Food Matters’ ‘One Minute Slice’ Raw Chocolate Protein Bars

So excited about this recipe! I stumbled on it when looking at Organic Guinea Pig’s Facebook page* where he posted photos of himself trying out this Food Matters* recipe and it looked so good I had to try it.

These bars are full of energy and are such a healthy chocolatey treat that you can literally make in a minute. You just mix everything up in a bowl, spread it out in a baking tray and freeze. Done!

You can have them smooth or crunchy like these, depending on how fine or chunky you grind the cashews. Everyone who tried it loved it: kids, tweens, teens and oldies alike.

All ingredients are organic except the maple syrup which we substituted for the honey to make them vegan. The original recipe has Sultanas but we didn’t have any so used Raisins instead. A second batch had chopped almonds and goji berries in.

Vegan and gluten-free. All measurements are approximate.

Ingredients

 7 Tbsps Peanut Butter (but you could use any nut or seed butter, we used Meridian Organic & Palm Oil-free)
3 Tbsps Melted Coconut Oil
1-2 Tbsps Maple Syrup, depending how sweet you want it, 1 is enough for me
2 Tbsps The Raw Chocolate Company Cacao Powder *
Half Tsp Vanilla Extract

Combine all these in a bowl

then add

Half a Cup of Cashew Pieces (125g), chopped (or seeds)
Half a Cup of Sultanas or Raisins (125g) (Chopped Medjool Dates would probably work too).

Mix it all together well, you only need to give it a good stir, no need to get the mixer out.

Spread in a square baking tin and freeze for at least a couple of hours.

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Slice and eat.

(They melt really quickly, especially in summer weather, so don’t get them out of the freezer until you actually need them).

*https://www.facebook.com/OrganicGuineaPig/

*Food Matters Website – lots of healthy recipes

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Health Revolution – Review & Recipe

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Recommended Read (and tasty recipe at the end of the post!)

If you are reading this blog because you are wanting to make some changes to your lifestyle and improve your health but you’re not sure where to begin, then this book is for you! 

Based on his own experiences, Dale Preece-Kelly describes how he once had everything and nearly lost it all – including his life – through bad luck, poor choices and an unhealthy lifestyle. In a style that is neither hectoring nor prescriptive, he takes you by the hand and gently guides you along the path that led him to living a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Dale is passionate about helping others and in writing this book he passes on what he has learned along the way, from being an overweight smoker and drinker on a slippery slope to a permanent hospital bed to becoming a man of many talents: actor, lifestyle coach, nutritionist, pet therapist and educator, and now writer, to name a few! (http://www.organicguineapig.com & http://www.critterishallsorts.co.uk)

Dale has an easy, accessible style that is chatty and amusing and very down-to-earth. His book is so easy to read and covers nutrition, juicing, addictions, exercise, household products and provides quick, tasty and healthy recipes to set you on the road to a better you. There’s even a recipe for toothpaste!

I have a couple of copies of the paperback version which I pass around to those who express an interest in leading a healthier lifestyle but can’t quite motivate themselves or who can’t see the forest for the trees.

It would make an excellent gift for those who regularly make Spring their season for personal improvement, but who get bogged down in Life or don’t have the support to make it sustainable.

Available on Kindle and Paperback from http://www.amazon.com

Organic Guinea Pig’s Signature Chocolate Orange Brownies

Vegan & Gluten-Free.

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Prep. Time: 15-20 mins Cooking time: 25 mins. Preheat oven to 180C

Line oven dish with baking parchment

Ingredients:

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes

1/4 Cup Raw Organic Cacao Powder (We used The Raw Chocolate Company* version)

1 1/4 Cups Ground Almonds

1/4 Cup Honey (or Maple Syrup)

1/2 Cup Pitted Dates

Zest & Juice of 1 Orange

Pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt

 Method:

Peel, chop and boil sweet potatoes for 5 minutes, or until cooked. Blend till smooth

(I recommend leaving the skin on if they’re organic, and steaming for more flavour)

Add all other ingredients and blend

Bake for 25 mins in a parchment-lined tray or until knife comes clean

Sprinkle chopped nuts over brownies before cutting into squares

Allow to cool before demolishing!

(Reproduced by kind permission)..

They are moist and tasty and keep well in a tight container in the fridge. We froze some of ours and they kept for ages, only because I wanted to save some for a family visit!

*The Raw Chocolate Company

Copyright: Chris McGowan