Chocolate & raspberry meringue...

So I had an operation on my mouth last week, and am struggling with solid food or anything hot (and saying anything with the letter 'S'). Instead of giving in, and eating ice cream and jelly (like a 'normal' person) I have had to find ways of eating enough to maintain my energy levels for training, whilst making sure I'm getting enough protein to recover after each session. This recipe packs a serious protein punch, with 35.9g per serving... impressive right?!

I had leftover egg whites from making garlic mayonnaise, and since I hate wasting ingredients I decided to make meringues. That's where the challenge comes in... meringues are basically egg whites and sugar. How was I going to make meringue without truck loads of sugar?

Simply replacing the sugar with honey wasn't going to work, since honey is heavier than whipped egg whites and so would leave you with flat, heavy pancakes instead of cloud-like, marshmallowy meringues. Let the experimentation begin....

Chocolate meringues

• 3 large egg whites
• 2 tbsp raw organic honey
• 2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce (simply stew peeled & chopped apple in microwave until soft and mash until smooth)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder, sieved
• 1 tsp organic vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• pinch of salt

In a bain marie (heat resistant bowl set over gently simmering water), heat honey, water and apple sauce until you have a thin syrup. This should take around 8 minutes. Stir regularly to avoid the honey burning. Remove from the heat and beat in sieved cocoa and vanilla. 

Whisk together egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until you have firm peaks. 

Slowly add syrup mixture, while whisking egg whites constantly. 

Once you have combined the syrup and the egg whites, place mixture on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 140d. 

Once you have a firm, baked meringue turn off the oven and allow to cool in the oven. (This keeps the meringue crispy on the outside, but tender and marshmallowy on the inside)

Filling: 

I did say I've been conscious of getting enough protein over the past while, and seriously... this really hit the spot, and tasted great! You can of course substitute the fillings to your own taste...

• 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt (I love Fage 0% Greek yoghurt which is available in Donnybrook Fair) 
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein (25g) 
• 1 tsp Meridian almond butter (most good health food stores will stock this)
• small handful of frozen raspberries, crumbled into small pieces
• 1 small kiwi or chopped nuts 

Whisk together first four ingredients until combined. The frozen raspberries will start to melt, giving a gorgeous colour to the yoghurt, as well as adding some moisture so the filling won't be too thick. 

Fill your meringue with the yoghurt, and top with chopped fruit or nuts depending on your preference. 

If you're looking for a dessert that is simple to make, and is full of protein,has healthy fats from the almond butter/chopped nuts and isn't full of refined sugar, then you really need to try this! 

The meringue won't have the same crispy exterior as a standard meringue, it'll be more chewy in texture, but that's okay cos it tastes pretty damn good. 

Peach and raspberry custard tart

It's time for a dessert I think...

I made this for dessert with Sunday lunch, and I quote "this is the nicest dessert you've made in ages". That's saying a lot! Usually the desserts I make for this lot, are laden with sugar and wheat, needless to say, I was pretty impressed! Clean plates all round, and people going back for seconds. It just goes to show, once you have the right recipe, you can do wonders...

Raspberries are a fruit that I have in the house all year round. I prefer them fresh, but I always have a supply of frozen berries for snacking or baking. Frozen raspberries are really nice as a snack, and since they're frozen, you're less likely to devour a whole punnet of fresh berries (I hear some people do this...not me obviously, other people!) 

This is a primal custard tart, with a nut base and lots of fresh peaches and raspberries. Now is the perfect time to bake it, since the peaches in the shops at the moment are deliciously juicy...make the most of fresh ingredients while they're around... 

Nut base:

• 120g walnuts, chopped coursely
• 120g flaked almonds
• 75g unsweetend dessicated coconut
• 75g organic, gluten free oats (not technically Primal, but you could do a lot worse! You can sub for more chopped nuts if you prefer)
• 50g pecans, chopped coursely
• 3 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp raw Irish honey
• 1 tsp organic vanilla extract (found in the baking aisle)
• 3 tbsp butter

Add all your ingredients to a bowl, and using your hands, mix ingredients well until combined and you have a stiff mixture.

It shouldn't be too sticky, or it'll be hard to work with so add more ground almonds or dessicated coconut if you need to. (This totally depends on the temperature of your eggs and butter... and how many nuts you've eaten while chopping them...just make sure the dough is stiff)

Next, take a 9" loose bottomed flan tin and start pressing the crust into it. This requires patience, but trust me, you'll get an even crust if you persevere. It's worth using damp fingers for this, as it stops the butter melting and the crust getting sticky.

Place in a preheated oven (160d) for 15 minutes, or until your crust has firmed up and is lightly browned. It will harden when it cools, so don't worry about it being really hard when you take it out.
Set aside and allow to cool while you make your filling.

Filling

• 200g Kilbeg Dairies Mascarpone (Yes I really do like buying Irish)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp raw Irish honey
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 tsp Creme de Cassis or Peach Schnapps 
• 100g raspberries (frozen work fine here)
• 4 ripe peaches, sliced
• handful of flaked almonds

Whisk together the first 5 ingredients, until you have a smooth thick custard base. You can beat it all together with a wooden spoon, but whisking aerates the mixture and makes it lighter when baked. 

Fold in berries to your prepared custard.

 Pour into the crust. 

Next arrange peaches on custard, and scatter flaked almonds on top.

Place back in the oven for 15-20 minutes until custard is set. You don't want to over bake it, or you'll end up with a chewy custard. It should be just set, with a slight wobble in the centre. It will firm up more as it cools. 

Once cold, remove from the tin, and serve... Do not blame me if you go back for more, this really is delicious.

I've noticed the more I have people taste my wheat, and refined sugar free desserts, the more positive the feedback. The recurring theme is that they don't leave you feeling uncomfortably full like you generally do after a traditional dessert...