Tag Archives: snack

Recipes, Wellness

Green smoothies: A masterpiece every time!

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A few hashtags to describe a green smoothie!

#nutritious #fibre #filling #colourful #healthy #fun #vegetables #fruit #raw #vitamins #minerals #antioxidants #tastesamazing #healthychoice #green

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Filled with green goodness.

Mental and practical roadblocks people use to not have a green smoothie in their life.

It it scary to drink a green smoothie

I don’t want to drink vegetables, especially green ones

There are things in there l won’t like

I’ve never had a chia seed

I don’t have a blender

The ingredients are expensive

It will taste awful

I’d rather have a normal fruit smoothie

Do any of these sound familiar? They can all be overcome if you can think out side of your comfort zone. If you don’t have a blender they can be purchased very cheaply or you can borrow one, and if you grow your own green leafy vegetables that is another one crossed off the list.

Take the plunge and try a simple recipe for your first smoothie that is guaranteed to be delicious. You can even leave the chia seeds out.

Cos lettuce (fill up half the blender with this, but make sure it is well washed), one small banana, one navel orange, 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional), some fresh mint and enough plain coconut water to give a good consistency to drink or you can eat it with a spoon.

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Just pile all of the ingredients into the blender and process. Pour it into a glass and enjoy!

 

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An amazing colour with a wonderful sweet flavour.

A green smoothie is different to a green juice. A juice has most of the fibre removed and is much lighter to drink and digest. When l was very unwell last year l loved having a green juice as the nutrients were quickly and easily broken down and absorbed for use in the body, whereas a smoothie was too heavy for me and l just couldn’t digest them.

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A green juice made with the Cold Pressed juicer.

Part of the joy of drinking a green smoothie is that it is green!

A green smoothie can quickly turn a not so nice colour if you add certain ingredients to it such as raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. It could go a brown colour and will taste great, but won’t look so appetising.

Choosing your ingredients:

1. Start by picking your choice of greens. You can have just the one such as cos lettuce, kale, spinach or silverbeet or a mixture. Cos lettuce is so sweet and lovely and l love the smaller green spinach leaves.

2. What liquid are you going to have in your juice? I would advise either plain coconut water or filtered water.

3. Choose the fruit you are going to add. This could be banana, apple, peach, apricot, pear, mango, pineapple, orange and mandarin as examples. Citrus is wonderful as it will help your body absorb the iron from the greens.

4. Add a few interesting things to your smoothie. Limes and lemon’s with the skin on will give the smoothie a kick, while fresh ginger and herbs such as parsley and mint will help to enhance the flavour.

5. Add additional nutrients such as chia seeds, green powders or nuts.

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This smoothie has lots of greens, a few strawberries, chia seeds, activated almonds, orange and filtered water.
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This was such a filling smoothie and there are speckles of red through it from the strawberries.

A way to combine a green smoothie with a more colourful ingredients and still have it looking good is to have some fun putting it together as in the one below. Both the green and pink sections tasted wonderful, but when mixed together were a not so nice brown colour.

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A green smoothie with a dash of colour!

The green section is cos lettuce, banana, green apple and coconut water. The pink layer is strawberries, blueberries, acai berry powder, chia seeds, banana and coconut water. I make the green part first and pour it into two glasses and wash the blender, then make the pink part. The decorative pointy bits l do with a stainless steel straw and it looks nice to drink!

A smoothie can easily be a meal if you add in good sources of protein such as chia seeds and nuts. I drink them slowly as it is a lot of liquid going into the stomach all at once and adding the nuts and chia seeds make it a bit heavier and thicker as well as slowing down the digestion of the sugars in the drink. Sometimes l have a handful of nuts with the smoothie if it has a lot of fruit in it and this balances out the snack.

The best way to get started on your smoothie adventure is to fill up your fridge with lots of healthy fresh food. Here is a quick snapshot of my fridge as it looks most of the time.

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I really need a bigger fridge!

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Recipes, Wellness

Sensational seed and nut bars!

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A delicious healthy snack bar that will add some sweetness to your day!

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Ready for the oven

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. I cooked mine today in a Fan Forced Convection Oven at 170 Degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. You will be able to check this after your first batch.

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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. This is what l do now as l don’t like to wait.

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Remove from the freezer and cut.

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.

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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.

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Store in an airtight container in the freezer

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.

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I love this part!

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.

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Wellness

Apple and cinnamon cake-A Paleo friendly recipe.

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Since l have adopted the Paleo diet this cake has become one of my favourite snacks, being gluten, dairy and processed sugar free.The mix of coconut, cinnamon and apple is really enticing and satisfying. The picture below shows that this cake is very versatile and you can make one cake or easily double the recipe so that one or two can go into the freezer.

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Such a delicious gluten and dairy free cake.
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I made a double recipe and used square tins.
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A doubled the recipe and made 3 smaller cakes.

A change in thinking:

Most cakes eaten in my life before adopting the Paleo diet had as ingredients butter/margarine, wheat flour, milk and white sugar. Thinking about ways to make a cake that tasted good not using those ingredients has been a challenge but also exciting. This recipe is so flexible and there are other variation on the website such as sweet potato/walnut, banana/coconut, beetroot/pumpkin and banana/coconut/lemon/poppy seed. All of these cakes are so nice and have the same basic ingredients with just a switch in the spice and fruit/vegetable added.

Ingredients:

2 green apples (diced finely or coursely, skin on/off)

2 cups almond meal

1/4 cup organic coconut flour (no need to sift, just squash the lumps))

6 free range eggs (600g or 5 eggs for 700g)

1/4 cup organic coconut oil

1/4 cup raw organic honey

1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda (Bob’s Red Mill Aluminium free ).

Method:

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Both sets of ingredients just before mixing them together.

Chop up the apples into small pieces and it is personal preference as to how finely you dice the apples. It is your choice as to whether you leave the skin on or not. The skin will add additional fibre and nutrients, but often there is a wax on the skin which you don’t want to eat. Place the apple in a saucepan with the organic coconut oil and cinnamon and bring to a gentle boil then simmer until the apples are soft. The smell in your kitchen will be amazing. If your honey is solid because the weather is cold you can also add it into the saucepan to melt.

While the saucepan mix is cooling add all of the other ingredients into a bowl, then add the contents of the saucepan to the bowl and mix together gently.

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Everything in the one bowl.
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The mixture after a good stir with a spatula.

Place mixture in a greased and lined loaf tin or tins depending on whether you doubled the recipe. Sometimes l add flaked almonds to the top of the cake and this is a nice touch. Bake in a 180 degree celsius oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the middle of the cake is firm.

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I grease my tins with coconut oil and line with baking paper.
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I used three smaller tins with double the recipe here. Smooth the top of the mixture with the spatula before placing in the pre-heated oven.

You will know when the cakes are almost done as your house will be smelling amazing. Remove the cakes from the oven and cut around the edges with a knife to gently separate from the tin. Gently turn onto a cooling rack, remove the baking paper and flip over to cool. This is a good time to have a piece as it is so delicious when warm. I use a serrated knife to cut the cake and this works better than a regular sharp knife.

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The piece on the end is always the most popular as it is extra crunchy.

Hint:

When cool, l slice this cake into single portions, wrap in glad wrap and freeze. When l am working and pack a lunch l just pop a piece into my lunchbox. Now my husband has realised how delicious it is l make double batches every few weeks to keep up the supply.

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What a delightful cake!

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Recipes, Wellness

Sesame snaps with poppy seeds and cinnamon

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2014-08-02 11.54.24
A lovely snack and easy to make!

A favourite snack that you can make at home! This is a twist on the popular sesame snap but the recipe is easily modified to have a more traditional flavour. The original recipe is from ‘The Merrymaker Sisters” website and l have modified it by adding in poppy seeds and cinnamon.

This is a very quick and easy snack to make and they can be kept in the freezer to add to lunch boxes.

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups of organic sesame seeds

1 cup of organic almond meal

1/2 cup raw organic honey

1/4 cup organic coconut oil

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 generous teaspoon cinnamon

Note: If you want a traditional sesame snap leave the poppy seeds and cinnamon out and use 2 cups of sesame seeds. 

Method:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Place half of the mixture onto a piece of baking paper and cover with another piece of baking paper. Roll out carefully to flatten.

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Gently roll the mixture so it is even.

Roll the mix to about 1/2 a centimetre. Remove the top paper and use a knife to straighten the edges and then re-roll. Do this for the other half of the mixture.

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Life the baking paper and flattened mixture onto the baking tray

Bake the sesame snaps in a 180 degree celsius oven for approximately 10 minutes or until golden.

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Golden cooked sesame snaps.

Let the sesame snaps cool for a short time and then lift off the tray by grabbing the edges of the baking paper. Place on a flat surface and using a sharp knife cut the edges off and then cut into rows and then smaller pieces.

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Use the edges to taste test your cooking.
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These are the plain sesame snaps. Once cooled they can easily be stored in the freezer and are a handy snack.

It is a good idea to make your own snacks if you can as this ensures that you know exactly what is in the food you are eating. There are no nasty additives, colours or flavours in these bars, and this is a great way to eat healthier.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. I post daily on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and the links are on the bottom of the website. Thank you Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

Chocolate, coconut and strawberry balls (Paleo recipe)

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A raw frozen treat free of gluten, dairy and processed sugar. 

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Morning snack: fresh strawberries, raw organic dark chocolate and the frozen chocolate, coconut and strawberry balls.

These little balls of sweetness are a delightful raw frozen treat to have at any time of the day and the combination of chocolate, fresh strawberries and coconut is very nice. They are quite soft at room temperature which is why they are best eaten frozen, but if a firmer ball is desired the avocado can be left out.

Ingredients:

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Fresh strawberries!
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I actually used fresh coconut, but shredded coconut is excellent.

8 medjool dates (seeded)

1 dessert spoon organic raw cacao

3 tablespoons organic coconut oil

2 cups of mixed raw nuts (I used brazil and walnuts)

8 fresh strawberries (washed and the green top removed).

2 tablespoons black chia seeds

1/2 cup organic shredded coconut (plus a bit extra for rolling the balls in)

1 small avocado (optional)

Instructions for making the balls:

Place all of the ingredients in the food processor and mix until well blended.

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Place all of the ingredients in the food processor and blend.

Use a spoon to form balls of mix and roll in the extra shredded coconut.

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Roll the balls in the extra coconut.

Place the balls in a container and place in the freezer.

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Serve the balls with some fresh strawberries.

As these balls are raw they are really quick to make and filled with wonderful nutrients. Store the balls in an airtight container in the freezer and grab one when you need a healthy snack.

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Recipes, Wellness

Raw lime and cinnamon bars

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My first raw bar and the flavours are lovely!

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A perfect snack!

The lime and cinnamon infuse through the bars which are firm, wholesome and delicious. I eat these straight from the freezer and they are a real treat.

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You will be able to stock up the freezer and pack these in the lunch box.

Ingredients:

2 cups of nuts (I used raw activated walnuts and brazil nuts)

2 cups of seeds (I used 1/2 cup each of pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and chia seeds)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

10 medjool dates that have been deseeded and soaked in warm water for 15 minutes then drained

The juice and zest of one large or two small limes.

1/2 cup raw organic honey (slightly warmed)

1/2 cup organic coconut oil (gently melted)

Extra pepitas to put on top of the mixture 

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Everything goes into the food processor.

Place everything into the food processor and pulse to the desired consistency. The soft dates, coconut oil and honey should be blended in well and the nuts broken into small pieces.

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Everything is blended well.

Press the mix into a baking dish lined with baking paper. Mine was approximately 22cm and was a glass dish. Use the spare pumpkin seeds (pepitas) to decorate the top of the mix.

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Push the pumpkin seeds into the top of the mix to decorate.

Place the mixture into the freezer for about an hour.

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This is the fun part!

Lift the slab out of the dish by grabbing the edges of the baking paper. Using a sharp knife cut the mix into long bars and then squares. After you have had a taste test, place the rest of the bars into a container and store in the freezer.

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Ready for the freezer

I have found that the lovely lime flavour is enhanced over time, and the bars l have eaten from the freezer have had a very enticing hint of lime, which reminds me of the feeling l get when l am drinking a beautiful herbal tea.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. Thankyou carolyn

You can follow me on Instagram: holistic_paleo and Twitter; holistic paleo@carolynlgray

Wellness

Orange and poppy seed cake with whole oranges (gluten and dairyfree)

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This is a lovely moist cake which uses whole oranges to give it a beautiful flavour and texture. I don’t normally cook with stevia but l had some in the cupboard and thought it would add a nice sweetness to the cake and used it in conjunction with Rice Malt Syrup which worked well.

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A moist and lovely cake-gluten free/dairy free

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes and 1 cake so it could be halved if desired. To make this cake all of the wet ingredients plus a few extras are placed in one bowl and the dry ones in another.

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The wet ingredients plus the poppy seeds

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

1/2 cup stevia granules

1/2 cup organic coconut oil gently melted

1/3 cup poppy seeds (more or less depending on your preference)

1/3 cup rice malt syrup

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla essence

In another bowl mix:

2 cups 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. If making cupcakes place spoonfuls into patty pans as below.

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Ready for the oven!

If making a cake pour half the mix into a greased and lined cake tin. Bake both in a 180 degree celsius oven until firm to touch. The cake will take quite a lot longer than the cup cakes.

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A cute cupcake display. Add some orange pieces to compliment the cupcakes.

Let the cake cool in the tin for a few minutes and then place on a cake cooling rack. I drizzled the cake with some fresh orange juice and topped with sliced orange. I admit to having a cupcake and a piece of cake and my preference is for the cake as the extra juice and orange slice really added to the flavour.

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Drizzle the cake with fresh orange juice and freshly sliced Navel orange.

This is a delightful cake and the flavour turned out really delicious and it is a wonderful treat for those of us living on restricted diets.

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Recipes, Wellness

Banana, Coconut, Lemon and Poppy seed cake (gluten, dairy and processed sugar free)

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2014-06-20 19.15.00
A piece or two for morning tea!

This cake is made with real ingredients and as a result each of the flavours can be tasted when enjoying this cake. The fresh banana, lemon juice, lemon zest, organic shredded coconut and poppy seeds give this cake a lovely balance and depth of flavour which is extremely satisfying. When making this cake l used the base recipe that l have for all of my Paleo cakes and l was heading in the direction of a banana or lemon cake, when the idea came to combine them. I couldn’t resist adding poppy seeds as they go so well with lemon, and l adore coconut and the flavour is already in the cake from the organic coconut oil.

Place all of the dry ingredients  into a bowl and mix with a spoon:

2 cups of almond meal

1/4 cup of organic coconut flour

1/2 cup poppy seeds

1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

 Place all of the wet ingredients into another bowl and mix gently until combined:

6 free range eggs

1/4 cup organic coconut oil gently melted

1/4 cup raw organic honey gently melted (organic honey is fine).

2 large bananas mashed with a fork

Lemon zest and juice. I used 4 small lemons but you could use 2 large ones. Grate the zest into the mix and add the lemon juice.

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The dry and wet ingredients combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly with a spoon.

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Ready for the oven!

Place the mix into a greased and lined loaf pan and cook in a 180 degree celsius oven until golden. Use your own visuals and experience with your oven to determine if your cake is cooked and when done gently turn onto a cake rack.

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Just out of the oven!

I have tried this cake warm, just out of the oven and cold the next day. The banana flavour is more intense in the cake when hot and l preferred it cold the next day for that reason. It is quite a dense cake and held together very well. You could ice it with your favourite mix if desired but l just left it plain as there was so much flavour already and it is a very moist cake.

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I cut this cake as soon as it was out of the oven and the smell was lovely.

If you enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. I am also on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter daily where l share recipes, wellness tips and reflections. I would love you to follow me. Thanks Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

Refreshing sweet smoothie

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2014-06-07 15.28.40
A sweet and delicious smoothie! I actually ate this with a spoon as it was too thick for the straw.

There is something about mixing up a batch of smoothies for the family that is fun and exciting! Changing the colour of the smoothie by using different ingredients is part of the enjoyment, but if you mix greens with berries such as raspberries the taste is good but the colour is a not so enticing brown. I made this smoothie in a large blender as l wanted enough for the whole family, but l have also been making a lot of individual smoothies lately as l have a new blender that makes smoothies to go.

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Smoothie to go blender!

These containers are good when l am just about to go somewhere in the car or l am sitting at my desk. The blender came with two containers so l will often make one for myself and one for my youngest daughter who loves smoothies.

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I have problems digesting too much fruit at once so l try to balance my smoothies with leafy green vegetables and chia seeds and l don’t have too large a serving. The smoothie below was for my daughter and contains yoghurt. I don’t eat dairy so wouldn’t put yoghurt in my smoothies, but my daughter loved the creaminess of this smoothie.

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This is a smoothie that l made for my daughter which was fruit, water, raw organic cashews and yoghurt.

To make the featured green smoothie l placed the following ingredients in the blender:

1 large banana or 2 small ones

A good chunk of pineapple

2 green apples. I took the skin off because of the wax on the skin which l find hard to get off

Some spinach and cos lettuce leaves

A few pieces of fresh mint. Pull the leaves away from the stem.

1 tablespoon of black chia seeds

About 3/4 of a cup of filtered water. It will depend on the size and amount of the other ingredients. You can always add more if it is too thick but you can’t take it out if you add too much. I had to add some water as the blender needed the liquid to get mixing and the blender was so full l had to push the lid on. I also like a thick smoothie and eat it with a spoon, but if you like a thinner smoothie and want to dilute the sugars then add more water.

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This was enough for 3 serves.

Smoothies are a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. They can be made to suit each person’s tastes and they are fun to make. I don’t have a smoothie every day, but l have them a few times a week. Sometimes l just feel like eating the whole fruit such as a banana or orange and this is usually when l am really busy or l might make a juice instead. It does take more time to make a smoothie or juice than to just grab a piece of fruit, but l love that l can mix it up and have something different each day.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I also share daily recipes and wellness tips on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Thanks Carolyn

Wellness

Frozen chocolate balls

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2014-06-03 11.47.08
Frozen chocolate balls. Almost like chocolate ice-cream!

These little balls are very sweet and delicious. I have a few on the plate here but l would just eat one at a time. You can eat them when they are freshly made, but l like to keep my snacks in the freezer, and these taste quite like chocolate ice-cream (remembering that l actually haven’t eaten any chocolate ice-cream for a few years now).

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon raw organic Cacao (I use the Loving Earth brand)

1 frozen banana

1/2 cups almonds (activated if possible)

1/4 cup organic coconut flakes

4 medjool dates (seeds removed)

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Freshly made!

Place all of the ingredients in the food processor and mix well. Roll into small balls and cover in raw organic cacao. I have had these in the freezer in an air tight container for a few months and they are still tasting great. When they are frozen they are still just soft enough to bite into and the flavour is a mix of coconut and chocolate. The dates and banana bind them together and they are jam packed full of nutrients as well as making you feel good because they taste so great!

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I am also on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter where l share daily wellness tips and recipes.

Recipes, Wellness

Walnut and Sweet Potato Cake

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A cake that is free of dairy, processed sugar and gluten!

I like to cook in bulk so that l don’t have to do any more cooking than l already do, and so that l have snacks in the freezer for the busy times. On the days l am working l grab a piece of this cake from the freezer and put it in my lunch box. There is also an apple and cinnamon cake on the website which l make as well. To make these cakes today l tripled the recipe, but the ingredients listed just make one cake. This is a firm cake with a sweet flavour. You can substitute the nuts with another kind or swap the sweet potato to something like pumpkin or carrot. This recipe cuts well and when the cake is cool l cut it with a serrated bread knife and wrap each piece individually with cling wrap and freeze. My husband has discovered how nice my cakes are and is also taking a piece to work each day which means that l am having to make them more often.

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Ingredients:

2 cups organic almond meal (keep this in the fridge)

1/4 cup organic coconut flour

5 large eggs (700 grams) (These should also be kept in the fridge)

A generous 1/4 cup organic coconut oil

A generous 1/4 cup raw organic honey (or organic honey)

1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

1 teaspoon Bicarb Soda (Bob’s Red Mill Brandon is good)

1/2 cup walnuts (this measurement is when they are whole and not ground). Process these in the food processor until in small broken up pieces.

1 cup shredded sweet potato (This measure is the sweet potato loosely filling the cup)

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Method:

Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Place the eggs in another bowl and whisk. In a saucepan warm up the coconut oil and honey until a liquid. Let cool. Add the liquid to the egg mix then add the shredded carrot and walnuts. Add this mix into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until combine.

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Place in a greased square or rectangular metal or glass baking dish which has the base lined with baking paper. I grease the inside of the baking dish with the organic coconut oil. Bake in a 180 Degree Celsius oven until the outside of the cake is golden and the middle firmish. Don’t let the cake burn but the outside will be quite darkish brown when done.

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This cake is lovely warm, but also freezes well. If you like it you can multiply the ingredients and make several as l did today so that they are on hand when needed. You can freeze them whole or in single slices as l do. It is surprising how lovely the organic coconut oil is in baked goods and the cake still has a sweetness to it even though it has only a small amount of honey in it.

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Wellness

Snack bars-all natural

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Another lunch box filler or sweet snack to fill in the holes that are left by following a restricted diet. These snack bars are crunchy and sweet eaten straight from the freezer which is how l prefer them, but if l pack them in my lunch box for work l use a cool block so they stay cool. The raw organic honey, medjool dates and organic coconut oil provide the elements of sweetness and stickiness that helps to hold the bars together. Everything in these bars is healthy and natural and the best part is scraping the bits off the tray and eating them while still warm. See if you can resist!

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I like to make things in bulk and freeze them but if this doesn’t suit you then just halve the recipe. If you halve it just use one baking tray instead of two. It can be good to start with a smaller quantity as it often takes a few goes to get a recipe right or to make adaptations to it that suit you.

Ingredients:

1 cup Almond Meal (I keep mine in the fridge)

1 cup organic shredded coconut

1 cup organic sesame seeds (I also keep all of my seeds and nuts in the fridge)

1 cup of Pepitas

1 cup of Sunflower Seeds

1 cup of Chia Seeds

2 cups of chopped nuts (I used walnuts almonds and macadamias)

2 teaspoons organic cinnamon

12 medjool dates seeded and chopped

4 generous tablespoons raw organic honey (or organic honey)-warm so it is just a liquid

1 good cup of organic coconut oil-warm so it is a liquid

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Method:

Place the nuts and dates in the food processor and pulse. Add all of the other dry ingredients and mix well. Place in a bowl and mix through the liquid honey and coconut oil. This is the time for a taste test. Yum!

Grease the two trays well with coconut oil (one if halving the recipe) and place half of the mixture on each tray. Spread the mixture evenly over the tray and using an egg flipper push the mix down so it is flattened and compacted. Focus on the corners and edges also. Place the trays in a pre-heated 160 degree celcius oven and bake until the edges are quite golden. Around 30 minutes but it will depend on the oven.

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Let the trays cool for about five minutes and then run a sharp knife around the edge of the tray and carefully cut lines into the mix as shown in the picture. When the trays are completely cool, cover with cling wrap and place into the freezer for about one hour. Take the trays out of the oven and use a cake server to go around the edge of the tray and loosen the bars. Bend the tray slightly until you can see the bars lifting off the tray. Use the cake slicer to carefully lift each piece out of the tray. Place into a container and put in the freezer. This is the time to scrape the leftover pieces off the tray and enjoy. So yummy!

If you have enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. I am also on Facebook at Holistic Wellness For Life and Twitter at Holistic Wellness@carolynlgray. Thanks Carolyn