coconut Balls from Iwa at Additive Free Bites.

Pure Home-made Chocolate from Kim at Like Chocolate for Women.

100g rapadura sugar
1/8 tsp salt
250g cacao wafers
50g coconut oil

Double Boiler Method

1. Place all basic chocolate ingredients into the double boiler, bring the water to boil in the bottom pan then simmer, stirring as the chocolate melts
2. Simmer for 10 minutes on as low a heat as possible, stirring continuously.
3. Pour immediately into prepared dish or moulds and place in fridge until set.
4. Cut or break into pieces store in fridge.

Thermomix Method

1. Combine the sugar and salt for 1min on speed 9.
2. Grind the cacao wafers for 4 seconds on speed 6
3. Add the coconut oil and cook at 37C for 20 minutes on speed 2.
4. Pour mixture into a chocolate mould and refrigerate until solid.

Kim also says you can add some of her fabulous Twenty 8 aromatherapy oils like orange, lime or peppermint as they are food grade and totally safe and yummy to use in cooking.

What are cacao wafers?

This is the cacao bean before the separation into cacao butter and cacao powder, there is nothing added It is 100% cacao conveniently made into small wafers so that you can use them easily for many of your chocolate recipes. You can get them online here.

You might also like to try some of the chocolate recipes on the blog:

Crio Mac – a chewy chocolate treat

Really Healthy Chocolate Crackles

How to make your own healthy chocolate

Healthy Raspberry Chocolate

all things chocolate

Crio Mac… a chewy chocolate treat!

March 11, 2013 · 39 Comments

Crio Mac… a chewy chocolate treat!

We can’t stop eating this! It is seriously good. Chewy, chocolatey, nutty and healthy.

Heaven.

It’s a bit like those chewy caramel lollies in texture, but with a rich dark chocolate flavour and the crunch of the nuts. Drooooool!

Crio Bru has so many health benefits (as well as tasting amazing). The cocoa bean (also known as the cacao bean) is one of nature’s most amazing superfoods, offering high antioxidant value, mineral benefits and natural energy. If you don’t have any Crio Bru, you could try making it with water and cacao.

Research has shown that macadamias can help lower blood cholesterol levels,reduce the incidence of heart disease, are high in fibre and contain vitamins, minerals and protein essential in a healthy diet. Read more here.

The vital stats: gluten-free, egg-free, easy to make dairy-free, vegetarian.

Crio Mac

Okay, so this is what you need:

1 1/2 cups filtered water

5 tablespoons Crio Bru (any flavour, but I used Vega Real)

3/4 cup organic honey

2 tablespoons organic butter (I think it would work just fine with coconut oil too)

300g macadamia nuts (or your favourite nut!)

Okay, so this is what you do:

Add the Crio Bru to the water in a saucepan with a lid and gently brew for about ten minutes.

While you are doing that, add the honey and the butter to another saucepan and measure out the macadamia nuts.

You can also prep a tray with some baking paper and a light smear of coconut oil.

When the Crio Bru is finished, strain it into a glass measuring jug and check you still have 1 1/2 cups of liquid. You may need to add a bit of water.

Add the Crio Bru to the honey and butter. On a medium high heat, mix in well and let boil.

Stir it occasionally and keep an eye on it. At about the 20-25 minute mark, it will start to foam and get thicker.

Keep going, stirring all the while, until it gets darker in colour and will coat the back of a spoon.

Quickly add the nuts, stir and pour onto your tray.

Let it cool down and set until you can break bits off (about an hour).

If it’s too soft, throw the whole lot back in the saucepan and cook it a bit more until you get the right consistency.

Try to keep sticky fingers away (I had to hide it well so I could take photos this morning!).

This recipe was inspired by A Girl Worth Saving – a very awesome blog.

Double Choc Berry Biccies

February 27, 2013 · 45 Comments

It is a very rainy and miserable day here, so I decided to make the kids some biscuits and a hot home-made milo for afternoon tea.

Yes, I know, I am a truly awesome Mum!! 😉

Thinking about this recipe, I played around with some other flavours and came up with these Double Choc Berry Biccies!

I was pretty impressed. What a powerhouse little biscuit, chock-full of superfoods! You won’t get that in a Tim Tam!

Please check for sweetness. I like the bitey dark chocolate taste, but you might like them sweeter. I know the kids did!

Double Choc Berry Biccies

Vital stats: gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, vegetarian.

Okay, this is what you need:

1 cup almond meal

2 tablespoons organic cacao

2 tablespoons Crio Bru (unbrewed straight from the pack)

2 tablespoons Changing Habits coconut oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (adjust to taste)

1 tablespoon coconut flour

2 tablespoons Superfoods for Kidz C-Berry Blast

1 organic egg

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Chuck everything together and mix. (I can’t make it any easier than that, can I??)

If you have a thermomix, make your almond meal first and then chuck everything else in and whizz.

Wet your hands and roll into balls – I made 15. Press down slightly on them. Fling on a baking tray with some baking paper.

Bake for 10 minutes or until brown in a 180 degree celsius oven.

I think they would also be fab, sandwiched with some paleo salted caramel.

I used three of my favourite superfoods in these biccies and you can get them from my affiliate shops. Click on the picture for more info and prices.

C-Berry Blast from Superfoods For Kidz

Crio Bru, 100% organic brewed cocoa

Changing Habits Coconut Oil

Are you a fan of choccie biccies?

Want more healthy biccy recipes? Try these.

Coconut Vegetable Biriyani

February 18, 2013 · 21 Comments

Hooray! I finally found the recipe (after I cleaned up my office) on a tiny scrap of paper, covered in spices.

I really had to make an effort to write this one down. I usually just go by feel with this and make it up as I go along.

Anyway, it’s one of our family’s favourite recipes. Even the kids love it.

We eat vegetarian every second night, so this is a quick and easy one to have in the repertoire.

It’s very adaptable – throw in whatever veges you have in the fridge. It also works well with any leftover meat added- lamb is particularly delicious. Canned chickpeas added at the end and heated will boost up your protein content too. You can also add currants or cashews at the last-minute for extra interest.

It makes quite a big serve – about six meals.

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free.

Coconut Vegetable Biriyani

Okay, so this is what you need:

1 large organic onion, diced

2 cloves organic garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons biriyani spice mix

2 teaspoons turmeric

3 cups bone broth or vegetable stock if you need it to be vego

1 1/2 cups organic basmati rice (rinsed)

6 cups assorted organic vegetables, diced (I use carrot, zucchini, capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, pumpkin and beans mainly)

1/2 can (200ml) coconut cream

2 handfuls of organic baby spinach, shredded

2 tablespoons Vital Veggie Power

*If you can’t find a biriyani spice mix, just a mixture of cumin, coriander, garam marsala and cinnamon to make up 2 tablespoons.

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep pan to a medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add the spices and gently stir until they release their gorgeous smell.

Chuck in the vegetables (not the spinach yet) and stir well, cooking for a minute or so. Add the well-drained rice and stir, making sure you combine well.

Now fling in the vegetable stock, stir well and cover. Turn the heat down to low-medium and leave it to cook for about 15 – 20 minutes (depending on the depth of your pan). Stir every now and again and check it. You may need to add more stock if it’s sticking on the bottom.

When the rice is cooked through and it’s quite a dry mix, chuck in your coconut cream, spinach and Vital Veggie Power. Stir well to combine. Serve.

You can sprinkle with fresh herbs like I did, but I was only getting fancy for the photo!

It is delicious the next day for lunch. Yum. Yum. Make sure you hide a bit for yourself.

Kale Chips….what’s the go?

February 7, 2013 · 18 Comments

Kale Chips….what’s the go?

Kale chips seem to be the latest trend.

This is my second go at making them and I had mixed reactions!

The Natural New Age Kids ran to the sink and spat them out.

The Natural New Age Dad scoffed a whole bowl and pronounced them absurdly fantabulous (okay I made that last bit up, but he did like them!).

Anyway, make them and see what you think.

Okay, so this is what you do:

Get a bunch of organic kale. Wash it well. Trim off the stalks and cut into bite size pieces.

Add a couple of tablespoons of organic coconut oil, a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes (or savoury yeast flakes) and 1 tablespoon of Herbamare.

Massage the mix into your kale lovingly.

Chuck them into your dehydrator and dehydrate. I made mine just as we were going to bed, so I put it on the lowest setting overnight.

If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can bake them in the oven on the lowest setting, for a couple of hours….. but keep an eye on them!! If they burn, they will be very bitter and yucky.

What is kale?

Kale is a leafy green vegetable, a bit like silverbeet, but not as soft. It’s from the Brassica family of vegetables and there are several different varieties.

Kale is reasonably new to Australian mainstream supermarkets and you may even have trouble sourcing it. Poke around in the farmer’s markets or even have a crack at growing it yourself.

Mind Body Green has 10 health benefits of kale that you can read here.

Pretty much, it’s good stuff, so get into it! It works well in smoothies too.

What about you? Do you like kale chips? How do you make yours?

Coconut Hummingbird Cake – Thermomix

February 6, 2013 · 24 Comments

This gorgeous recipe popped up on my Facebook newsfeed before Christmas and I just had to make it. Hummingbird cake is one of my all time favourites and until now, I had never seen a grain-free, gluten-free recipe for it.

This Coconut Hummingbird Cake recipe is the brainchild of the amazing Allison at Frisky Lemon Nutrition. Check out her webpage and facebook. I tweaked it a little and Australiafied and thermomixified it. (They are so real words!)

Allison decorated hers with a lovely cream cheese frosting and pecans, but this was all eaten before I even got the chance to get that far! I think it would be lovely with some coconut cream frosting. It is truly delicious and one of our family’s firm favourites. I hope you like it as much as we do.

Coconut Hummingbird Cake

Vital Stats: Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Okay, this is what you need:

3/4 cup coconut flour

1 tablespoon organic cinnamon (I use Planet Organic brand)

1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon of bicarb soda

10 sulphur-free dates

1 tablespoon organic apple juice concentrate (AJC)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup organic,virgin coconut oil

6 organic eggs

2 ripe organic bananas

1 can of Ceres organic pineapple *

1 cup organic walnuts (or pecans)

3 tablespoons filtered water

Okay, so this is how you do it:

* Set your oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a deep, round cake tin with baking paper.

* Chop the nuts in the thermomix, speed 5 for 2-3 seconds. Set aside.

* Chuck the dates in the thermomix with 3 tablespoons of filtered water. Cook for 2 mins on 100 degrees, speed 1. Whizz on speed 8-9 to make a paste. Cool in the thermy.

* Fling in the AJC, chopped bananas, eggs, vanilla, coconut oil, drained and chopped pineapple and whizz on speed 4 until well combined and pineapple is crushed- about 10 to 20 seconds.

* Whack into the thermomix the flour, bicarb soda, nuts and salt. On REVERSE, mix on speed 3 for 20 seconds until thoroughly combined.

* Pour into cake tin. Bung it into the oven and cook for 45 mins to one hour or until set. Cool on a wire cake rack.

For non-thermomix instructions, please refer to Allison’s recipe here. I hope you love this Coconut Hummingbird Cake!!

Are you a fan of hummingbird cake?

*I found these canned Organic Pineapple Chunks in a BPA free can. I keep a couple in the pantry for recipes.

I’m dreaming of a (healthy) White Christmas!

December 17, 2012 · 31 Comments

White Christmas is one of those traditional foods that only makes an appearance once a year! To be honest, I wasn’t really ever a fan.

Sickly sweet with an oily copha taste….. hmmm…….

My daughter and I experimented yesterday and come up with something a bit healthier and a whole lot yummier.

I’m dreaming of a (healthy) White Christmas!

**vegetarian, gluten-free, egg-free, additive-free, thermomix**

Okay, so this is what you need:

2 cups organic brown rice puffs

1 cup organic dried cranberries

1 cup organic, raw, unsalted pistachios

1 cup organic coconut flakes

200g Green and Blacks organic white chocolate

200g organic, virgin coconut oil

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Chuck your white chocolate and coconut oil into the thermomix. Melt on 50 degrees, 1 minute, speed 1.

Throw in the rest of your ingredients and mix, reverse, speed 1 for about 20 seconds.

Pour into a baking paper lined small tray (or you could fling into muffin cases).

Whack into the freezer or fridge until firm and set.

It must be stored in the fridge – it will melt quickly, particularly in this weather. The freezer is better!

Enjoy.

Top Tips:

*If you don’t have a thermomix – melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a saucepan and pour over other ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

*I don’t add any sugar or sweetener as the chocolate and craisins make it sweet enough. But try it and add some if you want to.

*Use any combination of fruit and nuts you like – I just think cranberries and pistachios are so Christmasy!

*If you love chocolate, try making my really healthy chocolate crackle recipe into a slice with some craisins and pistachios!

Do you like White Christmas? Would you make this?

Healthy Chocolate-Coated Nuts

December 11, 2012 · 54 Comments

Chocolate and nuts are a match made in heaven.

Treat yourself and your loved ones this year with this yummy recipe – it’s really quick and easy to make.

I made these last year and distributed them as gifts as well as keeping some for ourselves. They don’t last long in my house. I have the current batch well hidden!

The recipe is originally from Super Healthy Kids, a really great American site featuring some fantastic ideas for fun kid’s food!

I have changed it a little to make it healthier and thermified it.

Healthy Chocolate Coated Nuts

Vital stats: Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain free, vegetarian

Okay, so this is what you need:

500g organic mixed, raw nuts (or nuts of your choice)

1 organic, free range egg white

1 vanilla pod, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons organic, raw cacao (not cocoa)

1/2 cup organic coconut sugar

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Preheat the oven to 120 degrees celsius.

Fling the egg white into your thermy with the butterfly and no MC. On temperature 50 and speed 4, whizz for about 3-5 minutes.

Chuck in the sugar, cacao and vanilla and whizz again. Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and redo if you need to. Take out the butterfly.

Whack in the nuts to mix. Reverse, speed 1, 10 seconds. I am repeating reverse, because if you don’t hit reverse, you will have crushed nuts!! 😀

Spread them out in a single layer onto a large baking paper-lined tray.

Bung in the oven and slow roast, for about one hour. Stir every fifteen minutes.

Cool right down and store in an airtight jar.

If you would like the directions without the thermomix, go here.

Top Tips.

*Make a double batch – you are going to need them!

*Hide from the kids.

*Don’t package them in cellophane or plastic bags for gifts! Be eco-friendly and recycle a glass jar with a pretty ribbon. The op-shop usually has really pretty jars if you don’t have any.

*Last year when I made them, they kept for weeks in a sealed jar.

*They aren’t overly sweet or overly chocolatey but they are overly moreish.

Okay, that’s it – super easy, super healthy and super yummy!

Would you give them a go?

Crio Bru Chocolate Christmas Cake

November 20, 2012 · 51 Comments

It’s that time of year again when we all eat Christmas cake!

But have you ever had a supercharged Christmas cake?

My Crio Bru Chocolate Christmas Cake is supercharged with superfoods! Crio Bru, cacao, dark chocolate, superfood powders and goji berries – antioxidants galore. It is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free and you can make it dairy-free really easily too.

I have been making this recipe for years, but I gave it a big overhaul this year to make it even yummier and healthier.

It’s moist, fudgy, chocolatey and even people who don’t like fruit cake, like this fruit cake!

Crio Bru Chocolate Christmas Cake

Vital Stats: Egg Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, can be Dairy Free

Okay, so this is what you need:

1 1/2 cups organic sultanas

1 cup organic cranberries

1 cup organic currants

1 cup organic figs

1 cup organic dried apricots

1/2 cup goji berries

2 tablespoons organic cacao

2 tablespoons C-Berry Blast or Acai Berry Blend

2 1/2 cups strongly brewed Crio Bru

2 cups gluten-free self-raising flour (I used Orgran brand)

100g Green and Blacks organic cooking chocolate, roughly chopped

Wait: What is Crio Bru? Check it out here. I also did a blog post about it here.

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Brew up your Crio Bru (I left about half the grounds in). Chop the figs and apricots (use your thermomix if you have one).

Pour the Crio Bru into to the dried fruit, mix well and leave to soak overnight.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius and line with baking paper a 20x28cm lamington tin.

Mix everything together really well. If you find the mix a little too dry, add a touch of water. It should be quite thick though.

Put into your tin and with slightly damp hands, smooth down into the corners.

Fling into the oven and cook about 60 -75 minutes. Cover half way through the cooking time to prevent the fruit from burning, if needed.

Cool down thoroughly on a wire rack. Do not attempt to sneak a juicy sultana from the top of the cake – those little suckers burn!

It will make about 25 slices and it will freeze really well. I make up a few batches and wrap them up for Christmas gifts.

The cake is quite rich and filling, so you only need a small piece.

If you would like to make it dairy-free, just omit the chocolate or use a dairy-free chocolate. It also works well with wheat SR flour too if you don’t need to watch your gluten!

Enjoy!

Do you make a Christmas cake every year? Is it a family recipe?