Chickpea Blondies!

I'm continuously finding new blogs to pore over - and as a result, feel increasingly out of my depth in this whole healthy/fitness blogging community! As in, how am I even supposed to compete with the likes of amazing blogs like this and this?! Even on the basis of photography, these blogs are outstanding - not to mention their content!

One blog of note that's been permanently stuck on my long line of tabs is that of ChocolateCoveredKatie (is it just me or are there millions of food bloggers/bloggers in general called Katie? Or am I just specifically hunting out the Katie bloggers? Maybe so). Anyway, Katie's blog is full of unique, low-cal and super tasty dessert recipes that are simple to follow and easy to make! And with that, I'll introduce these chickpea blondies, a recipe based on this original recipe by Katie (slightly adapted by me).



Ingredients:

300g chickpeas, cooked (I bought a dry packet of chickpeas as it's more economical than buying the canned versions - though be aware that they'll require soaking overnight, plus 150 minutes on the hob! Ouch...maybe not so economical after all...)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
2 teaspoons brown granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon agave nectar
1 large banana
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
1 x 27g pack quick oats (Quakers Oats)
2 heaped Tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon coconut oil
20g dark chocolate chips (optional)

Another failed attempt at using the food processor meant transferring my half-beaten chickpea/banana mix to a bowl - someone buy me a decent food processor please? (A vita-mix would be just ideal! Then I can be like all of the other food bloggers, and life would be sweet)



Never-the-less - blend, beat, mash, fork, destroy all ingredients together until you've got yourself a good, batter-y consistency. The final ingredient should be your chocolate chips, if you wish to include them (it's probably for the best). Grease a baking tin (I used a fairly shallow quiche-style dish, which very, very almost managed to fit the whole shabang inside...but not quite. And that is when paper cupcake holders come into swift action).

Your oven should be pre-heated to 350c or gas mark 4. Slide your filled tray/tin/cupcake holders etc into the upper shelf and watch/smell the magic happen...oh, yes; the smell. Seriously good stuff. Remove from the oven after about 30 minutes, and leave to cool (again - if you manage to resist. Resistence is futile! I've probably said that before, but hey, the phrase will - or should, if my baking's up to scratch - always comply!).

The whole batch totals at just over 1000 cals, so split into 10 portions and you've got yourself a super nutritious and delicious pre/post-workout snack/tea-time treat coming in at a measly 100 calories (also if you're interested, 3.4g fat - 1.2g of which saturates - 27g carbs - 22g fibre, 5.6g sugar - plus 3g protein).

Pure, unadulterated bliss - in blondie form. Go on - tuck in!

Broccoli Avocado Soup

When Mum's away...Katie shall play! Or rather...Katie shall make soup. Yes, that's more like it.



I decided to make a soup for dinner dinner based upon the facts that a) There was half a leftover avocado in the fridge, b) The kitchen goddess (Mother dearest) is out for the night, and c) I just craved soup, badly. So having come across this recipe, I thought I'd adapt it somewhat and give it a good old whirl.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, sliced 'n' diced
Teaspoon coconut oil
Spices: Paprika (1/2 teaspoon), Herbs de Provence (pinch), black pepper (optional amount) and a pinch of salt
A few florets of broccoli (I used 3...because I ran out. But nonetheless, it was the perfect amount anyway)
1 vegetable stock, soaked in 190ml boiling water
1/2 pitted avocado
Squeeze of lemon (1/2 teaspoon)

I so love the easiness of soup making! This recipe took all of 15 minutes to prepare, and I have to say I was really impressed with the outcome (besides the obvious fact that it is so very GREEN. I'm not one to care about the colours of my food, but I know of others who'd be put-off - oh well, more for me?).



The creaminess of the avocado sits just right with the vegetable flavouring, plus the garlic, spices and lemon added that necessary twist to jazz up the taste somewhat. Here's how to make it, if you wanted to try for yourself. Bear in mind that this only serves one little stomach - double up (or triple/quadruple etc) for those with a heftier appetite, or those dining with company!

Dissolve your veg stock in 190ml boiling water, stirring regularly. Bring to the boil, and add your florets of broccoli to the liquid. Cook until the broccoli is tender. Meanwhile, in a larger soup pan, melt your coconut oil on high heat and add your diced garlic, plus the spices and herbs. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, by which time your broccoli should be cooked. Add the stock mix to the soup pan (should still be bubbling hot) and let simmer. Stir, then leave it to sit and cool slightly.

Next, you want to pour the concoction into your blender, adding your avocado on top. Whizz up, and when the consistency is nice and creamy, pour back into the pan and heat the soup throughout. Serve immediately, and enjoy!




I combined my soup with a side of 2 ryvita crackers plus a few tablespoons of Lithuanian potato salad - the latter of which is so, so delicious! I'll share the recipe soon - or at least when I find out how to make it myself (My mum's taken a fancy to making the stuff after tasting a shop-bought version that my boyfriend regularly buys...much to my boyfriends delight, might I add. He could easily demolish the whole lot within a day! To be completely fair though, so could I!).



Has anyone else been Winter-proofing themselves with a piping hot and hearty soup for dinner/lunch?

Coconut Cake with Banana-Choc Frosting

I decided to make this cake at around midnight last night; a combination of boredom (I was waiting up for my boyfriend to return from a late shift at work), intrigue of the original recipe, and - probably the foremost reason - because today it was, of course, Mother's day.




Knowing that my mum is a lover of coconut, almond/nuts, bananas and chocolate, making this cake seemed a natural decision in terms of the chief ingredients. And it's mighty healthy, too - that kinda goes without saying, seeing as this is a health/fitness blog, after all. The ingredients aren't too "out there", either (don't you just hate finding a recipe with a huge list of ingredients that you've never even heard of before? Or worse...having every ingredient bar one measly item. A baker's life... it sure is cruel sometimes). You might even find that you have every ingredient already stocked up in your cupboards - in which case, what are you waiting for?

Alas, enough of the rambling already - here are the instructions on how to make this wondrous cake. Delve on in.

Ingredients (CAKE):

3 large eggs
240ml milk of choice (I used almond milk - original recipe suggests coconut milk. My kitchen cupboards didn't concur)
3 heaped tablespoons coconut oil
60ml honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
80g ground almonds ('almond flour')
1 tablespoon coconut flour (I think I added 1 more after for a thicker paste - sometimes it's all about experimental baking/winging it...)
100g shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/4 teaspoon salt (a pinch should be adequate!)

FROSTING:

1 ripe banana
4 teaspoons cocoa powder
A little added sweetness (1 teaspoon agave/honey)
10g 90% cacao (dark chocolate)
Preheat your oven to 350c, or gas mark 4. Line a couple of round cake tins with parchment paper, nicely greased with coconut oil.

Onto the messy stuff: mix your eggs with the milk, coconut oil (I heated mine so it resembled liquid oil), honey and vanilla extract. I did this by the power of my bare hands and a fork - feel free to use a blender (I won't judge).

In a separate bowl, mix your ground almonds, coconut flour, salt and shredded coconut. Gradually add the liquid ingredients, continually whisking to create a smooth consistency. (NOTE: This is where I thought the mixture was a little too 'liquid-y', thus the extra bit of added coconut flour. The batter afterwards resembled something like the consistency of runny porridge. TOP TIP: use your baker's instinct, and you'll probs get it bang on).

Pour into your baking trays and place into your oven - bake for 30 minutes. I used this waiting time wisely, exercising in the living room...yes, at 12.30am. Wild, I know. You can do the same, or you could prepare your frosting - probably the better and more desirable option of the two.

So, for the frosting; simply mash up your banana as crazily as possible, then add your cocoa powder and a drizzle of honey/agave if you so wish. That's it! Yep, you still have a good 20 minutes to get on those press-ups, girl...



Once your cake layers are looking spruced up and golden on top, leave them to cook on a wire rack for a good half hour, before spreading the banana-choc frosting on the top of one layer. Place the other layer on top, and you've almost make a cake! The all-important bit is how to decorate the top. You can make some more frosting, but I simply chopped up another, less ripened banana into coins and artfully placed them to cover the cake top. Finally, a drizzle of melted 90% dark chocolate was the icing on the cake (metaphorical and literal), plus an added grated dusting of it as a finishing touch.

I can confirm that this cake went down a treat today. It's light, fluffy in texture, flavoursome, bursting full with goodness, and most definitely hit the spot on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Did you treat your Mum to any tasty culinary delights today? Share your recipes with me, I'd love to find out!

Staple Diet

Hello folks! It's a beautiful day...for sitting indoors, once more. I think today definitely calls for a run, considering the sun is out and all.

I'm in the process of deciding which long-distance run to go for this Summer - I did the Bristol 10k last year, but I think 2013 could be the year of my first Half Marathon. This is daunting for me, as I've only ever ran a maximum of 7 miles in one session - so 13 miles seems like a bit of a stretch! I suppose I do have a fair few months worth of training to build up my stamina...alas, we shall see.



Boredom taking its toll, I decided to put together this snazzy collage of my 'staple' daily diet, consisting of the basics that I tend to gorge upon mostly every day (give or take a few things). I'm not particularly adventurous in terms of my food choices, as you might well note - however, they serve me well, and I love each and every single item - they all offer a little 'something something', whether that be flavour, nutrients/vitamins, energy, liquid, protein, natural carbs, fat...or a partial combination of the above.

What forms your staple diet, and do you think there's anything glaringly MIA in mine? x

Black Bean Chocolate Cookies

Yes, that's right...I am still on the black bean hype. What can I say; I had leftover beans, so I had to use them up somehow - and what better way than a batch of fresh chocolate cookies?



I found the recipe from Eliza's blog over at Eliza's Edibles, and just had to try it for myself (despite adapting the ingredients somewhat) using all the leftovers of my chocolate cake from the day before - the ingredients being:

200g black beans
4 tablespoons almond milk (the original recipe suggest 2T - I had to add more due to the dry consistency of my batter)
1.5 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil (Eliza used olive oil - perhaps this is why my consistency wasn't quite right)
1 tablespoon coconut flour (Again, Eliza used 3T wholewheat flour - so my recipe could be considered faulty on various levels. However, the internet informed me that coconut flour is more absorbent in comparison, thus you should divide the original measurement by 3 if you're subbing it for normal, wheat-based flour. And I trust the internet more than my own judgement, obviously)
2 tablespoons agave nectar (same thing again; she used 1/2 cup plus 1T sugar. I'm anti-sugar... thus agave)
1 teaspoon baking powder (nothing has changed here. Did wonder why there were no eggs in original recipe if there's baking powder? Is that a stupid query? I don't understand baking)
Half a vanilla pod (or 1t. vanilla essence, pick as you choose)
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch salt
30g dark chocolate chips (90%, the Lindt stuff as per)

I will say this now: the food processing trick absolutely failed me this time. I don't know what happened, but save to say I was pretty disappointed after the triumph of using it the day previously. Lesson has been learnt; don't always trust the food processor, and a bit of elbow grease is sometimes the best way to do things, even in 2013.

You can choose the food processor option as your own risk - it took a lot of shaking (the blender, I mean. Despite my fury, I was not physically shaking) and forking to get the batter looking a little less... bean-y. I blended everything at once (except the dark chocolate chips - another error of my ways, probably.



Pre-heat your oven to gas mark 6 (erm, 375C?) line your baking tray, grease with oil and chop up your dark chocolate into random sized chunks. The consistency of your batter should be stodgy-dodgy enough to roll into balls (I managed to get 16 out of the mixture) and place on your baking tray with no risk of sloppy-ness. Chuck in your chocolate chunks with fairness to each and every cookie, and place into the oven for 15 minutes - though mine were in a little longer as they were too soft for my liking. Even so, they crisp up considerably once left to cool.



And there we have it; a batch of happy, gooey, healthy chocolate chip cookies, perfect as a supper treat with a cup of milky tea or a glass of delicious almond milk. Me and baking have a love-hate relationship at the moment - it's all a bit new and exciting and weird, to be honest, not to mention a rather 'trial and error'..especially when I decide to change 80% of the original recipe's ingredient list. All in a day's work. Do you have any recommended baking recipes, or even any tips or trick of the trade to share?

Chocolate Cake with a Twist (Secret Ingredient!)

In my eyes (and stomach), there's nothing better than discovering 'secret' key ingredients that can be substituted in for all the bad stuff in classic baking recipes. And, on this occasion, I'm talking about the classic chocolate cake, no less. Guys and girls, take note - I can guarantee you'll be wanting a taste of this good stuff by the end of my chit-chat (not by my skills in the power of written persuasion, either - solely by the mere irresistibility of this cake. Trust me).

The secret power ingredient of this cake is the simple black bean. Well, many simple black beans - 240 grams, to be exact. Now, don't be put-off! The beauty of the black bean is down to their rather bland taste (no offence, black beans. We know you're out to cause no harm) - and yet, they're packed full with fibre and protein, all the while being fairly low-cal and nutrient-dense.



Who'd have thought it, eh? At last, we're appreciating beans in their original, sauceless form (Heinz, begone with you). And, before I get too carried away, the credit for this recipe goes out to Josephine of A Tasty Love Story. This is a brilliant blog with an array of similarly delicious recipes to try out - all masterfully photographed, too - definitely one worth adding to the reading list!

So, without further ado, along with the beans (I repeat: 240 grams, cooked beans - the italics are just there to clarify for those worst at baking than myself, not to seem massively patronising or anything), this recipe calls for:

3 medium/large eggs,
3 heaped tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder,
1 tablespoon instant coffee (optional, but a good one - especially for the coffee-fanatics among us),
the teeny beans of half a vanilla pod,
1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT to be confused with baking powder! A difference partially understood after a lot of confusion and a phone call to Mum being made),
the juice and zest of 1/2 orange (or 1 clementine, in my case),
a pinch of salt,
100g demerara sugar (I guess you could say this is the 'worst' ingredient in the recipe. If you dare, you could sub it for agave nectar, honey, or any other kind of natural sweetener you can think of. However, in my opinion, I think this cake calls for the sugar, plain and simple. It's not an awful lot if you divide it by portion size, either).
PLUS! Not forgetting 30 grams of dark 90% Lindt chocolate (my preference).

Another new discovery as a result of this recipe was the use of the blender in place of the (practically ancient, now I come to think about it) technique of hard-graft and a wooden spoon. It saved me a whole lot of hassle, needless to say. The hardest part of the making of this was in fact, the beans - which required tender loving care and attention in the form of 12+ hours of soaking, bath time (overnight), a good rinse over, then 10 minutes boiling time, followed by a whopping 40 minutes on the simmer! Divas or what?

Whiz (or whaz, in the words of Jamie Oliver. A phrase that, might I add, does tend to grate on me somewhat) up the eggs, cacao powder, beans, baking soda, coffee, vanilla beans, orange zest and juice, salt and sugar - and you're so almost there.

Pre-heat your oven to gas mark 4 (175C? I hate looking up conversion rates. Seriously. You'll have to double-check me if you're really worried) and line a loaf tin with greased parchment paper. I used coconut oil to grease mine as I'm super cool and healthy and the like (I seem to be getting more sarcastic as I go, here. For that I'm really sorry. These are not my true colours. I'm just tired).

Nearly there. Chop up your dark chocolate however you like. I went for a scraping approach that called for a fair few spectators, and a very furrowed brow - the latter mainly down to pure concentration, because I tend to hover on the cautious side of events wherever knives are involved. You wouldn't blame me if you knew how clumsy I can be (my boyfriend can concur with that one).

Pour your lovely chocolatey liquid blend into the lined tin and sprinkle your dark chocolate on top. If you like, you can poke the chocolate into the mixture a bit, but I left it as it was on the top. Delicious. Cook for 35 minutes, and leave to cool. This makes a smashing Saturday night pudding combined with a dollop of greek yoghurt and blueberries - yum. It was still slightly warm when we had it, but as the original recipe goes, it tastes just as good (if not better - time will tell) eaten straight from the fridge.



Moral of the story? One: don't judge beans unfairly. And two: this cake will make your life approximately 23% more complete. Which is a fairly worthy percentage increase, wouldn't you agree? PS. When divided into ten slices, each slice is 100 calories - and seriously low-fat.

Seriously, though - please let me know your opinions if (or should I say when?) you try this. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Alternatively, has anyone any other 'secret' baking ingredients worthy of hollering about?

Snacking for Nourishment

Hello! I hope you've all triumphed your way through the least favourite day of the week - at least for all those Monday-Friday workers, anyway. What helped get you through the day? Did it come in the form of something edible, by any chance? ;)

Today I wanted to discuss snacking. Something which, by society's standards, is considered a bit of a NO-NO in a world obsessed with weight-loss yet riddled with rising levels of obesity (yep, it's a crazy, messed up world we live in!). But, in the eyes of every athlete, snacking is an absolute YES-YES, and for good reason, too!

Snacking during the day (I'm talking something small every hour or two, not every 10 minutes guys - soz) is the sure-fire way of keeping your metabolism and energy levels up, and your blood sugar levels stable. Otherwise, chances are your body will crash into a slump that will inevitably lead to bad diet choices being made, because you're not giving it the energy it needs to keep running throughout the day! Snacking = energy, not unwanted calories. And more so than when you should snack is the key issue of what you should snack on - afterall, it's this that will determine how often your body will send those signals requesting a refuel, and it's up to you what to feed it with.

My snacks of late are predominantly fruit-based, mainly because they are ultimately the easiest, non-fuss option available, plus they offer me an all-natural sugar buzz, and taste great. Snacking pre- and post- workout is also super important - re-energising the body after training results in maintained/growth in muscle mass and strength, and you should be reaching for something that offers a good mix of lean protein and carbs. This evening, this came in the form of apple slices with peanut butter dip and some grapes on the side. Heaven.

Besides pre/post workout snacks, I've listed some other suggestions to keep your body afloat between your main meals, most of which I've tried and tested, and many which I tend to go for when my body's craving some kind of nourishment.

100g no-fat cottage cheese with plain greek yoghurt (choose the lowest sugar option available - many yoghurts contain a heap of sugar and/or sweeteners, despite claiming they are diet/low-fat on the packaging)
A handful of blueberries with a drizzle of honey
A small one-egg omelette loaded with leftover vegetables
One-egg banana pancakes (see previous post!)
A glass of almond milk (again, look out for the low sugar version - many are very high in sugar. This might require a scan of the nutritional labels, a habit that is a keeper for avoiding the supermarket snack-attacks)
Kale or carrot crisps (or any other vegetable you want to transform through the efforts of fine slicing and oven-baking - plus a smidgen of oil)
A couple of dates or dried apricots (I love dates at the moment. However, like most dried fruit, they are high in calories, so it's best to limit your intake somewhat)
GRAPES. A winner/many winners every time...
A small square or two of 90% cacao chocolate (I'm guilty/not even guilty at all for this little snack today), AND/OR hot cacao made with boiling water and almond milk if you require an additional chocoholic treat
A small handful of nuts
Any kind of homemade juice/smoothie that incorporates fruit, vegetables and a smidgen of almond milk/natural sweeteners, i.e. honey or lemon juice.

There are so, so many more snacks you could choose apart from those I've listed - all of which absolutely do not involve anything processed or refined - the latter merely being choices we make through dietary habits, and that can easily be changed through a couple of weeks of clean eating. Trust me - I used to be all for the crisps and cereal bar approach, as I was brainwashed by the marketing of such products. One example being the Special K cereal bars that are under 90 calories - they might well be low calorie, but they contain around 15g of sugar and offer no nutritional benefits whatsoever. It's a similar idea with crisps - a pack of Quavers (a fellow old prerequisite) is less than 90 calories, yet they are practically the snacking equivalent to air when it comes down to it!

Needless to say that I've learnt my lesson, good n' proper. A round up: it's a double thumbs up for snacks that offer your body the nutrients and goodness that it deserves for getting through the day (particular Monday), and a massive thumbs down to preemptive food marketing. We don't need your "snacks" anymore, thank you very much (so long, suckers!).