Cinnamon Spiced Coconut Porridge

This is a quick healthy recipe for a yummy breakfast that will keep you going all morning until lunch! Oats are a slow releasing carbohydrate, meaning they are rich in fiber which allows slower distribution of carbohydrates into your blood stream. This makes you feel fuller longer, and keeps you energised longer until your next mealtime. Oats are also a really inexpensive ingredient, and really quick to make into a nourishing bowl of oatmeal. 

Cinnamon Spiced Coconut Porridge (vg) (gf)

Makes 1 bowl

You will need:

50g/½ cup of rolled oats (use gluten free oats if making if gf)

200ml coconut milk 

100ml water

good sprinkling of cinnamon

good sprinkling of ginger

pinch of salt

Top with:

Banana, blueberries, hemp seeds, nut butter, or any other fruit and toppings you desire. 

First warm the coconut milk with the spices to help infuse them. If you have a cinnamon stick add this to the saucepan (I didn't so just added a good sprinkle of cinnamon powder). If you don't have coconut milk you can easily make it if you have coconut cream on hand. Add 50g of coconut cream to a bowl and pour over 200ml of boiling water, stir until combined. 

Once you've warmed the coconut milk and let it infuse for a few minutes (if you don't have time to infuse it, don't worry), remove the cinnamon stick if using, and add the oats and water to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until you get the desired consistency you want. I like my porridge with most of the liquid absorbed, but not dry. 

Pour into a bowl and top with some chopped banana, blueberries, hemp seeds and a good dollop of cashew butter. Alternatively top with whatever fruit and toppings you have on hand, it will be delicious either way. 

I don't like my porridge very sweet, and find the toppings enough to satisfy my sweet cravings, but if you have a sweet tooth, add some honey or maple syrup to the mix while cooking the oats. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. 

Wild Garlic, Quinoa, and Cauliflower Cakes

This recipe makes a really nice light dinner, and is particularly good on those long spring days as we move into summer. These cakes are a really nice combination of lots of ingredients which make them really delicious and everyone coming back for more. This is my take on these cakes inspired by The Green Kitchen.

Wild Garlic, Quinoa and Cauliflower Cakes (v)(gf)
Makes 6 cakes

You will need:
100g/½ cup of quinoa
100g/1 cup of cauliflower florets blitzed in a magimix until you have a rice like texture.
Large handful of wild garlic, washed, dried and coarsely chopped.
2 eggs
100g/¾ cup of feta cheese, crumbled
50g/½ cup of rolled oats (use gluten free to make sure the recipe is gluten free if you desire)
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
small handful of chopped flat leaf parsley
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 tbsp ghee, coconut oil or olive oil for frying

Cook the quinoa--place the quinoa in a pan and cover with about double the amount of water and add a bit of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the quinoa is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Drain any excess liquid, and set the quinoa aside to cool.

Tip all your remaining ingredients into a large bowl, and add the quinoa once cooled. Stir well and place in the fridge to firm up a bit. If you find the mix too wet to shape into patties, add a few more oats.

Form into 6 patties with your hands, or use a mousse ring. I found it easier to use this as a sort of mould as the mixture can be a little bit wet. Heat the ghee or oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat and fry the patties gently for about 3-4 minutes on each side. You want a nice golden brown on each side.
















Serve warm or cold, with a fresh salad. I served mine with a fresh basil, roasted tomato and fresh tomato salad, it was delicious.

April Harvest--Wild Garlic Pesto

This post is all about my latest harvest, wild garlic! Wild garlic, also known as ramsons or buckrams, is in season from early March to the end of May. It grows abundantly where I live, and so it was only natural for me to forage some while I was out on my walk. It has these beautiful little white flowers when they have bloomed, and so if you look out for those and the strong smell of garlic you might find some in your woods.

It's such a lovely ingredient to cook with as it works well in many different things. It has a subtle taste of garlic and is not too overwhelming. It definitely doesn't leave you with a garlic taste in your mouth all day...

It is lovely in an omelette, as a soup, a pesto, or even using the leaves as salad leaves. The first thing I made with it was some pesto, which keeps extremely well in the fridge for about a week. It also freezes very well. It's a great way to use up the wild garlic and then toss the pesto on some pasta, courgetti, or even as a side dish tossed over some warmed butter beans. I also used the wild garlic in some quinoa, cauliflower patties which was delicious for dinner (recipe to follow next...)















Below is my recipe for the pesto. If you leave out the parmesan it becomes vegan, and tastes incredible just like that, but for those that love the taste of parmesan simply add that in when you're making it.

Wild Garlic Pesto (v)(gf)
You will need:
100g pine nuts
100g wild garlic (large bunch)
4-5 tbsp olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
Salt and Pepper to taste
40g parmesan (optional)

Simply add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until it all comes together. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the consistency is too thick, add some water or a little more lemon juice. This is a very simple recipe, and should be used as a guide. Not all lemons are the same size or give the same amount of juice and some wild garlic will be more pungent than others, so taste and adjust to your liking!

Pour into a bowl or some jars and keep in the fridge for about a week. Alternatively you can freeze it in a little pot and defrost when you want to use it. This recipe makes about two little jars full.

Chocolate Caramel Nougat Bars

Now these aren't the most healthy things one can make, but they certainly are one of the most delicious! These bars are so chewy; you have the nougat layer, followed by a salted caramel layer, and then covered in chocolate. If you ever wondered how to make mars bars, this is the closest thing to it that is homemade. I adapted this recipe from: Sweet Things by Annie Rigg, and it is heavenly!

This recipe does take a while to make, but if you have the patience it is worth it. I usually do this recipe over two days, and fridge it after the caramel stage to do the second half the next day.

These beauties keep well for about 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge, if they last that long! Great for giving away as presents too.

This recipe makes about 30 depending on how big or small you cut the bars. I cut mine fairly small so as to be eaten in two bites. That is the perfect amount for me... but if you want them bigger go ahead.

You will need a 20x30cm or 7x11in tin
Chocolate Nougat:
1 large egg white (about 40g)
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g/1 cup and a little bit of caster sugar
pinch of salt
25g/1.5 tbsp malted milk powder (I used Ovaltine)
100g/3.5 oz dark chocolate chopped (70%)
250g/¾ cup golden syrup

Caramel:
75g/¼ cup and a tbsp of caster sugar
75g/¼ cup and a tbsp of soft light brown sugar
50g/3 tbsp golden syrup
50g/3.5 tbsp of unsalted butter
100ml double cream
1/2 vanilla pod, split in half (or you can use 1 tbsp of vanilla bean paste, which is not extract)
a couple pinches of sea salt flakes

Chocolate to coat:
200g/7oz dark chocolate chopped (70%)
200g/7oz milk chocolate chopped (I used 40%)
chocolate sprinkles, optional

Line the base of your tin with non-stick baking parchment.
Put your egg white, vanilla extract, 1 tbsp of the caster sugar and the salt into the bowl of a free-standing mixer which the whisk attachment. You can do this with a hand mixer, it just might take a bit longer. Sift your malted milk powder into a bowl and set aside.

Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Put the remaining caster sugar and golden syrup in a medium sized saucepan and add 75ml water. Set the pan over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar, you can stir from time to time. Once the sugar is dissolved put a sugar thermometer into the pan and bring to the boil. Cook steadily until the syrup reaches 125°C/257ºF. Slide the pan off the heat and immediately start to whisk the egg white until you get stiff peaks. On a low to medium speed, start to pour the syrup on to the beaten egg white in a slow steady stream. Mixture will double in size. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whisk for 4-5 minutes until the nougat has turned a pale colour and it has cooled and thickened. Add the malted milk powder and the melted chocolate and whisk for a further few seconds. Use a rubber spatula and a palette knife to spread the mixture into the tin, working quickly. Leave until it is cold.

Nougat spread in the tin

Next stage is the caramel. Put both the sugars, the golden syrup, butter, cream, vanilla pod (or paste) and sea salt flakes into a saucepan and set over a low-medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugars and melt the butter. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil with your thermometer in the pan. Continue to cook until the caramel reaches 118°C/244ºF, then immediately slide the pan off the heat and remove the vanilla pod with tongs or a fork. Pour the caramel evenly over the nougat in an even layer. Leave to cool completely. 

Once it is cold, cover it in clingfilm and set aside. Place it in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight if you don't want to continue with the next stage right away. It will be fine!

Next up, draw a 20x30cm rectangle on some baking parchment. Flip it over on to a baking tray. Melt the dark and milk chocolate together in the same way as above. Leave it to cool to room temperature. Re-melt the chocolate (we are tempering the chocolate here, in an easy way) until it becomes runny and glossy again. Using a spatula or palette knife spread a couple tbsp of the chocolate onto the baking parchment rectangle to cover it in an even layer. Turn the caramel nougat that is in the fridge out of tin and on to a new sheet of baking parchment, caramel side down. Peel the parchment off the nougat side and quickly flip it on to the chocolate rectangle. Pop it into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to harden. Then take a sharp knife (heat the blade in hot water between slices, and dry off the knife to make the cutting neater) and trim the edges of the caramel nougat. (Eat the edges!) Next cut into 20 fingers or rectangles however big you like. 

Arrange them on to a cooling rack over a baking tray. Do this in batches of 4-5 as it will be easier. Keep the chocolate warm as you work by placing it back on your bain marie every so often. Using a teaspoon, carefully spoon the chocolate over each bar to coat the top and sides evenly. Use a palette knife to then place on to clean baking parchment. You can then pipe some lines like I did on top of this and then scatter some of your chocolate sprinkles. This is optional, depends on how creative you feel! Repeat with the remaining bars and chocolate, returning the chocolate that has drizzled onto the baking tray to the bowl and re-melting between batches if necessary. Leave to set completely (about 2-3 hours) before serving. Then place in a container in the fridge to keep for longer! 

The finished product!

I know this is a long recipe but it is so delicious! If you have the patience and want to have some fun give it a try.

Frozen Bananas coated in Coconut Almond Butter and Granola

This recipe is a wonderful way to use up bananas if you feel you have too many. I would advise making these when the bananas are still a bit hard, as they are easier to roll if they aren't so soft.. Not only are they really simple to make, but they are a healthy treat to take with you on the go, or to have when you are craving something sweet. They are gluten free and vegan friendly which is an added bonus!

This recipe makes 6-8 small bites. You can cut the bananas to whatever size you would like, but I wanted something I could eat in a few bites. I also used coconut almond butter as I found a brand I really like (Pip&Nut), but you could use whatever flavoured nut butter you like!

You will need:
2 bananas
2-3 tbsp of coconut almond butter
A drizzle of maple syrup/honey/agave, or whatever you have to hand to add a bit of sweetness.
A handful of your favourite granola (gluten free friendly for those who are making it GF)
Some lollipop sticks (I didn't have any so I used toothpicks.. not very sturdy but they did the trick)

As you can see there are not many ingredients, so it really is very simple! Mix your nut butter in a bowl with a drizzle of your preferred sweetener, I used some agave syrup. Next place your granola into a flat dish, or plate, easy to roll the bananas around in.

Cut up your bananas to your desired eating size, place a lollipop stick or toothpick into the banana and then use a knife to spread the nut butter evenly over the bananas so they are coated. Next roll them in the granola, place on a plate spaced out and leave them in the freezer for about 2 hours until they are frozen. Once they are frozen you can place them all in a ziploc bag and leave in the freezer until you are ready to grab one to eat. Really easy to do, and in no time you have a healthy on the go snack or dessert!

Almond, Cashew and Chia Energy Bites

I decided to come up with a recipe for a healthy energy bite size snack that I could take with me on the go. It's perfect after I come back from the gym, or even when I'm out cooking all day. It keeps my energy levels up and I love knowing that they are so good for you. They are also ridiculously delicious! I added maca powder because it is known for keeping your energy levels up, and I wanted to make that my focus. Maca is also great for your skin as well as balancing your mood, so in general it is a great supplement to your diet.

These bites are also packed full of ingredients that provide slow releasing energy, so it keeps you full while also energised. The nice thing about this recipe is that the dates provide most of the sweetness, with the coconut blossom nectar adding a little more. If you don't have this ingredient you could use agave or maple syrup. I also used raw cacao powder in this recipe, as it has no added sugar or milk to it, but you can use regular cocoa powder if that's all you have. Just be aware of the added sugar some brands contain. So not only is this recipe gluten free but it is also vegan!

This recipe makes about 24 balls

You will need:
100g almonds
100g cashews
300g medjool dates, pitted
4 tbsp dessicated, unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp maca powder
3 tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tbsp coconut blossom nectar (or agave or maple syrup will do just fine)
2 tbsp coconut oil



In a food processor, blitz the almonds and cashews for about 30 seconds until they are nicely crushed. Next add the dates and whiz for another 30 seconds. Then add all remaining ingredients followed by a good glug of water (about 50ml) and blend again until everything has mixed together and it has become nice and sticky.


With damp hands roll the mix into balls and place on a tray to be put in the freezer. Place in the freezer for about 1 hour to set (or leave to set in the fridge for about 5 hours), then store in an airtight container in the fridge. They keep really well and for a quite awhile, so it's great to make a large batch so you have these bites readily available.

Peanut butter and Marshmallow Cookies

While browsing a new book of mine, the new Hummingbird Bakery cookbook, I came across a recipe for peanut butter and marshmallow cookies. I took one look at it and decided that I had to make it as soon as possible! Luckily we were having some friends stay with us that weekend so I knew that these cookies would not go to waste. I didn't want Peter and I to have to eat them all so this was the perfect excuse to make something to share. This combination of flavours is so good in my opinion, but then again I do have a love for peanut butter and marshmallows so this seemed ideal to me.
Not only are they deliciously moreish but they are very easy to make. They were a huge success and we have none left!

This recipe makes about 20 cookies, depending on the size you want.

You will need:
115g/1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
110g/½ cup of caster sugar or superfine sugar in US
100g/½ cup of soft light brown sugar
1 large egg
125g/½ cup of peanut butter, smooth or crunchy depending on taste (I used smooth)
165g/1⅓ cup of plain flour
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
50g/1 cup of mini marshmallows or chopped larger marshmallows

First preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Line three large baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment.

Using a freestanding electric mixer, or a hand held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes on a medium-high speed.

Add the egg and peanut butter to the mixture and beat for a further 2 minutes. Sift together the dry ingredients and add them to the butter mixture. Beat on a lower speed until all is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Fold in the marshmallows by hand.

Using a tablespoon, form the cookie dough into balls (weighing about 30g each). Place these balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2in between them.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. They will still look quite pale and golden but they will harden up as they cool and become chewy and soft. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy with a mug of hot tea on a rainy day! Or any day for that matter...