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...

Healthy Kale Caesar Salad

This take on a Caesar salad is so delicious... not only is it really good for you, but it's vegan and gluten free friendly and you wouldn't even know it! I added Parmesan to my salad, but for vegans just don't add it. It will still taste delicious without it. 

March is a great time to eat kale as it is at its prime. It's such a versatile ingredient and it's everywhere in supermarkets at the minute. I decided to make a nutritious and filling salad to accompany dinner and this was what came to mind. I took inspiration from Le Pain Quotidien, a lovely restaurant chain that serves up healthy and delicious food. I went there almost a year ago now when I was in NY, sadly for me they don't have one in Edinburgh yet... I ordered their vegan kale Caesar salad and have been wanting to recreate the flavour of their dressing ever since. I believe I have!

My recipe is quite different from a classic Caesar as you will notice. Instead of croutons I decided to roast a sweet potato as it's so good for you and keeps you full for a long time. It's a great source of magnesium which helps combat stress and also iron which is good for your metabolism and proper immune function, among many other benefits. If you felt like you wanted some crunch add some croutons (or gluten free ones) and change the salad up as you like. This recipe serves 3-4 people as a side salad or a starter.

You will need:
 1 large sweet potato
As much kale as you need, I did it by eye, washed and sliced
150ml/ ⅔ cup lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
60ml/ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp water
¼ tsp sea salt
1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard
2.5 tbsp ground flax seeds
65g/ ⅔ cup raw walnuts, soaked in water for 10 minutes then drained
3 large garlic cloves
Parmesan for shavings

Heat the oven to 160C/320F. Peel and dice the sweet potato into the size that you would like. I went for quite small chunks as I was in a hurry and it cooks quicker in the oven that way. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until nice and soft and getting slightly crispy at the edges.

For the dressing: blend the lemon juice, olive oil, water, sea salt, Dijon mustard, flax seeds, soaked walnuts and garlic in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice to your liking. This makes a lot of dressing, but it keeps really well in the fridge for 1-2 weeks in a jar. I have been making this salad countless times now, it's so good!

Pour a generous amount of dressing over the kale and toss it together well. Make sure that all the kale is well coated. Leave it for about 30 minutes to allow the kale to soften, it makes for a much nicer salad that way.

Finish by tossing in the roasted sweet potato and sprinkle with some Parmesan shavings. Enjoy knowing you are getting so many good nutrients!

Hot Cross Buns

It's that time of year where we can all indulge in a delicious hot cross bun! Of course we can do it all year round, but it just feels extra special when you don't and wait until Easter time to eat them.

I like to use a recipe I got from the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School where I did my diploma course about a year ago now... It's so hard not to eat more than one. In fact I told myself I would only eat half... but I just couldn't stop myself eating a whole one. I have no restraint when it comes to these.

I love the addition of diced apple as I really like the texture it gives to the bun in the end result. You could always grate the apple if you don't want it as chunky, but bear in mind it will make the dough wetter which could make it quite hard to work with. I also didn't have a piping bag to hand... however I did try to make one out of greaseproof paper but it failed miserably as the paste kept leaking out of it. So I ended up making the crosses with a spoon, which I think turned out quite well considering!

This makes 12 hot cross buns.
You will need:
500g/3⅓ cups strong white bread flour
10g/2 tsp salt
75g/⅓ cup caster sugar 
10g/2 tsp fast action dried yeast
40g/3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 eggs beaten
120ml warm milk
120ml water
150g/just under 1 cup of sultanas
80g/½ cup chopped mixed peel
grated zest of 2 oranges
1 eating apple, cored and diced
2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the cross:
60g/½ cup plain flour
60ml water

75g/about 5 tbsp apricot jam to glaze

First put the flour into a large bowl with the salt and the sugar. Give it a good stir, and then sprinkle over the dried yeast. Add the butter, eggs, milk and 3/4 of the water and stir together with a knife. Add enough of the remaining water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 6 minutes in a machine with a dough hook attached. Put it into a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with cling film and leave it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).

Once the dough is risen well, tip it onto a floured surface. Have all your other ingredients ready and incorporate them into the dough. I found it easier to incorporate a little at a time, kneading the dough and adding more as I make space. It may look like an impossible feat, but keep going trying to incorporate it all. Divide the dough into 12 pieces (I weighed it because I like doing that...) and then roll them into balls. Put them close together on a baking sheet, so that they "kiss" when they bake. Classic hot cross buns you have to pull apart. Cover it loosely with oiled cling film and leave it to prove for about half an hour. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220C/430F.

(Note: if you have a fan assisted oven, lower the temperature by 20 degrees. The same goes for all my recipes. But most people will find that they have a conventional oven where the heat works directly above and below. In a fan oven the heat moves all around and thus needs a lower temperature.)

For the crosses, mix the flour and water to a paste. Make a cross on the bun with a knife and then pipe a cross with the paste (or however works for you, I used a spoon). Finally glaze the buns with milk and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. When fresh out the oven, glaze the buns with the apricot jam. I heated mine gently to thin it out a bit and make it easier to brush onto the buns. Cool on a wire rack and tuck in! They are best eaten within a few days, but I hardly think that will be difficult. They also freeze exceptionally well.

My Indulgent Layered Biscuit Bars

 I've been making these biscuit bars for years as all my friends and family love them. I've played around with them over the years and they are so easy to change and adapt to whatever you like. I used to make this with a digestive base, but I found they are even better this way. I often make these to give away as a present because it is hard to find someone that doesn't like them! They are also very easy and quick to make.

These make 24 or 32 squares depending on how large you like them.

You will need:
250g/1½ cups sifted plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
150g/10⅔ tablespoons unsalted butter
170g/1 cup soft dark brown sugar, firmly packed
100g/1 cup oats
397g/14oz can condensed milk
A couple handfuls of chocolate chips
A couple handfuls of dessicated coconut
Optional: Chopped walnuts/pecans, marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 9 x 13in pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a large bowl using an electric mixer cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat well. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go. Mix in the oatmeal. The mixture will be quite crumbly which is perfect.

Sprinkle a bit more than half of this mixture into your prepared tin and pat down lightly with your fingertips. Make sure you have the whole base of the pan covered, so use a bit more mixture if you have to. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the biscuit layer and use a knife to spread it evenly. Then sprinkle with chocolate chips and the coconut until it is covered with a reasonable amount, or as much as you like. Feel free to add nuts, marshmallows, or anything else you can think of. It works well with lots of things. Then sprinkle with the remaining crumbly biscuit mixture trying to make sure its all covered. It is okay if some of the layer underneath shows in small spots.

Before going into the oven

Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes until it is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. Then cut into desired squares and keep in an airtight container. They keep quite well for 4-5 days, or they freeze very well too. I hope you like these as much as I do!