Raw

Real Dark Chocolate Easter Crème Eggs

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Easter Creme Eggs 3I know that you will have all been hoping and waiting for these delectable little Easter treats, but I’m sure that many of you have seen the story about little Mavi that I have shared through our Go Fund Me page. If you haven’t, my dearest friends, who I hold very close to my heart and are like family to me along with all their extended families, very suddenly lost their precious 2 1/2 year old son in a tragic farm accident last Tuesday 15th March in rural NSW. It has been such an incomprehensibly sad time for my dear friends, for their extended family and for us as friends. The pain that we are feeling is nothing compared to their grief…we are just with them in spirit through tears and many many prayers.
Maverick Here is a picture of our beautiful most treasured and loved beyond measure Mavi.
Setting up the Go Fund Me page has taken up a large amount of my time and I apologise for getting this to you a little later than usual. But losing a child would have to be one of the worst possible things to go through in life, and as a friend you just want to be there to help, in some kind of small way. We have been thoroughly amazed to see the support network that have rallied behind them to ease their burdens slightly by generously donating to their fund. Between it being aired on the local TV station later this week and their local bank running a fundraiser too, it’s been truly wonderful to see that Aussie spirit of lending a helping hand so evident! If you feel compelled to donate or share please please do so. You can donate easily on the site or scroll to the bottom to copy and paste the link to share. Thankyou thankyou thankyou!

I truly hope that you will take the opportunity to create these beautiful little treats with your children over the coming Easter holidays. Make these together, cuddle your children extra tight, and nourish their hearts, minds and bellies.

I pray you have a safe, healthy & happy Easter and I send much love from my family to yours. Gabrielle xx

*****************A little about the Chocolates*****************************

With chocolate made from scratch from real ingredients these Easter eggs are the perfect treat to pull out and enjoy with your families this Easter.

I have this long time dream of one day being able to visit one of the amazing chocolate making establishments around the world. Perhaps the Callebaut factory in Belgium (right now I send so much love to all those that have suffered enormously over there….just such a sad world!!!) or some of the amazing places where chocolate is made in Switzerland or over Europe.

But for now having a go at making my own will have to suffice. Of course some of the steps like refining the chocolate to improve the taste and texture (called ‘Conching’) are quite tricky to do at home.
But hey this chocolate is real, without being loaded with unneccesary chemicals, preservatives and loads of sugar. This chocolate is good for your body, and is completely guilt-free.

When you buy a block of chocolate from the shops you’ve probably noticed that it has 3 big ingredients. Cacao paste (aka cocoa paste, cocoa mass, cocoa liquor), Cacao butter or cocoa butter, and sugar. So here I’m using cacao paste from Maretai Organics and Cacao Butter to make a great homemade version without all the added nasties. Cacao paste already has cacao butter in it, which is the fat, so unlike other raw chocolate recipes I use less cacao butter in a recipe that uses cacao paste to begin with.

My chosen sweetener that I use here is Coconut Nectar. You can substitute with coconut palm sugar however the mouth feel of the coconut nectar is just that much smoother and the overall texture of the chocolate is just sensational!

Easter Creme Eggs 2For the filling of these eggs, I’ve used a product called Coconut Paste. It’s not coconut butter, it’s finer and runnier, yet super duper creamy, smooth and just incredible. I buy the Loving Earth , I think it’s the best out there! The filling is dairy free, almost like a light caramel or a condensed milk in texture and then once set in the eggs in the fridge it turns fudgey and delightful.

If you don’t want to join these eggs together, you can just place some filling in the prepared chocolate shells and then once set in the fridge cover with chocolate to set. Up to you.

As much as I think making the chocolate from scratch is a whole lot of fun, if you can’t source the products in time for easter just do them at a later point over the holidays or use a good quality dark or organic chocolate. Enjoy!

Real Dark Chocolate Easter Creme Eggs
Yields 16
Deliciously creamy guilt free healthy Creme Easter eggs.
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Prep Time
35 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
35 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. Chocolate
  2. 150g Cacao Paste (I use Maretai Organics)
  3. 50g Cacao Butter
  4. 60g Coconut Flower Nectar or Coconut Palm Sugar
  5. 1/2 tsp Vanilla Powder
Creme Egg Filling
  1. 200g Coconut Paste (I use Loving Earth brand)
  2. 100g Coconut Nectar
  3. 100g Coconut Milk
  4. 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  5. Extra Coconut Paste for drizzling
Instructions
  1. To make the chocolate place the cacao paste & cacao butter into the Thermomix bowl and mill 10 Sec/Speed 9.
  2. Add the coconut nectar and vanilla and melt and mix 5 Mins/37°/Speed 2.
  3. Pour the chocolate into a bowl and set aside for about 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly.
  4. Dampen a small piece of paper towel and wipe out the easter egg moulds with a little macadamia or rice bran oil. This will help the chocolates to release easily and also to give them a nice gloss.
  5. Pour the chocolate into medium easter egg moulds and swirl around until coated. Place in the fridge to set for about 5-10 minutes before repeating this step 2-3 times to get a good layer of chocolate in each mould. You may like to do this with a small paint brush to make sure you are getting a really even thick coating. Using a pastry scraper or a ruler drag across the chocolate to ensure a clean edge everytime you add a layer.
  6. You will need a total of 32 chocolate egg halves, so you may need to do this several times depending on how many moulds you have.
  7. Whilst your chocolate is setting, make the creme filling. Place the coconut paste, the nectar, coconut milk & vanilla into the Thermomix and mix 10-15 Sec/Speed 3. Set aside until ready to use.
  8. Gently un-mould the egg halves, being careful not to over handle as the heat from your hands will melt the chocolate. Place a small spoonful of the filling into each of the halves, levelling them off at the top. Sit the halves on a tray and carefully place them into the fridge to set for about 20 minutes or until the filling has hardened.
  9. To stick the two edges together, heat a baking tray slightly then place the halves briefly onto the tray to heat, then gently push the edges together, running your finger around the entire edges to seal properly.
  10. Place back into the fridge to set firm. You can serve them at this point or you can drizzle with a little extra coconut paste for a decorative finish.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Salted Carob Bliss Balls

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Carob Bliss Balls3These ones are a recent creation! And they are good!

I’ve used Carob instead of Cacao. Carob is naturally sweeter than cacao and is caffeine free. It’s a great alternative to cacao and has a beautiful sweet, mellow flavour.  You can use Cacao, but I much prefer the carob in these ones, it’s just a perfect flavour with the slight saltiness.

More and more I realise how much I’m going back to my childhood. Carob was the only thing we ate, chocolate was unheard of in our house!…I know deprived! But now I think oh yum carob for a change!

Carob Bliss Balls1

I’ve used part almonds, part sunflower seeds, and I roast both of them. The almonds are easy to do in the oven on about 180° for 15 minutes and the sunflowers are easiest to toast in a frypan over medium heat until golden. You don’t have to roast them if you want them to be completely raw, but I do love the flavour of roasted nuts and seeds!

There is no added sweetener other than the dates. I love this. You could eat a couple for breakfast they are that good!

The little bit of coconut cream adds to the texture and helps bind them too.

 I love having some ready make bliss balls in the fridge at all times so there’s a quick fix snack for lunchboxes or just when there’s a hankering for something sweet.

Salted Carob Bliss Balls
Yields 18
A bliss ball good enough to eat for breakfast!
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Prep Time
2 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
2 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 100g Roasted Almonds
  2. 50g Toasted Sunflower Seeds
  3. 4 Medjool Dates, seeds removed
  4. 50g Coconut Oil
  5. 20g (2 Tbsp) Carob Powder
  6. 40g Coconut Cream
  7. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence or Paste
  8. 1/8 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  9. Desiccated Coconut for rolling
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients into the Thermomix and process 10 Sec/Speed 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process a further 10 Sec/Speed 7, or until a nice sticky crumb is achieved.
  2. Roll the mixture into balls and toss through the coconut to coat before placing into the fridge to set.
Notes
  1. If the mixture is a bit too oily to roll easily, place into the fridge to set for 30-60 mins before rolling.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Chocolate Almond Milk

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Choco Almond Milk
 I love this!!…We love this! My little family loves it! It’s so delicious and SO easy to make! So perfect for a birthday party where either your family or your guests are dairy free. Or even if not dairy free, why not mix things up and do something different to normal dairy milk. Nuts are full of good fats, protein and good carbohydrates and make up part of a balanced diet. Also, regular bought junky chocolate flavoured milks are full of all sorts of rubbish, including preservatives, additives, colours, flavours, and refined sugars! I just love that this milk is only sweetened with a little maple syrup and is completely free of all the junk! It’s real food!

If you are concerned about the caffeine content in the raw cacao powder, consider replacing it with carob powder! Yum!

I served something similar to these at my son’s 1st birthday party! I added coconut milk which made it that little bit thicker and creamier. You can do that if you like, but honestly this milk is just perfect as is!

20 - Choc Coconut Milks

I designed a Vintage Hot Air Balloons party for him and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! You can see a little bit of the cake in the picture above that I made, yes its got that sugary icing and all, but cake decorating is one of my ‘other’ little things I like to dabble in for the creativeness!….And my son hadn’t had any gluten, dairy or sugar before he was 1, so his cake was the basket, it was a GF, DF, chocolate cake, sweetened with a little honey! He LOVED it!! But more on parites in another post!!!

Choco Almond Milk w Dino Cookies

I made some of this milk last week along with these dinosaur cookies! Aren’t they just gorgeous! They are a Spelt Choc Chip, Cranberry & Macadamia cookie (my husbands favourite!) – I’ll get to the recipe soon! My little boy who is now 2 1/2 thought it was Christmas!

You can make my pure Almond Milk here.

Chocolate Almond Milk
Yields 1
Dairy-free Almond Milk turned into guilt-free Chocolate Milk! Perfect in smoothies, with cookies or for parties!
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Ingredients
  1. 170g (1 Cup) Raw Almonds
  2. 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  3. 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
  4. ½ tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  5. 1 L Filtered Water
  6. 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  7. 2 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder
Instructions
  1. Place the almonds into a bowl, cover with filtered water and leave to soak overnight (or for at least 12 hours).
  2. Drain the almonds and place into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 7-10 Sec/Speed 9.
  3. Add the oil, vanilla, salt and water & blend 1 minute/Speed 9.
  4. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or muslin cloth. Keep the almond pulp for throwing into cookies, cakes, biscuits etc. (You can freeze it to save for use another day too!)
  5. Pour the almond milk back into the mixing bowl and add the maple syrup and cacao. Blend 5 Sec/Speed 7.
  6. Refrigerate until chilled, then shake well before serving.
Notes
  1. Pure Almond Milk recipe here: Almond Milk
  2. Will keep in the fridge for approx. 3 days.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Raw Salted Macadamia Caramel

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Raw Salted Maca Cara 4I was driving home recently dreaming of this delicious date caramel I’d had at my friends house a couple of years ago! I didn’t have her recipe, so I came home and decided to have a play around. I wanted something with macadamias as they just lend themselves so perfectly to something so creamy and dreamy!

I also had the idea initially of making more of a sweet dip, but then my thoughts drifted to Maca powder and it’s wonderful caramel tones.  Maca powder is a great source of vitamins, energy boosting properties, has benefits for the skin, helps to increase energy, and helps with womens & mens health & reproductive health. I love chucking it into foods when I can!

So here is the result! Icky, sticky, goopy, mouth- watering, finger -licking goodness! I can guarantee you won’t be able to resist going in for a second spoonful! I gave the recipe to my best friend Jessie of Desperate Healthwives who made it straight away and thought she’d died and gone to heaven! Ha! And I must admit she took the above photo! It’s just so beautiful I had to use it!

Apples are of course the classic combo with caramel however you can use whatever fruit you desire! Apples, pears, bananas, strawberries etc all work beautifully!  You’ve all seen those caramel apples in the supermarket – sugar upon sugar! This is a little different, but we works so well and is such a wonderful alternative with only a little maple syrup to sweeten. You could reduce the maple or use honey or rice malt syrup. I tend not to be a big promoter of rice malt syrup as its so highly processed. I’ll talk more on sugars in another blog post.

Raw Salted Maca Cara 2
It’s absolutely perfect just freshly made and dipped into! However, look at what happens after you’ve left it in the fridge for a little while! Gorgeous and firmer in texture it becomes more like a spread! There is something about this that I just love! It’s smooth and rich and you can use your chosen fruit as the perfect little implement to scrape up the perfect amount! So try both ways and see which you love you the most!

 

Raw Salted Macadamia Caramel
Oooey gooey raw nut caramel for dipping freshly cut fruit into!
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Total Time
2 min
Total Time
2 min
Ingredients
  1. 150g Raw Macadamias
  2. 2 - 3 Medjool Dates
  3. 60g (4 Tbsp) Coconut Oil
  4. 40g (2 Tbsp) Maple Syrup
  5. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  6. 1 tsp Maca Powder
  7. 1/8 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Place the macadamias into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 6 Sec/Speed 9.
  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process for 10 Sec/Speed 4.
  3. Scrape down the sides again and process a further 30-40 Sec/Speed 6 or until a nice nut butter consistency forms.
  4. Add all the remaining ingredients and process 40 Sec/Speed 6-7.
  5. Serve with freshly chopped fruit such as apples, pears, strawberries, bananas etc.
  6. For a firmer texture, you can place it into the fridge for approx. 30 mins or until set firm.
Notes
  1. You can easily turn this into a Chocolate Version too by adding 2 Tbsp of Raw Cacao Powder in with all the other ingredients. Yum!
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Orange Cinnamon & Coconut ‘Hot Cross Bun’ Chocolates

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Hot Cross Bun Chocolates

I just had to do something really chocolatey for Easter!! I can’t help myself creating! I wonder if there is some name for that problem! haha

These are really simple to make! You will need my Coconut Butter for these!

Hot Cross Bun Chocolates 2

And it’s a bit kitch with the crosses but how cute! Dont’ they just look adorable!

All grain free, dairy free and refined sugar free! Enjoy!

Orange Cinnamon & Coconut 'Hot Cross Bun' Chocolates
Yields 14
These are a cheeky little chocolate take off of a Hot Cross Bun! With lovely Cinnamon & Orange Easter flavours that are sure to delight! You'll need my Coconut Butter to make these!
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Chocolates
  1. 200g Coconut Butter
  2. 3 Tbsp Coconut Cream
  3. 2 tsp Maple Syrup
  4. 20g Orange Juice
  5. 1 tsp Orange Zest
  6. 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  7. 100g Organic Dark Chocolate (70%)
Crosses
  1. 50g Coconut Butter
  2. 2 tsp Maple Syrup
  3. 3 Tbsp Coconut Cream
Instructions
  1. To make the chocolates place all the ingredients except for the chocolate into the mixing bowl and mix 10 Sec/Speed 4.
  2. Place into the fridge for 30 mins -1 hour to chill. Once chilled sufficiently, roll the mix into 14 even small bit sized balls.
  3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and mill 10 Sec/Speed 9. Then melt the chocolate 2 Mins/50°/Speed 2, scraping down the sides of the bowl closer to the finish time.
  4. Pour into a shallow bowl and dip the chocolates one at a time into the chocolate to thoroughly coat, before placing onto a baking paper lined rack or tray to set. You can place them in the fridge to set a bit quicker.
  5. Once the chocolates are set, place the coconut butter, maple and coconut cream into the Thermomix and mix 10 Sec/Speed 3-4.
  6. Place into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe little crosses on the chocolates. Place back into the fridge to completely set, then transfer into an airtight container.
Notes
  1. I couldn't find all my piping bags when I made these, so I popped the icing into a little glad bag and cut a little hole off one corner and used that to pipe the crosses! Little more rustic but still works a treat!
  2. Don't forget you'll need my Coconut Butter to make these!
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Hazelnut & Cacao Nib Bliss Balls

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imageThis beautiful bliss ball recipe came about recently when I was going to make my Paleo Chocolate Mango Tart. I had planned to make a batch of bliss balls that day also. The filling for the tart was sitting in the Thermomix and upon a second glance I all of a sudden had a ‘uh huh’ moment! This would make the perfect start to some delightful bliss balls! Yummo! So the whole tart went immediately out the window! Well thankfully, not really! I added a few more things to the mix and by golly it was delicious!

I add a few medjool dates and almond meal, along with the cacao nibs which add a gorgeous crunch to each bite, and a lovely bitterness!image

For the bliss balls I’ve reduced the maple syrup a little to 80g instead of 120g in the tart filling, as I like them to be more of an energy pick me up rather than an actual treat! I’m not a big sweet tooth, so I don’t mind it a little richer. It’s up to you.

You can also add in a protein powder to give them an extra protein kick for a post workout snack or for busy mums and breastfeeding mums! They are a little more fudgey with the protein powder. Try both and see which you prefer.

I then roll them in roasted hazelnuts! I love hazelnuts with chocolate or carob. (You can definitely use carob powder for these too!) They are just so good with the extra crunch on the outside! You could leave them with no coating or use coconut perhaps.

Hazelnut & Cacao Nib Bliss Balls
Yields 50
Crunchy, nutty, creamy bliss balls! Almost a little Ferrero rocher like!
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Ingredients
  1. 140g Roasted Hazelnuts
  2. 80g Coconut Oil
  3. 80g Coconut Milk
  4. 80g Maple Syrup
  5. 50g Raw Cacao Powder
  6. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  7. pinch salt
  8. 200g Almond Meal
  9. 4 Medjool Dates
  10. 40g Cacao Nibs
  11. 100g Protein Powder (optional)
Instructions
  1. To make the filling, place 60g of the hazelnuts into the Thermomix and mill 10 Sec/Speed 9.
  2. Add the oil, milk, maple, cacao powder, vanilla, salt and dates and cook 2 Mins/50°/Speed 3.
  3. Add the almond meal & cacao nibs (& protein powder if using) and process 10 Sec/Speed 4-5/Reverse.
  4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill. Once chilled the mixture will be much easier to roll.
  5. Place the remaining 80g hazelnuts into the Thermomix and chop 15-20 Sec/Speed 4.
  6. Place into a shallow bowl for rolling. Take small spoonfuls of the chilled mixture and roll into balls. Finish by rolling in the hazelnut crumbs and refrigerate until firm.
Notes
  1. My original version didn't have protein powder in them, however you can add it if you want to boost the protein content. They are a little more fudgey in texture with the protein!
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Christmas Iceblocks – Kale & Strawberry

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© Christmas Iceblocks

These delightful iceblocks are so easy to make! And fancy hiding some Kale in there that the kids will never spot! 

I use the thick set coconut cream from very high fat tinned coconut cream. The Nakula Organic brand has about 62% fat ratio so I can get 250g from 1 tin. Depending on the brand you use, you may need to use 2 tins of coconut cream to get the amount needed.

For a hot summery Christmas afternoon, these pretty blocks are set to delight! Saying Christmas all over, they will surely lighten the palette and refresh everyone after a big Christmas lunch! 

You can use whatever sweetener you prefer. There is very little sweetener in each block, i love that! Enjoy!….And Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Iceblocks
Yields 8
Perfectly 'Christmas' iceblocks with hidden kale!
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Strawberry Layer
  1. 250g Strawberry's
  2. 25g Raw Honey
  3. 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Coconut Layer
  1. 1 Can Coconut Cream (set in fridge for at least 6 hours)
  2. 20g Honey
Green Kiwi Kale Layer
  1. 40g Kale (trimmed & de-veined)
  2. 1/2 Avocado
  3. 2 Kiwi Fruits
  4. 20g Honey
  5. 20g Coconut Cream
  6. 8 Iceblock Moulds (I used a 6 Star Mould for these and refilled them to make the last 2)
Strawberry Layer
  1. For the strawberry layer, place the strawberries, honey and lemon juice into the Thermomix and blend 10-20 Sec/Speed 7.
  2. Pour into moulds and place into the freezer to set for an hour. Once almost set, insert a popsicle stick into the ice block, leaving enough sticking out the top for people to hold onto once finished.
Coconut Layer
  1. Once the coconut cream has set, open the tin and scoop out all the thick cream off the top and place into the Thermomix. You will eventually reach a more liquid watery fluid. Save this for smoothies. You should end up with 250g thick coconut cream. Insert the butterfly and whip 1 Min/Speed 4. Add the honey and mix just a few seconds to combine on Speed 4.
  2. Pour evenly into the moulds and then place back into the freezer to set for at least 1-2 hours.
Green Kiwi Kale Layer
  1. Place the kale into the Thermomix and blend 5 Sec/Speed 8.
  2. Add the avocado, kiwis, honey & coconut cream and blend 10 Sec/Speed 5.
  3. Pour into the moulds as the final layer and leave in the freezer to completely set.
  4. Once set, take out of the moulds and serve as a refreshing treat for a hot Australian Christmas!
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Healthy White ‘Chocolates’

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 Here are the much anticipated Christmas ‘chocolates’!! So simple and easy to make, yet so pretty and good for you!

 

Healthy White Chocolates

You will need my Coconut Butter recipe to make these. Using part coconut butter and part cacao butter gives them a little more texture and a delicious nutty flavour. Cacao butter is also very strong in flavour, so the coconut butter tames it down a little too.

I found these really cheap silicon chocolate moulds at IKEA. They were about $1 or $2 and work a treat!Chocolate Moulds

You can use rice malt syrup in this recipe, however I try to balance my use of this sweetener due to it being so highly processed. In this instance I go for honey. If you choose raw honey, which I always recommend, it is that one step closer to nature and where it came from! It has been through minimal processing and is still full of antioxidants and cleansing properties for our bodies. Honey has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. However, if you are after a more subtle flavour you could use maple syrup which also gives a lovely flavour. Keep an eye out for my more in depth blog post on sweeteners which I’ll put up in the new year!

Play around with whatever nuts and flavour combos you like. I’ve done them before with freeze-dried Raspberries & Blueberries (as pictured above). It is just delightful and the red & blue colours also look very Christmassy! I love the texture of freeze-dried berries. They are super light, yet the sweetness and vibrant colours are still preserved! Yum! I order my freeze-dried berries (you’ll notice I use them in a few other things too) online at iHerb and they are fairly cheap. My lovely client who came for a cooking lesson the other day loved the berry one just as much, if not more!

White Chocolates - Berry Continue reading →

Almond Milk

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Almond MilkWhat a wonderful alternative to cow’s milk. This almond milk is really easy to make! It is completely raw, the almonds have been activated and with the addition of celtic sea salt which contains many vital trace minerals and the good fat of coconut oil, this is a winner for health benefits.

Activating the almonds is really important. It deactivates the enzyme inhibitors, helping us to be able to digest them much more easily and it brings the nuts to life!Soaking-Almonds-©-265x300

You will notice that I add a small amount of maple syrup. I do this whether I am making it for sweet or savoury use. It brings out the flavour of the almonds and doesn’t taste sweet as it’s such a small amount. You could use honey or rice malt syrup if you preferred. 

The addition of sunflower lecithin is optional. The milk will separate after a few hours in the fridge due to the fat from the nuts not emulsifying with the water. Lecithin is a fat emulsifier so it is the perfect solution. There is much question over soy lecithin, so when I learnt about sunflower lecithin you can imagine my delight. It will keep the milk homogenised and give it even more of a creamy texture!

Straining-Milk-225x300Above I’m straining the milk through a muslin cloth or nutmilk bag.

When I weaned my little boy off breastmilk I used this milk to replace his 1-2 daytime feeds. He just loved it. (As almond milk is not a complete meal replacement of breastmilk or formula for an infant or baby please be aware that my little boy was already eating a substantial well balanced diet by this stage. The almond milk was an addition to his diet.)

And perhaps you should go try my Chocolate Almond Milk too! Perfect for parties or as a yummy treat!

Almond Milk
Makes 1 Litre A wonderful super easy to make nut milk! Perfect as a Dairy Free option! You can then use for cakes, cookies, savouries etc! Or turn into Chocolate Milk or Choc Banana Milk or Raspberry or Strawberry Milk etc.
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Ingredients
  1. 170g (1 Cup) Raw Almonds
  2. 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  3. 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  4. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  5. ½ tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  6. 1 tsp Sunflower Lecithin (optional)
  7. 1 L Filtered Water
Instructions
  1. Place the almonds into a bowl, cover with filtered water and leave to soak overnight (or for at least 12 hours).
  2. Drain the almonds and place into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 7-10 Sec/Speed 9.
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients & blend 1 minute/Speed 9.
  4. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or muslin cloth.
  5. Refrigerate and serve.
Notes
  1. You can decrease the amount of nuts used. The amount I use here makes for a really rich & creamy milk, however you can reduce this. I would tend to use a minimum of 100g raw nuts(approx. a heaped 1/2 cup) to 1 Litre of water. Remember also that once the raw nuts have been soaked they will weigh less than unsoaked raw nuts. So make sure you weigh your nuts before soaking!
  2. Nut milk will keep for approximately 3 days. It is suitable for the freezer too.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

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Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

Gluten Free! Dairy Free! Refined Sugar Free & ‘almost’ Raw!!! This is such a winner and is just yummo!

This delicious slice is perfect for any morning or afternoon tea. It is almost raw, except for the roasted almonds. You can keep the almonds raw for the filling if desired, however the roasted flavour adds amazing dimension to this slice
A classic style raw but THIN almond date base, a delicious coconut caramel almond cranberry filling and a raw chocolate topping! Delicious! And you get that chocolate fix without the guilt!

One of the tricks I find to raw desserts is to keep the ‘biscuit’ base nice and  THIN or it overpowers the flavour of the whole slice and texture isn’t quite right. It all needs to balance nicely.

The coconut caramel filling is just SO creamy and yum! With roasted almonds and cranberries added it’s just perfect!

The chocolate layer is technically still raw as it isn’t heated over 40 degrees. And it is pure raw chocolate goodness with raw cacao butter and raw cacao powder! My favourite raw cacao butter is Absolute Organics brand. Health food stores or some IGA’s stock it. It’s beautifully creamy and mellow in flavour.

The chocolate layer is free of any nasty additives and sweeteners, and full of loads of antioxidants and good fats! This is a fabulous one for kids. My kids devour it!!

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Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

A delicious crunchy, nutty chocolate fix without the guilt!

  • Author: Gabrielle Tobin - Kitch'n Thyme

Ingredients

Base

  • 230g Raw Almonds
  • 150g Dates
  • 10g Shredded Coconut
  • 60g Maple Syrup
  • 35g Coconut Oil

Coconut Caramel Nut Filling

  • 240g Coconut Butter
  • 40g Coconut Oil
  • 160g Maple Syrup
  • 150g Roasted Almonds, halved
  • 40g Dried Cranberries
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  • pinch celtic salt

Chocolate Layer

  • 225g Raw Cacao Butter
  • 50g Raw Cacao Powder
  • 50g Maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla Essence
  • pinch celtic salt

Cacao Nibs, for topping (optional)

Dried Cornflowers, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Base Layer

  1. Spray and line a 9×13″ rectangle slice tray with baking paper, allowing for an overhang on the sides to easily remove the slice after setting time. (Try to make the baking paper as neat as possible on the sides, creasing the paper where necessary to make it sit flat. The straighter the baking paper sides, the neater the edges of your slice will be.) Set aside.
  2. Place all the base ingredients into the bowl of the Thermomix and process for 10-15 Seconds/ Speed 7. 
  3. Press the mixture evenly into the lined slice tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set (or freeze for 15 minutes).

Coconut Caramel Nut Layer

  1. Place the coconut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla into the bowl of the Thermomix and melt 1-2 Mins/50°/Speed 3.
  2. Add the chopped almonds, cranberries & salt and mix together 5 Seconds/Speed 3/Reverse.
  3. Once combined, pour the mixture evenly over the set base. Return to the fridge for a further 30 minutes to set (or the freezer for 15 minutes.)

Chocolate Layer

  1. Place the cacao butter into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 10-15 Seconds/Speed 9.
  2. Melt the cacao butter for 10 minutes/37°/Speed 2 scraping down the sides of the bowl and around the blades closer to the finish time.
  3. Add the cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla & salt and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes/37°/Speed 2.
  4. Pour over the slice as the final layer. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with cacao nibs and dried flower petals just as the chocolate is beginning to set (make sure the topping is beginning to set – if you top with the decorations too early, they will all sink into the chocolate filling) then refrigerate a further 20 minutes or until set. Chop into small squares and serve.