Chocolate Pomegranate Buckini Bites.

Makes: 12

Suitable for:

Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, refined sugar free, low fructose, egg free, nut free, paleo, vegetarian and vegan people, raw foodists and followers of the Feingold (low salicylate) diet.

Conscious Content:

Pomegranate Layer –

·      2 Tbs Pomegranate Powder

·      3 Tbs Coconut Oil

·      2 Tbs Rice Malt Syrup

·      4 Tbs Desiccated Coconut

·      4 Tbs Plain Buckinis

·      10 drops Stevia

Chocolate Layer –

·      2 Tbs Raw Cacao Powder

·      2 Tbs Xylitol (or sweetener of choice)

·      2 Tbs Cacao Butter

·      2 Tbs Coconut Paste

The Creative Phase:

1.     If it is summer the coconut oil will be a clear liquid. If it is not already melted or close to liquid you will need to melt it (to make it raw, sit the coconut oil in a bowl and place it on top of a larger bowl containing very hot water).

2.    Mix wet and dry pomegranate layer ingredients separately, then combine.

3.    Divide pomegranate mixture evenly into a 12 piece muffin tray (each hole should be about 4.5 cm across). Push mixture down firmly until flat and dense.

4.    Refrigerate Pomegranate mixture whilst making chocolate.

5.    Melt the cacao butter (to make it raw, sit the cacao butter in a bowl and place it on top of a larger bowl containing very hot water).

6.    Combine chocolate layer ingredients. In summer if the oil from the coconut paste has separated, make sure you use the paste below or combine well first.

7.     Dividing chocolate mixture evenly, spoon it on top of the pomegranate mixture until totally covering the pomegranate layer, and return to the fridge.

8.    When chocolate hardens, pop out the bites and enjoy their chewy, crunchy goodness.

The Ingredient Low Down.

These ingredients are not only tasty, but packed with health benefits.

Pomegranate Powder: Full of beneficial phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals (especially potassium and vitamin C among others), pomegranate powder is one of those awesome tasting and versatile superfoods that are great to add to your diet in a variety of ways. I use the Navitas Natural brand, which you can order on iherb if you can’t find it in the shops.

Coconut (desiccated, oil, and paste): Don’t get me started! I’ve written three blog posts on the miraculous coconut, so I obviously think it’s absolutely incredible. It’s contains the ‘good’ type of fat, so enjoy.

Raw Cacao: Ok, so you know how every now and then you hear people say chocolate is good for you, to justify their Tim Tam craving? Well of course there is some truth to this, it’s just that good quality raw dark chocolate and the junk full of refined sugar, dairy and artificial gunk are like chalk and cheese. The healthy bit is the raw cacao bean, which when separated makes cacao powder and cacao butter.  Raw cacao has extremely high levels of antioxidants, fiber, a wide range of minerals such as magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, zinc and copper, as well as vitamin C and essential omega-6 fatty acids. It also contains PEAs (the love chemicals), anandamide (a feel good endorphin), as well as tryptophan and serotonin (mood enhancing nutrients), so it’s no wonder people love chocolate! Once heated though, the fats in cacao become rancid and the nutrients are damaged. So eat your chocolate raw my friends.

Buckinis: As with my coconut and cacao products, I use Loving Earth Buckinis. These crunchy little gems are actually gluten free seeds, and have no relation to wheat at all. They are activated (soaked, washed, rinsed and dehydrated at low temperatures), which improves digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Sweeteners (rice syrup, stevia and xylitol): I have used a variety of sweeteners in this recipe for a reason. I needed some type of sticky syrup to hold my pomegranate layer together, and in my opinion brown rice syrup is the healthiest option, predominantly because it is fructose free and low in salicylates. However, it is still essentially sugar and should be eaten in moderation. By adding some stevia it meant that I did not have to use too much syrup to get the right amount of sweetness. Stevia is probably the healthiest sweetener, but I find it’s taste not as pleasant unless combined with another sweet ingredient, so with the rice syrup it’s perfect. I used xylitol in the chocolate layer because it is one of my favourite sugar replacements. It is derived from either birch trees (my preferred option) or corn, and is low GI, contains less calories than sugar, does not feed candida in the gut, and fights tooth decay. The only thing to be aware of is that it is not good for those with IBS or people on the FODMAPS diet.  Feel free to replace it with another sweetener if you prefer.

I wish you much enjoyment making and eating these yummy bites. My 6 year old son Ethan, one of the world’s fussiest sweet treat connoisseurs, has given them his tick of approval, and I hope you do too.

May you be full of beans and healthy treats,

Carla.

Superblast Buckini Bliss Balls

This is one of those recipes that just came together perfectly the first time I tried it.  I decided to play around and find a use for the Superblast Powder I had in the cupboard, and before you know it I had the most amazingly delicious high antioxidant treat. One batch lasts a mere few minutes in our house. Even Ethan, my fussy 6 year-old, thinks they’re the best thing ever. They are so full of nutrients and low in sugar that I don’t mind him loving them so much, although I must admit I don’t let on… he thinks they’re a real indulgence and enjoys them all the more for it. They are perfect as a snack or an after dinner delight. Yummy in my tummy!

Suitable for:

Gluten free, wheat free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, sugar free, low fructose, egg free, nut free, raw, low FODMAPs, vegetarian and vegan.

Conscious Content:

·      2 Tbs Superblast Powder#  (a combination of Maqui, Pomegranate, Goji and CamuCamu powders).

·      3 Tbs Coconut Oil (melted)

·      2 Tbs Rice Syrup

·      4 Tbs Desiccated Coconut (plus extra for rolling balls)

·      4 Tbs Plain Buckinis*

·      10 drops Liquid Stevia

#I see no reason why you couldn’t replace this with another high antioxidant powder like acai for example, but this one tastes amazing. I also tried substituting with Baobest Baobab Fruit Powder and adding a few drops of orange oil for a tangy alternative, which was also delicious and nutritious.

*Buckinis are activated buckwheat (which is neither a grain nor related to wheat in any way). Buckwheat is actually the seed of a fruit. I use the Loving Earth brand of buckinis (and coconut oil and desiccated coconut).

The Creative Phase:

·      If the coconut oil is hard, melt it by placing it in a small bowl, inserted into a larger bowl containing boiling water.

·      Combine the Superblast powder, coconut oil, rice syrup and stevia.

·      Add the desiccated coconut and buckinis and stir until combined.

·      Pour some extra desiccated coconut on a plate.

·      Form small balls with the mixture and roll onto the desiccated coconut until covered.

·      You can eat them immediately or put them in the fridge to firm up a bit (if you can wait that long).

May you be full of beans and bliss balls,

Carla.

Cooking with Coconut – Part 3 of My Journey into the World of the Coconut.

Coconut-filled Peppermint Bounty Bites (recipe below)

So by now you all know I love coconuts. In my last post I gave you lots of information about why I think coconut oil in particular is super-healthy. The most logical question now is, how do you incorporate coconut into your diet? The answer is, easily. I love the fact that I can get coconut into my diet in so many different ways. The simplest way to use coconut oil (also known as coconut butter) is to use it instead of any other oils you currently use, and even as a replacement for butter or margarine in baking.

I use coconut oil in all my cooking, from stir-fries to muffins. At first I couldn't get my head around using it with foods that I didn't associate with a coconut flavour. I was fine with curries and many Asian style dishes, but thought the idea of something like Italian food cooked in coconut oil was just plain weird. Now that I'm so used to it I cook everything in coconut oil, even eggs and tomato based dishes. Partly it's because I'm used to the taste, but it helps that I use a good quality, fairly mild tasting, oil (Loving Earth brand to be specific).

One of the best things about coconut oil is that it can be heated to fairly high temperatures without becoming oxidized like most other oils. In contrast, most unsaturated oils are best eaten unheated. Many of you are probably wondering how to retain the lovely taste of olive oil in foods like pasta. Surely coconut oil wouldn’t live up to your culinary expectations in this situation? My suggestion would be to try cooking the sauce ingredients with coconut oil (or without any oil if you prefer), and then drizzle some olive oil over the top just before serving. I’m salivating at the thought.

As much as I love coconut oil, it’s only the beginning of where the mighty coconut can take you in the kitchen. I also incorporate coconut milk and coconut cream into my diet on a regular basis. Just to clarify, coconut milk and cream are made from the meat (white part) of the coconut. Coconut water on the other hand is the liquid found inside the centre of the coconut, and is often sold as a drink. I use the milk and cream in place of regular milk in pretty much all my cooking. Be it pancakes, porridge, biscuits, cakes, muffins, chocolate or curries, coconut milk and cream work beautifully. From a cost perspective I suggest buying coconut cream and watering it down to make coconut milk, as that's all coconut milk really is anyway.

There are a couple of considerations to take into account when buying coconut cream or coconut milk. Firstly, most products have an emulsifier in them, which basically means that the liquid and the thicker part are combined so that it has a smooth consistency. This is convenient if its winter (when the oil hardens) and you want to be able to pour it easily. For the purists it’s less ‘natural’, but I’ll leave that judgment up to you. It is also useful to note that cans usually contain BPA (you know, the chemical nasty that we’ve all become aware of in many plastic containers and bottles). So ideally choose a can that is labeled BPA-free, although this can be hard to come by.

Unlike the ease with which coconut milk can replace cows milk, coconut flour cannot be used as a 1:1substitute with normal flour. It is much heavier and lacks gluten, which affects it's consistency when cooked. Gluten-free baking is an art and usually works best when a variety of flours are used. There are some exceptions, but they take a lot of trial and error to discover, so I strongly recommend following recipes at first until you get the hang of it. When it’s done well, coconut flour creations can be delicious, and much healthier than the usual refined wheat products most people eat regularly, so it’s worth a bit of experimentation.

Now what about coconut sugar and coconut nectar/syrup? I'm afraid my rave reviews of coconut products don't quite reach this far. Coconut sugar, also known as coconut palm sugar (which is not the same as regular palm sugar), comes from the sap of the coconut palm flowers, and can be used in place of regular sugar. The syrup is really just a liquid version of coconut sugar and can be used in the same way you would use honey or maple syrup. In terms of its health benefits, it is far richer in vitamins and minerals than many other sweeteners. But that's where the benefits end, I’m sorry to say. Although it has been claimed that coconut sugar has a low GI, this is a hotly debated issue. The biggest problem though is it's fructose content (this discussion is another whole blog post, but suffice to say that too much fructose is really not good for you). Coconut sugar is made up of predominantly sucrose, like normal sugar, which is an equal combination of fructose and glucose. So although it's not as high in fructose as some other sweeteners, it's still in the 'enjoy sparingly' category.

Last but not least is desiccated coconut, the grated and dried coconut flesh that we all know and love from Bounty bars. It is also a fabulous ingredient in many recipes, but is particularly yummy in sweet treats. In fact, I’m going to share my Peppermint Bounty Bites recipe with you right now. Enjoy.

Peppermint Bounty Bites

Makes 15-20.

Suitable for:

Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, sugar free, low fructose, egg free, nut free, vegetarian, vegan and raw.

Conscious Content for chocolate

¾ cup raw cacao

3 teaspoons vanilla essence*

6 tablespoons coconut oil

6 tablespoons coconut cream

1/3- 1/2 cup Norbu or xylitol (depending how sweet you like it)

3 tablespoons of boiling water

8 drops stevia

Conscious Content for coconut filling

1 ½ cups desiccated coconut

¾ cup coconut cream

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon peppermint essence*

1 teaspoon vanilla essence*

4 teaspoons Norbu or xylitol

*Vanilla/Peppermint Essence

Avoid brands that are ‘imitation’ essences.  These usually contain ingredients such as flavor, sugar, food acids and preservatives.  ‘Natural’ essences should only contain water, alcohol and the oil or extract.

The Creative Phase:

11.   Make the chocolate first.

22.  Dissolve Norbu/xylitol in the boiling water and then combine it with the other ingredients.  The warmth from the boiling water will help keep the chocolate liquid enough to spread as required.

33.  Make sure the coconut oil is liquid. In colder temperatures coconut oil will solidify and you will need to melt it. To do this you can either melt it in a saucepan over a low heat or for a truly raw recipe use the double boiler method. A simple way to do this is to put the oil in a small bowl and place it on top of a larger bowl filled with boiling water. Make sure the water is not touching the top bowl, either by choosing the right sized bowls or by placing the top bowl on a metal ring, lid etc. to raise it up slightly. Leave until melted.

44.  Set out 15-20 7.3cm round cupcake liners on a baking tray.  With a basting brush thinly and evenly cover the cupcake liners with chocolate mixture (this can be messy).  There should still be about half the chocolate left over for use later in the recipe.

55.  Freeze the cupcake liners for 10 min. It’s a good idea to make sure you have space in your freezer before starting this recipe and that your freezer will fit your baking tray.

66.  Whilst waiting for the chocolate to harden combine the coconut filling ingredients.  Again the coconut oil needs to be liquid.

77.  Remove the chocolate-coated cupcake liners from the freezer, making sure the chocolate is not too soft (in which case put it back in the freezer for a few more minutes). Fill each cupcake liner with the coconut mixture, gently pushing it down until it reaches the sides and is filled to the top of the liner’s edge.

88.  With the remaining chocolate use the basting brush to cover the top of the filling, right to the edges so that it is completely covered. If you got sidetracked and the chocolate has started to harden you can re-melt it the same way you would the coconut oil.

99.  Freeze them until the chocolate is completely hard (you will know because the cupcake liner will easily peel off). Store them in the freezer until you are ready to serve.  At this point remove them from the freezer, gently peel off the cupcake liner and leave them to sit until they are room temperature (they are fine to eat straight away if you like them cold and firm).  If you take them out of the freezer too early they will still be delicious but also very messy and you wont be able to peel off the liner easily.

May you be full of beans and coconut, coconut, coconut...

Carla J