Raw Vegan Chocolate-Orange Buckwheat Bliss Balls

These balls of chocolatey-orangey deliciousness are packed with super foods, completely nourishing, refined sugar and gluten free, so easy to make and taste amazing.

Makes 12 balls:

• 100g raw activated buckwheat (soak overnight)
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• Orange rind of one orange (grated)
• 1 tbsp orange blossom extract
• 3 tbsp raw cacao
• 2 tsp maca powder (optional)
• 7 medjool dates/ 10 deglet noors, pitted
• 3tbsp rolled oats
• 1tsp coconut oil

Simply place your buckwheat (rinsed and drained) in your food processor with all other ingredients, and process on the highest speed, until you have a doughy mixture.
If your mixture is too sticky to roll into balls just yet transfer your mixture into a bowl and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes or so (this will allow the coconut oil to solidify as it would have become liquid during the mixing process).
Now when you have a more solid dough, use a tea spoon to portion your scoops of the mixture, and roll into balls. You can use cacao powder to act as flour. You can coat them in different toppings of your choice too, such as goji berries, hemp seeds, dessicated coconut, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Place on  a tray lined with parchment paper, and leave to set in the fridge, OR if you're feeling impatient leave them to set in the freezer for just less than 10 minutes.

Hope you enjoy!

Raw Vegan Raspberry, Lemon and Coconut Cheesecake (refined sugar free, dairy free, guilt free)

After trying the most delicious raw vegan raspberry and vanilla cheesecake, and a raw vegan mocha cheesecake at London Vegfest, I had been itching to make one myself, and what a success it was indeed (if I may say so myself!)

These no-bake treats are undeniable winners; simple and easy to make, yet look impressive, not to mention they taste delicious, lighter than a usual cheesecake made with dairy, and fundamentally they're very nutritionally dense. As this recipe is raw, it provides optimum nutrition and living enzymes. Benefits from the following ingredients include; 
Activated cashews- cashews provide us with healthy fats ( heart healthy mono-saturated fats which promote good cardiovascular health), cancer preventing properties, hair, skin and bone health, prevent gallstones and aid weight loss. Activating nuts refer to the process of soaking nuts/seeds in order to increase their nutrition value, and make the nutrients a lot more readily available.
Coconut oil- one thing I can't get enough of is this nutritional powerhouse. It works wonders for hair and skin, maintains cholesterol levels, aids weight loss, boosts the immune system, and boosts metabolism. 
Raspberries- these delicious summer berries provide us with antioxidants, anti-inflamitory properties, high fibre content (essential for maintaing a healthy digestive system and reduces the risk of bowl cancer) while low in fat (aiding weight loss), maintains cardiovascular health thanks to its potassium content which helps maintain the heart beat and blood pressure, and a mood lifter as it's a rich source of Vitamin B and folic acid.
Lemon- provides us with bountiful benefits such as many antioxidants, healthy glowing skin, fights fatigue, anxiety and hypertension, boosts the immune system, acts as a weight loss aid and liver cleanser.

What's better than delicious dessert which is this good for you?

It felt like the success of this cheesecake tripled when every member in my family thoroughly enjoyed this vegan treat. Even my 15 year old, self-professed carnivorous brother loved it, which as you could probably imagine I was super happy about!

This was an absolute hit, and I would recommend it to anyone. Whether your cutting out dairy, refined sugar, looking for a healthy alternative, or fancy a light treat which will still satisfy your sweet tooth, give this a go and I'm sure (I hope)  you will not be disappointed.

*Disclaimer: credit goes to the amazing Sarah Britton of http://www.mynewroots.org/site as this cheesecake is predominantly based on her 'Raw Cashew Dream Cake' recipe, however I modified it slightly.

For the base, you will need:
1/2 cup raw almonds (50g)
1/2 cup medjool dates (90g deglet noors work too)
1/4 tsp. sea salt

For the filling, you will need:
1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours, but overnight is best (210g)
Juice of 1- 1½ lemons
Lemon rind of 1 lemon
Seeds of 1 whole vanilla pod (or 1 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract)
1/3 cup raw coconut oil, melted (75g)1/3 cup agave nectar (approx. 110g)
1 cup raspberries (thaw completely if using frozen)

Instructions:
1. Pulse almonds, dates and sea salt in a food processor until they meet desired fineness. (For a finer base process longer). Test the crust by spooning out a small amount of mixture and rolling it in your hands- the ingredients should hold together. Spread out your crust mixture in a 7” spring-form pan and press firmly, making sure that the edges are well packed and that the base is relatively even throughout. Rinse food processor well.
2. Warm up the coconut oil and agave in a small saucepan on low heat until liquid, whisking the two ingredients to combine.
3. Place cashews, coconut oil, agave, vanilla and lemon juice in a food processor and blend on highest powder until very smooth (this make take a couple minutes so be patient).
4. Pour about 2/3 of the mixture in a separate bowl for the time being.
5. To the mixture remaining in the food processor, add lemon rind. After processing together, pour the lemony mixture out onto the crust and smooth with a spatula.
6. Pour the remaining 2/3 of the mixture back into the food processor with the raspberries, and process together. Layer this mixture on top of the lemon one. Place in freezer until solid.
7. Remove cheesecake 30 minutes before eating. Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!

Raw Vegan Lemon & Coconut Bars

I've never before craved lemon like I have been recently. I keep adding lemon rind to my breakfast, it's pretty odd, but delicious. So, I figured I should make some lemon bars to dust off this citrus craving once and for all, after being inspired by ariellelikestocook recipe (I made a variation of her recipe, however I still recommend giving hers a try too as I'm sure they're just as delicious.)
They definitely did the job... lemon cravings are 110% satisfied.
They were absolutely delicious, I really recommend you try them! When they're dairy & refined sugar free, raw, vegan, how could you not?

As lemon rind plays a large role in giving these baby's that lovely lemony-zesty flavour, I thought I'd share some of the many benefits that it provides, which is often lost as we tend to just only use the juice:

Detoxifying  effect on the body- the astringent, antiseptic, as well as the antibiotic properties of the fruit peel, are considered to be good for our skin, making it yet another point in favour of the health benefits of lemon rind.
A source of essential oils- which acts as a rejuvenator and mood enhancer too
Decreases Cholosterol Levels- promoting better heart health.
Improves Bone HealthNeutralizes Free Radicals- free radicals are the unpaired electrons present in the cells of the body. These radicals are responsible for occurrence of certain types of cancers, heart issues, ageing  swelling, and autoimmune diseases. The vitamin C present in this fruit peel plays a very important role in neutralizing the free radicals, thereby preventing the health concerns mentioned above. 
Promotes Healthy Skin
Click here for more 



Makes 4 bars:

For the Crust:

• 1 and a half cup of oats
• 1tbsp coconut oil
• 5-6tbsp agave
• 1 cup coconut flakes

- Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor untill it looks like pastry dough.

-Spread it in a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper

For the filling:

• 1 cup soaked cashews (left to soak for 24 hrs)
• 1/2 banana
• Lemon rind (of 1 and a half- 2 lemons)
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 2-3tbsp agave

-Pulse the cashews in a food processor so that they become a creamy mixture.
-Then add all other ingredients and pulse till smooth.
-Layer this filling over the crust.
-Place in a freezer for 1-2 hours.
-Garnish with more lemon rind for decoration and extra zesty flavour

I love this recipe and hope you will just as much! 

Smoothie sundae

Bottom layer to top:

• Blended frozen raspberries with 1 handful of soaked almonds
• Half a frozen banana with 1 nectarine, and maca (optional)
• Blueberries
• 1 frozen banana blended 

Layer in a glass/jar and enjoy as breakfast or a refreshing mid day snack!

Almond Milk Chia and Mango Pudding

This is one of my favourite breakfasts, but I think it would also make a delicious and light dessert. The mango gives a lovely taste and thick texture. Better yet, it is extremely to make.

Serves 1:

What you will need:

• 1 and a half tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 1 small mango/ 1/2 large mango.
• Goji berries (optional)

What to do:

-Pour your chia seeds into a cup, add almond milk and stir with a fork quickly. Ensure that all the chia seeds have covered by the milk, so that they're not just lying on the surface. It's important to use a fork and stir qucikly in order to avoid the chia seeds clumping together.
-Leave to soak overnight - when left in liquid, chia seeds expand and gelatinise.
-Blend mango with a hand blender until smooth.
-In a bowl pour your chia seeds, then your mango puree, garnish with goji berries and enjoy!

The Easiest Nice Cream

One ingredient ice cream- it's too good, and it's true.

-2 frozen bananas- blend with a food processor/ hand blender. It becomes delicious and creamy. Don't think it could be any easier?

What you can add to give more flavour:
-Vanilla flavouring
-Dates
-Cinnamon
-Blend with berries
-Cacao

You can add more or less anything you want. It's healthy and satisyfing and HEALTHY. The perfect ice cream alternative.