Lemon Bites

Dry Ingredients:

425-450g almond flour

110g organic raw coconut flour

1 - 2 pinch Himalayan pink salt

Wet Ingredients:

6 Tbsp organic liquid sweetener (maple syrup, coconut nectar, or raw honey)

85-100g organic lemon juice

1 Tbsp organic lemon zest

2 tsp. organic vanilla extract

85g organic coconut oil (+ 1 TB, melted/liquid)

Method

Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl and fold together. Next, add all the wet ingredients (EXCEPT the coconut oil) to a separate small bowl and mix. Slowly add the wet ingredients (EXCEPT the coconut oil) to the dry ingredients until they are mixed well. Slowly add the melted/liquid coconut oil and mix until it is blended in. Take out about a spoonful at a time and roll them in the palms of your hand into a bite-sized ball. Leave them plain or roll in shredded coconut flakes, almond flour, or sprinkle with coconut sugar. Put them in the refrigerator to firm for about 20-30 minutes. Keep them in the cold until ready to serve because they will get soft/mushy if left out at room temperature. Enjoy!

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

110g cooking chocolate, roughly chopped

4 tablespoons thick coconut milk (from the top of the tin)
1 ripe avocado
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

In a double boiler melt the chocolate and mix it with coconut milk until smooth. Put the cooled chocolate mixture in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Blend until completely smooth. Spoon into dessert glasses. Serve well-chilled with your favourite garnish.

Roast Figs with Honey and Marsala

8 fresh figs

2 tablespoons or so runny honeysplash or two Marsala wine
dollop ricotta cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C / Gas 6.

Cut a deep cross down into each fig, nearly to the bottom, then squeeze the sides of each fig to expose the juicy flesh. Place the figs into a lidded baking dish.

Drizzle over the honey and Marsala wine, ensuring some runs down inside the figs. Cover with the lid.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Serve the figs immediately with ricotta cheese and the boozy syrup from the baking dish. Alternatively, serve with ice cream, custard, cream or mascarpone.

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar

**serves 6

500g (1 1/4 lb) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Method

Place strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle vinegar over strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Stir gently to combine. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, but not more than 4 hours. Just before serving, grind pepper over berries.

 Bananas Baked in Coconut

6 ripe bananas

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste (optional)
Greek yogurt for serving (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Pour the melted coconut oil into a shallow bowl or plate.

3. Peel the bananas, cutting off the tops and bottoms. Carefully cut them in half lengthwise. Roll them around in the oil until well coated and lay them, cut side down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush them with any remaining oil and grate a little nutmeg over them, if using.

4. Bake for 20 minutes on a high shelf. Turn the bananas carefully with a spatula — don’t break them — and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes or so until they’re golden with caramelised edges. Carefully lift them from the tray and serve warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Simple Baked Apples

2 to 3 tablespoon sliced almonds, or chopped walnuts

4 tart eating apples, cored

1 tablespoon dried cranberries or raisins

2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup, or to taste

2 teaspoon butter, or to taste (optional)

1 to 2 tablespoon water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.

2. Dry roast the sliced almonds in a heavy pan just until they begin to colour. Set aside in a bowl.

3. With a sharp knife, cut a slit in the skin all the way around the waist of each cored apple. This will allow them to expand as they cook.

4. Place the apples in a baking dish just big enough to hold them. Stuff them with the dried fruit. Drizzle them with the maple syrup making sure that it gets into the hollowed out core, and then put a nut of butter on top of each one. Add the water to the bottom of the dish.

5. Bake in the center of the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the apples are puffed up, soft, and caramelized on top. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. The apples will collapse as they cool.

6. Serve sprinkled with the toasted almonds and with thick yogurt or ice cream on the side.

Date & Pecan Squares

**for 18 squares

125g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
150g dark brown soft sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g chopped pecans
350g chopped dates

Method

Preheat oven to 170 C / Gas 3. Grease and flour a 20x30cm tin. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and eggs, then stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla, pecans and dates.

Pour mixture into prepared tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cut into squares while cake is still warm.

Roasted Banana Frozen Yoghurt

**makes 1 litre

4 very ripe bananas

330g dark brown soft sugar

900g plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4.

Line a 20cm tin with foil. Peel the bananas and cut lengthways. Place bananas in the tin and cover with the brown sugar. Bake until the sugar melts and the banana is soft and roasted.

Reserve 1 banana and transfer the others along with the melted sugar to a large bowl.

Mix in the yoghurt and the vanilla. Pour yoghurt in the ice cream maker and freeze it according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the reserved banana just before you turn off the ice cream maker, this will ensure you have some chunks of banana in the frozen yoghurt. Enjoy it!