The kitchen of a mad woman
This week we have a very short note from the kitchen of a mad woman. I have been cooking non-stop for four days straight, have chocolate chips in unusual places and baking powder in my eyebrows. By the time you read this, Chloe and I will have conjured up over 1000 items for her pop-up snack stand.
She’s been raising money for Open Airways and the SPCA and your support has been amazing. Perhaps we should have added Alcoholics Anonymous to the list though as it could be where I’m headed. We’ve had exploding bags of flour and runaway Chia seeds, all of which appear to be more manageable with a glass of wine in hand!
Still, we are at the end of our crazy week and it’s been brilliant to see so many friendly faces. We have also been blown away by the demand for healthy snacks. Life is busy for everyone and I know that the difference between making a healthy choice and an unhealthy one is sometimes as simple as time. Don’t most of us wish we had more of it?
There’s no doubt that baking your own snacks, or buying home-made from us, is the best way to make sure you are getting quality ingredients and avoiding all the nasty GMOs, pesticides, processed sugars and oils. It’s easy to make things allergy friendly then too. But the time involved and lottery of the results puts many people off, especially when it comes to trying new things.
So this week I have the fastest ever snack recipe for you. This is a new chocolate energy bite recipe with just 6 simple ingredients. If you’re unsure, come and along and try one before you make your own!
The last day of the pop-up is today. We’ll be on City Hall steps from 12 noon to 2pm or sell out (whichever happens first.)
We’ll also have Nutrifit banana bread, Holy Crap Cookies, Coconut Caramel energy bites and Chocolate Brownies. All healthy versions, all with extra protein to tide you over and all made from scratch!
The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the Managing Director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda
Ingredients: (makes approx. 20)
15 large medjool dates, stones removed and chopped
2 heaped desert spoons almond or cashew butter
¼ cup quality cacao powder
1.5 tsps extra virgin coconut oil
½ cup dark chocolate chips
Dried cranberries or shelled pistachios for decoration (optional)
Method
1. Put the first four ingredients in a food processor and add a pinch of sea salt if you like a salty/sweet contrast.
2. Switch the processor on to low, then medium and wait for a ball of dough to form around the blade.
3. Roll the dough into bite sized balls and set to one side.
4. Melt the chocolate chips in a pan over a VERY low heat. Make sure the pan is completely dry as even a drop of water will make the chocolate curdle.
5. Using a teaspoon, drop a small amount of melted chocolate on to the top of each bite and decorate with a dried cranberry or shelled pistachio.
6. Set in the fridge or freezer
