Guilt-free Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse is always a winner…this mousse is guilt free gorgeousness! Serve with raspberries for a beautiful end to any meal!

What you need:

200g good quality dark chocolate(green and blacks is my favourite!)
Half cup of water
3 eggs(separating the yolks and whites)
2 tbsp Splenda sugar(diabetic) or caster sugar

What you do:

1) Using a bain-marie melt the chocolate adding in the water. Once incorporated let it cool to room temperature.
2) Add the 3 egg yolks and mix it well with a wood spoon.
3) Whisk the 3 egg whites till you get a mousse, add in the sugar.
4) Fold the melted chocolate with the whisked whites using a wooden spoon.
5) Once everything is well incorporated, serve up into ndividual little bowls and put it into the fridge for at least 4 hours, till it gets really cold.
6) enjoy with fruit and top with a sprig of mint.

Soo healthy, so yummy, so moussey!

Keep it delicious!

Peanut-butter, Dark Choc-Chip Cookies

This isn’t one to miss…healthy and delicious in more ways then one! Peanut-butter – sure, it’s high in calories, but that’s because it’s packed with the same healthy monounsaturated fats as olive oil, so don’t worry it’s still a healthy dessert option! Dark chocolate, a great source of antioxidants to keep your body beautiful! Not only good for you, but also the perfect cookie, crunchy on the outside, chewy and gooey on the inside…delicious! Here’s how:

What you need:
110g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
100g soft light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
120g crunchy peanut butter
180g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
40g dpgood quality dark chocolate(chopped)

What you do:
1) preheat the oven to 170C
2) whisk the butter and sugar until fluffy, add in the egg. Make sure the mixture is properly incorporated.
3) add in the peanut-butter and vanilla extract.
4) sieve in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt, mis until it becomes doughy.
5) stir in the chocolate evenly.
6) using and ice scream scoop place 6 balls of dough onto a baking tray.
7) bake for 10 minutes…it will be perfectly crunchy on the outside…gooey on the inside, just how they are supposed to be! Perfect every time!

Let us know how you got on! I know you are all going to love it! Happy baking…

Keep it delicious! 🙂

Light Brownies

Warm brownies with a nice scoop of good quality vanilla bean ice-cream is the most heavenly dessert ever…the gooey inside with the cold ice-cream is a winning combination and with these brownies it will be guilt free enjoyment.

What you need:
4 eggs
1 cup of whole-grain flour
2 tbsp coco powder
4 tbsp oats
5 walnuts
1 tbsp runny honey
2 tbsp oil
4 tbsp skimmed fat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder

What you do:
1) preheat the oven to 170C.
2)Grease a heatproof tin
3)In a bowl mix the eggs, the honey and the vanilla extract till well incorporated. Add the oil and milk, then the flour, baking powder and powder chocolate, mix it all in an wrapping way. The add the oats and walnuts (chopped).
4)Once incorporated pop into the greased tin and bake for 30 minutes.
5)Remove from the oven, let it cool and cut into squares.

So quick and easy! Stays gooey for days!! Mega yummy!

Keep it delicious!

Walnut and Lemon Shortbread

Everybody loves shortbread, however I hate to admit it but the usual kind is pretty unhealthy…why not swap it for this? Gorgeously soft and at 178calories you can’t say no!

What you need:
1 1/4 cups walnuts
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter(melted)
2 tablespoons light olive
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

What you do:
1) Preheat oven to 175C.
2) Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans; set aside.
3) In a food processor, combine nuts, flours, sugar, and salt. Pulse until nuts are finely ground but not oily.
4) Add the melted butter, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice; pulse until the mixture just comes together. Do not overmix!
5) Divide the mixture between the two pans and press in until even.
6) With a sharp knife, cut each round of dough into 8 slices. Lightly prick the tops with a fork.
7) Bake for about 22 minutes, until it’s a pale tan colour.
8) leave to cool and enjoy!

Yum yum! Gorgeously soft, fresh, with a slightly nutty flavour…the perfect addition to tea time!

Keep it delicious!

Apple and Cinnamon Flapjacks

Quick, easy and delicious! These simple apple and cinnamon flapjacks make a great breakfast or energy-boosting snack for your family…try them!

What you need:
1kg apples (peeled, cored and grated)
200g oats
70ml golden syrup
150g butter
40g sugar
1tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

What you do:
1) Simmer the apples gently in a covered pan with the sugar, until it becomes a soft.
2) Add the butter and golden syrup and bring to a gentle simmer.
3) Gently stir in the oats, salt and cinnamon to coat through.
4) Pour the mixture into square bake-proof dish and bake in the oven at 180C for 30 mins.
5) Allow to cool before turning out.
6) cut up into squared and top with syrup glazed apples or chocolate or just leave them plain…with way they will be gorgeously chewy and extremely moreish!

So simple! They will stay delicious for a while so long as you pack them into an airtight container 🙂

Keep it delicious!

Raspberry, Honey and Almond Frozen Yogurt.

Seeing as it’s January and we are all spending more nights in then out! There is nothing better then a movie night with a gorgeous low fat frozen yogurt to meet all your cravings! Perfectly sweet, soft and simple you’ll always have a tub of this magical dessert in your freezer!

What you need:
50 g icing sugar
300 g frozen raspberries
4 tbsp clear honey
500 g plain low-fat yogurt
75 g almonds

What you do:
1) Line a standard loaf tin with cling film, ensuring you let it hand down the sides.
2) Sift the icing sugar over the frozen raspberries in a bowl and then drizzle over the honey. Stir well together and mix in the yoghurt and almonds.
3)Spoon into the lined loaf tin, smoothing out the top. Cover the top with freezer film and freeze overnight.
4) Turn out of the tin and, using a warm knife to cut slices.
5) enjoy with a drizzle of raspberry coulis!

How simple is that?!

Keep it delicious!

Apricot Tarts

Flaky puff pastry with the poached apricots and a drizzle of cold single cream…perfection!! Trust me these tarts will have all your guests impressed!

What you need:
18 apricots (halved and stoned)
150g granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.2kg puff pastry
2 tbsp caster sugar
50g smooth apricot jam

What you do:
1) Put the granulated sugar in a pan big enough to hold the apricots in a single layer, add 350ml water and bring to the boil, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. Add the vanilla. Turn down to a very gentle simmer. Put the apricots into the liquid and poach gently until they are only just tender. 2) 2) Once ready, I stand with a slotted spoon and pull each one out as soon as it is ready. Lay the apricots in a broad, flat bowl so they don’t have to sit on top of each other.
3) preheat the oven to 220°C
4) Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3mm(or use the ready rolled) and cut out six circles, each 16cm in diameter. Lay them on baking-sheets and, using a smaller circle cutter mark a 1cm border.
5) Put six apricot halves on each pastry circle, leaving the border uncovered.
6) sprinkle with caster sugar and bake for 12 minutes
7) Put the jam in a pan with 1 tbsp water and heat until it has melted. Brush over the surface of each tart then leave to set a little.
8) Serve warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of single cream/whipped cream.

Obviously this is the cheating way, you can make your own puff pastry. However you make it, enjoy it 😉 this will soon become a family favourite!

Keep it delicious!

Pistachio and White Chocolate (diabetic) Biscuits

With minimal sugar these delicious biscuits are diabetic friendly! Tried and tested they taste much better than the shop bought biscuits, which tend to be overly sweet and end up making your tea taste horrid!

What you need:
75 g polenta flour/cornmeal
40 g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
75 g Splenda confectionary sugar
50 g butter
1 egg yolk
few drops vanilla essence
15 g pistachio nuts, chopped
25 g white chocolate chips

What you do:
1) Preheat the oven to 180C, line a baking sheet with bake-proof paper.
2) In a large bowl, incorporate all the dry ingredients, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3) Whisk together the yolk and the vanilla essence and add to the large bowl. The mixture will become crumbly, bring it together with your hands to form a ball and chill the dough for 10 minutes.
4) Once chilled, thinly roll out the pastry (1cm thick) and cut out 20 biscuits using a 4cm cutter. Space the biscuits well apart on baking sheets and sprinkle over the pistachios and chocolate.
5) Bake for 7–8 minutes until golden. And enjoy with a cuppa, tastes especially good straight out of the oven.

Feel free to change up the pistachio and white chocolate chips for raisins, oats, dark/milk chocolate, hazelnuts or anything else you fancy! I assure you you’ll feel a little less guilty snacking on these or you’ll be able to make a treat for a loved one. Either way enjoy!

Keep it delicious!

Apple and Cinnamon Crumble

Cinnamon – spiced, wholesome, wintery gorgeousness! I love cinnamon in everything and the key to making a good crumble is the cinnamon!! This easy recipe can be prepped in a matter of minutes, baked in under and hour and have your home smelling like Christmassy love and laughter! Served with ice-cream or double cream or even by itself is enough to satisfy anyone and everyone! Here’s how we do it:

What you need:

450g cored, skinned and chopped Granny smith green apples
225g unrefined brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
300g plain flour
200g butter, cubed

What you do:

1) per-heat the oven to 180 C
2) to make the crumble: mix together 300g plain flour, 1 tsp cinnamon and 175g brown sugar. Rub the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar mixture till it reaches a crumbly consistency.
3) place the apples in an oven proof bowl topping with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp plain flour and 50g unrefined brown sugar, shake it about getting the fruit fully spiced and sugared.
4) sprinkle the crumble on top of the apple mixture and bake for 40minutes.
5) enjoy with ice-cream, custard or cream!

So simple, and counts for one of your 5 a day!

Keep it delicious.

Egg-less, Whole-meal Carrot Cup-Cakes

Carrot cake is always my favourite, moist, gorgeous and perfect with tea! People are always sceptical of making it but I assure it is easy and tastes especially delicious when it is hot out the oven!

What you need:

Cake:
250g wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon all spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
125ml natural yogurt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
115g carrot, peeled and grated
70g walnuts
Frosting:
300g icing sugar
50g unsalted butter
125g cream cheese

What you do:

1) Preheat an oven to 180 C
2) Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda, all spice and salt in a bowl. Whisk together yoghurt, vegetable oil, honey, vanilla extract and orange juice in a separate bowl. Gently fold carrots into the yoghurt mixture. Stir yoghurt mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Gently fold walnuts into the batter. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cases until nearly full.
3) Bake in the preheated oven for 15 mins until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

That is it! Simple! Perfect with or without frosting…but here is how to make the frosting:

Hot to make frosting:

1) Beat the icing sugar and butter in an electric whisk
2) Add the cream cheese, continue beating until fluffy
3) using a disposable piping bag and a star piping nozzle, fill bad and add mini swirls.
4) decorate with either walnuts of ready made carrots

These stay moist for ages! Just store in an air tight container and enjoy!

Keep it delicious!