Chocolate orange orbs

If you're craving a sweet treat, why not opt for something full of anti-oxidants, fibre and good fats that will hit the spot (without any of the processed, refined sugars, oils or carbs).

These orbs make a great treat, and would be an ideal high energy snack during labour (if you feel like eating). Make some up and keep them in the fridge/freezer so you have them on hand.

While this recipe does include chocolate, it's in the form of cacao, it's un-processed form. This preserves more of the beans' nutrients and active enzymes.

Cacao is particularly high in antioxidant flavonoids and minerals. But while it has some nutritional benefits, it also contains some less beneficial substances including caffeine (which should be limited in pregnancy) and oxalic acid, which blocks calcium absorption.

So while cacao in its pure form is way better for you than processed chocolate, treat it in the same way: keep it for treats.

Just sweet enough

Medjool dates are a brilliant sweetener. Their gooey texture adds a caramel-like richness and unlike many other sweeteners, they also contain fibre to support healthy digestion (so these orbs may help to combat constipation - win win!). 

The quantities I use in this recipe create quite a bitter flavour. How sweet you like your orbs is down to personal taste, but I'd recommend trying these proportions first and adding another date if you prefer more sweetness.

Chocolate orange orbs

Makes 9

Ingredients

1tbsp raw cacao powder
1tbsp ground almonds
1tbsp coconut oil
2 medjool dates - chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Zest of half an organic orange
Pinch of sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and then roll into balls, using a teaspoon of mixture for each one.

Lay the orbs out on greaseproof paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour so they set and become firm.

Remove from the fridge, sprinkle half a teaspoon of cacao into a bowl and roll each orb in the powder to coat it, shaking off any excess. 

Serve straight from the fridge or at room temperature. 

Nut milk 2 ways - straight up almond & cash-pistach

Nut milk is one of the most easy but satisfying things to make. The thought of making milk from nuts might seem strange or difficult at first, but with a couple of simple tools it's a breeze.

You can make plain milks to use everyday in porridge or smoothies, or more fancy versions for something a bit more indulgent. Either way, it goes without saying that fresh homemade nut milk tastes miles better than anything you'll buy pre-packaged. And it contains only the whole food ingredients that you choose; no added sugar or weird preservatives.

It's also fun to experiment with different nuts. My current favourites are almond, pistachio and cashew, as featured in these recipes. Next on my list to try are hazelnuts, macadamia and Brazils - the possibilities are endless!

Not only does nut milk taste amazing, but it's also a nutrient-dense alternative to dairy. As well as being a fantastic plant-based source of protein and good fats, almonds, pistachios and cashews are fibre-rich sources of a number of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, copper, magnesium and zinc. Whether you follow a dairy free diet or not, I urge you to try it. 

In this post I'm going to share the recipe for straight up almond milk and also something a bit more special. My cashew & pistachio milk with cinnamon, cardamom and date is a kind of plant based, wholefoods milkshake. Perfect as a mid afternoon treat or a decadent addition to a weekend breakfast.

The only kitchen tools you'll need for these recipes are a blender and a nut milk bag or muslin cloth to strain your milk. You can buy nut milk bags online or they're stocked in many health food shops. 

Both these recipes call for soaking the nuts overnight before using them. This is to make them more digestible and their nutrients more available for absorption. Soaking nuts also softens them and makes them plumper, improving the texture of the nut milk.

Straight up almond milk

Makes approx 600ml/1 pint

Ingredients

1 cup almonds (soaked)
3 cups cold water
Pinch of salt

Cover the almonds in cold water and soak overnight. Drain, rinse well (removing any skins that have separated from the almonds) and place in the blender with the water and salt. Blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth.

Put your nut milk bag/muslin over a large bowl or jug and pour the liquid through. You'll need to squeeze the bag/cloth really well until only pulp is left behind.

Pour your strained nut milk into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cash-pistach nut milk

Makes approx 600ml/1 pint

Ingredients

1/2 cup cashews (soaked)
1/2 cup pistachios (soaked)
1tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp ground cardamom
1 medjool date
2 cups cold water
Pinch of salt

Cover the cashews and pistachios in cold water and soak overnight. Drain, rinse well (removing any skins that have separated from the pistachios) and place in the blender with the water and salt. Blend on high speed until the mixture looks smooth.

Put your nut milk bag/muslin over a large bowl or jug and pour the liquid through. You'll need to squeeze the bag/cloth really well until only pulp is left behind. Now rinse out your blender to remove any bits of ground nuts and pour the strained milk back in with the spices and date. Blend until smooth.

Serve immediately or pour into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Note: It's normal for nut milk to separate a little, just give it a shake or stir if it does. You can use the pulp from straining the milk in energy balls or truffles

Indulgent chocolate orange truffles

Happy 2015! I'm starting the year with a celebratory recipe. It's simple to make, full of anti-oxidants, fibre and good fats and it's completely indulgent.

Indulgence might seem an unlikely angle to take with a new year's recipe. The beginning of the year often comes with a list of don'ts, won'ts or things to give up in the name of self-improvement. But feeling guilt and failure when we stray from these aren't great for us, or our ability to make lasting changes.

Positive resolutions

My philosophy is that resolutions should be positive. Saying 'I'm going to eat more un-processed whole foods' is much more appealing and achievable than saying 'I won't eat any processed foods again, ever'. It's also about being realistic - are you really going to stop loving chocolate and never eat it again? Or could you resolve to eat it less often and in a healthier form?

Treating yourself doesn't have to be bad for you, as this recipe perfectly illustrates. So in the name of balance, I bring you indulgent chocolate orange truffles. A treat for January and beyond.

Love chocolate? I should cacao

Raw cacao is the un-processed form of chocolate. It's made by cold pressing cacao beans (rather than roasting them to produce cocoa). This preserves more of the beans' nutrients and active enzymes. Cacao is particularly high in antioxidant flavonoids and minerals. But while it has some nutritional benefits, it also contains some less beneficial substances including caffeine and oxalic acid, which blocks calcium absorption. So while cacao in its pure form is way better for you than processed chocolate, treat it in the same way: keep it for treats.

Just sweet enough

Medjool dates are a brilliant sweetener. Their gooey texture adds a caramel-like richness and unlike many other sweeteners, they also contain fibre. 

The quantities I use in this recipe create quite a bitter flavour. How sweet you like your truffles is down to personal taste, but I'd recommend trying these proportions first and adding another date if you prefer more sweetness.

With health and happiness for 2015! x

Indulgent chocolate orange truffles

Makes 9 truffles

Ingredients

1tbsp raw cacao powder
1tbsp ground almonds
1tbsp coconut oil
2 medjool dates - chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Zest of half an organic orange
Pinch of sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and then roll into balls, using a teaspoon of mixture for each one.

Lay the balls out on greaseproof paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour so they set and become firm. Remove from the fridge, sprinkle half a teaspoon of cacao into a bowl and roll each truffle in the powder to coat it, shaking off any excess.  Serve straight from the fridge or at room temperature.

Christmas tree salad

It's been quiet on the blog for a while; I've had a busy month and other things have taken over. But I'm excited to be back with the beautifully bright Christmas tree salad. Don't worry, it doesn't contain pine needles.

The holiday period is many great things, but health conscious isn't necessarily top of the list. Food and drink punctuate - and sometimes define - celebratory events with family and friends. Work parties and drinks, Christmas dinner, leftover lunches and new years eve are full of boozy and sugary temptation… and let's face it, canapés, mulled wine, mince pies and your gran's special Christmas trifle aren't exactly bursting with nutrients.

Christmas is about relaxing and enjoying yourself. In every post, I try and get across the point that eating well really doesn't have to feel boring or like denial. Replacing some of the traditional classics with healthier, nutrient rich foods will not only be enjoyable (it's good to shake things up a bit after all), but it'll also help keep your energy and digestion on track and reduce the dreaded January slump where you feel like you've morphed into a brandy soaked Christmas pudding.

So in amongst the prosecco and roasties, why not include the Christmas tree salad to bring some balance. It would make a great addition to the Christmas dinner table, and if you're up for being controversial, it could even replace the roast potatoes and sprouts (or have I gone a step too far?). It would work brilliantly with leftovers and is handy to have made up in the fridge so there's something that's good for you to reach for when you're feeling peckish.

Romanesco broccoli florets are like tiny Christmas trees and pomegranate seeds like little baubles. Aside from looking pretty, their flavours combine really well. The slight bitterness and crunch of the romanesco and kale are balanced by the sweetness of the pomegranate, orange and sweet potato. This salad is rich in magnesium, folate, vitamin C and beta-carotene - these nutrients support immunity and offer anti-oxidant protection. The compounds in the romanesco provide important nutrients for liver function too.

Wishing you a very happy, colourful and bright Christmas x

Christmas tree salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the salad:
1 head romanesco broccoli
1 sweet potato
8 stalks of curly kale
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
1 large orange
1 cup walnuts
4 small spring onions
1tbsp coconut oil
Large pinch of salt (sea salt or Himalayan pink rock salt)

For the dressing:
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Juice of half a lemon

Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees.  Chop the sweet potato cross ways into 1cm slices, then cut each slice into quarters. Place in a roasting tin with the coconut oil and a large pinch of salt.  Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, giving the tin a shake every 10 minutes or so to make sure the slices cook evenly.

Remove the kale from its stalks and chop the leaves. Cut the romanesco into small florets. Steam both for 2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water.

Thinly slice the orange, then cut each slice into quarters. Roughly chop the walnuts and spring onions.

Combine and mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

To assemble, allow the sweet potato to cool a little, then mix with the greens and spring onions in a large bowl. Add half the nuts, pomegranate seeds and orange and mix well, adding the dressing. Sprinkle the remaining nuts, pomegranate seeds and orange slices on top to decorate. 

Drink the rainbow

Juicing is a brilliant way of getting lots of vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients into your body. You'll see from the recipes below that you can pack a lot of fruit and veg into a glass with each juice. Because the nutrients in fruit and veg juices are easily absorbed, they're kind on the digestive system. This makes juices ideal to have at the start of the day or to pep you up when you're feeling sluggish, tired or like you've over-indulged.

There's a big difference between buying a carton of OJ and the kinds of juices I'm talking about here. Not only are homemade juices fresh and without any dodgy additives, but when you make your own, you can choose ingredients that won't cause the same sugar spike that pure fruit juices do.  

The key to making a balanced juice is always combining fruit and veg when you juice - with the focus on including as much or more veg than fruit. Carrots, beets and sweet potatoes that I use in these recipes all work well to add sweetness, and cucumber, watercress and mint are refreshing.

Buying a juicer is an investment, but one that's definitely worthwhile. Juicing is such an easy way to introduce more fruit and veg into your diet, and experimenting with different flavours and combinations can be really creative! You could start with a book like the brilliant Super Juice by Michael van Straten for inspiration.

Just to be clear, I think juicing is a great addition to your diet, but not a replacement for solid food. Juicing removes fibre from fruit and veg, so you need to make sure you're still getting this along with all the other nutrients your body needs from a varied, wholefoods diet.

The three juice recipes here are some of my favourites. Each recipe serves 2.

Green 

Cucumber and mint soothe and cool, while watercress is anti-bacterial and rich in vitamins C and E. Lime adds freshness an extra vitamin C boost.

• 1 handful watercress
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 apple
• 1 pear
• 1 lime (peeled_
• 3 baby cucumbers / 3/4 big cucumber (peeled if not organic)

Wash all ingredients. Put the watercress and mint through the juicer, then the lime and cucumber(s) and lastly the apple and pear.

Pink

Beets support the liver and help to cleanse the blood. They also contain iron and folic acid, especially important in pregnancy. Ginger is anti-bacterial and stimulates circulation.

• 2 beetroots (peeled)
• 1 apple (washed and cored)
• 1 thumb of ginger (peeled)

Put all ingredients through the juicer.

Orange

This juice is a beta-carotene party in a glass. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant and boosts the immune system as well as supporting eye health and the skin.

• 1 small sweet potato (peeled)
• 2 satsumas (peeled)
• 3 carrots (peeled if not organic)
• Thumb of ginger (peeled)

 Put the satsumas through the juicer first, followed by the other ingredients.

Spiced autumn porridge

Autumn's here and the leaves are turning golden. Porridge is the perfect autumnal breakfast and this spiced version mirrors the colours outside. It's also warming and energising to prepare you for cooler days ahead.

Turmeric and ginger are great additions to your diet at this time of year. They support the immune system with their anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Both are also warming spices that support circulation. Cinnamon adds spicy sweetness as well as supporting blood sugar balance.

While this porridge is made of oats, other grains like buckwheat, amaranth or quinoa would work well too. I've stuck with oats, as I really like their steady release of energy and soluble fibre, which soothes the gut. They also contain B vitamins and a number of minerals including iron, magnesium, zinc and manganese. For this recipe, I used gluten free pinhead oats which are coarser than the jumbo or rolled kind, but any oats will do. If you're using other varieties, you may need to adjust the cooking time. 

Adding grated apple gives some crunch and sweetness. Apples also contain pectin, another kind of soluble fibre that supports digestion and the production of good bacteria in the gut.

Spiced Autumn Porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 cup oats (I used gluten free pinhead oats)- soaked overnight
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2cm fresh ginger - finely grated
1/2 cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk (I use Biona) or almond milk
1 apple - coarsley grated
Handful of coconut flakes
1 tbsp bee pollen

Soak the oats overnight in 1 cup of water. Drain, rinse and add to a saucepan with 1 cup of fresh cold water. Cook on a low heat for around 15 minutes stirring regularly, until most of the water has absorbed and the mixture has formed a thick consistency. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and apple and mix in the coconut milk. Remove from the heat and serve sprinkled with the coconut flakes and bee pollen.

Hummus from the heart

I was at a family lunch recently when the conversation turned to hummus. Before this, my mum had been telling my cousins and me our grandfather's incredible life story. As we listened with amazement to the twists and turns of his early life, we nibbled on warm pitta smeared with creamy, nutty hummus.

When my mum had finished the story, our full attention turned to what we were eating and a debate started about how to create the perfect hummus. Things got heated and big questions were posed: what's the right ratio of chickpeas to tahini? Do you blend the chickpeas coarse or smooth? Lemon or no lemon? Everyone had a different opinion.

That family lunch was one I always want to remember for lots of reasons, and this hummus recipe will keep it alive in my memory. It's a combination of the passionate views expressed at the table and creates a fusion that I think is perfection.

Healthier hummus

Making your own hummus is so easy. And while shop bought varieties can be heaving with salt, additives and preservatives, the stuff you make yourself will only contain whole foods. You can also experiment with methods (like sprouting, as I do here) to increase its nutritional benefits and different ingredients to find the flavours and consistency you like best.

I won't try to deny that hummus with freshly baked, fluffy white pitta is one of life's great pleasures. But there are other ways to eat hummus that are equally delicious and provide more nutrients, a more sustained energy release and better digestion. Try with salad, carrot, pepper and celery sticks or on dark rye toast or whole grain crackers.

Hummus and nutrients

In the Middle East, hummus is traditionally eaten for breakfast as an energy dense meal to set you up for the day. As chickpeas are a good source of protein and fibre, they support blood sugar balance and keep you fuller for longer. Their high fibre content also aids healthy digestion and supports cholesterol balance.

Chickpeas are a phytoestrogenic food. Phytoestrogens are substances that can mimic or inhibit the effects of the female sex hormone oestrogen in the body. The gently phytoestrogenic properties of chickpeas may support the balance of oestrogen levels in women, so including them in your diet (along with other hormone balancing foods) could help reduce PMS symptoms or support post-menopausal hormone balance.

Tahini, an essential ingredient in hummus, is made from ground sesame seeds. These small white seeds are a fantastic source of calcium making them ideal for dairy-free diets. Sesame seeds also have good levels of protein and other minerals including zinc and magnesium.

Soak 'n' sprout

Soaking legumes such as chickpeas is an important step in their preparation. Soaking helps to remove phytic acid, making the precious minerals in the legumes  available for us to absorb. It also gets legumes ready for sprouting and reduces cooking time. Soak for 8-12 hours in plenty of clean water for best results. 

Sprouting chickpeas before cooking them is a method my cousin's husband uses in his hummus to increase nutritional benefits and make them even more digestible. Once sprouted, you can also use the chickpeas raw, as I have done here. The raw chickpea sprouts have a grassy flavour and crunchy texture, a bit like raw peas. Sprouting transforms the dried chickpeas into live plants, and this boosts their protein, B vitamin and vitamin C content. Watching your sprouts appear and grow is also pretty fun!

The right balance

I like my hummus creamy, so I've gone for my cousin's 50/50 ratio of chickpeas to tahini, but you can experiment with this to find your own perfect balance. My mum's hummus is always lemony, which I love, so I've added lemon juice for taste and an additional hit of vitamin C. I've kept to one clove of garlic, but you could try more (although it may be a bit anti-social).

Sprouted hummus

Makes a big plate - around 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 cup light tahini (mix well as the oil naturally separates)
Juice of half a lemon
1 large clove of garlic
2 tbsp pine nuts
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus a bit extra for drizzling
6 tbsp water (room temperature)
Generous pinch of sea salt (adjust to taste)

Soak the chickpeas in a bowl with plenty of clean water overnight or for 8-12 hours. Use enough water to completely cover them. After soaking rinse well and place in a large colander with a plate underneath. Keep out of direct sunlight and cover with a clean tea towel. Rinse the chickpeas 3 times a day (every 6-8 hours). After a day or so the chickpeas will begin to sprout. Continue the rinsing process for another day or two, or until the shoots are more developed. Rinse the sprouted chickpeas well and discard any skins that have come away. Reserve 2 tbsp of the sprouted chickpeas for the garnish and put the rest in a food processor with the tahini, crushed garlic clove, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and water. Blend until completely smooth.

Mix the reserved chickpeas and pine nuts with the paprika and toast on a low heat in a pan for a minute or two until the pine nuts turn lightly golden.

Put the hummus in a dish, sprinkle the chickpeas and pine nuts on top and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with rye toast, crackers, veg sticks or whatever you like!

Technicolour super salad

This vegan salad is rich in nutrients, including protein, good fats, iron and antioxidants. The combination of earthy sweetness from the beets, juiciness from the radishes and the bitter crunch of endive make it delicious too.

It's also a looker, with vibrant hues of pink and green. Brightly coloured fruit and veg, as well as looking good, reveals information about nutrient content. For example, reds, pinks and purples like those in this salad, point to certain natural phytochemicals with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer preventive properties.

This salad was inspired by a recipe from the brilliant Green Kitchen Stories, but I made a few tweaks to the ingredients and colour scheme.

Pretty pinks

Beets are the showstopper in this salad, with their hot pink and white stripes. As well as being a source of iron, the high fibre content of beets supports healthy digestion. Radishes have cancer preventive, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, while chicory (AKA endive) is a bitter leaf that stimulates digestion, helping to break down food in the stomach.  All three of these rosey veggies also work to stimulate the liver and support detoxification.

Luscious greens

Avocado contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat, which helps us absorb anti-oxidants from other foods. The bright green broad beans add protein and are a source of fibre, essential for healthy digestion.

And amazing… beige

Although it's the least exciting colour in this salad, the quinoa does more than add bulk, crunch and a nutty flavour. Quinoa is different to other grains because its seeds are much more nutrient dense. A complete protein, it contains all the essential amino acids our bodies need to function.  It's also high in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.  

Technicolour super salad

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the salad
1 cup quinoa - soaked for at least 30 minutes and rinsed well.
250g broad beans (removed from pods)
1 candy beetroot
150g radishes
1 head of red chicory
2 spring onions
1 avocado

For the dressing
Juice of half a lemon
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.

Cook the quinoa in 1.5 cups boiling water with a pinch of salt. Bring to boil then simmer until all water absorbed, which should take around 15 minutes. Leave to cool.

Wash the radishes and place on a baking tray in the oven with a teaspoon of coconut oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes.

Blanch the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water, drain and pop the beans out of their skins.

Peel, then mandolin or very thinly slice the beetroot. Remove the outside leaves of the chicory and cut the bulb in half lengthways and again into quarters. Separate the leaves from the bulb and wash well. Finely chop the spring onion and slice the avocado into small wedges.

Assemble ingredients in a large bowl, add the combined dressing ingredients, mix well and serve. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Sugar - our weakness for sweetness

Sugar cravings can feel overwhelming and low blood sugar can make you feel terrible. Ditch the highs and lows and restore balance.

Tired, stressed, starving, in need of a hug... at times like these, the yearning for a biscuit, cake or chocolate can be so powerful, we convince ourselves that we need it; that by reaching for that sugar-laden comfort, we’re ‘listening to our body’. 

Well, not quite. While succumbing to the sugar urge might make you feel more awake or content in the short term, the crash that inevitably follows is less fun. The sugar hangover can leave you feeling drowsy, bloated and irritable. Sugar is powerful and addictive, which is why the cravings can be so strong.  

Why do we crave it? We’re introduced to sugar and all its comforting connotations as soon as we’re born. Breast milk, our first food, contains the milk sugar lactose. Glucose, the simple form of sugar, is what our brains and bodies rely on for fuel. But the way our bodies respond to sugar depends on how much we eat, the sources we get it from and how quickly we break it down. 

What happens when we eat it? When we eat simple sugars, like those in sweets or cakes, or refined carbohydrates, like white bread or pasta, the glucose from these foods enters our bloodstream quickly. This causes a blood sugar spike and we rely on the hormone insulin to get the glucose from our blood into our cells. Eating a diet high in sugar makes our insulin work harder, which can lead to health problems, like insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes. Recent studies have also linked high sugar intake to the development of heart disease. Not so sweet.

Don't cave when you crave

Stick to un-refined carbohydrates. Brown rice, bread and pasta are higher in fibre than the white versions, taking longer to break down and giving a steadier release of energy.

Eat the whole fruit. Fruit contains sugar (fructose) but also fibre, which helps to slow down carbohydrate digestion. Fibre is removed when fruits are juiced, so better to eat fruit than drink it.

Go for good quality protein with every meal and snack. Nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs and avocado are good options. Protein takes longer to digest, keeping you fuller for longer and reducing sugar cravings.

Foods that will love you back
When you crave something sweet, try one of these snacks instead:

• A handful of raw, unsalted nuts or seeds
• An oatcake with cottage cheese, almond butter or hummus
• A handful of carrot sticks or sugar snap peas

Recipe: Apple, cinnamon, almond & walnut paste

Delicious eaten alone, as a topping on porridge or spread on a cracker. As well as adding warmth and sweetness, cinnamon also contains Chromium which helps regulate blood sugar. This is really easy to make  - perfect for a quick snack or dessert.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 apples, washed and grated
Handful of walnuts, roughly chopped
Handful of flaked almonds, roughly chopped
1/2tsp ground cinnamon (add more to taste)
1tsp apple cider vinegar

Mix ingredients by hand or blend for a smoother paste. Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Pot by Tina Vlassopulos