I mean seriously?!

How?!

When did that happen?!

Well according to the calendar I guess it happened 18 days ago but still . . . where has this year gone?!

October . . . already?!

I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it?!

And I’m not really sure how I feel about it?!

I mean Christmas is my all time fave but I’m having some mixed emotions because this time of year is when we usually take our annual Swanston Family Vaycay to our beloved home away from home, Denver, Colorado.

And as excited as I am to dig in and get all kinds of festive fun happening up in here I’m having a hard time because my heart is aching for fall. Cool crisp mornings, fresh mountain air and pumpkin spiced everything!!!!!

There is something truly magical about that humble looking, ombre’ beige, spice blend that not only tastes all kinds of incredible but it truly makes my heart all kinds of happy.

The smell alone has me feeling all of those warm, fuzzy Christmas-y feels!

Now, here in Australia for some reason we haven’t yet discovered the joy that is well, pumpkin spiced anything so what’s a girl to do when her heart aches for fall, and pumpkin spiced everything yet sadly there is no vaycay or pumpkin spiced anything on the cards?! Or is it in the cards!? Either way, it ain’t happening!

So what’s a girl to do?!

She gets creative in the kitchen and comes up with her own deliciously simple, quick and easy, healthy homemade {sugar free} pumpkin spice mix that’s what!

Problem, solved.

Well apart from the whole vacation thing but let’s not get into that!

Today’s recipe is one that is super quick and easy to prepare made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have tucked away in the back of your spice cabinet, ready and waiting, simply begging to be transformed into one purely magical, heart-warming spice blend.

Ahhh I love this spice mix so, SO much – it really is like a little jar of happiness.

Don’t you just love the way food, both taste and smell, has the ability to magically transport you to another time and another place and bring back the most incredible memories and feelings that are so strong, it’s as though you could almost reach out and hug them?!

Well that’s what this spice mix does for me?!

One smell and I am whisked away to my beloved home away from home, enjoying quality time with my nearest and dearest, holding a steaming cup of perfectly spiced coffee in my hands, feeling the cool crisp mountain air on the back of my neck as I gaze fondly at the most miraculous looking snow capped mountains you ever did see.

This healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix brings together all those familiar, nostalgic tastes and smells that come to mind when I think of Christmas (and Thanksgiving and well just all things fall for my American friends).

Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and a pinch of cardamon – it’s chai spice meets gingerbread spice. . . doesn’t it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy even just reading that combination of spices all together in one delicious little sentence?!

The smell alone is enough to transport me to another time and another place where the air is crisp, the mountains are capped with snow and everything just seems to sparkle.

Wanna come?!

You totally can and I’d love to have you along for the ride

All you have to do is throw together a handful of spices and you’re ready to go!

Once you have your healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix ready, your kitchen smells like heaven and you’re feeling all of those warm and fuzzy Christmas-type feels you’re on your way.

Simply add a pinch to your morning coffee or your post workout smoothie.

Stir some into your yogurt and have for a yummy twist on a much loved, quick & easy, iconic snack!

Bake yourself a sweet potato, slather it in almond butter and sprinkle over a little of your pumpkin spice mix and have yourself one seriously tasty snack – trust me on this, just try it! You can thank me later

Or, you could add a heaping teaspoon to this {sugar free – paleo} maple vanilla banana bread, or these muffins, or these cookies, or this deliciously simple, perfectly roasted pumpkin for a sweet twist on a savory side dish . . .

All natural, quick and easy, deliciously simple, healthy, homemade, pumpkin spice mix . . .

A little jar of heaven scented happiness to call your very own;

From my heart to yours, enjoy xo

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Question of the day –

What’s your favorite, warm and fuzzy food related, holiday flavor, scent or memory?

Feel free to share recipes, or links 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 healthy, homemade pumpkin spice mix (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 Healthy, Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix first appeared on Better with Cake.

My cheats tomato and ricotta tart!

Light, crispy puff pastry + creamy whipped “ricotta” topped with roast tomatoes, fresh basil finished with a drizzle of balsamic & a garlic-y greek yoghurt “dressing”

I know it sounds and looks kind of fancy but hear me when I say this could not be easier to make.

You will need . . .

Store-bought puff pastry (I used gluten-free), you “could” use a tortilla, your fave wrap or even just some pita or Lebanese bread but that puff pastry really is what makes this recipe, if you could even call it a recipe – more of a method, shine!

The taste, the texture . . . so light, so puffy, so buttery, so crispy, so, SO life changing-ly delicious! I know I said you could sub a tortilla, wrap or use pita bread but, I’ve changed my mind, I take it all back (yes I realise I could go back and just delete what I had originally written but here we are  . . .  )  nothing compares to the magic of the puff . . . Pls, pls, pls promise me you will do yourself a favour and use the puff pastry . . . at least once?! I promise it’s 100% worth it!

Ok, so now that, that’s all out of the way . . .where was I . . .

Store-bought puff pastry
Ricotta  – I made my own macadamia ricotta and wow was it delicious, I am including the recipe for that below but this I will allow you to sub. You could use regular ricotta,  almond milk ricotta or even good ol’ cottage (or cream) cheese if you prefer.
Parmesan – dairy/non-dairy, lactose-free or even nutritional yeast, anything to give an extra hit of zesty, cheese-y goodness
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Tomatoes – obv
Fresh herbs
A pinch of salt and some black pepper, always and
A drizzle of balsamic, if you want . . . believe me, you do!

What to do?!

Mix your ricotta
Load up your puff pastry – no subs remember
Bake for 15
Drizzle with some balsamic and your dreamy, garlicky greek yoghurt dressing
Sprinkle with fresh basil and a pinch of Spicetub ‘s salad dressing mix (made w/ pink salt, mustard seeds, black peppercorn, tomato, lemon, oregano & basil) technically optional but the flavour and crunch it adds is & it is SO GOOD!

Simple, flavourful, tastes like summer and I am 100% here for it!

You with me?

This is one of those recipes that I will absolutely be making again (& again & again & again & again). It was one of those meals that I was sad to take the last bite of, you know?! Truly life-changing! And, no, I’m not being dramatic at all (not me, not ever!). It really is incredible!

Crispy, crunchy, soft and chewy, sweet and salty = SO GOOD!

FYI – there are only 14 weeks left until Christmas, if you want to start planning your Christmas menu (fingers crossed we will be out of lockdown and able to celebrate with all of our loved ones), this  cheats tomato and ricotta tart would be amazing as an appetizer or easy breakfast/brunch idea!

Gluten Free – Dairy free – Grain free – Sugar free –  Low Carb – Paleo – Keto  –  Vegan friendly!

You’re welcome.

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Question of the day –

What’s your fave quick & easy lunch/dinner?

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 choc chip blondies (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 Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to xo

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The post Cheats Tomato & “Ricotta” Tart first appeared on Better with Cake.

If you’re looking for some deliciously simple, secretly healthy, homemade treats to make for your dear ol’ Dad this Father’s day weekend (or even just for your fine self because, yum! #treatyoself )  then look no further my friend.

I’ve put together a list of 20 of my most popular, healthy, homemade treats, an array of goodies to cater for all tastes, that are super simple to put together (so little hands can get involved) and would make a wonderful gift that I’m sure the special men in your life would thoroughly enjoy, I know mine do

1 – Salted Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bites

2 – Lemon Berry Bliss Bites

3 – Salted Maple Pecan Almond Butter

4 – Apple and Cranberry {Grain Free} Granola

5 – Sweet and Spicy Savory Snack Mix

6 – Chocolate Orange Bliss Bites

7 – Chocolate Tahini Fudge Bites

8 – Chocolate Coated Roasted Almonds

9 – Healthy, No-Bake Lamington {Chocolate & Coconut} Bliss Bites

10 – Black Forest Granola

11 – Dark Chocolate Strawberry Coconut Butter Cups

12 – Quick and Easy Candied Walnuts

13 – 3 Ingredients Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Almond Butter Cups

14 – Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Power Bites

15 – Summer Berry Snack Mix

16 – Caramel Chai Spiced Bliss Bites

17 – Deliciously Simple, Healthy, Homemade Chocolate Coated, Salted Caramels

18 – DIY – Dark Chocolate Roasted Almond Bark

19 – Dark Chocolate Cranberry Fruit and Nut Clusters

20 – Dark Chocolate Double Stuffed Dates

So much deliciousness where to begin?

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Please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your deliciously simple, secretly healthy, homemade treats (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 20 Deliciously Simple, Secretly Healthy Homemade Treats for Father’s Day first appeared on Better with Cake.

So many deliciously simple, healthy, homemade tasty little treats that you can make, eat and share with the ones you love (or just keep to yourself)  like → these, → these, → these and something inspired by → this just to name a few.  So, I’m going to be posting a little more frequently than usual over the next week or so.

The posts themselves may be a little on the short side and there may not be as many photos as usual but these things that I’m making are just so good keeping them to myself just wouldn’t be right!

I know you’re busy and your time is precious, especially at this time of year, so I figure it’s probably best to keep things short and sweet anyway right?!

And oh how sweet they will be.

Staring with these quick and easy candied maple walnuts.

Oh you guys, these crisp and crunchy candied maple walnuts are seriously divine!

So, so easy to make and so, so addictive! Or is it addicting?!

Either way they are seriously delicious and you need them in your life, asap!

Those of you who follow along on Facebook and Instagram may recall that I initially made these crisp and crunchy candied maple walnuts a few weeks ago as part of our Thanksgiving dinner and let me just say, it was love at first bite!

Honestly, I know at a glance they don’t look like much but when I had my first little taste test for quality control, as you do, I couldn’t get over how delicious they were!

Especially considering how ridiculously easy they are to throw together.

Even though they sound a little bit fancy, as far as recipes go, it doesn’t get much easier than this.

All you have to do it toss your walnuts in a drizzle of maple syrup, add a cheeky pinch of salt. throw them onto a baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes

3 ingredients → 2 minutes to put it all together →  5-7 minutes in the oven and you’re done but the end result is nothing short of divine!

Crisp, crunchy, buttery, sweet – edible perfection!

Enjoy them simply by the tray-ful handful, just as they are as a deliciously simple, seriously satisfying, sweet/salty mid morning snack, add them to your favorite salad (like this ) , sprinkle them over some crisp and crunchy, oven roasted garlicky green beans like I did at Thanksgiving, so good!

However you choose to use and enjoy them you really can’t go wrong!

I’m thinking they would also be the perfect addition to your holiday snack table, or crumbled over some kind of ice cream or coconut yogurt or even with a couple of dark chocolate chips for one deliciously indulgent, yet secretly healthy dessert.

Or you could pack them up in a pretty little jar or cellophane bag and give them someone you love this Christmas because, who doesn’t love a good homemade gift, especially one that’s edible

Oh, I should probably mention that our deliciously simple, crisp and crunchy, buttery sweet candied maple walnuts also happen to be naturally vegan, gluten free and paleo friendly, but most importantly they are insanely, and I mean INSANELY delicious, and you need them in your life, asap!

All natural, quick and easy, crisp and crunchy candied maple walnuts

A deliciously simple, healthy, homemade, tasty treat to make and share with the ones you love.

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

Quick and Easy Candied Maple Walnuts {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo}

Makes approx 2 cups of deliciously simple, crisp, crunchy, buttery, sweet, candied maple walnuts

Ingredients –

2 cups raw (shelled) walnuts

2 Tablespoons of maple syrup

A pinch of salt

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C/350’F

2 – Line a rimmed baking sheet with baking/parchment paper and set aside

3 – Place walnuts into a small bowl, add maple syrup and salt (if using) and stir to combine.

4 – Spread your maple coated walnuts onto your prepared baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, stirring and rotating the tray half way through.

5 – Once your walnuts are nice and golden and dry to the touch, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Do not, I repeat do not sample your candied maple walnuts straight from the oven. Those babies are hot, hot, hot and you will burn your pretty little mouth off – not that I would know anything about that, let them cool (at least a little) before you dive in.

6 – Once cooled, store in an airtight container (or even just a zip lock bag) they should keep well for 3-4 weeks, maybe even longer. It’s hard to say as mine never last more than 3-4 days, seriously addictive.

Enjoy xoxo

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Question of the day –

What tasty treats are you making in the lead up to Christmas? Tell me . . . details please

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 candied maple walnuts (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 Candied Maple Walnuts {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Healthy, Homemade, Chocolate Chai Spiced Almond Butter

Deliciously golden, nutrient rich almonds are oven roasted then blended with a splash of vanilla, a cheeky pinch of salt and a combination of chai inspired spices (think cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom) and a sprinkling of cacao.

So simple I know but, the end result is so outrageously delicious that life as you know it will be changed forever!

The subtle sweetness of the vanilla combined with those creamy, dreamy, buttery almonds and that gentle hum of heart warming, chai inspired spices, is an absolute taste sensation.

The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves adds such a incredible depth of flavor that you really have to experience to be able to believe.

And then when we add a little pinch of salt

Along with a generous sprinkling of dark and delicious (antioxidant rich) cacao . . .

You guys . . . I can’t even . . .

I mean, I think we can all agree that a touch of chocolate just makes everything better, right?!

Right!

That leetle sprinkling of cacao brings an element of decadent, indulgence to this little jar of heaven that takes this latest batch of healthy, homemade almond butter to a whole new level!

Ahhh you guys, I know I say it every time we make a new batch of almond butter (and I mean it. Every. Single. Time) but, I am so very much in love with this chocolate chai spiced almond butter recipe I seriously can not wait for you to try it because I know you are going to just love, love, love it!

I mean would you just look at it?!

Raise your hand if you just want to dive head first into the jar and eat your way out?!

Talk about swoon!

As always our healthy, homemade chocolate chai spiced almond butter is made with no refined flours or sugars, using just a handful of real food ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

And, once you’ve roasted those golden delicious, nutrient rich almonds you’re divine little jar of perfectly spiced, deliciously indulgent, healthy, homemade almond butter comes together in a matter of minutes!

It also happens to be vegan, gluten free and paleo friendly but, most importantly, it’s insanely (and I mean I-N-S-A-N-E-L-Y) delicious and you need it in your life like, yesterday!

So enough with the chit chat, here’s how we do it;

Start off by giving our golden, delicious, nutrient rich almonds a quick little roast in the oven – toasting our nuts before we blend our butter helps to give it a more decadent and rich depth of flavor – please don’t skip this step. Yes it’s an extra 5-10 minutes but, trust me – it’s absolutely, 100% worth it!

Now, once our almonds are nicely toasted, and your house smells like heaven, all you have to do is toss those golden nuggets of delicious into your food processor or blender and you’re pretty much done!

Initially your nuts will get all chunky, then after a minute or two they will break down into a fine looking flour, then the real magic happens, the heat and friction from all that blending will extract the natural oils from our almonds and in a matter of minutes,

You will witness one of the most beautiful transformations of all time as your almonds are whipped into a creamy, dreamy golden, delicious nut butter right before your pretty little eyes . . .

Once that’s done we simply add our vanilla, cacao, chai inspired spice mix and a cheeky pinch of salt . . .

Then, we give it one final blendy mcblend and voila’ – there you have it;

Deliciously indulgent, perfectly spices, creamy, dreamy, healthy, homemade, chocolate, chai spiced almond butter

Now, once you have your little pot of creamy, dreamy, perfectly spiced chai inspired almond butter ready and waiting in your hot little hand, go ahead and use it as you would, business as usual – dive head first into the jar and eat your way out . . .

or you be a little more refined and get yourself a spoon . . .

do what you feel, no judgement here

And I’m not saying that you have to but, I you know I strongly, STRONGLY insist suggest that you do . . . grab yourself a big ol’ block chunk of your fave dark chocolate then add a generous spoonful of your deliciously indulgent, creamy, dreamy, perfectly spiced, chocolate, chai inspired almond butter . . .

And lose yourself in the deliciousness that you just created.

All natural, quick and easy, thick and creamy, decadent, rich, deliciously indulgent, perfectly spiced, healthy, homemade chocolate chai spiced, almond butter . . .

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

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Healthy, Homemade Chocolate Chai Spiced Almond Butter {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}

Makes approx 1 1/2 heaping cups of all natural, quick and easy, creamy, dreamy, decadent, rich, delicious, nutritious, perfectly spiced, healthy, homemade chocolate, chai spiced almond butter

Ingredients –

2 cup of raw almonds

1 Tablespoon of vanilla bean extract

1 Tablespoon cacao

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of cloves

1/4 teaspoon of cardamom

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) and pour on your almonds, making sure they are spread evenly – aka not crowded.

3 – Roast your almonds for 10 minutes, until lightly toasted and deliciously golden.

4 – Pour your roasted almonds into the bowl of your food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the almonds wil grind down into a powder, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency, add your vanilla, cacao, salt and spices then process until well combined.

6 – Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly – add a little extra salt or more vanilla/cinnamon/spices if you feel the need and, if you prefer a thinner/more runny consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – if it lasts that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

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Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavor? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on toast, on chocolate?! Tell me . . . details please

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 chocolate chai spiced almond butter (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 Healthy, Homemade Chocolate Chai Spiced Almond Butter {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

So it appears that I am going to be totally cliche today and talk about the weather . . .

But, that’s just because the weather is who we have to thank for providing the craving that lead to today’s recipe.

I don’t know what’s going on where you are but here in Sydney it has been wet and wild!

And soooooooooo cold! And when I say cold I mean cold for us city folk.

And did I mention wet?!

So much rain!!!

And despite all this wet and wild winter weather we’re having, instead of craving hearty soups and classic comfort foods, I find myself craving all things summer.

Fruity salsas, summer style salads, light, fresh dinners and well just all things tropical!!

And then I stumbled across these delicious looking, Pronature brand – 100% natural, dried pineapple pieces and these  naturally sweetened mango cheeky  by fruit for life and it hit me;

Tropical trail mix!!!!!

Yessssss this is happening!

Because –

1 – You guys know how much I love my snacks and;

2 – Let’s be honest, 2 weeks of, rain soaked, school holiday fun trapped inside our teeny, tiny apartment with the most energetic (almost) 7 year old (!!!!) known to man . . . this mama needs as much fuel as she can get!

Or a vacation . . .

Ahhh a girl can dream . . .

Or she can make a big ol’ batch of all natural, quick and easy, healthy homemade tropical  trail mix and close her eyes for a few moments and be transported to her own personal, blissfully delicious, tropical oasis.

Care to join me?!

Our healthy, homemade tropical inspired trail mix is made with just a handful of real food ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

It comes togehter in one bowl (or even just a giant ziplock bag) in a matter of minutes!

And it also happens to be vegan, gluten free and paleo friendly.

So much to love I tell you!

Another thing I love about making your own trail mix is that not only is it super quick and easy to prepare, but it also happens to be so much cheaper, not to mention so much better for you than a lot of the ones you can buy at the store.

Plus you can customize to suit your own personal taste which I just love, love, love.

You know sometimes you buy trail mix and the fruit to nut ratio is all wrong?

Or there are certain things included that you just don’t really care for (I’m looking at you banana chips) . . . which means you then proceed to spend way more time than you should picking out, or avoiding said pesky ingredient . . . and, even if you manage to pick out and remove all traces of the offending ingredient you can still taste it. . . not cool and seriously disappointing right?!

Well don’t you worry friend, today we are making our very own healthy, homemade, perfectly balanced tropical inspired mix – just the way you like it!

Although, I guess really we are making it the way I like it but, I’m pretty sure you and I are on the same page when it comes to eats, you know what they say – great minds eat alike

Today’s “recipe” , if you could even call it that, is pretty basic, I’ve really just thrown a bunch of my fave nuts and seeds into a bowl along with some tropical inspired dried fruit. Then I added a handful of coconut chips,  given it a good stir and boomshakalocka = done!

One taste of this tropical inspired this trail mix will transport you to your very own, delicious little tropical oasis, just you wait –

Crisp, crunchy almonds, classic cashews and deliciously buttery macadamia nuts are combined with sunflower seeds and pepitas to make our delicious and nutritious trail mix base.

Cranberries and blueberries add that all important burst of light, fresh, tart, tangy, deliciously chewy sweetness.

Mango and pineapple add that all important tropical twist and crispy shards of toasted coconut add a subtly sweet, slightly smoky, crazy, cool coco-nutty crunch.

Can you say yummmmmmm?!

As I said this “recipe” is totally customisable, feel free to play with the ratios and/or ingredients and make it just the way you like it.

Side note – I love bananas but those banana chips are a total deal breaker for me. If you’re a fan clearly we can no longer be friends feel free to add some into the mix. Do what you feel people, make it your own.

Just promise me you’ll make it, asap!

Eat it simply by the handful, serve it with some coconut or Greek style yogurt for a delicious, nutritious, quick and easy powerhouse of a breakfast bowl, sprinkle some on your post workout smoothie or throw in a handful of dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs and call it dessert.

All natural, quick and easy, crisp and crunchy, sweet and chewy, healthy, homemade tropical trail mix;

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Healthy, Homemade Tropical Trail Mix {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 4 cups of healthy, homemade, tropical trail mix

Ingredients –

1 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup macadamia nuts

2 Tablespoons of sunflower seeds

2 Tablespoons of pepitas

1/2 cup oven roasted coconut chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1/4 cup dried pineapple

1/4 cup dried mango, roughly chopped

Method –

1 – Place all ingredients into a bowl (or large ziplock bag) and stir (or shake) to combine.

2 – Store in an airtight container

Enjoy xoxo

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Question of the day –

What snacks are you loving lately?

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 your tropical trail mix (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 Healthy, Homemade Tropical Trail Mix {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Salted

Caramel

Cashew

Butter!!!!!!!!!!!

Annnnnnd I’m dead!

Ok well I’m not actually dead (obv) but one spoonful of this creamy, dreamy, buttery, sweet deliciousness and I’m definitely in heaven!

I mean did you hear what I just said?!

Salted caramel cashew butter!!!!

Oh you guys I can not wait for you to taste this for yourselves, you are going to love, love, love it!

Not only does it taste like heaven on a spoon but it’s all natural made with no refined flours or sugars using just 4 simple ingredients that I bet you have on hand already and, it comes together in a matter of minutes!

It also happens to be vegan, gluten free and paleo friendly which is all kinds of awesome but, you and I both know that at the end of the day, it all comes down to taste.

And you guys, I don’t even know how to begin to describe how incredible this humble jar of cashew butter tastes.

Like really . . . I’m lost for words.

Buttery cashews are oven roasted then blended with a drizzle of maple syrup, a splash of vanilla and a cheeky pinch of salt.

It’s so simple I know but the end result is so insanely delicious that it may just blow your pretty little mind!

Here’s how you make it . . .

Start off by giving your golden, delicious, cashews a quick little toastin’ in the oven – toasting your cashews before blending helps to give your nut butter and incredible rich and more decadent depth of flavour so although I say it’s totally optional I beg you, please don’t skip this step people, 5-10 minutes will make the world of difference to the flavour of your cashew butter, trust me – it’s absolutely, 100% worth the few extra minutes.

Now, once our cashews are nicely toasted, and your house smells like heaven, all you have to do it pop them into your food processor or blender, add a drizzle of maple syrup, a splash of vanilla and a cheeky pinch of salt then blendy, mcblend and you’re done.

Initially your cashews will get all chunky, then after a minute or two they will break down into a fine looking flour, then the real magic happens, the heat and friction from all that blending will extract the natural oils from our beloved cashews and in mere minutes, you will witness one of the most beautiful transformations of all time as your golden, delicious cashews are whipped into a smooth and creamy, deliciously dreamy nut butter right before your pretty little eyes . . .

Now, depending on the kind of blender or food processor you have (and how smooth you like you nut butter to be) this can take anywhere between 5-15 mins.

For me and my magnificent magimix it took about 10 mins and that included stopping to snap a few pics along the way. Keep in mind I like my nut butter to be super smooth and extra creamy. No chunks for this gal but, that’s the beautiful thing about making your own nut butter, it’s totally customizable so do what you feel.

So if you, like me, want super smooth, extra creamy cashew butter – just blendy mcblend for a few extra minutes and you have yourself some all natural, extra creamy, velvety smooth salted caramel cashew butter, just the way you like it!

But, if you want a more chunky cashew butter just pulse your cashews for a second or two, then take out a couple of Tablespoons of those extra chunky. crispy, crunchy, slightly chunky cashew pieces and set them aside while you blend, blend, blend the rest of those babies.

Then, once you have reached your desired consistency, stir through those chunky monkeys that you set aside earlier and there you have it – healthy, homemade, extra chunky salted caramel cashew butter for the win!

Once your nut butter is ready it will be a little warm and a slightly runny from all the blending but once it cools, those natural oils will start to solidify and it will firm up into that thick and creamy consistency we all know and love.

And let me tell you, this cashew butter gets super thick . . . I’m talking seriously thick . . .

Thicker than any almond, peanut or hazelnut butter I have known . . .

And when I say seriously thick I mean it,

I’m talking stick to the roof of your mouth thick, which is awesome because it really helps you savor each and every creamy, dreamy, buttery sweet, caramel infused spoonful.

Believe me when I say, this salted caramel cashew butter is something you are going to want to savor –

Now, once your cashew butter is ready – feel free to go ahead and use it as you would, business as usual – dive head first into the jar and eat your way out . . . or you be a little more refined and get yourself a spoon, do what you feel

And I’m not saying that you have to but, I strongly suggest that you do . . . grab yourself a big ol’ block chunk of your fave dark chocolate, add a generous dollop of your freshly made, creamy, dreamy, golden, delicious, salted caramel cashew butter . . .

and maybe drizzle over a teeny, tiny little bit more maple syrup and add an extra cheeky pinch of salt and lose yourself in the deliciousness that you just created

All natural, quick and easy, decadent rich, buttery, sweet salted caramel cashew butter;

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Salted Caramel Cashew Butter {Vegan, Gluten free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 1 1/2 heaping cups of all natural, creamy, dreamy, buttery, sweet, healthy homemade salted caramel cashew butter

Ingredients –

2 cups of raw cashews

1-2 Tablespoons of Maple syrup (more or less to taste depending on how sweet you like things)

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean extract

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) and pour on your cashews, take care not to over crowd them.

3 – Roast your cashews for approx 10 mins, until slightly golden and lightly toasted. Watch them as they can catch and burn quickly – do not get distracted!

4 – Pour your toasted cashews into the bowl of your food processor or blender, add salt and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the cashews would grind down into a fine looking flour, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency, add your maple syrup, vanilla and salt then process again just to combine.

6 – Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly – add a little extra salt or more vanilla or maple syrup if you feel the need and if you prefer a thinner consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – if it lasts that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

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Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavour? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on chocolate?! Tell me, tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes or leave links to recipes in the comments belowand please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your salted vanilla cashew butter (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 Salted Caramel Cashew Butter {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

For the longest time I have been wanting to make my own almond milk but, for some reason I just kept putting it off.

Making your own almond milk sounds kinda hard so why would I bother when I can just buy it at the store right?!

I mean how much better can it be?!

Answer = so much better!

I’m talking so much better that it doesn’t even really compare.

It’s not even in the same ball park.

Homemade almond milk is a total game changer!

And you guys, it’s so easy to make!

Seriously, now that I know how easy it is I’m kicking myself for not making it sooner!

All you need is just 3 ingredients that I bet you have on hand already – Almonds, water and vanilla. That’s it!

Once you have gathered up your ingredients you’re already half way there!

The hardest part about making your own almond milk is waiting for the almonds to finish soaking, which isn’t really hard at all especially if you pop them in to soak as you’re getting dinner ready.

Then you can just set them aside and let them do their thang while you sleep. That way when you drag yourself reluctantly crawl jump out of bed in the morning all you have to do it drain and rinse your almonds, pop them in your blender with a little water, blendy, mcblend and you’re pretty much done.

The next thing you do is pour your blended almonds into a piece of muslin cloth or a nut milk bag to separate the residual almond pulp from your creamy, dreamy almond milk.

Lastly we need to add our vanilla which is as simple as giving your blender a quick rinse, then pour your strained almond milk back into the jug, add a splash of vanilla, give it quick blitz just to combine and you’re done!

So, easy right?!

It seriously takes 5 mins!

And you guys . . . the taste . . .

It’s really is so incredibly delicious that to say it’s delicious doesn’t even come close to describing how insanely delicious it really is?!

So did I mention that I think it’s delicious?!

Because it is!

Delicious, I mean!

Ok I’ll stop.

Now, I realize that it doesn’t look that delicious at this point . . .

Although looking at it now it kind of reminds me of melted soft serve ice cream which is incredibly delicious but again, not very pretty, anyway,

This is what it looks like once you’ve blended it but before you’ve strained off the residual almond pulp which you can turn into deliciously versatile almond meal – I included the how-to’s on that in the recipe section FYI

I know they aren’t the prettiest of photo’s but I wanted to add them in so you know what you’re working with. Hopefully you find them more helpful than disturbing . . .

Anyways, moving on . .

Honestly could not believe how creamy this homemade almond milk is!

So much creamier than any of the store bought kinds I have tasted.

As much as I (thought I) loved the my store bought almond milk I never could drink it on it’s own, I would use it in coffee or to make smoothies but never just a glass of straight up almond milk you know?!

But this homemade vanilla almond milk I can’t stop drinking! Just as it is, it’s just that good!

It’s light and creamy, deliciously nutty, subtly sweet  and spiked with just a hint of vanilla.

In all honestly I expected it to be a little on the watery side considering it’s made by just blending almonds with water but nope, it’s seriously creamy.

And would you just look at those little flecks of vanilla?!

So, so good I can hardly stand it!

Homemade almond milk is a total game changer! I honestly don’t think  I will bother buying it ever again!

You guys are going to love, love, love it!

I think it’s pretty obvious how deeply in love with it I am but you know what makes me love it even more, I mean if that’s even possible at this point?!

The fact that it’s 100% natural.

No weird stabilizers, additives or unpronounceable ingredients that tend to hide in a lot of those store bought variety’s – it’s simply almonds and vanilla of course that means it also happens to be naturally, vegan, gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly 

If you have been thinking of making your own almond milk then I beg strongly encourage you to do it asap.

I mean it, stop what your doing and get those almonds on to soak already!

That way you will be one step closer to sharing in the blissful deliciousness that is a nice tall, ice cold glass of vanilla almond milk that you made all on your very own!

I mean how cool is that?!

All natural, light and creamy, deliciously nutty, subtly sweet healthy, homemade almond milk  infused with a delicious hum of vanilla;

Life as you know it will be changed forever!

Make it. Drink it. Love, love, love it!

Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 2 1/2-3 cups of All natural, light and creamy, deliciously nutty, subtly sweet healthy, homemade almond milk infused with a delicious hum of vanilla

Ingredients –

2 cups of raw almonds

3 cups of water + more for soaking

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method –

1 – Place almonds into a non porous bowl/jug or jar and then pour in enough water to ensure all your almonds are completely covered.

2 – Cover and set aside to soak for at least 8 hours, I did mine overnight.

3 – Once your almonds have soaked for at least 8 hours and you’re ready to make your almond milk, drain and rinse your almonds in fresh, clean water then pop them into your blender.

4 – Add your 3 cups of water and process on high until smooth and creamy.

5 – Place a nut milk bag or piece of muslin cloth into a colander and set it into a large bowl then pour your almond milk into the nut milk bag/muslin cloth then strain/squeeze all of the milk out into your prepared bowl.

Reserve the strained meal for an alternate use – you can make your own almond meal by dehydrating it in the oven. Simply spread your pulp onto a lined baking sheet and bake at a very low 75-90’C (170 -200’F)  for 3 to 4 hours or until completely dry. Pulse in a food processor to break up any clumps, store in the fridge and use as you would store bought  almond meal.

6 – Rinse out your blender and pour your strained milk back in with the vanilla and pulse just to combine.

7 – Store in the fridge for up to 5 days (if it lasts that long) Shake well before use and enjoy as you would any other store bought milk.

Enjoy xo

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Question of the day –

Do you make your own nut milks? What’s your fave method, recipe or flavor?

Feel free to share recipes or leave links to recipes in the comments below and please, for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your vanilla almond milk (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 Easy, DIY – Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Hey yo how’s your week going?

Good I hope

Me, well . . . let me just tell you, mine has not started out quite as I was expecting . . .

Bright and early Monday morning our car battery decided to die on us so . . . that was unexpected . . . and expensive . . . and fun (← said no one ever!)

Not really a big deal, we were lucky enough to get it into the trusty ol’ mechanic and have it replaced in a matter of hours but, not gonna lie it totally threw me off and I feel like I’ve been playing catch up ever since.

And somehow I seem to have hurt my shoulder and re-trigger an old yet extremely painful rotator cuff injury while tending to my poorly back!!

Please tell me I’m not the only person who manages to injure themselves in such random and unexpected ways?

Any-who, let’s move onto today’s recipe shall we  . . .

Today we are making an all natural, quick and easy healthy homemade smoky BBQ coffee spice rub.

Oh. My. Deliciousness, you guys this smoky BBQ coffee spice rub is going to rock your world!

You know how much I love, love, love to make my own spice blends (evidence → here, → here, → here and → here). There’s something so fun and satisfying about making these little DIY seasonings don’t you think?

I love how you can totally customize it to suit your own personal tastes and 9 times out of 10 they end up tasting a million times better than the pre-made store bought blends anyway.

And then there’s the fact that they are so much better for you too (read lower in sodium and sugar with no weird ingredients or additives/preservatives).

Anyway, a few weeks ago I saw that Diane Sanfilipo (author of Practical Paleo) who blogs over at Balanced Bites shared this recipe that she created for a DIY Smoky Coffee BBQ Spice Rub and I was intrigued . . .

I mean are you surprised?! Probably not;

I did just finish telling you how much I adore making my own spice blends and, well, you know how much I live for love my coffee (I only need it with my oxygen) but, it had never occurred to me to combine these two great passions into one sensational, savory spice blend.

All I can say is wow.

Seriously . . .

Words fail me . . .

This smoky BBQ coffee spice rub is an absolute taste sensation.

It’s made with a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already, it’s naturally vegan, gluten free and paleo friendly and it comes together in a matter of seconds and I guarantee it will transform your dinner into something so delicious it may just blow your pretty little mind!

It has all the standard savory base elements that we all know and love – garlic, onion and salt – the usual suspects – next we are going to add in a combination of regular and smoked paprika. I am a huge fan of paprika, smoked and regular but usually just use one or the other  in my cooking. Let me just tell you the combination of the two adds such an incredible depth of flavor, a deep, rich smokiness that takes things to a whole new level.

A total game changer.

Then to balance out the savory elements and that deep, rich smokiness, we add a touch of sweetness with just a pinch of coconut sugar. Although we are adding a touch of sugar, this spice mix does not taste sweet at all, the coconut sugar really just helps to enhance and balance out the savory elements of the spice blend and, when you cook your meat it caramelizes under the heat and creates this crispy outer crust that is not only insanely delicious in itself but, it also helps to seal in the natural juices of your meat which is always a good thing.

Deliciously smoky, crisp and crunchy on the outside – succulent, tender and seriously juicy on the inside. So, so good!

And then comes the coffee . . .

Now, I don’t really think this spice mix actually tastes like coffee, it does have a hint of espresso if you really, really concentrate and look for it but more than anything I feel like it just contributes to the overall depth and smokiness of the mix.

You’ll notice that we don’t use any black pepper in this recipe, the coffee is used in it’s place and I find that more than anything adds a slightly sweet, deliciously rich, almost charred element to the dish – like you get when you cook out on the grill or BBQ you know?

I’m not quite sure how to explain it – it kind of reminds me of our homemade blackened seasoning but without the heat and with a deeper, richer, much smokier flavor.

Anyway, I know you will absolutely love it so, the best thing for you to do is to simply make it and taste the deliciousness for yourself. Then you can come back and help me try to find the words to describe how incredibly delicious it is.

Once you have made your new fave spice rub you simply use it as you would any other. Just rub a little of the seasoning over your protein of choice – so far I have just used chicken but it would be so good on a nice juicy steak, a pork tenderloin, a succulent piece of salmon, or even some barramundi (or your fave white fish) I bet it would even go very nicely on some tofu or tempeh for my vegan/vegetarian friends.

Anyways, simply season your protein of choice then and set aside to marinate (at room temp) for 10-15 mins then cook as per usual. I finished my chicken with a cheeky squeeze of fresh lime and served it with some creamy, roasted garlic whipped cauliflower and steamed green beans (if you missed out when I shared it on Instagram you can see it here) and let me tell you, it was so, so good that I can not wait to make it again!

I have to give a huge shout out to Diane for creating the original version of this recipe (which I have change just slightly to suit my own personal tastes and what I had on hand) and if you aren’t familiar with Diane, her website or books I highly recommend you head over and check out some of her work.

She has everything from recipes, to podcasts and covers everything from health and fitness to mindset and business building. She is a woman with much knowledge and many talents so make sure you take a look.

But first you need to go make this spice mix, with just a handful of ordinary ingredients you too can transform your dinner into something truly extraordinary.

Tantalize your taste buds with this – all natural, quick and easy, sweet and smoky, seriously satiating, espresso infused, BBQ spice rub – seriously life changing.

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Healthy, Homemade Smoky BBQ Coffee Spice Rub {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}
Slightly adapted from this recipe created by Diane Sanfilippo of Balanced Bites
Makes approx 1/2 cup of all natural, quick and easy, sweet and smoky, espresso infused, BBQ spice mix

Ingredients –

2 Tablespoons of freshly ground coffee beans (I use decaf)

1 Tablespoon coconut sugar

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons salt flakes

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion power

2 teaspoons ground paprika

Method –

1 – In a small bowl or glass jar (or even just a zip lock bag would work) combine all ingredients and stir (or shake) to combine.

2 – Store in an air tight container (or ziplock bag).

3 – To use – Simply rub a little seasoning over some chicken, fish or steak and set aside to marinate (at room temp) for 10-15 mins then cook as per usual.

Enjoy xoxo

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Question of the day –

Are you a fellow DIY spice mix lover? What’s your favorite flavor combination?

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 this spice rub (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 Healthy, Homemade Smoky BBQ Coffee Spice Rub {Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Just 1 week left until Christmas!!!

Can you believe it?

Are you all wrapped and ready?!

I think I am, just a few things to finish up and then I’m good to go . . . I think . . .

Well, apart from wrapping . . .

Wanna come help?

I have a super yummy snack mix we can munch on while we do it . . .

Come on, you know you wanna . . .

It’s really yummy . . . it also happens to be super easy to make, made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already so if you are looking for a quick and easy, healthy homemade last minute gift idea, I got your back baby!

Every year Santa lovingly leaves some kind of super yummy snack mix in our Christmas stockings, it’s a sweet little tradition that I have come to love.

I mean come on now, who doesn’t love a good snack mix?

Especially one that’s custom made just the way you like it.

You know how disappointing it is when sometimes you buy trail mix and the fruit to nut ratio is all wrong?

Or there are certain things included that you just don’t really care for (I’m looking at you banana chips) . . . which means you have to spend your precious eating time picking out, or avoiding the offending ingredient . . . and, even when you think you have manage to remove all traces of the said ingredient you can still taste it. . . yep, not cool and seriously disappointing right?!

Well don’t you worry friend, today we are making our very own healthy, homemade, perfectly balanced snack mix – just the way you like it!

Although, I guess really we are making it the way I like it but, I’m pretty sure you and I are on the same page when it comes to eats, you know what they say – great minds eat alike

Feel free to play with the recipe and make it just the way you like it but, I really think you should try my version, it really is all kinds of delicious.

Crisp, crunchy almonds and buttery cashews are combined with sunflower seeds, pepitas and some oven roasted coconut chips to make our delicious and nutritious coco-nutty base.

Next up we throw in some sweet and juicy, deliciously chewy dried cranberries along with a little dried ginger which, is not only good for digestion (bonus) but, also adds a subtly sweet touch of heart and belly warming holiday flare.

Lastly we add just a cheeky little handful of antioxidant rich , dark chocolate chips which adds a little bit decadence and I think we can all agree that well, chocolate just makes everything better.

Simple, healthy, homemade deliciousness.

Add it to your Christmas cheese platter along with some fresh fruit, or pop it in a pretty little mason jar (or cellophane bag), add some ribbon and give it to the someone you love.

Eat it simply by the handful, serve it with some yogurt for a delicious, nutritious, quick and easy breakfast bowl or use to fuel your late night wrapping frenzy either way you can’t go wrong.

All natural, quick and easy, delicious, nutritious healthy, homemade holiday snack mix – it’s the gift that keeps on giving

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Healthy, Homemade Holiday Snack Mix {Vegan & Paleo Friendly)
Makes approx 4 cups of quick and easy, delicious, nutritious, fun, festive, healthy, homemade holiday snack mix

Ingredients –

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pepitas (could sub pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup toasted coconut chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup naked dried ginger, roughly chopped

4 Tablespoons of dark chocolate chips (I like to keep 2 Tablespoons whole and roughly chop 2) – If Vegan be sure to use a vegan/dairy free alternative

Method –

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

2 – Store in an airtight container (I like to keep mine in the fridge so the choc chips don’t melt).

Enjoy xo

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Question of the day –

Do you have an fun, family holiday food traditions?! Tell me . . . details please

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 this snack mix (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 Healthy, Homemade Holiday Snack Mix {Vegan & Paleo Friendly) first appeared on Better with Cake.