Tag Archives: dessert

Wellness

Raw Peppermint and Chia Seed Slice.

Leave a comment

This is the most amazing raw Paleo treat and my first adventure into the world of peppermint. Imagine the combination of a chunky base, a smooth creamy peppermint flavoured middle and a rich layer of chocolate on top. The combination is decadent yet completely gluten and dairy free. 

2015-05-29 19.23.45
Completely delicious and made from all natural ingredients

A food processor is required for this recipe and if you are super organised you will have soaked you cashews for a few hours in cool water. If not, don’t worry as it just makes the middle section creamier. There are three layers so start at the bottom and just work your way up.

First of all find a suitable pan or baking dish. It can’t be too large or the bottom layer will be very thin. Be guided by how much of the bottom mix you had. I used a smallish square tin and it was perfect. The middle layer is quite high so if you want a smaller middle layer just halve the recipe. Line the tin with baking paper so there is a generous amount above the tin and this is important as when you pour the chocolate layer on top it is very liquid and needs to be held in place.

Bottom Layer

Place into the food processor:

1 cup of raw activated almonds (or similar)

1/2 cup of shredded coconut

2 tablespoons coconut oil (l didn’t melt mine but you could gently do this).

8 medjool dates deseeded.

2015-05-29 17.08.51
Ready to be processed
2015-05-29 17.10.46
Pulse until an even texture is achieved

Place this mix into your pan and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Make sure the layer is even.

Middle Layer

Into the food processor add:

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

250g raw cashews (soaked or not. It will still work out either way)

1 good sized avocado (skin and seed removed)

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup rice malt syrup

1 1/2 ml peppermint oil for a medium flavour or 2 ml for a strong flavour.

2015-05-29 17.25.48
Just real ingredients. I didn’t melt my coconut oil but you could.
2015-05-29 17.22.23
Use peppermint oil made for cooking and not essential oil. This is very important. 
2015-05-29 17.34.26
Mix well until creamy!

Place on top of the bottom layer and spread out evenly.

Top Layer

Into the food processor place:

2 tablespoons of rice malt syrup

2 tablespoons of raw cacao

2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

Pinch of sea salt

2015-05-29 17.44.57
Give it a quick mix. Its a bit messy.
2015-05-29 17.46.32
Pour onto the top of the other layers. This is where having enough baking paper is important.

Place into the freezer for several hours. Overnight is best as it is quite thick.

2015-05-29 18.17.03
Getting it out of the tin was a challenge so using a tin with a bit of give worked well as l could move the edges a bit to loosen. I think a ceramic dish would work better though.
2015-05-29 18.19.01
Slice into small pieces and serve some and freeze the rest. It makes an enormous number of portions and great to keep in the freezer as a go to snack. 
2015-05-30 09.23.46
Imagine serving this to your friends or family. They will think you are so clever.

The three layers work together so well and eating a treat that is made of all natural and whole foods is such a joy.

You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo or on Facebook at Primal Living Melbourne or Holistic Wellness For Life. 

Recipes

Raspberry and Chocolate Tart

Leave a comment

A delicious frozen dessert with a stunning colour and flavour. This raspberry and chocolate tart can be eaten straight from the freezer where it will be firm and cool, or at room temperature where it is quite soft but holds together and has a really creamy delicious taste. You could also just eat it freshly made as the frozen berries give it a wonderful coolness and texture.

2013-12-26 09.40.56
Such a colourful platter.

This tart can be made ahead and kept in the freezer. Just keep it on a firm base and cover it in cling wrap. On the day it is required just remove it from the freezer and decorate, or slice it and keep it in the freezer to have as a snack.

2014-07-03 07.44.07
The tart is paired here with a delightful chocolate mousse, fresh strawberries and Loving Earth Raw Organic Dark Chocolate.

I used a round baking tray with a decorative edge that had a removable base. I greased the inside of the tray with organic coconut oil and then made the base.

In the food processor l placed:

1 cup of activated almonds (the original recipe said hazelnuts), 1 cup of desiccated or shredded coconut and 8 large medjool dates (remember to take out the seeds).

Blend well in the food processor and then press firmly into the pan. Place this into the freezer to set while you make the filling.

2015-05-22 11.39.36
The pan is greased well with coconut oil.
2015-05-22 11.39.19
Use a spatula to spread the base and to push it down so it is flat and firm.

In the food processor blend together:

1 ripe avocado, 3 heaped teaspoons of cocoa or cacao, 3 tablespoons of organic coconut oil and 1 cup of medjool dates (Approximately 10 dates with the seeds removed). Once combined add 1 really generous cup of frozen raspberries and gently pulse through the mix so they are roughly chopped up or blend thoroughly if you want them mixed through.

mixed berries
I would recommend organic berries and l picked all of the raspberries out of this pack which was the perfect amount.

Remove the base from the freezer and fill with the delicious chocolate mix.

2015-05-22 11.38.54
Look at that colour.

Smooth the top with a spatula ensuring it is nice and even.

2015-05-22 11.38.34
The more berries you add the pinker the colour.

Cover with cling wrap and return to the freezer to set. When you are ready to serve the tart, remove it from the freezer and decorate with extra berries and fruit.

2015-05-22 12.12.19
Made with real whole food ingredients.

Alternatively, cut up the tart and freeze, so that you can have a piece as a snack with some berries and raw dark chocolate.

2014-06-29 11.34.02
Served with frozen berries and a piece of Loving Earth Raw Dark chocolate.

This is a very rich treat and a small piece is very satisfying. The coconut and chocolate are a wonderful combination and this tart is very pleasing to the taste buds.

You can follow me on Instagram at holistic_paleo or on Facebook at Holistic Wellness For Life or Primal Living Melbourne.

Wellness

Orange and Chia Seed Cake

Leave a comment

This is a lovely moist cake which uses whole oranges to give it a beautiful flavour and texture with added sweetness from Pure Stevia Powder and Rice Malt Syrup.

2015-03-06 11.54.23
A small piece is plenty of this sweet delight.

This recipe makes 1 large cake which could easily be split into two smaller loaf tins so that some of it could be frozen and eaten at a later date. To make this cake all of the wet ingredients plus a few extras are placed in one bowl and the dry ones in another.

2015-03-06 11.50.34
Wet ingredients
2015-03-06 08.05.32
Dry ingredients

This cake also uses pure Stevia powder which is quite strong and as each person has a preference for sweet, sweeter or not so sweet some tweeking may be required. This version is quite a sweet cake so if you may wish to cut the Stevia down.

2015-03-06 11.47.47
Just a tiny amount adds a lot of sweetness.

Ingredients:

Place these ingredients into one bowl and mix together.

2 whole Navel oranges chopped and blended-skin left on (Navel oranges are so sweet. Just chop them into smallish pieces and place into the blender until a smooth consistency).

3/4 cup filtered water

4 free range eggs

The equivalent of 1/2 cup of pure stevia. This is equivalent to 24 teaspoons of sugar so l added 24 tiny scoops of the Stevia Powder using the enclosed scooper. If using Stevia granules (Natvia) then add half a cup but be guided by the instructions on your pack.

1/2 cup organic coconut oil gently melted

1/3 cup black chia seeds

1/3 cup rice malt syrup

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla essence

In another bowl mix:

2 cups blanched almond meal

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate Soda (Bob’s Red Mill)

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix gently. Pour the mix into a greased and lined cake tin.

2015-03-06 11.50.16
Ready for the oven

Bake in a 180 degree celsius oven until firm to touch and looking golden on the edges. Let the cake cool in the tin.

2015-03-06 11.49.49
Cooling in the tin.

Cut around the edge with a knife to separate it from the tin and gently turn onto a cooling rack. Be careful as this is a very soft and moist cake. An option here if you are eating it immediately is to drizzle the cake with some freshly squeezed orange juice and top it with sliced orange.

2015-03-06 11.49.00
Really delicious when eaten freshly made.

This cake would make a lovely dessert or an afternoon treat. Just a small piece though as most of your diet should be from whole foods.

You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo or on Facebook at Primal Living Melbourne or Holistic Wellness For Life.

Recipes

Decadent Chocolate Mousse

2 Comments

Oh, what a decadent Paleo treat this is! Except it is made from all healthy ingredients and is gluten, dairy and processed sugar free. 

2014-07-24 12.37.48
Chocolate and cherries. A wonderful combination.

The mousse can also be used as part of a fancy dessert such as below where it is on top of a chocolate tart (see recipe in dessert section) and topped with a chocolate ball (see recipe section). The strawberries add so much colour to the dish and l topped it all with some finely sliced Loving Earth Organic Raw Chocolate.

2014-07-03 07.46.49
Strawberries and chocolate. What a combination!

In this picture l added the mousse to a berry pancake which was made using Buckwheat & Coconut flours, eggs, water, chia seeds and berries.

2014-07-04 08.48.01
Chocolate and berry pancake.

This mouse will last a few days and is better after it has set in the fridge and even better the next day, although a taste as soon as it is made is definitely advised as it is so delicious! 

The ingredients for the mousse are:

2 ripe avocados, peeled and stone removed

40g raw organic cacao powder (approximately 1 generous tablespoon)

2 tablespoons raw organic honey

85g medjool dates, pitted & soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, then drained (I usually can’t wait the 20 minutes and just give them a quick soak).

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways & seeds scraped (I often use organic vanilla essence-1/2 a teaspoon)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. That’s it. Now taste test!

2014-07-02 16.54.36
Pure chocolate mousse!

I have called this chocolate mousse extreme because for me this is an extreme taste sensation and indulgence. Living with food intolerances, sensitivities and a limited diet is a daily challenge and a dish like this can brighten up my whole world.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. You can follow me on Instagram at holistic_paleo or Facebook at Holistic Wellness For Life or Primal Living Melbourne.  Thanks Carolyn

I can advise you on all of your dietary needs. I am available for online consultations and my focus is Paleo nutrition and how to achieve your nutritional and life goals.

consultation
Paleo Nutrition and Primal living.

Online shopping:

coconut majic
My favourite cooking oil
bulk wholefoods
For Australian customers. All of your organic pantry needs.
Recipes, Wellness

Rustic Apple Crumble

Leave a comment

Something sweet! My favourite flavours combined!

#apple #coconut #honey #almond #cinnamon #yum

2014-08-21 20.01.40 - Copy
A sweet and comforting dessert.

I have never been a lover of apple crumble or of cooked apple in general but l do like to eat something sweet once in a while. I have seen a few apple and berry crumble dishes on Instagram recently and they have been sitting in the back of my mind as l have been contemplating how to make a healthy version that would appeal to me. I literally got my favourite ingredients out of the pantry and layered them on top of one another with a wonderful result. The whole family pounced on this dish as soon as it came out of the oven and the flavours mixed together beautifully.

2014-08-21 18.59.31
Once you have peeled and sliced the apples this dish takes just a minute to put together.

Ingredients/Method: Everything organic if possible.

Apples- I used four small apples but if they are very large just two might do. It really depends on the size of the dish and your family. I peel the apples because of the horrible waxy coating but you could leave the skin on if they are from your own tree as an example. Core and slice the apples and place randomly in a baking dish. I used a smallish oval ceramic dish.

Coconut flour Sprinkle 1 tablespoon over the apples.

Coconut flakes- Add 1 generous tablespoon over the apples.

Cinnamon- I didn’t measure this as l just sprinkled a really generous layer over the whole dish.

Almond meal- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons over the apples (you could rub in the coconut oil here if you want)

Flaked almonds- I didn’t measure this either but just sprinkled a generous hand full over the dish. There really isn’t a limit as to how much you can put on as they go a lovely brown colour and add some crunch.

Coconut oil- I placed one generous teaspoon over the entire dish. I just put little bits all over the top and you can use more if you want an extra coconut flavour or you could rub it into the almond meal before you add it.

Honey- I used a raw organic honey and drizzled 1 generous teaspoon over the whole dish.

2014-08-21 19.13.45 - Copy
Ready for the oven. Just layer all the ingredients on top of each other.

Cooking instructions:

I covered the dish with aluminium foil and placed in a 180 degree pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes and then took the foil off and cooked it until the whole top was golden and looking delicious.

2014-08-21 20.03.45
I had this plain but you could top it with a healthy ice-cream or fresh fruit.

The serving looks quite small in the photo but it is a sweet dish and l was completely satisfied after eating this. The recipe could easily be adapted by using different fruits such as peach or adding some berries to the apple.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I am also on Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr, Tumblr and Twitter where l share my daily recipes and meals.

Recipes, Wellness

Chocolate mousse extreme!

Leave a comment

   Oh, what a decadent treat this is! Except it is made from all healthy ingredients!

2014-07-03 07.46.49
Strawberries and chocolate. What a combination!

This mouse will last a few days and is better after it has set, although a taste as soon as it is made is definitely advised as it is so delicious! This recipe is taken from the latest edition of ‘Wellbeing’ magazine but mine looks a lot darker and richer probably because l added a bit more raw cacao.

In the top picture l used the mousse to top a chocolate tart (see recipe in dessert section) and added in a chocolate ball also (see recipe section). The strawberries add so much colour to the dish and l topped it all with some finely sliced Loving Earth Organic Raw Chocolate.

2014-07-04 08.48.01
Chocolate and berry pancake.

In this picture l added the mousse to my morning berry pancake which was made using Buckwheat & Coconut flours, eggs, water, chia seeds and berries.

The ingredients for the Mousse are:

2 ripe avocados, peeled and stone removed

40g raw organic cacao powder (I used a generous tablespoon as l couldn’t wait to measure it)

2 tablespoons raw organic honey

85g medjool dates, pitted & soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, then drained (I couldn’t wait the 20 minutes as l was desperate to taste the mousse, so l just used the pitted dates without soaking and draining).

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways & seeds scraped (I used organic vanilla essence-1/2 a teaspoon)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. That’s it. Now taste test!

2014-07-02 16.54.36
Pure chocolate mousse!

I have called this chocolate mousse extreme because for me this is an extreme taste sensation and indulgence. Living with food intolerances, sensitivities and a limited diet is a daily challenge and a dish like this can brighten up my whole world.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I am on Twitter at Holistic Paleo@carolynlgray and Instagram @Holistic_Paleo. Thanks Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

Sweet chocolate tart with fruit

Leave a comment

2013-12-26 09.40.56

I am reposting this recipe as l have made it several times since l first wrote about it and now l love it even more. It is really quick to make and is so sweet and delicious with a thick, creamy texture. A small piece is very satisfying as it is quite rich in flavour.

This chocolate tart can be eaten straight from the freezer where it will be firm and cool, or at room temperature where it is quite soft but holds together and has a really creamy delicious taste. This recipe was given to me by a friend who sourced it from http://www.wholefoodsimply.com. I made the tart a week before it was required and covered it with cling wrap while still in the baking tray and placed it in the freezer. On the day of the event l removed it from the freezer and tray, and decorated it with some festive coloured fruits and berries. I placed it in the fridge until we had to leave for the party and ideally it will remain in the fridge or be taken from the freezer just before serving.

I used a round baking tray with a decorative edge that had a removable base. I greased the inside of the tray with organic coconut oil and then made the base.

In the food processor l placed:

1 cup of activated almonds (the original recipe said hazelnuts and l have also use walnuts), 1 cup of desiccated or shredded coconut and 8 large medjool dates (remember to take out the seeds).

Blend well in the food processor and then press firmly into the pan. Place this into the freezer to set while you make the filling.

In the food processor blend together:

1 ripe avocado, 3 heaped teaspoons of cocoa or cacao, 3 tablespoons of organic coconut oil and 1 cup of medjool dates (seeds removed). Once combined add 1 cup of frozen raspberries and gently pulse through the mix so they are roughly chopped up or blend thoroughly if you want them mixed through.

Remove the base from the freezer and fill with the delicious chocolate mix. Smooth the top with a spoon, cover with cling wrap return to the freezer. When you are ready to serve the tart, remove it from the freezer and decorate with extra berries and fruit. The fruit is really just one idea of what could accompany this tart. You can use your imagination and serve it with what suits your diet and preferences. I used green grapes when decorating this tart but my favourite grapes are the red or very black ones. Ensure you wash them well though as they are usually sprayed with a nasty chemical that some people can react to.

An alternative to this is to cut the tart up into single serves and place them into a container in the freezer. My daughter is just loving being able to go to the freezer and grab a piece a couple of times a week when she feels like something sweet. I also have had this after work when l have been really tired and needed a pick me up.

If you enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I am also on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

Summer dessert- Sweet chocolate tart with fruit

Leave a comment

2013-12-26 09.40.56

This is a delicious chocolate tart that can be eaten straight from the freezer where it will be firm and cool, or at room temperature where it is quite soft but holds together and has a really creamy delicious taste. This recipe was given to me by a friend who sourced it from http://www.wholefoodsimply.com. I made the tart a week before it was required and covered it with cling wrap while still in the baking tray and placed it in the freezer. On the day of the event l removed it from the freezer and tray, and decorated it with some festive coloured fruits and berries. I placed it in the fridge until we had to leave for the party and ideally it will remain in the fridge or be taken from the freezer just before serving.

I used a round baking tray with a decorative edge that had a removable base. I greased the inside of the tray with organic coconut oil and then made the base.

In the food processor l placed:

1 cup of activated almonds (the original recipe said hazelnuts), 1 cup of desiccated or shredded coconut and 8 large medjool dates (remember to take out the seeds).

Blend well in the food processor and then press firmly into the pan. Place this into the freezer to set while you make the filling.

In the food processor blend together:

1 ripe avocado, 3 heaped teaspoons of cocoa or cacao, 3 tablespoons of organic coconut oil and 1 cup of medjool dates (seeds removed). Once combined add 1 cup of frozen raspberries and gently pulse through the mix so they are roughly chopped up or blend thoroughly if you want them mixed through.

Remove the base from the freezer and fill with the delicious chocolate mix. Smooth the top with a spoon, cover with cling wrap return to the freezer. When you are ready to serve the tart, remove it from the freezer and decorate with extra berries and fruit.