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

Sauerkraut (paleo. gf. df. keto. low carb)

RECIPE BY: AURORA GILBERT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AURORA GILBERT

Makes 1 large jar

Sauerkraut is a basic ferment rich in probiotics making it amazing for our gut health, it’s super simple to make and doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg like some store bought ones!!

So for me after our mental health first and foremost is our gut health (our micro-biome)!!
We are made up of bacteria, for every 10 cells in our body 9 of those are bacteria so when you are eating food your either choosing to feed and populate your ‘good bacteria’ or choosing to feed and populate your ‘bad bacteria’…

The integrity of our gut health directly correlates with our general wellbeing, with around 70% of our immune system residing in our gastointestinal tract along with approximately 95% of the production of our serotonin ‘happy chemical’ taking place there also.

Our gut health is direct to the health of our sleep, mood, skin, allergies, detoxification, digestion and absorption, boosts cancer fighting antioxidants, decreases inflammation as well as helps kill of free radical damage and more… now let’s get fermenting.

Ingredients:

1 cabbage organic
1 tbs salt - pink, sea… good quality salt
2 tsp caraway seeds

Method:

1. Ensure your hands are clean and your jar is sterlised.

2. Pull off outer cabbage leaves and put 2 leaves aside, cut around the cabbage to remove the core and put aside.

3. Roughly chop cabbage then add into thermomix or food processor add the salt and caraway seeds, you may need to half at a time - half the cabbage, half the salt and half the caraway seeds. Put the thermomix on reverse (blades) and turn to speed 4.5 for approximately 10-15 seconds, use the spatula to move the cabbage around in the thermomix and scoop into bowl, if your using a food processor pulse to chop .
   You don’t want to puree the cabbage just chopped into small pieces.

4. Start packing your jar with the cabbage mixture, while firmly pressing down the cabbage to remove any air and submerge the cabbage in liquid, do this until the jar is full. If your hand doesn’t fit in the jar use a tamper or the end of a rolling pin to press the cabbage mixture down until submerged in the salty liquid from the cabbage. NB. the salt draws the liquid out of the cabbage leaves as the cell walls of cabbage are broken down in the thermomix.

5. Use the outer cabbage leaves to place on top of cabbage mixture and then place the core on top closing the lid of the jar, this will press the outer leaves down and keep the mixture submerged.

6. Place out of direct sunlight on your bench top and allow to ferment for 10 - 30 days depending on the temperature - ideal temperature is 21 - 23℃ this means in summer if your house is warm the fermentation will happen faster and slower in winter or if your house is cooler. You will also need to check your sauerkraut every few days to ensure it stays submerged under the liquid, you may need to press it down again.
   Allow to ferment to your taste preference - you will know once fermentation has taken place by tasting some sauerkraut, it should be tangy/sour/pickled in taste, once your happy with the taste remove outer leaves and core and discard and store sauerkraut in the fridge for up 3 months.

Fermentation will naturally happen faster in summer if your house is warm and slower in winter if your house is cool.

NB: While it's fermenting, you may see bubbles coming through the cabbage or foam on the top; these are all signs of a healthy, happy fermentation process. The scum can be skimmed off the top either during fermentation or before refrigerating. If you see any mould, skim it off immediately and make sure your cabbage is fully submerged; don't eat mouldy parts close to the surface, but the rest of the sauerkraut is fine. Sauerkraut can be stored for several months.

Always try to choose a cabbage that is fresh and juicy and free from sprays and pesticides.

Enjoy x

White Choc Beauty Balls (paleo. gf. df. keto. low carb)

RECIPE BY: AURORA GILBERT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AURORA GILBERT

Makes 12-15 balls

These white choc beauty balls are great as sweet treat or a snack on the go and they are loaded with lots of good nourishing fats to keep your hunger at bay, collagen for your hair, skin, nails and connective tissue and chaga medicinal mushrooms to assist our body in dealing with stress, gut health and longevity.

Now these beauties will NOT spike your blood sugar levels at all so ideal for those following a low carb or keto lifestyle or if your diabetic or simply trying to reduce your sugar intake.
I have used a monkfruit concentrate as the sweetener, which is derived from a small melon from Southern China that has been used for around 800 years by Buddhist Monks.
Monkfruit is natural,has zero carbs and gylaemic index, doesn’t spike your blood sugar, virtual no calories, doesn’t feed candida and a few of these sweet little drops go a long way.

Now lets get started.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups roasted cashews
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 tsp cacao powder
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1/4 cup white choc collagen - I use Locako ‘aurora10’ for a discount
1 tsp chaga medicinal mushrooms - I use SuperFeast ‘aurora10’ for a discount
3 tbs melted cacao butter
large pinch of salt
25 drops of monkfuit concentrate or sweetener of choice

Method:

1. Place cashews, coconut, white choc collagen, vanilla powder, salt and chaga into the thermomix and blitz on high for about 8 seconds - blitz for longer if you want less chunks of nuts.

2. Add the wet ingredients - cacao butter and monkfruit concentrate into thermomix and blitz until well combined. 

3. Transfer into bowl, get your plastic gloves on (necessary or mixture sticks to your hands) and start rollin’.

4. Place into fridge for at least two hours to cool and set or I pop mine straight into the freezer & just pull them out as I eat them..

Enjoy x

Seed & Nut Energy Balls (paleo. gf. df)

RECIPE BY: AURORA GILBERT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AURORA GILBERT

Makes 12-15 balls

For this recipe I just randomly grabbed jars full of nut & seeds out of my pantry & add to the thermomix & BOOM these bad boys were created!! These balls are jam pack full of nuts & seeds & a great quick energy boosting snack for when I’m busy looking after bub & don’t have time to feed myself.

As usual I have added extras that are optional - some collagen & protein powder.
Collagen is great for connective tissue skin loving & it’s cheaper than botox!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup hemp hearts - from My Hemple use my code for 20% off the range: AURORA20
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dehydrated buckwheat groats
3 tbs black sesame seeds
3 tbs chia seeds
3 tbs coconut sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tbs nut butter - I used this cashew & vanilla nut butter from Honest Pantry
100g soaked dates
5 tbs melted coconut oil
5 tbs melted cacao butter
large pinch of salt
3 tbs collagen - optional
4 tbs protein powder - optional

Method:

1. Place almonds, coconut, hemp hearts, flax, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, buckwheat, sesame seeds, chia, coconut sugar, cranberries, collagen & protein powder into the thermomix & blitz on high for about 8 seconds - blitz for longer if you want less chunks of nuts.

2. Add the wet ingredients - nut butter, dates, coconut oil & cacao butter into thermomix & blitz until well combined. 

3. Transfer into bowl, get your plastic gloves on (necessary or mixture sticks to your hands) & get ballin’.

4. Place into fridge for at least two hours to cool & set or I pop mine straight into the freezer & just pull them out as I eat them..

5. Enjoy :) 

Aurora 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