Tag Archives: paleo food

Tangy lime and walnut dressing

A zesty dressing to add to your fresh and colourful salads. Quick to make using healthy ingredients.Ā 

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Ingredients:

One small fresh lime (peeled)

A small handful of activated walnuts

Cold pressed olive oil

Organic apple cider vinegar (a dash)

Sea salt and black pepper (a pinch of each)

Method:

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Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and puree. Add enough olive oil so the dressing has quite a liquid consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper as required. If you would like the dressing thinner just add more olive oil. Pour over your salad before serving and mix through.

 

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Add to your salad and mix through.

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Enjoy your lovely fresh salad.

Chocolate Souffle

A soft rich chocolate delight! Dig your spoon into this gluten and dairy free treat and enjoy every mouthful. Quick and easy to make using all natural ingredients and a beautiful recipe for chocolate lovers.

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Soft and delicious!
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The flaked almonds are a nice touch

This recipe makes four individual serves in largish ramekins (greased with coconut oil).

Ingredients:Ā 

4 free range eggs

1 tablespoon raw organic cacao

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup organic maple syrup (use rice malt syrup for less sweetness and fructose)

1/2 cup organic coconut oil (soft)

1 cup blanched almond meal

1/3 cup organic coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla essence

1/2 cup filtered water

Method:

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix. If the coconut oil isn’t quite a liquid then gently melt on the stove in a saucepan. For an extra dose of chocolate you could add some chopped raw organic dark chocolate pieces at this step.

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The ramekins are greased with coconut oil. These are quite large and you could use ones that are half the size.
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Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the ramekins and sit them on a baking tray.

Place into the oven and bake at 180 degrees celcius until they have risen and are firmish to touch. If you want a souffle which is moist in the middle then remove from the oven when the middle is still moist.

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Straight out of the oven and ready to eat.
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Enjoy every mouthful!

Sometimes a dish like this can really brighten up your day. Straight out of the oven with its incredible aroma and things are already looking better. Let cool and wrap each one in foil. Place into the freezer. When you require one you can let it defrost or just place it straight into the oven. I like to eat it fresh out of the oven and still in the foil. Decadent!

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Nourishing soup

Soup is so warming and most commonly on the Winter menu, but l think it can be included all year round as a lighter meal option. Home made using your lovingly cooked stock or just filtered water as a base, it will provided flavour, nutrition and a calmness to your day as you slowly sip this comfortingĀ dish.

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A lovingly made lamb stock based soup. Add some protein with it to boost the caloric and nutritional content. This helps to make it more of a meal.
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I like to make my own stock. I use lamb, chicken or beef bones normally which are good quality. A stock is so easy to make but takes time. I save the bones from the family roast and place them in a pot with filtered water, left over veggies, a dash of apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, onion and bay leaf. I let it cook for a day then strain and it is ready to use.
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The favourite veggies l use to make soup are pumpkin, sweet potato, leek, onion, carrot, fennel and cabbage. It is entirely up to you what combination goes into the pot. A delicious soup can be made without a stock base but it won’t have the same depth of flavour or nutritional content.

I like to keep some soup in the fridge for lunches and then the rest goes into the freezer in small containers. I often take some over to my neighbour as it is lovely to share your cooking. I heat it up in a saucepan as l avoid the microwave oven. I eat it with a soup spoon from a mug or bowl. Often l place some in a thermos and take it on the road when l am out.

Soup is such a versatile option and can be a mini meal, snack or a hearty dish. It is an excellent way to use up leftover veggies and the bones from a roast. It is very economical and good for the budget.

How do you like your soup?

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My favourite soup mug.

Chicken and vegetable casserole

A heart warming dish to help the chills on those wintery days. Chicken thighs have a lovely density to them that works so well in a casserole. Apricot nectar provides a natural sweetness and imagine the joy to all in your home when presented with a home cooked meal at the end of a long day.

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Served here with a gorgeous vegetable stir fry.

Ingredients:

6 free range or organic chicken thighs

1 large onion diced

1/4 cup organic tomato paste

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 can apricot nectar

1 litre of stock or filtered water.

One handful of flat leaf parsley finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Juice of one lime or lemon.

Veggies to suit your own tastes. I used two celery stalks finely chopped, 2 large carrots diced and 2 cups of chopped green beans.

Method:

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Let this cook for several hours.

Dice the chicken and fry off in a pan with oil (olive oil or coconut oil). When golden add the flour, coconut and tomato paste. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the rest of the ingredients. You can transfer this to a crock pot and place in the oven, use a slow cooker, a pot on the stove, or a fry pan with a lid as l did. Let this simmer for several hours and then serve with your favourite salad or vegetables. It will freeze well and can be eaten for several days if kept in a sealed container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Have you listened to my Wellness Podcast?

2015-07-05 19.58.13

Broccoli, Spinach, Bacon and Almond Salad

A refreshing and healthy salad to have any time of the day. Serve as part of a meal or on its own. Use the freshest of ingredients and enjoy!

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Start with super fresh broccoli and spinach. These are the core ingredients and it is essential that they are fresh. I added some bacon to the recipe but this is optional.

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Wash your veggies well.

Ingredients:

3 broccoli heads-cut into small pieces and blanched in salty water

175 g bacon-diced and lightly fried

2 spring onion pieces (green tops) sliced finely

1 cup slivered almonds

1 full collander of spinach

Sea salt and black pepper to season (to taste)

Olive oil (cold pressed)-1/4 cup

Apple Cider Vinegar (organic with the mother)-2 tablespoons

Juice of 1/2 a large lemon or if small the whole lemon.

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Rinse the spinach well.
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Blanching the broccoli. Just a couple of minutes in boiling salted water then cool.
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Rinsing the broccoli under cold water to cool.
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Diced bacon. I used a shortcut pack.
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Lightly frying the bacon. Let cool.

Mix all ingredients together.

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Use a large spoon to mix everything. Have a taste and adjust oil, vinegar, seasoning or lemon juice to suit your tastes.
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Served here with schnitzel and salad.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Fresh salads are so delightful and add a lovely element to your meals.

Check out the Wellness Buzz Podcast. So many great interviews to listen to.

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My green smoothie creation!

My smoothie recipe! I have this green smoothie most days of the week. The ingredients are quite constant with a few variations now and then. It is really delicious, highly nutritious and very filling. Detox, up the greens in your diet and be kind to your digestive system.

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So green!

I have a basic list of ingredients which suits me. You will want to tweek the recipe to suits your tastes and likes. I make a whole blender full of smoothie which sometimes lasts just one day but mostly now l drink it over two days. Sometimes l drink the smoothie in the morning, especially in the warmer weather but often it replaces lunch. I keep it in great containers that are so convenient to take with me when l am out and about. I use a high speed blender which l love. It breaks up the ingredients and is large enough to make a big batch. I fill the blender so it is over flowing as the greens really break down.

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The Recipe:

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

1 tablespoon flax seeds

1 teaspoon greens powder

1 cup coconut water

1/2 to 1 cup filtered water (depending on how thick you want the smoothie)

1/4 to 1/2 of a lemon or lime

1/2 cup frozen pineapple (strawberries, berries, banana etc)

2 large stalks of fresh celery

Lots of greens. Examples are half a small cos lettuce Ā and 2 cups of fresh spinach (try not to overload on the spinach or kale as examples due to oxalate content)

A small handful of fresh mint

Place all of the ingredients in the blender and mix well. I usually need to stop and use the pusher to fit it all in the blender.

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The blender is full and often over flowing.
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Buy a good quality greens powder
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Invest in some good containers.
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A smoothie on the go. Break down those barriers to eating well.

Adjust the recipe to suit your own needs. It may take time to drink a smoothie that is this green. You can add a bit more fruit when starting out. There is so much fibre and goodness in this drink. Over time you will grow to love this liquid gold and will adapt the recipe to suit your own needs and lifestyle.

I take liquid fish oil each day and add it to my smoothie. It can be a great place to add those supplements that may be otherwise difficult to take. Use the drink to your advantage and to make a meal out of it add some nuts to snack on, beef jerkey or piece of whole fruit such as an orange. Keep your diet natural and see the benefits.

Have you listened to the Wellness Buzz Podcast?Ā 

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Potato salad

Cold potatoes are all the rage in Paleo land. A source of resistant starch and tasty! Indulge with this delightful salad creation. Enjoy as a side dish or meal on its own.

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Cold potato salad

Ingredients:

A generous 1kg of medium to small potatoes (I like the red skinned ones).

2 stalks of celery (washed and finely sliced)

2 stalks of spring onion green tops finely sliced

A handful of mint (washed and diced)

1 cup of raw walnuts roughly chopped

Pink rock salt (Celtic sea salt or similar) and black pepper

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Some nice fresh potatoes

Wash your potatoes and steam until just soft. Let cool and then place in the fridge for 24 hours. This is an important step as this is how the resistant starch is formed.

You need a big bowl at this point to place the ingredients in. I like to use a large stainless steel one and then place the salad in a nice bowl when it is made.

Dice you potatoes into small cubes. The size is up to you. Place in the bowl with the celery, spring onion, mint and nuts. Add in a generous sprinkle of salt/pepper then mix. Have a taste to see if there is enough seasoning. I like to leave this salad as is, but you could add your favourite dressing at this point.

Serve as a side dish or eat as a main on its own. Enjoy!

Have you listened to my wellness podcast? Jump on board and search on iTunes or visit http://www.thewellnessbuzzpodcast.com.

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Paleo Cottage pie

A comforting, tasty and highly nutritious Paleo dinner. Use the best quality ingredients to cook up a family favourite and add lots of colour by serving it with delicious baked vegetables and salad.

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Served here with roasted brussel sprouts and a gorgeous salad.

Step 1 is to make up a batch of caramelized beef and vegetable mince.You will have plenty left over to use with other meals, so it is very economical. This is a basic recipe and you can use different vegetables and whatever you have on hand. The cabbage is very important as it gives the dish a lovely flavour.

https://holisticwellnessforlife.com/recipes-2/caramalized-vegetables-and-beef-mince/ (Click here for the recipe)

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The mince is cooked and this is the leftover that will go into the freezer for other meals.
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Place a generous layer of mince in a baking dish. I like a ceramic dish and there is no need to oil it or line with baking paper.

Topping:

Ingredients and method:

2 medium sized red skinned sweet potato (washed and peeled)

1 medium sized beetroot (washed and peeled)

1 generous handful of chives gently sliced.

Pink rock salt and black pepper to season.

Dice the veggies and gently steam until soft. Place in a bowl and add a sprinkle of pink rock salt and black pepper. Add the chives and stir through.

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You can use red or orange sweet potato for the topping. You can trick the family into thinking this is regular potato.
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Place the mash on top of the dish and spread out evenly. It is ready to serve.
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A big salad and roasted brussel sprouts go brilliantly with this dish. Enough for a large family or a few nights. Leftovers for lunch or freeze it in batches.

Have you been listening to my Wellness podcast? Check it out on iTunes or visit http://www.thewellnessbuzzpodcast.com

2015-07-05 19.58.13

Chicken, leek and coconut meatballs with a roast vegetable sauce

Liven up the dinner menu with these delicious meatballs. Make a huge batch and have them for dinner and lunch. Add a sauce, salad or vegetables and get creative in the kitchen. Grab one when you are on the go and have as a quick work day snack. Gluten and Dairy Free!

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Colourful, nutritious and home made.

Sauce: Ingredients and Directions

A tray of roasted veggies (pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato and one onion are my favourites)

2 cups of chicken stock (home made if possible)

A handful of herbs

Pink rock salt and black pepper to taste.

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A big batch of roasted veggies.

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until a nice puree.

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If you don’t want to roast an onion just add in some spring onion green tops for added flavour.

Meatballs: Ingredients and Directions

500g Organic Chicken Mince

A handful of thin leeks

A handful of fresh parsley

2 free range eggs

Pink rock salt and black pepper to taste

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Extra coconut flour to roll the meatballs in

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Start with a good quality mince
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Leeks from my garden. Give them a good wash and use the green and white part. Substitute with spring onion or onion if you don’t have leeks.
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Place all ingredients in the food processor with the chopping blade attachment.
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Blend well
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Roll into small balls and coat in coconut flour.
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Place in the fridge for about an hour to firm up.
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Gently fry in a pan with some olive oil or coconut oil.
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You can heat the sauce up on its own and pour over the cooked meatballs or alternatively brown the meatballs and then add the sauce to let it all heat up together. The flavours will develop more if you do it this way, especially if you have added raw spring onion in the blender stage of making the sauce.
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Serve with your favourite veggies and salad.
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Served without the puree here. The meatballs can be kept separately in the fridge and added to a lunchtime salad, grabbed for a quick snack or reheated for dinner another night.Ā 

Have you had a listen to my Wellness Podcast? Search on iTunes for The Wellness Buzz Podcast or listen in at http://www.thewellnessbuzzpodcast.com

2015-07-05 19.58.13

 

Chocolate Souffle

A soft rich chocolate delight! Dig your spoon into this gluten and dairy free treat and enjoy every mouthful. Quick and easy to make using all natural ingredients and a wonderful recipe for chocolate lovers.

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The flaked almonds are a nice touch

This recipe makes four individual serves in largish ramekins (greased with coconut oil) and more in smaller ones.

Ingredients:Ā 

4 free range eggs

1 tablespoon raw organic cacao

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup organic maple syrup

1/2 cup organic coconut oil (soft)

1 cup blanched almond meal

1/3 cup organic coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla essence

1/2 cup filtered water

Flaked almonds for the top of the souffle

Method:

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix. If the coconut oil isn’t quite a liquid use a beater to blend. For an extra dose of chocolate you could add some chopped raw organic dark chocolate pieces at this step.

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The ramekins are greased with coconut oil. These are quite large and you could use ones that are half the size.
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Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the ramekins and sit them on a baking tray.

Place into a pre-heated 180 degrees celsius oven and bake until they have risen and are firmish to touch. If you want a souffle which is moist in the middle then remove from the oven when the middle is still moist.

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Straight out of the oven and ready to eat.
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Every mouthful was delicious and the crunch of the almonds was extra special.

Sometimes a dish like this can really brighten up your day. Eat straight out of the oven and enjoy the incredible aroma. This recipe freezes very well and the souffles can be stored in the freezer in the ramekins wrapped in cling wrap or foil, or they can be removed from the ramekin and wrapped in foil.

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Stored in the freezer. Wrapped in foil and easy to reheat in the oven for a quick and delicious snack.

Share this recipe with your friends and follow me on Instagram at holistic_paleo.

Have you had a listen of my Wellness Podcast. See all of the episodes at http://www.thewellnessbuzzpodcast.com or search for The Wellness Buzz Podcast on iTunes.

2015-07-05 19.58.13

Decadent raw raspberry and chocolate tart

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.

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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.

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The tart is paired here with a delightful chocolate mousse, fresh strawberries and 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 (or other hard nut of your choice), 1 cup of shredded organic 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.

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The pan is greased well with coconut oil.
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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 large ripe avocado, 1.5 tablespoons raw organic 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.Ā Remove the base from the freezer and fill with the delicious mix.

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Look at that colour.

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

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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.

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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.

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Served with frozen berries and a piece of 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.

Have you had a listen to my new Wellness Podcast? http://www.thewellnessbuzzpodcast.com

Raspberry and coconut cake

A gorgeous weekend treat with the sweetness of the raspberries making every mouthful a delight. This gluten and dairy free cake can be a snack or dessert, freezes well and is especially lovely when just out of the oven. The combination of raspberry and coconut is perfect and this cake has a lovely softness to it which makes it a pleasure to eat.

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Just out of the oven!

Ingredients:

1 cup of frozen or fresh raspberries plus a few more for the top of the cake

1 cup of coconut flakes plus a few more for the top of the cake

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut flour

2 cupsĀ blanchedĀ almond meal

5 free range eggs (700g)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup filtered water

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup (slightly more if you are using rice malt syrup)

Method:

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Place all ingredients into a bowl. Crumble the frozen raspberries between your fingers or chop if fresh to help them spread through the mixture.
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Mix with a spatula.
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Place the mixture into a greased and lined baking tin and sprinkle extra raspberries and coconut on the top. Bake in a 180 degree celcius oven until firm to touch.
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Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the cake for a short time. Cut around the edges with a knife.
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Turn the cake onto a cooling rack.
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Enjoy a slice or two. Freeze individual portions for snacks.

I hope you enjoy this delightful cake. Please share the recipe with your friends and why not try a flavour swap and use a different type of berry. Have you listened to my Wellness Podcast! Tune in at http://www.thewellnessbuzzpodcast.com