Easy Peasy Healthy Jam Recipe

 

Easy-peasy healthy jam recipe JJ 

2 cups raspberries / blueberries / blackberries (about 2 punnets)

1 tablespoon honey (less if you don’t like it too sweet)
1 tablespoon chia seeds, soaked in 2 tablespoons water for 30 mins

Blend until smooth and keep refrigerated.

 

Told you it was easy-peasy!!!

Raw Carrot and Coconut Cake

Raw Carrot and Coconut Cake

(Raw-ish ..... see note by honey)

 

Cake  

·       2.5 cups of finely grated carrots (about 3-4 large carrots) (I used my Breville Juicer so that some moisture was retained in the pulp. I then used the pulp and a little of the carrot juice)
·       1 cup walnuts (pre-soaked and drained)
·       1 cup pitted dates (pre-soaked and drained BUT KEEP soak water – may need for cake / topping)
·       0.5 cup of unsweetened shredded dried coconut  
·       1.5 teasp cinnamon  
·       0.5 tsp nutmeg (Don’t want more than this as it overpowers the flavour)
·       Pinch of Himalayan salt
·       Juice of 1 orange (to be used to soak the raisins) 
·       0.5 cup of raisins (pre-soaked in the orange juice. The raisins plump up and absorb most of it)

 Cashew Cream Topping      (If you want a creamer cake make 1.5 – 2 times this quantity)

·       1 cup cashews (pre-soaked and drained)
·       1/4 cup water (use the date soak water above if any left)
·       Good dessertspoon honey (melted if solid) (for those you want a 100% raw cake - use raw honey)   
·       Good dessertspoon of coconut oil (enough solid to sit on a dessertspoon!!), melted 
·       Zest of 1 lemon + a little juice (approx 1 dessertspoon) - to taste
·       Pinch of Himalayan salt
·       1 - 2 teasp vanilla essence    

·       Walnuts and extra cinnamon for finish

Method

Cake
·       Grate carrots and place in large bowl. (If juicing, use the pulp and most of the juice).
·       In a food processor / blender, blend together walnuts and dates until smooth. If needed add a little of the date soak water.
·       Add this mix + coconut, spices and salt to the carrots, and mix well together.
·       Finally stir in raisins (do not blend as want these whole).
·       Note – if wanted, could reserve an odd walnut and date and chop finely, then stir in too.
·       Pack into a flan dish (approx. 7 - 8 inch square). The cake should stand about 1 inch tall.

Topping 

·       Drain and rinse soaked cashews in clean water.
·       Melt the oil and honey in a glass dish over a pan of boiling water.
·       In a food processor / blender combine all the ingredients and blend until VERY smooth. Adjust lemon juice to taste.    
·       Spread onto cake.

Finally

·       Put in fridge for a AT LEAST few hours before serving. I prefer to leave it overnight to allow the flavours to meld J
·       Top with some extra walnut pieces and a light sifting of cinnamon if desired.
·       Cut cake with warm knife.
·       ENJOY!!! JJ

Basil Green Smoothie Recipe

BASIL GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

Green smoothies are a fabuloso way of starting the day. Hydrating and alkalising, packed with goodness and yumminess, not to mention fibre for a slow release of energy throughout the morning. Why oh why would one eat soggy cornflakes instead?  (mmmmmmm?)

Basil has been a long-standing favourite in my kitchen, but ashamedly I have used it in very little apart from homemade pesto and as an extra leafy thing in a green salad (both delish).

Whilst trying very hard to “ring the changes” on the greens which go in my breakfast green smoothie, I decided to experiment one day with basil (we had lots in our garden at the time) and it was love at first-taste. 

I had tried mint before and was disappointed by its insistence on being star flavour, thus overriding everything with it, so was a little cautious with basil at first. No need. It adds a certain depth and plays its part without screaming “I’m here”. It has become such a favourite ingredient that our plants are stripped bare and I’m going to have to go foraging elsewhere for it (well – OK – buy it at my local food market)

The following serves 2 people ……….

BASE

A mix of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries with water

GREENS

Good helping of Rocket
Good helping of Basil   

EXTRAS

1 avocado
3 Bananas
Good 1 – 2 dessertspoons shelled Hemp seeds

Enjoy!!