I know Thanksgiving is not something we celebrate here in Australia but I’ll use any excuse to make (& lets be real, EAT) a festive dessert!

All the flavour, minus the fuss I am here for it!

I mean just look at that filling . . .

Gluten free – Dairy free – Grain Free – DATE FREE – Refined sugar Free – Low carb – Keto – Paleo – Vegan friendly.

Subtly sweet, deliciously buttery, perfectly spiced, seriously caramel-y, rum spiked, perfectly portioned pecan pie bites (because after all that feasting, 2 bites = perfect finisher) everybody got room for that!

Let the festive fun begin!!!!!!

Enjoy xo

__________________________________________

Question of the day –

What’s your favorite holiday treat?

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make these pecan pie bites (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to ox

__________________________________________

The post No Bake {Date Free} Mix & Make Pecan Pie Bites first appeared on Better with Cake.

Yes my friend you read that right . . .

No bake, mix & make, raw, DATE FREE, copycat twix bars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And yes, the excessive amount of exclamation points are 100% necessary!

Plus maybe a few more !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, did you hear me ?!

No bake, mix and make, copycat twix bars!!!

Deliciously buttery, cinnamon spiked shortbread topped with a layer of (date free) salted caramel finished with a decadent, rich coating of espresso infused dark chocolate!

Yes, the espresso in the chocolate coating is totally optional. If you’re not a coffee lover like me then tell me why we’re friends again?! Just kidding, more for me. Love you   . . . feel free to leave it out , I personally love it but, you do you boo.

We can’t have anyone missing out on this . . .

Secretly healthy, copycat twix bars made with just 5 ingredients that I bet you have on hand already and come together in 1 bowl with 1 spoon and can be ready to devour in about 30 minutes!!!!

Honestly, the hardest part about making these bars is waiting for them to set.

Will waiting be difficult? Possibly, for some – some people being me.

But, will it be worth it?

Absolutely, 100% without question, oh so worth it!

See layer upon, layer, upon layer of deliciousness ↑↑↑

All natural, quick and easy, deliciously indulgent, secretly healthy (date free) mix and make twix bars!

if you do one thing today, please let it be making these copycat twix bars, they really do taste all kinds of magical and you need them in your life because, yummmmmm

Gluten free – Dairy free – Grain Free – Refined sugar free – Low carb – Vegan – Keto and Paleo friendly.

Brb, I’m just going to check and see if my letter from Hogwarts has arrived . . .

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

No Bake Mix & Make Raw {DATE FREE} Twix Bars

Gluten Free – Dairy Free – Grain Free – Refined Sugar Free – Low Carb – Vegan – Keto – Paleo

Makes 4 large, 8 medium or 16 bites of blissful deliciousness

Ingredients –

No bake {date free} copycate Twix Bars

• Pre time Time: 10 mins - Chill time - 30-60 mins
• Makes: 4lge - 8 reg or 16 mini bites
• Difficulty: Easy

• Ingredients
• For the shortbread base –
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup maple syrup *
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or chai spice mix)
• A generous pinch of salt
• For the salted caramel filling –
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup*
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• A generous pinch of salt
• For the chocolate coating –
• 1/4 cup (1/2 a block) of good quality dark chocolate – double this if you want to completely coat your twix bars
• 1/2-1 teaspoon of instant espresso – optional
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
• A pinch of salt + extra for serving
  *keto friends use monk fruit based maple syrup

1. Instructions
2. Line a small rimmed baking dish or loaf pan (I used a 5 x 5 inch square baking dish) with non-stick parchment paper and set aside.
3. Place all ingredients for the base into a small bowl and stir until well combined.
4. Press shortbread base in to your prepared baking dish (or loaf pan) and press down into one nice smooth even layer.
5. Set aside.
6. Place all ingredients for your almond butter caramel in to a small bowl and stir until smooth, creamy and well combined.
7. Pour your salted caramel filling over your shortbread base and smooth in to a nice, even layer.
8. Press shortbread base in to your prepared baking dish (or loaf pan) and press down into one nice smooth even layer.
9. Place in the freezer to set – should be ready in 15-20 minutes.
10. Melt together chocolate, coconut oil and espresso (if using) by your preferred method – I like to do mine double broiler style, by placing the chocolate in to a bowl then sitting it on a small sauce pan filled with about 2 cm of water, let the water  simmer , without touching the bottom of the bowl, stir the chocolate occasionally until completed melted.
11. Now – you have 2 options here -1 – which is the option I chose – I sliced the chilled/set twix bars then holding the base, dipped the tops of each bar in the melted chocolate, then placed them back on a lined baking tray and continued until all were given a chocolate crown.

    2 – You can simply pour your melted chocolate on to the base, then slice it as a whole. If you choose to take this option, be warned the chocolate layer can crack as you like it. I suggest heating the blade of your knife with boiling water before slicing, the heat makes slicing easier (and the chocolate less likely to crack as much) as the heated blade will melt the chocolate layers as you press to slice.

    Just make sure you wipe any excess water off the blade before slicing.

12. Devour!
13. Bars are best stored in an air tight container in the fridge (can also be frozen)
14. Enjoy xo

 

__________________________________________

Question of the day –

What’s your favorite treat?

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make these twix bars (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to ox

__________________________________________

The post No Bake Mix & Make Raw {DATE FREE} Copycat Twix Bars first appeared on Better with Cake.

Raw, date free, pecan pie bites . . .

Everything you love about a big ol’ slice of pecan pie, no baking required!!!

The buttery base, the deliciously sticky, pecan studded, caramel infused filling  complete with a dollop of whipped (coconut) cream and generous dusting of cinnamon, . . .

OOooOOOOo yes!

I don’t know about you but me, as much as I love a big ol’ piece of pie, I rarely ever make it because ;

1 –  I almost always ( ← read I actually ALWAYS, no almost about it!)  burn my mouth because I can not for the life of me wait for it to cool before I dive on in – will I ever learn?!  Then I can’t taste the delicious pie I slaved over, or anything else or that matter,  because my taste buds are now burnt to smithereens!

2 – I cut into it too soon and it all collapses into a giant mess, a delicious mess but still not the pretty pie I was hoping for –  again an issue with patience, clearly something I need to work on!

3 –   All that kneading, rolling, chilling, rolling, blind baking, pre-baking, re-baking, cooling . . . ugh – ain’t nobody got time for that!

But this . . .

These deliciously simple, no-bake pecan pie bites, this I can do!

Made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already and come together in a matter of minutes.

Simply;

Toast Blend Press Chill Drizzle/sprinkle/dollop (if you want) Devour

So good!

Honestly, I don’t know what more there is to tell you . . .

I mean, would you look at those layers!!!

Vegan Gluten Free Dairy free DATE FREE Grain free Refined sugar free Paleo Keto delish

All natural, quick and easy, subtly sweet, deliciously buttery, soft and chewy, cinnamon spiked, DATE FREE pecan pie bites . . .

Like all things in life, best served with a cheeky drizzle of dark chocolate and sprinkling of flakey sea salt . . . extra cinnamon (or pumpkin spice) for me please!

7 main ingredients, 10 minutes in the making . . .

Stop what you’re doing, this needs to happen right, MEOW!

The the festive fun begin!!!!!

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

No-Bake {Date Free}  Pecan Pie Bites

{Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Keto & Paleo Friendly}

Makes approx 9 –  All natural, quick and easy, subtly sweet, deliciously buttery, soft and chewy, cinnamon spiked, DATE FREE pecan pie bites – no baking required!!!

Ingredients –

For the base –

1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup raw cashews
1 Tablespoon of hemp seeds – optional
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon of filtered water
1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
1 pinch of salt

For the “pie” filling –

1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw pecans
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of maple syrup
2 Tablespoons of coconut oil
1 Tablespoon of hemp seeds – optional
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 pinch of salt

Optional add-ins ;
1 teaspoon of maca – for hormone balance
1-2 scoops of Vital proteins unflavored collagen peptides optional for an extra boost of protein and gut healing goodness – omit if vegan (or sub marine collage if pescatarian)

Optional for serving –

Dark chocolate for drizzling
Whipped vanilla coconut cream – or vanilla spiked cashew cream

Method –

For the base –

1 – Optional – lightly toast cashews and almonds – either on a lined baking tray at 175’C/350’F for 5-10 mins or just throw them into a dry fry-pan/skillet (make sure you toss them around occasionally so they don’t catch and burn on one side)  until lightly golden and deliciously fragrant.

2 – Place almonds and cashews into your food processor or blender and process until they break down into a fine, sandy looking crumb.

3 – Add vanilla, coconut oil, water, hemp seeds (if using)  and a pinch of salt salt then process again until a sticky “dough” forms.

4 – Press base mixture into a lined dish then pop it into the freezer while you make your filling.

Note – I have a little 13x13cm dish that was the perfect size) – or, if you don’t want to have to bother with cutting your slice you could just spoon it into little chocolate moulds or even line a mini muffin tin with paper cupcake cakes – either will work just fine.

For the filling –

1 – Again, Optional – lightly toast your nuts – either on a lined baking tray at 175’C/350’F for 5-10 mins or just throw them into a dry fry-pan/skillet (make sure you toss them around occasionally so they don’t catch and burn on one side)  until lightly golden and deliciously fragrant.

2 – Place nuts into your food processor or blender and process until they break down into a fine, sandy looking crumb.

3 – Add  vanilla, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon , salt along with  hemp seeds, collagen, maca , if using, and  process again until a sticky “dough” forms.

4 – Press on to your base then pop it in the fridge or freezer to set.

5 – If adding the chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate by your preferred method – I like to do mine over the stove, double broiler style, drizzle over your pecan base, sprinkle with sea salt

6 – Slice – Devour – Enjoy xo

Note – this slice is best  kept refrigerated and  will keep well for at least  7-10 days ,although I highly doubt it will last that long, and can be frozen for 3-6 months.

The post No Bake {Date FREE} Pecan Pie Bites first appeared on Better with Cake.

1 – Hello chocolate,

need I say more?!

2 – Making my own chocolate fudge is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long, long, loooonnnngggg time but, for some reason I built it up in my mind to be this be complicated ordeal that required specialist equipment (think Bunsen burners, thermometers, protective eye equipment and lab coats) but you guys . . . I could not have been more wrong!

Making your own chocolate fudge is so ridiculously easy, I’m kicking myself for not trying it sooner.

Honestly, the hardest part about making this fudge is having the patience to wait for it to set! That in itself just takes 10-15 minutes if you pop it in the freezer but still, #thestruggleisreal

Trust me, as far as recipes go, it doesn’t get much easier than this!

Just 5 ingredients – cacao butter, cacao, tahini, vanilla, a pinch of salt and sprinkling of instant espresso which which is totally optional (but highly recommended). I find adding a touch of espresso really helps to elevate, enhance and intensify the richness of the chocolate

5 minutes in the making –  melt, stir, set, eat!

Yes, it really is that easy!

No reason to be scared or intimidated in the slightest, you can (and should!!) totally do this! 

Now, I should warn you . . . this deliciously simple, secretly healthy dark chocolate fudge that we’re making today is not for the faint of heart, it’s decadent and rich, deliciously indulgent and seriously, and I mean
S E R I O U S L Y, intensely chocolaty.

A dark chocolate lovers dream!

For those of you who prefer your chocolate on the sweeter side feel free to bump up the amount of vanilla you use, or you could go ahead and add in a drizzle of maple syrup or honey if you prefer – the trick is to taste as you go and customize as needed.

That’s another thing I love about making your own homemade treats – not only is it a lot better for you ( our fudge is made with no refined flours, sugars, weird fillers or unpronounceable ingredients)  and it’s 100% customizable.

Don’t like tahini  you crazy thing use in sunbutter (sunflower seed butter) instead?! Or, feel free to go ahead and sub in your fave nut butter – I bet almond, cashew or macadamia butter would work really well here in place of the tahini but keep in mind it would no longer be nut free and, it would also alter the flavor. I have no doubt it would still be absolutely delicious, just different is all. (I personally love that subtle, sweet nuttiness that tahini leaves lingering on your palate) but play around, have some fun and make it just the way you like it!

And, not only is our dark chocolate fudge much healthier and totally customizable but, I think our healthy, homemade fudge tastes a million times better than just about anything you’d buy from the store.

One taste and I think you’ll agree.

Just in case you need a little more convincing . . . this deliciously simple, dark chocolate fudge we’re making is not only seriously yummy but, it’s also packed with nutritional value!

Our dreamy dark chocolate tahini fudge bites are rich in antioxidants, heart healthy fats and  packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

They also happen to be nut free, dairy free, sugar free, gluten free, vegan, keto and paleo, friendly.

Deliciously winning on so many levels

And did I mention the yum . . .

So fudgey, so decadent, so rich, so indulgent, so chocolaty, so simple to throw together, so don’t know what else I need to tell you . . .

All natural, quick and easy, deliciously simple, secretly healthy, decadent, rich, raw dark chocolate tahini fudge bites . . .

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

 

Dark Chocolate Tahini Fudge Bites
{Dairy Free – Sugar Free – Gluten Free –
Vegan – Keto & Paleo}

Makes approx 16 deliciously indulgent, decadent and rich, seriously chocolaty, tiny but mighty, dark chocolate tahini fudge bites.

Ingredients –

1/4 cup cacao butter

1/4 cup cacao

1/4 cup tahini

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (or 10-12 drops of vanilla cream stevia – I like to use Sweet Leaf Stevia )

1/4 teaspoon instant espresso – optional but recommended

1-2 scoops of Vital proteins unflavored collagen peptides – optional for an extra boost of protein and gut healing goodness

1 pinch of salt + extra for serving

Method –

1 – Place cacao butter into a medium size bowl and melt by your preferred method. I like to do mine on the stove top, double boiler style, by placing the bowl on top of saucepan filled with just a few inches of water.

2 – Once your cacao butter has melted, add remaining ingredients and stir until smooth and well combined.

3 – Pour (or spoon) your melted fudge mixture into a chocolate mould tray (or you could just place some paper cupcake cases on to a baking sheet, or use a mini muffin tray instead)

4 – Place into the fridge or freezer to set.

5 – Once set, sprinkle with a little sea salt and voila’

Enjoy xo

Note – These beauties are best stored in the fridge (or freezer) as they tend to soften in warmer temperatures

__________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow fudge lover? What’s your favorite flava flave?

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your decadent and rich, dark chocolate tahini fudge bites (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Dark Chocolate Tahini Fudge Bites {Dairy Free – Sugar Free – Gluten Free – Vegan – Keto – Paleo} first appeared on Better with Cake.

So it seems I have gone and got myself into a bit of a pickle.

Although, it may very well be one of the most delicious of pickles I’ve ever encountered.

You guys, I can’t stop with the pickled veg!

And these pretty little radishes are my current obsession.

I seriously can not stop!

Well, that’s not entirely true, I’m a big girl, I’m sure I could stop if I really wanted to.

But I really don’t.

Not even a little bit.

They’re just so good.

And would you just look how pretty they are?!

Hello hot pink!!!

I’m such a girl, I know #owningit

So, pickled radish . . .

I wasn’t really planning on sharing this “recipe” because to be honest I was a little nervous about my kind of dorky new obsession . . .

And, when it comes to pickled veg there seems to be a very definite line.

You either love, love, love them or you really, REALLY don’t!

Clearly I have my feet firmly planted on the love, love, love them side and hopefully you do too.

If not don’t leave me, I have something special to share with you later in the week and it may or may not involve chocolate (spoiler alert, it totally does) so you are going to want to stick around for that.

But, today we get our pickled radish on!

Pickling vegetables is something I always considered a little intimidating.

I mean it sounds complicated like you would need special equipment, maybe some fancy eye-wear, a lab coat and a bunsen burner. It really does sound intimidating and like it would be a big to-do. At least I thought so anyway, but you guys, I was soooo wrong.

Pickling veg is oh so easy.

The hardest part is waiting for the pickling magic to happen which, depending on how strongly pickled you like your veg (or how much patience and self-control you have) could be as little as 30 minutes although, I would recommend at least 3 hours, overnight if you can manage it but you guys, the struggle is real! #worthit

That being said, putting your pickle together takes just 5 minutes.

First we slice up our veg and pop them into a pretty little jar, or even just a bowl will work.

Next we dissolve a little salt in some boiling water, add a splash of vinegar (I like to use apple cider vinegar) a sprinkling of caraway seeds and stir to combine.

Then we pour our sweet and salty pickling brine, into our jar of veg and that’s it.

So simple but, oh so delicious!

These quick and easy pickled radish have such an incredible combination of flavors you get earthiness of the radish, sweetness of the vinegar, saltiness from the  . . . salt (obvs?!) and the gentle hum of those aromatic, subtly sweet, slightly peppery caraway seeds.

So, so good!

They are crisp and crunchy, salty sweet and seriously addicting!

Or is it addictive?!

Either way, they are so good and they go with just about everything!

They’d go great with eggs and avocado on toast, great on burgers, with salads, great with sushi bowls ( recipe for that coming soon too ) which is why I originally made these babies but, well, then I just couldn’t stop eating them.   . . .  straight out of the jar (classy, I know) every time I opened the fridge!

Seriously so good!

And did I mention how pretty they are?!

Love that 80’s retro neon glam glow they have going on!

All natural, quick and easy, deliciously simple, seriously flavorful, crisp and crunchy, sweet and salty, healthy homemade pickled radish;

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

 

Quick and Easy Pickled Radish
{Vegan, Gluten Free &  Paleo Friendly}

Makes 1 cup of all natural, quick and easy, deliciously simple, seriously flavorful, crisp and crunchy, sweet and salty, healthy homemade pickled radish

Ingredients –

1 cup radish – washed, dried and very thinly sliced – I used a good ol’ fashioned vegetable peeler to slice mine

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon of sea salt

1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds

Method –

1 – Add salt into a small jar or bowl

2 – Add warm water and stir until salt has dissolved

3 – Add apple cider vinegar and caraway seeds and stir to combine.

4 – Add your sliced radish to your salted water/vinegar (brine) mix. Top up with a extra cold water, just enough to ensure all radish are submerged.

5 – Allow to cool to room temperature them store in the fridge until your ready to serve.

Your pickled radish will keep well refrigerated for 2-3 weeks however mine never last more than a few days . . . somehow, as if by magic, they just seem to disappear

Enjoy xo

__________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow pickled veg lover? What’s your favorite flavor combination? And how do you like to eat yours?

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your pickled radish (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Quick and Easy Pickled Radish {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Oh my word, you guys . . .

I am so sorry posting has been kind of random lately

I have so much going on in my head right now I can’t think straight.

I try making lists to help me keep track because, just between you and me, I love nothing more than crossing things of my to-do list!

I’m such a nerd I know but, what can I tell ya, I just love it!

Sometimes I add obvious stuff that I’ve already done (← like drink coffee )  just so I can cross it off because it’s just so satisfying!

But, at the moment I’m trying to save my sanity and keep things simple. Nothing trivial or unnecessary is being added and those lists . . . they ain’t getting any shorter!

So instead of tackling my ever growing to-do list, here I am, talking to you, making secretly healthy, seriously chocolatey, strawberry infused, tasty little tahini bliss bites and binge watching pretty little liars.

Wanna join me?

I thought you might . . .

I love the simplicity of these date free bliss bites. One bowl, 5 minutes and you are good to go.

No food processor or blender required. Just 1 bowl, 5 minutes and you are ready to lose yourself in the deliciousness . . .

Decadent, rich and subtly, yet perfectly sweet. The perfect pick me up for anytime of day, and just what this gal needs.

I love the subtle nuttiness of the almond meal and quinoa flakes. That gentle nuttiness helps to balance out the natural sweetness of the maple syrup, vanilla and cacao.

And then you get that hint of strawberry . . .

Oh my word, you guys . . . I can’t even . . .

The strawberry follow through is subtle but amazing!

It totally takes these bliss bites to the next level. They have an almost liquor like taste to them which, makes them feel just a leetle bit fancy and the taste . . . is seriously divine!

And the fact that they also come with a long list of nutritional benefits, well that’s just a delicious little bonus.

I mean it, these strawberry choc chip tahini bliss bites pack a seriously nutritious punch!

They are loaded with calcium, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins, packed with protein and heart healthy fats, as well as those all important amino acids and omega 3’s.

They are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and iron and, they also happen to be gluten free and, and, depending on what chocolate chips you use, can totally be dairy free and vegan too!

But most importantly they are insanely delicious!

Now, you could serve them simply, straight up, just as they are or, if you’re really wanting to procrastinate, I mean have some fun you could toss those delicious, nutritious, strawberry infused bliss bites in a little cacao,

or some coconut which will add an extra, crazy cool, textural element to those soft and chewy, super fudgey bites of deliciousness, or you could crush up some vibrantly delicious, crispy, crunchy, freeze-dried strawberries and coat them in that.

Go on, you know you wanna

All natural, quick and easy, decadent, rich, delicious, nutritious, super fudgey, seriously chocolately, strawberry infused, date free, choc chip studded blissful bites of nutty deliciousness . . .

The perfect little pick me up for any time of day.

One bite and watch the world around you fall into blissful silence as you lose yourself in the deliciousness that you just created, forgetting allllll about that pesky ol’ to-do list.

At least for a minute of two . . .

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them

Strawberry Choc Chip Tahini Bliss Bites {Date Free}
Makes approx 22 – All natural, seriously healthy, quick and easy, decadent, rich, fudgey, chewy, crispy, crunchy,  slightly nutty, strawberry infused, blissful bites of deliciousness.

Ingredients –

1/4 cup of tahini – I use Mayver’s
2 Tablespoons of maple syrup
1 Tablespoon of strawberry extract
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of finely shredded Desiccated Coconut – I use Loving Earth
1/4 cup of almond meal
1/4 cup of quinoa flakes
2 Tablespoons cacao – I use Power Superfoods Cacao
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
1 Tablespoon of dark chocolate chips, roughly chopped

Optional for serving –

Freeze dried strawberries, crushed into powder
Cacao
Finely shredded coconut

Method –

1 – Place all ingredients into a medium size bowl and stir to combine.

2 – If the mixture is a little dry add some extra water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it sticks together to form a sticky “dough”

3 – Scoop a small section of dough and shape roll in the palm of your hand to shape into bite size balls, repeat until all the mixture has been used. FYI – I use approx 1 heaping teaspoon per bite which makes them the perfect size for popping into your mouth on the down low so you don’t have to share

4 – If you are going to coat your bliss bites in strawberry powder, cacao or coconut  simply place your cacao, coconut and/or strawberry into a small bowl or zip lock bag and gentle press/shake until nicely coated. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Enjoy xo
__________________________________________

Question of the day –

What are you snackin’ on lately? Store bought, homemade – it’s all good

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make these bliss bites (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Strawberry Choc Chip Tahini Bliss Bites {Date Free} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Oh you guys I am soooooo excited to share this recipe with you today!

Although, in the interest of full disclosure, this recipe was created out of pure self indulgence.

You see, lately it seems all I want to do is –

1 – Eat obscene amounts of nut butter. Not one specific type of nut butter either, I’ll take whatever I can get my hands on. Good ol’ fashioned peanut butter, creamy, dreamy,  almond butter, plain, flavored, store-bought, homemade. You name it, I’ll take it, it’s all good. And –

2 – Play with my spiralizer. I can not get enough. It just never gets old.

Ever.

Clearly I am very easily entertained but, talk about making food fun!

A quick little side note – if you don’t have a spiralizer never fear, you can still make these super awesome, crazy cool, insanely delicious veggie wraps. You could simply grate your veggies on a good ol’ fashion box grater or, you could use your trusty ol’ veggie peeler to create yourself some long and luscious veggie ribbons

Either way you guys are going to want to get in on this!

Not only do these lettuce wraps pack a serious flavor punch but, they also happen to be all natural, made with just a handful of real food ingredients that I bet you have on hand already and they come together in a matter of minutes, no cooking required!

They also happen to be naturally dairy free, gluten free, vegan and depending on what kind of nut butter you use they could also be paleo friendly so everybody wins!

And oh.

My.

deliciousness.

You guys!!!

This spicy peanut dressing is seriously to die for, and it is so simple to make!

A couple of tablespoons of peanut butter (nut butter of choice) a splash of tamari to bring out those Asian flavors, a drizzle of maple syrup for some subtle sweetness, a clove of garlic because garlic is always a good idea,

a squeeze of lime for a little zesty freshness then just before serving throw in some red chilli and boomshakalock – done!

Minimum effort with maximum flavor is what I’m all about baby!

And this peanut dressing (or sauce?!) delivers an absolute flavor bomb!

Punchy, Asian inspired, peanut butter flavors with a hint of sweetness and a cheeky kick of heat!

Don’t you just wanna dive head first into this little bowl of awesome-sauce and eat your way out?!

As much as you want to try to restrain yourself because trust me, the end result is worth waiting for and you are sooooo close to serving up.

All that’s left to do it coat your veggies in that awesome dressing, pile it onto your cool crisp lettuce leaves, sprinkle over some fresh coriander, a little extra chilli if you’re feeling feisty, which clearly I am, throw on some buttery cashews for a little extra crunch and you are ready to rock and roll.

And eat of course

You may be wondering – “Em, why bother making this into lettuce wraps?”

And to that I say, good question sweet invisible internet friend of mine. Let me explain . . .

Initially I made this recipe minus the lettuce wraps but, I wasn’t entirely happy with it. Something was missing, I felt like it needed a little extra freshness.

Enter the lettuce leaf.

The cool, crisp, freshness that the lettuce leaves bring to the dish is just so perfect. They really help to balance out the punchy flavors of our incredible dressing as well as being a nice way to cool off following that cheeky kick of heat.

And this way you don’t have to bother getting out any extra cutlery, which at the end of the day means less washing up. You’re welcome

Plus sometimes it’s just fun to get in there and get your hands dirty.

Just make sure you save a little of that dressing to drizzle over at the end, not only does it look all kinds of pretty but it’s also happens to make it all kinds of delicious.

Trust me. Would I steer you wrong?!

And you know you want in on this ↑

All natural, quick and easy, light, fresh, crisp, crunchy, sweet and  spicy, healthy, homemade nutty, rainbow lettuce wraps

So much deliciousness I can hardly stand it!

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

Raw Rainbow Spicy Peanut Lettuce Wraps
Makes 1-2 serves of all natural, light, fresh, crispy, crunchy, spicy, sweet, seriously nutty, rainbow lettuce wraps

Ingredients –

For the salad –

1 large zucchini, spiralized – if you don’t have a spiralizer you can just use a vegetable peeler to slice/peel your zucchini into ribbons, just make sure you stop once you reach the seeds.

1 large carrot, spiralized – if you don’t have a spiralizer you can just use a vegetable peeler to slice/peel your carrot into ribbons.

1/2 cup purple cabbage, finely sliced

1 small red chilli, finely sliced

For the dressing –

2 Tablespoons of Peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)

1 teaspoon of tamari (could sub coconut aminos or soy sauce if you prefer)

1 teaspoon of maple syrup

1 clove of garlic, minced

A squeeze of lime juice (approx 1/2 tsp)

Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving –

2-4 Baby cos or butter lettuce

1 Tablespoon of raw cashews, roughly chopped

1 Tablespoon of coriander, roughly chopped

Extra chilli if you’re feeling feisty

Method –

1 – Place your salad ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.

2 – In a small bowl or jug, place dressing ingredients and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

3 – Pour 3/4 of your dressing over your salad mix and stir to combine. The sauce is very thick and I found the best way to ensure every strand of that salad gets coated in that glorious nutty dressing was to get in there and use my hands. Was it messy, yep but sooooo worth it!

4 – To serve, place a heaping spoonful of your salad mix into your prepared lettuce leaves, top with chopped cashews, coriander, extra chilli (if using) and finish with a drizzle of the left over dressing.

Enjoy xo

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Question of the day –

Tell me, are you a fellow nut butter addict lover?!  What’s your favorite way to eat it?

Feel free to share recipes, or links to recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make this pudding (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

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The post Raw Rainbow Spicy Peanut Lettuce Wraps first appeared on Better with Cake.

I am so sorry for skipping out on you this past week guys.

I know, I know I have been totally MIA and I am so, so sorry about it.

Like big time sorry.

I started out having some technical issues with my laptop, then came the sickness, and more technical difficulties, now our internet isn’t working properly, and did I mention the sickness?!

Ugh anyways . . . forgive me?

I come baring chocolate  . . .

In the form of brownies . . .

but not just any brownies, no siree’

Today, sweet invisible internet friend of mine – just for you, I am busting out the big guns

Super fudgey, secretly healthy, no bake, berrylicious brownies that are not only insanely (and I mean insanely) delicious but, they also happen to be a decadent and rich, dark and delicious, nutritional little powerhouse!

You see while I was away I had my first taste of the goodness that is the goji berry!

Oh my word you guys . . . These babies are delicious! Do you know?! Have you tired them? Do you love them? Did we just become best friends?!

Honestly, I had no idea how good they were. I thought they were a bit of an over-rated fad but, one taste and I am hooked! Line and sinker baby!

Not only do they pack a nutritional punch, they really are seriously delish!

I love how they somehow manage to be just subtly sweet. Not tart or over-bearing in the slightest. Just perfectly, subtly sweet.

Safe to say I am head over heels in love, the fact that they also happen to be super, super good for you is just a delicious little bonus.

Did you know that research has shown that goji berries not only contain natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial compounds but they also contain all of the essential amino acids.

They also happen to be loaded with vitamin C, containing more carotenoids than any other food.

Not only that but, our pretty little goji berries also happen to be high in fibre, calcium, zinc, selenium and iron – research shows they contain 15 times the amount of iron found in spinach!

And did you know they also happen to be high in protein? Goji berries have the highest concentration of protein of any other fruit!

Well you do now!!!

Superfood say whaaattttt?!

So, these brownies . . . totally a health food and you need them in your life like, yesterday but . . . my silly laptop and internet wouldn’t let me share them with you . . . ugh annoying . . . anyways luckily these brownies come together in a matter of minutes, no baking required!

Simply throw your ingredients into your trusty ol’ food processor or blender and let it do the work for you, once your brownie batter is good and blended, pop it into a dish of some kind, smooth it all around, nice and even like then whack em’ in the freezer to set – boomshakalocka, done!

Not only are these tasty little brownies quick and easy to prepare but, they also happen to be all natural, made with just a handful of simple, healthy, real food ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

They are sweetened naturally with a splash of vanilla and those sweet, juicy medjool dates. The trick to getting these brownies super fudgey is to soak our dates in a little hot water for a few minutes before blending. This helps re-hydrate them and makes for a seriously fudgey little treat.

So, not only are our brownies super fudgey but, they also happen to have an amazing contrast in texture – you get a nice little, melt in your mouth, crunch from those dark and delicious, antioxidant rich chocolate chips but, it doesn’t stop there because you also get a crisp, buttery crunch thanks to our hazelnut, almond base.

FYI – those buttery, sweet little hazelnuts give our brownies a divine little hint of nutella-like deliciousness. You’re welcome

Last but not least we get a subtly sweet, burst of chewy, berrylicious deliciousness from those divine little goji berries. Love, love, love!!!!

Oh and I forgot to mention that not only are these delicious little brownies secretly healthy and insanely delicious but, they also happen to be both vegan and paleo friendly! You could totally make them dairy free too depending on the kinds of chocolate chips you use. Everybody wins!!!

Gah seriously so good you guys, I could easily sit here and eat them talk to you about them all day long! But, I better go before my computer dies on me (again) and I lose my active window of functional internet time (again) #firstworldproblems

But you guys . . . these brownies . . .

All natural, secretly healthy, fudgey, rich, dark and delicious, brownies that are choc full of choc chips and bursting with goji berry goodness – A nutritional little powerhouse, no baking required!

No need to pre-heat that oven or risk burning your pretty little mouth because you can’t wait for those brownies to cool before you inhale sample them ← we’ve all been there right?! And we never learn. Ever. And when I say you I mean me . . . oh me?!

Anyways, please, please go make these brownies already!

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them

Healthy, No-Bake Berry-nice Brownies 
{Vegan, Dairy Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 24 secretly healthy, decadent, rich, super fudgey, bites size berrylicious brownies

Ingredients –

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raw, skinless hazelnuts

3/4 cup pitted dates, about 6 – I used medjool

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons of cacao

1 teaspoon of instant espresso

1 Tablespoon of dark chocolate chips, roughly chopped

3 Tablespoon of Goji berries, roughly chopped

A pinch of salt

Method –

1 – Place your dates in a small bowl or jug and pour over just enough boiling water so they are completely submerged. Set aside for while you get your food processor out and gather up the rest of your ingredients.

2 – Place your almonds and hazelnuts into your food processor and pulse until crumbly, you want there to still be a few bigger chunks to give your brownies some contrast in texture.

3 – Drain your dates then add them to your almond/hazelnut mix along with vanilla, cocoa powder, instant espresso and salt process until combined and a nice sticky dough forms.

4 – Add your chocolate chips and 3/4 of your goji berries and pulse again until just combined.

5 – Transfer your brownie batter into a rimmed baking dish (I used my trusty old loaf pan) and spread evenly, firmly pressing down as you go. Sprinkle over your remaining goji berries and continue to press/smooth out to the edges, pressing firmly as you go. because the batter is quite sticky I found it helpful to place a piece of non-stick/baking/parchment paper over the dough and smooth it out that way. You could also place another pan/baking dish of the same size on top and firmly press down.

6 – Place in the freezer for approx 20 mins to set. Once your brownies are set, remove from the baking dish and slice into delicious rich, super chocolatey, berrylicious bites size pieces.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer

Get on it!

Enjoy xo
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Question of the day –

Are you a goji berry lover too? What’s your fave way to enjoy them?

Feel free to share recipes or links to your fave recipes either in the comments below, on the Facebook page or tag me on twitter or Instagram – sharing is caring people

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The post Healthy, No-Bake Berry-nice Brownies {Vegan & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

So, how was your V-day weekend?

Where did you go?

What did you do?

What did you get, give, eat, wear?!

Tell me, tell me – details please?!

My V-day weekend was quiet but nice. Gift’s were given, chocolates were eaten and quiet moments were enjoyed.

Spunky husband was at work so the little lady and I spent the weekend just hang in’ out. It was kinda nice to have some quiet time just the 2 of us. Now that school is in our time is limited, although I do enjoy my moments of blissful silence I miss that one and one time. How is she growing up so quickly?! Just stop it already!

Anyways, before I get all sentimental and sappy on you . . . let’s get on with today’s recipe she we?

Now, where was I . . .

Right, like I said school is back in . . . that goes for me too and you know what that means – I have random moments where I just want to smash my head against the wall because although I am lovin’ the learning sometimes it all just feels a bit much . . . well yes, there’s that but, let’s not talk about that . . . what I want to talk about today is the study snacks!!!!!!

Which, if you ask me, may very well be the best part about studying – am I right?!

Oh you know I’m right!

And today sweet invisible internet friend of mine we are going to get our snack on with some incredible blueberry coconut bliss bites!

You know I love me a good bliss/energy bite and it seems I am coco-nutty for all things coconut lately. I just can not get enough.

Obsessed much?! I think yes!!!!!

Are you with me?! Oh I sure hope so because today we are combining 2 of my great loves into one blissfully delicious little mouthful.

Quick, easy, secretly healthy and all kinds of delicious. Are you ready for this?!

As always our delicious little bliss bites are all natural, made with no refined flours or sugars and they come together in less than 10 mins start to finish and they also happen to be vegan, dairy free and paleo friendly – winning!

Buttery cashews are combined with plump, juicy medjool dates, and a splash of vanilla to make our creamy, dreamy bliss bite base.

Next up we simply throw in some freeze dried blueberries you guys, freeze dried fruit is a total game changer! Not only do those crisp and crunchy freeze dried berries an awesome, antioxidant rich, subtly sweet, burst of berrylicious flavour but, they also give our bliss bites a nice little crunch which I just adore.

Crispy, crunchy, slightly nutty coconut flakes on the outside, blissfully soft, subtly sweet, blueberry infused, chewy deliciousness on the inside.

So unbelievably good I cannot even tell you  – can’t stop, won’t stop with the snack, snack, snacking! And you know what, I’m not even sorry about it. Not one little bit

Safe to say I am head over heels in love with these babies and I’m preeeeeetty sure you will be too.

All natural, secretly healthy, crispy, crunchy, coco-nutty, soft, chewy, subtly sweet, blueberry infused, bites of deliciousness that come together in under 10 mins and also happen to be vegan, dairy free and paleo friendly . . .

Yes, yes, just yes!

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

Blueberry Coconut Crunch Bliss Bites
{Vegan, Dairy Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 40 all natural, secretly healthy, creamy, dreamy, coconut crusted, blueberry-vanilla infused energy packed bites of deliciousness

Ingredients –

1 cup raw cashews

6 medjool dates*, pits removed

1/2 cup freeze dried blueberries – could sub regular dried blueberries however this will alter the texture somewhat.

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

1/4 cup finely shredded coconut flakes

Method –

1 – Place cashews in your food processor/blender and pulse until crumbly, you want there to still be a few bigger chunks to give the bites some nice texture.

2 – Add dates and pules until the mixture starts to come together to form a sticky “dough”.

3 – Add vanilla extract and salt flakes and pulse again to combined.

4 – Lastly add your freeze dried blueberries and pulse until just combined.

5 – Using your hands, roll approx 1 heaping teaspoon of dough into little bite size balls and set aside. Repeat until all your “dough” has been rolled.

6 – Place your coconut into a small bowl and gently roll/press each bliss bite until it has a delicious coconut coating then set aside. Repeat with remaining blueberry bites (you could also just pour your coconut into a zip lock bag and add your bliss bites and give it a gentle little shake to coat instead.

7 – Once coated transfer your delicious little coconut crusted bliss bites directly to your pretty little mouth, I mean into an airtight container (or even just a ziplock bag) and store in the fridge until you are ready to devour indulge.

Enjoy xo

If you find your dates are a little dry, try soaking them in warm water for 10 mins prior to blending. Alternately you could add a little water, 1 teaspoon at a time if your “dough” doesn’t seem to be coming together after a minute or two as it should.
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Question of the day –

What snacks fuel your study/work day? Homemade or store-bought it’s all good.

Feel free to share recipes and links to recipes in the comments below or tag me on Instagram, twitter or hit up the Facebook page – sharing is caring people

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The post Blueberry Coconut Crunch Bliss Bites {Vegan, Dairy Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.