PB AND JELLY NICE CREAM

Was there ever a more winning combination than peanut butter and jelly? (or jam to us Brit folk). Well I've only gone and found the one thing that's better than putting it in your sandwiches and that's putting it in your nice cream instead!

'Nice cream' is a healthy, dairy free alternative to traditional ice cream. It's easy to make at home, you just need frozen bananas and a blender. You can also make lot's of different flavours by adding ingredients to it and there's no flavourings or preservatives like you might find in store bought 'flavoured' ice creams - this is au natural banana goodness baby! My whole family loved this recipe - even those who've never heard of/or tried nice cream before.

You can make this nice cream alone or with my raw strawberry chia jam recipe like I have here, then swirl it in and freeze or drizzled it over the top.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Peanut butter ice cream:

- 4 frozen bananas
- Half can coconut milk
- 3 tbsp peanut butter 

Method:

1.) Blend all the chia jam ingredients in a blender for a few seconds then leave in the fridge to set to a thick gel while you make the ice cream. If you'd prefer a chunkier jam you can make it by hand or blend on a low setting.

2.) Add all the peanut butter ice cream ingredients into your blender and mix on high (use the frozen dessert setting for Vitamix). Once you can't see or feel any of the frozen banana chunks and the mixture is a smooth and thick consistency it's ready for serving.

3.) If you want to set your ice cream in the freezer for a later date, like I have in the pics above (this also makes the ice cream more solid) spoon it into a tub, swirl the chia jam through it and freeze overnight. Otherwise serve straight away with the jam mixed through.

4.) To serve, top with more of the jam, fresh strawberries and chopped nuts. If you freeze it instead, the mixture will be really solid so you might have to wait a little while for it to melt before scooping.

I had recently been having some doubts over consuming peanuts after reading the China Study, as I discovered peanuts naturally contain aflatoxin (a chemical linked to cancer). I had also heard some people in the health blogging community are avoiding them for that very same reason. I did some more research into this as I believe it's always good to look into things for yourself and make your own mind up. Believe it or not I found that this is one ingredient that's actually better to buy processed, rather than organic or fresh from whole food stores - as these often contain the most contaminated peanuts. So while I would normally recommend organic ingredients (especially for the dirty dozen) this is one thing I would say processed to!

Any-who, before you condemn peanut butter for life it's worth knowing aflatoxin can also found in many different foods such as: pecans, pistachios and walnuts, as well as milk, grains, soybeans and spices. Peanuts also provide more protein than any other nut so this is excellent news for vegans. I am  however definitely not consuming as much peanut butter as I used to as I believe moderation is key.

If you really want to avoid it altogether you could always substitute peanut butter for another nut butter such as almond or cashew, I think they would work equally well - let me know if you try out a different variation of the recipe in the comments below.

VEGAN HEAVEN (3/5)

Terre a Terre

Terre a Terre has a really special place in my heart as it opened my eyes to the wonderous possibilities of vegan food and made me confirm in my mind that I'd made the right decision by turning vegan. It's also the very reason we came back to Brighton in the first place, it's THAT good, albeit an indulgent treat. I've never had such beautifully presented plates that taste better with every bite, you won't want to waste a morsel! It deserves 10/5 for everything; food, presentation and service - no exaggeration.

This is a predominantly vegetarian restaurant but the menu is clearly labelled with what dishes are vegan or have a vegan choice and the same goes for gluten free. We were so excited to eat we actually forgot to say that we wanted the vegan option and had to hurriedly change our order!

While we don't normally drink wine this was organic and vegan so we decided to give it a try. We had it with our meal last year in celebration of my birthday and enjoyed it so much we had to order it again. You can even buy their wine, condiments and sweets to take home which I thought was a clever idea, especially for those that live out of town. Fyi these products are also available through their website if you can't make it all the way to Brighton. 

We skipped starters and went straight for the main. I fully recommend you go for the Terre a Tapas Plate to share as you get two of every mini dish (one on on either side), again much like the Food for Friends mezze it gives you a chance to sample a variety of different dishes the restaurant has to offer. The creamy possibly(?) cashew cheese dip in the middle was to die for and the grapefruit tucked into a Japanese style bun initially looked like salmon so that was a fun detail. To top our meal off nicely, for dessert we chose churros that came with 3 incredible dipping sauces: salty caramel, vodka cherries and dark chocolate, mm mm!

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.

TROPICAL CHIA PUDDING

Chia seed pudding is my go to recipe if I know I won't have much time in the morning to prepare a healthy breakfast. It really is a healthy, handy time saver as it's made with as little as 3 ingredients and literally takes a few mins to throw together the night before, you can even take it with you to go the next day.

There's many other reasons to love chia seed pudding, not only are chia seeds gluten free, they're also packed full of; nutrients, antioxidants, fibre, omega-3 and minerals to name a few benefits! As well as making a quick and easy breakfast it can also be eaten as a healthy snack or dessert (what's not to love about that?). 

Ingredients (Serves 1):

For the pudding:

- 1/2 cup of chia seeds

- 2 cups of almond milk

- 2 tbsp maple syrup

- 1 passionfruit (optional)

For the topping:

- 2 tbsp coconut milk yoghurt (I used Coyo)

- 1 passionfruit

- Coconut chips 

Method:

1.) Combine all the pudding indigents into a jar and stir. Close the lid tightly then shake vigorously.

2.) Come back to your fridge to stir your jar a few hours later (I forgot this step this time and you can see the chia seeds stuck to the bottom so learn from my mistake!)

3.) Leave to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

4.) Serve with fruit and nut toppings of your choice.

What's so great about this pudding is that you can add whatever fruit/nut toppings you like and combine with different milk/sweeteners to give you a variety of flavour combinations. I had some Coyo yoghurt so decided to go for a totally tropical theme as I'm currently into breakfasts that give me that sunshine feeling before I start my day (see Healthy Chocolate Oats). This beautiful coconut and passionfruit combo certainly had me dreaming of warmer climes and served as a welcomed reminder that Summer is not too far away!

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.