"Chocolate" Energy Bars

These energy bars are a variation on my Nut Free Energy Balls. Their very health ingredients help give a slow release of energy along with a tasty chocolatey hit. I've research Maca powder lately after seeing it in my local Aldi supermarket. Apparently it has a positive effect on our hormone levels, it's an energy booster, along with being very rich in nutrients. It's high in vitamin B, C, & E; and it has a higher level of calcium than milk.  I think I'm onto a new favorite in my health food cupboard, along with my raw cocoa powder and chia seeds.

I highly recommend making these, they are delicious and the kids love them. Perhaps too good as I've snuck to the freezer at least for four times today for a sneeky bite.

Ingredients

• 9oz pitted dates
• 4 oz raw almonds
• 2 tbsp of coconut oil
• 2 tbsp of maple syrup
• 1 tbsp of maca powder
• 1 tbsp of  raw cocoa powder
• 1  tsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of desiccated coconut 
• 1-2 tbsp of sesame seeds

Method

1. Pulse the almonds in a food processor until they are broken down.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blender until the mixture forms a large dough ball.
3. Turn out the ball onto a swiss roll tin lined with baking paper, and flatten out into a thin even layer.
4. Scatter with the sesame seeds and transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
5. Cut into squares and store either in the freezer or the fridge. (I like them hard and chewy out of the freezer).

Kale & Cashew Pesto

I'm a huge pesto fan! I find it to be such a diverse ingredient in the kitchen, pairing it with pasta, potatoes, dressings, salads, stews, roasts and bakes; I always have one type or another lurking a kilner jar in the fridge. This is not the first pesto recipe I've blogged! Check out the following link for my previous pestos:

Basil & Almond Pesto
Parsley, Chilli, & Garlic Pesto
Rocket Pesto

You may notice in each of those pesto recipes I have left out the Parmesan cheese component, and this recipe is no different. This makes the pestos vegan friendly.I adore Parmesan cheese, but my husband is not a fan, so I've learnt to exclude it.

I've upped the super powers though for this particular pesto, Kale & Cashew nut. You can't get healthier than Kale, and it's currently enjoying a moment as THEE go to super  food. This is a super clean guilt free pesto that is packed full of nutrients. The cashews also really help bring a creaminess to the final pesto!

My fussy little three year old would live on pesto pasta given the chance, so this was the perfect way to sneak some kale into her diet. While she didn't take kindly  to the change in taste in the first bite or two of her 'usual' pasta. By the end of the meal she had a happy belly and a happy mommy!! If it passed the Aoife Test, then it will please the very fussiest of little eaters!

Ingredients

• 50g of raw cashew nuts
• 1 large handful of chopped kale leaves (no stalks)
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1 chopped garlic clove
• Juice of a lemon
• 3 tbsp of flat leaf parsley

Method

1. Simply place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the desired constituency. I like to stop just before it gets 100% smooth, for a little bit of texture. 
2. Store in a kilner jar, or similar, with a layer of oil on the top to preserve the pesto.

I also spread this on some salmon fillets, then baked as normal in the oven, it was really tasty.

Parsley, Chilli & Garlic Pesto

I've never been a fan of store bought jars of pesto and sauces. I'm  very conscious of additives and sugars in processed food, and I always like to know exactly what I'm eating. It is for this reason I like to make my own sauces and pesto. I normally just make a bog standard basil pesto (excluding the cheese), but last week I decided to make some pesto with a bit of a twist. I've used parsley instead of basil, and blanched almonds instead of pine nuts. I've also upped the 'kick' of the pesto with a deseeded whole red chilli and a large clove of garlic.  I prefer my pesto pulsed rather than blitzed smooth, the texture adds much more to a dish.

I find that this pesto lasts up to two weeks in the fridge, and it's not only good with plain pasta, I used it last week to pimp up a roast chicken,brushing the pesto all over the chicken before roasting in the oven, and the  other day I brushed it over some thick cod fillets before baking in the oven. Today I'm using it as a sauce for my homemade wholewheat sweet potato gnocchi. There are so many more possibilities with this pesto, I find myself reaching for it in the fridge time and time again.

Ingredients

• I bag of flat leaf parsley
• 1 fat garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 100g of blanched almonds
• Salt & pepper
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
• Extra Vigin olive oil, approx 100mls (add more if you want a 'wetter' pesto)

Method

1. Simply add all the above ingredients to a mini food blender and pulsed until you get your own desired consistency. Add more oil if you wish.;
2. Store in a sterilized container or jar.

Baked in 60 Seconds - Paleo Chocolate Mug Cake

I bake! I bake everyday and having started the paleo diet, not being able to sample my cakes and baking was a worry. You have to test everything you bake for your guests in the B&B, right?! Cue, husband! My testing guinea pig. But I do find it hard to resist a muffin, or brown bread, or dare I say it...Chocolate Cake.

 I went to the health shop today and bought some coconut flour, and wanted to put it to use without having to bake a whole cake. I remember a Chocolate Mug Cake trend from a few years back, and I thought why not. It will be made in literally minutes, I'll have road tested the coconut flour.....and I'll have that chocolate hit I've been craving.  Having researched a bit about regular chocolate mug cakes, I've made mine using subsitutes for non-paleo ingredients. It's not melt in your mouth delicious and it certainly isn't as amazing as it would be using regular ingredients, lets be honest! But in terms of maintaining diet and getting that guilt free chocolate hit, it ticks every box. Its really coconuty, which I love. If I was a rule breaker I'd dollop some ice-cream on top..... I made my batter in a bowl and then poured into the mug, to avoid making a mess.

Makes 1 mug cake

Ingredients

• 1.5 tbsp of coconut flour
• 2 tbsp of cocoa powder
• 2 tbp of honey
• 4 tbsp of almond milk
• 1 tbsp of coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp of almond butter

Method

1. Beat the egg in the bowl, add rest of ingredients, except the butter, and whisk to incorporate everything.
2. Pour the batter into your mug
3. Place the almond butter in the centre of the batter
4. Cook in the microwave for 60 seconds.
5. Allow to rest for 30 seconds before digging in.

Sticky Sesame Orange Glazed Chicken Wings

Whenever I have a crowd coming over for drinks I throw some chicken wings in the oven. They disappear almost instantly. Chicken wings are so versatile, with hundreds of flavour combinations on offer. Seeing as I am following the Paleo diet currently (you may have heard), I decided to come up with a Paleo friendly chicken wing recipe, omitting all paleo no! no!s.

Ingredients

• Chicken wings
• 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 grated piece of ginger
• 1 tsp of chopped chilli
• 1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1/2 a tsp of sesame oil
• 2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
2. Place the chicken wings on a baking sheet lined with baking paper
3. Scatter the wings with the cumin seeds and grind with black pepper
4. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
   
5. Meanwhile, add the orange juice, honey, ginger, garlic, chilli, vinegar, oil, and soy sauce to a saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by half.
6. Pour the 80% of the sauce over the chicken wings and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven, pour over the remain sauce and scatter the sesame seeds over the wings.
8. Serve with lime wedges and garnish with corriander leaves. Serve with a side salad.