Chocolate protein cookies

So it's that time of the year again, exams are approaching and the revision frenzy begins! Revision time to me just means less hours sat in lectures and more hours experimenting away in the kitchen!

I have decided to get serious with my eating plan, cutting down on carbs and loading up on protein (haha not too sure how long I'll last this time!). In my attempt to create an easy protein packed snack, I decided to make 2 versions of cookies, a chocolate oatmeal cookie and a vanilla cinnamon cookie. The vanilla one completely failed and looked like some dried up fruit, whoops! But the chocolate one turned out surprisingly good- they aren't very sweet because I didn't add any type of sweetener but you could definitely add in some honey, agave etc if you want to. These cookies have about 5g of protein in each of them and are even nicer sliced open and stuffed with peanut butter.

CHOCOLATE PROTEIN COOKIES
Makes 12

• 60g protein powder (I used phd vanilla flavour)
• 5-10g cocoa powder: optional if using vanilla flavoured protein
• 25g coconut flour, can substitute with whole wheat
• 30g oats 
• 1 large or  about 1.5 regular eggs
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 65 ml non fat milk
• 30g dark chocolate chips: optional 
• 30g chopped nuts, I used Brazil nuts, optional
• 1-2 tbsp honey: optional

1. Combine the protein powder, cocoa, flour, oats and baking soda together.
2. Mix in the egg and enough milk to form a sticky dough. Fold in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips.
3. On a non stick baking tray, form 12 balls with your hands and flatten down with the back of a spoon.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 10-12 minutes (mine were in for about 13, slightly over cooked :( ).Make sure that you don't overcook these as protein powder baked goods can easily go very dry.

Enjoy and back to my dissertation it is!

Xx

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Healthy chocolate mousse tart

Happy belated Easter! I hope you all had a lovely time and didn't get too carried away with the chocolates! In the UK, we had a 4 day long weekend, perfect excuse for a break from revision to go sightseeing in London. I also managed to squeeze in a quick catch up with my sister in Bournemouth. We had a lovely picnic in the sunshine in New Forest surrounded by wild horses and donkeys, went to the beach and caught up on some sister bonding time! We popped round to my aunt's place where she had prepared some lovely Mauritian food: faratas, chicken curry and boulettes!

It has recently been pointed out that I've had a somewhat incomplete childhood, having not watched most classic animations! (whoops!). So as I planned to snuggle in bed to Shrek the other night, I decided that a chocolate treat was necessary! Something rich and creamy with a nice crunch. Played around with what I had in the kitchen and there you have it, a sort of deconstructed chocolate mousse pie, healthified. :) I made two types of bases, one chocolate and one coffee flavoured one, the coffee one is slightly bitter and would appeal to adults mainly. Amounts specified are for individual pies so alter according to your pie dish.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

Choc base per individual pie

• 2 tbsp oats, grounded up
• 2.5 tbsp ground almond, or any other nut meal
• 0.5 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 0.5 tbsp cocoa
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
  
  Coffee base
• 2 tbsp oats, grounded up
• 2.5 tbsp ground almond 
• 0.5 tsp instant coffee
• 0.5 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
  
  1. For any of the bases, mix together the dry ingredients. Add in the coconut oil and mix until it just comes together.
  2. Press the mix into a silicone cake mould or in a metal pan lined with baking paper.
  3. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes and allow to cool fully.

Chocolate mousse

I've already posted this recipe before, it is the magical avocado chocolate mousse. You only need three ingredients and quantities depend on how sweet and how 'chocolatey' you want your mousse to be, so vary quantities accordingly. If you think that the avocado mousse is too rich (which it might be for children), it is really nice to lighten it up which some banana.

• Ripe avocados
• Sweetener- I use honey
• Cocoa powder

1. Blend everything together until smooth and creamy.
2. Spoon over the cooled biscuit base and refrigerate till set. You could also freeze for a couple of minutes for a cool semi feddo style dessert. 

The refrigerated version will still be quite soft so if this is for a dinner party, individual ramekins full of this would be ideal! Decorate with fruit and enjoy!

Here are some Easter cupcakes that I made: carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and coffee cupcakes with white chocolate ganache centre, peanut butter frosting and peanut brittle.

Xx

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Healthy pecan pie!

Hello! So once again, it feels like such a long time since I have updated this blog, but it was all due to some exciting news. After months of applications, interviews, assessment centres and so on, I have finally secured a graduate job! I am going to be an associate in the Audit department of one of the Big 4 accountancy firms, studying for the ACA qualification. I start in September and cannot wait to start this exciting journey. Adding on to this great news, I have also booked my holiday back to Mauritius in June and just can't wait to have a relaxing holiday without any university stress! To mark the end of the term and the beginning of Easter holidays, a couple of us went to Steve Aoki's concert which was amazing with lots of cake throwing, crowd surfing etc.

On to the recipe! A friend of mine is the biggest pecan pie lover and although I had never made one before, I thought that it'd be a great recipe to try out. I made a normal full fat version as well as a healthy alternative to compare results. Both turned out great and I will definitely be making these mini healthy ones again. I only made 3 mini cupcake sized pies, so increase the quantities according to how many you'd like to make.

HEALTHY MINI PECAN PIES
Base:

• 3 tbsp group almond
• 2 tbsp oat flour (ground up oats)
• 0.5 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cocoa (optional for chocolatey base)
• About 1 tbsp coconut oil to bring it all together

1. Thoroughly mix together the ground almond, oat flour and cocoa. Stir in the sweetener and oil, varying the amounts until the mixture just starts coming together.
2. Press the base into greased or silicone cupcake cases and set aside whilst you make the filling.

Filling:

• 15 dates, soaked for 5 minutes in warm water to soften
• 1 egg
• Cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp honey
• About 50 g broken pecans

1. Drain the dates, blend until smooth along with the egg. Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and honey, varying quantities according to your preferences. Fold in the pecan nuts.
2. Pour the mixture on top of the prepared bases.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes or until the mixture looks set.

I recently attended the Cake and Bake show 2014 in Manchester which was amazing! I was able to see live demonstrations by Eric Lanlard (my idol!), Rosemary Shrager and many of the Great British Bake off contestants! The cakes on display were amazing. This year's show hosted the Jungle theme and we were greeted by a huge elephant made of cake, chocolate and intricate sugar work. I think the pictures speak for themselves!

I've also been slightly cupcake obsessed. Cupcakes are so versatile, easy to carry around and make the perfect present for any occasion. Here are a few of my creations: dark chocolate cupcake stuffed with chocolate filling and topped with peanut butter frosting and peanut brittle, carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting and coffee cupcakes with caramel frosting. 

I'll soon be posting a great yellow Thai curry and a chocolate mousse and almond pie.

Have a great weekend!

Xx

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