Team, Author at The Healthy Patch

August Edible Planting Guide – Australia Wide

August 2, 2018

Our Top 5 Organic Cafes & Restaurants in Melbourne – 2018 UPDATE

August 1, 2018

Eating out at the latest swish place in town & ordering a bottle of their finest (so they could pour it into a pretty looking decanter of course!) used to top our list when it came to – well – living really.

“Let’s order a double serving of that extra cheesy garlic bread”… “Omg that creamy mushroom gnocchi, thats the one!”… “Let’s share that extra rich chocolatey tart for desert – actually let’s have one each!”

…So suffice to say – when we made the switch to a diet of Organic Wholefoods, things became a bit tricky.

In fact (as you may have guessed) – we stopped going out all together.

And even though everyone thought we were nuts (Come on… you won’t even go out for a pizza!? You guys are so bloody fussy!)…

As we were ridding our bodies of anything conventional or processed, our need for sugar laden processed foods went down… & our urge for nutrient dense nourishment went up to an all time high.

Which actually made it pretty easy to give ol’ mate cheesy garlic bread a miss! 🙂

What we did miss though?

Getting dressed up… not having to do the cooking… & letting someone whip up a small masterpiece just for us.

Arghh – if only we could have the best of both worlds!

Well… After a few good years of asking many many questions to many many frustrated restauranteurs (Can you cater for organic/SF/DF/GF?… What kind of oil do you cook in?… Where do you get your produce from?… – yeah – we’re a little hardcore) – we now have a handful of restaurants & cafes in Melbourne that are serving up nothing but the best quality food.

Winner Winner (Organic) Chicken Dinner!

Now before we get started, I actually wrote a blog post many many moons ago about my top 5 organic eateries in Melbourne which i’ve found some other websites have shared… So if you find that one on the googs, disregard it! Why? It pains me to say that some of them aren’t organic anymore!

In fact – I was horrified to learn that one of them had even started serving GMO Soy (Seriously?? Insane.)

Which is what’s fuelled me to write this blog post last year (2017)… Because even though some restaurants have a healthy vibe… it doesn’t necessarily mean they are using quality ingredients.

But unfortunately since writing this blog post last year… we’ve lost even more of our eateries to the big bad world of conventional produce & rancid seed oils. Hence, it was time for another update!

So back to our Winner Winner (Organic) Chicken Dinner – here are our updated 2018 top picks for Organic, nourishing & oh so delicious restaurants & cafes in & around Melbourne.

#1. O.MY

(Degustation only – You’ll wanna dress up for this one!)

O.MY is hands down our favourite restaurant. Ever.

And i’m happy to report O.MY has held the number 1 status since I started writing these!

We go there every year for our birthdays or any time we have something big to celebrate.

O.MY is owned by 2 (super cool) brothers & ALL of their produce is grown on their OWN farm – organically!

The majority of their dishes are slow cooked (one of the healthiest cooking methods) & the attention to detail, styling & love that goes into every dish they serve is like no other.

They aren’t predominately GF, SF or DF – However they EASILY cater for this & don’t make you feel like a weirdo for asking!

They are Degustation only (meaning they create a series of INCREDIBLE dishes for you, without you looking at a menu) & they have an incredible selection of organic & biodynamic wines if you fancy a glass.

They also offer some awesome ‘non alcoholic’ beverages like their housemade kombucha.

O.MY is located in Beaconsfield VIC so it’s a fair whack out of the city (about 40 minutes from the CBD) but in my opinion – It’s completely worth the drive!

Word of advice though – book far in advance – they book out in the blink of an eye.

http://www.omyrestaurant.com.au/

#2. Walk Don’t Run

(SUPER CUTE with a killer brekky menu)

This is our favourite cafe located about 10 minutes out from the city in Armadale.

Whilst you do have the choice to order gluten breads like sourdough or rye, their main bread is the most delicious gluten free loaf I reckon I’ve ever tasted… it’s called ‘life loaf’ – isn’t that an awesome name!

The best bit though, is that they only use super quality 100% organic produce & their dishes taste incredible! Our go-to is the slow braised beef brisket benedict – if you’re paleo you’re going to love this one – it’s incredible!

Walk don’t run is super tiny (but super cute!!) & you have the option to sit indoors or outdoors. You can also go with a group of people (we have all our birthday lunches here with about 6-8 people) but ring in advance to book the ‘big window table’. The staff in their are super lovely & accomodating… and really… we just LOVEEE it here!

http://walkdontrun.com.au/

#3. Raw Trader

(Best organic & raw dessert bar…ever!)

Raw trader… this might just be our favourite little hangout that we visit about once a week… yeah we’re addicted!

Raw Trader have an INCREDIBLE range of delectable little cakes, donuts & other sweet treats waiting for you to devour behind their cute little counter (think white chocolate & raspberry cheesecake… smores cake… rocky road cheesecake…salted caramel donuts.. & the list goes on & on!).

And here’s where it get’s good… They’re all organic, gluten free, dairy free & refined sugar free!!!! Well obviously I wouldn’t be listing them here if they weren’t… but it’s still very exciting! Another thing I love about these guys is they don’t use peanuts (they have a ‘peanot’ butter cup :p) – remember, peanuts aren’t nuts! They’re lectin containing legumes!

You can also order special event/birthday cakes from them if you have something spesh coming up. In fact here’s the unicorn cake Anth ordered for my birthday this year… IT WAS INCREDIBLE!

At the moment they have 2 locations – the city store where you can actually eat in (there a handful of tables at the back… & if you’re going to sit in, get a tea because they serve them in really cute teapots!!) OR Chadstone, which is located downstairs near their new swanky food court. We ALWAYS go to the Chadstone location because it’s closer to home, we love a good shop + they seem to have more of a selection at Chaddy.

https://www.rawtrader.com.au/

#4. Combi

(Super casual & chill)

Combi – The first organic place we ever ate at!

It’s super duper chill & reminds us of a cute little decked out ‘surfy’ bar that could seriously be situated in the middle of an island somewhere. Except they’re in Elwood!

You won’t find any super fancy hot breakfasts here – but if you’re a lover of vibrant smoothie bowls, insanely delicious superfood smoothies or avo & pink salt on fermented sprouted gf bread – then Combi is your place!

Although Combi is predominately meat free – they do offer a beautiful toastie with slow smoked cured ham.

Word to the wise – If you get there on a Saturday, expect to be waiting for a table. These guys are only little & the line is usually huge!

http://wearecombi.com.au/

#5 Shoku Iku

(Superfoods at a whole other level!)

Shoku Iku (which means “food education” in Japanese) is a gorgeous little place on high street in Northcote boasting sustainable, natural & modern decor (hey – looks are important too, right?!)

Shoku Iku specialise in raw vegan food so if you’re after a big juicy organic steak or a bacon & egg style brekky – this is probably not your place… but if you’re into your superfoods – prepare to be amazed. These guys take it to a whole other level.

Although they don’t have a wide range of food to choose from, their smoothie & tea menu is quite unreal.

From gynostemma (adtaptogen), hercampuri (detoxification) & pau d’arco (anti fungal) teas to astragalus (anti-aging), reishi (immunity) & phytoplankton (cell regeneration) smoothies – There’s definitely no shortfall when it comes to their incredible & powerful elixers!

P.S If you do go here, make sure you also visit Terra Madre a few shops down on the other side of the road – this is by far THE BEST organic health food store in the world… not even a health food store… it’s an organic supermarket – trust me, you’ll be amazed!

http://shokuikuaustralia.com/

…And thats a wrap.

As more come in (which I hope they will), I will continue to update this post.

But for now – Get your clothes on, grab the keys & head on out to one of these 5 awesome little places – a little masterpiece is waiting to be made just for you! (I didn’t assume you were naked by the way… that would be a bit weird wouldn’t it?)

Enjoy!

Crystal x

Best Ever Paleo Lemon Bars

July 20, 2018

Alright – hands down these bars are now our favourite thing in the world :p

In fact I’m eating one as I write this. They’re addictive!

Lemon bars were always one of our favourites growing up so I’ve wanted to recreate a paleo lemon bar for a while now… & straight of the bat these babies were incredible!

I made a few tweaks to get the strength of the lemon just right, but all in all these bars are one of the easiest & most delicious things I reckon we’ve made! Better yet… the ingredients in these bars are awesome for your gut & overall energy!!

Let’s talk about the main ingredients.

Lemons – Lemons help with digestion which allows you to better absorb the nutrients from your food. They help promote healthy immune system function, reduce inflammation & improve iron absorption.

Coconut – Coconut is loaded with nourishing, healthy fats that help keep you satiated & can be used as energy by the body quicker than other types of fat. It can also help to boost metabolism, immune function & contains antibacterial properties that help to fight off viral infections.

Collagen – Collagen is the most prominent protein in the body, but once we hit 25 we start to produce less & less of it. Consuming collagen regularly can help improve skin, hair & nail health, strengthen joints, bones & connective tissue & it also help with leaky gut/keep your gut healthy!

Now these bars are SOOO simple, but here are some notes to make it even easier 🙂

NOTES:

When processing the ingredients for the base, as mentioned in the method below, it’s a good idea to process the coconut butter & coconut chips before you add in the rest of the ingredients. This is because coconut butter is quite hard & my incredibly old food processor seems to struggle to combine everything into a slightly smooth ball when I try to process everything at once. I’ve found processing these two ingredients first & then adding the rest of the ingredients to then process again makes sure there are no big chunks & everything gets processed evenly.
The base doesn’t need to be super smooth! As you can see in the photo below, I leave our base a little chunky & basically stop processing once the dough sticks together & turns into a ball. If you want the base super smooth then process for longer.
Hydrolysed collagen is optional so if you’re vegan/vegetarian you can leave it out. If you’re not though I highly highly highly recommend you use it… If you need a good reminder why just look at the health benefits above :p We purchase our collagen from iHerb – here’s the one we use

Okay – let’s get to the recipe!!

Ingredients

BASE:

1/3 cup lemon juice or juice from 1 large lemon/2 small lemons

1 1/2 cups loosely packed coconut butter

1 cup coconut chips

1 cup almond meal

1 tbsp lemon rind or rind of 1 lemon

2 tbsp raw honey

ICING:

1 cup loosely packed coconut butter

1/3 cup lemon juice or juice from 1 large lemon/2 small lemons

1 heaped tbsp raw honey

1/3 cup cashews

1/2 cup coconut milk

2-4 tbsp hydrolysed collagen

Method

BASE:

Place coconut butter & coconut chips in food processor & process until well combined.

Now add almond meal, lemon juice, lemon rind & honey & process until well combined & resembles a ball of dough. (See note above)

Line a square baking dish with parchment paper & press the base down into the dish evenly.

Freeze until firm.

ICING:

Place all ingredients for your icing into a high speed blender & blend until smooth.

Spoon out icing onto the base & smooth out with the back of your spoon or a baking spatula.

Freeze again until icing is firm & enjoy!

July Edible Planting Guide – Australia Wide

July 2, 2018

Our top 6 immune boosting wholefoods to get you feeling good this winter

July 1, 2018

Winter – my old nemesis!

As a kid, winter was always the time where the demazin syrup use was at an all mighty high, cold & flu tabs were at arms reach… & spluttering, sniffing & achey bones were just a given! As I moved into adulthood… winter became a total write off!

A lot of fun, right?

But here’s where it gets good!

Since switching over to an organic diet of mineral rich wholefoods – I think Anth & I have each been sick maybe once or twice in the last 4 years. (Thank you, thank you, thank you beautiful wholefoods!)

And although our diet is made up of only nourishing wholefoods – In the winter time – when our immune systems can be at their most vulnerable – we make sure to amp up on a few specific foods… as well as ease up on a few others.

What’s out?

Processed foods of any kind, sugar, gluten, & dairy.

Although we don’t eat any refined foods, gluten or dairy – for us this time of year – we like to keep our natural sugars very, very low… meaning only the occasional piece of raw chocolate or jelly slice.

Why? Because at the end of the day – sugar is still sugar – & sugar not only reduces your vitamin C intake – but it destroys your good gut flora & feeds the baddies in your gut.

And because 80% of your immune system is located in your gut (yep – 80%!!) – having crappy gut health – especially around winter time – is not something you want to promote!

What should you be amping up on?

Here’s our top 6 immune boosting foods that will help you feel your best this winter!

1. LEMON

Lemons aren’t only pumping with Vitamin C which strengthens your immune system, they also stimulate your digestion which is incredibly important to actually obtain all of that body-loving nutrition from your food.

When you get up in the morning – try to have 2 big glasses of warm or room temp water with 1 big squeezed lemon.

For extra brownie points, have a little apple cider vinegar with a dash of water before your meals (don’t have it straight – you’ll burn your throat!).

2. GARLIC

Garlic contains allicin, a phytonutrient which has incredible anti-microbial, anti-fungal & anti-viral properties. It can help to fight off infections & viruses that lead to colds, flus & all the other fun stuff winter brings with it.

To get the most benefits from your garlic, chop it or crush & let it sit for 5-10 minutes before cooking with it. This will increase the concentration of allicin & give you the most bang for your buck.

3. GINGER

Ginger has been used as an immune booster in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Ginger helps with digestion, gut health & is very effective at helping the body to fight off viruses as well as fungal infections.

You can learn more about the benefits of ginger as well as how to grow your own here!

4. TURMERIC

Turmeric not only increases insulin sensitivity, improves brain function & helps to prevent muscle degeneration – It also reduces inflammation & helps your immune system fight off bad bacteria.

Curcumin is the compound in Turmeric that is responsible for of these incredible benefits – but as powerful as it is, it’s not very bioavailable when taken on its own, meaning your body will have a hard time making the most if it as it is. Adding black pepper to your Turmeric significantly increases the bioavailability & therefore the effectiveness of Curcumin!

Want to grow your own Turmeric or find out more about the insanely amazing benefits? Check out this post!

5. NON STARCHY, FIBROUS VEG

Remember how 80% of your immune system is located in your gut?

Well non starchy veg like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi & brussels sprouts are packed with gut loving fibre promoting beautiful gut health & good digestion.

As an extra little bonus – these veggies are all rich in vitamin C too!

Want to read more about the benefits of these bad boy veggies? Check this post out!

6. We’ve left the best until last…. LEAFY GREENS

Leafy greens are packed with body loving vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, & enzymes that all play a big role in helping you to feel your best.

One of the best & most important nutrients they bring to the table is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps your body to build blood, transport oxygen more efficiently around the body & will help to keep your immune system fighting fit!

Need some green inspiration? Take your pick from kale, silverbeet, spinach, rocket, radicchio, bok choy, mustards, water cress, beet greens or turnip greens.

Our rule of thumb? Make sure half your plate is filled with leafy greens at every meal.

Another sneaky way to get more greens into you is by juicing.

One of our favourite juices for winter time (and an awesome way to incorporate more of these winter loving foods!) is 1 bunch of greens, 1 head of broccoli, 1 lemon, 1 knob of ginger, 1 knob of turmeric, 1 green apple & a pinch of black pepper. I haven’t added garlic to this juice as of yet but it’s on the cards – if you do it – let me know how it tastes! You can also try our detoxifying & immune boosting juice recipe here!

Crystal x

Paleo Spiced Apple, Carrot & Pecan Cake with Vanilla Cream

June 4, 2018

Winter is officially here! Which in our house means a whole lot of hot baths with epsom salts… herbal teas, warm broths & soups daily… a whole bunch of broccoli, leafy greens & carrots growing in the garden…. oh & some damn delicious + nourishing cake!

And our spiced Apple, Carrot & Pecan cake is one of our favourites in the cooler weather!

This cake tastes amazing but it’s at its most delicious when it’s still warm… + it’s loaded with a whole heap of nourishment!

Check out the main ingredients:

Carrots: Carrots are a great source of carotenoids, phenols & vitamins C. They help to reduce inflammation, improve immune system function & help protect the eyes from cataracts.

Apples: Apples are packed with phytonutrients, including quercetin, kaempferol & anthocyanins (if they’re red!) They’re an excellent source of fibre, especially pectin & help to promote a healthy gut, support your good gut bugs & may even help to fight colon cancer.

Pecans: Pecans are a great source of healthy fats as well as important nutrients like manganese, zinc & thiamine. They help reduce inflammation, assist in the detox process & boost brain health.

Alright so let’s go over a few notes:

1. When processing the wet ingredients in a food processor, if it’s still a little chunky from the carrot & apple, that’s fine! Just make sure everything is well combined

2. I prefer to leave the pecans as whole pecans (i.e I don’t chop them up).

3. Once you’ve blended up the ingredients for the cream, pour it into a shallow dish as this will help it set a wholeeee heap faster!! (Seriously – this has saved me hours!)

4. The vanilla cream makes this cake go from awesome to AWESOME so pleassssse make it… but just a heads up – it will start to melt a little when served on top of the warm cake (because it’s coconut!). It still tastes INCREDIBLE though!

5. One last note before we start… ENJOY THE CAKE! 🙂 🙂

INGREDIENTS

WET INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups of grated apple
1 ½ cups of grated carrot
¼ cup of coconut oil
4 eggs, separated + 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp raw honey

DRY INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp baking powder
2 cups almond meal
½ cup arrowroot
1 cup pecans (+ more for decoration if desired)
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg

VANILLA CREAM:

½ cup cashews
1 cup coconut cream
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat oven to 175C & line a loose base cake pan with baking paper or alternatively grease well with coconut oil.

Place egg whites & 1/2 tsp baking powder in an electric mixer with whisk attachment & whisk on high until firm peaks appear (you should be able to place the bowl upside down over your head without the egg whites moving!)

Whilst your egg whites are forming into peaks, it’s time to get everything else ready.

In a big bowl, combine all dry ingredients (pecans, almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder & spices).

Next, place wet ingredients (apple, carrot, coconut oil, egg yokes, raw honey) into a food processor & process until smooth. (As mentioned, if it’s still a little chunky from the carrot & apple, that is fine – just make sure everything is well combined!)

By now, your egg whites should be formed into peaks. This means it’s go time! (If you leave them too long they can start to seperate)

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, & then fold through the egg whites.

Be careful when folding the egg whites through the mixture because if you go too hard you can knock out the air.

Spoon out cake batter into prepared cake tin & bake for 55 minutes.

Now it’s time to get your cream ready!

VANILLA CREAM:

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender & blend until smooth.

Place into a shallow bowl/dish & refrigerate until set!

Once cake is ready, leave to cool for a little bit (this will also help the cake to firm up) & then serve with vanilla cream. Garnish with extra pecans if desired.

Put the kettle on, grab one of your favourite herbal teas & enjoy! xo

June Edible Planting Guide – Australia Wide

June 4, 2018

Raw Paleo Carrot Cake Bars

May 18, 2018

For super quick & easy nourishing treats, these guys are the bomb!

Sometimes you just don’t have time to get your baking hat on & create some kind of epic magical creation in the oven… I get it!! But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your nourishing snack throughout the day 😉

These babies are for those times!

They’re Super Simple… literally all you’re doing in putting ingredients into a food processor, spreading them out in a baking dish & then popping them in the freezer… then you’re doing the same thing with the icing layer but using a blender instead!

The ingredients are Super Nourishing… the thing we absolutely love about these bars is that they are loaded with healthy fats & are really filling! Perfect for when you’ve got a super busy day planned (AKA – our everyday!).

Here are some of the star ingredients:

Coconut Butter & Coconut Chips – Coconut is an excellent source of healthy, satiating fats. The medium chain triglycerides found in coconut butter are also an incredible source of energy that is quickly used by the body rather than being stored, meaning it helps improve metabolism & can even help with weight loss! It also contains Lauric acid which boosts immune function & has antibacterial properties.

Walnuts – Walnuts are another source of healthy fats, these guys contain Alpha Linoleic Acid (a type of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) which has been shown to help heart health, gut health & reduce inflammation. Walnuts also contain the highest content of antioxidants of all nuts!

Carrots – Carrots are rich in beta carotene, an important antioxidant that helps improve immunity. They also have antiviral & antibacterial properties, stop inflammation & protect against free radical damage.

They are Super Delicious… Yep – even though they’re really filling, we’ve been known to eat the whole batch minutes after pulling them out of the freezer. Okay maybe not minutes, but they usually only last one day in our household!

Alright you know the drill, let’s go over the recipe notes!

Oh wait – they’re so easy to make there are no notes!!! (Haha that was a little cheesy wasn’t it? But in all seriousness… they are SUPER easy!)

Alright – let’s get to the recipe!

Raw Paleo Carrot Cake Bars (makes 10 bars)

Ingredients

– Raw Carrot Cake –
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup walnuts (+ a little more for decoration if desired)
1 cup grated carrots
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
8 large dates

– Icing –
1 1/2 cups coconut butter
¾ cup coconut cream
1 tbsp organic raw honey

Method

Line a square baking dish with baking paper.

Place all ingredients for your raw carrot cake into a food processor & process until combined. (The mixture should still be a little chunky – you don’t want to make a smooth paste so don’t process it for too long!)

Evenly spread out raw carrot cake batter into prepared baking dish so the batter is roughly the same thickness on each side.

Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Place all ingredients for your icing into a high speed blender & blend until smooth. Now spoon out on top of your carrot cake mixture & spread out with a baking spatula.

Place baking dish in the freezer again & leave until firm (around another 30 minutes).

Once firm, cut your carrot cake into bars by cutting them into 5 long strips, & then each strip in half.

That’s it! Now have an incredible time munching on your Carrot Cake Bars! 🙂

May Edible Planting Guide – Australia Wide

May 2, 2018

Paleo Blueberry & Banana Muffins

April 19, 2018

As the weather gets cooler & the days get shorter, baking batches of beautiful, moist & delicious muffins seems to take priority in our household!

The obsession goes back to when I was a kid… Once the cool weather hit I’d be straight off to the store purchasing my Betty Crocker Wild Blueberry Muffin mix. It even came with a little tin of ‘fresh’ blueberries – I thought it was the coolest!

What I didn’t know back then though, was that those blueberries were sitting in a pool of High Fructose Corn Syrup & the muffins were a mix of bleached flour, sugar & vegetable oil.

Argh! In fact, here is the full list of ingredients:

Bleached Flour, Sugar, Blueberries Canned In Light Syrup (Blueberries, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Vital Wheat Gluten, Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Salt, Propylene Glycol Monoesters of Fatty Acids, Mono and Diglycerides, Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Citric Acid, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Artificial Flavor, Modified Cream.

Pretty scary right?

And so incredibly unnecessary!!

Because it’s totally possible to create delicious beautiful muffins that nourish your body at the same time!

And our Paleo Blueberry & Banana Muffins are by far one of our favourites! In fact, the batch that I made for this blog post lasted less than an hour. Yeah – they’re good! :p

These babies taste incredible (SO MUCH BETTER than ol’ mate Betty’s!) & are super simple to make!

As with many of our baking recipes, you’re simply whisking the egg whites into peaks, mixing the wet & dry ingredients together, & then folding the egg whites through. After that you’re adding the blueberries & then baking.

Super simple.

No honey or additional sweeteners have been added to these muffins as the sweetness from the bananas & blueberries are enough on their own.

They’re super moist, the blueberries are beautiful & juicy… + the best bit is you can pack them up & take them on the road with you! (which sometimes isn’t the easiest things to do with recipes lacking gluten & grains… things can get very crumby very quickly!)

So why Blueberries & Bananas?

Bananas are loaded with potassium (super important for maintaining healthy blood pressure & circulation), fibre, vitamin B6 & vitamin C.

Blueberries (our favourite superfood) are PACKED with powerful phytonutrients that act as antioxidants. They contain anthocyanins, flavonoids & phenols that help to protect the body from cell damage & fight the growth of cancer. They also promote healthy brain function, digestion & reduce inflammation

Plus as a little bonus, both of these wholefoods are super easy to find organic! Even Woolies & Coles seem to be stocking them. (You know the drill… If we don’t grow it ourselves or can’t find it organic – we don’t get it. No compromises.)

Alright – let’s get our bake on!

PALEO BLUEBERRY & BANANA MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

Wet Ingredients
3 large bananas
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup coconut oil (+ a little more for greasing muffin pan)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 tsp baking powder

Dry Ingredients
1 1/2 cups blanched almond meal/almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot
1/2 tsp baking powder

Optional
1/2 cup blueberries (additional)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 175C and grease an extra large 6 cup muffin pan (or alternatively grease 2 normal size 6 cup muffin pans) with a little coconut oil.

Place egg whites & 1/2 tsp of baking powder in an electric mixer with whisk attachment & whisk on medium until firm peaks appear (you should be able to place the bowl upside down over your head without the egg whites moving!)

Whilst your egg whites are forming into peaks, it’s time to get the rest of the muffin batter ready!

In a big bowl, combine all dry ingredients (blanched almond meal, arrowroot & baking powder).

Now, place all of your wet ingredients EXCEPT blueberries (banana, egg yokes & coconut oil) into a food processor & process until smooth.

By now, your egg whites should be formed into peaks. Note that once they turn into peaks, you need to work super fast because they can start to separate & turn into a watery mess.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, & then fold through the egg whites.

Be careful when folding the egg whites through your muffin batter because if you go too hard you can knock out the air. This means your muffins won’t rise properly.

Evenly spoon out muffin batter into your prepared 6 cup muffin tin. Now get your blueberries & place a small handful on top of each muffin. Push the blueberries into the batter & then smooth out the top of each muffin with your finger or the back of a baking spatula & place in oven.

Bake for 30 minutes & leave to cool or enjoy warm!

If you’d like to serve your muffins with an extra bit of blueberry goodness (as shown in the photos), place another half a cup of blueberries into the food processor & process until you have the consistency of chunky jam. Spread onto muffins & enjoy!

Paleo Lemon Tea Cake with Coconut & Lemon Frosting

April 11, 2018

Now if you know us at all, you know we’re pretty big on our paleo chocolate treats! Like our rich gooey pumpkin brownies… or our beetroot donuts (all of which you can get right here in our free eBook The Healthy Chocolate Recipe Collection btw) but to get the best night sleep possible, having Cacao late at night isn’t the best choice! In fact it does the opposite of helping you relax!

That’s what sparked our sudden craving for a beautiful citrus tea cake.

One that had a light & fluffy texture, wasn’t too rich & tasted incredible!

One that you could sip a relaxing cup of lemon balm tea with.

Or take a few more slices than normal & not let it keep you up!

I chose to create a lemon tea cake because A. lemons are packed with Vitamin C + promote awesome digestion & skin health & B. I’m absolutely obsessed with our paleo lemon tarts… so If I can add a lemon tea cake to the repertoire then I’ll be pretty damn happy!

So off I went on my lemon tea cake journey!

This cake actually took me 3 goes to get right.

The first one wasn’t sweet enough.

The second one wasn’t lemony enough.

The third one (the one pictured)…. INCREDIBLE.

Hands down our favourite cake EVER. Literally – I wish I could eat this everyday. I won’t. But I wish I could :p

For a grain & gluten free cake, the texture is amazing. It’s so fluffy!

And the icing takes it to a whole new level – so make sure you don’t skip that step!

Now usually I have some recipe notes… but this cake really is so simple.

It’s a just a matter of mixing up the dry ingredients in a bowl, processing the wet ingredients in a food processor, & placing the egg whites in an electric mixer on a high speed whilst you’re getting the wet & dry ingredients ready so the egg whites can form into peaks. Then you’re literally just mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then folding the egg whites through. Bake it in the oven, let it cool down completely once it’s done, whizz up the icing, ice the cake… and then go head first into the best lemon cake you will ever eat 🙂

PALEO LEMON TEA CAKE

INGREDIENTS

DRY INGREDIENTS:

2 cups almond flour/blanched almond meal
½ cup arrowroot
2 tsp baking powder

WET INGREDIENTS:

4 eggs separated + 1/2 tsp baking powder
Juice of 5 medium lemons (just under 1 cup of lemon juice)
5 tbsp honey

FROSTING:

1 cup coconut butter
1 cup coconut cream
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD

Preheat oven to 175C. & line a springform cake pan with baking paper or alternatively grease well with coconut oil.

Whilst your egg whites are forming into peaks, it’s time to get everything else ready.

In a big bowl, combine all dry ingredients (almond flour, arrowroot & baking powder).

Next, place wet ingredients (egg yokes, lemon juice, vanilla & honey) into a food processor & process until smooth.

By now, your egg whites should be firm peaks (seriously – put it over your head!). Once they turn into peaks you MUST work fast as they can start to seperate.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, & then fold through the egg whites.

Be careful when folding the egg whites through the mixture because if you go too hard you can knock out the air.

Pour cake batter into prepared cake tin & bake for 35 – 40 minutes.

Leave to cool before frosting.

Coconut & Lemon Frosting

Combine all ingredients into a high speed blender & blend until smooth.

Add the frosting to the cake using a baking spatula. The icing makes the cake so delicious so be generous and go all the way down the sides of the cake too!

Now go make a tea, sit down with some bloody good company & enjoy this incredible cake!