Raw Chocolate cups

                     

Amazingness is raw chocolate in a little cup. So simple, so easy.

If I am honest I don't really have a recipe, my chocolate, like many things in my life is pretty freestyle. I just enjoy mixing, making and tasting :-) 

Here is a rough guide to how these chocolate cups came to fruition.....

Large heaped spoon of coconut oil gently melted

Maple syrup to sweeten to your taste

Raw Cacao powder about 2 tablespoons

Ground almonds  2 tablespoons 

Pinch of salt

Vanilla 1/2 tsp

Lucuma 1 tsp

Mix really well before adding.......

Big handful of goji berries

Small handful of cacao nibs

4 chopped unsulphered apricots 

Spoon into little silicone cups or whatever container you have and try and let them set before you eat them!! 

 

Let us Yoga while the cake bakes!

Born out of desperation our Yoga and Baking mornings have got off to a fine beginning. My dear friend Laura had lost all hope in gluten free baking so Peta and I decided we should right this wrong, gather, set a baking mission and of course do some yoga :-) with that our Wild Laurel mornings were initiated.
 We would choose a recipe, make said recipe and while it was in the oven we would Yoga to the delicious nose tingling delights of our baking magic. Let's just say it could not go wrong.

Today's recipe is from Susan Jane White's The Extra Virgin Kitchen

Praline Cupcakes
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder (I used Raw Cacao)
1/4 Coconut Flour
I teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 cup raw agave/ honey
3 Tablespoons almond butter or Soya Yogurt
3 eggs beaten
5 tablespoons Coconut Oil melted
1 tablespoon Tamari
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Praline Frosting
2/3 cup Cashew Butter
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
2 teaspoons Tamari
taste if you like a little more salt and add tamari accordingly


Preheat oven to 180'/160'fan or 350'F
Sift Cocoa, coconut flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.

Beat together, sweetener with Almond butter or soya yogurt with a large balloon whisk and blend in all remaining ingredients.

Add the wet mix to the dry and blend thoroughly with the balloon whisk until silky smooth.

Prepare your muffin trays with cupcake liners or as we did use brilliant star and heart shaped silicon muffin cups.
Mixture will be super runny so trying not to cover everything in this deliciousness, finding any excuse to lick all bowls and spoons repeatedly! Fill each cup about 2.5 cm

Cook for max 20 mins but keep an eye on them as ours cooked pretty quick and our second batch that we cooked less were more delectable. Coconut flour can be a little sticky in the mouth so these cupcakes need to be super moist to enjoy their decedent healthiness.

Mix frosting ingredients and smoother each little star with a heap of paradise.

Tip: The extra virgin chef states not to use maple, barley malt or brown rice syrup as sweetener in the mixture because it "misbehaves" with the coconut flour.
Coconut flour behaves unlike any other flour so don't substitute it with another flour, it won't work!

We baked 30 and devoured rather a lot of them with coyo and fruit.
Amazingness on all accounts……………

Everybody's Easter Cookies

It's safe to say I like to bake, Friday has surreptitiously become the day for exploring new recipes and creating divinely delicious treats to healthily indulge in over the weekend.
This weekend I spent in the countryside visiting my God daughter Eleanora. Her mother, who has proclaimed total apathy towards baking leaves it up to me to cut the cookie dough.
But…."no eggs, no gluten, no nuts and no sugar"  Perfect, Just how I like it!

125g Vegan Margarine or Goats butter
4 tbsp Coconut Palm Sugar
I tsp Vanilla Essence
150g Gluten free flour
70g Self raising Gluten free flour

I am certainly not aspiring to be Heston but I am an explorer and love to experiment and mix it up. This was a basic biscuit recipe that I have gently doctored to meet the health requirements I desire without compromising on the taste.
I'd rather just lick maple syrup out of the bowl than eat a cookie that didn't cut it.

Keep the heat low. the slower you cook them the more shortbready they become.
I say 175'C but you could probably go lower.
Mix butter, sugar and vanilla in to a smooth paste
Sift in the flour
Roll mixture into a log and refrigerate for 30 mins or so
Then cut cookie sized slices roll in your hands to soften and flatten on to a cookie tray.
Press a fork in to the top to make a nice home made pattern.
Or for a special occasion roll out the dough to 1cm thickness and use fun cookie cutters. I am a stars and hearts fan myself.
Place in the oven for 15 mins or until golden, Turning them once during baking.

Everybody loves an easter cookie :-)

2014……..To give up or to take up

That is the question!
Do we give up something we love or take up doing good for humanity? Do we give up being lazy or take up being proactive?
What ever we choose for our new year's resolution there is always a positive, so even giving up is taking up and something or someone will benefit from your commitment….It might be your lungs if you've given up smoking or your best friend if you've given up complaining ;-)  if your new years dedication
feels like a hardship, don't focus in on "you" and what you're lacking but broaden your perception, widen your awareness and know that you are doing good.

I have given up sugar but what I have actually done is taken up better health, the ability to think clearly and looking 10 years younger!! In my weaker moments I feel I am denying myself a great love, ss a self certified Chocolate Addict I feel abused and abandoned as if I am being punished; but in my sane moments I know I can't allow an entire bar of Amelia Rope's Rose Ecuadorian Milk Chocolate in it's divine pink foil and brown wrapping to get the better of me and I am in fact making conscious choices, rewarding myself and honouring my wellbeing.
So when you waver and that glass of wine is calling you, just take a few deep breaths and remember you are honouring yourself, your health and wellbeing.

We are still living for the moment, seizing opportunities as they come…. just in a conscious, healing, healthy way.
Good health both mentally and physically brings great happiness :-) So don't give up, I promise you, you will feel amazing!!

Ridiculously Tasty Healthy Courgette Muffins

When a rainy day hits there is nothing better than hibernating in the kitchen. Following on with my courgette obsession and while they are in season I thought I'd share another recipe.
My baking usually begins by looking in the fridge to see what veg I have, it somehow feels less indulgent if there are vegetables in the mix.
I found a recipe that had some of my favourite things, Courgette, Ginger, Spelt and Cinnamon..... and doctored it a little to suit what I had available. 

Courgette & Ginger Spelt Muffins

Originally from Babycakes by Erin McKenna

Makes 12 muffins depending on the muffin case used. 

2 cups spelt flour

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup agave syrup

3/4 cup rice milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups zucchini, shredded

I ended up using Doves Gluten free flour as had no spelt and just added an egg white to bind the mixture. Vegans can use Xanthan Gum 

I also replaced the coconut oil with apple puree.

I also added some final touches, sprinkling coconut palm sugar and some seeds on top before I put them in to bake. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line muffin tin with liners, or use amazing rubber ones in Stars and hearts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Add the ginger, oil, agave, rice milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.  Fold in the Courgette.  Fill the cups evenly with 1/3 cup of batter and bake on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes.  

To test the muffins, insert a toothpick into the center.  The muffins are ready when the toothpick comes out clean.  I personally like them a little stickier so under cook them, your call. 

Let stand 15 minutes then transfer and cool.  

I have eaten them for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner and they seem work well at any time of day 

They were a huge hit and even my nieces loved them, so brilliant snack for the kids too.

Chocolate Sunday Smoothie

I was peckish and it was too cold to go outside so I made a wholesome filling smoothie from what ever I had in the house, not usual household ingredients I grant you but once you are on the chocolate smoothie path they will become staples!
about 1 1/2 cups of Home made Oatmilk
2 tablespoons raw Cacao Powder
teaspoon Maca
handful of goji berries
dessert spoon of Coconut palm sugar
dessert spoon of ground flax
drop of rose essence
drop of Vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon to taste
1/2 teaspoon probiotic powder
1/2 banana
3 ice cubes

The healthiest Sunday tea time you ever had ;-)

Happy homemade Granola

The best rainy Saturday morning remedy, delicious Green Tea and freshly baked homemade granola.

Grab a saucepan and place over low heat.
Large Table spoon of coconut oil, desert spoon of coconut palm sugar or sweetener of choice, vanilla essence and lots of organic oats. Stir well and put on a baking tray, then place it in the oven or under the grill.
Keep an eye on it as they can burn pretty quick.
Remove from oven and add maca powder, cinnamon, goji berries, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
I don't cook the seeds as I usually soak and dehydrated them, this starts a germination process which releases enzyme inhibitors and makes them more nutritious and easier to digest. The heat would kill these now live nutritious seedlings. If you haven't soaked them then it's ok to cook them.
Let cool and add rice milk or Kara coconut milk or eat warm directly from the pan!

Oats are brilliant at calming the nervous system and helping heat the body through winter. My father always reminded me that the Scottish won their battles on the staying power of their porridge.
Cinnamon balances blood sugar levels and is packed with Anti Oxidants.
Maca is an incredible root that the Inca's used to increase energy and stamina. It's also amazing at balancing hormones and renown for increasing sex drive.
Goji berries contain many of our daily macro nutrients and have been proven to increase energy levels, athletic performance, calmness and the feeling of health and happiness.
What more do you want from your humble Granola?!
p.s make a small batch unless you have diamond force self control. By 1pm I had eaten the lot..........and am working on my new found super human powers :-)