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.

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.