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How To Make Bulletproof Coffee

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This week I am making butter lattes. Yes, you read that correctly.

Created by mind/body hacker and founder of Bulletproof Executive Dave Asprey, Bulletproof coffee is a blend of black coffee, butter (grass-fed, of course) and coconut oil (or MCT oil). Dave discovered the rejuvenating effects of butter when mountain climbing in Tibet when he was fed tea made with yak butter.

He claims that drinking Bulletproof coffee will give you more energy, mental clarity and brain function, plus it will keep you satisfied for hours. I’ve spoken to people who say the healthy fats also prolong the effects of the coffee, without the ‘buzz’.

My friend Tom in Berlin introduced me to it, and I’ve been making it every day since I got back to NYC. I quite like the taste – it’s nice and creamy but it doesn’t make me bloat like a regular milky latte. Do I feel bulletproof? Time will tell!

You can read more about Bulletproof Coffee here.

How to make Bulletproof Coffee

You will need (for one cup):

  • Good quality freshly ground coffee (Dave recommends as ‘clean’ and un-toxic as possible)
  • 1-2 tbsp organic butter from grass-fed cows (I got mine from Whole Foods)
  • 1-2 tbsp coconut oil or MCT oil
  • Blender or stick blender

How to make it:

  1. Brew your coffee in a French press or pour-over for 4 minutes
  2. Pop the coffee, butter and oil in your blender (or small saucepan if using a stick blender)
  3. Blend for 20-30 seconds until nice and frothy
  4. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

Notes:

* If you’re just starting out, maybe reduce the amount of fat, then gradually increase. I’ve just been using 1 tbsp of each fat.
* Apparently it takes about a week for your body to get used to burning the fats and to feel the effects. I’m still waiting for my butter latte euphoria. So if you don’t feel any different, stick with it!
* Dave recommends this as a replacement for breakfast. I guess if you’re eating 2 tablespoons of butter, you don’t really need anything else!
* I also want to wish my darling Mum a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!! If I was in Melbourne I would make a very special extra-bulletproof coffee just for you! xx

Have you tried Bulletproof coffee? Or do you plan to? Tell me about your experience in the comments below!

Healthy Smoothies WILL Change Your Life! Interview with Farnoosh Brock of Prolific Living

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Meet Farnoosh Brock. She is an entrepreneur, published author and yoga devotee who helps people find their passion and live their dreams at ProlificLiving.com. She also happens to be a green smoothie addict…just like me!

In fact, she believes so passionately in the healing and rejuvenating power of healthy smoothies that she has written a book called The Healthy Smoothie Bible. Now that’s dedication to the spinach gods!

In this video, you will discover:

  • How Farnoosh revolutionised her own health through drinking healthy smoothies
  • Why green smoothies are a great way to start building healthy eating habits
  • Why smoothies make consuming vegetables WAY easier than eating a huge bowl of salad!
  • Farnoosh’s two things you need to know about blending:
    1. It’s EASY and ACCESSIBLE to everyone
    2. It’s FUN, as you get to experiment!
  • How to fix a ‘smoothie fail’
  • You DON’T need an expensive Vitamix blender to start your smoothie habit
  • …plus much more!

I also challenge Farnoosh to a game of ‘Guess the Green’ (at 15.55) – you may just discover a new vegetable to use in your next smoothie!

(Note: due to some technical issues, Farnoosh’s video froze up, so you’ll just have to stare at my face. Sorry about that.)

What did I think about The Healthy Smoothie Bible?

TheHealthySmoothieBible

Farnoosh asked if I’d like to review her book, which of course I was more than happy to do (plus, who could say no to a free copy?!)

Looking at the cover, I assumed this was a recipe book, and yes, there are plenty of recipes. But Farnoosh isn’t playing around – this really is a smoothie bible!

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about healthy smoothies is in here, plus everything you didn’t know you needed to know.

Check out some of the chapters:

’19 Massive Benefits of A Smoothie Lifestyle’, ‘The Scoop on the Greens for Your Smoothies’, ‘What Not to Add to Your Smoothies’, ‘Smoothie Tools of the Trade’, ‘Tips on Freezing Your Fruits’, ‘Finding Your Perfect Blender’…

See? But what I love most is that Farnoosh writes with such joy and passion it’s impossible NOT to believe that drinking a green smoothie a day will change your life!

Who is the book for?

If you squirm at the thought of drinking your spinach, take a deep breath, Farnoosh is here to help. She breaks down the basics of smoothie-making and shares simple steps on how to start building a smoothie habit. She encourages you to find what works for you, to start slowly, and to work to simple ingredient ‘formulas’ (ie fruit + fruit + green) as opposed to a strict recipe. I like that!

If you’re a seasoned smoothie drinker, you’ll still learn plenty of new tricks. I thought I knew green smoothies, but after reading the book I discovered:

+ The importance of switching up your ingredients (I think I was on a banana/bok choy/ginger run for a good 6 months…)

+ Banana and berries aren’t the only fruits that can be frozen. You can freeze chunks of mango, peaches, figs, avocado and pineapple too!

+ You should drink your smoothie SLOWLY. I am a massive culprit for gulping them down. Maybe I’ll invest in a packet of jumbo straws…

So whether you’re just starting out or already a smoothie enthusiast, I know you’ll totally be inspired by Farnoosh and her passion for helping you reach a new level of health through green smoothies.

You can grab The Healthy Smoothie Bible book in any major bookstore or online through the links on this page: http://www.prolificjuicing.com/healthy-smoothie-bible/

A smoothie recipe from Farnoosh:

This is great for beginners and/or if you’re doing a Paleo challenge! Just blend all ingredients and enjoy!

Recipe #4: Nutty Berry Prospect

1 large frozen banana3 large frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup filtered water
1 tbsp peanut butter (or almond butter if you’re avoiding legumes)

greens

Mm, delicious greens!

 

Related posts:

Paleo Brekkie-To-Go PLUS How To Make Instant Smoothies
WTF Is Kale?
3 Fun things You Can Make With A Blender
WTF Are Medjool Dates?

WTF is…Sweet Potato?

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sweet potatoMan, do I love sweet potato.

It definitely saved me during the Paleo Challenge last year. Being one of the few starchy vegetables on the ‘can eat’ list, it was a food I turned to during many a carb-craving moment.

Whether paleo or not, you should definitely consider adding sweet potato to your diet – it’s delicious, versatile and good for you!

WTF is sweet potato?

Newsflash! It’s not a potato. (Well, it’s only distantly related to regular potato, which is part of the nightshade family. Sweet potatoes are part of the morning glory – yes, really – family.)

The most common varieties are orange in colour, but you’ll also find yellow, red, brown, purple and beige varieties. Personally, I like the orange ones as they are usually the sweetest!

Did you know – sweet potato is called kumera in New Zealand. Here in the USA, they also call it yam, even though technically yams are part of a different plant family. Yeah, bit confusing.

Why should I eat it?

Sweet potatoes are SOOOOOO good for you! Check it out:

  • 100g of cooked orange sweet potato will provide over 100% of your recommended Vitamin A intake (it’s from all that beta carotene, the stuff that makes it orange)
  • It’s also a good source of Vitamin B, manganese and potassium
  • Eating sweet potato is a great way to get more complex carbs if you’re gluten-free or grain-free

How do I eat it?

Sweet potato is so versatile it’s ridiculous.

  • Use as you would a regular potato: boil, steam, mash (ooh, maybe mash with some nutritional yeast??)
  • I LOVE roasting it in coconut oil. It brings out the natural sweetness. Yum!
  • Julienne it with this peeler, lightly steam and eat as a healthy pasta
  • Try it in a dessert. Yes, really. Google ‘sweet potato brownies’ and you’ll see what I mean.
  • TIP: cook it with some form of fat so the nutrients absorb into your system!

I once tried making a grated sweet potato pancake thing, but it failed spectacularly. So I googled “sweet potato hash brown” and found this simple recipe at Nom Nom Paleo. It was much easier than my version!

So if you’re short on time and want to add a healthy carby side to your meal, try this:

Super easy sweet potato hash

  • Take your sweet potato and grate it coarsely
  • Put a dollop of coconut oil or butter in a fry pan
  • Add the grated sweet potato, season with salt and pepper. Add any combo of the following if you fancy: paprika, cumin, ground ginger, cayenne pepper, etc.
  • Put the lid on the pan (the lid will trap moisture, helping it to soften)
  • Push the sweet potato around every now and again so it cooks evenly. If it dries out, add a bit more fat.
  • Give it 5-10 minutes. It will soften, and some bits will start to crisp up and caramelise.
  • Tip it out on to a plate or bowl, and serve!

It’s delicious with fried or poached eggs and avocado for breakfast, or as an accompaniment to delicious juicy roasted chicken.

Christina Canters Sweet Potato

Where the fork do I find it?

You’ll find it easily in supermarkets, markets and greengrocers (but it’s usually much cheaper at the markets). The orange variety is the most common, but feel free to experiment with other varieties too!

Do you eat sweet potato? How do you use it? I’d love to hear your ideas! Just comment below.

Paleo Banana Bread

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Paleo Banana Bread Christina Cantersq

I’m very proud of myself. I was going to record a podcast episode last night but I was so tired I decided to take the night off…and cook!

I had high hopes for a shredded sweet potato pancake-thing, but – as often happens with my haphazard food experiments – it failed spectacularly, leaving me with a sloppy, broken, pan-sticking mess.

Determined to create something that worked, I remembered a recipe I’d been emailed by Abel James of FatBurningMan.com. It was titled: The Best Banana Bread of Your Life.

I decided this could be a goer.

I’m a huge fan of home-made banana bread, ‘cos it’s super easy to make, I tend to have the ingredients on hand, and you can liberally experiment mostly without any major stuff-ups. One of my favourites is Sarah Britton’s Coziest Banana Bread, which is gluten-free and vegan. I like to be a bit naughty and add chopped dark chocolate too…so good!

But a Paleo version? This I had yet to try.

So here’s what I did. I adapted the recipe slightly to suit the ingredients I had available, plus I added walnuts, ‘cos in my opinion, nuts make everything better!

Paleo Banana Bread

(adapted from Abel James’ recipe)

What you need:

  • 4 ripe bananas
  • 4 eggs (I replaced one egg with a chia egg*)
  • 1/2 cup nut butter
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda (bi-carb powder)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

What do to:

  • Preheat oven to 175 deg C (350 deg F)
  • Blend all wet ingredients (including banana) until smooth. I used a bowl and a stick blender to minimise equipment.
  • Using a fork, mix in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bi-carb and salt until combined.
  • Stir in the walnuts, if using.
  • Line a loaf pan with baking paper. (I use a metal 21 x 11cm pan. To line it, I just shove one over-sized piece of paper in and fold/bunch it up at the corners.)
  • Bake for 45 minutes or so. Check if it’s done by inserting a toothpick/skewer/thin pointy knife into the centre. If it comes out clean, you’re good. If it’s wet with batter sticking to it, pop it back in the over for another 10 mins and check again.
  • When it’s cooked, remove from the pan, and cool on a rack before slicing.
  • Sigh with the deep satisfaction that you are not a complete spaz in the kitchen.

*Chia seeds can be used as an egg replacement for vegans or if you run out of regular eggs! Just mix 1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsp water, leave for 10 minutes to turn into thick goop, then add to the mix. Too easy!

My verdict:

For a grain-free, low-carb, no-added sugar banana bread, this is amazing. I will definitely be making this again, although I will be adding some Stevia in future just to sweeten it up a touch. My non-Paleo housemate enjoyed it too, which says a lot!

To keep it fresh (and to stop myself eating it all at once), I sliced the loaf, wrapped it in paper and popped it in the freezer. It’s easy to break off a slice to toast, or take to work, where it will defrost by the time I have it for afternoon tea. Yum!

Bonus tip: sandwich two slices together with nut butter and coconut butter for the best post-workout snack ever.

Paleo Banana Bread Christina Canters

What’s the best banana bread you’ve ever had? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

No-Bake Paleo Chocolate Protein Bars

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Paleo Chocolate Protein Bar Christina Canters

Have you been looking for the perfect post-workout snack? Something that will refuel your system and taste delicious but without all that artificial crap found in most convenience foods? Well I gots the perfect recipe for ya: No-Bake Paleo Chocolate Protein Bars. Yum!

A few weeks back at the Affiliate Allstars CrossFit competition, when we weren’t on the arena floor competing, we were on the floor (literally) foam rolling, stretching, and…eating. Such abnormally high levels of energy expenditure required lots and lots of refueling! I brought a batch of these Chocolate Protein Bars (well, they were squares, so more like protein ‘bites’), and they went down a treat with our athletes.

In fact, I was tempted to make another batch for Day 2 of the comp and walk around with a plate, offering them to all the cute, buff, shirtless guys…(to promote my blog, of course) But to be honest, I was so exhausted after Day 1 all I could do when I got home was shower, eat more food, and drop into bed!

These protein bars are grain-free AND sugar free. Plus, they don’t even need baking. Too easy.

No-Bake Paleo Chocolate Protein Bars


Get the printable pdf!
 
(Adapted from Sarah Wilson’s very popular Chocolate Nut Ball recipe)

What you need:

  • 2 cups of nuts (I used almonds and cashews that I roasted)
  • 2 big handfuls of shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/3 cup nut butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter (if you’re not Paleo or vegan)*

*Note: I use a mix of coconut oil, butter and cacao butter. Cacao butter is the fat extracted from the cacao bean. It smells AMAZING but tastes super rich on its own. I get it online as it’s quite expensive in the shops. If you can find it, I definitely recommend mixing some in with the coconut oil. It WILL take your protein bars to the next level, I guarantee it!!

Optional extras:

  • 1/2 cup protein powder (I use Revive by Primal Health Products)
  • stevia (natural sweetener)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1-2 tbsp rice malt syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice (I use rice syrup as it’s fructose-free)

What to do:

  • Blend the nuts in a small food processor or blender until finely chopped – as opposed to ‘roughly’ chopped. See below for a pic. I find if the pieces are too big the bars won’t stick together. But don’t blend for too long otherwise you’ll end up with nut meal. And if you blend even longer it will turn into nut butter, which is delicious, but not quite what we’re aiming for here…
  • Pop the blended nuts into a mixing bowl, add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until combined
  • Melt the coconut oil/butter and syrup (if using) in a small bowl in the microwave, or over the stove if you can be bothered (I can’t)
  • Add to the dry ingredients, and mix around until everything is combined. Have a little taste, and add stevia and/or extra sweetener to reach your desired sweetness levels. If the mixture is really wet, add some extra chia seeds (or almond meal, psyllium husks etc) to thicken it up. If it’s too dry, add some extra coconut oil.
  • Line a small square (about 21 x 21cm) baking pan with baking paper (no need to grease it). Tip the mixture in, press it down and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Pop in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to set.
  • When set and hard enough to cut, lift the whole lot out on to a chopping board. Cut into squares, rectangles, triangles (they will definitely taste better), trapezoids, or maybe even a congruent geometrical double helix? It’s up to you, really. But I highly recommend squares for easy sharing and friend-making.

One final tip

I like to keep these bad boys in the freezer. They actually taste really good when semi-frozen! If you take them out, they will eventually get a bit soft at room temperature. And please don’t take one as a snack for during your next  fun run; if you keep them in your pocket they’ll turn to goop and you’ll have people wondering if you missed the halfway toilet stop. And that’s not good for making friends.

Happy training :)

 

Get the printable pdf!
 

Paleo Chocolate Protein Bar Christina Canters

The Simple Way To Make Lunch EPIC

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christina canters epic lunch kale vegan crossfit

Hi there folks! I’m very excited to be writing for you again. I started this post a few weeks ago but went on a self-imposed blogging ban while I knuckled down to study for a reasonably important exam. Believe me, I would much rather have been cooking and posting more recipes for you, but sometimes we just have to focus on the task at hand instead of procrastibaking (or procrasti-blogging!)

Today I’d like to share with you a really cool and simple idea for making lunch.

I call it the EPIC LUNCH.

Ok, so it’s nothing groundbreaking, but after much experimentation I believe I’ve come up with a winning method that makes it super easy to prepare simple, tasty and healthful lunches to eat during the work week when you’re running around like a mad chook with no time to scratch yourself.

What makes it EPIC?

  • It only requires 4 ingredients, plus a few condiments
  • You cook everything AT ONCE when you have a bit of extra time, like on the weekend. Then it only takes a few minutes of ‘assembly’ each day.  If you have enough time in the morning to throw together a ham and cheese sandwich, you have enough time for the EPIC LUNCH.
  • I’ve selected ingredients that will provide maximum TASTE, NUTRITION and COLOUR (you know we eat with our eyes first, right?) with MINIMAL EFFORT.
  • The ingredients are cheap. You could probably buy the whole week’s worth for the price of a doughy focaccia and a coffee from your local cafe.
  • Did I mention it’s DELICIOUS? [Read more…]

Paleo Brekkie-To-Go + How To Make Instant Smoothies

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Hello to all Paleo ninjas/enthusiasts/wannabes/has-beens/never-beens and almost-theres…

I’m excited to share this breakfast idea with you because, as we know, it is THE most important meal of the day, especially if you’re up before the crack of dawn to get down to Crossfit-U for some morning ass-whipping. I’ve posted before on how much I love my green smoothies for breakfast, but since it’s been cold and dark I’ve been craving warm, comforting food. I used to be a porridge addict, but as I’ve been avoiding grains (a habit that’s stuck since the Paleo Challenge), brekkie usually results in a simple fry-up of tomato, eggs and spinach topped with avocado, salt, pepper and paprika, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. So good.

But one challenge I’ve had to face is what to eat after a morning Crossfit session. I go straight to work after training, and while there are plenty of cafes around (this is Melbourne, after all), the take-away options are usually carb-heavy rolls, toasties or sweet muffins. And if you sit down, they’ll charge you at least $16 for a fancy-ish plate of eggs, bacon and avocado (seriously folks, I don’t care how organic you claim your food is, it’s a bloody rip, and I can make it myself, thank you).

So I started playing around with my chia pudding recipe, until I came up with something that’s nutritious, protein-rich, filling, tasty AND easily transportable without the risk of spillage. I call it the SUPERCHARGED PALEO BREKKIE-TO-GO. [Read more…]

Winter Eats: Spiced Lamb Meatballs With Gooey Eggs

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It’s getting cold and dark in Melbourne, so I thought I’d share some warming comfort food. These lamb meatballs are one of my favourite dishes to make. They’re easy, tasty and crowd-pleasing (to which my housemates will attest). Bonus: they’re Paleo! Last night I served them with a simple sweet potato and cauliflower mash, but they go just as well with plain quinoa, rice or warm, crusty bread. Whatever you need to soak up the rich tomatoey sauce and delectable soft-baked eggs. Mmmm.

You will need:

Meatballs:

  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 bunch each of parsley and coriander (stems and leaves). Keep extra leaves for sprinkling.
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 onion
  • 400g lamb mince
  • 4-6 eggs (at least 1 for each person you’re serving)
  • 2 tbsp ground sumac (a dark red spice with a tangy, lemony flavour. Don’t stress if you don’t have it)
  • 1 cup tomato passata
  • lemon juice

Paleo Mash:

  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • half a head of cauliflower
  • sea salt and pepper
  • something to make it creamy: coconut cream, butter, your choice of milk etc

What to do:

Preheat oven to fan-forced 180°C (200°C conventional). Get out your food processor and pulverise the spices, chopped herbs, salt, garlic, onion and lamb mince until it comes together nicely. If you have a large food processor, throw it all in at once, but if you have a mini one I recommend blending everything except the lamb first, then adding the mince a bit at a time. Roll lamb mixture into oval football shapes and place in  a large oiled baking dish. Sprinkle with sumac and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

While you’re waiting for the meatballs, chop up the sweet potato and cauliflower. Steam or microwave until soft. Mash together or use a stick blender to get it really smooth. Add butter/milk etc and salt and pepper to taste.

OK, back to the lamb. Spoon passata around the meatballs. Add a splash of dry red wine if you’ve already got a bottle open and are making this with glass in hand, as I was last night (yes, it’s bloody cold outside, what else are you gonna be doing?). Crack eggs over the top (be careful not to break the yolks), sprinkle with extra parsley and coriander leaves and bake for another 15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. My preference? Gooey.

Squeeze over lemon and serve with mash and a simple green salad or cooked greens. Yum.

Gooey goodness. Don't forget to accompany with a glass of red!

Gooey goodness. Don’t forget to accompany with a glass of red!

 

Paleo Pumpkin Pie

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We’re past the halfway mark of the CFU Paleo Challenge, woo hoo! I say it’s time for another delicious Paleo dessert (because I’m sure we’re all a bit over omelette/frittata recipes!)

I love any dessert that’s spicy, gingery and creamy, so was quite excited when I came across a delectable-looking Pumpkin Pie recipe in Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar Cookbook. It’s not a Paleo cookbook per se, but a lot of the recipes use Paleo-friendly ingredients like eggs, coconut flour and nuts. All the recipes are really simple, easy to prepare and totally yummy. I highly recommend it for anyone doing the Paleo Challenge and/or wanting to curb their sugar cravings. [Read more…]

The Paleo Tim Tam

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It seems that cutting out grains, legumes, dairy and processed food for the whole month of May is not enough of a challenge for some people.

Last week the task masters at CFU West Melbourne put us to another test: to create a Paleo Tim Tam.

(We’ve since realised they were just craving real Tim Tams and schemed a way for us minions to do the hard work for them, disguising it as some sort of Paleo Challenge Sub-Challenge. If they’re not careful we could have an anti-burpee uprising and multiple counts of soy lecithin coffee-spiking on our hands.)

For those of you not familiar with the Tim Tam, it consists of two layers of chocolate malt biscuit sandwiched together by a creamy chocolate filling, then coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate. Sounds pretty damn tasty, yes?

(The rest of Australia thinks so.  According to maker Arnott’s, 1 in 2 Australian households contains a packet of Tim Tams and around 35 million packets are sold each year. It’s crazy to think how our Paleolithic ancestors ever coped without them!)

They come in all sorts of varieties including white chocolate, chewy caramel, double coat, choc mint…yes I think we have slight national obsession.

The Original and Best

The Original and Best

The Tim Tam Slam

One reason for the Tim Tam’s popularity is the practice known as the Tim Tam Slam, Tim Tam Shotgun, Tim Tam Bomb or Tim Tam Explosion, where a hot beverage is drunk through the Tim Tam like a straw.

To do this, you bite off opposite corners of the Tim Tam, submerge one end in the beverage, and gently suck the beverage through the biscuit. The crisp inside biscuit softens, the outer chocolate coating begins to melt and one is forced to pop the whole gooey mess into one’s mouth, resulting in quite the foodgasm.

For detailed instructions for doing the Tim Tam Slam, click here.

The Challenge

Given my general avoidance of sugar and resultant tendency to produce desserts that taste more like savouries, I initially wasn’t too enthusiastic to take on the Tim Tam Challenge.

But after tasting very impressive  creations from two other CFU members and spurred on by my inherent competitive streak, I bought a packet of coconut flour and got baking.

Well, more accurately (let’s be honest here), the architect in me got sketching a single-point perspective diagrammatic cross-section:

TIMTAM

The Recipe

The final biscuits didn’t exactly reflect the good intentions of my concept sketch, but I was still pretty happy with the results. Initially I was going to make them fructose-free, but as rice syrup is not technically Paleo (and I had no maple syrup on hand) I used honey as the sweetener.

Feel free to adjust amounts of sweetener to personal taste (my recipe is not overly sweet). There are 3 parts to the recipe: the Chocolate Cashew Cream, the Chocolate Biscuit and the Chocolate Coating.

Chocolate Cashew Cream

  • 3/4 cup of cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
  • 4 heaped tbsp coconut cream
  • 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 10-15 drops liquid Stevia (or to taste)
  • Pinch of salt

Blitz all ingredients in a small food processor until smooth and creamy. It should be fluffy, spreadable and delicious. Try not to eat it all before the biscuit assembly.

Chocolate Biscuits

I based this on Sadira’s Tim Tam recipe. Hopefully she doesn’t mind! Except I switched out the eggs and added some cacao nibs for extra chocolatey-ness.

  • 100g almond/hazelnut meal (I used half half, use whatever you have on hand)
  • 80g coconut flour
  • 2 tbsp cacao powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (my mix seemed a bit dry, so I made it 3 tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp ground chia seeds mixed with 6 tbsp water (vegan substitute for 2 eggs. Works a treat!)
  • 2 tbsp raw honey or sweetener of choice
  • 2 tbsp cacao nibs (optional)

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (fan forced). In a food processor, pulse together the nut meal, coconut flour, cacao powder and salt. Add the coconut oil and pulse until just combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the chia mixture and honey until the honey is dissolved. Pop into the food processor along with the cacao nibs and pulse until the dough comes together. It should be firm enough to form into a ball.

Roll the dough out to about 5mm thick. Cut into Tim Tam-shaped rectangles, or use a square cookie cutter then cut each square in half. Pop on a biscuit tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the edges start to lightly brown. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Coating

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 2tbsp cacao
  • 2tbsp raw honey
  • 1/2 tbsp ground chia seeds (optional)

Gently melt coconut oil in a small saucepan on the stove top. Add cacao and honey and heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Be careful not to bring to the boil because it could make the chocolate mixture split. Allow to cool slightly. I found the mixture was quite runny, so I added half a tablespoon of ground chia. It did thicken a bit, so experiment and see what works for you.

Assembly

Line a baking tray or chopping board with cling wrap. Sandwich the biscuits together with the Cashew Cream, making sure to fill it out right to the edges and smoothing it off nicely. Be quite generous with the cream. It’s yum. (Once you’re done, then you can eat all the leftover cream. Or keep it to spread on your Paleo pancakes.)

Using a fork or tongs (or practicing your chopstick ninja skills), gently dunk each Tim Tam in the Chocolate Coating, turning to coat each side. Place on the tray. Repeat with the rest of the biscuits. I lined them all up closely together on the tray, then gently spread the leftover Chocolate Coating over the top to get a thicker layer.

Place in the fridge to set.

IMPORTANT: I recommend leaving in the fridge overnight before eating to allow the biscuits to soften slightly. Otherwise the cream will explode out the sides (although you may enjoy this too).

So there you have it, the Paleo Tim Tam!

Some critics claimed my Tim Tams failed the Slam Test. Oh well. At least they look like Tim Tams.

Some critics claimed my Tim Tams failed the Slam Test. Oh well. At least they look like Tim Tams.

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oh hi there!

christina_canters_330I'm Christina. In February 2014, I quit my 9-5 job to travel the world and do what I love. I'm here to help you get outside your comfort zone, build a positive mindset and live a frickin' awesome life. Along with a silly video or two. You know you wanna keep reading...