How about this for a wild flavour combination! The creaminess and goodness of natural avocado with the highly nutritious and texture laden chia seeds. A raw and frozen, high healthy fat snack with a natural sugar kick of raw honey. So simple to make in the food processor and completely made of Whole Foods and completely gluten & dairy free.
A creamy and delicious snack
Ingredients:
2 cups nuts (activated almonds or similar)
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup coconut flakes or shredded coconut
1 large or 2 small avocados
3 tablespoons raw honey
1 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup chia seeds.
Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth and creamy.
I processed a few of the ingredients and then added some more. This will depend on the power of your food processor.The coconut oil can be added as a liquid which will help it blend quicker.Place into a baking dish lined with paper and smooth out evenly with a spatula. Place in the freezer until firm.Remove from the baking dish by lifting the edges of the paper.Slice into pieces using a sharp knife.
Return the slice to the freezer and have as desired. The whole process is quick and having these snacks in the freezer is so handy.
A food processor is a wonderful resource to have in a Paleo kitchen.
I hope you enjoy this raw treat. Eat it mindfully and share the recipe with a friend so that we can spread the wellness message.
You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo or on Facebook at Primal Living Melbourne or Holistic Wellness For Life.
A delicious healthy snack bar that will add some sweetness to your day!
Eat them straight from the freezer or pack them into the lunch box.
Having healthy snacks on hand is vital if you are going to avoid making poor food choices. Being on a restricted diet is hard enough without feeling hungry or as though you are missing out. These bars are healthy, sweet, Paleo, gluten, dairy and processed sugar-free. They are filled with natural goodness and are a favourite snack of mine. The recipe is flexible and you can change them to suit your own preferences such as leaving out the nuts, using different seeds or changing some of the quantities. All of the ingredients l use are organic and the nuts and larger seeds are activated which means l have soaked them in filtered water and sea salt for a day, rinsed them well and then dehydrated. This process helps to remove the anti-nutrients and support good digestion.
Ingredients:
1 cup activated organic sunflower seeds
1 cup activated organic pumpkin seeds
1 cup organic sesame seeds
1 cup black chia seeds
1 cup activated mixed nuts (e.g almond, walnut, and brazil)
A generous 1/2 cup organic shredded coconut
8 Medjool Dates seeded and chopped (roughly chop just to make it easier for the food processor)
A good 1/2 cup raw organic honey (use organic or regular honey if that is what you have)
A good 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
These ingredients add a delicious flavour to the bars.
Place the nuts, seeds, shredded coconut and dates in the food processor and chop until roughly chopped. Gently warm the honey and coconut oil in a saucepan and pour into the food processor. Pulse until all there is a good consistency and all the nuts and seeds have been broken up.
Be careful of the very sharp blade.
Have a tray ready which is lined with baking paper. Run your finger around the edge of the tray so there is a crease in the paper. Pour the ingredients onto a tray lined with baking paper. Now is a good time to have a taste test. The mix should be sweet and delicious.
The mix is ready to be flattened.
Use a spatula to flatten the mix and make sure it is quite even across the whole tray and give special attention to the corners. I have tried a few different oven temperatures and times but basically you don’t want the oven too hot as you will burn the seeds and lose lots of nutrients, and you want to just cook it until the edges are going golden. A temperature of 160 to 170 Degrees Celsius is recommended for 30 minutes but you can guage this better after your first batch.
Ready for the oven.
Remove the tray from the oven and let cool until cold. Another option is when it is slightly cool to place it in the freezer for an hour whilst still on the tray. Use the edges of the baking paper to carefully remove the bars as a whole from the tray and lay it on a flat bench. Cut the bars while still on the baking paper into whatever size suits you using a very sharp knife and wiping clean after cutting a row. Another option is to use a pizza cutter and it helps to give it or the knife a wipe after each row. I think it is better to have the bars quite small as then you have more of a choice over serving size.
Perfectly baked with golden edges. These were sliced when cool and placed in the freezer over night. They can easily be separated now and stored in a container in the freezer.
Carefully lift each bar into the container for freezing unless you are going to eat them all fresh, but they are very nice eaten when they are just out of the freezer and such a handy snack to take to work or when you are out.
The best part of the whole cooking experience is eating the crumbs. Scrape them off the baking paper and into a bowl. Enjoy! You could dip something into these crumbs such as a banana or use them as a topping.
A delicious snack.
Something to be aware of when eating these bars is that the chia seeds can get stuck in your teeth. This is really a cosmetic issue, so it is best to do a quick tooth check after you have eaten them and you may need a tooth pick to remove them as they can be a bit stubborn.
A sweet treat.
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A delicious raw and frozen snack bar that will add some sweetness to your day! This is a raw version of one of my most popular recipes ‘Sensational Seed and nut bars’ which are baked in the oven and have a crispier texture. This raw version is equally delicious but has the added benefit of not being baked which preserves the nutrients in ingredients such as raw honey.
So simple to make and delicious.
Having healthy snacks on hand is vital if you are going to avoid making poor food choices. Being on a restricted diet is hard enough without feeling hungry or as though you are missing out. These bars are healthy, sweet, paleo, gluten, dairy and processed sugar free. They are filled with natural goodness and can be kept in an air tight container in the freezer. All of the ingredients l use are organic and the nuts and larger seeds are activated which means l have soaked them in filtered water and sea salt for a day, rinsed them well and then dehydrated. This process helps to remove the anti-nutrients and support good digestion.
Ingredients:
1 cup activated organic sunflower seeds
1 cup activated organic pumpkin seeds
1 cup organic sesame seeds
1 cup black chia seeds
1 cup activated mixed nuts (e.g almond, walnut, and brazil)
A generous 1/2 cup organic shredded coconut
8 Medjool Dates seeded and chopped (roughly chop just to make it easier for the food processor)
A good 1/2 cup raw organic honey (use organic or regular honey if that is what you have)
1 cup of organic coconut oil
These ingredients add a delicious flavour to the bars.
Place all ingredients into the food processor and mix until well combined. If your food processor isn’t very strong pulse the nuts and dates first to break them up a bit before adding the other ingredients.
Place all ingredients into the food processor and pulse.All ingredients are broken down and well mixed.
Line a glass baking dish with baking paper and pour the mix in. Now is a good time to have a taste test. The mix should be sweet and delicious. Use a spatula to flatten the mix and make sure it is quite even across the whole dish.
Place the slice in the freezer for several hours to set.Remove the slice carefully from the dish by holding the edges of the baking paper.Carefully slice the bars length ways with a sharp knife.Cut the bars into the size that you would like them and place in a tub in the freezer.A delicious and nutritious snack.
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Combine the gorgeous flavour of sweet potato with warming spices and you have a delicious slice that is a taste sensation, especially if you eat it warm. Who would have thought that sweet potato would be so delicious in baked goods!
A beautiful slice to share with your friends.
Ingredients:
1 medium sized sweet potato peeled, steamed, mashed and cooled (about 2 cups when mashed)
1 dessert spoon of granulated stevia or the equivalent of pure stevia.
I used this product and used just two tiny scoops as there are two teaspoons in one dessert spoon
1/2 a cup of organic honey
¼ cup organic coconut oil
2 free range eggs (beaten)
1 cup of coconut flour (squash the lumps)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon all spice
½ teaspoon organic vanilla essence
2 teaspoons baking powder (gluten free).
Method:
Pre-heat a fan forced oven to approximately 160 degrees celsius or a bit higher depending on your oven. Grease a slice tray with organic coconut oil. I used a glass dish and that worked well. Line the base with baking paper. Gently mix all of the ingredients together with a spatula ensuring everything is evenly distributed.
Add the sweet potato after you have mixed the rest of the ingredients.Mixing all of the ingredients before adding the sweet potato.Smooth the top of the mix with the spatula.
Place in the oven and cook until golden on top and just coming away from the edge of the baking dish.
Let it cool in the dish and then use a knife to cut around the edge.
Place the cooling rack on top of the slice and with a t-towel so you don’t burn your hands flip the cooling rack and slice tray up-side down so that the slice is out of the dish and on the tray. You can then use a second cooling rack to turn the slice over to the right side.
Looking and smelling delicious.
When the slice has cooled cut into small pieces and display on a nice plate.
I transferred it from the cooling rack to a chopping board to slice.
You can wrap each piece individually with cling wrap and place in the freezer and then pop into your lunch box. This would be delicious as a dessert and eaten warm is really mouth watering. I have even eaten this slice straight from the freezer as it is also delicious frozen with a completely different texture.
A challenge to have just one piece.
You can follow me daily on Instagram at Holistic_Paleo as l share all of my meals and some other interesting pictures. I also have two Facebook sites called Holistic Wellness For Life and Primal Living Melbourne.
If you have enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. Thankyou Carolyn
A decadent and delicious healthy raw and frozen treat for the chocolate lovers. A smooth and sweet treat with chunks of nuts, free of gluten, dairy and processed sugar. Filled with healthy fats, this is a snack that can be kept in the freezer and eaten when something sweet is desired. The healthy fats come from avocados, nuts and coconut oil which are whole foods, and this slice is packed with nutritious ingredients including vitamins, minerals, fibre and anti-oxidants.
A warning that this is extremely delicious!
A food processor is a must to make this delight. Place all of the ingredients in the bowl with the mixer blade and process. Simple. Sometimes the medjool dates can get stuck so it is a good idea to give them a few pulses first to chop them up a bit and then add in the nuts and do the same. This recipe has the addition of a Superfood powder and l like the Loving Earth blend but you can easily replace it with your own favourite.
One of my favourites!
Ingredients:
3 cups of nuts (I like to use the harder nuts being almond, walnut or brazil. For this recipe l used all raw activated almonds but you can use a mixture)
1 1/2 cups of coconut flakes (or use shredded or dessicated coconut)
1/4 cup raw honey
2 tablespoons raw cacao
You can see the goodness!Thoroughly mix the ingredients and a few unprocessed nuts are great as they add some chunkiness to the slice.
Have a taste test now and then put the slice into a baking dish lined with baking paper. I made the first batches without the baking paper and just greased the dish but the slice was a but tricky to get out of the pan so l would advise using the paper.
Once the mixture is in the dish it needs to be smoothed out with a spatula.When it is smooth and even place it in the freezer for a couple of hours.Remove the whole slab from the baking dish and place onto a chopping board.Slice into squares and eat the edges that you cut off (my favourite part).The slice needs to be eaten straight away or placed back into the freezer.
I hope you enjoy this delicious treat which is made with real ingredients and free of so many of the nasty chemicals we are seeing in food today. As a chocolate lover l really enjoyed creating this recipe and hope you share it with your friends and have a great time making and eating it.
You can follow me daily on Instagram at Holistic_Paleo or on Facebook at Primal Living Melbourne or Holistic Wellness For Life.
Have you ventured into the world of vegetable noodles yet? If not then you are missing out on this raw and cooked delight. Add texture, flavour and fun to your meals with this Paleo friendly noodle option.
Raw beetroot noodles help give this salad height, colour and texture.
The first item you require is a spiralizer which is just a handy kitchen gadget that will turn your vegetables into noodles. They are so much fun to use and can be purchased quite cheaply online or from a Health Food Store.
Sweet Potato noodles are my favourite. Lightly pan fry them and add to a stir fry or soup, or bake in the oven and have them super crispy.Apple noodles are a favourite of my children’s. Core the apple and put through the spiralizer. Eat straight away as they are delicious.Beetroot noodles which can be baked or eaten raw.Swede noodles in the making.
Some noodles can be eaten raw such as apple, beetroot and zucchini while others are better cooked such as sweet potato. Beetroot and sweet potato both baked beautifully and you can also try swede and the other varieties of sweet potato.
Beetroot noodles ready to be baked with coconut oil and fresh rosemary.Baked beetroot noodles are so delicious. Bake in a 180 Degree Celsius oven and turn every so often until they are all nicely cooked and a few are crispy.This is a variety of sweet potato and the bits left in the spiralizer get baked as well so there isn’t any wastage.Swede noodles.
Magnificent meals: Vegetable noodles add such fun to your meals.
Add them to your favourite soup.A pile of multi coloured sweet potato noodles. Really sweet from being baked in the oven.A delicious grass-fed beef steak with swede noodles.Steak and baked beetroot noodles.Scrambled eggs with sweet potato noodles.
Now you need to get the hang of the fun names the noodles are given. Here are a few:
Boodles: Beetroot noodles
Zoodles: Zucchini noodles
Spoodles: Sweet Potato noodles
Swoodles: Swede noodles
Foodles: Fruit noodles.
Make it up as you go along. It adds to the fun.
You can also make vegetable strips using a vegetable peeler and these can add a fun and decorative element to a meal as well.
Here l used carrot ribbons to add a pretty element to this meal. Just slide the peeler down the carrot and you are done. I often do this with beetroot and add the strips to a salad.
Have some fun with this. It adds a different texture to your meals and can really add some variety to the Paleo diet.
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A brownie is like a cake but cut into squares and is often used as a dessert or snack. Usually chocolate and delicious this version adds the flavours of coconut and fresh beetroot with the raw cacao to produce an interesting and quirky flavour. Out of the oven they are extremely moreish and you can adjust the level of beetroot in the brownie to suit your particular tastes.
Ingredients:
1 cup of blanched almond meal (you will need more liquid if you use the regular almond meal as the skin is very drying).
1 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda (Bobs Red Mill)
4 free-range or organic eggs (700g)
1 cup shredded coconut (flakes or dessicated is o.k as well)
1/2 cup coconut oil
Generous 1/4 cup rice malt syrup
12 small spoonfuls of Pure Stevia (the equivalent of 1/4 cup sugar)
Alter the amount depending on the product you use.
1/2 cup filtered water
2 level tablespoons raw cacao
1 small raw beetroot grated (use more or less depending on your tastes).
Method:
Place all ingredients in the food processor and give a light mix until all combined.
An intense colourPlace into a baking dish greased with coconut oil.Cook in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees celsius until cooked but not overly done. Let it cool in the baking dish and then transfer to the cooling rack.Eat while warm when it is at its best.
Have a try swapping the beetroot with other vegetables such as sweet potato.
You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo or on Facebook at Primal Living Melbourne or Holistic Wellness For Life
It is so much fun to just grab a healthy treat from the freezer knowing exactly what is in it and that it is going to taste excellent and be sustaining. These little balls are packed full of healthy fats from the nuts, coconut oil & chia seeds. Whip up a batch right now!
A tangy lemon treat.
Ingredients:
2 cups of activated nuts (I used almonds)
1 cup of activated raw cashews
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup rice malt syrup
Method:
Place all ingredients in the food processor.
All healthy and natural
Blitz until well combined and the nuts are broken down.
Have a taste now.
Roll into small balls using your hands.
This recipe makes approximately 20 balls.
These will go quite firm in the fridge if you are eating them within a day or two. Otherwise keep them in the freezer and eat them frozen or let them sit for a bit until they soften. Have one or two as a snack and enjoy.
These can be made in around 5 minutes. Vary the nuts and add different flavours that suit your tastes.
If you have enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. You can now register for my Paleo Nutrition and Primal Living Course or Paleo Weightloss Group. Both of these start in July and the details are on my website. You can also follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo or on Facebook at Primal Living Melbourne or Holistic Wellness For Life.
Vegetable spaghetti is a versatile, flavoursome and low carbohydrate food and in this recipe it is used as the main ingredient in the base of this delightful pizza. Gluten and dairy free, Paleo friendly, colourful and tasty. A meal to satisfy those who have been missing this traditional favourite.
Paleo friendly and delicious.
If you are avoiding nightshades then leave the tomato paste off and use olive oil as the topping, leave off the capsicum and drizzle an egg over the top.
Ingredients: Base
1 whole baked Vegetable Spaghetti
1 cup of raw activated pumpkin seeds
1/2 red onion
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut flour
Pink rock salt and black pepper
Method: Base
Cut the vegetable spaghetti lengthways in half using a serrated knife.Clean out the seeds and pulp with a spoon.Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pink rock salt and black pepper.Bake in a 180 Degree Celsius oven until golden and soft.Scrape out the vegetable spaghetti with a fork.Place in a sieve and squeeze the excess moisture out.Place all of the base ingredients in the food processor with the vegetable spaghetti.The mixture now looks like a dough.Place a generous piece of baking paper over the pizza tray and carefully and evenly flatten out the mixture.Bake the base in a 180 Degree Celsius oven for 10 minutes.Cover the base with your favourite ingredients. Keep it simple so the weight of the ingredients doesn’t overwhelm the base.Colourful and delicious. A family favourite and no-one will guess what the base is made from.
When the pizza is cooked remove from the oven and slice using a pizza slicer. It will smell delicious. Serve on its own or with your favourite meat. You will be able to carefully pick this pizza up with your hand but l would eat it with a knife and fork.
Enjoy this delicious version of a gluten and dairy free pizza made with all natural ingredients.
You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo or on Facebook at Holistic Wellness For Life or Primal Living Melbourne.
I hope your Paleo journey is going well well. I consult online and in person if you would love some support. Visit my website for details.
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A creamy and satisfying raw and frozen slice which has a very high healthy fat content and is flavoured with the amazing Acai Berry Powder which is an excellent source of anti-oxidants.
Extremely delicious and easy to make.
I have used a home made almond nut butter in this recipe but you could use one that has been commercially made. I like to activate my nuts to remove the anti-nutrients and by making the nut butter myself l can be assured of the ingredient content.
Making the Nut Butter:
You require 2 cups of raw nuts which have been soaked in filtered water and 1 tablespoon of sea salt for up to 24 hours for hard nuts such as almonds and around 6 hours for softer nuts such as cashews. They then need to be dehydrated as otherwise the nut butter will be too moist. Rinse well then add to the food processor with the chopping blade attachment and 1 cup of organic coconut oil, 2 pinches of pink Himalayan Rock Salt and 1 teaspoon of raw organic honey. Process until creamy. This can take up to ten minutes and it is a good idea to stop the food processor and wipe down the edges with a spatula so everything is evenly processed. You can keep this nut butter in the fridge for several days or use some of it as a spread and the rest in this lovely slice recipe.
Keep processing until it is smooth and creamy
Making the Slice:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of home made nut butter (I used almond)
1 1/2 cups raw activated cashews
3 level tablespoons raw organic honey
2 generous tablespoons Acai Berry Powder (This can be substituted for another Superfood powder or raw cacao).
This powder is great in smoothies as well.
Method:
Add the ingredients to the food processor using the chopping blade. Process until well combined. Place the ingredients in a dish generously lined with baking paper and smooth out with a spatula.
A quick taste test now is a good idea.All smoothed out and ready for the freezer
Place in the freezer to set for a couple of hours then slice into portions and return to the freezer.
Smaller slices are better.Have a piece or two and enjoy.
As this slice has a high healthy fat content it does soften quite quickly when at room temperature and l prefer to eat it straight from the freezer.
You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo and Facebook at Primal Living Melbourne and Holistic Wellness For Life.
A crispy seed cracker with a hint of sea salt and a delicious tangy guacamole is a taste sensation and completely satisfying. Make a big batch of the crackers and have them on hand in the freezer to go with your favourite toppings.
A most delicious meal.
Making the Seed Crackers:
The seed crackers are really easy to make and just require a few ingredients plus some patience. Place one cup of water in a bowl and add to it one cup of mixed seeds (just under 1/2 cup each of raw activated pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. The cup will be almost full. Add on top one tablespoon of LSA mix and 2 tablespoons of black chia seeds. It’s o.k if it is overflowing a bit).
Pour the seeds into the water and give a stir.A double batch in the making
Add 1/2 a teaspoon of sea salt to the mixture and mix well. Let this sit for at least 15 minutes so it becomes a bit gluggly looking. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees celcius.
Pour the mixture onto a baking tray covered with a generous piece of baking paper. Smooth out with the back of a spoon until it is even and most of the tray is covered.
Place the mix into the oven for up to 1.5 hours or until the sunflower seeds are turning golden. It may require less time depending on your oven. Turn the oven off at this point and leave for one hour.
One huge cracker. Now break it into usable pieces.
The cracker mix should be able to be broken easily into pieces and used with your favourite meal, as a snack or frozen.
A delicious and versatile cracker.
Making the Guacamole:
Guacamole is very easy to make and a quick meal to create. You can use any volume of the ingredients you wish to make a dish that suits your tastes. I used two fresh avocado’s slightly mashed, 2 spring onion green tops chopped, some small orange tomatoes diced, the juice of half a lemon, pink rock salt and black pepper. Once you mix it all together you have guacamole and it is best eaten straight away. The colour of the tomatoes you use will alter the appearance of the guacamole and bright red ones look really excellent.
This is a very healthy meal or snack and one that can be enjoyed by many people. You can make a large batch of guacamole and serve as a dip with the crackers and this is sure to be popular with your family or guests.
You can follow me daily on Instagram or on Facebook at Holistic Wellness For Life or Primal Living Melbourne
This is a handy gluten and dairy free cracker with a lovely flavour of rosemary and sea salt. They are softer than a regular cracker but are a good base for your favourite toppings and can be kept in the freezer and used as required.
Place your favourite toppings on or serve them plain.
Ingredients:
1 cup of organic sesame seeds
1 cup of organic pumpkin seeds
1 cup of organic sunflower seeds
1 generous tablespoon organic coconut oil
1 generous tablespoon raw organic honey
1 heaped tablespoon fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup filtered water
Place all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth.
Ready to be mixed A smooth paste like mixture
Spoon the mix into a tray (mine was 24cm x 34cm) generously lined with baking paper so it hangs over the edges and spread out smoothly with a spatula until even across the pan.
Make sure the mix is even and there isn’t a glut of mix in the middle.
The mixture should be about 1/2 cm thick across the tray. Bake in a 180 degree celsius oven until turning golden around the edges.
Just golden around the edges
Remove from the oven and carefully lift the mix onto a flat surface by grabbing the edges of the baking paper. Cut into slices using a pizza cutter or something similar.
Small even sized squares are best.
Lift back onto the tray and return to the oven and bake until golden.
The ones in the middle will not be as golden as the outer ones. You can cook them a bit more separately if you want them all a similar colour.
Let cool in the tray and then carefully remove with a spatula and place on the cooling rack.
Tasting one at this point is a good idea.
You can eat these bars fresh or place in the freezer to use later on.
Freezing them to use later on.Top with your favourite ingredients for a meal or snack.
When l use these crackers from the freezer l quickly place them under the grill and they are ready to be used. You can eat them plain but l prefer to use them as a base for toppings which will increase the nutritional content.
You can also follow me on Instagram at holistic_paleo or Facebook on Primal Living Melbourne or Holistic Wellness For Life
Live & eat mindfully. Gluten & dairy free recipes.
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