Tag Archives: gluten-free

Try raw key lime pie for a natural high

18 Dec

This pic doesn't do it justice but Inspiral Cafe's raw key lime pie is an inspiration

The other day I popped into Planet Organic for some supplies and being peckish as usual, I couldn’t help but grab a ‘healthy treat’; a ‘visionary raw key lime pie’ from the range created by Inspiral Cafe, a vegan restaurant in the thick of Camden, London.

Well!!  This was more than a treat it was a decadent, lustful, slobbering one way ticket to happiness and best of all – it was 100% raw, full of nutrients and therefore packed with only natural highs.

The ingredients list is simple; avocado, lime zest and juice, cold pressed coconut butter, raw agave nectar, dessicated coconut, raw cashew nuts, vanilla extract, and fresh ginger.

It’s raw, dairy free, gluten free, soya free, low gi, vegan, organic, eco packaged and could quite possibly increase your spiritual awareness.

I’m so excited to see more raw food brands popping up that do such a great job at turning the perception that raw food has to taste like sawdust.  Try it – you wont believe your luck!

Conscious Bars are a Raw Chocolate Treat Deluxe Supreme

1 May
Conscious chocolate bars wrapped in conscious recycled paper

Incredibly amazingly superlatively delicious Conscious Chocolate bars

Okay – I know I said I would stop writing about raw chocolate but I can’t help it. I’ve just had a bar of Conscious Chocolate called Love Potion Number 9. It’s amazing. It’s so amazing it’s beyond amazing and I’ll say that it could even be beyond ‘beyond amazing’. Actually, I’m holding back, it is so good it is nothing short of a culinary epiphany. Sorry –I know I might be going a little bit over the top about this chocolate bar (as I was over the others) but really and truely this is the best. I promise. And yes Vivian, you were right!

The raw ingredients in the few tiny crumbs of chocolate left on my lap are cacao butter, cacao powder, agave nectar, carob, coconut butter, spices, Himalayan salt, maca and essential oil of Otto rose. It’s also sugar free (even good for diabetics), pesticide free, gluten free, raw, vegan, handmade and wrapped in lovely recycled paper.

Based in Kent, Conscious Chocolate was founded in 2006 by vegan chef, Iyengar yoga teacher and chocolatier Emma Jackman for small scale distribution of their 40g chocolate bars only. Only a couple of years later Emma’s stunningly clever and delicious choccie bars are now, unsurprisingly, stocked in more than 50 outlets across the UK, including my local Planet Organic and Wholefoods. And best of all there are several delicious varieties:

Sunny Easter Feast
Yummy Mummy
Berry Christmas
Fruit Fantasy
Chocha Mocha Magic
Nicely Nutty
Best Ever Plain Chocolate
Best Ever Fiery Hazelnut
Best Ever Spiced Up
Fruity Goji and Coconut Delight
Love Potion No. 9
Love Your Heart Superfood
Best Ever Hint of Mint
Best Ever Citrus Zest
Best Ever Chilli Hot
Best Ever Essential Orange.

a truely life enhancing chunk of raw cacao

a truely life enhancing chunk of raw cacao

I don’t think I need to preach the benefits of raw cacao to you once again but in case you forgot or missed my post about it – it’s basically an aphrodisiac, serotonin booster, appetite suppressant, a cannibanoid without any side effects, and it’s rich in anti-oxidants, magnesium, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and sulphur (the beauty mineral).

I’m officially addicted and have the long list above to get through.

You can buy it right here.

Raw Porridge is the Ultimate Comfort Food

19 Mar

I used to love porridge the way my Mum makes it; boiled for a long time in warm, sugary, full cream milk and honey, with a blob of salty melting butter and dash of cinnamon on the top. As incredible as it is – it is a total no go in terms of maintaining a daily raw diet, or even a basic, fat managed diet for that matter, but that only spurred me on to find a raw version that comes close in flavour.

raw porridge is better than cooked porridge!!!

raw porridge is better than cooked porridge!!!

The first place to start when making the perfect raw porridge is to get the base flavour right. The base, of course, is the oats. I took my inspiration from the traditional Dr. Bircher-Benner’s muesli recipes and soaked my oats overnight in a variety of nutritious (non dairy) liquids. These included coconut juice, lemon juice and water, water, apple juice, apple and ginger juice, carrot juice and rice milk. 

In order of increasing sweetness, I recommend rice milk, coconut water or apple juice.

 
The ingredients (for two)
2 cups of raw gluten free (if possible) oats
1 handful raisins
1 tablespoon linseeds

Soak those ingredients in 1 cup of freshly juiced apple juice (I love Braeburns) overnight then add the following for your perfect comfort breakfast:

1 grated apple
4 x almonds (crushed)
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon

How to make it
Mix up and eat up. The raisins are sweet and plump, the linseeds also juice it up while the nuts add texture.

Tip 1

Of course you can add your favourite seeds, nuts, dried fruits (soak them overnight too), fresh fruits and dessicated coconut. Mashed banana is also sensational and maple syrup with pecans or grated 100% cocao make for a decadent flavour.

Tip 2
And – if you like a semolina texture – blend it. It’s really yummy, but personally, I prefer it chunky.

Tip 3
If linseeds aren’t enough and you really need some extra roughage – add pysllium (stir it in the morning and eat it quickly).

This porridge is not the same buttery, hot, comfort porridge as Mum’s – it’s better.  Sorry Mum! It’s just as delicious and a million times more nutritious. Raw comfort food at its best.