You’ve probably realised by now that I’m a little obsessed with getting in my veg each day. I think it helps keep my diet balanced and my body happy. I find that having vegetable based snacks really helps me do this. This post contains 4 snack ideas and a new recipe for some yummy vegetable crackers, as well as handy information on how many serves of veg these snacks will give you.
There are no black beans in these brownies. I repeat, these brownies are black bean free. I sometimes feel that black beans have a slightly overpowering taste, even when smothered in chocolate. When I make a bean based brownie I like to use cannelini beans as you still get the health benefits of them being a plant based dessert that’s full of fibre, but with a less ‘beany’ taste.
This cake is gluten free and uses a mixture of polenta and nutrient filled nuts to add texture and flavour. Blood oranges are one of my favourites, i love the variation you get in colour and they have such a beautiful flavour with a slight bitterness which balances this cake nicely. This is a cake, so it’s not health food but we all need cake sometimes and this one is full of real ingredients and amazing flavour.
If you’re after a quick and easy gluten free, low fat, low sugar snack then these are for you. They are so so good. Especially straight from the oven. Is there anything better than breaking open a muffin straight from the oven filled with oozing melting chocolate? I think not.
Cookies. Is there a better word to hear when you’re feeling a little snacky? I have quite a few cookie recipes that I rotate but these guys have fast become a new favourite. They just have such a good texture and so much flavour. Soft chewy oats, the crunch of peanuts and melted chocolate… I can’t possibly need to say anything else to convince you to give these a shot!
My mum is an expert baker. She was a home economics teacher in New Zealand for years and has always been in charge of the dessert section of any family occasion or dinner party. And she does the. best. meringues. ever. No argument. She often makes the good old original kind, this amazing chewy coconut flavour and many others. Mum’s meringues are light and airy with a crispy outer layer and chewy centre. Just how I like them.
Yay for savoury pumpkin bread! As it’s a savoury recipe it has no added sugar, is full of added nutrients from the pumpkin and is delicious. There’s no butter in the recipe but a swipe of butter on warm pumpkin bread would be glorious. So would some avocado and radishes. The manchego cheese gives it a mild bite that is really lovely with the hint of cayenne. This is great for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.
This is an easy and delicious recipe for a rich, bitter sweet chocolate brownie. It’s gluten free and lower in sugar than the typical brownie recipe. It’s also quick and easy to prepare and brilliant with a cup of tea. I’ve mixed coconut flour and almond meal in this recipe as I think they both add a delicious flavour and texture.
This cake is rich and dense, with a texture that sits on the fence somewhere between cake and brownie. I’ve been wanting to try banana flour for a while and thought what better way than in something banana flavoured? The main flavour note in these is definitely chocolate though but with banana jumping up and down on the sidelines and cinnamon lingering in the background, they make for a happy little team. I threw the roasted almonds in as a support act, and they’re a delicious addition.
This recipe was inspired by a free form berry tart recipe from the master of all baked things, Margaret Fulton. However I wanted to use a wholegrain pastry, decrease the sugar and use a fruit that was currently in season: persimmon. As I was asking this my housemate questioned my fruit choice as he thought they were savoury, more like a tomato, it goes to show that this golden fruit is not getting the love it deserves! Persimmon’s might not have the biggest fan club which is kind of surprising, because when very ripe they are sweet, low in acidity and so delicious.
