Chocolate Orange Squares

These raw chocolate orange squares are super tasty.  I couldn't help taking photos of this dessert as I enjoyed every mouthful! That being said, they are very high in sugar - something which I try to avoid. It's hard to keep sugar levels low when cooking/baking with fruit (dates and oranges) and then adding in extra sugars (agave nectar or honey). If I make these squares again, I may reduce the amount of liquid sweetener to by 1-2 tablespoons to see if there's a big difference in taste.

These squares really remind me of Terry's Chocolate Orange. I haven't eaten a chocolate orange in years. I think my recipe below is darker and richer than the milk chocolate oranges first made in 1932 by Terry's of York.

Chocolate Orange Squares
Makes 9

Ingredients:
Base:
- 120g / 4.5oz oats
- 120g / 4.5oz flour (I use whole wheat)
- 40g / 8tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1/8tsp salt
- 120g / 4.5oz dates, pitted, soaked and drained (reserving 60ml)
- 80g / 4tbsp agave nectar OR honey
- 1-2 orange zested and juiced
- 60ml / 4tbsp squeezed orange juice
- 60ml / 4tbsp date water

Frosting:
- 96g / 6tbsp almond butter, warmed
- 5g / 1tbsp cocoa powder
- 20g / 1tbsp agave nectar
- 90ml / 3floz - squeezed orange juice

Method:

• For the chocolate orange base, mix all the ingredients in a food processor, adding the oats, flour, cocoa powder and salt first, then adding in the dates, agave nectar, orange zest, juice and date liquid.
• Spread the mixture into a brownie tin and press down to compact.
• Place in the fridge and then make the frosting by stirring all the ingredients together.
• Spread the frosting over the base mixture and leave it to set in the fridge for about 2-3 hours. 
• Cut into 9 squares. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Honey Almond Popcorn Balls

These delicious treats taste just like a bag of toffee/caramel popcorn: sweet and crunchy. I consider them to be a lighter and healthier version to the bags of store-bought toffee popcorn, which is usually sweetened with corn syrup and cooked in butter/oil. These balls are also the perfect snack-size and there's no need to worry about polishing off an entire bag of popcorn!

I adapted this recipe from the Thrive Market website. As mentioned in the original post, these  treats are perfect for Halloween!

Simple air popped popcorn is a great snack by itself - sprinkled with a little cinnamon or nutritional yeast. A 50g / 1/4cup serving yields about 5 cups of popped popcorn. I simply heat the kernels in a pan, with the lid on, over a medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally throughout popping so nothing burns.

Honey Almond Popcorn Balls
Makes 12

Ingredients:
- 50g / 1.8oz popcorn, unpopped
- 28g / 1oz almonds, chopped
- 64g / 4tbsp almond butter
- 80g / 4tbsp agave nectar OR honey
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2tsp cinnamon

Method:

• In a saucepan with a lid, pop the popcorn, shaking occasionally so the kernels don't burn.
• In a large bowl, combine the popcorn and chopped almonds.
• In a small saucepan, stir the agave nectar OR honey and almond butter together and let it bubble for a minute.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.
• Pour the sweet nutty mixture over the popcorn mixture and mix thoroughly.
• Whilst the mixture is still warm, spray hands with a nonstick spray and form popcorn into balls, squeezing gently to compact all the ingredients together. 
• Store in an air tight container for up to a week. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

As it's October, and the seasons are changing, pumpkins are beginning to appear in supermarkets as well as on door-steps and in lattes! The beauty of stocking canned pumpkin purée in my pantry means I can cook and bake with it all year round. A particular favourite meal is my Pumpkin, Kale, Ginger, Tofu Curry.

In the past I've made chocolate brownies using pumpkin and also a gooey chocolate fudge cake which is gluten, dairy and grain free. I wanted to combine both recipes and adapt them slightly to get a soft chocolaty cake with less fats than the pumpkin brownie and less sugar than the fudge cake. The brownie recipe uses more nut butter and coconut oil than the recipe below and the fudge cake has a high sugar content due to the chocolate sauce drizzled on top.

The brownie recipe also calls for flax-egg but I used aquafaba (chickpea liquid) instead and added the dry flaxseed to the flour, thus reducing the amount of flour needed by a quarter. If flaxseed is not to hand, a whole cup (120g) of flour or oat flour can be used.

If served with ice cream (frozen bananas), this would be an excellent dessert!

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake
Makes 8

Ingredients:
- 32g / 2tbsp nut butter (I use cashew or almond butter)
- 15ml / 1tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 20g / 1tbsp agave nectar OR honey
- 45ml / 3tbsp aquafaba / bean liquid
- 160g / 6oz pumpkin purée
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 90g / 3oz flour (I use whole wheat)
- 26g / 4tbsp flaxseed meal
- 20g / 4tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1tsp baking powder
- 1/2tsp cinnamon
- 40g / 1.4oz dark chocolate, chopped OR chocolate chips

Method:

• In a bowl, combine nut butter, coconut oil, honey, aquafaba, pumpkin and vanilla.
• In another bowl, mix together the flour, flaxseed, cocoa, baking powder and cinnamon. 
• Fold the dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until well mixed. 
• Stir in the chopped chocolate (or chips).
• Spread the mixture in an 8x8 baking tray or loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes at 175C / 350F.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Fritters

I adapted this recipe from the Deliciously Ella cookbook. I amended ingredient quantities and just oven baked the fritters. However, they can be fried slightly to crisp the edges if desired but I found 30 minutes in the oven gave then a crisp outer edge with a soft middle, similar to fish cakes or falafel.

A decent sized sweet potato (around 400g), once baked and the skins removed will equal just under 300g. The skins make a sweet and nutritious snack so I always cook the potatoes in their skins instead of peeling them. I microwave my potatoes to speed up the cooking time whilst the quinoa is cooking on the stove top.

Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory agent, as I've mentioned before in my previous Vegetable and Quinoa Stir Fry recipe. It's an effective treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease and a relief for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The fritters are moist but I usually like to pour a little sauce over the top - either tomato paste, thinned with water to make natural tomato ketchup. Or a cashew sauce which is just some cashews, blended with water and a little soy sauce.

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Fritters
Makes 12 (3 fritters per serving)

Ingredients:
- 400g / 14oz sweet potato
- 170g / 6oz quinoa, dry
- 60ml / 4tbsp lemon juice
- 32g / 2tbsp almond butter
- 66g / 4tbsp tomato paste
- 45ml / 3tbsp water
- 2tsp cumin
- 1tsp turmeric

Method:

• Cook the quinoa in water, with 2tbsp lemon juice, for about 15-20 minutes, until the water has been absorbed.
• Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the sweet potato, peel the skins, then place the flesh in a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients.
• Blend to combine until smooth.
• Add the sweet potato mixture to the bowl of quinoa and stir to combine.
• Spoon the mixture on to a baking tray, lined with parchment, forming round fritters.
• Bake in oven at 190C / 375F for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
• Eat from the oven or fry each side in a pan to crisp for a couple of minutes.
• Serve on a bed of spinach, kale, or courgette noodles with tomato paste or cashew sauce. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Chia Breakfast Pudding

With my recent Granola recipe post, I am continuing the theme of tasty, high calorie, breakfasts / snacks.

This recipe doesn't contain any oats (for a change) but it still uses natural sugars (from fruit), seeds (chia) and nut butter. Unlike the granola, no baking is required but some evening preparation is needed plus several hours of refrigeration time.

If I'm being organized and planning ahead, and want a filling breakfast for the morning, I always make this chia pudding. It only takes a few minutes to blend everything together. It's also an ideal recipe for any ripe bananas that need eating. However, as mentioned above, it must be made the night before so the chia seeds have time to soak in the banana milk mixture and expand into a delicious creamy pudding. As it's cold and can be stored in a jar, it's easily transportable and can be eaten throughout the morning.

I usually add strawberries but any fresh or frozen berries are fine. I once made it with mango - very tropical and refreshing first thing in the morning!

It's quite calorific with over 20g fat and sugars, but a great source of protein (10g) and fibre (19g). The fats are healthy fats from the almond butter and chia seeds and the sugars are all natural - from the banana and berries.

I did a little research on the health benefits of chia seeds. Of course they are going to be labelled a 'superfood' when they have some many health benefits. Taken from the Authority Nutrition website, which lists 11 Proven Health Benefits of Chia Seeds, as well as the SF Gate Healthy Eating website, which also lists the Top 10 Health Benefits of Chia Seeds, a few common ones are:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids - can help reduce inflammation, enhance cognitive performance and reduce high cholesterol
• Fiber - an excellent source associated with reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol and regulating bowel function.
• Antioxidants - help protect the body from free radicals, aging and cancer.
• Can be Digested Whole - do not need to be ground, unlike flaxseeds.
• Blood Sugar Regulation - can reduce insulin resistance and decrease abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood.
• Bone Health - high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and protein.
• Easy to Incorporate into Diet - can be eaten raw; soaked in juice; added to porridges, puddings or baked goods; sprinkled on top of cereal, yogurt, vegetables or rice dishes; used to thicken sauces; used as egg an substitute.

Chia Breakfast Pudding
Makes 1

Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana, chopped
- 240ml / 8floz almond milk, unsweetened
- 16g  1tbsp almond butter
- 85g / 3oz strawberries, chopped
- 28g / 2tbsp chia seeds

Method:

• Blend the banana, milk, almond butter and strawberries in a blender until creamy and smooth.
• Pour into glass/container and stir in the chia seeds.
• Cover the glass/container and store in the fridge overnight. ENJOY in the morning!

Nutritional Information:

Nutty Tofu

We all know tofu is an excellent source of protein - just like meat, but without the cholesterol and animal fats (I'm thinking of red meats in this instance). In addition, it's great at absorbing liquids and flavours so it's ideal to add to any kind of sauce or marinade based dish.

Miso paste, soy sauce, spices such as cumin, turmeric and paprika are my favourite flavours to combine with tofu. This recipe has a variety of flavours: sweet (honey), savoury (soy sauce), nutty (nut buter) tart (vinegar) and spicy (red pepper flakes) flavours.

It was the first time for me to mix nut butter with tofu but I'll definitely be making this again. Besides the marinade time - one hour is ideal - it's a really simple and quick recipe. The tofu is great grilled on the BBQ or on the stove-top. I like to eat it with green vegetables or on top of a salad.

Nutty Grilled Tofu
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 335g / 12oz tofu, firm
- 60ml / 4tbsp soy sauce, light
- 40g / 2 tbsp honey
- 30ml / 2tbsp vinegar (I use apple cider)
- 64g / 4tbsp nut butter (I use cashew or almond butter)
- 2tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic, chopped

Method:

• Drain and slice the tofu.
• Mix all the remaining ingredients together.
• Marinade the tofu slices in a zipped-bag or sealed container for at least 30 minutes.
• Cook the tofu with the marinade for 10 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through.
• Serve with green vegetables or add to a salad. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Date and Pecan Squares

I was given some home-grown Texas pecans recently. After going out and purchasing a nut-cracker, plus several hours shelling each nut, I decided to make these date and pecan squares. They are all-natural and don't contain any added sugars.

I made a second batch using walnuts and spooned the batter into individual paper cases, which turned out to be just as delicious as the original pecan squares. They can be easily frozen and don't take long to defrost. The perfect snack for on-the-go!

A little almond butter spread on top of the squares is extra yummy!

Date and Pecan Squares
Makes 8

Ingredients:
- 120g / 4oz dates, pitted (I used Medjool dates)
- 56g / 2oz pecans, shelled and roughly chopped
- 112g / 4oz applesauce, unsweetened
- 120g / 4oz flour
- 40g / 1.4oz oats
- 1tsp baking powder
- 60ml / 4tbsp date liquid
- 1tsp cinnamon

Method:

• First, soak the dates in warm water to soften.
• Drain, reserving 1/4cup / 60ml liquid and then roughly chop.
• In a bowl, add all the ingredients and stir to combine.
• Spoon the batter into a loaf pan or 8x8 square tin and bake for 30 minutes at 175C / 350F.
• Allow to sit in the tin for 10 minutes before cooling on a wire rack and slicing into squares. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Pumpkin Brownies

These pumpkin brownies have slightly more calories compared to my other versions using beets and/or courgettes.
Beetroot Brownies
Chocolate Courgette  / Zucchini Brownies
Beetroot Courgette Brownies

The recipe below also contains nut butter, flax-egg (instead of a regular egg) and more dark chocolate (instead of cocoa powder). However, they are really moist, chocolaty and the perfect sweet treat!

Pumpkin Brownies
Makes 8

Ingredients:
- 80g / 3oz dark chocolate chips or chopped
- 64g / 4tbsp nut butter (I use almond butter)
- 30ml / 2tbsp coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 13g / 2tbsp flaxseed meal
- 90ml 6tbsp warm water
- 20g / 1tbsp honey
- 160g / 6oz pumpkin purée
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 120g / 4.5oz flour (I use whole wheat)
- 1tsp baking powder
- 1tsp cinnamon

Method:

• Melt half the chocolate (40g) in a bowl and stir in the nut butter and coconut oil.
• In a separate bowl, make flax egg by combining the flaxseed with the water, whisking until 'eggy' in consistency.
• Add the honey, pumpkin purée, vanilla to the flax egg mixture.
• Stir in the chocolate butter mixture.
• Then add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and mix all ingredients together.
• Stir in the remaining chocolate pieces.
• Pour the batter into a loaf tin or 8x8 pan (lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray).
• Cook at 175C / 350F for 30 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack and cut into 8 squares. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Chocolate Almond Spread

Whilst Nutella, the original hazelnut chocolate spread contains no artificial colours or preservatives and has over 50 nuts per 13oz jar. The first ingredient listed (and largest amount) is sugar! A two tablespoon serving has 200 calories, 12g fat and 21g sugar. Full nutritional information is here.

After the success of these quick and easy Cinnamon Quinoa Bars, I didn't want to keep spreading Nutella on them every day! Therefore I thought I'd make my own version. The recipe below uses almonds but hazelnuts can also be used. If the hazelnuts are not already roasted, they can be toasted in the oven and their shells removed easily by rubbing them between your palms.

The chocolate spread has less calories and sugar than Nutella and the same amount of fat, but my recipe gives 45g per serving instead of Nutella's 37g.

Chocolate Almond Spread
Makes 6 (45g) servings
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 140g / 5oz almonds
- 40g / 2tbsp honey
- 6g / 1/2tbsp brown sugar
- 10g / 2tbsp cocoa powder, natural unsweetened
- 60ml / 4tbsp almond milk, unsweetened
- 30ml / 2tbsp water
- 5ml / 1tsp vanilla extract.

Method:
Toast the almonds in the oven for about 10 minutes at 190C / 375F.

In a food processor, pulse the nuts into a powder.

Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix until a paste forms.

Feel free to add a bit more milk or water if the mixture is too thick. Keep processing until smooth!

Spoon into an air tight container and store in the fridge.
Spread on toast, tortillas, sliced bananas / apples, or use as a healthy alternative to Nutella. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Chocolate Chickpea Dough Ball Cookies

It's hard to imagine a cookie recipe that doesn't use any butter, flour or refined sugar. However, I adapted this chocolate chickpea cookie recipe that originally required peanut butter. I don't eat peanut butter and have no problems substituting it for cashew butter which I find tends to be just as creamy and nutty! The original version is here.

I first tried this recipe with almond butter, and mentioned it in my Nuts about Almonds blog post. They tasted great, a bit like eating chocolate hummus, but making almond butter takes its toll on my food processor. I find cashews are a little less resistant when turning them into a paste!

If I go on an early morning run, I eat one dough ball cookie with my morning cup of tea. I don't need a full bowl of porridge but find it hard to run on an empty stomach. Therefore, these cookies are perfect - just the right amount of nutrition to set me up - and their soft doughy texture make them ideal to eat first thing, just after waking up.

Obviously they are not the same as regular chocolate chip cookies, like Chips Ahoy, but that's a good thing! These cookies only have a few ingredients, unlike Chips Ahoy which have the following:

UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, DEXTROSE, SOY LECITHIN), SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, AMMONIUM PHOSPHATE), SALT, WHEY (FROM MILK), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CARAMEL COLOR. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY, MILK

Likewise, Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookies (Refrigerated Dough), also contains a vast mix of ingredients. My chickpea version has more fiber and protein, and less sugars and fat than the branded options above.

Chocolate Chickpea Dough Ball Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:

- 420g / 15oz / 1 can drained chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry with paper towel
- 56g / 2oz cashews, blended into butter/paste
- 40g / 2tbsp honey
- 1tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1tsp baking powder
- 56g / 2oz dark chocolate, chopped OR chocolate chips

Method:
In a food processor, blend together the chickpeas, cashew butter, honey, vanilla extract and baking powder to get a smooth mixture.

Stir in the chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips. The mixture should be thick and sticky.
With wet hands, form 12 small balls and place on a baking tray, lined with parchment or sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake at 175C / 350F for 10-13 minutes. They will still be soft when they come out of the oven.
The dough balls will not set like regular cookies. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Oatmeal Energy Bars

I was reluctant to call these oat bars 'oatmeal energy bars' as all food could be labelled as 'energy'! It's true that carbohydrates from oats, sugars from dried cranberries, fats from almonds and cashews, and protein and fiber from flaxseed all give a person energy. However, almost all food and drink contains calories that can be used as a source of energy. A chocolate bar could be named an energy bar and a slice of pizza could be called an energy slice. One has to consider the ingredients and quantity in a serving in order to determined whether or not food is healthy and beneficial to a person's body.

The recipe below is fairly simple and delicious. The only job that requires a little effort is turning the cashews into cashew butter or paste. A food processor is required for this task. Nut butter can be purchased from a supermarket but they sometimes contain additional ingredients like oil which is not really necessary. Simply add the cashews to a food processor and mix until a paste is formed.

The picture below shows the various stages of the cashew butter. Be patient and persevere. It's not as time consuming and tough on the blender as making almond butter. It's tempting to add liquid like water or oil but I resisted and the cashews were slowly transformed into a smooth paste.

Depending on my 'energy' requirements, I usually cut these bars into 6, 8 or 12 pieces. I think the ideal serving is eight. When cut into six bars, each one is very filling and contains almost 350 calories; great for a long bike ride or day hike. Twelve bars are ideal for mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks, containing 170 calories) and can easily be eaten on the go. However, they are so delicious that one twelfth sometimes doesn't feel like enough. Eight squares provide 250 calories each which make a great pre- or post-workout snack.

Regardless of size, each energy bar has a gooey, soft texture (like a cliff bar), thanks to the oats and cashew butter, with sweetness from the cranberries and the honey, plus crunch from the chopped almonds.

Oatmeal Energy Bars
Makes 6, 8 or 12
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 160g / 5.7oz oats
- 26g / 4tbsp flaxseed
- 56g / 2oz almonds, chopped
- 40g / 1.4oz cranberries, dried
- 1/4tsp cinnamon
- 112g / 4oz cashews, blended into butter/paste
- 15ml / 1tbsp water
- 80g / 4tbsp honey

- 1tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Combine dry ingredients (oats, flaxseed, almonds, cranberries and cinnamon) in a bowl.

In a food processor, blend the cashews to form a buttery paste. There's no need to add liquid, just keep blending.

In a pan or microwaveable bowl, slowly heat the cashew paste, water, honey and vanilla extract to combine all ingredients. This helps make a smoother mixture which is easier to blend with the dry ingredients.

Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until well mixed. Use your hand to combine if desired.

Pack firmly into a baking pan. I used a loaf tin but an 8x8 tin will also work.

Chill for a few hours, then cut into 6, 8 or 12 slices/squares. ENJOY! 

 

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Oatmeal Energy Bars - 8 Bars

Oatmeal Energy Bars - 6 Bars

Oatmeal Energy Bars - 12 Bars