Like many of you I have been embarking on a fresh start to 2015 and gave up gluten, alcohol and refined sugar in the hopes I would be reborn into a new 'me'. In some ways this has happened, although not in some miraculous I-now-have-a-six-pack-and-am-living-in-a-grass-hut-making-my-own-clothes way (which is a brilliant way of life and I am totally envious), but I do feel 100 times better than I did in the run up to New Year. Being a teacher, there are always children bringing in all sorts of bugs and coughs and sneezes so we are bound to get ill. However, I felt that the entire Autumn term I was barely getting over one illness before something else hit me. I was exhausted (as I have been most of my adolescent and adult life - my boyfriend was always telling me to 'get it checked out'). I had blood tests but they seemed normal and my blood pressure, although fairly low, was considered healthy. I have often suffered with a sudden plummeting of blood sugar resulting in cold sweats, shaking and dizziness, sometimes fainting. In the last 3 weeks I have only had one such 'episode' which was in the supermarket after having been to the gym and not having had time for breakfast - silly me. I have been dabbling in the gluten free world off and on for a couple of years but never really stuck to it. This year is different, I can feel it in my bones! I am really trying to avoid refined sugars and gluten as much as I can (with the exception of when others cook for me as I don't want to be THAT person just yet). I can feel my energy levels up and I am not constantly hungry, tired and bloated.
My biggest inspiration has come from an old friend who has an amazing blog called 'Paleo with Mrs P'. She converted to this way of eating for a pre-wedding diet but it has transformed her health and well-being and the recipes she posts are truly wonderful - she's an incredible photographer too! I have been following her recipes for the last three weeks and this weekend I tried out my own recipe to see how it went. My friend was having a few of us over for supper and we offered to bring puddings. Enter the Raw Dark Chocolate Tart! Another guest made an amazing cake made from pistachios, carrot and hazelnuts which I must admit I had a sneaky morsel from even though it contained refined sugar....it was heavenly - watch this space for a recipe soon. Anyway...back to the tart...the original recipe is taken from 'Bareroot Girl' but I have altered some of the ingredients and method to my tastes. It is so deliciously chocolatey and delicious without a smidge of gluten, dairy or refined sugar near it. Most of the guests thought it was really tasty (it didn't go down well with one of the children!), with some not believing me when I said there was no dairy in it at all. For those used to a sweeter pud this is probably not for you but for the chocoholics it is a must. It has a smooth truffle-like texture in the middle and a nutty, crunchy base. The different flavours hit you at intervals and are quite spectacular. This is definitely a new favourite of mine and one I will be making again and again and again.....and again.
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| No oven required, simple ingredients |
You will need:
9inch/23cm loose bottomed tart tin
food processor
blender (if making your own date paste)
For the base:
1.5 cups almond flour
half cup raw cocoa nibs (I use naturya)
3 medjool dates, roughly chopped
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
pinch salt
For the filling:
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk (from a can)
1 cup date paste (see below)
1 cup raw cacao powder (I used The Raw Chocolate Company's)
1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
For the date paste - this yields 2 cups:
15 dates, chopped
1 1/2 cups chilled water
Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes then drain and put into the blender with the chilled water for 1-2 minutes until smooth. This will produce quite a runny paste but you can add less water if you want a spreadable consistency.
To make the base put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds to roughly break up the nibs. Then blend for 1 minute until the mixture sticks together when pinched. The mixture will still be quite chunky but should be all mixed.
Tip the mixture into your tin and press it down and around to cover the base and sides. Don't worry if it doesn't quite reach the top of the sides of the tin, but make sure it is firmly pressed into the edges and sides. Pop this into the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
To make the filling put all the ingredients in the order shown into a food processor. It s important that you do it like this because if the cacao is at the bottom it will not mix properly.
Mix for 1-2 minutes until it is smooth and glossy.
Pour into the chilled case, smooth the top with a warm palette knife and pop back into the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
You will need to bring it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before serving so that the oils melt slightly and you can gently push the bottom through. Scatter the top with berries of your choice, I chose raspberries as I think there is no better union than chocolate and these little berries of delight.
Cut into slices and serve immediately. This tart should be covered and kept in the fridge and will keep (if you can restrain yourself) for up to a week.
Enjoy every flavour hit and bathe in the pleasure and knowledge that it is doing you oh so much good.
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| Empty plates, happy faces! |
