Cacao And Coconut Christmas Morning Granola

Get your fat pants ready, it’s Christmas! 

The days are long, long gone where sleep felt like an impossible task on Christmas Eve. When I would wake every hour on the hour to reach my toes nervously towards the end of the bed, feeling for a stocking filled up with treats and gold chocolate coins. When my Brother and I would sneak down the stairs to catch a glimpse of presents under the tree, and impatiently tear open our chocolate selection boxes. Jumping onto our parents bed at ridiculous o'clock to beg to go downstairs and open all the presents. And although Christmas Mornings now start with a cheeky run with my Dad rather than wading though the sea of wrapping paper, one thing about Christmas never truly changes. Chocolate for breakfast, and the excitement of the feasting ahead. 

This Cacao and Coconut Granola, served with coconut yogurt, fresh berries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, is such a delicious breakfast to start a day of indulgence. Full of whole ingredients with amazing properties for our bodies, homemade and sweetened naturally with a mixture of ground cinnamon and local runny honey, this stuff is so much better for us than the shop brought stuff. Not that you needed a reason on Christmas Morning to be quite so decadent…

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

2 TBSP Coconut Oil

185g Mixed Nuts

35g Pumpkin Seeds

70g Raisins

35g Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut

1 TSP Cacao Powder

1 TSP Ground Cinnamon

2 TBSP Runny Honey

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the nuts, raisins and seeds to the pan first and stir frequently for 10 minutes. Then add the desiccated coconut, cacao powder, cinnamon and honey and reduce heat to low, stirring consistently for a further 5 minutes. Transfer the granola from the pan into a large bowl to cool completely. 
2. Serve with your chosen plant-based milk, or yogurt and fresh berries if you like.

Put on some cheesy Christmas music, sip slowly on a freshly brewed coffee and enjoy your Christmas Morning…

K

(This recipe was adapted from the Julie Montagu’s Chocolate and Coconut Granola recipe in the Sainsbury’s December 2016 issue).

Feel Good Festive Turmeric Milk

I'm always the first to embrace evenings spent watching cheesy Christmas films on Christmas 24/7, curled up on the sofa in a big cosy blanket. Starbucks Red Cups and warm gingerbread lattes. And if I'm going to be 100% honest with you, my Michael Bublé Christmas album hasn't actually left my car for the past 3 years I've had it...

If it were "acceptable" I would totally just have Christmas all year round. But apparently, along with eating Marmite out the jar with a spoon, it's just not. Isn't "acceptable" such a boring approach to life? 

I like to warm up my winter with this Feel Good Festive Turmeric Milk. Turmeric is an amazing spice, not only to colour your curries, but as an incredible source of antioxidants and it’s highly anti-inflammatory properties for the skin, body and mind. It contains an active ingredient called curcumin, which has proven in studies to be able to boost our levels of the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, the feel good chemicals that help us to feel happy and calm. So not only is this drink a delightfully festive indulgence, it also helps us to feel a little brighter and less stressed during the darker winter months.

Serves 1

1 Cup Coconut Milk

1/2 Tablespoon Honey

1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

Pinch Of Black Pepper

1. Put all ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes, whisking to ensure all ingredients are combined.

2. Pour in to a mug and stir through with a cinnamon stick.

Enjoy

K

Sweet Deceits Raw Caramel Slice

I’ve spoken previously about my intense love affair with chocolate. 

How that instant pleasure seems to overwhelm and derail me, leaving me seeking more and more to keep that thrill alive. And then later, when that delight and sugar rush has worn off, how dejected I feel, realising that the bar wasn’t even that great. Yeah. Chocolate is that boy that never called you back.

But I never really could give up going after the bad guys (or er, chocolate), so I set out to find my safe highs in this post. 

Sweet Deceits is a company that makes these incredibly delicious dessert kits, exclusively using natural and real ingredients. That means no funny business. No hidden nasties. No excuses. In fact the only ingredients in the kit are Dates, Almonds, Coconut Oil, Gluten Free Oats, Raw Cacao Powder and Natural Fruit Extracts (apple, grape and carob). Suitable for gluten free and vegan diets. Just pure unadulterated fun. 

I picked up the Raw Caramel Slice Kit from The Protein Pick And Mix store locally to me, but they are widely available across the internet and health food shops. And at only £7.99, they make a cheaper date. 

Not only are they easy to make, as the quantities are all labelled and measured out already for you, they're deceivingly good for you and they’re even easier to eat an entire batch of.

So if you have a bit of a thing for the bad guys, I’ll tell you straight: the chocolate brownie is always going to look a whole lot better than it tastes, I promise. Unless of course it’s a Sweet Deceits brownie. So you know where to get your next safe chocolate high.

K

Food Guide To Berlin

As with most things in life, I like to find any occasion to indulge in delicious food. Birthday? Lets eat a giant slice of chocolate cake. Failed your driving test? Ah well, lets go cry into a bowl of carbs. Your Mum’s best-friend’s uncle’s son just got married? Why didn’t you say? We should totally go for dinner an celebrate! And travel is no exception. 

I’ve recently just returned from a weekend losing myself in Berlin celebrating a close friend's 21st Birthday. Now I’d like to say I spent the whole weekend getting outrageously drunk and partying until the wee hours of the morning, but alongside the red wine and cocktails, we mainly just got euphoric from the fantastic food and ate ourselves into food comas. Berlin is such a lovely, unusual city that I’d love to return to and explore more someday. Besides, there’s only so much a girl can eat in 72 hours, right?

Here’s my top picks for food in the city,

(Photo credit - CicoBerlin)

If you’re looking to dine alongside the locals…Caligari 

Kienitzer Straße 110 12049 Berlin

Finding this little Italian gem was akin to seeing a reservoir of water when struggling through deserts. We had wandered for hours and hours and finally came across Caligari, hidden down the backstreets of a Neukolln neighbourhood. Honestly, they probably could have served us spaghetti out of a tin and we still would have been thankful. Aesthetically, the interior is incredibly minimalistic and rustic, but the food was full of flavour and authentic. Luckily the staff could speak English and helped us translate their menu that changes on a daily basis. You definitely have to be open to trying something new, as options are very limited, but if all else fails, the freshly baked bread to dip in olive oil was to die for. 

If you’re looking for a cosy spot for a coffee… Distrikt

Bergstraße 68, 10115 Berlin

Dressed with exposed walls and old leather chesterfields, it’s the perfect setting to settle back and catch up over a coffee. Bear in mind it can get very busy on a weekend morning, but if you don’t mind sharing your sofa with some locals, go in and get comfy. I recommend the Poached Eggs & Smoked Salmon served on toast, or the Buttermilk Pancakes topped with fresh fruit and granola.

If you’re looking for raw, vegan food… Daluma

Weinbergsweg 3, 10119 Berlin

A completely raw cafe located in the heart of Berlin. It has a very hipster aesthetic and seems to be frequented by health foodies and yogis. Get there early to try their Buckwheat Porridge, or detox your system with their acai Dr Feel Good smoothie if you drank a little too much the night before. The staff are friendly and speak excellent english. 

(Photo credit - www.worldofwanderlust.com)

If you’re looking for something a little unusual… Shiso Burger

Auguststraße 29 c, 10119 Berlin

This Asian burger bar was a recommendation, and for a very good reason - I’m still dreaming of my Ebi burger (a burger made from black tiger shrimp) and homemade sweet potato fries. Very busy come evening, so reserved ahead of time or risk waiting for a table. Super casual and popular amongst friends and families alike. You must try the twisted potatoes if you go, but you can forgo the beer.

If you’re looking for the best brunch in Berlin... Le Bon

Boppstraße 1, 10967 Berlin

Maybe I’m just a bit biased, swayed by their dreamy interior and delicious eggs, but Le Bon must be the best place to spot by for brunch in Berlin. Great coffee, lovely staff, and not too busy. Try their Shakshuka served with roasted chickpeas, tahini and toasted sourdough, and thank me later.  

Do you have any good recommendations for food in Berlin?

K

Blackberry & Apple Crumble

I reckon the crumble resembles me quite a lot. If we're comparing ourselves to desserts, that is.

I'd like to say I'm study, like a pound cake. Made of simple ingredients all in equal measures, reliable, and can be knocked about quite a bit and still taste great.

But no. Under my crispy surface, I'm all sweet and mushy and full of fruit. I'm a complex blend of cinnamon and spices, which in the wrong quantities can seem either overbearing or under powering. On the outside, I do this pretty great job at holding myself together, but if you go and take a big spoonful out of me, I'll just crumble everywhere. And don't think you can throw me about and I'll still look delicious, I won't. Take care of me, fly me first class, or I'll just be a soggy mess on the dinner table.

Anyway, now like many other berries, blackberries are little antioxidant powerhouses, which can provide many great benefits for the skin and body, potentially protecting against certain cancers, ageing and inflammation. They're also an excellent source of vitamins C, A, E and K when part of a balanced diet, and contain many minerals including potassium, magnesium, copper and manganese.

Not sure what most of that does to our bodies? Me neither. Basically just note they’re good for us and even more delicious at the moment because they’re in season in the UK. So the perfect excuse to bake a crumble.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the filling:

4 Gala Apples

200g Blackberries

2 tsp Runny Honey

2 Cinnamon Sticks

2 Star Anise

For the crumble topping:

200g Porridge Oats

50g Rice/Spelt/Gluten Free Flour

2 tsp Olive Oil

4 tbsp Runny Honey

Ground Cinnamon

Serve with:

• Custard
• Ice Cream
• Yogurt

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Peel, core and dice your apples. Add these to a large sauce pan with 160ml water, 100g blackberries, runny honey, cinnamon stick and star anise. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine your oats, flour, olive oil, runny honey and cinnamon together using your hands.

Take your apple mixture off the heat and spoon out any excess liquid. Pour the mixture into an oven proof dish and top with the rest of your blackberries. Cover with your crumble topping and put in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve and enjoy.

And what dessert do you reckon you would be?

K

Sundried Tomato & Walnut Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I was one of those really deprived children that only got a roast dinner like once a year, at Christmas. I also never got that pony I asked for each year, or one of those little electric cars that I could sit and cruise about in. But one mustn't complain, at least I always got a new pair of underwear in my stocking to unwrap.

It hasn't got much better since on the roast dinner front. Or the pony, or the car, come to think of it. So when I do, on the very odd occasion, have something that slightly resembles one, I like to go in on it all guns blazing.

These mushrooms are loaded with lots of fresh and delicious flavours, and taste great drizzled with balsamic vinegar and served with a big salad. But I've got to say, they taste a whole lot better drowned in gravy, with roast potatoes and a mountain of steamed vegetables. The photos just wouldn't have been as aesthetically pleasing. 

So the choice is up to you, but for me, there's very little competition. Treat the veggie in your life to some damn good stuffed mushrooms to leave 'em feeling stuffed until their next roast dinner. 

Makes 4 Portobello Mushrooms

Ingredients

4 Portobello Mushrooms

Fresh Parsley Roughly Chopped

Spinach Roughly Chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper Finely Diced

1 Shallot Finely Diced

50g Sundried Tomatoes

30g Walnuts Chopped

Salt & Pepper To Taste

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Remove the stems from your mushrooms and set to one side to add to your filling. Place the mushrooms stem side up on your baking tray and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.

In a pan, dry fry your pepper, shallots, sundried tomatoes, walnuts, diced mushrooms stems, parsley and spinach with a little bit of salt & pepper to season. 

Remove mushrooms from the oven and pour off any of the excess water that has gathered. Fill the mushrooms and bake in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes. 

Drown in gravy, and enjoy.

What's your favourite vegetarian roast dinner dish?

K

Healthy Snacks To Keep You Dancing All Night Long

Gym?

No.

I thought you said Gin.

And never was there a more accurate representation of what my weekend at Bestival is going to look like.

Now a great deal of the time I love choosing to eat whole, clean foods. I drink plenty of water, I get my 8 hours sleep a night and I exercise regularly. I do my best to be a healthy individual. But that doesn’t mean to say I don’t like to let my hair down from time to time, drown myself in glitter and indulge in a multitude of sins.

Yes, sometimes I choose to eat a bit of junk food if it’s what I’m really craving.

Party all night long instead of getting some shut eye.

And hey, if you’re passing me a glass of gin, who am I to throw it back in your face?

I’m trying to master that tricky balance in being healthy and letting myself have fun, but know that both are completely acceptable. 

So when you’re reading this, remember that these snacks are not an accurate representation of my weekend (in the slightest). These snacks represent a small proportion of what I will be eating. They are “ideal” choices to grab if I get hungry and keep me full of energy to dance all night long.  And I am the Snack Queen, so it would be an awful shame not to live up to my name. 

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs are great alternatives to just picking up a bag of crisps.

These Nakd and Trek bars both contain 1-your-5-a-day and leave me feeling full and satisfied, as well as providing instant energy from the dates and protein from the nuts and soya crunchies. 

Apples and Bananas are both ideal fresh fruit choices as they don’t require refrigeration.

These Pip & Nut Sachets pair well with the Kallo Rice Cakes to make a quick snack full of healthy fats and carbohydrates. 

I ordered a massive box of these Of The Earth Superfoods Cereal Pots to take with me as you can make them with both cold and hot water for a speedy snack. Made exclusively with super foods such as spirulina, barley grass, green tea, maca and goji berries, they’re a great energy boosting way to start the day.

I’m also taking a pack of the Koko Coconut Milk Cartons to either make teas/coffees with, or to drink with a piece of fruit.

Alcohol! Because no great story ever started with a salad…

K

August Favourites

Outside of the confining walls of social norms and expectations there’s a life. And perhaps for most of us, myself included, that’s where most of the magic happens. Now I fought long and hard with myself to a reach a point where I understand that above anything else (money, education, material objects and acceptance) happiness should be my main concern. Whilst I love owning and buying beautiful things, happiness in myself, happiness within what I am doing, and the happiness in those I love and hold dearly, is more important than anything I may possess.

When I began concerning myself with my goals and my values, I began questioning whether what I was doing was helping me towards them, or holding me hostage and making me incredibly unhappy. I could adjust my situation. Break free. Start to do what truly makes me happy rather than sitting in my own damn prison. 

So this September, I’m asking “why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?” Rumi. What's keeping you there when there's a beautiful world to explore?

I'll quit jabbering on now, so here are my August Favourites:

I've always rather fancied myself as that mysterious woman in films who lives in red lipstick and a little black dress, and these two scents that I have been utterly obsessed over  in August make me feel particularly feminine and seductive. For that air of mystery I've been alternating between Coco Noir by Chanel and Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone.

This By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock has been my go-to shadow stick for an effortless wash of colour all over the lids, and I've been dusting Dim Light from the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette all over my face for a dewy skin finish. Both are products I'd repurchase in a heartbeat.

Nike Free's are always my first pick for a gym training shoe. They're lightweight, flexible, and never cause my feet any discomfort. I've lived in these new white Nike Free TR 6 all of August. I've also been using these Kit Sound Bluetooth Headphones that I picked up fairly cheaply and let me tell you they are an absolute game changer. 

My last favourite of the month is The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People written by Stephen R. Covey and recognised as one of the most influential books ever written. I'm not sure there's one person I haven't praised about it to. It's all about powerful lessons in personal change, taking responsibility for your own actions, shifting how you view situations and how to work interdependently and effectively. If you want to learn how to be successful in both your personal and professional life, I highly recommend reading it. 

What were your favourites in August?

K

Chocolate Chai Banana Bread

If I could choose how to spend my perfect Sundays, I would be in great company, exploring picturesque neighbourhoods and sampling plenty of overindulgent foods. Of course the majority of my Sundays are spent rising at 6 to cram in a 10 mile run, catching up with work from the previous week ready for the next, and just trying to find a few spare minutes to shave my legs and collapse on a heap on the sofa. What remains in both my expectations and realities of a Sunday however, is plenty of tea and sweet treats to see me through.

This a perfect bake to use up all those sad, bruised looking bananas long forgotten in the dark corners of your kitchen. And as well as being gluten and dairy-free, this subtly sweet Chocolate Chai Banana Bread is refined sugar-free, and when kept in an airtight container will see you through the week as a delicious, healthy snack.

Ingredients

Dry

1/2 Cup Buckwheat Flour

1/2 Cup Ground Almonds

1 1/2 TSP Baking Powder

1/2 TSP Baking Soda

2 TSP Cinnamon

1 TSP Ginger

1/2 TSP Allspice

1/2 TSP Nutmeg

1 TSP Vanilla Extract

1/2 TSP Salt

Dark Chocolate Chopped

Wet

2 Large Eggs

1/4 Cup Melted Coconut Oil

1/4 Cup Milk or Milk Alternative

1 TSP Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Medium Ripe Bananas Mashed

Topping

1 Cup Pecans

1 TBSP Coconut Oil

1/4 TSP Cinnamon

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius or gas mark 6 and line a loaf tin.

In a large bowl, mix together all your dry ingredients and set to one side. 

On a chopping board, roughly mash your bananas with a fork leaving some larger chunks of banana. In another bowl, whisk together your eggs, coconut oil, milk and apple cider vinegar. Add in your mashed banana and mix together.

Begin to fold in the wet mixture to the dry ingredients until only just combined.

Transfer the bread mixture to your loaf tin. Sprinkle on your pecans and drizzle with the remaining coconut oil and put in the oven to bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out of the bread clean. If you find your pecans are beginning to burn on top, cover with foil and resume baking. 

So slather up a slice with jam and peanut butter and thank me later.

K

Food Diary Friday

7:00 AM: I start everyday with a vitamin C supplement to help me absorb iron more effectively, an Optibac Everyday Probiotics to help with digestion and gut health, and a big glass of water (not pictured).

8:00 AM: Breakfast was loaded with healthy fats and omega-3s and all round bloody delicious. I wilted spinach with thyme and black pepper in coconut oil, served with quinoa and a runny yolk fried egg fresh from the chickens in the garden. Thank you ladies.

12:30 PM: Lunch out with my Mum and Grandma was a Pepper, Tomato and Red Lentil soup, with a seeded bread roll and a sweet honey oolong tea.

4:00 PM: A snack was definitely needed to power me through my workout, so I made a creamy almond butter and soya yogurt dip to have with apple slices, and one of these Twinings Gingerbread green tea's along side it. My house officially smelt of Christmas and it was glorious.

8:00 PM: Dinner was my absolute favourite dish of aubergine slices roasted with chilli, pepper and salt, spinach wilted with garlic and black beans, and tamari infused rice. I finished the night with a pack of Strawberries & Cream Nakd Nibbles which I ate far too quickly to picture.

What does your food diary look like?

K

Apple, Golden Kiwi & Honey Porridge

Recently I’ve become obsessed with golden kiwifruit. I’m not sure if a golden kiwi is anymore nutritious than a good old green one, but we all know I’m a sucker for a unusual fruit. And regardless, kiwi’s are an incredibly rich source of vitamin C and vitamin E, both of which are essential for healthy skin, hair, teeth and bones, as well as potassium, folate and dietary fibre. In fact, the fruit packs more nutrients per ounce than many of the other fruits we consume, including oranges and bananas. Mixed with the grated apple and honey, this is a deliciously sweet, unrefined breakfast bowl with a real nutritional punch. 

Spoons at the ready.

Serves 2

100g Porridge Oats

500ml Water

130ml Coconut Milk

10g Honey

1 Apple (grated)

2 Golden Kiwifruits (sliced)

To Serve

• Pip & Nut Coconut Almond Butter

Combine your porridge oats and water in a saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add your coconut milk, honey and grated apple. Continue to cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes or until it’s reached your desired consistency, stirring occasionally. You may want to add a little more liquid at this point. 

Divide between your breakfast bowls and top with golden kiwifruit and nut butter of your choice.

Enjoy.

What are your recent foodie obsessions?

K

The Best Smoky Baked Eggs

This is my go-to recipe for refuelling after a long run, or just as a nice brunch on a slow Sunday morning. It's slightly smoky, slightly spicy, and the yolks are perfect every time. They only take a few minutes to prep and 15 minutes in the oven. Serve alongside fresh crusty bread for yolk dipping and make yourself some grown-up Dippy Eggs & Soldiers.  

Eggs are high in protein and contain all the essential amino acids that our body needs, so I always opt for them as a post-workout food. I like to pair them with a carbohydrate source like the tomatoes and wholegrain bread so we can restore our glycogen levels as well as feeding our muscles.

(I make these eggs several times a week and the yolks come out looking fantastic. Of course just not on the day I go to photograph them. Real life).

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 large free range eggs

400g tinned chopped tomatoes

100g spinach

Chilli

Paprika 

Salt and black pepper

Preheat your oven to 200 Degress Celcius/180 Degrees Fan/Gas Mark 6.

Wilt the spinach with boiling water. Squeeze to drain excess water and line it on the bottom of your oven-proof dish.

In a bowl, season your chopped tomatoes with chilli, paprika, salt and black pepper to taste. Pour it over the spinach.

Create four wells in your tomatoes, spaced evenly apart. Crack your eggs into these wells.

Bake in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes, depending on how you like your yolks. 

Serve with crusty bread and butter. 

Dip to your hearts content and enjoy.

K

How do you like your eggs in the morning?

Spicy King Prawn Arrabbiata

Spicy King Prawn Arrabbiata

I recently just learnt that arrabbiata literally translates from Italian to English as "angry". I get that, because I do believe if this sauce could speak, it would be screaming the whole house down with "you totally stole my favourite shoes!!" Even though my mouth is on fireee, I can't help but go in for another spoonful. It's certainly not a push around, it's got a real kick. 

This spicy arrabbiata is a favourite in our household. Not only are king prawns a great source of lean protein and omega-3 essential fatty acids, as well as providing us with a great dose of selenium, vitamin B12 and calcium, the whole meal can be whipped together in the time it takes to boil your pasta. It's a sauce full of fresh ingredients and is both cheap and convenient.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 teaspoons dried oregano

3 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes 

4 garlic cloves crushed

1 tablespoons olive oil

400g cherry tomatoes quartered

400g tinned chopped tomatoes

4 tablespoons tomato puree

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to season.

Responsibly source king prawns

300g brown rice pasta (if gluten-free) 

Method

Begin by cooking your pasta according to the package instructions. We use brown rice pasta in my house to accommodate for my Brother who has a bit of a gluten sensitivity, but feel free to use wholewheat pasta or whatever you have in your cupboards.

Now in a large saucepan heat the olive oil, and cook your garlic, chilli flakes and herbs for 2-3 minutes. You can use this time to prep other ingredients, and quarter your cherry tomatoes.

Add to the pan the cherry tomatoes, tinned chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Cook for about 5 minutes before seasoning the sauce with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Stir through your king prawns and allow to cook until the prawns are warm right through.

Drain your spaghetti. 

Serve. 

And enjoy.

K