HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CRISPY SQUARES

This little number is the healthy version of my favourite childhood treat - chocolate rice crispy squares! They remind me of school cooking classes and Easter holidays so have a lot of good memories attached to them. Of course back then they would have lot's of milk chocolate and marshmallows thrown in so I thought I'd revive this retro treat and give it my own healthy veganised spin.

They're gluten-free, dairy-free and oh so simple to make, literally like 5 mins to throw everything together, then just pop them in the fridge or freezer and you'll have a delicious treat in no time. This is a great one to make with the kids and they'll love the chocolatey taste (ok now I sound like an advert).

I added flaxseed as it's a good source of fibre and omega-3, it promotes weight loss and I also find the fibre is great for my IBS (so far).

Ingredients:
(makes 8-12 squares or half a baking tray)

- 4 cups gluten free crispy rice cereal
- 2 tbsp flaxseed meal
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup cashew butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cacao
- 4 tbsp coconut oil



Instructions:

1.) Mix rice cereal and flaxseed together in a bowl.

2.) Put the coconut oil, nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and cacao in a pan. Heat on high till it bubbles then simmer on the lowest heat continually stirring till you reach a smooth, thick consistency.

3.) Remove chocolate mixture from the heat and pour rice cereal mix into the pan, mix till cereal is coated in the chocolate.

4.) Spoon mixture into a lined baking tray (a deep pan one will work best) and press the mixture down firmly and evenly.

5.) Place in the freezer for 1hr or the fridge to set overnight.

6.) Remove and cut into squares.



A perfect afternoon treat with a cup of tea or crumbled over coconut yoghurt, banana ice cream and smoothies.

RAW TAHINI ENERGY BALLS

I love making raw energy balls, they're quick and easy to make plus you get a really deliciously healthy treat as a result. They keep fresh in the fridge for days so you can make a big batch of them in advance then eat them all week long!

The combination of dates, cacao and maple syrup makes these energy balls decadent enough to satisfy any sweet tooth while the tahini and oats will provide you with enough energy to see you through the afternoon, way more effective than reaching for a biscuit or chocolate bar! Paired with a nice cup of almond milk tea these are just a dream! All in all these energy balls are a perfect work-break pick me up, on the go snack or healthy lunch box treat.

Ingredients (makes 9-12):

- 1 1/2 cup gluten free oats

- 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted

- 1/4 cup light tahini

- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt
- 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
- Small cup of sesame seeds and/or cacao for rolling (optional)

Method: 

1.) Put all the ingredients listed into a food processor or Vitamix blender. Blend on high until a smooth texture is achieved and you can't see any oats whizzing round, you may need to scrape down the sides of the processor/blender. 

2.) Scoop out the mixture out with your hands or a spoon - this is the really messy part but don't worry it's supposed to be sticky! 

3.) I then like to refrigerate the mixture for an hour or even overnight until it hardens slightly, making it easier to roll into balls. 

4.) Roll them in a bowl of sesame seeds or cacao powder to coat. 

The cacao powder makes them feel more truffle like and brings out the cacao flavour while the sesame seeds give them a nice texture and bring out the tahini more. You could even turn them into an extra special treat by drizzling some melted dark chocolate over the raw mixture and adding them to a bowl of banana nice cream. 

If you liked these check out my Raw Cacao Bliss Balls recipe.

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE OATS

So you may be thinking boring old chocolate oats, as a blog post - is she for real? But these aren't just any plain old chocolate oats, these are healthy superfood chocolate oats (said in a sexy Marks and Spencer ad kind of way), packed with energy inducing ingredients and yummy warming goodness.

While it didn't take me long to come up with a title, it's actually taken me a lot longer to come up with a recipe that I'm happy with. I've often found chocolate oats made with cacao to be too bitter and not sweet enough for my liking -  but then again I have a VERY sweet tooth.

I'm now trying to satisfy this sweet tooth in a way that doesn't compromise on healthy. I did this here by adding a date to the mix and a tsp of coconut sugar. Previously it would have been dairy free choc chips and large helpings of agave all the way, so this is a big improvement!

My other healthier sources of sugar include fruit and maple syrup, honey is also an excellent healthier source of sweetness if your not a strict vegan like me.

Ingredients:

- 40g/1 cup gluten free porridge oats
- 200ml of plant based milk, I used almond
- Tbsp chia seeds
- Pinch of pink salt
- Tbsp flaxseed
- Tbsp organic cacao powder
- Tbsp organic maca powder
- 1 chopped date
- 1/2- 1tsp coconut sugar
- Sprinkling of cacao nibs

Recipe:

1.) Weigh out 40g of oats or use 1 cup.
2.) Add this to a pan of plant based milk and warm for around 5mins along with the other ingredients in the order listed.
3.) Your oats should start to bubble after this time, that means they're ready to eat!
4.) Top with a scoop of nut butter and fruit of your choice.

My favourite toppings with chocolate oats are; peanut butter and banana or almond butter and berries. Here I went for a slightly tropical meets winter topping with banana, coconut chips, almond butter and frozen blueberries, as it was an insanely cold, rainy, grey day outside but I wanted to feel sunny on the inside!

PEANUT BUTTER MYLKSHAKE

Was there ever a better trio than chocolate, peanut butter and banana? Most of us will be trying to wean ourselves on to healthier foods now that the festive season is over and 'detox' January has begun. What better way to ease in to the process, than with the healthy dessert in a jar that is PB mylkshake. This dairy free mylkshake is seriously rich, sweet and creamy enough to satisfy the biggest of sweet tooths (I should know!), without leaving you feeling sluggish and tired afterwards - it also makes for a healthier alternative to milkshake for kids.

The filling peanut butter and bananas should leave you satisfied until lunchtime - if you drink enough, but you can always turn this into a more substantial breakfast by adding oats. I recommend drinking this mylk after a workout to give you an energy boost and repair those muscles.

I love that this smoothie is so easy to make and consists of ingredients I can easily buy or always seem to have in stock.



Ingredients: (makes 1 large serving or 2 small)

- 6 frozen bananas (you could also use ripe bananas and add in ice)
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 3 heaped tbsp smooth organic peanut butter
- 4/5 cups of unsweetened almond milk (more or less depending how thick you like your smoothie)
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (I tried sweet freedom as I had used all my maple syrup over Christmas!)

Instructions:

Add all ingredients in order listed into a blender and mix on a high/smoothie setting for 30 seconds or until smooth.

If you wanted to make this smoothie an indulgent frosty Wintertime treat, top with some dairy free whipped cream and/or choc chips.

RAW CACAO BLISS BALLS

These little bitesize wonders are raw, healthy and every sweet-toothed, chocolate lovers dream. You can enjoy these beauties safe in the knowledge that every ingredient is good for you and they don't contain any refined sugar, gluten or dairy. They take 5 mins to whizz up and another 5 mins to roll into balls, they can also last for over a week in the fridge - what's not to love!

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of medjool dates
- 1 cup of rolled oats (I used gluten free porridge oats)
- 4 heaped tbsp of cacao (add less/more depending on how chocolatey you want them)
- 1/2 cup of walnuts
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- 1/2 cup of filtered water for mixing
- Shredded coconut for rolling

Instructions:

1.) Add the oats to your food processor first. Then add all the other ingredients, you want the mixture to turn into a thoroughly combined smooth consistency. Use the plunger if you have a Vitamix to ensure all the ingredients are mixed in well.
2.) Keep adding drops of water to the blender to make the mixing easier.
3.) Once the texture is smooth, scoop the mixture out with a spoon and into a container for refridgeration.
4.) Leave mixture in the fridge overnight to harden.
5.) Now comes the fun part! The next day take the mixture out of the fridge and roll it into balls.
6.) Next roll the balls in a bowl of shredded coconut. You could also use cacao, chopped nuts or whatever you fancy - this mixture pretty much goes with every coating imaginable!

I love that these bliss balls are both filling and energy fuelled. Pair these with a lovely cup of tea for a heavenly mid-afternoon treat.