Serves 10

I just got home from a lonnnng and tiring 19 hour journey with the little ones, and boy am I grateful I have a big batch of this granola to greet me and my hungry tummy. It is a great alternative to those shop-bought cereals that are high in refined sugars. It actually helps stabilize blood sugar levels due to its high fibre and protein content. With one serving providing 12g of plant based protein, it’s amazing to think that enjoying a bowl of granola for breakfasts gives you the same amount of protein as eating 2 eggs!

Without obsessing too much about quantities, my general rule of thumb is 3 cups of oats/flakes, 1 cup of various nut/seed combinations and ½ cup dried fruit. If you think of it in this way, then you won’t get bored and it gives you a greater nutritional variety as opposed to having the exact same breakfast every day. For example, I tend to rotate between regular wholegrain oats, buckwheat flakes and quinoa flakes as the base. With the nut/seed combo, I normally switch up the following ingredients depending on what I have lurking in my cupboards at the time: flaked almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds and buckwheat groats. And with the dried fruit, I swap between goji berries, mulberries, chopped dried apricots and dried figs. All of the different elements bring a varied but equally valuable nutritional profile to the table. I also change up the powders, sometimes I use turmeric, but other times I use cacao, ground ginger or cinnamon.

As much as I cook with turmeric (my hands are stained yellow on a daily basis), unfortunately my kids just don’t care for the taste. So I was able to ‘hide’ it in this deliciously roasted granola and they can’t tell at all. Turmeric has really earned its crown as the Queen of all of the spices. It’s high antioxidant content and anti-inflammatory properties have shown some incredibly promising results in cancer prevention and even as a supplement to treatment.

So all in all, a pretty great way to start the day! It also works brilliantly as a mid-afternoon snack sprinkled on top of some yogurt when the inevitable sugar cravings arise.

NOTE — I have been experimenting with various so-called healthier sugar alternatives and in doing so my quest has lead me to using Yacon Syrup. Yacon syrup is extracted from the roots of the Yacon plant. It has a low glycemic index and is much lower in calories than traditional sugar, which makes it a great choice for diabetics or those looking to cut down on their sugar consumption in general. It contains something called fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which acts as a prebiotic that supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Im fairly new to using it, so if any of you have any experience with it (good or bad!) then please let me know!

INGREDIENTS

· ¼ cup Walnut Pieces

· ¼ cup Buckwheat Groats

· ¼ cup Pumpkin Seeds

· ¼ cup Sesame Seeds

· ¼ cup Goji Berries

· ¼ cup Mulberries

· 3 cups Wholegrain Oats

· 80g Coconut Oil

· 4 tbsp Yacon Syrup (or Maple Syrup/Honey)

· 1 tsp Turmeric

· ½ tsp Cinnamon

· 200 ml Water

· A small amount of black pepper (to enhance the bioavailability of the turmeric)

METHOD

· Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

· Mix together all of the oats, nuts, seeds and buckwheat groats. and distribute evenly between 2 roasting dishes.

· In a small saucepan, add the water, syrup, coconut oil, turmeric, cinnamon and a small amount of black pepper; and heat for 5 minutes.

· Spoon by spoon, pour the liquid over the nutty oat mixture, and combine well, making sure that it is all coated.

· Cook in the oven for half an hour or until brown and nicely toasted, mixing frequently to prevent burning and to create an even colour.

· Once cooled, add the goji berries and mulberries and store in a large airtight container.

· Will keep for 3 weeks.

Calories — 376

Carbohydrates — 45g

Fat — 17g

Protein — 12g

Fibre — 7g

Iron — 19%

Serves 6

A combination of partaking in a gruelling 18 hour journey with 2 little ones, and a post-Easter-chocolate-induced-haze, made my body literally call out for all things green! And I’m willing to bet that you couldn’t cram any more greens into one food than there are in this soup! Apart from the chopping (which I tend to find oddly quite cathartic at times), the soup is very quick to make in under 20 minutes in one saucepan. It freezes well too, and as strange as it sounds, I have started to enjoy having soup regularly as a snack. I know it’s not your typical one, but for me it makes way more sense. If I have soup for lunch, I end up having to supplement my meal with an abundance of bread in order to fill myself up. But when I looked at the macros I thought to myself ‘why the heck not?’ One portion provides 131 calories, is high in fibre and plant based protein (7g of it to be exact) but is also low in carbs and low in fat…..so on paper, if I saw those macros for a snack I would have thought that I had died and reached foodie heaven! So why not turn things upside down a bit and settle down for a mug of soup as an afternoon pick me up? Breakfast for dinner has become a bit of a thing hasn’t it? And to top it off, all of those greens provide a whole lot more micro-nutrients and antioxidants than any energy ball could provide.

I’m not sure if it was the laziness factor that made me decide not blitz this soup in the blender, or the fact that I now prefer my soups to be mainly clear with chunky bits in, but either way it totally works! I do prefer this method because a) less washing up and b) each mouthful is different and doesn’t resemble some sort of sludge and c) did I mention less washing up??

INGREDIENTS

· 2 tbsp Olive Oil

· 100g Leeks

· 100g Celery Stalks

· 100g White Onions

· 100g Tenderstem Broccoli

· 200g Courgettes

· 300g Asparagus (woody ends removed)

· 150g Peas (I use frozen)

· 150g Broad Beans (I use frozen)

· 5 Cloves Garlic

· 1.5l Vegetable Stock

· A generous handful of fresh herbs of your choice (Basil, Mint, Dill or Chives all work nicely)

· Salt & Fresh Black Pepper to taste

METHOD

· Finely chop the onions, leeks, celery, courgettes, asparagus and broccoli.

· Mince the garlic.

· Chop the fresh herbs.

· Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.

· Add the onions, leeks and celery and cook for 6 or so minutes, until soft but not browning.

· Add the garlic, mix well and continue to cook for another minute before adding the courgettes.

· Continue to cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes, making sure the vegetables don’t stick at the bottom of the pan.

· Pour in the vegetable stock, add the broccoli and simmer for 12 minutes with the lid on.

· Add the frozen peas and broad beans and cook for another few minutes.

· Finally add the asparagus for the last 2 minutes (I still like mine to have some crunch to them, but cook them for longer if you want them softer).

· Season with salt and fresh black pepper, and stir through the fresh herbs.

· Serve immediately or if freezing, leave out the asparagus altogether and only add that when you defrost and reheat it.

Calories — 131

Fat — 6g

Carbohydrates — 14g

Protein — 7g

Fibre — 5g

Vitamin A — 17%

Vitamin C — 13%

Calcium — 4%

Iron — 10%

Makes 10 servings

I just love it when new produce becomes available — fruits of veggies that haven’t made an appearance all year long tend to get a LOT of love from me, and I go on (what my husband affectionately describes as), somewhat of a frenzy. This particular frenzy is purely rhubarb driven, so apologies in advance, but you should expect to see quite a few rhubarb related posts coming up over the next few weeks.

Needing only 4 ingredients, this chia jam only takes 15 minutes to make in one pan. The other great thing about this recipe, is that you can adapt it to use whatever fruit you fancy or, like me, whatever is going off in the fridge. If a fruit is a bit too squidgy to eat, then I just make a quick compote out of it, and then I get to enjoy it for another 2 weeks! It also freezes very well, so is a real treat to defrost a portion of out-of-season fruit months later. Apple and rhubarb work very well together, as do any of the berries and don’t even get me started on the heavenly peach-nectarine combo — I predict another summer time frenzy indeed! The addition of rosemary is, of course, entirely optional, but I feel like its presence ups the fanciness factor no end!

This fruit-packed, soluble fibre-filled, Omega 3-rich chia jam is so very versatile. It is great on toast as a healthier substitute to the usual refined sugar-laden shop bought jams. It’s yummy on waffles, pancakes, on top of yogurt and in porridge or rice pudding. It is an all round nutritionally packed delicious multitasker! To be able to sneak in 3g of fibre and 2g of plant based protein in one serving is just the icing on the cake!

NOTE — I only tend to add the coconut sugar when making rhubarb jam. If it’s berries/plums/apples/peaches etc, the fruit itself tends to be sweet enough and doesn’t need the extra sugar.

INGREDIENTS

· 200g Rhubarb

· 4 tbsp Chia Seeds

· 3 tbsp Coconut Sugar (adjust more or less depending on how tart the rhubarb is)

· Water to cover

· Optional — a tsp of ground dried rosemary

METHOD

· Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and just cover with water (how much depends on the size of the pan).

· Simmer on a low heat for 15–20 mins or until all the fruit is very soft. You might need to add a tbsp more water every now and again if it gets too dry.

· Mash to desired consistency.

· Once cooled, store in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Macros per serving

Calories — 42

Carbohydrates — 7g

Fat — 1g

Protein — 2g

Fibre — 3g

Serves 8

Does anyone else get so ridiculously excited to have an actual real life excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate? It’s not me, it’s Easter! Darn it, it’s practically the LAW at this time of year. These guys not only look impressive, but they were so easy to make, are vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and oh so very delicious! The outer shell is simply made from melting my favourite raw chocolate (I used Ombar), the creamy salted caramel tahini middle only has 4 ingredients and the “yolk” just has a little turmeric added as a natural colouring.

Since, in our house, preparing for Easter consists of one chocolate making activity after the other, I feel like perhaps it would be the perfect time to talk about the benefits of chocolate — yes, you read that right — it has actual benefits! But not just any chocolate, more specifically dark chocolate and cacao. As with most things, there are very minimal (if any) health benefits from consuming the highly processed, highly sweetened version. On the other hand, the benefits of dark chocolate are pretty impressive, mainly due to its high antioxidant content. Antioxidants are the compounds that are believed to neutralize free radicals and protect the body from their damage. Dark chocolate has actually been shown to have the highest content of antioxidants called polyphenols and flavonoids, which is why it is being studied in relation to its role in cancer prevention. So the higher the cacao/cocoa percentage the better.

And that’s not all! It is packed with beneficial minerals, has been linked to a reduction in cholesterol and has also long been known for its mood boosting qualities, and it’s not just down to the fact that it’s delicious! It actually encourages the production of endorphins, which is a chemical in the brain that creates feelings of pleasure. It also contains serotonin, which acts as a mild, natural anti-depressant.

So in a nutshell, we should let go of the post-chocolate-guilt and embrace all of it’s good health boosting qualities! Wishing everyone a very happy Easter!

INGREDIENTS

· 140g Good Quality Dark Chocolate

· 55g Light Tahini

· 65g Maple Syrup

· 35g Melted Coconut Oil

· ¼ tsp Himalayan Salt

· ½ tsp Turmeric for the yellow centre

METHOD

· Heat the chocolate on a low setting in the microwave in 30-second intervals until fully melted.

· Let it cool slightly so that it is not so fluid and runny.

· Pour into silicone moulds and swirl around the sides so that it doesn’t just pool at the bottom.

· Put into the fridge or freezer to set while you make the middle.

· Melt the coconut oil and add the tahini, maple syrup and salt.

· Mix well to combine.

· Pour ¾ of this mixture into the hardened chocolate shells.

· Add the turmeric to the remaining mixture.

· Spoon this yellow mixture into the middle of the tahini caramel to simulate the yolk.

· Put back into the fridge to set for a couple of hours.

· Store any leftovers in the freezer.

TIP — I used my kids old Calpol Syringe to carefully squeeze the turmeric mixture into the middle to make it neater, but it’s not necessary!

Makes 12

I couldn’t quite decide on a suitable name or description for this any-time-of-day food, but I’m hoping that you will trust me that they are delicious nevertheless. The heady combination of a veggie filled muffin and frittata is the perfect way to start the day as I just love being able to cram in some vegetables at breakfast time. Normally I save that for a weekend breakfast as I feel too rushed during the week, but these keep nicely for several days in the fridge, and only take under 20 minutes to make from start to finish, so they are a great batch cooking option when you know you are going to be too short on time during the week to properly look after your self. They are also a great lunch option with a side salad and some wholegrain toast. Or indeed, they can also be enjoyed as a snack throughout the day to seriously up your protein game. For some unknown reason, when I grab a quick snack to go, it tends to wind up being a sweet one. Not very sugary per se, but a fruity one instead of a vegetably one because they seem to be easier as a grab-n-go type option. But like, I said they last for several days and are low in fat, low in carbs and low in calories; but are high in protein, high in fibre and have a ton of micronutrients from the vegetables.

This recipe is also great because it can be a basic starting point — the veggies can be swapped out seasonally every now and again for greater nutritional variety. For example, instead of the kale, you could use spinach, cavelo nero or chard. And instead of the leeks, you could use onions or shallots.

One fritt-uffin provides 73 calories, 4g of fat, 5g of carbs, 2g of fibre and 5g of protein.

INGREDIENTS

· 140g Peas

· 100g Leeks

· 40g Kale

· 4 Spring Onions

· 6 Eggs

· 50g Chia Seeds

· 1 tbsp Fresh Dill — chopped

· 1 tbsp Fresh Chive — chopped

· Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

· A little Olive Oil to sauté

· Optional — 30g Cheese (I have used Parmesan, Goats Cheese and Scamorza and they have all been delicious)

METHOD

· Heat the oven to 180 degrees.

· Defrost the peas in some boiling water (no need to actually boil) and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

· Chop the leeks finely and tear the kale into small pieces.

· Heat a little oil in a frying pan and sauté the leeks for 5 minutes over a medium heat until they are just starting to brown. Set aside to cool slightly.

· In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together.

· In a large mixing bowl, mash the defrosted peas with a fork.

· Add all of the remaining ingredients and combine well.

· Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.

· Either lightly grease muffin trays or line them with parchment paper, unless you have silicone muffin trays, in which case you don’t need to do either.

· Spoon the mixture out evenly into the muffin trays and bake in the oven for 12 minutes.

Macros per one (without cheese)

Calories — 73

Fat — 4g

Carbohydrates — 5g

Protein — 5g

Fibre — 2g

Vitamin A — 13%

Vitamin C — 10%

Calcium — 5%

Iron — 6%

Serves 6

A real weekend showstopper! But as we all know, it’s not about how pretty things are on the outside, it’s what’s going on in the inside that really counts! The ingredients list will be music to any healthy foodie’s ears. I always love to hear about the health benefits of the food I make, almost as much as I enjoy actually eating it! A diet high in the ancient gluten-free grain Buckwheat has been linked to lower risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and chia provide an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, as well as anti-inflammatory Omega 3s. It is only naturally sweetened with bananas and dates and is full of fibre, protein (14g to be exact) and complex carbs for slow release energy. Topping it off with a rainbow of brightly coloured fruits seriously ups your disease-fighting game as it provides a ton of antioxidants and almost a third of my daily Vitamin C requirements.

I automatically become the favourite person in our house on a day that I make this. The kids feel like it’s an indulgent treat, as I sit quietly smug in the corner, safe in the knowledge that it is actually jam packed full of nutrient dense ingredients that will start the day off right.

I experimented with adding a plum/berry chia jam as a filling underneath the yogurt and it worked perfectly. However this step is optional if you’re short on time — I just happened to have some left over in the freezer and it would have been a crime against deliciousness not to actually use it.

NOTE: I tend to make the base the day before (and store it in an airtight container) to save precious time in the morning. So all that is left to do is assemble the pizza and create your masterpiece!

INGREDIENTS

For the base:

· 70g Buckwheat Flakes (Gluten-Free Oats or Quinoa Flakes also work well here)

· 80g Wholegrain Flour of your choice (I used Quinoa Flour, but Oat, Spelt or Buckwheat work equally well)

· 15g Pumpkin Seeds

· 30g Flaxseed

· 4 pitted Medjool Dates

· 50g Protein Powder (I use ‘That Protein’ Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder With Chia Seeds)

· 150g Yogurt of your choice (use Greek or Skyr to up the protein content, or use coconut yogurt if vegan)

· 1½ Banana

Optional Chia Jam For the middle:

· 200g Fruit of your choice

· 4 tbsp Chia Seeds

· Optional — Coconut Sugar to taste if the fruit is tart

· Water to cover

For the topping

· ½ cup Yogurt of your choice

· Fruit of your choice

METHOD

· Pre-heat fan oven to 180 degrees.

· Quick soak the pitted dates in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften

· Place the bananas, flaxseeds, flour, dates and protein powder in a high speed blender and blitz until the dates are well mixed.

· Transfer that mixture into a bowl and add the oats, pumpkin seeds and the yogurt.

· Mix well — I use my hands, but be warned it’s very sticky!

· Grease a springform baking tin, and carefully spread the mixture until the base is totally covered.

· Bake for 40–50 minutes or until golden brown where the edges are starting to get crispy.

· While the base is cooking, make the jam as follows — Wash and chop the fruit.

· Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and just cover with water (how much depends on the size of the pan).

· Simmer on a low heat for 10–20 mins or until the fruit is very soft (berries will need less time, rhubarb, apples and plums will need more time). You might need to add a tbsp more water every now and again if it gets too dry.

· Mash to desired consistency.

· Once cooled, store in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

· Once the pizza base has cooled, spread with the chia jam, yogurt and decorate with the fruit and enjoy the naughtiness of having pizza for breakfast!

Calories — 281

Carbohydrates — 45g

Fat — 6g

Protein — 14g

Fibre — 9g

Vitamin C — 31%

Calcium — 11%

Iron — 6%

Greens on Greens on Greens to honour the upcoming St Patrick’s Day! We’re having a proper antioxidant party up in herrrrre!…..which gets me thinking, if there was such a thing I would totally be the last one to leave the dance floor. It’s not that often that I find whole recipes that I fall in love with so much I don’t end up tweaking them to an inch of their life. But I was introduced to my first ever Donna Hay magazine a couple of months ago (I know, where on earth have I been hiding??) and it was foodie love at first sight. I have since managed to work my way through almost all of the recipes and each one is more delicious than the next. So I thought I’d share a couple with you now — two recipes for the price of one….you can thank me later.

These falafels are as easy as simply whizzing up all of the ingredients in a blender, and they are then baked until crispy, not fried in a ton of oil, which keeps the fat content down. I either enjoy them with the Avocado & Kale dip as a high protein, high fibre snack; or I add them to wraps with a ton of veggies for my lunch. I tend to avoid processed soy products, but enjoy eating fresh edamame in moderation. They are low in fat, but high in plant-based protein and fibre, not to mention they contain a whole host of micronutrients. One serving of the falafels provides 13g of protein and a third of my daily fibre.

The delicious dip itself is also very high in protein (7g per serving to be exact), thanks to the pumpkin seeds; and provides 60% of my daily Vitamin C requirements in one serving. This combo is just brimming with antioxidants and most importantly, is so damn tasty!

Sesame Edamame Falafel

Makes 16 balls

INGREDIENTS

· 280g Frozen Podded Edamame (thawed)

· 40g Spinach Leaves

· Juice & Zest of 1 Lime

· 25g Quinoa Flakes

· 65g Spelt Flour

· 1 tsp Baking Powder

· 1 Egg (or Flax Egg)

· Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

· 40g Sesame Seeds

· Oil for brushing

METHOD

· Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.

· Place all of the ingredients, apart from the sesame seeds and oil, into a food processor and process until finely chopped.

· Shape tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on a parchment lined roasting tray.

· Pour the sesame seeds into a shallow dish and roll each ball individually in the seeds to lightly coat.

· Brush lightly with oil and cook for 12–15 minutes or until starting to go golden brown.

· Serve immediately with the dip below, or can also be enjoyed cold over the following few days.

Macros per 4 balls

Calories — 249

Fat — 9g

Carbs — 27g

Protein — 13g

Fibre — 8g

Vitamin A — 30%

Vitamin C — 22%

Calcium — 13%

Iron — 18%

Kale, Avocado & Pumpkin Seed Dip

Makes 1 Cup (Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

· 40g Kale Leaves

· 100g Pumpkin Seeds

· 5 Spring Onions

· ½ Cup Basil Leaves

· ½ Avocado

· 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

· Salt & Pepper to taste

· Optional — Chilli Flakes & Crumbled Goat Cheese topping

METHOD

· Place the kale in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water.

· Set aside for 1 minute.

· Drain well and place in a food processor.

· Add all of the remaining ingredients and blitz until smooth.

Macros per serving

Calories — 145

Fat — 9g

Carbs — 7g

Protein — 7g

Fibre — 1g

Vitamin A — 15%

Vitamin C — 60%

Iron — 6%

Serves 2

Since The World Health Organisation classed processed meats, such as bacon, as a Group 1 carcinogen, I think the good old days of me enjoying BLTs are long gone. But my all-things-American-loving-teenage-self still dreams about that delicious crispy smoky sandwich. So my healthy-mid-thirties-mum-self wanted to try to emulate that tasty high by swapping the bacon for tempeh (which is fermented soy beans if you aren’t yet familiar), and subbing the bread for spinach wraps. The latter was waaaay easier to make than it sounds, thanks to the good people at Sweet Pea Pantry. They do handy gluten-free pancake mixes filled with more goodness than you could shake a stick at. All I did, was add a handful of fresh spinach and a teaspoon of spirulina and hey presto! The green tacos of your dreams have appeared! I don’t know about you, but I’m not a massive fan of the taste of spirulina — when I add it to my smoothies, it’s a real effort to gulp it down. But it is high in iron, calcium and fibre so I do try to incorporate it when I can, and it’s perfect in these wraps because, apart from adding to their wonderful green colour, you don’t notice it at all.

I also just discovered another delicious cheat — Tofurky Smoky Maple Tempeh Bacon. Usually I spend copious amount of hours in the kitchen trying to imitate a certain flavour or dish, using healthier ingredients, but as soon as I lay my eyes on this pre-marinated tempeh, I knew it was going to be love at first sight! Now all that was left was to chop some tomatoes and lettuce (and even my 5 year old managed to help me with that part), and lightly fry the tempeh strips.

One serving (3 tacos each) provides a nice 23g of plant-based protein, 460 calories, a third of my daily fibre; and 22% and 40% of my daily Vitamin A and Vitamin C requirements respectively.

INGREDIENTS

For the Wraps

· 1 pack of Sweetpea Pantry Grainy Brainy Pancake Mix

· 250ml Milk (I used Unsweetened Almond milk)

· 1 Egg (or Flax Egg)

· 1 Big Handful of Fresh Spinach

· 1 tsp Spirulina Powder

· 2 tsp Herbs of your choice (I used Dried Rosemary & Sage)

· A pinch of Salt & Pepper to taste

Note — this recipe makes 8 pancakes, so there will be 2 left over for lunch the next day to fill as you wish!

For the Rest

· Coconut Oil for frying

· 1 packet of Tofurky Smoky Maple Tempeh Bacon

· 1 Baby Gem Lettuce

· 3 Heirloom Tomatoes

Optional (yet delicious) Serving Suggestions

· Sliced Avocado

· Smoked Red Pepper Aioli

For the Aioli

· 2 tbsp Vegenaise (or Mayonaise)

· Zest & Juice from 2 Limes

· 2 Pre-roasted Red Peppers (from a jar)

· 1 tsp Smoked Paprika

· ½ tsp Chipotle Chilli Flakes

· Salt & Pepper to taste

METHOD

· Add all of the ingredients for the wraps into a blender and blitz until thoroughly combined with no lumps.

· Heat a little coconut oil in a frying pan, and pan fry the wraps one by one, much like you would a pancake.

· Repeat until all of the mixture has been used, and then set aside. Note — don’t lay the wraps on top of each other while they are still hot because they will go soggy.

· Blitz all of the Chipotle Aioli ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Set aside.

· Chop the tomatoes and lettuce.

· Pan fry the tempeh slices until lightly golden on each side.

· Now it’s time to have fun assembling the tacos!

· Serve with a squeeze of lime.

Macros per 3 tacos

Calories — 460

Fat — 11g

Carbs — 68g

Protein — 23g

Fibre — 8g

Vitamin A — 22%

Vitamin C — 40%

Iron — 12%

Serves 10

With the bitterly cold weather that has been battering us here in the UK lately, I do think the ONLY thing I am going to miss about the end of the winter season is Blood Oranges. So in light of this, I recently went on a blood-orange-freezer-stocking-frenzy. Alongside batch cooking some blood orange chia jam (like a super fancy version of marmalade), I made this gorgeous cake. Knowing that it will sit prettily in my freezer ready to wow at a last minute dinner party makes me feel a) pretty smug and b) totally, utterly 100% ready for Spring to arrive now! I used to look at cakes like this on Instagram with terror. I always put them in the ‘too hard to try’ category. But once I’d tackled my first one, I realised I needn’t have worried at all. They are only as difficult as blitzing two separate layers in a blender and popping them in the freezer. I find them much easier than baking a cake in the oven with no risk of either a gooey middle or it being too dry. I also love desserts that can be done in advance, that just sit there in the freezer patiently waiting to be lovingly devoured.

This beauty is vegan, gluten-free and only naturally sweetened with dates and bananas (see my previous blog post which is all about different types of sugars and what they do to our bodies). The addition of Matcha not only adds a lovely green colour to the cake, but a ton of antioxidants called polyphenols which are showing some very promising results in cancer prevention studies. If you can pack in some positive nutrition whilst enjoying a decadent dessert then why the heck not, eh?! Plus, this way we get to enjoy the joys of blood oranges long after their short season is over.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

· 100g Blanched Almonds

· 115g Medjool Dates — pitted

· 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

· 2 tbsp Raw Cacao Powder (I used ‘That Protein” Brown Rice Protein Powder with raw Cacao for an extra protein boost)

· Pinch of salt

· 45g nut butter (I used Hazelnut)

· 50g Buckwheat Groats (if you don’t have any of these to hand, just sub for more almonds instead)

For the filling

· 105g Cashew Nuts

· 75g Medjool Dates — pitted

· Generous pinch of Salt

· 500g Bananas (ripe and peeled)

· 2 tsp Vanilla Paste

· 105g Melted Coconut Oil

· Zest and juice of 4 Unwaxed Blood Oranges

· 2 tsp Matcha Powder

For the top

· 2 Blood Oranges

· 30g Dark Chocolate (Grated)

METHOD

· Quick soak both the almonds for the crust and the cashews for the filling in separate bowls of warm for 30 minutes (or ideally in the fridge overnight but I rarely remember in time) while you gather the rest of the ingredients.

· Add all of the ingredients for the crust into a high-speed blender, and blitz until the consistency is a fine crumb, yet sticks together when you press it between your fingers.

· Grease the bottom of a spring-form cake tin with coconut oil and spoon out all of the base mixture into it.

· Press down firmly with your hands so that the base reaches all the sides on the tin, and is of an even thickness.

· Pop this in the freezer while you make the filling.

· Drain the cashews, and put them into a high-speed blender along with the dates, salt, bananas and vanilla.

· Blitz together until completely smooth.

· Add the melted coconut oil, matcha powder, orange zest and orange juice and blitz again.

· Pour this filling on top of the crust.

· Smooth with a spatula and put back in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the oranges for the topping.

· Peel and slice the blood oranges, making sure there is no pulp left on the edges.

· Arrange the orange slices nicely on top of the cake and press them down ever so gently.

· Cover with cling film and freeze for several hours (or days or weeks!).

· When you are ready to serve, remove from the freezer 20 minutes before you want to slice it.

· Shave the dark chocolate on top and slice with a warmed knife to make cutting it easier.

To fully get to the bottom of sugars, we first need to start with a quick (or perhaps not-so-quick) science lesson so that we can understand what sugars are and what they do to our bodies. Sugar is a type of carbohydrate, and when digested, carbohydrates are broken down and then converted into glucose, which the body uses as energy. It fuels every single cell from the muscles, to the nervous system, and the brain. But as we already know, not all carbohydrates are created equal — Complex carbs (found, for example, in whole grains, veggies and legumes) release energy more slowly into the body and helps us feel full for longer, thanks to, in part, their high fibre content. On the other hand, simple carbohydrates, (such as white bread, white rice, fizzy drinks and added sugar) are released into the blood stream very quickly, which creates a rapid rise in blood sugar (sometimes triggering feelings of anxiety) followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar (which can cause fatigue and hunger). These fluctuations cause cravings, inconsistent energy levels and may cause weight gain or serious conditions such as diabetes. So as a general rule of thumb, the less added sugars we consume (no matter what the source), the better.

Right, so now we know what sugars are and what they do to our bodies, but there is still the nagging confusing issue of natural sugars vs refined sugars vs unrefined sugars. In general, it is often safe to assume that the less processing a food has undergone the better it is for you. For example, if a grain of wheat has been de-husked, washed, bleached and treated to form a white powder, it is no longer a complex carbohydrate. Over processed foods are stripped of their nutritional value including their fibre, which the body needs for gut health and efficient digestion. And the same principal applies when we are talking about sugars. Refined sugars are extremely processed, in addition to possibly containing harmful chemicals and don’t offer any nutritional value whatsoever.

On the other end of the scale — a banana is not just an empty pile of fructose. It is packaged up with a host of nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and fibre, and it’s this fibre which slows down the absorption of sugars in your blood stream and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. That’s one of the reasons why it’s important to eat the skin of the jacket potato, and not just the soft middle. The skin contains most of the fibre and this helps release energy more slowly instead of creating a blood sugar spike.

For this reason, in an ideal world, it’s best to sweeten our food with natural sugars, as they are packaged up with all of the nutrient goodness too! For example, did you know that eating 3 dates actually constitutes as one of your five a day? So it would be great to sweeten your treats with dried dates or apricots. Either by chopping them up and adding them to the batter, or else you can soak them in warm water and whizz them up in a blender to create a date paste to add to cookies. Other recommendations for natural sugar substitutes: Use real fruit to sweeten dishes as much as possible, such as ripe bananas, applesauce or pumpkin puree in baking, or adding dried or fresh fruit on top of cereal and yoghurt. This form of sugar contains fibre, thereby slowing the release of sugar into the blood when consumed. It might also be worth adding spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to enhance the natural sweetness of your food.

Here are some links to a couple of Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes that I have only used natural sugars to sweeten the actual cookies, like in the photo above.

https://medium.com/@thewrightfoodie/purple-sweet-potato-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-tahini-salted-caramel-drizzle-1d75fcfe62fd

https://medium.com/@thewrightfoodie/immune-boosting-chocolate-chip-cookies-36cdeae7dfd8

But if it’s the hard stuff that you really need then just bare in mind that the NHS currently recommends that added sugar should not make up more than 5% of our daily caloric intake. This is about 30g a day for an adult, 24g per day for kids between 7–10 and 19g per day for those between 4–6 years old. It’s definitely worth noting, that natural sugars found in milk, fruit and vegetables doesn’t count as ADDED sugars — and we don’t need to cut down on these!

The reason unrefined sugars, like honey and maple syrup, have become so popular nowadays is because they contain trace minerals (like calcium, iron & magnesium) which sounds like a great thing and a healthy option. But the levels of minerals in these products are so low that they do not contribute a significant amount to your diet, especially since you shouldn’t be consuming large amounts of added sweeteners in the first place. It’s definitely worth noting, that the less refined and processed a food is in general, no matter what it is, has got to be a good thing! But in terms of how your body actually reacts to the sugar in your blood stream, it is exactly the same way whether the source is unrefined coconut sugar or refined white sugar. Other common sources of unrefined sugar are agave nectar, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, date syrup and molasses.

Some food labels can be somewhat confusing and a tad deceptive if you’re not familiar with sugar lingo! So, here is a list of some commonly added sugars:

Agave Nectar

Barley Malt Syrup

Beet Sugar

Brown Rice Syrup

Brown Sugar

Cane Crystals (cane juice crystals)

Cane Sugar

Coconut Sugar or Coconut Palm Sugar

Corn sweetener

Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids

Dehydrated Cane Juice

Dextrin

Dextrose

Evaporated Cane Juice

Fructose

Fruit juice concentrate

Glucose

High-fructose corn syrup

Honey

Invert sugar

Lactose

Maltodextrin

Malt syrup

Maltose

Maple syrup

Molasses

Palm Sugar

Raw sugar

Rice Syrup

Saccharose

Sorghum or sorghum syrup

Sucrose

Syrup

Treacle

Turbinado Sugar

Xylose