White Chocolate Mulberry Fudge

 

White Chocolate Mulberry Bars

This is such a simple recipe and so healthy. Dried white mulberries contain less than half the natural sugar of raisins and other dried fruits. They are high in fibre and in protein – just 1/3 cup contains 4 grams of protein and 20% of your daily fibre needs. They also contain powerful antioxidants which help to protect your heart from damage from some toxins. Raw cacao butter is a source of healthy fats, which optimise organ function.

I’ve added no sweetener as the natural sweetness of the mulberries is enough for me. However if you would prefer it slightly sweeter you could add a bit of raw honey or organic maple syrup.

Ingredients:

100g raw cacao butter
100g organic dried white mulberries
1/8 tsp Oryx Desert Salt
1/4 tsp organic vanilla powder
2 tbsp almond butter

Method:

Gently melt the cacao butter over a very low heat. Be careful not to raise the temperature too much as this will destroy the nutrients found in raw cacao products. I normally turn the stove on for a few minutes, then turn it off and put the saucepan on the plate – the residual heat is enough to melt the cacao butter.

Place the mulberries in a food processor and process until they are broken up into a meal. Alternatively you could grind them in a coffee or spice grinder. Add the remaining ingredients and process to combine.

Spread into a dish lined with baking paper or clingfilm and allow to set, then cut up into blocks. It can be kept at room temperature if it’s not too hot – you might want to put it in the fridge if you have temperatures over 30 C.

Health & happiness!

Love,
Raine

Spicy Kale Chips

Spicey Kale Chips 2

This is a variation of my regular Raw Kale Chips. By adding dried onion and tamari you get more of an umami flavour and the cumin seeds give them a middle eastern twist. Healthy snacking!

Ingredients

150 – 200g kale leaves, weighed once you have removed the tough centre stem
70g raw cashews
45ml fresh lemon juice
60ml water
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp dried onion
10ml organic tamari
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Oryx Desert salt

Method

Tear the kale leaves into pieces about 5cm square, making sure that there are no tough stems remaining.

Place the remaining ingredients except for the cumin seeds into a blender, and blend until smooth. You may need to add a little extra water to get a dressing-like consistency which can be poured over the kale. Add the cumin seeds and blend just for a couple of seconds, so that you don’t grind them completely but still have bits of seeds.

Pour over the kale leaves and use your hands to “massage” the dressing into the leaves, making sure that it gets into all the frilly bits of the leaves.

Spread the leaves out on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 46 C overnight. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can dry them in your oven on its lowest temperature.

Store in an airtight container.

Health & happiness!

Love,
Raine

Garlicky Citrus Carrot Salad

Carrot Salad

A great accompaniment to any meal, or as a meze starter…

Ingredients

3 carrots, grated
Handful sultanas
Half a clove of garlic, crushed
Juice of one orange
Drizzle of olive oil
Himalayan salt & black pepper

Method

Grate your carrots into a bowl, then crush your garlic into it. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well, then serve.

Enjoy!

Love,
Lauren

Israeli Salad

Israeli Salad

Simple, but oh so effective! The good old trusted Israeli salad. Full of yummy fresh veggies, colourful and delicious…

Ingredients 

2 tomatoes
Half a large cucumber
1 yellow pepper
2 spring onions
Extra virgin olive oil
White vinegar
Himalayan salt & black pepper

Method

Chop all your veggies up into really small pieces and put them all in a bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil, a little vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Mix, and serve! Voila!

Enjoy

Love,
Lauren

Original Arab Israeli Hummus

Original Hummus

Firstly, please excuse the poor quality of the picture; my husband took my camera to work so I’m using my phone and it’s a bit ‘shadowy’. Anyway, onto the important part! HUMMUS! I’ve already posted on here my Turmeric Hummus and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus recipes, but I thought I’d do plain, original hummus.

There is a place in Jaffa (Israel) where I go to every time I’m there. It’s run by Arab Israelis and if you didn’t know about it, you’d never go in because it looks like a dive! It’s one small room with wooden tables, plastic chairs and the only thing they serve is hummus and drinks! They make the hummus in the morning, early,  and they close when it runs out. You go in (no later than midday otherwise there’s none left) sit down, they ask what you want to drink and then bring you a plate of hummus and some pitta bread and you just sit there dipping away. It’s seriously the most amazing tasting hummus in the world and I’m trying to replicate it myself and this is the closes I have come…

Ingredients

2 tins organic chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
Quarter cup purified water
2 tbsp tahini paste
5 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp olive oil
Half tsp Himalayan salt
4 cloves garlic, minced

Method

Simply blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until completely smooth – it really is as easy as that! Enjoy with gluten free bread, crackers, rice or quinoa cakes or veggies.

Enjoy!

Love,
Lauren

Avocado Toast

avocado toast

Breakfast and lunch don’t have to be difficult, sometimes the best things are the most simple… I am obsessed with avocado, it is just the best fruit (yup, it’s a fruit!) as it is nutritious and filling at the same time, not like eating a bowl of lettuce! With avocado you really feel satisfied. Avocados are healthy fats. The majority of fat in avocado is oleic acid which is a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been linked to reduced inflammation and been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer. It’s high in protein and the perfect plant-based post-workout lunch or breakfast! If you are eating well, you don’t need to stay away from healthy fats like avocados and nuts, your body will love them…

Ingredients

1 avocado
2 slices organic gluten free or granary toast
1 lime
Pinch of Himalayan salt and ground black pepper
Chilli flakes (optional)

Method

Toast your bread then mash the avocado on top of it and squeeze the lime on top. Finish off with the salt, pepper and chilli flakes if you want them. So delicious.

Happy lunching!
Love,
Lauren

Chocolate Kale Chips

IMG_0162

Technically I cannot take credit for these delicious little miracles… it was my son’s idea! The last time I made a batch of Kale Chips I added a bit of cayenne. He was not very impressed and asked why I put fire in them 🙂 So I asked him what flavour he would like next time and he said chocolate! At first I laughed, and then I started thinking it might actually work. The end result surprised even me… they are so moreish, and you just happen to be eating greens!

Ingredients

150 – 200g kale, weighed after removing the tough centre stem (I’ve used curly kale but you can use any variety)
90g natural peanut butter (I like Jozi’s Nut Butters which you can buy at The Organic Emporium)
2 tbsp organic maple syrup
1/2 tsp organic stevia leaf powder (or double up on the maple syrup)
60ml raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp himalayan salt
60ml water

Method

After removing the tough centre stem, tear the kale into pieces about 5cm square.

Combine the rest of the ingredients with a whisk and pour over the kale. Use your hands and “massage” the chocolate sauce into the kale, making sure to cover each piece with that chocolatey goodness.

Spread the leaves out on dehydrator sheets, and dehydrate at 45 C overnight.
Alternatively, spread out on a large baking tray (you might need 2) lined with baking paper. Set your oven to 100 C and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. This allows moisture to escape so that you’re drying the kale, rather than just baking it. They’re ready when they are completely dry with a light, crispy texture. Done in the oven these won’t be raw, but still healthy and delicious!

Store in an airtight container and consume within 2 weeks. If you have high humidity you should use them faster, before they go limp. These are so good though, I’m willing to bet that they won’t last very long! 😉

Health & happiness!

Love,
Raine

Raw Kale Chips

Kale Chips

This might not sound so appealing but trust me, they’re delicious! Even my 3 year old son loves them 🙂 Things like this always excite me – you get to eat something salty and delicious, and yet you’re getting in all the wonderful nutrients of kale.

Kale is among the most nutrient dense foods of the world. It is loaded with powerful anti-oxidants, is a good source of vitamins A, C and K and beta-carotene, lowers cholesterol and fights cancer. All this for very few calories, so it can help you to lose weight too!

I make my kale chips in a dehydrator, but you can still make them if you don’t have one. Simply lay them out on a baking tray lined with baking paper and put your oven on 100 C. Prop the door of the oven open with a wooden spoon. This allows moisture to escape, so that you’re drying the chips rather than just baking them. They won’t be raw, but it’s still a far cry from high-saturated fat, high-salt, processed potato chips.

Stay tuned for my Chocolate Kale Chips!

Ingredients

150 – 200g kale, weighed once you have removed the tough centre stem
70g raw nut butter (almond, cashew or macadamia – whatever your preference)
45ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
45ml water
1/2 tsp himalayan salt
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 – 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)

Method

After removing the tough stem, tear the leaves into pieces about 5cm square and place in a large mixing bowl. In this photo I have used dinosaur kale (cavalo nero) but you can use any variety.

Use a whisk to combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the kale. I find it easiest to use my hands and “massage” the dressing into the leaves, making sure that each leaf is well coated.

kale chips 2

Spread the leaves out on your dehydrator sheets, making sure that none of them are clumped together, as these will dry into chewy lumps, not individual crispy pieces. Dehydrate on 45 C overnight. Store in an airtight container and consume within 2 weeks. If you have high humidity you may need to eat them faster before they become limp!

kale chips 3

Health & happiness!

Love,
Raine