Healthy desserts Archives - The Organic Cookery

Chocolate vegan mousse

Making healthier desserts hasn’t been easier. Gone are the days when you had to master the art of baking and spend hours in the kitchen to produce a masterpiece. Now, all you need is a food processor and some avocados. This chocolate vegan mousse is a must try and you can have some fun with this Halloween.

This chocolate vegan mousse is perfect for a sweet delight without using large quantities of refined sugar. Also, you can eat it by itself as a healthier dessert. At the same time you can have it alongside other healthy treats during a Halloween kids or adults party. As the recipe asks for avocados, I spent some time refining this recipe to ensure it is as close as possible to a chocolate dessert and not guacamole. It is definitely worth the 15 min you will spend doing. For me, is not just about the quality of what I eat but the taste and the time I spend doing it. Yes, sometimes it is worth putting a lot of effort in the kitchen. However, some other times I prefer to deliver to the table something just as amazing but in lesser time. Wouldn’t you?

Why is this chocolate vegan mousse better for you?

AVOCADO

Although a fruit, monounsaturated fats make most of its contents. These fats include certain phytosterols (like campesterol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol) which help lower the unwated cholesterol. Also, these plant chemicals may attenuate the inflammation, however the data is very limited ( Source: Phytosterols, Linus Pauling Institute, 2017, http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/phytosterols). Avocados are high in pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) which is essential for brain and nerves and makes anti-stress hormones (steroids). Alongside biotin helps the body produce energy. Alongside vitamin E which is also highly present in avocados it maintains a healthy skin. Vitamin E is also important in enhancing our immune function.

CACAO/CHOCOLATE

The flavanols present in cacao helps increase microcirculation and improves skin structure. Also, the flavonols (especially epicatechin) help in keeping healthy blood pressure in adults with coronary disease, as well as healthy blood vessels in healthy adults (Source: Giana Angelo, Ph.D LPI Research Associate Micronutrient Information Center, 2012). The polyphenols present in cacao have anti-inflammatory effect which leads to healthy cardiovascular system. Antioxidant effects of cacao may directly influence insulin resistance and, in turn, reduce risk for diabetes. Cacao can protect nerves from injury and inflammation, and have beneficial effects on satiety, cognitive function, and mood (Source: Katz DL1, Doughty K, Ali A., cacao and chocolate in human health and disease, 2011). Cacao contains a neurotransmitters (anandamide) and a compound called phenylethylamine, both helping increase mood. Dark chocolate contains approximately 43-63 mg flavanols per 100 grams.

However, differences in processing can greatly affect the amount of flavanols present in commercial cacao-containing products. cacao naturally has a very strong, pungent taste, which comes from the flavanols. Before you get chocolate, cacao goes through several steps to reduce the bitter taste. Processing chocolate through things like fermentation, alkalizing, roasting, etc. damages flavonols. Supermarkets currently sell mainly highly processed chocolate. Although it was once believed that dark chocolate contained the highest levels flavanols, recent research indicates that, depending on how the dark chocolate was processed, this may not be true.

Best to go for dark chocolate and cacao powder that has not undergone Dutch processing (cacao that is treated with an alkali to neutralize its natural acidity). If your chocolate says “processed with alkali” on the nutrition label, then it’s going to have less flavanols. Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter). Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures. For this chocolate vegan mousse recipe I have used both a combination of 70% dark chocolate and raw cacao powder.

ALMONDS

Promote bowel regularity due to the high fibre content. They also contain 21g of protein per 100g serving, which makes them a good source of protein. The content of vitamin B2 and E helps keep skin healthy. Helps in blood circulation due to iron content which transports oxygen to cells. Good amounts of calcium and magnesium work together to keep our muscles healthy.

ALMOND YOGURT

For this recipe I used almond yogurt. I have made a recent discovery in the form of this wonderful Nush yogurt. Usually you would use coconut milk and while coconut milk is a good alternative I prefer almond yogurt because it has less saturated fat. I had people asking me where you can get in and you can find it in all major supermarkets as well as health shops.

Chocolate vegan mousse

Print Recipe

Serves: 2 Cooking Time: 15min

Ingredients

For the mousse
150g dark chocolate (min 70% cacao solids)
2 large ripe avocadoes
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tsp vanilla paste or seeds from 1 vanilla pod
2 tsp honey
250g almond yogurt
To decorate
Handful of almonds blitzed until crumbs form or 60g of almond flour
2 tsp of cacao powder
2 oat biscuits with rounded edges (I used Nairn’s biscuit breaks)
Melted dark chocolate for decorating (I used Cake Décor’s Choco Writers)
2 tops of mint leaf
2 edible flowers or flower decoration

Instructions

Break the dark chocolate in smaller pieces and place in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water. Leave it to melt completely and then remove from heat and set on one side to cool.

In a food processor with an S blade place the flesh from the avocadoes, cacao powder, vanilla paste, honey, almond yogurt and cooled melted chocolate. Blitz for 3 min or until smooth and creamy. Place the mousse in 2 large cocktail glasses with a large rim or 4 smaller water glasses.

Prepare the dirt for the grave by mixing together the almond flour and cacao powder until it becomes dark in appearance. Take 2 oat biscuits and on the top half write “RIP” in dark chocolate. Leave to set.

Scatter the dirt generously on top of the mousse. Place the biscuit inside the mousse, ¾ towards the rim of the glass and at a slight angle. Place the mint and the edible flowers in from of the biscuit. And here you go, your very own vegan chocolate Halloween graves.

October 25, 2017 By Patricia Bloj

Healthy desserts/ Snacks

Healthy Halloween apples

These Healthy Halloween Apples are simply apples rolled in a date caramel and nutty mixture decorated with some edible funny looking eyes. Also, these are a much better option for you. They contain no refined sugar, less sugar than conventional desserts overall. In addition they are packed with vitamins, minerals and some good fats on top.

Yes people! It is that time of the year again. We need to get out of a very dusty cupboard the cheesy and kitsch looking Halloween decorations; at least in my household at my desperate sigh (most of my friends know very well the extensive collection of less than artistic decorations my husband likes to have). Coming back to food, in true style of The Organic Cookery, my contribution comes in the form of some amusing and more artistic looking recipes; you can have some fun with these this Halloween. Most of my recipes are really easy, quick and a much healthier alternative to your conventional recipes. Therefore, these healthy Halloween apples are no exception. The apples coated in delicious date caramel and sprinkled with hazelnuts and chia seeds take less than 15 min to do. They are amazing for kids and adult parties alike…or even as a winter snack/dessert. Plus it’s even easy to do with your kids too at the weekend or half term.

I love the date caramel I used to brush the apples with. It is very easy to make and it is one step closer to natural; you do not need heat application but only a food processor to make it. To create a smooth creamy consistency I added almond yogurt, which is lower in saturated fat.

Why are these healthy Halloween apples better for you?

Yes, of course these healthy Halloween apples are better for you. So let’s quickly look at why this is so.

APPLES – lovely apples, crisp and fresh and in season in the UK. Did you know that 90% of apples sold in the UK are imported? Next time when you do your shopping, check where the apples come from. It’s a good exercise to do with all foods you buy. Here are the ones I used in this recipe, however you can also find organic British cox apples here and a pesticide free variety here. In order to get an organic certification, the land needs to be pesticide free for a minimum of 5 years. So until then you can only claim pesticide free.

DATES – I like to call them natural sugar as dates are high in glucose which will raise your blood sugar very quickly. In the long term the body will store excess glucose as fat deposits. However, I use dates in small quantities so it creates a bit of a balance. Plus the use of good fats (like nuts and seeds) will slow down the release of sugar.

HAZELNUTS – contain the amazingly Omega 3 fats which help in maintaining your heart healthy. Your skin will be healthier due to vitamin E content. The same vitamin is involved in digesting protein. Pregnant ladies benefit from the folic acid hazelnuts contain.

CHIA SEEDS – Just like hazelnuts they contain Omega 3 fatty acids. However, they also have calcium and magnesium which you keep your bones and teeth healthy. The gum-like fibre that activates when you soak the seeds for 1 hour will help keep your bowels in good shape.

ALMOND YOGURT – for this recipe I used almond yogurt. I have made a recent discovery in the form of this wonderful Nush yogurt. Usually you would use coconut milk to make date caramel and while coconut milk is a good alternative I prefer almond yogurt because it has less saturated fat. I had people asking me where you can get in and you can find it in all major supermarkets as well as health shops.

Healthy Halloween Apples

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients

4 apples
4 pop cake sticks
60g hazelnuts
blitzed for up to a min to crush them (2 large handfuls)
3 tbps chia seeds
Edible eyes (you can find them in the baking aisle)
For the caramel:
6 medjol dates
63g Nush almond yogurt (1/2 a small pot)
1 tsp vanilla paste
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the caramel. De-stone the dates and add them to a food processor with an S blade along side all other ingredients for the caramel (yogurt, vanilla paste and pinch of salt). Blitz for 2-3 min min until you have a smooth paste. It will look like caramel and the taste is unbelievable.

Take the stem of the apples and give a wash and dry. Push the pop stick down in the place where the stem was until you get it through in the core. You will have to be forceful so hold the pop cake stick from half way down to ensure you are not bending it. Brush the apples all over with the date caramel. Be fairly generous.

Mix the crushed hazelnuts with the chia seeds. Holding the apples from the stick, roll them in the nut and seed mixture until coated all over. Using your finger, expose a bit of the apple skin where you would like to place the eyes. Brush the small roundels with extra caramel and stick the edible eyes. Repeat for all other apples. You can consume straight away but they will keep for a couple of days as it’s only fruit, dried fruit and nuts. Best kept chilled.

October 19, 2017 By Patricia Bloj

Featured/ Healthy desserts

Rhubarb and apple crumble

When it comes to indulgence, for me it’s about what choices you make. With this rhubarb and apple crumble recipe you can feel a lot better about your choice as it has minimal sugar. Also, it is jam packed with fruit.

This is an amazing recipe that takes little time to prepare and then you can sort of forget about it in the oven (for about 40-50 min depending on your oven). It caters for adults and children alike and with copious amounts of fruit and rather than a refined flour and full of butter topping this has a more interesting version: oats and nuts which get a delicious roasted flavour in the oven.

Late spring and early summer in Britain is the season of rhubarb, a vegetable with reddish edible stalks. Most recipes I found say to use fair amounts of sugar as the stalks a fairly sharp in taste but what I found with this recipe is that you actually you don’t really need to go overboard. By gently roasting it and adding the apple you will get enough sugar. When choosing rhubarb make sure you choose the most reddish stalks as the unripe ones contain high levels of antinutrients which interfere with the absorption of nutrients in our gut. From a vitamins and minerals perspective rhubarb contain few amounts which mainly will be lost through cooking, however, it also contains anthraquinones which have laxative properties.

The apple I used for this recipe is Royal Gala as this is still in season in the UK. When cooked Royal Gala holds its shape nicely and give a nice peachy flavour. Apples contain more fructose than glucose which make them the perfect choice in terms of desserts as it doesn’t shoot your blood sugar up.

Rhubarb and apple crumble

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 Cooking Time: 40min

Ingredients

400g rhubarb
500g apples (use British season – I used the last of Royal Gala season)
1 ½ tbps coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla paste
2 tsp cinnamon powder
300g oat flakes or rolled oats blitzed a couple of seconds in a food processor
120 g pistachios
1 ½ tbsp honey
To serve
200g coconut yogurt
1 tbsp elderflower cordial

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees. Wash the rhubarb and cut in 4cm strips. Wash the apples, don’t peel them as most of the good stuff is underneath (although some of it will be lost with cooking so be mindful of that) but it also saves times and gives a nice almost peach like texture. Royal Gala variety still holds its shape nicely once cooked. Cut them in 2cm chunks and discard the core.

In a pan put ½ tbsp of coconut oil (the oil will be hard but you will be melting it in the pan), 1 ½ tbsp honey, 2 tsp vanilla paste and 2 tsp of cinnamon powder and gently melt over a low heat. Pour the liquid on top of the apples and rhubarb and mix together well. Place in an oven proof dish.

Take the rest of 1tbsp coconut oil (again the hard one) place it in a pan and gently melt. Take of the heat and add the oats and mix well. Don’t worry if you think there isn’t enough oil. You don’t want the oats to be very heavy, but it’s more to help the oats achieve flavour in the oven. Add the pistachios and mix well again. Take the mixture and sprinkle over the fruits until well covered.

Bake in the oven at 160 degrees for a good 40-45 min or until you see the mixture bubbling and fruit breaking down (if you have a transparent oven dish) or you see the fruit juices bubbling in the corners of the mixture and the top is nicely browned but not burnt.

May 9, 2017 By Patricia Bloj

Healthy desserts/ Snacks

No bake granola bars with chocolate topping

These no bake granola bars are the most indulgent snack and definitely more like a dessert. This is because they contain a high level of dates and raisins which have a high level of glucose available for the body. If this glucose is not used then it will be stored by your body in the form of fat.

So these should definitely be enjoyed in moderation, although I must admit it will be hard because they just so amazing:).

There are few health benefits vs a normal highly refined dessert.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Oats – Contain gramine, a natural sedative, treating depression, anxiety and insomnia. They are also easy to digest (contain the most soluble fibre than any other grain);
Buckwheat – Gluten free, contains mucilaginous fibres which lubricates the digestive tract;
Hemp seeds – contain a perfect balance of omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids which help in brain function and heart health. They contain fibre but also essential amino acids.

No bake granola bars with chocolate topping

Print Recipe

Serves: 20 bars Cooking Time: 20min

Ingredients

For the granola bars
250g oats
60g buckwheat
200g medjol dates
100g hemp seeds
250g raisins
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp coconut oil
For the topping
100g 85% dark chocolate

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees. Put the oats, buckwheat and help seeds on to a baking tray. Roast for 10 min or until a slight golden colour.

Pit the dates and put them along side the oats, buckwheat, raisins, cinnamon, ginger and coconut oil in a food processor. Blitz until all combined and hold their shape when pressed together.

Take the mixture out of the food processor and pop it on a baking paper. Take another baking paper and pop it on top. Level the mixture with a rolling pin until you get a 3-4cm high block.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Take a spoon and pour the chocolate over the block and push it carefully to the ends. Cut the block in neat bars or just in shards.

May 9, 2017 By Patricia Bloj

Healthy desserts/ Snacks

Chocolate and orange energy balls

Whenever I made these chocolate and orange energy balls people absolutely loved them! The texture of these are slightly more crumbly and that is because I don’t use as many dates as shop bought ones. While dates contain dietary fibre which helps relieve constipation, Wathey are also very high in glucose, which means your blood sugar will sore high and whatever it’s not used by your body for energy it is stored by your body for later in the form of fat. So these energy balls a lot kinder to your waistline:).

However, nuts are in incredible source of good fats which are essential for our health.

HEALTH BENEFITS:

Almonds – High in monounsaturated fats, have a high content of fibre which regulates blood sugars as well as vitamins and minerals;
Walnuts – Rich in omega 3 and antioxidants and serotonin which lifts depression;
Hazelnuts – High in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant), manganese essential for development and metabolism;
Sunflower seeds – good source of polyunsaturated fats, magnesium, vitamin B6 and some iron.

Chocolate and orange energy balls

Print Recipe

Serves: 20 balls Cooking Time: 20min

Ingredients

250 g almonds
100 g walnuts
200 g hazelnuts
7 medjol dates
50 g sunflower seeds
Zest of 2 oranges
3 tbps of cocoa powder

Instructions

When at home: soak the nuts and seeds over night to remove the phytic acid (found within the hulls of nuts, seeds and grains). This is indigestible for humans so the best way to reduce is by soaking. Another way is via lightly toasting the seeds and nuts. Place the almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts on a baking tray and put in a heated oven (at 180 degrees) for 4 min. In the last min of toasting add the pumpkin seeds. These will quickly toast.

Pit the dates and place with all other ingredients in a food processor. Blitz for around 4-5 min or until fine crumbs and hold together when pressed.

Shape the mixture into balls.

May 9, 2017 By Patricia Bloj

Featured/ Healthy desserts

Impress your loved ones with these Red Velvet Chocolate Truffles

I might be a bit late for Valentine’s Day but I am sure you’ve heard that everyday should be Valentine’s day…and I agree. But I do like to celebrate Valentine’s day just because it offers a bit of an excuse or forces you to do something special. Not to say that I do something special for my loved one only once a year.

So, what could be more special than chocolate…I would say red velvet chocolate truffles. This recipe is something you can enjoy not just with the loved one but also for special occasions with friends and family. It is dairy free, no added refined sugar but definitely not indulgent free. I love desserts, but as I previously wrote in one of my blog post, sugar is not the best friend of your body. I have a balanced view on diet but for me balance means 80% good and 20% indulgent and if I choose indulgence I tend to go for the high quality ingredients and it needs to be something I really really love. So rather than having a processed cake bought from the supermarket lathered in artificial preservatives and loaded with sugar I prefer to choose a home made (including restaurant made) favourite dessert (I love home made sticky toffee pudding or chocolate puddings) or I come up with recipes which are not as bad for you. Red velvet chocolate truffles is one of these recipes.

I recommend using min 70% dark chocolate which means you are limiting the amount of sugar and it also feels a lot more chocolaty (desired for truffles). This recipe doesn’t have dairy (which means you are limiting the oestrogen that comes with it) however it does contain coconut oil and coconut milk which contain saturated fat in high proportion. There is a lot of debate around the health benefits of coconut vs dairy and the debate is not really settled. As a short summary coconut contains high proportion of lauric acid (a medium chain fatty acid) which can also be found in breast milk, palm kernel oil, certain nuts and in small amounts in cow’s and goat’s milk. It was believed that lauric acid mainly increases the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (or the “good” cholesterol) (source: Mensink RP, Zock PL, Kester AD, Katan MB, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2oo3) . The same study also concluded that the effects of the lauric acid on heart disease are uncertain. The reason behind this is there are multiple factors affecting heart disease which cannot be studied in isolation. I still consider any dessert a treat and I believe these should be consumed in moderation. One potential added benefit of these red velvet chocolate truffles is the addition of the raspberry powder. Not only you get the bright colour but because the raspberries have been freeze dried means that in theory if the raspberries are of good quality (organically grown) it should have preserved most of the benefits of raspberries.

Red Velvet Chocolate Truffles

Print Recipe

Serves: 20 Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients

300g min 70% dark chocolate
3 tsp coconut oil
250ml light coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla paste
3 tbps amaretto
Pinch of salt
4 heap tbps of raspberry powder

Instructions

Break the chocolate into smaller pieces by bashing the chocolate to the kitchen worktop (the chocolate still needs to be in the packaging). Place the chocolate pieces into a bowl and add 3 tsp of coconut oil.

Open the can of light coconut milk and carefully scrape the harden paste and place in a pan. Add 4/5 tpsb of the liquid and this in total should be around 250ml. The rest of the liquid you can use it for a smoothie so do not throw it away. Gently heat the mixture until all dissolved into a liquid, but do not bring to boil. Pour the coconut milk on to chocolate and carefully mix together. Be careful not to stir too quickly as the mixture could split. So take your time…this will take a couple of good minutes. If the mixture is loosing heat and you find the chocolate hasn’t melted completely pop it onto a pan with simmering water for a minute, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Mix together until the entire chocolate has melted and you have a smooth mixture, very much like a chocolate cream (the consistency of custard).

Add the vanilla paste, pinch of salt and the amaretto and mix.

The mixture is too runny to create truffles so leave the mixture to harden in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. If you are too impatient (which I can completely understand when you have a bowl full of chocolate sauce:) ) then you can dip strawberries in….just as nice!

When the mixture has set, you can either presented at the table and let everyone scoop their own truffles and then dunk them into the raspberry powder or if you have waiting overnight or for quite a while you will find the mixture might have set quite hard so then you can just scoop out and mould truffles with your hands and then roll them in the raspberry powder. Don't worry if you feel the mixture is too hard to mould. With the heat from your hands it will become more malleable. I have to worn you though that your hands will be properly chocolately, and of course...at the end I will not blame you if you start licking your hands :).

February 19, 2017 By Patricia Bloj

Healthy desserts

Flourless chocolate and orange beetroot cake

The inspiration for this week’s post comes from the fact that I will be celebrating my birthday this weekend…whop whop! And birthday means birthday cake and what I cake I have for you. It’s a beetroot cake! This birthday it’s a bit of a milestone for both me and my one and only but at least I am not moving age bracket…you know…the one you need to tick when you declare your age in surveys for example..muhahaha.

So what better way to celebrate than bake a cake! I must confess…I am not just a foodie…but I also LOVE bakes and sweets. Now, you will turn around and possibly tell me off for saying this. But, knowing how toxic refined sugar is (if you still don’t know check my older post S stands for Sugar to find out why), the challenge I am always giving myself is what recipes can I come up with that are not completely nutritionally deprived. Also, in the same time…even though the recipes I come up with are much better than your conventional high fat, high sugar, white flour desserts I still treat them as a…treat:). So please do indulge in these amazing dessert recipes but in moderation.

So why is this beetroot cake better than a normal cake? Continue Reading…

February 18, 2016 By Patricia Bloj

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