Healthy Nutella

I originally got this idea from Madeline Shaw but then started to experiment with it, changing the nut and the type of milk used. So far my favourites have been the original hazelnut flavour and the twisted cashew nut flavour. Still keen to try it macadamia nuts.

Ingredients

• 250g of hazelnuts or Cashew Nut

• 40 g of raw cocoa

• 1 tsp of stevia powder

• 1 TBSP honey

• 70 ml of hazelnut milk

1. Place the nuts in a blender for a good 5minutes, until the form a smooth butter. I find sometimes I need to add a spoonful of coconut oil and a tablespoon of the hazelnut to milk to help the butter form.
2. Once the smooth butter has been created, slowly add of the other ingredients a bit at a time.
3. This should form a nutella like consistency, however if you prefer it a little bit runnier, add more milk until you create your preferred consistency.

Plantain Nachos with re-fried beans and cottage cheese

Nachos has always been a favourite snack when I am out with my friends. Therefore as I took the decision to avoid gluten, I was keen to recreate this without the nacho chips. On holiday in Cuba, my friends and I fell in love with Plantain and living in Brixton where plantain is readily available, I thought I would give this classic a makeover.

Ingredients

• 1 plantain, thinly sliced.
• 1 TSP smoked paprika
• 1/2 can of black beans
• 1 TSP Cumin powder
• 1 TSP Hot Chili Powder
• 1 TSP corainder powder
• 1 garlic minced
• Chopped tomato
• Chili powder
• Cottage cheese

1. Tossed the sliced plantain in the smoked paprika and olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes on 200 degrees.
2. Heat the minced garlic in olive oil in heavy based pan. Once the garlic begins to brown, add the black beans. Gently heat these for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add a few tablespoons of water and the cumin powder, chili powder and coriander. As the beans start to soften, use a potato masher to mash and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Take off the heat after this.
3. To make the salsa heat the chopped tomato with chili powder.
4. Now arrange the nachos - do this by taking the nachos out the oven and topping with re-fried beans, salsa and a dollop of cottage cheese.

Roasted cauliflower in curry powder with tandoori prawns and cottage cheese

I tend to use cauliflower to make cauliflower mash, which is amazing a replacement for rice in sushi rolls. Last night I fancied a curry and wanted a mix between a sauce and some dry veg - basically a cross between a shashlik and a prawn curry. So I created the below.

Ingredients

• 200g Cauliflower
• 1 Garlic clove
• Curry Powder
• 1 TBSP ginger-garlic paste
• 1 TSP hot chilli powder
• 1 1/2 TSP paprika
• 1 TSP Garam Marsala
• 1 TSP Coriander Powder
• 100g cottage cheese (or you can use yogurt if you prefer).
• Juice of 1 lime
• Prawns

1. Heat the over to 200 degrees.
2. Marinate the prawns in half of the lime juice.
3. Chop the cauliflower into pieces, add to a baking tray and toss in olive oil and curry powder. Mince the garlic and sprinkle over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 20minutes, if required sprinkle with water every so often to prevent cauliflower over drying, as opposed to adding more oil.
4. To make the sauce, mix together the ginger-garlic paster, hot chilli powder, paprika, Garam Marsala, cottage cheese and coriander.
5. Stir fry the prawns and when cooked, mixed in the sauce and cook for a further minute.
6. Plate up the roasted cauliflower and tandoori prawns and enjoy.

Chocolate Chickpea Cookies

I have been experimented with gluten and sugar free cookies and came across a post for chickpea cookies. I thought it was worth giving a try, I was a little dubious but they actually came out well and even the other half approved. 

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 Cup of cashew butter (or you can use other nut butters)
• 1/4 Cup of Honey
• 1/4 Cup Cacao powder
• 1/2 cup of Raisins 
• 1 TBSP hot water

1. Blend the chickpeas into a smooth paste
2. Add the cashew butter and honey and blend until combined.
3. Mix the cacao powder with the hot water to form a smooth paste. Add to chickpea mixture.
4. If the mix is looking a little stodgy, add some more hot water. Likewise if the mixture is not sweet enough, add more honey or some sweetener.
5. Add raisins.
6. Place round cookie shape balls onto a lined baking tray and bake at 180 degrees for 15minutes.

Raw Pad Thai

Thai food is probably my favourite type of  food in the world. I love the taste of coconut and the spices they use, however I am not a fan of noodles and was keen to make a healthy version of my partners favourite Pad Thai.

Ingredients:

Pad Thai

• 2 Carrots
• 1 courgette
• Handful of green beans
• Half a white cabbage
• Coriander
• Prawns
• Handful crushed nuts (peanuts or cashews)

Dressing

• 2 TBSP Cashew butter 
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• Juice of 2 lime
• 1 TBSP of honey (add more if you prefer it sweeter)
• 1 garlic minced
• 1 tsp of ginger grated 

1. Juice one lime and marinate the raw prawns in them, set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Mandolin the carrots and courgettes and place in a bowl.
3. Chop the top and tail of the green beans and chop in half. Add to the carrot mix.
4. Shred the cabbage into thin slices. Mix all the vegetables together.
5. Cook the prawns.
6. To make the dressing, simply mix all the ingredients together.
7.  Pour the sauce over the vegetables and mix together.
8. Add the prawns and chop some coriander and sprinkle over the top. Finally finish off with a sprinkle of crushed nuts.

Strawberry Swirl Blondies

These can be made with or without the strawberry swirl and other ingredients such as chocolate chips, apple and cinnamon or dried fruits can be added or used instead. Basically it just makes a great and easily adaptable blondie recipe! 

Ingredients: 

8oz Butter, melted

12oz Light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 TSP vanilla essence

250g plain flour

Strawberry Jam

Method:

Grease a square tin and heat the oven to 180C.

Melt the butter and whilst hot mix in the brown sugar, keep mixing until you have a smooth, silky mixture. Then let it cool for 10 minutes.

Once cooled beat in the egg and then vanilla. Remember it is vital the sugar mixture is cold otherwise the egg will cook!

Now sieve flour in and mix until combined. At this point add any extra ingredients such as chocolate chips or dried fruit.

Now pour half the mixture into the tin and bake for just 5 minutes and remove from the oven and start to swirl the jam across the mixture. Now top with the second layer of blondie mix and then repeat the swirls again.

Bake for a further 15-20mins.

Whilst it is baking run a bowl of cold water and once the blondies are cooked place the tin in the water. This was cool the outside quickly whilst ensuring the middle is still gooey and moist.

ENJOY!

White Chocolate and Rasberry Ripple Cone Cakes

These are a play on the classic 99er coated in raspberry sauce. The recipe produces an ice cream that doesn't melt. These are perfect for a kid party or a summer treat that can survive the heat.

Ingredients:

Cake:

300g Self-Rasing Flour
150g Caster Sugar
235ml Milk
1 Egg
50g Melted Butter
1 TSP vanilla essence
200g Rasberries
150g White Chocolate Chips

Vanilla Buttercream:

250g Icing Suger
70g Butter
2 TBSP Milk
2 TSP vanilla Essence
Rasberry Sauce

Ice Cream Cones and Flakes

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C and butter a cupcake tin (or Muffin tin).

Weigh out the flour, sugar and white chocolate chips and mix together.

In a separate bowl, beat the wet ingredients together (milk, butter, egg, vanilla essence).

Now gently add the wet ingredients to the dry, as well as raspberries. Fold the two mixtures together until all the flour is combined but the mixture is still slighty lumpy. Over working the mixture will alter the texture of the cakes making them resemble cupcakes more than muffins. I prefer muffins but if you prefer cupcakes - keep beating.

Once you are happy with the consistency, spoon the mixture into the muffin cases/tin and bake in the oven for 20mins.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Once cooled, make the buttercream by beating the sugar, butter and milk in a bowl.

Then pipe the icing onto the individual muffins so they resemble a 99er. Now drizzle in Rasberry sauce and add a flake. then pop the cake into an ice cream cone. then VOLIA a ice cream that doesn't melt.