Bounty Cheesecakes

Bounty are one of my favourite chocolates (with cherry ripe and crunchy!) and I have always wanted to make my own 'cleaner' version. But instead of making smaller bounties I decided to turn them into Bounty cheesecakes for a dessert one night. They were pleasantly a hit! All I need to do next time is add some cherries and I could turn these into cherry ripe cheesecakes, mmmmm.......

Bounty Cheesecakes

Base:
3/4 cup soaked almonds (approx. 2 hours and drained)
2 Tbsp desiccated coconut
1/4 cup soaked dates (15min in boiling water then drained)
2 tsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp cacao powder
Pinch of sea salt

Line a 6 hole muffin pan with baking paper. Process all base ingredients in a processor until combined. Press the base mixture evenly onto the bottom of the pans and let set in the freezer/fridge while you make the middle.

Coconut middle:
2 cups desiccated coconut
1 cup coconut cream
3 Tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
4 Tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
1 Tbsp vanilla
Pinch of sea salt

Put all ingredients but the desiccated coconut in a saucepan and stir over low heat until dissolved. Stir in the desiccated coconut, remove from heat and divide mixture evenly over the top of the bases. Leave to set in the fridge.

Chocolate topping:
1 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1/4 cup coconut cream
2 Tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp maple syrup

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and spread over the top of the cheesecakes. Sprinkle tops with coconut flakes and set in the fridge. Serve when set and enjoy!

 

These can be made in advance and left in the freezer for a day or two until ready to serve. You could always omit the base, create the middle and form small bit sized chocolate pieces, set in the freezer and roll the pieces in the chocolate topping. You could also use melted chocolate as oppose to making your own.

Bon appetite! :)

Raw Raspberry Smoothie Bowl

Wow what a month January has been! It is hard to believe tomorrow begins the second month of 2014, February is my favourite month of the year (not just because it is my birthday month) - it is a month to reignite your new year goals and encourage yourself for the things you have changed for the better. It is also a month of love and I believe whether you are in a relationship, single, a single mother or father or what ever your circumstance may be, make sure you do something to love yourself as you are the person you truly have to live with and if you treat yourself right with love then you will have a life of love around you :)

Back on track... there is so much I need to share with you!! So first I will take it back to a couple of recipe I have made and tried which I love starting with a raw raspberry smoothie bowl of goodness!

After our trip to Samudra and an introduction to the glorious Acai bowls, I couldn’t resist trying a few more similar creations for breakfast (or desert!!). On the last day of my holidays before I started my final year of medicine (Eeek!!) I decided to create a Raw Raspberry Smoothie Bowl full of nutrients, superfoods and colour!

Raw Raspberry Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

One frozen banana
2/3 cup frozen raspberries
2 tsp chia seeds
½ cup water
1 tsp coconut oil
1tsp honey
1tsp mesquite powder
1 tablespoon LSA

Method

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth!

I topped mine with more goodies including raw granols, shredded coconut, spirulina, acai and bee pollen… it was morning bliss :)

xox

Acai Bowl - My First One!!

Mum, Sarah and I had couldn't go without a little road trip over the festive season to the new Samudra café down in Dunsborough which has recently been renovated! Plus Sarah ad not been there before I we were keen to show her the amazing meals Samudra offer :)

The new café/restaurant is a lovely open area with the lovely wooden building, tree's, vegetable garden, old combo outside.. once you enter you feel a wave of relaxation and clarity just by stepping into the café. We arrived before midday when they were about the change from breakfast to lunch and decided we would try a degustation of their meals from breakfast to lunch which turned out to be the best decision to try more meals!!

Our first one was a breakfast Acai bowl... wow!!! It was our first acai bowl ever and it did not disappoint! I was marvelling at the colour but the taste and freshness was mouth watering :)

Next we had some 'starters' of spelt wood fired pizza with home made dips and fresh sea salt... again delish!!

Our 'lunch' meal was one we all wanted to try - a raw pad thai salad, it was so fresh and crisp with a tasty cashew, lime, chilli dressing, I can't wait to try make my own one of these :)

Needless to say when I got home the next day I could not go by without trying my own acai bowl using slightly different ingredients, this is what I used making enough for 2 people...

1 frozen banana
3/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp acai powder
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 avocado
1 tsp mesquite powder (optional)
2 tsp maple syrup (you can used honey)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup almond milk

Simply mix all ingredients in a food processor until smooth!


























I topped mine with bee pollen, goji berries, blueberries and a sprinkle of coconut and it was delicious!
First acai bowl = success!! :D

Before we left we couldn't go without a chilli hot cacao (me) and shared a piece of raw white chocolate and strawberry cheesecake... ;)

 

xox

Raw Lime, Coconut and Pistachio Cheesecake

Christmas pudding with custard, cherry and peppermint cassata, fresh fruit salad, mango and white chocolate cheesecake.... there was nothing short of delicious indulgence at our table for Christmas desert! Yet I could not go without including a raw desert for the Christmas table in my quest to continuously show my family that deserts can be both healthy AND delicious! Last year I made my first Raw Chocolate-Raspberry cheesecake for Christmas which was a success, so this year I decided to make a Raw Lime, Coconut and Pistachio cheesecake which in my opinion was even tastier than last years :) I have come to realise that coconut cream and coconut milk as well as almonds are amazing ingredients in most raw foods and make a creamy consistency once blended which mimic your standard cream and ice cream (or try blended frozen bananas!!).

The recipe I used is based from Eat, Move & Inspire with the addition of pistachios for the extra texture and crunch in the cheesecake.

 

Raw Lime, Coconut and Pistachio Cheesecake

For the crust 1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup fresh dates, pitted
1/3 cup organic shredded coconut
2 tbs organic maple syrup

Filling
 2 cups raw cashew nuts
1 1/4 cup organic light coconut cream (I used a full can of macro organic coconut cream)
1/4 cup organic maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil
Juice of two limes
Rind of 1 lime

How to make it…

1. Line the bottom of a 20cm spring-form pan with baking paper.
2. Place the crust ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

 

Press into the bottom of the spring-form pan and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. 



 

3. Place all the filling ingredients minus the pistachios into the food processor and process for a few minutes until smooth.

 4. You can either chopped the pistachios to your liking and mix into the filling or add them to the blender and process for a few seconds to chop.

 

5. Pour the filling into the pan, over the crust, and chill in the refrigerator overnight or until set.

 

6. Serve with a few extra slices of lime and extra shredded coconut!

It was great to see everyone eating the raw cheesecake although it was hard to beat my cousins amazing mango-white chocolate cheesecake with all the trimmings!! But most of my family where pleasantly surprised with how delicious the raw cheesecake tasted and that is always a win! Sitting around with my lovely family indulging in all our homemade goods in great spirits thankful for what we have, what more could you ask for at Christmas :)

 

Merry Christmas!!

xox

Raw Choc-Banana & Coconut Trifle

Raw Ice cream has got to be one of my favourites. First because it is healthy, second it is so easy to make!! Third it taste delicious and fourth it is just as versatile as any other ice cream and can be turned into many deserts or simply eaten on its own :) So while my parents were out for some late night shopping I had a flare of creativity (which seems to be as far as my creative gene goes :P) and with my pre made coconut yoghurt created some Raw Chocolate, Banana, Coconut and Raspberry Trifles!!

The layers you see here are raw chocolate ice cream, chopped fresh banana, homemade coconut yoghurt (see previous post for recipe) some raspberries then repeated layers :)

Raw Chocolate ice cream is so easy make! you will need...

2 frozen bananas
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp cacao powder

Process these ingredients until smooth :) This can be made without the cashews if you do not have any.

My family quite enjoyed them and even my sisters boyfriend who is a chef (and never heard of raw ice cream before) gave me a 9.5/10... Master-chef worthy? ;) Maybe these will be featuring at our Christmas Day family lunch! You could layer these in any way you like, maybe even omit the cacao and have vanilla ice cream or make it strawberry or blueberry flavoured... the choice and possibilities are endless, I can't wait to make some more raw ice cream :)

Coconut Yoghurt - Homemade :)

In summer there is nothing better than a cool drink or food to help through those summer days. yoghurt is a good alternative to ice cream, but home made dairy-free yoghurt is something I have wanted to try for a while!!

Most true yoghurt recipes have cultures and probiotics in them making them a little harder to make. I was quite happy when I found a version of this coconut yoghurt recipe which although does not have the cultures good for you digestive health, is still full of goodness of raw coconut and cashews!!

Coconuts are full of electrolytes (particularly the coconut water) which are great for rehydrating our bodies and fuelling us for the day. They also contain anti bacterial and anti fungal properties which are great for digestion in themselves! It has also been proven to have anti cancer properties :) Coconut Water has been regarded as more nutritious than whole milk – Less fat and NO cholesterol!
And did you know coconut water is a universal donor– Its apparently identical to human blood plasma!
This Coconut Yoghurt is getting better and better :) So this is the recipe I used...

Ingredients
Flesh of 1 young coconut
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup coconut water
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

I have to thank my dad for opening the coconut and getting the flesh for me (even if it cost us a snapped knife!!)

Blend the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, mine took 8-9 minutes as the mixture takes a while to get smooth. Mine was still a little on the rough consistency but I quite liked it like that :)

 

 I have loved mixing this yoghurt in with my breakfast whether it be chia pudding, overnight oats, porridge or on top of pancakes it add a delicious flavour!! Plus it is great with raw banana ice cream as a desert (see post to follow soon!!)

Mixed in with Chia pudding, cinnamon and banana :)

I will get to the cultured home made yoghurt one day but for now I am happy with my super food dairy alternative :D Enjoy!

xx

Paleo Pumpkin Brownies - Just for Halloween :)

Inspired by Halloween, this recipe was one of my 'study break' trials towrds the end of October with a need of some good brain food!! So I came across this Paleo Pumpkin Brownie  recipe made with cooked pumpkin... some hidden vege goodness which even my housemates could not tell was there!
Extra vegetables in delicious brownies?? Best. Brownies. Ever.

Paleo Pumpkin Brownie

1 cup cooked pumpkin
4 eggs
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp coconut oil
4 pitted dates
1/3 cup coconut flour
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp bicarbonate
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/3 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a food processor blend the cooked pumpkin, eggs, honey, vanilla, coconut oil and pitted dates until smooth.
In a mixing bowl sift the coconut flour, cinnamon, bicarbonate, baking powder and cacao powder. Make a well in the center and add wet mix and mix until combined.
Add the shredded coconut (optional) and chopped walnuts and mix.
Transfer into lined lamination tray and bake at 180 degrees C for 25 min, cool and cut and enjoy!

I thought my brain was replenished after these ;)

xox

Easy Raw Carrot Cake & Coconut Icing

One thing that I cannot go past in a raw café is raw carrot cake… or raw banoffee pie for that matter! It has been on my list to try for quite a while now, and I can finally say I have made it!! First trial was not as mouth watering as the café raw carrot cake, but after getting a good baseline I have a few ideas of how to make it that little bit more mouth watering next time ;) but this is still a great recipe to try and one of the simpler raw carrot cake recipes I have found :)

Raw Carrot Cake

3 large carrots, peeled and grated
2 cups of walnuts (I mixed walnuts and cashews)
2 cups desiccated coconut
½ cup currants
4 fresh medjool dates pitted and coarsely chopped
¼ cup maple syrup (organic is best or you could use honey here)
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Rind of 1 lemon
Rind of 1 orange

Method
Combine walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, ginger in a bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a fine crumb, set this aside.

Combine the grated carrots, dates and maple syrup in a bowl of the food processor and pulse until well blended. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times.

Stir in the carrot mixture with the spice mixture, fold in the lemon and orange rind and the currants.

Line a 30cm loaf pan with baking paper and pour the cake mixture into the pan pressing it down firmly. Smooth the top with a spoon and refrigerate for about 30min.

Coconut Icing

1 ½ cups fresh coconut
½ cup raw cashews
1/4/ cup coconut water from a fresh coconut
1 large lemon juiced and rind grated
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Combine the coconut, cashews in the food processor and process until coconut is chopped and nuts are ground. Add the coconut milk or water and maple syrup and pulse for a few seconds. Add the lemon juice and rind and pulse until smooth.

Invert the cake onto a large platter and remove the baking paper. Spread the icing over the top and chill until the icing hardens. Keep in the refrigerator for freshness!

My cheat icing with no fresh coconut!
I didn't have all the ingredients for the original icing so made my own with a lack of a fresh coconut, it wouldn't be as tasty but still worth it :)
1 cup cashews
1 cup desiccated coconut
Juice of 1-2 lemons plus the rind
1tsp vanilla essence

Process the ingredients until smooth and spread on top of the chilled cake.

This is perfect with a cup of tea, especially my favourite chai :)

 xox

Raw Chocolate Cake with Raw Strawberry 'icing' (Jam)

I am a sweet tooth, I have no doubt about it! And I love muffins, and cupcakes, and cakes in general. Being on a 2 week Paleo challenge I have resisted the urge to make Paleo muffins also to see if I can resist my baking cravings for at least 2 weeks. I have to admit it has been hard some days and on Day 10 I thought 'why don't I make a raw cake instead??' So I looked through my various (multiple!) recipe collections and found a raw 'flourless chocolate cake'. It was actually easier than I thought and doesn't even require nut soaking time!!

I made a strawberry icing out of chia seeds the same as the raw strawberry jam recipe topped with delicious blueberries... it was a perfect muffin substitute!!

This is the original recipe for a full cake but I made 1/3 of the recipe and it turned into a nice 9x9cm cake 1.5cm thick which has lasted me 3 days :)

Raw Chocolate Cake + Raw Strawberry Icing

Raw Chocolate Cake with Raw Strawberry 'icing' (Jam)

1 1/2 cups walnuts or pecans (I used walnuts), unsoaked
Dash of salt
8 pitted medjool dates, unsoaked
1/3 cup unsweetened cacao or carob powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp water
1/2 cup blueberries to garnish (or any berries you like!)

Put the walnuts and salt in a food processor fitted with an S blade and process until finely ground. Add the dates, cacao and vanilla and process until the mixture begins to stick together, I had to add a tsp of water and a hint of cashew milk (I had it on hand). Add the water and process briefly.

Transfer to a serving plate and form into a cake around 15cm in diameter. Really you could make any shape you like, I might make a heart next :)

Decorate as it is with coconut, berries, cinnamon, banana, chocolate sauce, or strawberry icing!!

Raw Strawberry 'Icing'

This is actually a recipe for Raw Strawberry Jam but used as icing for this cake!

1 1/2 cups Sliced Strawberries
4 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
3 Tablespoons Water
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 heaping Tablespoon Raw Honey or Agave

In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds with the water and vanilla. Mix and allow to soak for 20 minutes. Add the chia mixture to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

Blend until just combined and still a little chunky. Pour into an airtight container and allow to sit in the fridge for about an hour to allow it to firm and gel up a bit more. Keep stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Will keep well in the fridge for up to a week.

The chocolate cake itself will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator or 2 weeks in the freezer but bring to room temperature before serving :)

You could also try moulding half the cake, adding a layer of fruit then the other half of cake on top as a layered chocolate cake.

I will definitely be making this again!! xox

Paleo Banana-Cranberry Pancakes and Paleo Day 2 :)

Pancakes.

Doesn't that word just make your mouth water?? Maybe I am a pancakes fanatic but I am yet to find someone who does not lift up at even the mention of that word! So for breakfast day 2 you can guess what I had for breakfast ;)

After looking over a few recipes I invented one of my own with what ingredients I had and they turned out pretty good! but how can you go wrong with pancakes I am not sure as long as it is cooked in a pan and resembles a cake :P Inspired by my latest Samudra pancakes I made a quick chocolate-coconut sauce to go on top with cranberries and coconut, yum!

Paleo Banana & Cranberry Pancakes

(Serves 1)

1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 banana mashed
2 Tbsp Almond meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp organic maple syrup or agave (if you have it - I didn't)

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Add to a pan heated with a little olive or coconut oil as 1 or 2 pancakes.

Cook until browned around 2-3 minutes (the pancakes will bubbles on top) and flip cooking the other side.

Transfer to a plate. I topped mine with 1tsp of cacao powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon with 1tsp coconut oil and 2 tsp boiling water mixed to make a chocolate sauce topped with dried cranberries and coconut!

You can top these with anything you like, berries are wonderful :)

Bliss!

For lunch I made a large salad with mushroom, tomato, avocado and roasted asparagus and tuna on a bed of kale - yum!

And dinner was Fennel and Pear soup as the night before, so nice on these colder days :)

xox

Strawberry-Cashew Yoghurt Raw!

I thought raw banana ice cream was good, until I made raw strawberry yoghurt!! Once again I am amazed at how simple this is to make in comparison to how healthy and delicious it is. I sure licked the bowl as I made this to make sure I saved every last bit!

 



Strawberry-Cashew Yoghurt - Raw

1/2 cup soak cashews (2+ hours)
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
1 Tablespoon coconut oil (you can use maple syrup if you have it instead)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Optional - 1 tsp vanilla extract

Simply add all ingredients into a food processor and process for a minute or so until smooth and creamy!



 

Serve with any topping you like, I had coconut and a chopped strawberry on top but would love to have banana, chocolate (cacao) sauce or cinnamon or better still strawberry yoghurt on top of Paleo pancakes!

xox