Chocolate beetroot brownies

Serves 20 

Calories per serve: 128

 

• 100g coconut oil, plus extra for greasing

• 275g cooked beetroot, drained and cut into small chunks

• 3 large eggs

• 60g cocoa powder

• 100g soft pitted dates

• 100g wholemeal self-raising flower

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 75g plain dark chocolate (around 85% cocoa solids), roughly chopped

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (fan 180, gas 6).  Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm loose-based square cake tin with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place the beetroot, eggs, cocoa powder, dates and coconut oil in a food processor and blend until thoroughly combined.  You can also blend the ingredients together in a bowl using a stick blender.

3. Add the flour, cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt and the bicarbonate of soda and blend until well combined.  Add an extra tablespoon of water to loosen the mixture, if needed.  Stir in the chocolate, then spoon into the prepared tin, spreading to the sides.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until risen and just firm to the touch.

4. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cut into squares to serve.

 

 

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Choc Berry Bites

Serves 6

Calories per serving: 146

 

• 100 g plain dark chocolate (around 85% cocoa solids)

• 2 tsp coconut oil

• 15 g flaked almonds, roughly chopped

• 15 g pistachios (shelled), roughly chopped

• 6 strawberries, washed and dried

 

1. To melt the chocolate, fill half a small saucepan with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Break chocolate into squares and place in a heat-proof bowl along with the coconut oil. Carefully place the bowl on the saucepan making sure the base of the bowl is not touching the surface of the water. Leave to melt slowly for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, microwave the chocolate and coconut oil on high for 1-2 minutes in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring chocolate between each interval until chocolate is almost fully melted.

2. Carefully remove the hot bowl from the saucepan. Stir the pistachios and half the almonds into the chocolate mixture.

3. Distribute the remaining almonds evenly into the bottom of 6 ice cube moulds.

4. Spoon chocolate mixture into the ice cube moulds, then top each with a strawberry, stem side up.

5. Place moulds in fridge and leave for approximately 2-3 hours or until set before serving.

 

TIP: If strawberries are not in season, any fresh berries will work. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or cool dark cupboard.

 

 

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Chocolate, Pistachio and Cranberry Pennies

Serves 10

Calories per serving: 75

 

• 100g plain dark chocolate (around 85% cocoa solids)

• 25g unsalted, shelled raw pistachios

• 25g cranberries

 

1. Line a medium sized baking tray with baking paper.

2. On high heat, bring a medium sized saucepan of water to boil.

3. Break chocolate into pieces and place in heatproof bowl. Reduce heat of saucepan to low and place bowl with chocolate on top of saucepan. Stir chocolate while it is melting.

4. After approximately 5 minutes, once chocolate has melted, carefully remove from heat.

5. Using a teaspoon, pour individual spoonfuls of melted chocolate onto baking tray. Scatter pistachios and cranberries on top of each melted chocolate piece.

6. Place in fridge and leave to set for a 2-3 hours. Once set use a knife to gently remove pennies from baking paper and place in container. Can be stored for up to a week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citrus salad

Serves 2

Calories per serving: 135

 

• 1 pink grapefruit

• 1 orange

• 1 clementine, tangerine or satsuma

• 4-5 fresh mint leaves, shredded

• 100g full-fat Greek yoghurt

 

1. Slice off the ends of the grapefruit and orange and place on a chopping board — ideally one with a groove that will catch any juice — cut-side down.

2. With a small sharp knife, cut off the peel and pith from both fruit. Turn the fruit on their side and slice thinly, discarding any pips. Peel and thinly slice the clementine, tangerine or satsuma.

3. Arrange the fruit on two dessert plates and pour over any juices. Scatter with the mint leaves. Serve with spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt.

 

 

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Crumbly oat cookies

Serves 8

Calories per serving: 157

 

• 75g plain wholemeal flour

• 50g jumbo porridge oats

• 25g chopped mixed nuts, or finely chopped hazelnuts

• 25g mixed seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds

• 50g coconut oil (solid not melted)

• 1 tbsp runny honey

 

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Put the flour, oats, nuts and seeds in a large bowl and, using your fingers, rub in the coconut oil for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture comes together into loose, damp clumps.

2. Add the honey and use your hands to bring the dough together. Divide into eight portions and roll into balls. Flatten the balls into cookie shapes and place on the baking tray.

3. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until nicely browned. (The biscuits will become crisp and crumbly as they cool down.)

4. The cookies can be stored in an airtight tin for up to 5 days.

 

 

 

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Fruit and nut cake

Serves 20

Calories per serving: 161

 

• Oil for greasing

• 50g coconut oil

• 3 large eggs

• 50g wholemeal flour

• 75g ground almonds

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground mixed spice

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 500g dried, mixed fruit

• 75g mixed nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts and cashew nuts, roughly chopped

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Lightly grease a 20cm square cake tin and line its base with non-stick baking paper.

2. Melt the coconut oil gently in a small saucepan. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with a metal whisk until well combined. Add the flour, almonds, baking powder, spice, melted coconut oil, lemon zest and juice and beat well with a wooden spoon.

3. Stir in the dried fruit and chopped nuts. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cake is pale golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

4. Leave cake to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Cut into small squares to serve — keeping an eye on the recommended serving size. This keeps well for up to a week, in a lidded container or wrapped in foil. It also freezes well. Store in portions, so they can be defrosted as required.

 

 

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Chocolate orange custards

Serves 4

Calories per serving: 191

 

• 300ml semi-skimmed milk

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• Finely grated zest of ½ orange

• 3 large egg yolks

• 3 level tsp cornflour (about 7g)

• 40g plain dark chocolate, around 70 per cent cocoa solids, grated

• 40g full-fat crème fraiche

 

1. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the maple syrup and orange zest. Place over a low heat and warm until almost simmering, while stirring. Remove from the heat.

2. Put the egg yolks and cornflour into a heatproof bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour the warm milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly until smooth.

3. Return to the pan and cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard is hot and thick enough to lightly coat the back of the spoon. It will thicken more as it cools. You must not allow it to overheat or the eggs will scramble.

4. Take the pan off the heat and add all but about 1 tsp of the chocolate, stirring until melted. Pour into four small ramekins and leave to cool.

5. Cover and pop into the fridge for 1-2 hours or until well chilled. Top with crème fraiche and the remaining grated chocolate just before serving.