Sweet 'n' Salty Nuts

Sweet 'n' Salty Macadamias

This is one of our family's 'go-to' snacks which my friends think I really should share - they're the easiest, yummiest snack around!

This isn't a Thermomix recipe - it's so simple, it's hardly a recipe at all... All it involves is some nuts, a liquid sweetener, some sea salt, and an oven. Oh, and a baking tray. And it only takes 20 minutes.

Sweet 'n' salty nuts are great for a quick snack on the go. I often take a little bag of them in my handbag when I go out, which helps me control the urge for buying something not-so-healthy to munch on!

I buy my nuts bulk from Trumps in Brisbane - it's a lot cheaper that way. I buy organic raw cashews, insecticide free almonds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts - all sorts. I can also get lovely pecans and macadamia nuts locally, which are probably my favourites. I always have a variety of nuts in my freezer. (And at the moment, in bags on my kitchen floor because I can't fit them in the freezer...) We're a pretty nutty family! :D

There's lots of possible combinations of nuts and sweeteners - here's a few of my favourites, but see what you can come up with!

- Macadamias, rice malt syrup, sea salt

- Cashews, raw honey, sea salt

- Pecans, pure maple syrup, sea salt

- Almonds, raw honey, sea salt

I'm wanting to try yacon syrup too, just haven't gotten any yet, but I've heard it's amazing!

Okay, here's the simple method for making sweet 'n' salty nuts:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

1. Spread the nuts on a baking paper lined pizza tray (or baking tray) so that they're in a single layer, like this:

2. Drizzle with honey or syrup, back and forth - no need to cover them! Just a drizzle, like this:

3. Sprinkle over a couple of good sized pinches of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. I use Himalayan salt crystals which I grind up in the Thermomix until fine. (There, see, I just couldn't do a recipe without using the Thermomix somewhere!)

4. Pop the nuts into the preheated oven and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Take the tray out and stir the nuts with a fork, turning them in the melted honey/syrup so they're evenly coated. Pop them back in the oven and cook another 10 minutes, or until they're golden and crispy. Don't burn them!

5. Let them cool for a few minutes before eating. Once they're completely cool, store them in an airtight jar on the counter.

P.S. You might want to do a couple of trays at a time - they go quick!

Dairy Free Raw Chocolate

Dairy free, soy free, gluten free, naturally sweetened CHOCOLATE!!

You may have noticed I'm a bit of a chocolate addict - good chocolate, that is, not the cheap 'chocolate-flavoured' stuff - I love REAL chocolate, with cacao butter and 70% organic cocoa and natural sweeteners.  As I mentioned in my first post about making my own chocolate, I really try and avoid refined sugar, dairy and soy, and they are in most chocolates, even a lot of the 'healthy' ones.  So I started making my own.  They were okay, but not quite the right texture.

Then I found this gluten-free, dairy-free recipe for Raw Chocolate made with cacao butter and raw cacao. I played around with the recipe, and this is what I came up with. It's very simple, and you can add in whatever additions you like to make all sorts of delicious variations! You can use more or less sweetener and cacao to taste. I like mine really dark, so just reduce the cacao if you don't want quite so much of a dark taste.

Make sure your bowl, blades, lid and lid seal are REALLY dry before you begin - water and chocolate don't mix!!!   

Basic Dark Chocolate

200g raw cacao butter (I use Loving Earth Cacao Butter)

50-60g raw cacao powder (or to taste)

100g raw honey or pure maple syrup or rice malt syrup

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or natural extract

1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Chop cacao butter roughly with a knife on a chopping board, to approx. 1-2cm cubes. Place cacao butter into mixing bowl. Mill 20 sec/speed 8. 

Melt cacao butter for 10 mins/37°/speed 2, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula towards end of cooking time to ensure all the cacao butter is melted.

Add remaining ingredients to mixing bowl and continue cooking 10 mins/37°/speed 1.

Mix chocolate 10 sec/speed 5 to blend honey or syrup in, then pour immediately into lined dish or chocolate molds or onto a tray for a thin chocolate bark.

You can use other sweeteners, whatever you prefer, to your own taste. Just be aware that if you use a 'sugar' like Rapadura or coconut sugar, you may find that it separates. If this happens, blend it up for 1 min/speed 9, and it will mix in. Pour into molds or onto trays immediately, as it will separate a little as it sits.

Additions:

If you'd like nuts or fruit in your chocolate, sprinkle them over the lined tray or in the chocolate molds, then pour chocolate over the top.  Place in the freezer to set. 

Here's some ideas for additions -

- activated nuts (soaked then dehydrated), or roasted: hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts

- raw cacao nibs 

- sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat, made into little chocolate buckwheat 'cakes'

- dried fruit: cherries, blueberries, apricots, ginger, cranberries

- pretzels (chocolate drizzled over salty gf pretzels is delish!)

- a mixture of above fillings!

You can also stir into the chocolate:

- shredded coconut

- spices: cinnamon, chilli, cardamom, ginger...

- edible essential oils: peppermint, orange, lemon, cinnamon... just a few drops

Swirl through the chocolate:

- nut butter (or pour a little chocolate into a mold, let it set, add a dab of nut butter, then pour chocolate over to fill molds; or fill with chocolate hazelnut spread ) 

- sunflower seed butter

- dulce de leche

Tips:

If you try to set the chocolate at room temp it will take a very long time and often separates, so is best set in the freezer, or at least the fridge if you don’t have room in the freezer.

You can replace half the cacao butter with cold pressed coconut oil if you want to make a cheaper chocolate - but just be aware that it will melt really easily and needs to be kept in the freezer.

Raw cacao butter

Ice Magic

Here's one more thing you can make with your fresh batch of chocolate. 

Mix 100g of the chocolate with 50g of coconut oil, add a little more pure maple syrup if you think it needs it, and melt 2 mins/37C/speed 2, or until melted and mixed together. Pour into a jar and keep it in the cupboard, and you have instant 'Ice Magic' for whenever you want it! 

It hardens immediately when you pour it over ice cream or sorbet, and the kids love it. Ok, so do the adults. ;)

(If it's cold weather and it hardens in the cupboard, just set the jar into a bowl of boiling water to melt it before using.)

Homemade 'Ice Magic'

Chocolate Banana-Nut Ice-Cream

Here's an ice-cream recipe that is very quick and won't make you feel guilty!!!  It's so healthy you can even eat if for breakfast - we do!  It's a great way to get the kids out of bed on a school day - just yell, 'Chocolate ice-cream for breakfast!' and they'll come running.  :)  I always buy a few bags of over-ripe bananas when they're in the throw-out box at the supermarket - just peel them and toss them in a bag and freeze them, then they're ready for ice-cream anytime you want it.  Cut them into pieces about an inch long before processing.

I don't usually measure the amounts in this recipe - it's very flexible.  But I've added approximate amounts (in brackets) for those of you who want them.

If you're looking for somewhere to buy cacao powder or agave syrup, you can buy them either at health food stores, or at online stores such as Loving Earth.

Toss into Thermomix bowl and process on speed 9 until it all comes together - about 30 seconds:

- (500g) half a TM bowl of frozen banana pieces (cut in 1 inch chunks)

- (150g) a good handful or two of raw pecans or macadamia nuts

- (20 - 30g) a couple of heaped tablespoonfuls of cacao powder (or organic cocoa powder)

- (30g) a couple of tablespoons of agave syrup, to taste (or pure maple syrup/raw honey)

(It will be crumbly at first, but keep mixing and it will come together.)

That's it!  Serve it immediately before it melts.  This makes enough for 4 - 6 people.

Note: to make it even more special, you can add some Rapadura sweetened choc chips at the end!

Raw Cacao Treat Balls

These yummy little treat balls are a firm favourite at our house - the kids love snacking on them for morning tea, and they are quite filling.  I love to use cacao powder in raw recipes, as it has so much more goodness than cocoa.  It's a bit like the difference between Rapadura and refined sugar, or extra virgin olive oil and refined oils.  Regular cocoa is usually heat extracted (up to 150 degrees celcius!) with solvents.  Organic cocoas are better, such as 'Planet Organic', which is sun-dried, chemical free and fair trade - but cacao powder is the best (and is generally fair-trade also)!  (I use Planet Organic cocoa powder when cooking, but cacao powder in raw foods such as treat balls, raw slices, smoothies, and raw chocolate pudding.)

Cacao is cold pressed without solvents, and the nutrients are preserved much better than in cocoa - in fact, organic cacao has over 360% more anti-oxidants than regular cocoa!  It has 21 times more anti-oxidants than green tea, and 7 times more than dark chocolate!  Cacao does not raise blood cholesterol, it contains a fair amount of protein, and all three types of energy: fat, carbohydrates and sugar. It also contains high levels of catechin, fiber, carbohydrates, B vitamins and anti-oxidant-like substances. Calcium, Phosphates, Vitamins A, C and D occur in smaller quantities.  (Read some really interesting facts about cacao here, as well as some myths about chocolate!)

Since Cacao contains fat, sugars, carbohydrates and protein, it has historically been used as energy food -- it's energy content is high, 18500 kj/kg (2000 kcal/lb). There is no caffeine in cacao (or chocolate, contrary to popular opinion), but it does contain small amounts of theobromine, which is similar to caffeine in that it stimulates the mind, muscles, kidneys and heart - but it has less effect on the central nervous system than caffeine does. Theobromine is not addictive, and is a much gentler stimulant than caffeine (see findings here), but it's still best not to overdo it. I find cacao powder makes me feel wide awake, so don't munch out on these just before bed!  (And if you're breastfeeding, don't eat too many or your baby will happily stay awake for hours!)

If you're dairy free, you'll be pleased to know these balls are a good way to get some calcium into your diet because both the cacao powder and the tahini contain calcium in usable forms.

These are great for school lunch snacks - if your child's school is 'nut-free' you can just substitute the almonds for a mixture of pepitas and sunflower seeds.

[Amounts are very flexible - I don't generally measure, I just chuck in a couple of handfuls of dates (and sometimes sultanas or other dried fruit), and a couple of handfuls of almonds (and/or cashews and seeds), a couple of heaped tablespoons of cacao powder, a few blobs of tahini and a splash of agave syrup... and grind it all up adding more dates if it needs more moisture!]

Put all the ingredients in the Thermomix bowl and grind up on speed 9 for about 40 seconds, or until well ground and mixed and able to be squished together into balls.  If mixture is too dry, add some more dates or other dried fruit.
- 200g raw almonds
- 220g dates
- 30 - 40g cacao powder (to taste)
- a dash of pure maple syrup (to taste)
- 3 large tablespoons of tahini

Roll into balls and keep in the fridge.  Can also be rolled in dessicated coconut if preferred.

Crustless Macadamia Nut Pie

This pie recipe has got to be the easiest I've ever made!! There's no crust (so it's gluten free, and even grain free), and the actual making of it takes a couple of minutes at the most! (Plus cooking time, of course.) The original recipe was for a pecan pie, with lots of corn syrup and sugar, which I changed to agave syrup and Rapadura, using a bit less, and adding some sea salt to cut the sweetness a little.

This recipe makes two pies if you use regular pie plates - I made one pecan and one macadamia. (Sorry, don't have a photo of the pecan pie, it got eaten too quickly!) You can make it dairy free by using coconut oil instead of butter - a hint of coconut flavour goes well with macadamias.

1. Cover the bases of two lined pie plates with a single layer of nuts:
- 3 cups of macadamia nuts or pecan nuts (sorry, forgot to weigh them)

2. Place in Thermomix bowl and grind on speed 9 for 15 seconds:
- 150g Rapadura

3. Place remaining ingredients in Thermomix bowl and mix on speed 6 for 20 seconds:
- 350g agave syrup or rice malt syrup
- 6 eggs
- 2 Tbspns butter (or coconut oil)
- 2 tspns vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt

4. Pour the syrup mixture over the nuts, dividing between two pans. Bake at 170 degrees C (325 degrees F) for 25 - 30 minutes, or until browned and firm to touch. Cool before slicing - store in fridge.

Viola! Easiest pie ever! Yummy served with cashew cream, or if you can have a bit of dairy, a blob of unsweetened whipped cream.

Raw Dairy Free Cheesecake

I've always found it very difficult to resist cheesecake, especially a good, homemade one, covered in cherries or berries (and chocolate)! And in our family, cheesecake is always popular at Christmas... thank goodness for a dairy free cheesecake - I can still avoid dairy, and not feel deprived :) Whip this one up in about fifteen minutes, pop it in the freezer, and you've got a fancy dessert ready for Christmas day! This recipe makes two cheesecakes in regular sized pie pans. (I made one for my dh's birthday the other day, and the other's in the freezer ready for Christmas.)

Note: If you want a quicker version of the crust because you don't have any Sprouted Buckwheat Granola already made up, just grind up 400g raw almonds and 400g raw dates until they are all mushed together, and press into pie plate - instant crust!

This recipe is based on one in Serene Allison's "Rejuvenate Your Life" cookbook (changed to suit my taste) - hope you like it! 

(I use my Thermomix for this recipe - if you don't have a Thermomix you can use a good quality food processor, but it may take a little longer to grind and mix.)

Granola Crumb Crust:

1. Place dates in Thermomix bowl and grind on speed 9 until mushy, about 20 seconds:
- 400g pitted dates

2. Add, and crush using bursts of turbo speed until desired consistency (about 6 bursts):
- 280g Raw Sprouted Buckwheat Granola
- 170g raw almonds
- 30g extra virgin coconut oil (or other mild-tasting, extra virgin oil)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt

3. Line two pie pans with baking paper, divide crumb mixture into pans and press firmly onto bottom and sides with greased hands. (See photo)




Berry Cheesecake Filling:

1. Place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mix on speed 9 for about 2 minutes, using spatula to help move mixture around, until it's smooth and creamy:
- 130g freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 250g raw pine nuts
- 250g raw almonds
- 130g raw sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 300g frozen or fresh mixed berries (or strawberries/pitted cherries, etc)
- 170g agave syrup or pure maple syrup (or to taste)
- 2 tsp psylliam powder (opt.)

2. Divide filling between two crusts, and place in freezer while you make the topping.

Berry Crumble Topping

1. Make a batch of Berry Nougat and sprinkle it over the cheesecakes. Drizzle with chocolate if you like - you can make your own raw chocolate with this recipe if you use agave syrup for the sweetener - I use! Rapadura, so it's 'almost raw'! :)

2. Cover cheesecakes and freeze. Thaw for about 20 minutes before slicing.

DELICIOUS!!

Banana Raspberry Smoothie

Smoothies are perfect for an energy boost at morning tea time - my blood sugar levels always seem to be dropping at this time of day, and a good smoothie really helps. Here's one that we love to make... it's delicious!

I start off most of my smoothies by grinding up raw almonds, pepitas, linseeds and dates - that makes the sweet milk they are based on. You can really add any frozen fruit, plus water, and some additional sweetener if needed. I usually add frozen banana to make it thick and creamy - (just peel them and freeze them whole in a plastic bag, and break them off as you need them). I also like to add tahini to make it creamier, and to add a calcium boost. (Of course, if you have a powerful machine like the Thermomix, you can grind up your own sesame seeds at the start if you'd rather, instead of adding tahini.)

(Note: If you have time, soak the almonds and seeds for a few hours or overnight, then drain off the water, add all other ingredients and mix on speed 9 for 1 minute.)
1. Grind up for about 20 seconds on speed 9, or until finely ground:
- 2 handfuls of raw almonds
- 1 handful of raw pepitas
- 2 tsp linseeds (flaxseeds)

2. Add and grind for another 10-20 seconds on speed 9, until fine:
- 1 big handful of pitted dates

3. Add and mix on speed 9 for 1 minute:
- 3-4 frozen bananas, chopped in 1 inch chunks
- 2 big handfuls frozen raspberries
- 2 Tblspns tahini
- 1 Tblspn agave syrup (or pure maple syrup) (optional)
- 1 litre water (more or less depending how thick you want it)

Enjoy!