Blackcurrant Crumble Bars

Full credit for these goes to Angela from Oh She Glows, these are completely inspired by her Raspberry Chia Seed Jam Oat Crumble Squares. I followed her recipe with a few little tweaks and they came out so so so well, the blackcurrant 'jam' has a little sharpness, the topping is golden and crunchy and the base is just sweet and delicious. They are made from natural ingredients and sweetened with natural sweeteners (maple syrup and date syrup!) so you're getting a load of goodness and nothing nasty, they would even make a yummy on the go breakfast!

Ingredients

Blackcurrant Jam

3 cups of blackcurrants (fresh or frozen)

4 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Oat Crumble

1 tbsp chia seeds mixed with 4 tablespoons water, left to set for 5 minutes

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp date syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup oat flour (you can make your own by blending up oats)

1 cup almond flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees, and line an 8 inch square baking tray with baking paper (I used a silicone tray so need for baking paper!)

2. In pan combine the jam ingredients and heat gently whilst stirring, the blackcurrants will begin to break down and combine with the syrup. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, whilst preparing the oat crumble. Leave the jam to cool for 10 minutes before adding over the base

3. In a large mixing bowl combine the chia seed water mixture, coconut oil, maple syrup, date syrup and vanilla extract, stirring until the ingredients are combined

4. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients to make a sticky dough

5. Press about two thirds of the mixture into the baking tray, using baking paper to press it down firmly and smoothly

6. Spread the jam (once cooled!) over the base evenly, and then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top

7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown, then remove from the oven and leave to cool for 20 minutes. Carefully divide the bake into squares, and place on a cooling rack until completely cool, then store in an airtight container, if they make it that far!

Smashed Edamame and Mint Toast

I only recently 'discovered' smashed edamame whilst browsing through healthy recipes on Pinterest, and its quickly become one of my go to quick meals. The edamame beans are a great vegetarian and vegan protein source, as well as containing fibre, healthy fats and carbohydrates. Wholemeal toast is a good slow release carbohydrate, so will keep you energised throughout the day and avoid blood sugar spikes and energy slumps. It makes a really nice, higher protein alternative to avocado toast, and if you buy frozen edamame beans this recipe is completely store cupboard! To make the smashed edamame I added half a cup of edamame beans to a blender, along with a handful of mint (don't skip this, it is super delicious!) and a splash of olive oil, and blitzed until the beans made a hummus like consistency. This would also be really nice on rice cakes as an on the go snack, and even as a dip with veggie sticks!

Almond Chai Latte

I love tea, and recently I've been loving this chai tea from T2 Tea, it is so aromatic, sweet but not sickly, and so warming. I love coffee shop chai lattes, but they are so full of sugar and other additives that I've been looking for a way to make my own more natural version, which is how I came up with this, and I am completely obsessed with it. It isn't really a recipe, but it is so delicious I wanted to share it. In order to make it, brew 1 tsp of chai tea in hot water (I use this tea diffuser), filling the mug about a third of the way up. Whilst this is brewing (I let in brew for about 5 minutes so it's a little stronger than recommended as it gets diluted by the milk) heat the almond milk in the microwave or on the hob, along with 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tsp of honey (agave nectar would work as a vegan substitute). When the milk is hot, froth it up so there is a thick foam on the top, remove the diffuser from the tea, and top the tea with the frothy almond milk. Give the mug a good tap down to mix the tea with the milk, then sprinkle with cinnamon and find a quiet place to curl up and enjoy!

Blueberry, Lemon and Cashew Energy Balls

These taste like blueberry and lemon muffins, so nice and perfect for an on the go snack. The blueberries and oats provide carbs for energy, and the cashews have healthy fats and protein. The lemon juice just adds a little more flavour and brings all the ingredients together perfectly. They are so quick to make, keep them in the fridge and grab a couple whenever you need a little yummy boost of energy.

Ingredients

80g oats
100g dried blueberries
50g cashews
3 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Add half of the oats to a food processor and blitz to a fine milled flour like consistency
2. Add the rest of the oats, the cashews and the blueberries and blitz until they start combine
3. Add the lemon juice and blitz again, the ingredients should combine to make a dough like consistency
4. Roll the mixture into balls (you should make between 10-12) and place on a plate and refrigerate. After a couple of hours you can transfer these into a Tupperware and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to snack on them!

Mango,Lime and Coconut Dessert

I love coming up with healthy dessert alternatives, and this one is so good and would also make a yummy breakfast! Mango, lime and coconut are such a good combination, it tastes so summery and tropical and feels like you're eating ice cream, but it so much lighter and packed with healthy ingredients. The agave nectar has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, meaning it won't cause such of a spike in blood sugar levels, and I love using coconut oil as a healthier alternative for other oils, plus the coconut flavour compliments this dessert perfectly. Using frozen fruit gives the topping the ice cream like consistency, which makes this dessert feel so much more indulgent than it is!

Ingredients

(Makes 2)

Base

80g oats
15g dessicated coconut
2 tbsp coconut oil melted
2 tbsp agave nectar

Topping

160g frozen mango
100g Greek yogurt
3 tbsp lime juice
lime rind and dessicated coconut to decorate


Method

1. In a blender combine the oats, coconut, agave nectar and melted coconut oil. Blitz the ingredients until they combine to make a dough like consistency
2. Press the mixture into the bottom of two Mason jars, pressing it down firmly. Place the jars in the freezer and leave to chill for three hours or until you are ready to serve
3. Just before you are ready to serve, combine the mango, yogurt and lime juice in a blender and blitz to an ice cream like consistency
4. Top the bases with the mango mixture, decorate with the lime rind and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut and serve straight away

Quick Tomato and Basil Soup

This is really so easy. I love making soup from scratch as it really doesn't take very long, its the perfect way to use up veg and it doesn't need any of the additives and preservatives in supermarket soups. This soup is pretty much store cupboard, so it makes a perfect meal when you're low on ingredients, you could even substitute the basil for dried herbs if you needed to. I like having bread or crackers with soup as it balances the meal, adding carbohydrates and extra fibre, and I also top my soup with seeds to add protein and some crunch.

Ingredients

(Serves 2)

2 onions

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tin chopped tomatoes

a handful of basil

salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Saute the onions with the olive oil in a pan until soft

2. Add the tomatoes and basil, and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes

3. Take the pan off the heat and blitz the ingredients using a stick blender

4. Taste, and add salt and pepper to season depending on your taste

5. Serve up and top with seeds and fresh basil!

Fruity Breakfast Zoats

Zoats, or zucchini oats, are quickly becoming one of my go-to breakfasts, and although it sounds a little strange, don't knock it til you've tried it. Zoats are basically grated zucchini cooked with oats and milk in a porridge. Adding the zucchini adds fibre, nutrients and volume to the porridge, and you really can't taste the courgette. I've topped this with banana slices, almond butter and berry and apple compote. which is just some 1/2 cup frozen summer fruits and one apple finely diced microwaved for around 5 minutes, until the apple goes soft.

Ingredients

1/2 - 1 cup of grated zucchini

40g oats

1 - 1 1/2 cups of almond milk (or another milk of your choice)

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well, and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every sixty seconds. It really is that easy!