|   HOME   |   PILATES   |   FOOD   |   FITNESS   |   HEALTH   |   MY STORY   |
Showing posts with label SNACK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SNACK. Show all posts

Thursday, November 12, 2015

STUFFED VEGETARIAN MUSHROOMS



I have been trying to eat mushrooms for a few years now, however I find them very hard to get down! My good friend Tahnee told me to fry them in oil, thyme and garlic, hence this recipe was born. I also shared a delicious breakfast of Portobello mushrooms with her a few Sundays ago and was inspired to make my own version of stuffed mushrooms. Three things surprised me when I made this dish: 
1. How filling mushrooms are,
2. How much my husband loved it (and he usually hates anything that does not contain meat) and
3. How much I liked these mushrooms! 
It is a very simple recipe and the finished product looks very cute or at least I think so! I think I've successfully cured myself of my mushroom hatred, which I am very proud of! 

Ingredients

  • baking paper
  • 4 Portobello / Flat mushrooms, washed & stalks removed
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 6 sprigs thyme, leaves removed & sprig discarded
  • 1 carrot, grated 
  • 20 almonds, halved
  • 1/4 cup grated light cheese 
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, optional- extra to serve 
  • ground black pepper
  • 1 egg, preferably free-range

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a medium baking tray with baking paper. 

2. In a small fry pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and brush this sautéed mixture onto the outside of the mushrooms so that they do not stick to the paper. Place the mushrooms on the baking paper, cap side down. Spoon the leftover sautéed mixture into in a medium bowl. 

3. Add the carrot, almonds, cheese, basil and pepper to the medium bowl and stir well. Add the egg and stir again to combine. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the mushrooms, making sure to use all the mixture, even if it overlaps the mushrooms slightly. 

4. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms are brown and the cheese is golden. Serve warm, alongside a fresh salad. 

Makes /
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 30 minutes max 

x Emily 

Sunday, October 25, 2015

HOMEMADE HUMMUS


I greatly enjoy making dips myself, as I then know exactly what ingredients go into them. Store bought Hummus can often be disguised as a healthy dip, but the huge quantities of oil and preservatives added to it can be very scary. In addition dips always taste so much better when they are made out of your own kitchen. This is one of my go-to dips when I have friends coming over or when I am asked to bring snacks somewhere. 

Ingredients
  • 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon tahini paste 
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
  • the juice of 1/2 a small lemon
  • 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  • Optional - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 

Preparation

1. Place all the ingredients except for the oil in a blender or food processor and blend/process for a few minutes or until all the ingredients are combined. You may need to stop the machine a few times to scrape the mixture from the sides so that it all mixes evenly. Slowly pour in the oil whilst the blender/processor stays on. If the hummus is not smooth in consistency after adding 2 tablespoons olive oil you may add a 3rd and/or add more lemon juice. 

Serve the hummus alongside sliced raw vegetables, such as carrot, capsicum, celery, cucumber, zucchini, etc. 


Sunday, October 18, 2015

BEETROOT DIP with SPICES


There is nothing tastier than homemade dip. Supermarket processed guacamole, hummus and tzatziki pale in comparison. I have wanted to make my own beetroot dip for a long time as being Russian beetroot is one of my major food groups. Adding the ground cumin and coriander added a beautiful depth to the dip. You can use any spices you like for making beetroot dip, but lemon juice and yoghurt are a must. 


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large fresh beetroot, peeled & cut in half 
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 cup 99% fat free natural yoghurt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

COOKING 


1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius and wrap the beetroot halves in foil. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until beetroot is tender (that is, you can slice the beetroot with a knife easily). Remove from oven and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes, then slice beetroot into small pieces.

2. Meanwhile, dry fry the garlic in a small frying pan (That is, do not add any oil to the pan) for 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat. 

3. Place beetroot pieces, garlic, cumin, coriander, lemon juice and yoghurt in a blender or food processor. Blend/process ingredients until smooth and no lumps of beetroot remain (this should only take 30 seconds or so). 

Serve dip with crackers. 

Serve as a snack
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 45 minutes 


x E

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

GYOZA / JAPANESE DUMPLINGS



Gyoza are a favourite dish of my husbands'; he asks for them frequently. They require patience and time so I don't make them too often for him (and I don't want him to get too used to them!). My dumplings are nowhere near as expertly folded or presented as what you would receive at a Japanese restaurant, however the way I fold my gyoza is less fiddly and works well for me! Ps please note that wonton wrappers are not gluten-free and that different wonton pastry are different sizes. I prefer to buy wonton pastry from an Asian supermarket, as they are bigger than some of the pastry for sale at the supermarket. If buying pastry from the supermarket you may need to reduce the amount of mince mixture in each gyoza by 1 teaspoon. 


INGREDIENTS

Gyoza
  • 500g lean pork, beef or chicken mince
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 2-3 cm fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 small carrots or 1 large, grated
  • 1 cup wombok (chinese cabbage), finely shredded
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
  • 1 egg, preferably free range, yolk & white separated
  • 1 x 330g packet of wonton pastry 
  • pastry brush
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

COOKING

1. Place the mince, onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, wombok, soy sauce  and the yolk of the egg in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. 

2. Place the wonton wrappers on a clean surface. (If you are working with wrappers that have been in the freezer and are thawing, cover the wrappers with a damp tea-towel so they do not dry out). Place 2 teaspoons of the mince mixture in the centre of each wrapper. Brush the edges with egg white and fold over to close. You can pleat the edges of the wrapper with your fingers to seal or you can do as I like to do and fold the edges over each other, overlapping the edges and making a kind of rectangle. Repeat this process until all wrappers have been used or until the filling has run out. (If you end up with extra filling, roll the mince into balls and make meatballs!). 

3. Bring a large frying pan or saucepan with around 5cm of water to the boil. Once boiled, add as many gyoza as will fit without overcrowding. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover, cooking for 3 minutes. Remove the gyoza from the pan and continue this process until all gyoza is cooked. Remove the water from the pan and dry. 

4. Heat the olive oil in the same pan and swirl to coat. Cook the gyoza on just one side, for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Place the fried gyoza on paper towel to absorb the oil and continue this process until all gyoza are lightly fried. 

Serve alone or alongside a dipping sauce; I often eat these as is as they are so delicious! 

Serves / 4 as a main / 8 as an entree 
Total Preparation time / 30 - 40 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes


x Emily 

Thursday, August 27, 2015

CHERRY TOMATO, BASIL & FETA BRUSCHETTA



This humble bruschetta may not be up to the Italian standards, but it is healthy, quick to whip up and is good enough for me! I love really simple bruschetta and tend to go by the pizza philosophy; that less is more. In my opinion all you need for a good bruschetta is some bread, garlic, tomatoes, basil and a pinch of oil & vinegar; everything else is just extra. Salt can be added, but for weight management I like to add ground black pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 slices multigrain, wholemeal bread (or gluten-free if intolerant), cut into quarters 
  • 250g (1 punnet) cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 40g reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
  • 3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1 large garlic clove, halved 

METHOD 

1. Toast the quarters of bread in a fan-forced oven of 200 degrees celsius for 10-15 minutes (depending on how toasted you like your bread). 

2. Meanwhile, make the bruschetta by preparing and combining the cherry tomatoes, onion, vinegar, cheese, basil and oil in a medium bowl. Season with ground black pepper. Leave the bruschetta to marinate together for at least 5 minutes. 


3. Once the bread is toasted and the bruschetta marinated, either spoon the bruschetta onto each quarter of bread or leave your guests to do this; the latter may be the better option as the bread will go soggy if the bruschetta is left to soak into it. 

Serves / 4 as an entree, snack or side 
Total Preparation time / 20 minutes max


x Emily 

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

VEGETABLE QUICHE



So simple to make, this protein-packed quiche can be stored in the fridge for a few days and used for lunches or for dinner. You can even add some meat for those carnivores out there, by adding 100grams or so of roughly chopped ham. I've made this dish with flour and with polenta and love both ways. I try to add lots of different herbs to this quiche, as they really add to the flavour. I love using chives, basil and parsley, however you could use whatever you have on hand; even dry herbs would work. 

INGREDIENTS 

  • olive oil spray or 1 teaspoon 
  • 1/2 a leek (white part only) or 1/2 a brown onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated 
  • a large handful of baby spinach, washed & roughly chopped
  • 6 eggs (preferably free range), beaten 
  • 50g reduced-fat grated cheese
  • 1/2 cup plain flour, or gluten free flour or polenta 
  • 3 tablespoons fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, basil, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan-force. Lightly spray or brush a 20cm x 30cm baking dish with minimal oil (no more than a tablespoon if your oil is liquid, not a spray. 

2. Assemble all of the other ingredients in a large bowl including 1/2 a cup water and stir well to combine, adding a generous amount of ground black pepper. 

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and make sure it is evenly spread. Cook in the oven for around 40-45 minutes or until quiche is lightly golden and the egg is firm. Serve warm or cold. 

Serves /
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 40-45 minutes 


x Emily 

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

EASY AVOCADO DIP


When I did a ski season in Canada in 2007, my friend and I lived off avocado dip and crackers. Our avocado dip consisted of a ripe avocado, lemon juice and far too much salt. Over the years I like to think that I have perfected this little dip by adding a few choice Indian spices. I especially like that I use no oil, as so many dips do. You can substitute the lime juice for lemon or the chives for chopped coriander or parsley if you wish. 



INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ripe avocados 
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed or very finely chopped 
  • the juice of 1 small to medium lime 
  • a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper 
  • Optional - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

METHOD 

1. Mash avocado into a paste and then add all the other ingredients, stirring well to combine. Make sure you taste the dip a few times, adding a little more of an ingredient if need be. Serve alongside raw vegetables or crackers. 


x Emily 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

CAROB or DARK CHOCOLATE GLUTEN FREE COOKIES




I've made this recipe five times over the past week, in an attempt to get the ingredients and their amounts exactly right. I have also served these cookies to many people over this time period, but the person who has most enjoyed these cookies is my fiancee! He has put in a request for these cookies to be baked every single week from now on. If you do not like the idea of caffeine in your cookies, opt for the carob option. If you feel cheated eating a cookie without chocolate in it, add dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs. If you do not eat eggs, replace the 1 egg with 2 extra tablespoons of coconut oil. The only problem you will face with these cookies is just eating one at a time! 

Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup real maple syrup (not flavoured)
  • 1/3 cup carob buttons or dark chocolate or cacao nibs 
  • 3/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon bi-carb of soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 free range egg
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, in liquid form 
  • pinch of sea salt

Baking

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. 

3. Shape the dough into 12 even sized balls, then flatten with your hand or a fork on the prepared baking tray. 

4. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees, then lower the heat to 160 degrees for 5 minutes. 

5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely - this is the hardest step of all! 

Makes / 10 / 12
Total Baking time / 25 minutes 


x Emily 

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

CHICKEN MUFFINS



Such an easy recipe that is tasty hot or cold. Just be careful as these cakes are very moreish and you will end up eating 4-5 per person. Great for a snack at work or for kids for school lunches. Make sure you buy a nice chicken mince and feel free to add whatever herbs you like; chives work nicely as does parsley or basil. 


INGREDIENTS

  • 500g chicken mince (preferably free-range)
  • 1 large garlic clove or 1 spring onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 cup baby spinach, washed & drained, roughly chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten (preferably free-range)
  • 2 heaped tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 2 heaped tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
  • a pinch of ground black pepper
  • rice bran oil for greasing 

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-force oven to 180 degrees celsius. Prepare 10 muffin holes (1/2 cup /125ml deep) by lightly greasing with rice bran oil. 

2. Stir all ingredients until well combined. You can even use your hands to really mix the ingredients, just make sure that they are clean! Spoon mixture evenly into prepared muffin holes. 

3. Bake for 25 minutes or until mini cakes are golden and firm. Serve alongside a side salad. 

Makes / 10 / around 2 1/2 per person 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily

Sunday, November 30, 2014

FRUIT ICEBLOCKS




What better than another popsicle/ice block recipe to celebrate the very first day of summer in Australia?! Regardless of the fact that Queensland has been feeling the summer heat for the past two months, I except this December, January and February to be absolute scorchers! And what better way to cool down than with a refreshing, guilt-free fruit ice block? Besides jumping in the pool that is;) Below are my four favourite fruit iceblock recipes! I encourage you to get creative and blend whatever fruit you have in the fridge with some no sugar coconut water for a low calorie treat! 


Mango Coconut 

Ingredients

  • 200g fresh or frozen mango 
  • 2 tablespoons shredded coconut 
  • 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened almond milk / coconut milk / whatever milk you wish
  • 1/2 cup water 
  • 6 popsicle/ice block moulds

Method

1. Place the mango, coconut, milk and water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mango mixture evenly between the 6 moulds.

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6 iceblocks 



Watermelon & Kiwifruit 

Ingredients

  • 200g fresh or frozen watermelon, no black seeds
  • the flesh of 2 medium kiwifruit or 100g 
  • 1 cup coconut water 
  • 6 popsicle/ice block moulds 

Method 

1. Combine the watermelon, kiwi and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6 iceblocks 


Tropical

Ingredients

  • 150g fresh or frozen mango 
  • 150g fresh or frozen pineapple
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 1/2 cups no sugar coconut water 
  • 6-7 popsicle/ice block moulds 

Method 

1. Combine the mango, pineapple, banana and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mango mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. This recipe fills a little more than 6 moulds; if you do not have any more iceblock moulds you can freeze it in a small bowl. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6-7 iceblocks 


Raspberry & Rockmelon

Ingredients 

  • 100g raspberries, fresh or frozen 
  • 200g rockmelon pieces, fresh or frozen 
  • 1 cup coconut water 

Method

1. Combine the raspberries, rockmelon and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 


2. Pour the mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. This recipe fills a little more than 6 moulds; if you do not have any more iceblock moulds you can freeze it in a small bowl. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes 6 / 7 iceblocks 


x Emily 




Wednesday, October 1, 2014

CORN & ZUCCHINI FRITTERS




I love eating corn fritters whenever I am out for breakfast. Whenever I spy them on a menu, I cannot be persuaded to order anything else. After eating a delightful lunch of corn & zucchini fritters at a restaurant in Kirra last Friday inspiration struck me on Sunday to create my own. I have made my fritters gluten and dairy free, however you could use dairy milk and flour that is not gluten free. If you do not like corn you could use chickpeas or more zucchini and/or carrot as a filler. The herbs below are just a suggestion as is the ground coriander. I would recommend using a spice or two when you make corn fritters or you do run the risk of them tasting a little bland. 

Ingredients
  • 300g zucchini, grated
  • 260g fresh corn or 1 x 400g canned corn 
  • Optional: 100g carrot, grated
  • 2 free-range eggs, lighten beaten
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or other milk
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, coriander and/or chives 
  • rice bran oil 
  • Optional toppings: diced avocado, baby spinach, extra herbs, diced tomato or combine all these toppings into a side salad 


Cooking 

1. Wrap the grated zucchini in a thin tea towel or muslin cloth and squeeze out the excess moisture into a bowl or sink. 

2. Place the zucchini, corn, carrot (if using), eggs, milk, flour, ground coriander, herbs and ground black pepper in a large bowl and mix well to combine. 

3. Heat 1 teaspoon rice bran oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and swirl to coat. Use a 1/4 cup as a measurement for each fritter. Place the mixture in the pan and pat down with a spatula. Make sure not to crowd the fritters. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat and repeat until all the fritters are cooked, only adding more oil if needed. Serve warm with any or all of the toppings listed above in the Ingredients section. 

Makes / 12  
Serves / 4 / 3 fritters each 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes
Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

Monday, September 22, 2014

SIMPLE HOMEMADE POPCORN




Who doesn't love popcorn? I love eating it as a snack, especially as it tricks my brain into thinking I am consuming something akin to 'junk food', such as chips. I like making my own popcorn as it is so much cheaper than buying the packaged bags from stores. In addition, making your own means that you can control the amount of salt and oil that goes into it. The recipe below is very simple and makes a whopping 13 cups of popcorn! I put the popcorn in small zip lock bags so I can control my portion size. 

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons rice bran oil or coconut oil, melted
  • 2/3 cup popping corn
  • a small pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper

Cooking 

1. Heat the oil in a medium to large saucepan over medium-high heat, covered with a tight fitting lid. Swirl to coat the oil and add just 3 kernels to the oil.

2. When all 3 kernels have popped, add the remainder of the popcorn to the pan. Cover and shake the pan well so that all the kernels are coated with oil. Continue cooking the popcorn until you can no longer hear the kernels pop (this will take between 2-4 minutes, depending on your stove). 

3. Remove the kernels from the stove, place in a large serving bowl to cool and sprinkle salt & pepper on top. Toss well to combine. 

Makes / 13 cups 
Total Preparation & Cooking time / around 6 minutes 

x Emily 

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

POLENTA, PUMPKIN & TURKEY MUFFINS


These muffins are an adaptation of Sarah Wilson's 'Mexican Beef Nacho Muffins' found in her 'I Quit Sugar for Life' cookbook. I wanted to make a savoury turkey muffin equivalent using different spices and ingredients. I also used her Pumpkin Puree recipe which is incorporated below into the muffin recipe. If you have her cookbook or access her website you will see that several of her other recipes call for this prepared pumpkin puree. You could also use the leftover puree in brownies, as a pizza sauce or make it into a very simple mash by adding a few splashes of almond milk. These muffins are delicious for a breakfast on-the-go, a filling snack, or for lunch and/or dinner with a side of vegetables. 

Ingredients

Muffin

  • 1 large pumpkin, deseeded, peeled & cut into small even pieces
  • 3 teaspoons coconut oil, plus extra to grease
  • sea salt & ground black pepper
  • 60g piece of leek, finely chopped
  • 500g lean turkey mince
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chilli
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 100g sweet potato, peeled & grated
  • 1/2 cup polenta, plus extra to dust 
Topping
  • 1 small avocado
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan force oven to 200 degrees celsius.  Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Toss the pumpkin pieces with 2 teaspoons of the coconut oil and a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Place the pumpkin in a single layer on the tray and bake for 20 minutes or until tender but not burnt. 

3. Remove the cooked pumpkin from the oven and mash by hand (or use a blender) to make into a puree. You will need 1/2 cup of puree for this recipe. You can store the remainder (which should equal 2 - 2 1/2 cups) in zip-lock bags or containers in 1/2 cup quantities in the fridge or freezer. 

4. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a small to medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until soft but not burnt.

5. Lightly grease a 12 hole tin muffin tin with coconut oil. 

6. Mash the avocado until smooth and stir in the lime juice. 

7. Combine the 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, cooked leek, turkey mince, eggs, spices, mustard, sweet potato, 1/2 cup polenta and a pinch of salt & pepper in a large bowl (mixing by hand works best!). Divide the meat mixture evenly into each muffin mould (you should be able to get 11-12 muffins out of this batter). Sprinkle a few teaspoons of polenta on top of the muffins. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the top of each muffin is lightly browned. Use one muffin as the test muffin to check that the meat has cooked through and no pink flesh remains. 

8. Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cook completely. Serve with a small dollop of avocado topping. 

Makes / 11 
Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 60 minutes / 1 hour (not including cooling time) 

x Emily 

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

DATE, SEED & NUT BLISS BALLS


I love bliss balls as a snack, as an after dinner treat or as a middle of the day indulgence with a cup of herbal tea. I like to use fresh Medjool dates, as they are lower in sugar and calories to dried. I only try to use 1 fruit in my bliss balls to minimise the sugar levels. I also like to use a relatively small amount of seeds and nuts, and instead let the other ingredients shine; in the case of the recipe below, cacao and tahini (sesame seed paste). I have no doubt that everyone of you can throw whatever you have on hand into your food processor and make amazing tasting bliss balls; I'm just urging you to think of the percentage of sugar in each individual bite. If you love lots and lots of ingredients in your bliss balls, make smaller balls so that you do not consume as much sugar and as many calories. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw Medjool dates (300g), pitted & roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashew nuts 
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons raw cacao 
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut 
  • 1 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) or if you do not have substitute for 1 extra tablespoon maple syrup 
  • 1 tablespoon organic maple syrup 


Method 

1. Place the chopped raw dates in a food processor and process until smooth. You may need to add a few little splashes of water to stop the dates concealing into one big ball. 

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the processor and process until well combined. Add ¼ cup water, a tablespoon at a time, if the mixture is too dry.

3. Mould the mixture into approximately 25 even sized balls.
Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour before eating. 

Makes / 25
Total Preparation time / 20-25 minutes 


x Emily 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...