Easy Fresh Apple Cookies

Christmas and New Year are done,

 with it all the naughty but nice food choices.

It's time to refocus and get back into the 'healthier' groove of things.

Fresh apple cookies are...

Super easy.

Super healthy.

Super quick to whip up.

Great for the kids to make and eat.

And a great pool party canape idea.  

I eat these for breakfast as they also make a perfect alternative to toasted bread with peanut butter.

These are so EASY to whip up.

Use a crisp, sweet, eating apple variety.

You don't want to use apples that are sour or of floury texture because they are well past their shelf life.

Slice the apple into rings and remove the core.

You get three slices from a medium to large size apple.

So one apple per person served.

Spread one side with peanut, almond, or a nut butter mix like the one shown.

Top with toasted chopped nuts and diced fruit.

(I used almonds and cranberries)

Adapt the nuts and dried fruits to your taste.

And some dark chocolate drops or chips if desired.

And that is it!

EAT and ENJOY!

Printable recipe HERE.

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#healthysnacks #applerecipes #nutbutter

Mango Orange Smoothie

This smoothie is:

Super 'good' for you.

Super 'yummy'.

A great start the day, 

 lunchtime or afternoon tea thick shake style drink.

You will need:

A Magic Bullet or a blender:

425g can mango slices (drained)

2 oranges peeled and diced.

1/2 cup soya milk

(1 cup if you prefer a thinner consistency).

1 Tablespoon liquid honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup crushed ice or coconut icecream.

BLEND until smooth.

Pour in a glass and devour.  

Or into your 'on the go' drink vessel.

Printable Recipe HERE

Note: An ingredient conversion chart can be found HERE

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#smoothierecipe #smoothie #healthydrinks

Peachy Chocolate Balls

Snack balls are my favourite thing.

Especially snack balls that are cacao based not date!

In these ones, I have used dried peaches.

But you could use other dried fruit like strawberries,

apricots or cranberries.

I retrained my sweet tooth away from cakes and biscuits 

to dried fruit, when I wanted a sweet snack.

A yummy choc fruit ball is the ultimate treat when you are trying to maintain healthier food choices.

To make:

Place in a bowl:

            

4 finely diced dried peaches

(I used Tasti brand)

1 cup almond meal

3/4 cup coconut

and 290 grams dark Chocolate Melts (melted)

Mix well.

Refrigerate until firm.

Remove from refrigerator and roll into balls.

Store in a sealed container in the cupboard.

Or refrigerator if in summer air temperature.

Printable recipe HERE

Note: An ingredient conversion chart can be found HERE

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#healthysnacks #snackballs 

Chocolate Crispies

Chocolate Crispies were one of those accidental discoveries...

I had been to the store looking for an easy go-to but healthier sweet biscuit option.

There I found puffed rice chocolate covered square biscuit.

Made in Holland, these rice biscuits were nice.

But not amazing to me.

The chocolate was dark and bitter.

I love dark chocolate, but not so dark that it leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Which to me was what these did.

While I was munching away on this treat, trying to decide if they were ok or not ok, I had a complete lightbulb moment.

Why not make my own version.

But with my most favourite dark chocolate on top!

Using my most favourite corn cracker.

So I did.

Thus Chocolate Crispies were born.

Such a simple biscuit treat to whip up.

It's a fun one for the kids to help make.

So...

All you need to do is:

Place 12 large round crackers on baking paper-lined trays.

I used 'Real Foods' corn thins brand.

They are made from corn and have a popcorn flavour.

Break up one block of Whittakers 62% dark cacao chocolate into a glass bowl.

 Microwave on high in 20-second increments until it is glossy and smooth.

Spoon the chocolate onto each rice round and spread out.

Refrigerate until set.

 Store in an airtight container.

These Chocolate Crispies are a top favourite with my family.

They are gluten-free.

Use dairy-free chocolate and you'll tick that box too!

YUM YUM!

You'll make these time and time again once you taste them - that's guaranteed.

Note: An ingredient conversion chart can be found HERE

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#healthyreats #homemade #yummystuff

Trail Mix Chocolates

A slightly healthy take on homemade chocolates.

Easy peasy to make.

It's a superb chocolate making activity to do with the children.

Dark chocolate with a hint of wholesomeness on top.

Simple.

So simple there is no printable with this...

ALL YOU DO IS:

Dry pan TOAST (on stove top) coconut, sliced or diced nuts and seeds of your choice.  

Over a high heat, toss the ingredients and move constantly with a wooden spoon until golden.

Cool.

Add some diced dried fruit to the mix.
(I used dried strawberries diced).

Then MELT 60% or darker dark cacao chocolate.

I use the Whittakers brand as it is dairy-free.

Spoon rounds of melted chocolate onto a pre-prepared baking paper-lined tray.

Sprinkle your nutty topping onto them.

Refrigerate until set.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The extra nutty topping can be stored and used as a topping on a fruit and yoghurt breakfast.

Fun to make

Divine to eat.

Note: An ingredient conversion chart can be found HERE

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#chocolate #trailmix

Healthy Family Food Options - No Bake Nut Slice

Meet Bridget...

  I recently met Bridget Serafimidis on my 'eating healthy journey'...

Bridget is passionate.

Passionate about:

Women's and children's health.

About empowering families to take control of their own health, by giving them the tools to create healthy food cultures within the home.

She loves sharing recipes that are not full of fillers and for the most part, refined sugar-free. 

Recipes that are easy enough for even the new home cook to pride themself on creating. 

Recipes that are family-friendly and adaptable for everyone.  

Bridgets philosophies resonated with me as I am on a heal myself through diet mission.  

A mission that is all about health, vitality, energy and healing from consuming homemade and healthier food chooses.  

Here is a delicious slice to try:

Healthy Nut Butter Slice.

Base

2 cups of almond meal

2 cups of toasted coconut

6 Tbsp of coconut oil

4 Tbsp of maple syrup

Pinch of salt

6 Tbsp of cacao

2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter

Filling

3/4 cup of cacao/peanut butter

3/4 cup of mixed nut butter

4 Tbsp of maple syrup

6 Tbsp Coconut oil

Topping

Melted Whitakers chocolate 85%

Toasted slithered almonds

Place all base ingredients into a food processor, blitz and press into lined 20 cm cake tin.

Melt filling together in a pot, pour over the base, set in the freezer for 20 mins or until firm.

Melt chocolate and drizzle over the set filling, sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Cut into small squares (a little goes a long way.)

(Printable recipe link at bottom of the article).

It is a fabulous nutty, chocolatey, 'sweet fix' choice.

It's also 'no-bake'.

Plus super fun to make with the children or grandchildren.

A slice homemade - so that you know exactly what the ingredients in it are! 

Do pop over to find out more about Bridget here on Facebook.

Or over at 'Lifestyle Tribe' (she's the co-founder).

Printable recipe for 'Nut Butter Slice' HERE.

#recipes #nutbutter #slices

Avocado Chocolate Bites...

Just THREE ingredients...

and

SUPER EASY to whip up.

If you adore AVOCADO,

Then you will adore these 'Avocado Chocolate Bites'!

All you do is:

Mash half an avocado.

                     

I chopped the Avo...

and blitzed it in the Nutri.bullet!

MELT 1/2 cup of dark chocolate (the darker the better!)

ADD mashed avocado and mix.

Chill for a few minutes in the refrigerator until you can roll into bite-size balls.

        
                   And then finish them off with a roll around in Dark cocoa powder.

   Keep stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

An Avocado lovers health treat!

Printable recipe HERE

#healthytreats #healthysweets

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Snack Balls....❥

There are times when I try to be healthier,

 and try to reign in my obsessive compulsive chocolate addiction.

The trend of health lovers of late is to snack on smooze type health balls...

super healthy little darlings which are made with a date base.

But here's the thing peeps....

I loathe dates.

They are most definitely my most unfavourite flavour.

So I decided to create a snack ball that was more my style...

They are not the healthiest.... 

because apparently dates are healthier!

But my choice is either four chocolate biscuits with my coffee break,

 or two Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Snack balls.

I figure the snack balls are the healthy winner.

And I REALLY REALLY find them delish.

They last up to two weeks in a sealed container in the fridge.

You'll get about 30 balls.

All you do is mix up in cake mixer or food processor to combine:

1 x 375g Jar peanut butter - crunchy - no added salt.

1/4 cup fine coconut

1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips

And 2 cups fine oats.

Use clean hands shape into balls and place them on tray.

If you wet your hands a little it is easier to shape them.

Place tray in refrigerator for balls to firm for a few hours.

Then transfer to a sealed container.

They tick all the right boxes for my kind of healthy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Snack Balls are little bites of blissful joy!

#snackballs #peanutbutter #healthy #treats #snacks