Spongy chocolate cake (Grain & refined sugar free)

We all LOVE brownies.. they're gorgeous, rich and made of chocolate.. I need to find a man like that!

BUT...

Sometimes, it's nice to have a light cake... a nice sponge, or just something a little less decadent than a fudgy brownie. Since we're all in agreement that chocolate is amazing.. I threw together this simple grain & refined sugar free chocolate sponge... after all, you can never have enough chocolate cake recipes :)

• 2oz coconut oil
• 2 tbsp raw organic honey
• 1 small banana, mashed well
• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs 
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• 1oz almond flour
• 1oz unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 160d (fan) and line an 8" square tin with greaseproof paper. 

Start by beating coconut oil and honey together until combined. 

Separate eggs, adding one egg yolk at a time to the oil & honey mixture. (Place whites in bowl of your stand mixer) Beat well between each addition. 

Next mix in mashed banana, yoghurt and vanilla. 

Add sieved almond flour, cocoa & baking soda to this mixture, and mix well. 

Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer/food processor (you can do this using a hand whisk too, it'll just take a little longer) whisk the egg whites with 1 tsp of lemon juice until you have stiff peaks. 

Next using a spatula/large plastic spoon (don't use a wooden or metal spoon as they'll knock out all the air you've just added) add the egg white a little at a time, folding the mixture gently to incorporate the egg white. Be patient... you want a light, spongy texture to this cake. 

Pour mixture into lined tin, and bake for 20 minutes until springy to touch & a skewer comes out of the centre of the cake clean. 

Cool on a wire rack. You could serve this cake as it is, or add some fresh raspberries as a garnish. It's amazing with coconut and raspberry ice cream (dairy & sugar free)... That reminds me, I must make some so I can post the recipe :) 

I make a quick chocolate almond ganache to drizzle on the top...

Ganache:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1tsp almond butter 
• 2 tbsp cocoa
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pop all the ingredients into a heat proof bowl and microwave for 15 seconds at a time until melted and smooth. Make sure to stir after each 15 seconds, or the mixture will burn, seize and turn into oily burnt chocolate (believe me... I know! And for the love of God don't taste it to see if you can work with it... you'll most likely need to wash your mouth out with industrial strength mouthwash and you'll still taste burnt chocolate for the next hour!) 

Anyway, I digress... leave the ganache aside for 5 minutes to cool and thicken slightly. 

Drizzle over cake and cut into slices. 

Pizza (Round 2)

So... lots of people are quick to dismiss the notion of trying something new it seems. I posted a recipe for pizza with a cauliflower base a couple of weeks ago, and several people were quick to jump to the conclusion that it wouldn't taste as good as 'real' pizza...I can honestly say, it was really good, not quite like a standard pizza crust, but good all the same.

Bear with me here...when you order a pizza, it's the toppings that concern you right? You like just cheese, or you're into meat sweats and order every meat topping known to man.. Honestly, have you ever given much thought to the base? It's just a way to hold all the fillings in place when you lift a slice. I'm pretty sure nobody has ever said 'WOW the wheat in my pizza base really made it taste amazing'.

Ever heard the expression 'tastes like chicken'? Well it's usually used to refer to foods that have a bland, hard to describe flavour..Very few people can actually say they don't like chicken, since it's pretty inoffensive. Yep, you guessed it... we're using chicken for the base!

BEST.IDEA.EVER!!!!

For the base:

• 1 cooked chicken breast
• 1 large egg white (reserve yolk for mayonnaise or freeze it... just don't throw it out... they're really useful!) 
• fresh parsley
• sea salt

You'll have noticed my penchant for simple recipes.. this is far easier than making a traditional yeast base, and you'll feel positively virtuous (and less bloated!) afterwards
Start by pulsing the chicken breast until finely shredded (don't overdo it, you don't want chicken puree)

Add in remaining ingredients and pulse until combined.

Spread out chicken base in even layer on a non stick baking tray (I used a 9 inch base from a springform cake tin). If food tends to stick to your baking trays, it's time to replace them but for now just grease the tray lightly with a little coconut oil.

Bake at 160d for 10 minutes until firm. Flip the base over to crisp up the other side (about about 5 minutes should do it) This isn't an exact science... you'll know when it's done because it's golden, firm and holding shape.

Once baked, remove from the oven and be generous with your favourite toppings. I used:

• Organic passata
• leftover chicken and bacon 
• mushrooms
• cherry tomatoes
• spinach 
• St Tola raw milk goats cheese (I may be addicted, it's so good!) 

I'm honestly not sure I can articulate how AMAZING this pizza is. Seriously, you're missing out on nothing by not having a standard base. The chicken base holds up great, and you can lift it like a normal slice. 

This felt like such a treat meal, but really it's pretty damn healthy. Protein shakes are great and all... but why have a shake, when you could have pizza???

Bacon Cordon Bleu...

Yeah that's right... the bacon is the star attraction, so no Chicken Cordon Bleu here...We're stuffing the chicken with bacon and goats cheese, and because we don't eat grains we're wrapping it in, yes you guessed it... bacon! If that doesn't appeal to you, well then I'm sorry there's something wrong with you.

Let me repeat it just to be sure... chicken, stuffed with bacon and then wrapped in bacon..Yep I knew you'd approve! 

• 1 large chicken breast
• 2 pieces of smoked streaky bacon
• 50g St Tola Raw Goats Milk Cheese ...I've said it before, and I'll no doubt say it again... I always try to buy Irish (must be cos I'm a farmer's daughter!), and prefer raw cheese so St Tola is an absolute must-have in my fridge. 

Start by butterflying your chicken breast to create a pocket for the cheese and bacon. 

Place a piece of cling film over the chicken, and using a rolling pin or meat mallet, bash the chicken until flattened. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. 

Next, do the same with the bacon.. just cover with cling film and roll it to flatten slightly. 

Stuff chicken breast with crumbled goats cheese and 1/2 the bacon.

Roll up tightly, and wrap in the remaining bacon to seal. (You can use cocktail sticks to secure the chicken if you need to). 

Top with a little coconut oil, and place in preheated oven for 20 minutes until the bacon is golden and crispy. 

Serve with a crispy salad or some steamed vegetables. 

This is a delicious protein packed dinner that is really simple to make. The smoked bacon really compliments the chicken...and well all that gooey melted goats cheese is seriously just amazing! To save time you can make a few together and freeze some or cook them all and keep in the fridge for a cold snack, or lunch on the go.

Chicken Kiev

I get bored easily so grilled chicken is never really going to excite me...I love dinners I can throw together really quickly, but they're just so damn delicious that you feel like a hero for eating so well, and not having spent your whole evening in the kitchen..

I'm in a great mood today... strangely smiley Diane, but still fancied something tasty and comforting and grain free, primal Chicken Kiev has been on my mind for a while... 

I feel like a fraud sometimes for posting such simple recipes... but you know what? I think we all need ideas so we don't get stuck in a salad rut, and if they're simple and delicious it's so much better! 

Chicken Kiev:

• Chicken fillet
• Butter (if you're even considering using margarine or low fat dairy spread get off my blog right now!) 
• fresh parsley 
• garlic

Coating:

• almond flour 
• seed mix (I used sunflower and sesame)
• coconut milk/beaten egg

Using a sharp knife, butterfly your chicken breast or just slice into the top of the fillet to create a pocket for the garlic butter. 

Mince a clove of garlic and mash into a generous knob of butter & chopped parsley.

Press garlic butter into the pocket in the chicken. 

Next dip the chicken into coconut milk or beaten egg, coat in almond flour, and dip into the milk/egg again, before pressing well into the seeds until well coated. 

Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven until cooked through and golden brown. 

Serve with a salad or steamed vegetables. I had this with cauliflower/celeriac mash and steamed broccoli. The best thing about this dinner is that it's uses the simplest natural ingredients and still manages to taste incredible... there's a lesson in there for sure! 

Whole 30 challenge

One of the things that people never seem to believe is that I don't crave chocolate, or bread or pizza... I honestly don't. It turns out that when you fuel your body with real foods, and ensure you're not lacking in nutrients then your body doesn't want sugar or wheat any more.

If you're thinking of cleaning up your diet, I can't recommend Paleo/Primal enough. Take the Whole 30 challenge. Be strict.. challenge yourself to eat only real food (fish, meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables and nuts) for 30 days and you'll be shocked at how healthy you feel. You should expect to see an improvement in your energy levels, mood and sleep patterns... you will most likely lose weight too! 

One of my favourite things about the Whole 30 challenge is that it's not like the 'miracle' diets out there. It doesn't promise you'll drop 20lb in 30 days, or that you'll lose 10% body fat in a week... what it will do is change your tastes, adjust your habits and cravings. 

An argument I come up against all the time is that Paleo/Primal lifestyles are too expensive. My response is always going to be the same...Food is how you fuel your body and maintain your health, how can you put a price on that? As a follow up (not being a judgemental cow here by the way)... how much did you spend on alcohol over the week? You're willing to spend €50 on drinks at the weekend which only serve to damage your health, so why not readjust your priorities and spend that cash on decent food? 

I can't deny it's more expensive to choose real food over processed food on special offer in the supermarket... I guess you've just got to make a choice.. 

Ideally we'd all eat grass fed meat, nitrite free bacon and organic vegetables... but we're all busy, we can't be perfect all the time.. and yes, all that organic food is expensive. Don't give up on eating clean just because you can't be perfect 100% of the time. You can buy meat and vegetables in the supermarket.. it doesn't even have to be Superquinn... ALDI/LIDL are fine. My point is, you don't have to go to a farmers market (let's be honest, they are more expensive).. you can eat good food on a budget. Regardless of where you're buying your meat and vegetables, it's always going to be 100 times better than the alternative frozen ready meal.....

Dairy free pesto

As much as I try not to over-think my nutrition (it's easy to obsess), I'm always mindful of little things that may be hindering my progress, or potentially damaging my health. Store bought condiments can contain all sorts of ingredients we wouldn't expect to find in them, and since I do my best to avoid sugar and artificial preservatives, I usually make my own... just to be sure... (this isn't obsessing alright??!!)

I've said before that I've nothing really against dairy, but I don't make a habit of including it in my diet simply because I feel better without it. I don't think pesto lacks flavour by omitting it, so I always go dairy free. I've raved about the benefits of spinach before, so won't bore you again!

I use walnuts instead of pine nuts since they have so many excellent health benefits. They're a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, making them a brilliant anti inflammatory food. If you have any sort of autoimmune disorder like eczema, psoriasis, arthritis or multiple sclerosis, you should be including walnuts in your diet....even if you don't, include them anyway because they're great for heart, hair and skin health :)  

You could use a mortar and pestle for this, but honestly a food processor is the way to go here. 

• 100g baby leaf spinach
• 4 garlic cloves
• 75g walnuts
• 1 tsp almond butter
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• pinch of sea salt
• 75ml walnut oil 

Add all ingredients except walnut oil to food processor and blitz until well combined. 

Drizzle walnut oil in slowly with the processor still running. Don't add all the oil in one go, or it won't mix evenly and you'll be left with a green oily mess. Be patient and just add a little at a time. 

Once you have added all the oil, your pesto is ready to use. 

If you don't use a lot of pesto in cooking, you can freeze it in an ice cube tray and just pop out a cube whenever you need some fresh pesto. It will taste far superior to store bought pesto, and only takes 5 minutes to prepare. 

In general, it's not the little things like condiments that are wrecking our progress, but still it's good to know exactly what you're eating so I do like to make it myself. 

Out of curiosity, and pure nerdiness (that is totally a word!) I took a look at the ingredient list for Sacla Classic Basil Pesto which seems to be stocked in most supermarkets.  And we have...glucose, 'flavourings'... what sort of flavourings? Not sure I want to be eating unidentified 'flavourings' to be honest... oh and we have potato flakes...that's not one I'd have guessed was in there. My point is, we can go to all the effort of omitting dairy, wheat or sugar etc from our diets, but they can creep in where we least expect it. It's not the end of the world, and no it's not likely to kill you... but if you're concerned about where your food comes from, you might want to think again before buying condiments. 

Hake with vegetable noodles...

I'm a bit weird when it comes to fish... I don't like the bones, feel or smell of it! Strange that I happen to actually love eating it..

I had never tasted hake before this, and probably never would have if it weren't for the very friendly guy in the fishmongers who decided to give me a piece to try. I can't take credit for this recipe... it was his suggestion (except for the veggie noodles... blame me for those). You can also blame me for the unimaginative naming of the dish... thankfully I don't work in marketing!

For the hake:

• Hake fillet (or white fish of your choice)
• 3 tbsp organic coconut milk
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• sea salt
• dried chilli flakes
• cherry tomatoes

Place fish skin side down on a large piece of tin foil.
In a small bowl, mix coconut milk with garlic, ginger, chilli and lime.
Pour over fish, and season with sea salt and black pepper.

Place tomatoes alongside fish, and wrap tin foil loosely to lock in the steam and juices as it bakes.
Bake in preheated oven (170d) until fish is just opaque. (15 minutes should be enough, depending on the thickness of fish)

Vegetable noodles:

You can choose whatever vegetables you fancy for this, but I used parsnip, carrot, aubergine and courgette.

Using a wide vegetable peeler if you don't have a slicing attachment for your food processor, slice each vegetable into long noodle-like strips.

Add 1/2 tsp of coconut oil, a pinch of salt, and some more chilli flakes to a wok.
Add your veggie noodles, and cook over a high heat until cooked but still holding their shape. This will only take 3/4 minutes.

Serve your fish on a bed of vegetable noodles, and drizzle some of the baking juices & coconut milk over the top. This dish only takes about 30 minutes and is really inexpensive, so yet again... no excuses :)