Vegan Hot Chocolate

A tastey, vegan, dairy, and refined sugar-free, low calorie alternative to your usual Hot Chocolate!

The perfect compliment to my healthy Chocolate Orange Brownies!

Ingredients:

250ml unsweetened almond or alpro coconut milk original (the coconut milk will naturally taste sweeter)

1 tsp Creative Nature Superfoods organic Cacao powder

1 tsp stevia

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan on a medium heat

2. As soon as the milk starts to boil, take it of the heat then whisk in your cacao powder and desired amount of stevia to sweeten

Healthy Chocolate Orange Brownies

As a food blogger constantly looking for new weird and wonderful recipes to experiment with, there are many things I make, and rarely revisit them unless requested to do so. This one however, is a definite exception! I've made these a couple of times now, and anyone who has tasted them would never guess what the main ingredient was, nor would they believe they were 100% healthy! 

Previously I used chocolate protein powder for additional flavour. However I understood that this one ingredient would potentially put a lot of people off for various reasons. This time, I went for all natural ingredients that were easily accessible to anyone and everyone - and they turned out just as good, if not better! Apart from the great taste and amazing nutritional content of this brownie, that one factor definitely made it my favourite and best recipe to date! 

This time I also decided to give it a slight Christmas twist by adding the sweet yet zesty flavour of clementines to this batch. As well as them being flourless, gluten-free, and unrefined sugar-free, they're naturally high in fiber, protein rich, and super nutrient dense! They'd make a perfect healthier (and definitely tastier) dessert alternative to serve to your guests than the traditional Christmas cake - totally guilt-free too! Plus, I can guarantee you no-one would ever guess that they weren't the real, unhealthy kind of brownies if you didn't tell them... An all round win win situation for you AND your guests I would say! ;)

Ingredients:

1 can drained and rinsed black beans (230g) - bet you wasn't expecting that one!

2 large free range eggs

50g (about 3 heaped tbsp) honey*

35g (about 3 tbsp) virgin organic coconut oil

15g (about 2.5 tbsp) Creative Nature Superfoods raw Cacao powder*

10g Xylitol (or can sub for more honey or alternative sweetener of choice)*

1 tsp natural vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder (can use gluten-free)

Zest and 2 tbsp of 1 clementine* 

Optional: 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp all spice*

Pinch of sea salt

(*See below for possible substitutions)

1. Pre-heat fan oven to 180 degrees Celsius

2. Simply throw all of the ingredients together into a food processor and blend until a completely smooth consistency is reached. You may need to scrape the sides and/or blender in between.

3. Pour into a 6"6" baking tin lined with a little coconut oil on some grease-proof paper. Gently shake and tap the tin to make sure the batter reaches the corners and is spread evenly.

4. Place onto the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when poked through the middle.

5. When baked, turn out and allow to cool on a cooling rack before cutting into slices.

6. Dust with stevia and some more clementine zest to make it look all pretty!

Makes 16 bite sized brownies.

Macros per brownie:

66 kcal, 3.3g Fat, 7.3g Carb, 2.3g Protein, 1g Fiber

*Optional additions/substitutions:

Add some dark chocolate chips for an even richer decadent treat, or some dried fruit or crushed nuts of choice for some added texture! Walnuts and hazlenuts in particular work great with this recipe.

Feel free to sub the honey with an alternative liquid sweetener such as pure maple syrup or agave, and the cacao with cocoa if you do not own any (although cacao is a lot better and 10x more nutritious for various reasons!).

Perfect accompanied with a hot cuppa! Cacao coconut hot chocolate, or a warm glass of milk! Mmmm delicious!! <3

Enjoy! :).

Healthy Chocolate Chia Ginger Bread Biscuits

When I think 'Christmas', I think of putting on a classic Christmas movie, cuddling up on the sofa with a thick wooly blanket, family around me, a nice big mug of hot chocolate, and a few little yummy treats to top it all off.

Since learning how calorific the Christmas period can actually be, this year I thought I would make a conscious effort to try and cut down on as many of the unnecessary fat gaining culprits as possible (those being chocolate, biscuits, pannetone, cakes etc.). Or at least try to replace them with some healthier alternatives so the guilt can be suppressed if I do find myself  over eating (which is quite common as I'm sure is with most of you throughout this festive period!). Lets face it- no one wants their new years resolution to be something like, "workout every single day until I get rid of all this christmas fluff" now do they?!

Given all of that, back to todays post, a family approved festive treat...

Chocolate Chia Gingerbread biscuits!

A healthy treat which not only contains some great super foods, but one that everyone can enjoy guilt-free, whilst being assured all that delicious warming christmas flavour is savoured.

They make for perfect little hand-made christmas gifts to give to friends or loved ones too...

Ingredients for the biscuit:
150g Buckwheat or Quinoa flour (I used buckwheat- to make your own simply grind the grains in a food processor until it becomes a flour, sift to ensure you're not left with any coarse grains)
100g Almond flour (or 100g of ground almonds)
50g (or 3tbsp) Honey
30g candied Ginger cut into small pieces
26g (or 2 tbsp) virgin organic Coconut Oil
15g (or 3 heaped tsp) Creative Nature Superfoods Cacao powder
15g (or 3 heaped tsp) Chia seeds
100ml water
Optional: 1/2 tsp cinnamon/all spice

1. Pre-heat fan oven to 180 degrees Celsius

2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or food processor until a dough is formed

3. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough flat on some grease proof paper until it's just under 1 cm thick

4. Using a ginger bread man cookie cutter (or any shaped equivalent) cut out as many biscuit moulds as possible before using your hands to roll the dough back into a ball and repeating step 3. Do this until all the dough is used up

5. Lay the gingerbread men onto a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper and place in the oven for approximately 8-10 mins or until lightly browned

6. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing them from the tray and decorating

Ingredients for the chocolate decoration:

15g (1 tbsp) Honey
1 heaped tbsp Cacao powder
10g Xylitol

1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl, then place that bowl in a larger pan pr bowl filled with a little boiling water
2. Stir until a smooth, shiny consistency is reached
3. Either spoon into a piping bag or simply spoon straight onto the biscuits
4. Allow to cool and set in the fridge for a few hours

Makes 34 gingerbread men.

Macro breakdown per biscuit (without decoration):

44 kcal, 2.5g Fat, 4.5g Carb, 1.1g Protein, 0.8g Fiber

With chocolate decoration:

46 kcal, 3g Fat, 5g Carb, 1.2g Protein, 0.9g Fiber

Healthy Vegan Ice-Cream

So anyone who knows me will know about my huge obsession with Ice Cream, and we all know how dangerous that can be when trying to keep in shape! 

Here's a tasty little soft serve ice-cream recipe that I like to use to keep me on track! Totally guilt-free and a lot more forgiving to your waistline! ;)

Ingredients:

1 medium/large frozen banana🍌

90ml Alpro Coconut Milk original

2 scoops (1 serving) Reflex natural vanilla whey (feel free to omit this, but tastes 10x better with!)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Simply blend all ingredients together in a food processor or with a hand blender until a smooth creamy texture is reached, scoop out, and enjoy!

Optional: Top with berries, crushed nuts, or dark chocolate for an even bigger taste-bud party!

Macros based on 120g banana with whey, minus toppings:

221kcals, 22g Protein, 2g Fat, 27g Carbs, 5g Fiber

Healthy Tandoori Malai Chicken

This delicious recipe has become a staple in my household. It's yet to fail the taste test from any guests or visitors who have come over and been treated to this family favourite!

Malai chicken is typically made by allowing chicken to sit over night in lots of cream. Here's how we make it in our household and cut half the calories that usually come along with this typical Indian favourite! It's so jam packed and bursting full of flavour- Nobody would ever guess it was healthy!

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts cut into cubes (500g packet)

2 small red onions sliced

1 handful freshly chopped coriander

1 Tbsp 0% fat greek yoghurt 

1/2 tsp melted coconut oil

2 cloves crushed

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp garam masala 

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

Juice of 1/2 lime 

1/2 tsp salt

1. Pre-heat fan oven to 250degress Celsius.

2. Mix all the ingredients together (except the chicken) in a bowl

3. Add the chicken and coat well with the marinade

4. If you have time, let the chicken sit in the marinade for as long as possible for super succulent, tender, flavoursome chicken (45mins - overnight would be ideal). If not- no need to worry, your chicken will still be bursting with flavour!

5. Pour the chicken & marinade into an oven-proof dish (preferably one where the chicken sits in nice and compactly!) and bake in the oven for 10-12mins or until tender and juices run clear when cut open!

Serves four.

Macro breakdown for 1 portion:

162 kcals, 3.2g fat, 30g protein, 3.3g carb

Meal ideas:

Plate up with some mixed vegetables & basmati rice/sweet potato, or put into a wholegrain wrap (or lettuce wraps for an even healthier low calori, low carb, low fat option!) with some fresh salad... Delicious!

Peanut Butter Protein Snow Balls

I recently went on a short trip out of the country for a hen do with 14 other girls. Given that I had a pretty important photo shoot coming up the following weekend, and knowing I'd definitely have to compromise most of my usual diet habits, I made sure I left my house fully prepared!

Containing over 10g protein each, these tasty little low carb treats not only kept my body physically in check, but also kept my outrageous appetite (I eat with my eyes when let loose) under tight wraps! From maintaining energy levels, to curbing those devilish hunger and/or sweet-tooth cravings, they turned out to be a complete saviour.

A crazy early morning rush to the airport (due to the bride sleeping in and being late to her own hen!), meant there was no time to search for a healthy breakfast before jumping on the aeroplane, so I popped one of my protein balls into the porridge pot that was available on board! 

These are so handy and perfect as a 'grab-and-go' for those early mornings when time is of an issue to get to work, or simply as a healthy tea-time snack or treat. The natural healthy fats and protein from the peanut butter and whey, provide the slow and sustained energy supply you need first thing in the morning. This combination ensures any sugar/energy crashes are kept at bay unlike the typical breakfast cereals and unhealthy tea-time treats are famously synonymous with! So overall, an all round great, versatile, and healthy go-to for any time of the day!

Ingredients:
5 scoops of Reflex Chocolate Peanut Butter whey*
5 scoops of Reflex Natural Vanilla whey
100g Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter*
Roughly 50ml water
5g Vanilla casein (for frosting/decoration)

1. Thoroughly combine the chocolate peanut butter and natural whey together
2. Stir the peanut butter into the whey with a wooden spoon (it will still be quite powdery at this point)
3. Gradually add around 5-10 drops of water at a time whilst combining the ingredients to form a big ball of 'dough' (I found using my hands to combine the mixture a lot easier and more effective at this point!). Be careful not to add too much water or else the mixture will become too sticky and difficult to store and mould. The dough ball should be quite dry and just hold together!
4. Once you have your ball of dough, equally divide them into 10 pieces and mould them with your hands into little balls (mine weighed around 30g each). You should notice that the moisture from the water and natural oils from the peanut butter start to seep out and help hold it together and allow the 'frosting' to stick.
5. Place your casein powder onto a plate or bowl, then roll the protein balls around in them until evenly coated to finish off prettifying your delicious peanutty snowball treats!

Makes 10 snowballs.

Macro breakdown per Peanut Butter Protein Snowball:

108 kcal, 13.2g Protein, 5.2g Fat, 2g Carb, 1.3g Fiber

Tips:
Add a teaspoon or two of Creative Nature Cacao powder for a deliciously richer and even more nutritious chocolatey treat! (Use my code GC15 to receive 15% off your order!)

*You don't have to use these flavours of whey, peanut butter, or even casein! Why not try almond butter or cashew butter, a different flavour whey, and a different frosting for variety or as an alternative healthy treat!

Storage: Best kept in the fridge.

Heart Healthy Eggless Protein Pancakes

I really fancied some pancakes this morning, but with it being 'Veggie Tuesdays' and my signature low carb pancakes containing egg, I thought they'd probably be off the cards! Nevertheless I got my thinking cap on to see what I could potentially sub the egg whites for. I remembered I used flaxseed once to make a low carb porridge. The thick gloopy-like texture seemed as though it would make a perfect pancake batter- so that was it, I got cooking!

We should all be aware of the importance of including healthy fats in our daily diets. They play many essential roles from maintaining cell structures, to aiding in nutrient absorption, immunity, nerve, brain heart function and overall good health. There are two main types of fats- saturated, unsaturated- we need both. However the ones we need to keep an eye on are trans fats, which are usually found in foods containing partially hydrogenated oils i.e. vegetable oils, margarine, cakes, fast food, bread. Flaxseeds are an amazing nutrient packed healthy fat. Take a look through my older posts where I discuss the benefits of some healthy fats and how they can can be incorporated into a healthy diet. Also, see my 'Avocado, Flax and Maca Smoothie' for some health benefits of the amazing superfood, flaxseed!

These were not only great because they were super healthy, but they were gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, dairy free, AND completely vegetarian/vegan! Packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats- so not just a perfect treat for breakfast, but for any time of the day!

Ingredients:

1 serving reflex natural vanilla whey

15g flax seed (I used the Linwoods brand enriched with probiotic & vitamin D)

15ml liquid of choice (coconut/unsweetened almond milk/water)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1tsp/5g virgin organic coconut oil
Optional - 1tsp stevia (or sweetener of  choice to taste) if using unsweetened whey 

Toppings:

16g/1tbsp cocoa coconut barney butter

50g raspberries

1. Combine flaxseed, cinnamon & whey with liquid of choice (gradually add just enough to make a thick pourable batter)

2. Heat enough coconut oil to cover the base of the pan on a low/medium heat

3. Pour 1.5-2tbsp of the batter into the pan for each silver dollar sized pancakes

4. Once bubbles start to form, carefully flip the pancake and let the other side cook for a minute or so

5. Plate up and top with nut butter and berries!

Macros (without toppings & using water as liquid of choice): 204kcal

22g Protein 12g Fat 2g Carb 5g Fiber

With toppings: 313kcal

26g Protein 20g Fat 8g Carb 9g Fiber

Suggestion: Get creative with your toppings and they could work out as great healthy little treats or finger bites for parties/movie nights! 😊