Drinks · Recipes · Snacks and starters · Sweet things

Choc Crunch Cookies

I wanted a biscuit that wouldn’t crumble in my pack and that catered to a range of diets. These Afghans should do the trick, though they didn’t even make it into my pack because my other half decided he quite fancied them with a cuppa.
Makes 12 cookies, Prep time 15min, Bake time 12min

Ingredients
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup coconut threads
1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup buckwheat flour (if you’re not gluten free, swap rice and buckwheat for 1.5 cups wheat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup honey or maple syrup
½ cup coconut oil
2-4 tbsp water

Icing
3 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tbsp honey
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup walnuts

Method
Preheat oven to 180-degrees. In a pan over medium heat, toast sunflower seeds until lightly golden then place in large bowl and mix with the coconut, flours, baking powder and cocoa powder.

In a small pan, melt honey and coconut oil, and remove from heat. Add the vanilla essence then mix wet ingredients into dry. Stir to combine. Dough should form soft balls in hand; if it feels too dry add water a tablespoon at a time.

Roll into tablespoon-sized balls and place on tray, press down lightly with fork. Bake for 10-15min. While baking, mix together icing ingredients and place in fridge to firm up.

Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool before topping with a heaped teaspoon of icing and a walnut half. Store in airtight container for up to a week.

Breakfast · Recipes · Snacks and starters · Sweet things

Almond Butter and Jelly Chia Pots

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This recipe creates a beautiful creamy dessert (or breakfast) you can substitute the boysenberries for whatever fruit that is in season and add flavours like cacao and vanilla to mix things up

Recipe

Prep time 20 mins, serves 4

½ C white chia seeds

1 C dairy free yoghurt

1 C almond milk

2 C frozen boysenberries + a few to serve

3 tbsp. maple syrup

4 tbsp. almond butter

 

In a medium sized bowl mix together chia seeds, almond milk, 2 tbsp. of maple syrup and yoghurt. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, stirring well every few minutes until the mixture thickens and chia seeds are plump, add a little extra almond milk if the mixture becomes too thick.

In a small saucepan place boysenberries with a little water and warm on stove to defrost. Scoop out berries into a small bowl leaving most of the liquid behind add 1 tbsp. maple syrup then using a hand whizz or food processor blend until smooth.

In four glasses layer chia seed mix, boysenberry sauce and dollops of almond butter. Alternating with each until the glasses are full. Transfer to fridge for 10mins or longer to set.

Serve cold and for an extra special treat top with shavings of dark chocolate and extra boysenberries.

 

Recipes · Snacks and starters · Sweet things

Matcha Coconut Cookies

The friendly folks at BioBalance sent me a sample of their new certified organic Japanese matcha powder so what better thing to do on a Sunday morning but make cookies….

Matcha powder is made from green tea leaves, in the 20 days prior to harvest the growers block out the sunlight from the plant which helps to concentrate the powerful antioxidants and amino acids in the leaves. It is then ground into a very fine powder with a fantastic vibrant green colour. It’s also awesome in smoothies, bliss balls and cashew cheesecakes.

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Recipe

Makes 10 cookies, prep time 10mins, cook time 10 mins

1+1/4  C shredded coconut

1/4 C coconut sugar

1/4 C coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla essence

2 tsp. matcha powder

2 tbsp. green banana flour (or brown rice flour)

1/4 C almond milk

Icing

2 tbsp. melted coconut oil

1 tbsp. powdered coconut sugar (whizz in your blender until fine)

2 tbsp. cacao powder

 

Preheat oven to 180C and line a baking tray. In a bowl mix all the cookie ingredients together, shape into cookies, pressing mixture firmly together as you do.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until edges turn slightly golden. While they are baking mix together icing ingredients in a small bowl.

Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool slightly before dipping one half of the cookie into the chocolate or drizzling some of the icing over top.

Allow to cool fully before serving or storing in an airtight container in the fridge.

 

 

Recipes · Snacks and starters · Sweet things

Apricot Choc Slab

apricot-choc-slab

This is a deliciously dense slab that travels well on adventures and is great with a cup of tea. You can easily substitute the brazil nuts for almonds or macadamias if preferred.

Recipe

Makes 10 bars, prep time 20 min, cook time 20 min

1 C brazil nuts

1 C crystallised ginger

1.5 C dried apricots

4 Tbsp buckwheat flour (or wholemeal)

½ C dark chocolate

1 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

 

Preheat oven to 180C and line a small baking tin. Cover 1 C of the apricots in boiling water and set aside for at least 15 min.

Roughly chop brazil nuts, ginger, last ½ C of apricots and chocolate into large chunks and place in mixing bowl.

Drain soaked apricots and blend in food processor until smooth, add in honey and coconut oil and combine. Mix the apricot paste with the all other ingredients. Stir well, the mixture should hold together well, if not add a little extra flour.

Press mixture firmly into tin and bake for 20mins. Allow to cool then slice into bars and transfer to airtight container.

Recipes · Snacks and starters · Sweet things

Chocolate and Almond Figs

choc-almond-figs

This is the ultimate indulgence, delicious figs packed with good fats and energy. The only downside is that they are so moreish it’s hard to stop eating them.

 

Recipe

Makes 10, prep time 15min10 dried figs (soft eating variety)

1/3 C almond butter

¼ C dark chocolate

¼ C coconut threads

Using a small sharp knife make slits in the sides of the figs and push a teaspoon into them to open up a space inside.  Melt chocolate in a small bowl and set aside.

Stuff the figs with about a ½-1 tsp of the almond butter then dip the opened part of the fig in the melted chocolate. Sprinkle the chocolate with coconut threads and place on a lined tray. Repeat until all the figs are done. Transfer to freezer for