Monday 25 August 2014

Life can be sweet.

 There is no getting away from the fact, no matter how hard I try to train myself otherwise, I love sweet things.  Despite having a hugely healthy diet, and being aware of how important it is for that diet to be balanced, rich in good protein and fat, I still need to know that after a savoury dish there is a dessert on its' way - I know this is all just psychological!
But that's the great thing about cooking, and loving to experiment with food and new ingredients - I get to make great desserts that are actually healthy, and can omit the ingredients that I prefer not to eat (wheat, dairy and too much sugar).  I am constantly suggesting people avoid wheat and dairy for various health issues (bloating, flatulence, indigestion, constipation - sound familiar?), and the reaction is always the same - how can I possibly live without so much?  Well you just need to change the way you think about foods and start playing.  So yes, you really can have this amazing gluten and dairy-free chocolate cake!
The other thing I like to do is to find a product that I really love and then figure out how to make it myself - this normally means it will be tastier (as I can include my favourite ingredients) and will most certainly be cheaper.
This recipe came about after I tried Chia Pods - perfect little pots of dessert that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, gluten and dairy free and contain only natural sugar.  My recipe is obviously even tastier!

Orange and Mango Chia Puds


Serves 2-3

1 orange
1 mango, peeled and destoned
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp goji berries
2-3 tbsp non-dairy milk

- Grate the rind of the orange and then peel the orange and place the flesh into a food processor with the flesh of the mango.
- Process for a few seconds to break everything down.
- Add the grated orange rind, chia seeds, goji berries and milk and process again for 20-30 seconds, scrapping down any mixture that has escaped up the side of the bowl.
- Leave to stand for 5 minutes - this will allow the chia seeds to do their work - they expand and soften and turn everything to jelly!
- Blitz again one more time for a few seconds and then pour into bowls and serve, or place in the fridge for later.

Happy Eating!

J xx