Rich Chocolate Tart (paleo. vegan. df. gf. keto. low carb)

RECIPE BY: AURORA GILBERT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AURORA GILBERT

Ok so this Rich Chocolate Tart is ALL the free’s and meets most dietary requirements… it’s completely free from refined sugar, gluten, dairy and it’s keto, low carb, vegan and paleo friendly - WIN!

We are using monkfruit concentrate as the sweetener of choice, which means it’s not going to spike your blood sugar levels and a dark vegan chocolate 80% cacao and above that have minimal sugar or sweetener and are Keto/ Low Carb friendly.

A good quality dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which elevates our mood, boost our focus, is high in magnesium which relaxes us and assists the body in producing serotonin “feel good chemical’ and PEA ‘love chemical’.
These are just a few of the reasons I love real chocolate!

This tart is also jackin with good nourishing fats from the coconut and has chaga medicinal mushroom in it, which is a powerful adaptogen, meaning it helps our body deal with stress, it’s also great for gut health and is one of the most antioxidant rich foods on the planet.
Chaga has a beautiful deep malty flavour that pairs really well with chocolate (and coffee), it’s optional but definitely adds a deeper flavour profile.

So yes this chocolate tart is actually good for you!

Ingredients

Base
200g almonds
80g desiccated coconut
3 tbs coconut oil, melted
10 drops monkfruit concentrate, or sweetener of choice
Pinch sea salt

Chocolate layer
170g dark chocolate, use a 80% dark and above vegan chocolate, broken in small pieces
2 x cans 400ml coconut cream, I use Ayam
25 drops monkfruit concentrate
2-4 tsp chaga medicinal mushroom, I use SuperFeast ‘aurora10’ for a discount
1 tsp vanilla bean powder
Pinch sea salt

Chocolate drizzle 
30g dark chocolate, broken in small pieces
5 drops monkfruit concentrate

Method

1. Place the almonds, desiccated coconut and sea salt into a high-powered blender or food processor, blitz until nuts have broken down into very small pieces. NB. do not blitz for too long or it will turn into nut butter and will be to sticky to use for the base.

2. Add coconut oil and monkfruit concentrate, blitz again until combined thoroughly, use your spatula to scrape the sides, scoop into an 11 inch ‘loose bottom’ cake tin, line with baking paper, press well to form an even crust - use gloves or coconut oil on your hands so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.

3. In a saucepan on low heat add coconut cream, vanilla bean powder, sea salt, chaga and chocolate pieces and continue stirring until melted, then pour onto base.

4. Place in fridge and allow to set for approximately 1-2 hours.

5. Once your tart is set take out of the fridge and remove from tin, keep baking paper underneath.

6. To make the chocolate drizzle add remaining 30g of chocolate pieces and monkfruit concentrate into a small bowl and place in saucepan of water - double boil until melted then drizzle over your chilled tart.

7. This will keep covered in the fridge for up to a week if it lasts that long or a couple of months in the freezer.

Enjoy x

Berry Pancotta (paleo. gf. df. vegan)

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RECIPE BY: AURORA GILBERT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AURORA GILBERT

Serves 4 – paleo friendly

This recipe is a super simple healthy dessert loaded full of good fats!
Yep you could change this recipe up & use other fruits to replace berries, like banana & use coconut sugar in place of the maple syrup to make a caramel banana pancotta instead... 

I have also used a lemon essential oil in this recipe, I'm always trying to find ways to add more nutrients into recipes.

Ingredients:

1 cup of frozen or fresh berries
7 tbs of maple syrup
3 drops essential lemon oil
1 can of coconut cream 400ml
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or a vanilla bean scrapped
1/3 cup of chia seeds
pinch of salt

Method:

1. place berries & 3 tbs of maple syrup into a saucepan and bring to boil then simmer on stove top for 10 minutes - then put aside to cool, once slightly cooled add lemon oil & mix.

2. place coconut cream, vanilla, salt & chia seeds into blender & blitz until chia seeds break down.

3. divide berry mixture into 4 glasses and then using the back of a spoon slowly pour chia & coconut cream mixture on top of berries.

4. place into fridge for at least two hours to cool & set.

5. enjoy :)

NB: at step 2. you could add some collagen powder for extra skin & connective tissue loving.

Enjoy x

Roasted Pumpkin & Smoky Tomato Soup (paleo. gf. df & vegan option)

RECIPE BY: AURORA GILBERT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Lana Pratt Photography

Serves 4

This is my go-to soup as soon as the cooler weather starts to creep in, so today seemed like the perfect day to post this recipe being that it is the first day of Winter!!

This healthy recipe is super easy to make, jam packed with flavour & has a bit of a twist on a traditional pumpkin soup with the tomatoes & the rich smokey flavour.

I love to jazz this up by adding fresh rocket from the garden, pickled homemade asian chilli’s, nigella seeds, salt & pepper to taste… or dukkha spices sometimes too!!

Now I do this is the thermomix however you can just as easily do this the conventional stovetop way.

Ingredients:
1kg butternut pumpkin
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 ½  tbsp. coconut oil (odourless)
½ tsp smoked paprika
1-2 tbsp organic, grassfed butter (I like butter and it makes it creamier but could use olive oil for vegan option)
6-7 sun-dried tomatoes
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock or bone broth
salt & pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Chop up your pumpkin, coat with 1 tbsp coconut oil, salt & pepper and place on baking tray to bake for 40mins.

Roughly chop onion and place in thermomix with garlic, ½ tbsp coconut oil, smoked paprika & sun dried tomatoes & blitz for a couple of seconds on high then scrap down the sides & then cook until onion is cooked through.

Once onion mixture is cooked add roast pumpkin & chicken stock & cook for 20 minutes or until it boils, once cooked add butter & blitz in thermomix until smooth and creamy.

Pour into bowls , add fresh rocket or dukkha spices & serve.

Enjoy x

Raw Double Choc Creme Cake (paleo. vegan. df. gf)→

RECIPE BY: AURORA GILBERT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AURORA GILBERT

Did you say a DOUBLE CHOC CREME CAKE..... so now I have your attention... imagine a nutty biscuit base smothered in a rich chocolate creme, infused with fresh vanilla beans & drizzle with raw chocolate then dusted in raspberries!!

This cake is actually guilt free, nutrient dense &  good for you...!!
It’s true, it's loaded full of powerful superfoods that are abundant in antioxidants and minerals & there is no cooking required, it is completely free from refined sugar, gluten, dairy & is vegan & paleo friendly.

HOW? The star ingredient is CACAO powder which is exceptionally rich in magnesium and bliss nutrients, consuming raw cacao powder not only tastes delicious it actually assists us in staying youthful whilst elevating our mood and keeping us blissfully energised & healthy = WIN !!

Ingredients

Nut Base
Pinch sea salt
10g coconut oil
240g almonds
80g desiccated coconut
50g maple syrup

Choc Creme
Pinch sea salt
400g soaked cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours)
30g lucuma powder (has a wonderful creamy flavour)
60g cacao powder (where chocolate comes from)
400ml coconut cream
30g cacao butter (melt the cacao butter in a double boiler)
2 vanilla beans (seeds scraped)
120g maple syrup
100ml coconut oil (you may need to melt the coconut oil in a double boiler if it has solidified)

Raw Choc 
Pinch of sea salt
75ml coconut oil
75ml maple syrup
50g nut butter (I use cashew for extra creaminess)
50g cacao powder
10g cacao nibs (for decoration- optional)

Method

1. Place the almonds, desiccated coconut & sea salt into a high-powered blender or food processor, blitz until nuts have broken down into very small pieces. NB. do not blitz for too long or it will turn into nut butter & will be to sticky to use for the base.

2. Add coconut oil & agave, blitz again until combined thoroughly, use your spatula to scrape the sides.

3. Once the mixture is well combined scoop into an 11 inch ‘loose bottom’ cake tin, line with baking paper, press well to form an even crust & then place in the fridge to chill.

4. Add coconut cream, vanilla bean seeds, sea salt, cacao powder, lucuma powder & agave into the blender & blitz until emulsified then add cashews & blend well.

5. Once creamy in consistency add the coconut oil & cacao butter & mix well.

6. Take your chilled cake tin out of the fridge and pour the raw chocolate cream over the nutty base, tap the tin on the bench top to release any trapped air bubbles.

7. Sprinkle the top of the chocolate cream fudge with cacao nibs evenly and then place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours.

8. Add all the ingredients for the raw choc - coconut oil, agave, cacao, nut butter & salt into blender & blend, once the cake has set pour the raw choc over the top & sprinkle with cacao nibs & raspberries.

NB. You should be able to source cacao powder, lucuma powder and cacao butter from most supermarkets these days and if not your health food shop should stock them.

The cacao and lucuma powder are fantastic superfoods that can be used in smoothies for a creamy chocolate flavour that is plentiful is antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

And remember, whenever you can use organic produce to free your precious body from consuming any chemical nasties, you most definitely should do so…

Enjoy x