Coconut Energy Balls

When I was shopping in Whole Foods Market,  a company called Bounce Energy Balls were promoting their energising balls. I tasted two varieties of their balls and to my surprise, my friend and I didn't enjoy them at all. Although they were flavoursome, they tasted quite dry and were seriously overpriced at £19.45 for a pack of 12 or £1.49 each, which seems ridiculous given their size and not certainly not a price a penniless student will be willing to pay! I wanted to experiment by making my own energy balls. They're simply delicious and because they're homemade you know exactly what you're putting in them. I made them as a sweet, healthy snack or as a pre-workout energy booster. I let my grandmother try one and I've literally had to hide them at the top of the fridge to stop her from scoffing the lot! They really are that good. The best part is that once they've set, you can keep them in the fridge to have whenever you want and they should keep for up to three weeks.

Makes 12 balls

8 medjool dates

1 tbsp of coconut oil 

3 heaped tbsp of desiccated coconut

2 tbsp of chai seeds

2 tbsp of milled flaxseeds

1 tbsp of almond butter (or peanut butter)

1/2 a cup of nut, fruit and seed mix (or almonds/any nutty mix)

Method

- Ensure the medjool dates are pitted.

- First, blend the nut, fruit and seed mix (or almonds) in a food processor for about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until sticky and smooth.

- Roll up 12 balls, place onto a plate and freeze for 1 hour. Remove from the freezer and store in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Coconut & Lemon Cake

Oh my gosh, this is just too good. It is the perfect cake to bring along to a summer afternoon tea party and is a fantastic change from the traditional Victoria sponge cake. The tropical blend of the coconut is enhanced by the tangy lemon which gives it a beautiful summery kick. Now I've spoken to people who've said that they either 'can't bake' or that that they haven't tried as it seems 'too difficult.' However, there really isn't anything to be scared of when baking a cake! For this recipe especially, all you have to do is put all the ingredients into a bowl, mix them up, pour into the tins and put them into the oven. Job done! There's nothing challenging and considering you follow the recipe correctly, you really can't go wrong. Let's bake! 

I'm dedicating this cake to my Grandpop, Ronald Jones. It was his 90th Birthday today (28/7/2014) and I made this cake for him to celebrate his special day. Although he wasn't able to eat the cake, he could eat some of the icing which he said 'that's really good icing that.' In the picture below he his holding the painting I did of him to celebrate his amazing life. 

Ingredients

2 lemons

60g desiccated coconut 

175g (6 oz) self raising flour

175g (6 oz) caster sugar 

175g (6 oz) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

3 large eggs

1 tsp of baking powder

1x 50g sachet of Patak's Creamed Coconut Sachet or 2 tbsp of dried coconut milk powder

Icing 

150g icing sugar

50g desiccated coconut

1 large lemon (or 2 small)

2-3 tbsp of lemon and lime marmalade or apricot jam

Method 

- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 170C, 325F. Prepare two 8 inch (20cm) round sponge tins 1 1/2 inches (4cm) deep, greased with butter and the bases lined with silicone paper (parchment). 

- Put all the ingredients into a bowl including the juice and zest of the two lemons and mix until a smooth paste. 

- Divide the mixture into the two tins and place into the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the centres feel springy to touch. Take the cakes out of the oven and allow to cool in their tins for 5 minutes. Then turn out onto a wire rack, removing base the papers to cool completely. The cake must be completely cool before the icing goes on. 

- Grate the zest of the lemon(s). For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and add the coconut and juice of 1 lemon. Stir until silky smooth. If the icing is too thick, add a dash of water or some more lemon juice. Once the cake is completely cool, fill the cake with the lemon and lime marmalade. Pop the other half of the cake on top of the marmalade and smooth over the icing with a hot knife. Sprinkle the lemon zest on top.

Enjoy!

Coconut, Maple & Chai Seed Pancakes

 I don't know about you, but I can't remember the last time I had pancakes. They're the perfect breakfast or brunch treat and they're just too good. When it's pancake day, I get so excited and try and grab every pancake topping out of the larder and cover the table in the assortment of sweet delights. My pancake topping list was endless: nutella, maple syrup, bananas, nuts, strawberries, lemon, honey, sugar…oh shrove Tuesdays, I'm glad you exist.  However, these are pancakes with a difference. They're a healthy alternative to the usual pancakes, packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals and do not need to be covered in the usual unhealthy sweet toppings as they're flavoursome enough by themselves! Just a teaspoon of maple syrup, a handful of fruit and a generous dollop of natural yoghurt is all you'll need to enjoy these pancake beauties. 

So how are these pancakes so healthy? 

Chai Seeds are a super food which are the perfect addition to any diet. They are in fact the highest plant based source of omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential for a healthy heart, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and reducing your risk to cardiovascular and heart disease. They're a great source of fibre, and release their energy slowly which will keep you feeling full. Their ability to keep you feeling full is heightened by the fact that they can absorb up to ten times their weight in liquid, once eaten. Finally, they are fantastic sources of protein and minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc which are essential for a healthy body. 

Wholemeal Flour is used to replace plain, white flour. The word 'whole' refers that all of the gain is used and nothing is lost in the process of making the flour. Therefore, it has a higher content of protein, vitamins and minerals compared to white flour which is high in sugar and carbohydrates. 

Cinnamon has proved effects on lowering blood sugar levels and therefore a great addition to many breakfasts for people with type 2 diabetes as it improves the cells abilities to respond to insulin. 

The list goes on, but take my word for it, they're a lot more healthy than the high sugar, carbohydrate and fat content present in the traditional pancake. So go on, treat yourself to these pancake delights without worrying about the consequences.

Makes 5 small pancakes - Serves 1

1 tbsp Wholemeal plain flour

1 tsp chai seeds

1 dessert spoon desiccated coconut

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbs (Oatly) milk

1/2 tsp butter (for pan)

Toppings 

1/2 Banana

Handful of strawberries

1 tsp desiccated coconut

1 tsp maple syrup
1 table spoon natural yoghurt

Method

- Simply mix all the ingredients together until a smooth, medium thickness mixture is formed. 

- Place a large saucepan on the heat for a minute or until really hot. Add the butter and using a paper towel, grease the whole of the pan. If you have an Aga, leave the lid off the medium ring for a couple of minutes and grease the hot plate as no pan is needed. 

- Put 5 heaped dessert spoons of the pancake mixture onto the heat and turn over once you can start to see tiny bubbles form on the mixtures surface. They should take no longer than 1 minute each side.

- Serve and add the toppings. I like to put sliced strawberries in between each layer then decorate with the fruit, coconut and maple syrup on top. 

Top tip: I always do a trial run with the pancake mix before I do the bulk of the mixture. Therefore, add 1 tsp of the mixture to the heat for a mini pancake trial run to check the pans temperature isn't too hot. 

Have a lovely day and enjoy!