Millionaire’s Protein Shortbread

The other day I had such a hankering for Millionaire’s Shortbread. I wanted the salty “buttery” base, the gooey, almost-too-sweet caramel middle and the rich, dark chocolate which snaps when you take a bite. This more nourishing take on the traditional biscuit was born. It is higher in fiber and protein, so I hope you will find it to be a more satisfying treat that energises you rather than gives you the jitters. I have been enjoying one each day since.

I used jumbo, rolled oats to make the base rather than plain flour, as they are higher in fiber and nutrients, combined with raw virgin coconut oil and Raw Sport plantbased protein powder. This was for taste as much as to give these treats a more balanced macro and micro nutrient profile. The caramel layer is simply dates, but all the more satisfying (try it on it’s own before you spread it on your base and then tell me you don’t want to bathe in it.) You can choose to use your favourite chocolate bar or make your own for the last step. I do reccomend a dark chocolate to compliment the other layers. It’s higher in goodness too!

 

Ingredients:

For the base:

• 150g oat flour (Oats can be processed into flour in a blender. Use gluten free if preferred.)
• 50g plantbased protein (I used and reccomend Raw Sport in Salted Caramel flavour, but vanilla would work too. Other proteins may require different ratios of dry to liquid ingredients and the taste may be different!)
• A good pinch of sea salt or himilayan salt
• 60g coconut oil, melted

For the date caramel:

• 150g dates, soaked for an hour in boiled water

For the chocolate on top:

Either:

• 60g dark chocolate
• 20g coconut oil
• 20g plantbased protein (Again, I used and reccomend Raw Sport in Salted Caramel or vanilla flavour.)

Or:

• 20g cacao powder
• 20g coconut oil
• 20g cacao butter
• 20g liquid sweetener of choice (I used maple syrup)
• 20g plantbased protein

Method:

Layer 1:

Add oat flour to a food processor with the protein powder and melted coconut oil. Process until well combined. It will be dry, but if you pinch the mixture between your index finger and thumb it should just about hold together. Add an extra tablespoon of melted coconut oil if necessary.

Press the mixture down firmly into the bottom of a lined, square container (approximately 8×8) using the back of a spoon. Put this into the freezer.

Layer 2:

Drain your soaked dates, saving the water. Put them into your food processor and blend them until you achieve the smoothest paste that your appliance is capable of. Add just enough of the soaking water as necessary to make a smooth paste.

Spread the date paste evenly on top of your shortbread base and pop it back in the freezer while you make the last layer.

Layer 3:

Gently melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil OR the coconut oil, cacao butter and liquid sweetener together. Once melted, add the powdered ingredient(s) and mix well.

Pour the molten chocolate on top of your date caramel layer and tilt the tray/spread it until it covers the top evenly. Return to the fridge or freezer until just set and cut into squares. Enjoy!

No Churn Coffee Raw Icecream

I know, I know. I’m a little late on the icecream bandwagon, as that heat wave has subsided and the temperature is dropping. I see my mint choc chip though and I raise it. I think this is even better, but I do love coffee.

Soaking the dates and coffee is partly to be kind to less powerful blenders and digestive systems, but it also activates the cashews and opens up their little nutrient powerhouse doors – making them even better for us. Containing only 4 dates, this icecream is very low in sugar. It makes about 4 substantial scoops. It sets a little differently to commercially produced dairy icecream, so allow a little extra time for it to soften.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
• 4 large medjool dates soaked overnight in…
• 1 cup of brewed coffee
• 1 scoop vanilla plantbased protein powder (can be left out and replaced with a splash of vanilla extract)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• Pinch Himalayan salt
• 1/2 a bar of Mr Popple’s raw chocolate (69 or 88%)

Method:

1. The night before (or a minimum of 6 hours prior to making) soak your cashews in water. Brew a cup of coffee (I’m a filter fan, but instant, espresso based, it’s all good!), pit your dates and soak them in the coffee in the fridge.
2. 6+ hours later, add soaked, rinsed and drained cashews to your blender with the dates and coffee they were soaked in, coconut oil and salt. Process until smooth.
3. Add in protein powder if using and add more liquid if necessary. I used Sunwarrior.
4. Chop your chocolate into little pieces and stir it through.
5. Decant into a Tupperware and freeze – it should be ready in 3-4 hours!

No-churn Raw Mint Choc Chip Icecream

We are well into the British summer holidays and the other day it occurred to me that I had gone the whole thing without icecream. A dear friend of mine used to say “you’re not on holiday until you’ve had an icecream” and it has stuck with me. (If you’re reading this Alan, I hope you’re wonderful xx) By that logic, I’ve not been on holiday this whole time.

As a kid, I would always choose mint choc chip. I still consumed dairy then. I had no idea that we exploited the female reproductive system of a cow and took away the milk that she produced to nurture her babies in order to make it. It doesn’t matter how good it tasted or how easy it was to access – the whole thing was barbaric.

This version, however, is not barbaric. No siree! It will do you more good than harm too, I think. The base is creamy, soaked cashews and ripe avocado (which also gives it a convenient green hue!) Sweetened and made rich with medjool dates (which can be replaced with another liquid sweetener if you prefer a lighter sweetness.) The real star here though is the chunks of Mr Popple’s Uplifting Mint & Lime Bar throughout.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
• 1 ripe avocado
• 5 large medjool dates soaked in 1/2 cup of your favourite plantbased milk overnight (I recommend coconut!)
• 1/2 teaspoon spirulina (for colour – can be omitted)
• 1 scoop vanilla plantbased protein powder (can be left out and replaced with a splash of vanilla extract)
• 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1/2 a bar of Mr Popple’s Uplifting Mint & Lime raw chocolate
• Juice of half a lime

Method:

1. Add soaked, rinsed and drained cashews to your blender with the soaked dates and their soaking liquid, the avocado (skin removed and pitted), the lime juice, salt and spirulina (if using). Process until smooth.
2. Add in protein powder if using and add more liquid if necessary. I used Sunwarrior.
3. Chop your chocolate into little pieces and stir it through.
4. Decant into a Tupperware and freeze – stirring every hour if you are able to, but I didn’t and it turned out just dandy!

It takes slightly longer to become soft enough to scoop than regular icecream, but it is worth the wait. Hope you enjoy!

Banana Bread Protein Muffins

I consider banana bread to be one of the ultimate comfort foods. Who’s with me? 🙂 These protein-packed morsels taste buttery and banana-ry, sweet and salty, yet are completely free from animal products, refined sugar and gluten.

I came up with these at the weekend when I had a virus which briefly took me out of action. The school holidays had landed, so I was finally off from work after what had felt like a long term. I was gutted that I wasn’t able to run and play. I decided that the minute I felt able to, I was going to get up and address the bunch of exceedingly ripe and fragrant bananas in the kitchen. Baking makes everything better, even if you are as bad at baking as me.

When I have baked solely with buckwheat flour in the past, I have not been enamored by the texture of the outcome. I find it a little rubbery and bland. This was my first time baking with chickpea flour and I used half and half to achieve the satiating density which I like in a bake. The flavour was great too! The small amount of rise is from a teaspoon of baking powder. I also used half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda – partly for the flavour!

Ingredients:

• 5 ripe bananas (those brown spotty ones are perfect) – approximately 450g
• 70g chickpea flour
• 90g buckwheat flour (I used Rude Health)
• 30g plantbased protein powder (I used Body Me unflavoured. Unflavoured or vanilla would work best here)
• 2 teaspoons turmeric and a pinch of black pepper for absorption (I used Lucy Bee)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon (I used Lucy Bee)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (I used Lucy Bee)
• 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses (I used Meridian fairtrade)
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon unrefined salt
• Optional – but awesome – 30g of your favourite unflavoured chocolate bar, chopped. I used Mr Popple’s 88%.

Method:

1. Peel and mash your bananas in a bowl.
2. Stir in the coconut oil (soften if necessary) and the molasses.
3.  In a separate bowl mix together all other remaining dry ingredients.
4. Combine the wet and dry mixes to make your batter and then stir in the chocolate chips/chunks (if using). Divide between 12 cases.
5. I baked mine for 20 minutes at 140° in a fan assisted oven. This would be approximately 160°C in a conventional oven, or gas mark 3.
6. Allow them to cool before you enjoy. They can be frozen too!

Red Velvet Porridge

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When we think of Red Velvet, we typically think of something a little on the naughty side. We certainly don’t think of breakfast. Rather than refined flour, this “Red Velvet” has a base of oats, which are rich in magnesium and beta-glucans (soluble fiber which slows the rate of carbohydrate absorption into the blood stream). The colour comes from beetroot and the rich chocolate flavour from straight-up cacao powder, both of which are packed with nitrates, antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals. Rather than sugar, this recipe calls on the caramel-sweetness of a single medjool date and the stevia in most protein powders. Rather than buttery icing, it is topped with yogurt and a little grated chocolate. There is something very satisfying about sneaking veggies into one’s first meal of the day, especially when it’s named after a cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 small-medium beetroot
• 1/2 cup/approx 60g oats (I used Rude Health sprouted oats)
• 1 medjool date
• 1 cup water or plantbased milk for cooking the oats and 1/4 cup plantbased milk for blending
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder (The Raw Chocolate Company‘s is my favourite)
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used Protein Works Vegan Chocolate Silk)
• Non-dairy yogurt (I like coconut)
• Grated chocolate or extra cacao powder for topping (I used Mr Popple’s 88% Strong)

Method:

1. Wash, peel and chop the beetroot into cubes and put it on to steam. Once tender, process until smooth with 1/4 cup of plantbased milk and the medjool date. Set aside.
2. Put the oats in a small saucepan with 1 cup liquid of choice and gently cook until creamy, or according to the packet instructions. Soaking the oats in the liquid overnight drastically reduces the cooking time and makes for an even creamier porridge!
3.  Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut oil and beetroot puree. Add the cacao powder and protein powder and mix.
4. Decant into a bowl and top with your yogurt “frosting” of choice and grated chocolate or cacao.

You can try Mr Popple’s raw chocolate bars with 10% off if you enter mykitchari10 at checkout.

Dessert Hummus

I have been making sweet hummus since I transitioned to a vegan diet as a surefire way to “get my protein” and satisfy hunger. I would originally make it without the addition of protein powders and they aren’t necessary here, but add flavour, sweetness and can make it a complete protein meal. The beans are protein-packed and though they lack certain amino acids, our bodies are extremely clever machines and collect these from the other foods we eat throughout the day to make complete proteins. It’s different for everybody, but most research suggests we only need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If we exercise, this might increase along with our need for other macronutrients, vitamins, minerals and additional calories overall, but it’s much less than you may think. This as a meal, with or without protein powder, will get you well on your way there.

Sweet hummus seems to have finally received the attention it deserves in the vegan blogging and fitness communities, so this may or may not be new to you. If it is new, let me assure you that this is garlic free and doesn’t taste like the spread which goes so well with falafel and carrot sticks (though I have eaten it with the latter…) It makes a great dip for crunchy fruit or neutral crackers and biscuits, a healthy dessert and even a quick, but decadent and satiating, brekkie.

Ingredients:

• 1 can/carton beans of choice, or just over a cup of home-cooked (chickpeas are traditional, but I like adzuki, black bean or cannelini beans best here!)
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 2 teaspoons cacao powder
• 1 very ripe banana
• Pinch unrefined salt
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1-2 medjool dates (dependant on how sweet you like it)
• Optional extras: peanut butter (for topping or blending in), cacao nibs, toasted nuts and your favourite chocolate bar – I used Mr Popple’s 80%!

Method:

1. Rinse and drain beans if canned/cartoned.
2. Put the beans, banana, coconut oil, salt and dates into the blender with enough plantbased milk to make a smooth “batter”.
3. Process in the protein powder and cacao.
4. Decant into a bowl and top with your choice of crunchy, yummy things. Enjoy!

You can try Mr Popple’s raw chocolate bars with 10% off if you enter mykitchari10 at checkout.

Flower Power Protein Cups

These floral, coconutty twists on shop-bought protein bars came about when I needed to quickly put some snacks together for a busy week. I had bought and neglected a bag of coconut flour, so I fished it out from the back of the cupboard and set to work with it as the base.

Mr Popple’s Flower Power chocolate, which coats the top of these, is rose oil infused and tastes a little like Turkish delight. These cups are very low in sugar and sweetened only with a small handful of dried cherries, the stevia in the protein powder and the low GI yacon syrup in the chocolate. They are loaded with protein, healthy fats and fibre, making them a satiating snack which won’t give you a glucose jolt. Best with a cup of tea or coffee and a cheeky way to ensure you “get your protein” (and chocolate!) when you’re on the go!

You can try Mr Popple’s raw chocolate bars with 10% off if you enter mykitchari10 at checkout.

Ingredients:

• 60g coconut flour
• 2 scoops (50g) The Protein Works Vanilla Creme Vegan Protein
• 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk (140ml)
• Pinch unrefined salt
• 20g coconut butter
• 2 tablespoons tahini (approximately 30g)
• 26g dried cherries
• Approximately 35g Mr Popple’s Flower Power chocolate

Method:

1. Mix together dry ingredients (coconut flour, protein powder, salt and cherries.)
2. Melt together coconut butter and tahini and gradually add non-dairy milk.
3. Pour wet mixture over dry and knead together using your hands. It will stick together. Divide and press mixture evenly into 5 cups of a non-stick muffin tray.
4. Melt chocolate gently in a bowl over a pan of boiled water. Spoon evenly over the 5 filled cups, spreading with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle coconut over the top while still wet for garnish.
5. Refrigerate until set and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. Can be stored in a sealed container in the freezer for 1 month.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cashew Cream

I hope you are not too sick and tired of all things pumpkin just yet!

Have you ever heard of a kabocha squash? It is a Japanese pumpkin that is sweeter than butternut squash and more like a sweet potato. It has a starchy, chestnutty texture and I consider it to be one of the ultimate comfort foods. They can be difficult to find, but are well worth trying to! If you can’t get hold of a kabocha, I recommend substituting it for sweet potato rather than another variety of pumpkin. “Potatoes and pumpkins in pancakes?!” I hear you say. Trust me on this one.

This recipe produces an outcome which is less like a traditional pancake, but still delicious. I don’t even know where to start on their nutritional content! Pumpkins and sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins, especially beta-carotene, which our clever bodies convert to Vitamin A. Vitamin A is awesome for the health of our immune system, our eyes and our skin. Flaxseed is a vegetarian source of omega-3, raisins are potassium and iron powerhouses, buckwheat promotes healthy blood sugar levels, cashews are choc-full of vitamins and minerals. Even the pumpkin spice does wonderful things for us!

You can try Mr Popple’s raw chocolate bars with 10% off if you enter mykitchari10 at checkout.

Ingredients:

Pancakes

• 100g roasted kabocha or sweet potato
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• Small handful raisins (I used one of those little boxes for lunch bags)
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• Pinch unrefined salt
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour (45g)
• 1/2 scoop (approx 12g) vanilla protein powder
• 250ml plantbased milk
• A little coconut oil for frying
• Optional extras: 1 teaspoon maca, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric.

Cream

• 1/4 cup cashews soaked in water overnight
• Pinch unrefined salt
• 1/4 cup (60ml) non-dairy milk of choice
• Optional extras: Good pinch lemon zest, a dash of maple syrup.

Method:

1. Rinse and drain the soaked cashews and blend them with the non-dairy milk, salt and optional extras until smooth. Decant into a small vessel and put to one side.
2. No need to wash the blender. Put the baked kabocha or sweet potato, flaxseed, salt and your milk of choice in and blend until smooth.
3.  In a separate bowl mix together protein, buckwheat flour, pumpkin spice, raisins and optional baking powder and other powders. Baking powder will make the pancakes fluffier and more like traditional pancakes, but isn’t necessary if you would rather omit it.
4. Combine the wet and dry mixes. You will have a thick batter.
5. Put a non-stick pan on a low heat with a little coconut oil. I used a specific pancake pan, which is the size of the pancakes in the photo. Spoon on a good dollop of mixture and flatten with the back of the spoon. Cook until little bubbles start to appear on the top and the edges set. A smaller pancake will cook more quickly. Flip and cook for the same time on the other side and repeat until the mixture is gone.
6. Stack and smother with cashew cream, berries and raw chocolate (I used Mr Popple’s Super Roots!). Maple syrup too if that’s how you like ’em!

Lemon and Spirulina Overnight Oats

If you want to get your spirulina in, but you’re not such a fan of its deep-sea taste, then I welcome you to give this one a go and I hope that you enjoy it too. There is also the added bonus of a bright green brekkie that is perfect for Halloween!

I have usually got a bag of spirulina or chlorella powder on the go. Spirulina is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially the B vitamins, iron and manganese, and there is research into its potential to help the immune system to fight infection and disease. Though I have come to almost enjoy the taste, I distinctly remember a time when I found it unpalatable. It can overwhelm anything it is added it to, but zesty lemon and cool, rich coconut work their magic!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Protein Works Vegan Vanilla Creme)
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon spirulina powder
• Zest of 1 small, unwaxed lemon
• 1/2 cup your favourite non-dairy milk – I think the richer and sweeter ones work best. Please note that more or less milk may be needed dependent on the protein powder you use.
• 1/4 cup canned coconut milk (rich coconut yogurt or 20g coconut butter also work a treat)
• Optional preferred sweetener to taste

Method:

1. Mix together oats and chia seeds in your breakfast bowl or jar.
2. Zest the lemon and blend it up with the non-dairy milk, canned coconut milk, spirulina and protein powder.
3. Pour the blended mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well. Set aside for a few minutes and stir again. I recommend licking the spoon to decide whether it needs a spoonful of maple syrup or your preferred sweetener of choice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4.  In the morning, give it a stir and add your favourite toppings. I like raspberries, coconut flakes, raw chocolate and tahini.

Sprouted Buckwheat Cream with Poached Pears

I live in a village and walk or cycle to the next one along to access the gym. Over the last couple of months, I have regularly spotted boxes of apples left outside for passers by to help themselves to on my journey. The best apples I remember ever having had were bagged up on a small table with a tupperware and a sign saying 50p just a fortnight ago. Organic, most delicious and full of character – it has been a real treat! I have too seen pears, but I am lucky enough to have access to a beautiful pear tree which lives in my parents’ garden. Pear season is mostly over now, but there were a few hanging on which I collected on my last visit. A little past their best, but perfect for poaching, and so this recipe was born.

It takes a little forward planning, but comes together fairly quickly as a result.

Ingredients:

• 75g raw buckwheat groats (sprouted or soaked overnight and rinsed thoroughly)
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Protein Works Vegan Vanilla Creme)
• 1 date soaked overnight in 1/2 cup water (if you have a weak blender, like I do!)
• 10g coconut butter
• 1 pear, peeled and cut into quarters
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice (I make a big batch of this recipe as soon as Autumn arrives!)
• Optional: toasted walnuts, coconut flakes and cacao nibs.
• Also optional: preferred sweetener of choice to taste.

Method:

1. Before it comes to making the porridge: sprout or soak your buckwheat groats. To sproat, soak the groats in water for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight. Rinse thoroughly, drain and transfer them to a sprouting device (I have a sprouting jar, but have also used a glass vessel covered with mesh or perforated foil when this is already in use and it works a treat!) Repeat the rinsing and draining process every morning and evening and they should be good to go in about 48 hours – as soon as they have a very little tail. (In fact, the groats in the photograph above were much more mature than I like them. A smaller tail tends to make for a sweeter buckwheat sprout!) Alternatively, I have also made buckwheat porridge without sprouting the groats. Just soak them overnight and rinse them thoroughly the following day.
2. Blend the date, its soaking water and the spices together. This is your poaching liquid. For a sweeter outcome, add more dates or your preferred sweetener of choice.
3. Place your pear quarters into a shallow pan and pour the poaching liquid over them. Gently simmer until the pear is soft. The poaching liquid will thicken ever so slightly to become an aromatic “syrup”.
4.  Place your rinsed buckwheat groats into your blender with the coconut butter and vanilla protein. Add enough of the liquid remaining from poaching the pears to allow these ingredients to blend and make a smooth cream.
5. Transfer the buckwheat cream to a bowl with the poached pear and any remaining syrup. Top with toasted walnuts, coconut flakes and nibs, or anything else you desire. 🙂