Black Bean Brownies Recipe

These 'BB Brownies' are taken from the Hemsley + Hemsley cookbook, they're a super-healthy alternative to brownies, being made mostly of the protein-rich black beans.

 I found them really easy to make but they're not very sweet so I've tweaked the recipe to include more maple syrup but maybe it would benefit from a dash of agave or even some organic chocolate chunks. 

They're filling, guilt-fee and hit the spot, though, so well worth a try. 

ingredients

2 x 400g tins cooked black beans, drained 

4 medium eggs 

230g unsalted butter 

85g unsweetened cocoa powder 

175ml maple syrup 

2 tbsp vanilla extract 

130g chopped walnuts, soaked and dried

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Makes nine to 16

method

First soak your walnuts for 10 mins, drain and then put in preheated oven for about 5 mins to dry out. Then rinse and drain your beans.

In a blender mix together the eggs, beans, cocoa, maple syrup and vanilla. Then melt your butter, leave to cool and mix into the bean mixture very slowly. Add the walnuts, leaving some to sprinkle on top.

Bake for 40-45mins until the surface cracks.

Serve with a nice cuppa.

Recipe: Healthy Sugar-Free Chia Seed Cake

I love to bake… well, I love to eat cake, so they’re part and parcel of the same interest. However I’m a bit of a sugar addict and I’m actively trying to eliminate as much of the bad stuff from my diet as I can. So, I experimented in the kitchen and came up with this cake; it’s yummy if I do say so myself.

I’ve replaced the sugar with agave syrup which has a Glycaemic Index that is 5 times lower than sugar, meaning you don’t get blood sugar spikes. I also added healthy chia seeds that not only add a delicious crunch to the cake but are packed full of Omega 3s.

Ingredients.
4 Organic eggs
200g Natural Agave Syrup
225g Self-raising flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tbs Vanilla essence
10g Chia Seeds
225g Butter or Margarine

For filling.
Sugar-free raspberry jam, or make a coulis by reducing the a punnet of raspberries in a pan and adding agave to taste
Mascarpone or cream – add some powdered artificial sweetener to sweeten, or icing sugar if you feel naughty.

Method. 
1. Pre-heat oven to about 170c
2. Grease 2 baking tins
3. Blend all ingredients together (doesn’t matter about the order, just bung them in)
4. Bake for about 20-25mins or until a golden brown. *The agave will result in a darker colour than normal sugar, so don't worry if it looks overdone
5. Leave cakes to cool on a wire rack
6. Spread jam and cream filling on cakes and sand which together
7. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar or vanilla powder
8. Enjoy!!


I’d encourage you to mess around with this recipe, substituting what you like, trying to make it healthier… or more sinful. The basic recipe is a good base though, but mainly it tastes delicious!

RECIPE: 2 Ingredient, Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes

 I LOVE pancakes… in fact that's a understatement. On a weekend I will happily cook up a tasty batch but when you think about the ingredients (white processed flour, processed sugar, milk and butter) the allure dulls. Their nutritional value is practically nothing!

So when I heard you could use magical bananas and eggs and nothing else to make pancakes I was all for it!

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Banana per person

2 Organic Eggs

Pinch Baking Powder

Pinch Cinnamon (or vanilla)

METHOD

Mash the bananas really well then mix all ingredients together.

Fry in a frying pan on a low heat with a tiny bit of coconut oil.

Serve with natural Maple Syrup.

ENJOY!

BENEFITS

These pancakes don't contain sugar, gluten or lactose. Plus the eggs mean that they're high in protein.

Now, they're not quite as good as traditional pancakes because that's not the way the world works but they certainly do satisfy a sweet tooth and they're mega easy to make too.

JUICE RECIPE: HOT AS A CUCUMBER

(SERVES 2)

½ CUCUMBER

1 APPLE

2 LIMES (WITH RIND)

KNOB OF GINGER

1 PINT WATER

PREPARATION & METHOD

Wash all ingredients. Put all ingredients into a juicer (doesn’t matter what order), I use THIS ONE. I leave the rind on the lime as it really adds a nice sharpness; be sure to scrub the rind really well before juicing. Add water. Drink. NB: This tastes amazing chilled in the fridge.

THE HEALTH BIT

Cucumber is great for alleviating digestive problems like heartburn, acidity, gastritis or even ulcers. It contains an enzyme called Erepsin which aids the digestion of protein. Plus they’re super, super low in calories.

Apples have lots of Vitamin C which aids collagen production. You need collagen to aid wound-healing and to keep your skin healthy and glowing.

Lime has an irresistible scent which causes your mouth to water, aiding primary digestion. The fragrant oils in lime stimulate the digestive system and increase secretion of digestive juices, bile and acids.

Ginger is an excellent carminative (a substance which promotes the elimination of intestinal gas) and intestinal spasmolytic (a substance which relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract). It also has antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.

THIS JUICE IS GREAT FOR A SLUGGISH DIGESTIVE SYSTEM AND/OR BLOATING. IT’S ALSO GREAT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GIVE THEIR TASTEBUDS A KICK-START.

THE TASTE BIT

Cucumber in juices can be a bit overpowering (although I love it) but not in this one! The cucumber adds freshness, while the apple adds a sweet hint and the lime juice, lime rind and ginger give it a seriously spicy, zesty kick. It would probably taste good with tequila in it!

JUICE RECIPE: THE GRATEFUL RED

(SERVES 2)

1 PINK GRAPEFRUIT

1 APPLE

½ CARROT

½ BEETROOT

1 TSP CINNAMON

½ PINT WATER

PREPARATION & METHOD

Wash all ingredients (obvs not the cinnamon, how would you do that). Peel the rind from the grapefruit. Put all ingredients into a juicer (doesn’t matter what order), I use THIS ONE. Add water. Drink. NB: This tastes amazing chilled in the fridge.

THE HEALTH BIT

Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin which supports the immune system and also prevents production of cascade, therefore helping to reduce severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma (which I have). The rich pink and red colours of grapefruit are due to lycopene which fights oxygen-free radicals; compounds that can damage cells.

Beetroot can help reduce blood pressure and contains loads of potassium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C, and folic acid.

Apples have lots of Vitamin C which aids collagen production. You need collagen to aid wound-healing and to keep your skin healthy.

Carrots contain B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamin B-6) - these vitamins are key in maintaining red blood cells and the nervous system in good health, they also give you energy. Carrots are also great for your eyesight and skin.

Cinnamon helps to maintain blood-sugar levels so is great for diabetics.

THIS JUICE IS GREAT FOR AN ENERGY BOOST THAT WON’T GIVE YOU A MASSIVE SUGAR SPIKE AND WILL PROMOTE FABULOUS SKIN.

THE TASTE BIT

This is one of my favourites; sweet and spicy with a bit of tang and the colour is great! Some people have said it tastes like a hot cross bun in a drink… weird, but kind of accurate.