Cheeky chocolate pots These are my old faithful healthy choccie dessert of choice. The ingredients may sound an odd combination but – seriously – give them a bash. I’m pretty sure you will be pleasantly surprised.
SERVES 2–3
2 large, very ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
2–3 tbsp cocoa powder, to taste
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
up to 1 tsp stevia, to taste
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a smooth chocolatey dessert.
Place in ramekins or serving glasses, then refrigerate for one hour before serving.
Vanilla frozen yogurt This high-protein dessert is sweet, creamy and satisfying.
SERVES 3
675g natural live probiotic yogurt
150g vanilla protein powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp coconut oil, melted
Blend all the ingredients well.
If you have an ice-cream maker, transfer the mixture to that and freeze according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
If not, pour the mixture into a freezerproof container and transfer to the freezer. After about 30 minutes, check the mix. If ice crystals are forming, remove and stir the mix well. Return to the freezer, then repeat the stirring process after 30 minutes more. Keep doing this until a frozen yogurt/ice cream texture is reached.
Low-GI cheesecake I love a good cheesecake, but the amount of sugar you find in most is horrific. This version is incredibly low GI. With an almost savoury base and a filling that is sweetened with stevia, it is a pud that ticks all the right boxes!
SERVES 4
For the base
75g mixed nuts
65g rough oatcakes
20g melted coconut oil
For the filling
350g cream cheese
350g mascarpone cheese
2 tsp stevia
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 punnets of blueberries
Place the nuts and oatcakes in a food processor and grind to a coarse texture. Add the coconut oil and process again until well mixed.
Press the mixture into a 23cm springform tin and place in the freezer, while you work on making the filling.
Mix the cream cheese, mascarpone, stevia, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract together in a bowl and mix well.
Remove the springform tin from the freezer, cover the base with the filling and smooth the surface. Top with the blueberries and refrigerate for three to five hours.
Three-seed spread This is like a funky peanut butter-houmous hybrid. Better still, it is packed with fatty acids and protein!
MAKES 8–10 PORTIONS
75g hulled (shelled) hemp seeds
75g pumpkin seeds
75g flax seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
juice of ½ lemon, or more if needed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place all the ingredients into your most powerful blender.
Process into a smooth dip or pâté, adding 2–3 tbsp of water and a little more lemon juice if necessary to help it along. Serve with any crudités you want.
Almond biscuits These simple cookies prove that sometimes you really can have your cake and eat it. Simple and straightforward, while the smell that fills the kitchen when these are cooking… oh my.
MAKES 8–10
100g unsalted butter
250g ground almonds
1 tsp stevia
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten, plus more to brush
handful of skin-on almonds, chopped
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.
Cream the butter with a fork in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients (except the chopped almonds) and mix well to form a dough.
Roll into eight to 10 small balls. Place on a baking sheet, then press each down to form a biscuit, leaving a small amount of space between each. Brush with egg and sprinkle with the chopped almonds.
Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until starting to turn golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack with a palette knife and allow to cool completely.
Peanut butter protein bars These bars are a great gooey, feel-good snack that ticks the sweet boxes, yet keeps blood sugar nice and even. As always, choose a low-carb whey protein that doesn’t have the silly amounts of added sugar. Also use a good-quality pure peanut butter, not one with buckets of added sugar and salt.
MAKES 8–10
2 heaped tbsp coconut oil
340g peanut butter
2 scoops vanilla whey protein
2 tsp mixed seeds
Melt the coconut oil gently in a small pan.
Mix the peanut butter, whey protein and seeds together well. Pour over the coconut oil, then stir well again.
This should give you a stickyish dough that is pliable and easy to work with. Place this dough into a container such as an old ice cream tub. Push the dough firmly down. Place the container in the fridge and refrigerate overnight, before cutting into bars. Make sure you don’t cut the bars too big and eat just one a day.
Spiced chocolate cashews These are an awesome little snack. Great as an opener at a dinner party, or perfect fridge door snacks for when the chocolate craving hits. Keep it to five or six as a snack between meals.
MAKES ABOUT 8 SERVINGS
100g 80 per cent cocoa solids dark chocolate
80g raw cashew nuts pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of chilli powder
Half fill a saucepan with boiled water.
Place a heatproof glass bowl over the water, making sure it doesn’t touch the water, and break the chocolate into the bowl. Stir continuously until the chocolate melts.
Add the cashew nuts, cinnamon and chilli powder and mix well so the chocolate coats all of the nuts.
Lay out a sheet of greaseproof paper and place the coated nuts on to it. Allow to cool fully.