Black Bean, Pistachio and Raspberry Brownies

On a Sunday afternoon, with a nagging hangover, I often find I need to do something to distract myself from feeling downright awful (I can't deal with hangovers in my old age!). This particular Sunday seemed a perfect opportunity to finally try out a recipe I discovered a while ago. I'm going to call it my own due to the tweaks made by adding pistachios and increasing the quantity of raspberries, but the use of black beans as a foundation for brownies is actually becoming more and more common. They get rid of the need for flour (great news for those with a gluten intolerance) but also makes what would usually be a guilty pleasure, a pretty healthy treat! Black beans are PACKED with fibre which is vital for healthy digestion. Not only this, but dietary fibre is brilliant for satiety so that one little brownie will go a long way. My old favourites - chia seeds and coconut oil - are also in these brownies meaning you get a good dose of protein and other essential nutrients.

You Will Need:
-4 tbsp chia seeds
-5 tbsp water
-170g maple syrup
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1.5 cans black beans, 
 drained and rinsed
-3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
-100g cocoa powder
-2 pinches sea salt
-1.5 punnets fresh raspberries
-1 handful pistachios, shelled

First off, preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a brownie tin with greaseproof paper. Mix the chia seeds, water, maple syrup and vanilla in a bowl and set aside. 












Once you have drained and rinsed the black beans, place them in a food processor along with the coconut oil, cocoa and salt. Blend until just combined. Add the chia mixture to the black beans and pulse to incorporate. You should have a quite a liquidy mixture but it should still hold together and have a few lumps and bumps in it. It may look a bit questionable but just trust me on this!







Now you can remove the blade from the processor and gently fold in the raspberries. It may be easier to transfer the mixture to a bowl before doing this. Pour this mixture into the lined brownie tin. Bake for 30 minutes. The tops should be dry and the edges are pulling away. If you find that the middle is still too raw, cover the tin with foil to avoid the top burning but continue to bake for another 10 minutes, checking at regular intervals. Crush some pistachios over the top and press into the top whilst it is still warm. Allow to cool slightly in the tin before serving. 


These brownies are meant to be gooey so don't be too cautious and over-bake them. With no added sugar, the raspberries are what will supply the sweetness and the stickiness whilst the addition of pistachios provide a much needed crunch. Give them a go and see what you think!

Nic

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Coconut & Cinnamon Raisin Bread

A while ago, I bought some coconut oil to use for my Coconut Garlic Kale Chips, and I've been looking for an excuse to use it ever since - it's not the cheapest product to buy in the first place so I want to make the most of it! I came across this recipe for Coconut & Cinnamon Raisin Bread and thought I'd hit the coconut jackpot. Using coconut oil, coconut flour and coconut flakes, it seemed well worth a try. Coconut oil is a great all-rounder. Not only has it been proved to be a great quick source of energy and improve brain health, it is also an amazing natural beauty product! It can be used as an intense moisturiser for skin and as a conditioner for hair. Plus it smells amazing. Coconut flour is rich in soluble fibre and packed with protein. It's low glycaemic index also makes it a suitable alternative to flour which suits both diabetics and those with a sensitivity to gluten. Again, it's not the cheapest product in the world (£3.99 for a 500g box) but it can be quickly used up in any home-baking. The chia seeds are also an added bonus to this bread, adding even more fibre and a source of omega-3 fatty acids. 

This recipe contains no added sugar, thanks to the bananas and raisins. Personally, for saying it's a raisin bread, I think it could do with a few more raisins in the recipe so I suggest adding slightly more! The same goes for the cinnamon. I though a tablespoon seemed quite a lot but the flavour didn't really come through so I'd perhaps add half a tablespoon more next time. The denseness of the coconut flour and bananas make this bread so ridiculously moist (love that word). You can top it with jam/honey/butter if you prefer but it's also good on it's own. Give this one a go...

You Will Need:

-300g bananas

-60ml coconut oil

-60ml almond milk

-4 large eggs

-65g coconut flour

-40g chia seeds

-1 tbsp ground cinnamon

-45g raisins

-2tsp baking powder

-pinch of salt

-coconut flakes  to top

Before you begin, preheat your oven to 150C/gas mark 2. Line and grease a 2 litre loaf tin (you may want to check you actually have some greaseproof paper. I didn't so had to use extra oil). Combine the bananas, coconut oil, milk and eggs in a blender and mix until smooth. This can easily be done by hand but will obviously take a little longer. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients - coconut flour, chia seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, raisins and salt - and mix together with a spoon. Slowly start to add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine well until smooth.




Leave the mixture to stand for about 5 minutes to allow the chia seeds and coconut flour to absorb some of the moisture. Spoon into your prepared loaf tin and sprinkle over some coconut flakes (this is optional. You can leave out a topping altogether or add something different like nuts). Bake for 50 minutes before checking with a skewer to see if it comes out clean. Depending on your oven, it may take a little longer, but seeing as ours is like the burning pits of hell at the best of times, 50 minutes was fine for me! If you notice it starting to brown too much, cover with file for the remaining cooking time.


Leave the loaf to cool for a while before removing it. It's nicer when served warm but is also great cold and can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week. Enjoy!

Nic
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Coconut Garlic Kale Chips

Being a bit of a foodie, I like to not only try new foods when I'm eating out but also experiment with more "unusual" ingredients when trialing recipes at home. Although it's nothing new, coconut oil is still a far cry from being classed as a kitchen cupboard staple item. Possibly to do with the higher cost; possibly to do with people not knowing how they can use it. Unlike most cooking oils, coconut oil comes in a solid form so obviously requires heating gently before use. What may put people off is that it is officially classed as being a saturated fat. However, the fatty acids in coconut oil are medium-chain triglycerides which are metabolised differently by the liver and used as a quick source of energy. Those that aren't used for energy are turned into ketone bodies which have a hugely positive effect on brain health, including therapeutic effects on diseases like Alzheimer's. Put it this way...you could never compare the saturated fats in coconut oil to those in a lump of cheese or a fatty steak!

Anyway, whilst I'm sure you all found that highly interesting, I should move on to the actual recipe. These Coconut Garlic Kale Chips are so easy to prepare and ridiculously addictive. However, I won't lie. It took two attempts for me to get these right... a few seconds too long in the oven means something nicely crisp and green turns into a charred, burnt mess!






You will need:
-1 large bunch kale
-40g unsweetened coconut flakes
-2 tbsp. coconut oil
-1 garlic clove, crushed
-120ml coconut milk
-sea salt












Preheat your oven to 170C/ 150 fan/ gas mark 4 and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Wash the kale and cut out any large stems. Tear into about 2 inch pieces (really no need to be accurate at this point!) and dry as thoroughly as possible. Combine the coconut oil, garlic and coconut milk in a small bowl and microwave for approx. 45 seconds until the oil has completed melted. 











Pour the melted mixture over the kale and mix thoroughly to get each piece of kale coated in oil. It's easiest to use your hands when doing this. 








Spread out the kale on the baking sheets, making sure it is just a single layer. For once large bunch of kale, you'll probably need 2 - 3 baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping the kale half-way through. Easy!

Nic

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