Sesame & Macadamia Slice

This is a great snack to make to have on hand when you need a little mid afternoon lift.  It's super tasty and you'll want to just pull out a couple of squares at a time when you sit down with that cuppa, or you'll probably want to eat more.  Hope you love this one as much as I do.  I've made a few of these now, so any questions if you make for yourself, ask me.  Happy to help...

Ingredients:

1 cup buckwheat puffs

½ cup sesame seeds

⅓ cup well crushed macadamia nuts

½ cup coconut flour

½ cup sultanas

75g organic butter

2 tbsp. honey

¼ cup rice malt syrup

¼ cup almond spread

2 tbsp. coconut oil

150g 70% melted dark cooking chocolate *(optional extra)

Method:

Line your square slice tin with baking paper and set aside.

Pop the coconut oil into a non-stick pan and heat gently.  Add to this all the dry ingredients except for the sultanas, and gently toast over a medium to low heat until a light golden colour is achieved.  About 10 minutes. Mix through the sultanas.

Then in another small pan, gently heat the butter, honey, rice malt syrup and almond butter until they’re melted together forming a caramel consistency. 

Add the caramel mix to the lightly toasted dry mixture and fold through until fully coated.  Press this mixture into your prepared tin * and place in the fridge to set for an hour or so, before slicing to serve.

*As an optional extra here, you could pour the melted chocolate over the top here and allow it to set.

Enjoy 💖 Shaz – rawfordaze

Raw Banoffee Pie

When you think of Banoffee Pie, you immediately think, pastry... caramel... cream....  Not all that good for your heart or your waistline. Or perhaps you've never heard of it before...  Here's a healthier version to try... Still definitely a sometimes treat though,with natural sugars in the dates, banana and honey.  Give it a go!  So tasty and worth the effort for that special dessert that's just a little bit different. 

*I've listed here the base as step one, but you could prepare the cream layer first and pop it in the fridge while you work on the other layers. And do put your can of coconut cream in the fridge overnight before you want to use ok! It makes a big difference to the thickness of the cream as you whip it.

The  Base:
3 cups nuts (mix of almonds, cashews and pecans)
20 small dried dates (covered with boiling water and soaked for 5-10 minutes)

Pinch of himalayan salt 

Place half the nuts into your food processor and roughly chop for a second or so.  Then add half the dates and a little salt, pulsing until they clump together.  Remove and set aside while you do the other half.  If your processor's big enough, you could even do in one batch. The mixture should stay together when pressed between your fingers.  Either make a large pie with this, or sometimes nice to have individual ramekins so each person has their own little pie. If using ramekins, line each one with a little cling wrap to make life easier at serving time.  Press the mixture firmly into your choice of base and pop them into the fridge while you work on the caramel layer.

Caramel Layer:

Approx. 24 medjool dates (pitted)

⅓ cup honey

½ cup coconut oil

1 tsp. brandy (you could use vanilla here, but the brandy gives a good flavour)

Pinch himalayan salt 

2 large bananas

½ cup crushed almonds (almonds and honey work well together)

Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.  Leave a couple of minutes to soften.  Then drain and place into processor along with the honey, coconut oil, brandy or vanilla, and the salt.  Process until a thick caramel consistency is reached.

Spoon evenly over your base.  Slice the banana length wise into 4 strips, then thin slices.  Layer evenly on the caramel.  Then sprinkle over the crushed almonds and lightly press into the caramel.  

Cream Layer:

1 can pure coconut cream (have in the fridge overnight for best results)

1 tbsp. local honey

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. vanilla extract concentrate

Pull the cream from the fridge and scoop off the thick creamy layer and pop it into a bowl to whip.  I know it is already coconut cream, but after it's been in the fridge, there will still be settling.  You only want to use the really thick cream from on top here.  Whip it well, along with the honey and cinnamon until soft peaks begin to form.  Then add a little vanilla and whip just a little more.

Spoon this over the caramel layer, spreading evenly to the edge.  Sprinkle a little nutmeg and cinnamon over the top to finish and set in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving.  For the ramekins, loosen edges of cling wrap and gently lift out and peel away, placing pie on plate to serve.  Otherwise, just pull the pie dish out at serving time, and slice in small slices.  Fairly rich in flavour this one.  

Enjoy 💖 Shaz

Mint Chocolate Ganache Treats

I am definitely making more of these to share.  You'll see I've used the topping part of the choc mint slice from an earlier post.  It tasted so good, and I wanted some healthier options for me to snack on over Easter, so these are the result.
I can have my chocolate treats, without loads of extra sugar.  I know there's maple syrup in these, so moderation is still important.

 

Ingredients

1/3 of a cup of cacao butter

1/2  cup raw cacao powder

30ml pure maple syrup

¼ tsp. vanilla extract concentrate

pinch or 2 of himalayan salt

doTERRA peppermint oil

Method

For the ganache, very gently melt the cacao butter in a small saucepan until it's just melted.  Take off the heat and mix through the cacao powder until no lumps are present.  Then gradually add the maple syrup, mixing again until smooth.  It will begin to thicken a little here.  Lastly add the vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt, mixing through well.

Final touch is to add 1 or 2 drops of doTERRA peppermint oil, gently mixing through before carefully spooning into little foil cases, or into shaped choc moulds.

 * (I have picked these up in a cake decorating store before and even at Spotlight.) About a teaspoon per chocolate, depending on the size of your foil cases.

Enjoy ♥ Shaz – rawfordaze

Raw Choc MInt Slice

Special occasions are a perfect reason to experiment with new treats to share.  Michelle and Chrissy's connection in flow workshop was perfect time to connect.... Raw Cacao and Pure Peppermint Oil....Impeccably matched. After flowing seamlessly, well almost, through a magic sequence of postures, this was just one of the treats we shared after the workshop.  A new favourite perhaps...  So many favourites now...

Slice Ingredients:
1 cup pecans
10 medjool dates (pitted)
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/3 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup 
2-3 drops pure doTerra peppermint oil

Ganache Topping Ingredients:
Strange quantities here guys I know, but this just works for the slice ok.  
1/2 of a 1/3 of a cup of cacao butter
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
30ml pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract concentrate
pinch of himalayan salt

Method:

Place all of the slice ingredients except for the peppermint oil into a food processor and chop well until the mixture forms a dough-like ball.  Then add the peppermint oil and mix a couple more seconds.

Turn out and press gently into a baking paper lined slice tin.  Pop that into the fridge while you make the ganache.

For the ganache, very gently melt the cacao butter in a small saucepan until it's just melted.  Take off the heat and mix through the cacao powder until no lumps are present.  Then gradually add the maple syrup, mixing again until smooth.  It will begin to thicken a little here.  Lastly add the vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt, mixing through well.

Pull the slice out of the fridge, pull out of the tin, but leave on the paper and cut into desired pieces. (I've even used a heart shaped cookie cutter here for heart shaped treats.  Just have to press the mixture back together after first lot of hearts have been cut out) Then carefully drop a spoonful of the ganache on each piece, allowing it to spread out to the edges.  Pop back in the fridge to set for about an hour.  Keep refrigerated until ready to share.  Do remember to share...  ;) 

Your Healthy Choc Mint Slice!  

Enjoy 💕 Shaz

 
 

Peanut Butter Choc Mousse

Just having a little play with a few favourite ingredients here with peanut butter, dates and avocado. Loads of heath benefits with added acai and a staple ingredient for everyone's pantry of course, raw cacao. This is so quick and easy to make ahead and will last a couple of days in the fridge if you're planning ahead.

Ingredients:

½ cup almond milk

2 tbsp. raw cacao

3 tbsp. organic desiccated coconut

4 medjool dates

½ an avocado

pinch of himalayan salt

2 tsp. acai powder

1 tbsp. organic peanut butter

1 tbsp. honey

¼ tsp. vanilla extract concentrate

Chopped berries for garnish

Method:

Place all ingredients into your food processor and blend until your mixture is smooth with little or no lumps. This could take a couple of minutes.  Scrape down the sides once or twice in this time.  Spoon into little bowls and pop into the fridge to set.

It is quite rich in flavour, so small serves are the way to go.  This quantity will make 4 serves.  Garnish with a couple of chopped berries of your choice on top. (Blueberries, raspberries or strawberries, or all three). In time for Valentine’s Day just around the corner!

Enjoy ♥ Shaz