Almond Butter Slice

In keeping with my chocolate and nut obsession, here is another little beauty from my kitchen. I used to love caramel slice, and peanut butter slice, but the original versions are full of sugar and butter, and I really wanted something I could feel good about... hence my Almond Butter Slice!

I do things largely without recipes - I add a bit more or less of things according to my taste, but the below version seems to be a hit in both consistency and flavour. Feel free to do the same - you may like more sweetness or more chocolate - have a go and keep tasting till you're happy. Enjoy!





Ingredients:

Base:

1 cup almonds
6-8 pitted medjool dates
2 tbsp coconut oil
1-2 tbsp agave syrup (optional, or add more dates)
1 tbsp raw cacao powder

Almond Layer:

6 tbsp raw almond butter (you can make your own by processing almonds till they form butter, or most health food stores will sell it)
3-4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp agave or coconut nectar (if you can find coconut nectar, it has a really rich caramel taste, which rocks!)

Chocolate layer:

1/2 cup cacao butter (you could use coconut oil in a pinch, but cacao butter holds its shape better and has a really rich chocolatey taste)
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tbsp agave or coconut nectar

Method:

In a food processor, blend the almonds till they resemble coarse crumbs. Add the cacao and pulse to combine. Add the dates, one at a time, and then the coconut oil and agave (if using). The mixture should start to form into a ball, so add more dates or coconut oil if necessary. Place the mixture into a small baking tray (about 20cm x 20cm) and press firmly in with your fingers. Set aside.

In a small pot, melt the almond butter and coconut oil over low heat. stir in the agave and gently pour over the base. Place the tray into the freezer and allow to set for an hour.

To make the chocolate topping, chop or grate the cacao butter (makes it easier to melt) and melt over low heat. Stir in the cacao and then the agave. Make sure there are no lumps! Gently spoon over the set slice and replace back into the freezer for another couple of hours or overnight.

Once set through, slice into square with a sharp knife and enjoy. Best stored in the fridge.

Home made sugar scrub

I've been looking for a good sugar scrub for a while, but was disheartened by how many chemicals are added to commercial brands. So... I decided to make my own, clean version with some ingredients I had at home - sugar and coconut oil.

Now, the sugar has been in my pantry for a LONG time - I no longer use white sugar in anything, so it came in very handy for this recipe. I used coconut oil, but you can use olive oil, grapeseed, flax, avocado... the options are endless. You can also add things like peppermint oil (great for a foot scrub), lavender, or pure vanilla extract. Be creative!

I used this scrub on my face and body, but there are a couple of tips here:

* If using on the face, resist the urge to scrub - use gentle massage to work the scrub in.
* Be mindful of slipping - it can get pretty slippery!

After your shower, gently pat dry and enjoy the softness of your exfoliated skin! Who said sugar was all bad? :)

Method:

Add 1 part oil to 3 parts sugar (I used 12 tablespoons of sugar and 4 of coconut oil), and add in any extras you may fancy, like essential oils or zest of lime or lemon.

Place into a container and enjoy!

Peanut butter cups

Oh. My. Goodness. I've just made these and they are awesome! Raw, and with only 4 ingredients, they are super simple to make and won't last long...

I got the recipe from rawified.blogspot.com.au - check it out for some amazing raw food recipes.









Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil or cacao butter
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup raw nut butter 
1 tbsp raw honey or agave

Directions:

Put the coconut oil in a bowl, and place that bowl inside another bowl filled with warm water.  This will allow the coconut oil to heat up just enough to melt, without killing the enzymes.  Add the cacao powder and honey, and mix well.  Place 12 mini muffin tin liners in a baking pan, and put about 1/2 tbsp of chocolate in the bottom of each.  Place in the freezer to set for about 10 minutes, or until hard.

Next you're going to put about 1/2 tbsp of nut butter in the bottom of each cup - you can also use peanut or cashew butter.  Be careful not to let the nut butter touch the sides of the cup, or the finished product will look messy.

Divide the rest of the chocolate equally between the tops of the cups, covering the nut butter completely.  Place back in the freezer for another 10 minutes, or until hard.

Store in the fridge.

Broccoli Pesto

This afternoon when I was preparing dinner, my 4-year-old saw me getting a head of broccoli from the fridge. She promptly informed me that she "won't eat that", so I smiled sweetly back and her and told her she didn't have to... at least, not knowingly.

Sometimes you have to be a little creative to get the greens into your kids, and this recipe worked a treat. I even managed to sneak in some spinach! And I managed to serve up one of my kids' favourite meals at the same time - pasta and pesto, minus the cheese, too.

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli, lightly steamed
1 small handful baby spinach leaves
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 large clove of garlic
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, roasted
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (you may need more, check the consistency as you process the mixture)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
Your choice of pasta (I used spelt spirals)
salt, to taste

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180C (160C fan-forced), and roast the cherry tomatoes on an oven tray for approximately 20 minutes, or until soft.

Steam the broccoli for 8-10 minutes, and place into the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic clove, the nuts, spinach, parsley and the oil. Process until well combined, drizzling more olive oil through the top of the processor, as required. Blend to your desired consistency (tip - the smoother it is, the more likely your kids will eat it!), then toss through the drained pasta and add the remaining ingredients.

Spring Salad

Happy Spring Day! And what a glorious Spring weekend it's been... After my weekly visit to the organic farmers' market, I felt so inspired by the abundance of fresh, local produce that I came up with this salad. The list of ingredients may seem lengthy, but I promise you - it's worth the effort for the sheer deliciousness of this light and vibrant salad.

Ingredients:

Salad ingredients:

3 or 4 cups mixed salad leaves
1 zucchini, sliced lengthways with a veggie peeler
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup sunflower sprouts
15 sugar snap peas, sliced lengthways
1 tangelo (or mandarin), divided into segments
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup roasted, salted macadamias, roughly chopped

Dressing:

2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp agave syrup (or honey)
2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Thinly slice the zucchini with a vegetable peeler and place in a colander. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and toss to combine. Place the colander in a sink and leave for 10 minutes to tenderise. Rinse with cold water, drain and put into a large salad bowl along with the other salad ingredients.

To make the dressing, place the finely chopped onion along with the lemon juice and vinegar into a glass jar with a lid. Shake to combine and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Add the rest of the dressing ingredients and mix well.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently combine before serving.