Jam Thumbprint Cookies

The thought of jam cookies bring about warm childhood memories. This version is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and grain-free but still managed to pass the kiddy taste test. These little nuggets of joy are the perfect treat to have with a cup of tea or coffee when you are craving something sweet. I used a homemade raspberry jam made with unrefined sugar to spoon into the centre of the cookie, you could also make your own chia jam if you are looking for a lower sugar option. Health foods shop also stock low sugar jams that are sweetened with fruit and natural fruit juices.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 175g ground almonds
  • ¼ tsp bread soda
  • Pinch of sea-salt
  • 2 tbsp raspberry jam

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3.
  2. Lay a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray.
  3. Whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup & vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl mix the ground almonds, bread soda and sea-salt together.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients & stir to combine.
  6. Scoop tablespoons of the mix into your hands and shape into balls.
  7. Place these down on the prepared baking sheet and using your finger make a small indent in the middle.
  8. Spoon a tiny bit of jam into each indent, then transfer to the oven to bake for about 10 minutes or until golden. 
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Grilled Artichokes With Aioli

When you are lucky enough to have fresh globe artichokes available near you and in season, there is nothing better than simply cooking them on the grill and serving with a delicious homemade aioli. It makes for a stunning sharing platter to begin a meal or as part of a larger mezze style dinner.

Ingredients:

Artichokes:

  • 3 artichokes, trimmed
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

Aioli:

  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp cider vinegar
  • 250ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea-salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

Artichokes:

  1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and the squeezed lemon juice.
  2. Cut the artichokes in half lengthways.
  3. Place the artichoke halves into the bowl to prevent browning.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
  5. Cook the artichokes for about 15 minutes over a medium heat.
  6. Meanwhile begin heating a grill pan or barbecue.
  7. Drain the artichokes and brush with a little a little olive oil.
  8. Grill the artichokes for about 10 minutes or until lightly chargrilled and cooked through.

Aioli:

  1. Crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt.
  2. Whisk the garlic paste, egg yolks, dijon mustard and cider vinegar together.
  3. Add the oil a little at a time, whisking constantly.
  4. By the time all of the oil has been added you should have a thick, glossy mayonnaise.
  5. Taste and add more salt, black pepper or vinegar as necessary.

Sunshine Smoothie

This is a really nourishing smoothie which is perfect for mornings when you want something that is quick and easy to make. It contains good fats from the coconut milk and milled flaxseed to help you feel satiated. Bee pollen is a true containing most nutrients required by humans, such as free amino acids, B-vitamins and Vitamin C, D and E.

Sunshinesmoothie.jpg

Ingredients:

  • 2 oranges, juiced
  • 1 banana, peeled and chopped
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 250ml coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp milled flaxseed
  • 2 tsp bee pollen

Method:

  1. Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into glasses and serve.

Beetroot Hummus

I am a huge hummus fan, any variety, any time of day. I think people can be daunted at the thought of making it themselves at home but it really is super easy and quick to make. All you need is a food processor or stick blender to whizz all of the ingredients together. Tahini (sesame seed paste), is the only ingredient you might not be able to find in your local store but it is becoming more readily available these days, from large supermarkets to health food shops and deli's. 

beetroot+hummus

Ingredients:

  • 2 small beetroot , roasted and cooled
  • 400g tin chickpeas
  • 8 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

  1. Place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, blend until creamy.
  2. Taste and add seasoning as you wish. If the hummus is too thick, add a little more olive oil or lemon juice until desired consistency is reached.

Quinoa & Oat Granola

Now that the weather is a little more mild my attention has shifted from warm bowls of porridge to lighter bowls of goodness, containing grains, fruit and yoghurt. I love experimenting with different combinations of grains, seeds, nuts and dried fruit to make the kind of granola which is tailored to your own taste buds. It's also an amazing way of using up all those random nut and seed packets you might have sitting in your cupboards. The recipe below is more of a guideline to show you what I used for depending on what was in my cupboards but feel free to use whatever is in yours and put your own stamp on it.

quinoa&oatgranola

Ingredients:

  • 100g quinoa flakes
  • 200g rolled oats
  • 100g cashew nuts
  • 75g sunflower seeds
  • 50g desiccated coconut
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 125g raisins

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper.
  2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the quinoa flakes, oats, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, desiccated coconut and ground cinnamon. 
  3. Melt the coconut oil and honey together in a small saucepan over a low heat.
  4. Pour the melted ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  5. Tip the mix onto the prepared baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.
  6. Leave to cool, then lastly stir in the raisins. Ready to serve however you wish, perhaps with some sliced fresh fruit and yoghurt or a splash of nut milk.
granola-7.jpg

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes you just need the crunch of a good cookie. On this occasion I was craving something chocolaty but a little healthier than the shop bought sugar-laden variety. The result was this recipe which is free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy but still tastes really good and provides that all important crunch.

Chocolatechipcookie

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200g ground almonds
  • 1/2 tsp bread soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea-salt
  • 100g dark chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
  2. Lay a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray. 
  3. Mix together the coconut oil and maple syrup.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla extract, whisk together gently.
  5. Place the ground almonds, bread soda, sea-salt and chocolate chips into a separate mixing bowl.
  6. Pour over the wet ingredients and mix together well.
  7. Scoop small balls of the cookie dough using an ice-cream scoop.
  8. Place these on the prepared baking tray and flatten with the back of a spoon.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. Leave to cool on a wire rack before enjoying.

 

 

Banana & Coconut Pancakes

These delicious pancakes are quick to make & weigh in pretty well on the healthy scale. They are gluten, grain and dairy-free.

Ingredients:

  • 3 large bananas, mashed
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 3 tbsp desiccated coconut
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Coconut oil, for frying
  • Blood oranges, peeled & sliced
  • Maple syrup, for drizzling

 

Method:

  1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Spoon a little coconut oil into a frying pan & heat gently over a low heat.
  3. Once the oil has melted, scoop small ladles of the batter into the pan. Watch the pancakes at this point as they burn easily.
  4. Flip them over once ready. When they are golden and cooked through, serve immediately with sliced blood oranges & a drizzle of maple syrup.