You can roll this dough out and make cute heart shaped biscuits!

Not only is this a healthy way to fulfil a chocolate craving, you are giving your body valuable nutrition as the ingredients to make these include natural sugars, oats and nuts, all of which will feed your body energy and make you feel great!

I love the combination of chocolate and coconut, these were a delicious treat. if you have a craving for any flavours but want a healthy alternative to enjoy them, let me know and I’ll do my best to create a sweet healthy treat for you!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 100grams of Cashews
• 50grams of Rolled Oats
• 40grams of Plain Flour (I used Doves Farm, wheat and gluten free)
• 1 tablespoon of Organic Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 2 tablespoons of Agave
• 2 tablespoons of Honey
• 2 tablespoons of Hot Chocolate Powder (I used Light Choices, at only 15kcal per tablespoon)
• 50grams of Desiccated Coconut

You can also add a scoop of protein powder to this mix, approximately for every scoop (20grams) add two table spoons of water to keep the mix moist and dough like.

Method:

1. Set your oven to 180c. Grease a lined baking tray with lowcal spray (if cooking). In a food processor blend the cashews, oats, flour and hot chocolate powder. You may need to stop the blender and with a spoon move the mixture around then blend again as the cashews can get stuck. Once blended you should be left with a flour mix.
2. Next add the sugar, vanilla, agave and honey. Blend until mix is moist throughout and dough like, then add two tablespoons of water and blend again.
3. Remove mix from blender in to bowl and kneed with wet hands to add moisture. In the bowl tip the coconut and kneed in to the dough throughout.
4. Roll out the dough and use a cutter to make small biscuits or mold in to small balls as shown in the picture.
5. Place on baking tray and bake in the oven for FIVE MINUTES if they are thin biscuits and TEN minutes if they and thick balls, both shown in pictures below.
   

   5 Minutes in the oven when making thinner biscuits with the dough!

   

   10 Minutes in oven when making thick bites like these. I put a a few cranberries in the middle of some of them which went really well

6. These can also be enjoyed raw, mold in the balls and place in fridge for an hour before eating as they are far tastier cold when raw.

I put this recipe together by combing a few different recipes and adding some ingredients of my own and they came out better than I ever imagined. They are like a warm soft cookie on the outside with a doughy warm cake on the inside. The warming cinnamon flavours mixed with the chocolate raisins make them a perfect warm treat straight out the oven now we’re heading in to autumn.

These soft bake cookies, like many of my recipes, are definitely proof that it is worth investing in these alternative baking goods. Not only are they good for people with intolerances and allergies they also turn treats like these cookies in to something that aren’t full of all fatty ingredients. These are still meant as treats and I’m not saying they are drastically less in calorie but by swapping ingredients like butter and sugar to coconut oil and agave, you are doing your body a favour as they are GOOD sugars and fats and have healthy benefits.

If you are looking for a free from type of treat to share with friends, I’d definitely recommend these and people will be converted to a healthier way of cooking within one bite! I prefer these served warm so if you have friends coming over get the mix ready and pop them in the oven ten minutes before serving. They are also perfect served with a scoop of ice cream which will slowly melt on top of the warm cookie, for a more calorific treat!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 150ml of coconut oil (comes in a paste like form so microwave for 20 seconds in a bowl then measure out in ml, melt a small amount at a time to avoid over estimating when melted and waste)
• 100grams honey
• 100grams agave nectar
• 1 egg
• 6 Tbsp. of applesauce
• 1 Tsp. of vanilla extract
• 350grams of Doves Farm plain white flour
• 40grams of ground almonds
• 1 Tbsp. of cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. of Xanthan Gum
• 1 Tsp. Bicarbonate of soda
• 150grams of chocolate raisins (you could also use currents or choc chips)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170c and line a baking tray with tin foil. In a bowl add the coconut oil, honey, agave, egg, applesauce and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined (ensure all lumps of apple sauce or coconut oil are smoothed well in to the mix).
2. In a separate bowl add the flour, almonds, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and xanthan gum and mix with a spoon in to one combined dry mix. With a wooden spoon or spatula slowly add the flour mix and fold in to the wet mixture a small amount at a time, this should form an oily feeling dough like mix. Fold in the chocolate raisins until evenly spread throughout.
   

   The mixture will feel and look very oily and slippery so expect to get your hands messy!

3. With a tablespoon take a heaped spoon of the mix and form in to a ball with your hand, place on to baking tray and press down with spoon making a thick, flat cookie shape. These will not change shape much in oven so I try and make them in to the best shape I can before putting in oven. Sprinkle each cookie with a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon. Place in oven for ten minutes.
4. Take out and leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack or plate as they can break easily when too hot. To store, keep in airtight container in a cool dry place and they should keep for up to 3 days.

Unfortunately after getting hyped up to start baking I began to look at the ingredients and was disappointed to find I was missing half of what some recipes needed. Most recipes called for ingredients such as cane juice, flax meal, xanthan gum and coconut oil, to name a few more mainstream of the long ingredients list. I feel many normal households wouldn’t always have these ingredients stocked and some of them can be hard to find and sometimes more pricey than normal baking ingredients. I’m a big supporter in changing your lifestyle to fit around healthier eating but I don’t think recipes like this are always convenient and easy to follow, meaning many of us won’t bother.

With this is mind I still wanted to try out some of the recipes as they did look delicious, I happened to have all the ingredients to make Johnny Cakes which were in the biscuits and scones section. I had never heard of them before but they are described as a ‘part cornbread pancake and part American biscuit’. I worked at a child’s summer camp last year in California and was there for 4 months giving me plenty of time to try out some authentic American favourites for myself! I become particularly fond of both cornbread and American biscuit so the combination of the two was definitely something I wanted to try.

The recipe was easy to follow and best of all I loved the result of the Johnny Cakes. I made some alterations to the recipe based on what I had in the kitchen and my own taste, I swapped the agave for honey and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon as opposed to salt. This made them a much sweeter tasting treat perfect for tea time but you could try them with agave and salt for a more savory taste.

After the success of these I will definitely be trying more recipes from the book, I’ve seen some raspberry scones I’m tempted to try so keep an eye out for the results of how they come out!

In conclusion I would say that if you aren’t use to vegan and free from cooking this probably isn’t the first place I would suggest you try for recipes, as you will need to stock up on a lot of ingredients you most likely may not have in the cupboards. However I can imagine after great results of just one recipe from this book that it would be worth investing in the ingredients if you intended to bake several recipes from it.

Recipe:

Adapted from the BabyCakes recipe for Johnny Cakes

Ingredients:

• 180grams of Doves Farm whole spelt flour
• 100grams of cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp. of baking powder
• 75ml of coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp. of agave nectar
• ½ Tsp. of vanilla extract
• 50ml of warm water
• Sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Line a baking tray, ideally with greaseproof paper but if like me you don’t have any at home use tinfoil and lightly grease.
2. In a bowl mix the flour, cornmeal and baking powder until well combined.
3. Stir in the coconut oil, agave nectar, vanilla extract and warm water. Whisk until a lumpy and grainy like mixture is formed (as shown in the picture).
4. Scoop around two heaped tablespoons of the mixture in to your hands and create a ball then press down firm to form a round biscuit shape.
5. Sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon on top of each cake and place on the over for ten minutes.
6. Removed from oven and while still on tray immediately drizzle honey over each one and then allow the honey to soak in and cool for ten minutes.
7. Move on to plate and enjoy while warm! To start place in an airtight container and they should keep for two days.

We all know oats are good for us but what exactly can this super food do for our health?

• Good for Digestion – Fibre is necessary for regular bowel movements and can play a large part in helping people with IBS. Obviously you could get fibre from other foods but the good thing about oats is they contain two types of fibre, one being insoluble fibre. This helps to make stools heavier and speed up their passage along the gut which relieves constipation. Many people who suffer with constipation often steer away from high fibre food such as oats, as they think it will make the problem worse but it actually has the opposite effect. I myself do find that too many oats, for example a bowl of porridge, is too heavy on my stomach and leaves me feeling very heavy and bloated but by eating smaller more regular servings of high fibre food such as oats (try these flapjacks for example as they are perfect little bites!) can help IBS by regulating bowel movements.

• Lowers Cholesterol and Blood Pressure – The other type of fibre which oats contain is soluble fibre, which has been proven to lower blood pressure when consuming a daily serving of oats. High blood pressure can lead to many complications and problems with the heart and kidneys. Oats contain beta-glucan which helps towards lowering blood LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol in our body). You, like me may not currently suffer from any problems with cholesterol or blood pressure but by consuming more oats you can help to reduce your risk of these types of problems in the future.

• Aids Weight Loss and Maintaining a Healthy Weight – With the high soluble fibre content of oats, it means our bodies pass and digest the oats through the body at a slower pace. This leaves you feeling satisfied for longer and avoids the need to snack to keep your energy up.  Oats are also much higher in protein than other breakfast cereal and this high intake of protein will leave you with more energy for working out and speed up your metabolism.

• Controlling Blood Sugar Levels - Oats are also good for stabilizing your blood sugar levels as with their high fibre content, the body passes the food slower meaning it doesn’t instantly create and release glucose and energy from the food all at once, instead it slowly produces and releases glucose giving you a more stable amount of energy for a longer time. With many breakfast choices I have had in the past I often had a rush of energy which not only doesn’t last long it also results in a crash effect where I then feel very tired. By eating oats regularly you can take more control of your blood sugar levels and avoid problems such hypo glycaemia and more developed problems such as diabetes.

• Calming Effects – Oats are rich in B vitamins such as thiamin and riboflavin which allow the body to produce energy, help to maintain a healthy nervous system and reduce stress. Oats also act as a natural anti-depressant and are often used to depression and anxiety with their calming properties.

I could go on and on about oats! I have found out so much myself through doing this research and have inspired myself to get even more oats in my diet! Below you’ll find a simple recipe for my Power Packed Flapjack, they are full of good ingredients making them great for breakfast, a snack after a workout or enjoying with friends at tea time. After reading all the natural benefits oats can give you they are a quick and tasty way to start getting more in to your diet today!

Recipe:

Makes approximately 20 bars

Ingredients:

• 300grams of rolled oats
• 80grams of agave nectar
• 2 tbsp. of honey
• 8 tbsp. of warm water
• 30grams of sunflower spread
• 30grams of smooth peanut butter
• One mashed up banana
• 100grams of dried fruit, berries or chocolate chips (I used a mix of chocolate raisins, sultanas and cranberries)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200c. Grease a baking tray (I used a 7×12 inch) with low cal spray. In a bowl mix the oats, agave nectar, honey and warm water until combined.
2. Using a wooden spoon smooth in the sunflower spread, peanut butter and banana, this may take a few minutes and some effort as the mix can be quiet thick. Finally add the dried fruit and choc chip and mix through.
   

   This mixture can be very thick to stir but for perfect results persist until well combined! Add a teaspoons of water to help blend if needed....

3. Pour all the mix in to the baking tray and spread out evenly. Take a normal tablespoon and pat down until the mix is spread evenly and firm.
   

   I used a silver desert spoon to pat down evenly for a smoother result.

4. Place in the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly golden brown around the edge. Slice in to small squares and transfer to a plate to cool. To store, keep in an airtight container in a cool dry place. You can also enjoy these raw, just follow the first three steps and place in fridge for half an hour to harden up then store as you would the cooked flapjack!
   

   Not only tasty but packed with energy and all the goodness from the oats!

The interesting part of this recipe is you can have it raw or bake them, if you leave them raw and cool in the fridge they are very similar to cookie dough. They can be enjoyed alone or as a more indulgent treat with vegan ice cream, you could even make smaller chunks and sprinkle as a topping to many desserts. If you choose to enjoy them cooked, they are like a very moist soft cookie bite.

I have been trying to get more protein in to my diet recently so I decided to buy a protein powder to make up drinks and add to baking. With my dairy and wheat intolerances I found the powders in most health food stores by me weren’t suitable so I searched online and found  a dairy and wheat free protein powder. I added two scoops (20grams) to my mix today gaining 8.4 grams of protein. You could try adding more and making them even higher in protein and can use them as an alternative to buying a protein bar, which I will definitely be doing as they taste better than any protein bar I’ve tried!

If you’re making these try baking half and keeping half raw to compare which taste you prefer more and let me know what you think!

Baked on the left and raw on the right! Try them both ways

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 100grams of chashews
• 50grams of oats
• 40grams of wheat free plain flour (I used Doves Farm)
• I tbsp. of brown sugar
• ½ a tsps. of vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tbsp. of agave nectar
• 1 ½ tbsp. of honey
• A handful of choc chips and cranberries
• 30grams of protein powder (one scoop)

Method:

1. Set your oven to 200c. In a food processor blend the cashews, oats and flour. You may need to stop the blender and with a spoon move the mixture around then blend again as the cashews can get stuck. Once blended you should be left with a flour mix.
2. Next add the sugar, vanilla, agave and honey. Blend until mix is moist throughout and dough like, then add one tbsp. of water and blend again.
3. Remove mix from blender in to bowl and kneed with wet hands to add moisture. Add the choc chips and berries; mix them in to the dough with hands.
   

   Just like a ball of cookie dough!

4. On a lined baking tray, tear pieces of dough apart and use your hand to make little balls and then slightly press down with palms to make more of a biscuit shape. 
5. Place in oven and leave for ten minutes until they show a lighter colour and a golden outside. Allow to cool and store in an air tight container.  OR place the bites on to a plate, cover with foil and store in fridge to enjoy raw.
   

   Delicious! Try dipping in to yoghurt, smoothie or ice cream for the perfect desert!

I used Rice Krispies with this tower as I find a lot of cereals very heavy however after finishing I could imagine a nice granola with it. I drizzled on the rice milk afterwards and it slowly drizzle through the tower making it very moist, this delicious tower made a great change to a bowl of cereal. If you don’t have a much time to make a perfect tower you could try just mixing it in a bowl to make a nice scramble of flavours.

Recipe

I didn’t use many exact measurements throughout so just be creative based on how much cereal or berries you want. Also like I always say make the most of what you have in the kitchen and use up any fruit you have, just dice it up and stack like I did the berries.

Ingredients:

• Rice krispies
• Rice milk to drizzle on top (or any milk of your choice)
• A small bowl of berries

And for the banana nut yoghurt

• One banana
• Half a teaspoon on peanut butter
• A dash of cinnamon
• A teaspoon of rice milk

Forgot the include cinnamon when taking the picture!

Method:

1. Firstly make the yoghurt ready to layer in the tower. Take the banana, mash and stir with a fork until creamy and there is minimal lumps. Take the peanut butter and smooth in to the mixture ensuring the lump has been mixed in throughout, finally add the cinnamon and rice milk and stir.
2. Take a tall glass and begin to layer with rice krispies, smooth the yoghurt mix on and top with berries. Continue this process until cup is full. Drizzle over with milk and enjoy.

Be creative with how you pile it up, you can make it an eye catching breakfast for your children or anyone looking to get in their five a day!

Recipe

Ingredients;

• 40grams of sunflower spread
• 200grams marshmallows
• 200grams of Rice Krispies
• 50grams of dried fruit (eg. Currents and cranberries)
• 80grams of fresh berries and raspberries

Method;

1. Line a 12inch baking tray and grease; I used a low calorie cooking spray.
2. On a medium heat melt the sunflower spread in a large pan (remembering you will be adding the Rice Krispies to the pan later, so make sure you have enough room for this), once melted add the marshmallows and stir consistently until both are melted in together. Next, add the fresh fruit and stir until the berries have melted through leaving a distinctive pink colour to the mix.
3. Slowly add in the Rice Krispies to the pan and stir in, ensuring they are all being evenly covered by the mix and the mix from the bottom is spread throughout.
4. Pour half the mixture in to the lined baking pan and pat down firmly, then add the rest of the mixture and do the same again to ensure its firmly pressed together so you cut in to bars later.
5. Put the baking pan in the freezer for half an hour. Take out and cut in to bar immediately while it’s still a little harder and then they can be stored in the fridge.
   

   When you take it out the freezer it should be in a firm/hard block, cut in to bars now while its harder to get neater shaped bars

 

Perfect treat for children to enjoy and get more fruit in their diet to!

 

For me, the biggest problem is that I rarely have any appetite in the morning. It is at least a couple hours after I wake up before I start to feel hungry and the thought of having to prepare anything makes me feel even less like eating!   In the past this has often meant I don’t eat until lunch time – sometimes six hours after I wake up. This is no good if you already suffer from stomach problems and in the long run, it just means your metabolism gets sluggish and this is the start of health problems.  To stop this happening, I’ve got into the habit of taking a snack with me I leave the house.  Then I’ve got something ready to eat, when I do start to feel hungry.

There are lots of breakfast bars in all the Supermarkets now and I used to pick these up, until I started to read the labels.  With some of them, you may as well buy a bar of chocolate.  They are full of sugar, bad fats and preservatives. So I have made my alternative. This is one of my favourite as the oats are perfect for slowly releasing energy and the bananas sweeten the bar without the need sugar. I have used agave nectar, a healthier substitute to sugar that I use alot for cooking with. If you haven’t tried agave nectar, you’ll find it in most big supermarket and you can read about it here: http://www.allaboutagave.com/index.php).

I usually make  these on a Sunday, make sure they’ve cooled down and  wrap them individually in tin foil. They’re ready for me to grab one in the morning. They also make a great snack mid afternoon, they give you plenty of energy to keep you going until dinner or if you need an energy boost after a workout.  Hope you enjoy them.  Let me know what you think.

Recipe:

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Baking Time: 20 minutes

Makes: 12 bars

Ingredients:

170grams of wheat free flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
115grams sunflower spread
1 egg
3 medium mashed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
135grams rolled oats

85 grams raisins and cranberries

135grams agave nectar

Method:

1.Preheat the oven to 200C. I used a 12 inch baking pan which I covered with tin foil and used a low calorie fry spray to grease the pan. In a bowl add the flour and baking soda and place aside. In a large bowl, add the sunflower spread, agave nectar, egg and mashed bananas, beat until smooth.

It will look very lumpy at first but keep beating until all ingredients form a smooth mix like shown below...

2.Sift in flour mixture and fold in along with the oats. Finally add the spices and fruit and thoroughly stir in ensuring they are well mixed in.

3.Pour mixture in to the prepared baking tin and smooth mixture over evenly.

Use low calorie sprays to grease your baking tins. Not only is it suitable for vegans, it works just as well as butter without all the added calories!

4.Bake for ten minutes then take out and sprinkle the coconut over the top, bake for a further ten minutes until golden brown. Take out and leave to cool for ten minutes before trying to remove from the baking tin or cut, as it can be crumbly when too hot.

 

 

Enjoy with some juice and berries at home for the perfect breakfast....

 

... Or individually wrap and store in an air tight container to enjoy for an on the go breakfast throughout the week!