Rocky (Road) III

 

♬ 'Movie Hits' Various Artists

 

When I first walked into Islington boxing club a few years ago, one guy stopped skipping and asked if I was in the right place! I remember not seeing a single female and thought 'sh#! what have I got myself into!' I learnt that sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone and just go for whatever you want to do without someone holding your hand. I kept on going, trained intensely about three times a week with the guidance of amazing teachers and now my whole body and mind is always at peace. Plus I don't have bingo wings!

Three crunchy ingredients in this tray bake make it a punch above the average rocky road.

 

Ingredients:

 

125g organic unsalted butter

300g Green and Black's dark chocolate

2 tbsp golden syrup

1 tbsp agave nectar

 

100g chopped hazelnuts

150g gluten free cereal. I used Mesa Sunrise which is basically quinoa, flax and amaranth toasted flakes.

Honeycomb

 

Honeycomb recipe:

 

200g coconut palm sugar

5 tbsp golden syrup

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

butter for greasing tray.

Medium sized tray.

 

Method:

 

First make the honeycomb by heating sugar and syrup until amber coloured and bubbling.

Turn off heat and stir in bicarbonate of soda.

Pour into greased baking tray.

BE REALLY CAREFUL!

Let it cool for a few hours until rock solid, or put in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the process.

Smash up and keep to one side.

 

Heat butter, syrup and chocolate in a bowl suspended over boiling water.

Once this has melted pour over hazelnuts, flakes and honey comb. Stir well until everything is covered in chocolate.

Pour in a 20cm x 20cm cake tin, and pop in the fridge for a few hours.

 

Choco Coco Loco sauce

After this has set, melt 200g Green and Black's chocolate and heat 2tbsp of coconut oil. Mix together and pour over the set rocky road. Put back in the fridge and leave to set overnight.

 

Chop into small squares and serve. Keep stored in the fridge until they have all gone!

 

xxx

 

Coco Lemon Drizzle Shizzle Cupcakes

♬ 'Loud' Rihanna

 

Midweek pleasures don't get better than this. Treat yourself and friends to a batch of these gluten free, guilt free, gorgeous cupcakes.

Best served warm with a dollop of Green and Black's chocolate ice cream, chia love sprinkles and coconut.

 

Ingredients:

 

150g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

3 medium eggs

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tbsp low fat crème fraiche

50g coconut flour

125g gluten free plain flour

1 tsp gluten free baking powder

1 tbsp almond milk

2 tsp lemon zest

1tsp vanilla essence

 

Green and Black's dark chocolate ice cream

Chia seeds

Dessicated coconut

 

Method:

 

▶ Preheat oven 180°c

 

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Slowly whisk in eggs with crème fraiche, zest, essence and orange juice.

Fold in flours until a smooth batter is formed.

Lastly stir in milk.

Coconut flour needs loads more liquid, this is why an extra egg and milk is needed.

Scoop generous amounts into a 12 hole cupcake tin which has been lightly greased.

Bake for 20 minutes until brown at the sides and golden at the top.

Any longer and the cakes will dry out.

Once slightly cool, get the ice cream ready to put on top.

Sprinkle chia and dessicated coconut on each one.

 

Totally beats the average buttercream.

 

xxx

 

Blueberry & Pecan Brownies

 

♬ Upbeat brownie playlist

 

'Heartbeats' The Knife

'Work it out' Beyoncé

'Intergalactic' Beastie Boys

'Breathe' The Prodigy

'American woman' Lenny Kravitz

'Make some noise' Beastie Boys

'Waiting all night' Rudimental feat Ella Eyre

 

Random mix of music melting under my feet in the kitchen. I've been dancing and talking to a camera like a crazy woman and now sitting with Manuka honey all over my face.

Ladies if you do have a spare hour, melt 2 teaspoons of high strength Manuka honey and spread on your damp face (tie hair back). Wash off with warm water after 15 minutes.

Natural, fairly cheap and a lovely smelling cleanser!

 



 

It's been way too long since I baked a batch of brownies, and seen as its Easter and I ate half a Terry's chocolate orange yesterday, I thought why not finish this chocolate binge with some wholesome brownies.

 

Ingredients:

200g unsalted butter

200g dark chocolate

Zest from one lemon

Zest from one orange

4 medium eggs

120g gluten free plain white flour

100g chopped pecan nuts

150g fresh blueberries

Extra 200g and 20 blueberries to decorate, glitter optional.

Method:

▶ Preheat oven 180°c

Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over boiling water on low heat.

Whisk eggs and sugar with zests, not sure 'zests' is even a word but you know what I mean.

Stir through chocolate mixture and fold in flour, blueberries and pecans.

Pour into a brownie tray.

Bake for 25 minutes max.

 

Melt remaining chocolate and gently stir through blueberries, place about two/three blueberries on each brownie.

 

Blueberries make the sponge really moist and taste like a proper squidgy brownie.

 

Most recipes say this time and let me tell you the secret truth. You know your oven, once you smell brownies, check on them and after 20 minutes slightly shake the tray. If everything is still raw and wobbly then leave it for the extra full 5 minutes. Otherwise only the middle should be slightly wobbly and they are done.

 

My oven takes exactly 21 minutes for these bad boys.

 

Enjoy!xx

 

 

Almond and Coconut Rice Pudding

♬  'Devotion' Jessie Ware

Rice pudding back home in the midlands was always served with masala potato wedges, puri (deep fried Indian bread) and a glass of ice cold water. The contrasting flavour of sweet and spicy was incredibly delicious. You have to eat this combination cold, one mouthful will send your taste buds into curry craze mode, next thing you know you won't be able to stop!

 

Once I had rice pudding for school dinners and realised there wasn't a spicy potato in sight! I looked over at my friends and they were adding all sorts of jams, I stood there in delight and spooned a massive dollop of strawberry jam onto my bowl. For about a month I opted for school dinners until a new dinner lady came along and added raisins to the dish. I'm a big fan of raisins but not in my rice pudding Mrs Cotchett!

 

I love how a dish as simple as this has a different recipe in nearly every country of the world. I know this goes for most dishes, but seriously rice, butter and milk?!

For example...

 In the Caribbean rice pudding is made with crushed pineapple, raisins, rum and vanilla. In South America it's made with coffee, red wine, raisins or coconut milk. I wish I could go on but the list is endlessly full of amazing flavours.

 

Me being healthy and probably shooting a classic, made rice pudding with almond milk, pumpkin seed butter, desiccated coconut, lavender sugar and nutmeg.

 

Honestly healthy, honestly tasty.

 

Serves 10.

 

500g rice pudding rice

1litre almond milk

1 tbsp dessicated coconut

1 nutmeg, finely grated

1 tsp lavender sugar

1 tsp Manuka honey

1 tsp pumpkin seed butter

 

Method:

 

In a saucepan add rice with 1litre of water and simmer for 15 minutes.

Once water has dissolved, pour in milk, butter and sugar.

Slowly simmer for another 20 minutes until creamy.

Stir through sugar, honey and nutmeg (keep some nutmeg to one side)

When ready to serve, add a small spoon of cherry jam, fresh strawberries, extra coconut and nutmeg.

 

Eat warm and take in all that goodness.

xxx

Choco Loco Coco Creme Egg Cups

♬ 'Greatest Hits' Foo Fighters

Easter isn't Easter without a creme egg flying about in the house.
I've seen so many varieties of cupcakes and brownies with this gooey egg submerged in the middle and it's all been done several times, that I'm bored.
With my new love for choco coco loco (coconut oil and melted chocolate) I decided to make a slightly healthier treat with a creme egg.

Ingredients for 6.

200g dark chocolate
200g virgin coconut oil
20g chia seeds
6 Cadburys creme eggs
100g gluten free chocolate cake, crumbled.

Method;

Melt coconut oil and chocolate separately then combine and crumble in cake.
Stir through seeds and press equal amounts in a 6 hole muffin tray lined with baking paper.
Pop into the freezer for 5 minutes, they should still be soft to touch.
Press creme egg into each one and put back into the freezer.

After another 5 minutes they will be ready and you can spray them gold to make them look really special.
Bring back up to room temperature and eat one like there's no tomorrow.

Let me know if you try them.

HAPPY EASTER.

xxx