Cricket Flour: Food of the Future or Freaky Trend?

You've probably heard it mentioned in TV documentaries and internet article, but the latest superfood, with added shock factor and persuasively called "the food of the future" is insects. Specifically crickets. Although crickets, locusts, ants and many other six-legged arthropods have been eaten in many cultures across the world (with 2.5 billion people** thought to be regularly consuming them), the thought of insect-based foods, in any incarnation, tends to send those of us in more western cultures retching and running for the hills. Considering that we have evolved to be wary of the unknown, it is understandable -that's why crustaceans and shellfish can be off-putting, even in a society where these foods are eaten, albeit less often than conventional meats. However, the growing demand to produce protein sources that take up less water, food and energy has resulted in insect production becoming a potential solution to that problem -a solution that has been backed by the UN.

Although not technically even vegetarian, crickets may seem to be a more ethical choice, with the adult lifespan of a cricket being just a few days or weeks, and the crickets themselves being lower -or less intelligent and complex -lifeforms. Of course, that isn't to say that as a consequence the crickets lives don't matter, but it is something to consider.

In terms of mass production, the biggest obstacle is probably the way in which the cricket is sold. Attempting to eat a cricket that still looks as it does when it was alive can be somewhat off-putting, and so grinding the crickets up into a flour is a more palatable option as well as more versatile. Said to have a mild, nutty flavour, cricket flour can partially replace conventional flour when making recipes. More delicate recipes such as baking cakes may not turn out so well with large amounts of cricket flour being used, whereas recipes that use flour as a binder -such as my aubergine power balls -can probably take a little bit more of the cricket flour.

One of the easiest ways to use cricket flour is in making energy or proteins bars, and there are already a few brands selling them. SENS bar*, a soon-to-be-released line of cricket flour-based food, sent me their energy and protein bars to try. The energy bars are based on dates as the primary ingredient, followed by cricket flour, with fibre-rich psyllium husks reducing a blood sugar spiked. The protein bars have nearly three times as much cricket flour as the energy bars, alongside sesame seeds or peanuts and cocoa butter. I found that the protein bars were noticeably drier and less flavoursome than the energy bars -perhaps one to eat alongside a drink -but neither made me feel as though I was eating insects, which was a relief!

So far I've been looking at cricket flour and insect production on primarily an environmental level, but how much good does it do you? Initially, the high protein content seems great, but as it is still undergoing testing and evaluation by the food standards agency, we don't actually know how well our bodies can synthesis it. Currently, the fungus Fustarium venenatum -more commonly known as Quorn -is the top vegetarian/non meat protein source**. Concerns regarding the consumption of insects (and other arthropods such as scorpions) includes the risk of consuming venom, foreign proteins causing allergic reactions, and allergens present in the insect feed causing allergic reactions. At the present, people with allergies to shellfish are recommended not to try insects and cricket flour until there has been further studies analysed and published.

The good thing about cricket flour is that as a pure, single ingredient product, risk of reactions are easier to monitor, and crickets do not produce venom. So as long as you feel as though you aren't at risk of any reactions due to allergies or poor digestion, I personally don't see any reason why you shouldn't try cricket flour (although please do your own research of course!). At the present, insects are defined as a "novel food" and require further research and studies. So although the jury is still currently out, spending you pennies on an insect protein bar, or buying your own flour, you can get a taste of what may well be the food of the future, and help to fund research. I may not be quite ready to look a locust in the eye before eating it, or sprinkle ants over my Pad Thai as a colleague did,  but there may well be a place in my pantry for cricket flour.

So where can you get your hands on insect products if you're ready to try entomophagy? Beyond SENS bars, you can buy the flour from independent online retailers such as Cricket Flours or Amazon. If you don't feel like doing the work yourself, there are also a few insect restaurants starting to pop up, such as the Grub Kitchen in Pembrokeshire.

* Denotes PR sample. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to SENS bar for the samples, and for causing me to finally have a look into this current topic!
** Source
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The Health Blog Awards 2016

Last Friday, I attended the first-ever Health Blog Awards, hosted by the Health Bloggers Community and That Protein at The Collective. In case you missed it on my social media channels, I was totally blown away to find that I was awarded best yoga blog! I was as pleased as punch to be shortlisted and had absolutely no expectations on winning so this has really made me sit up and realise that pursuing yoga and wellness is really what I want to do and so now is the time to really throw myself into developing Green+Aquamarine. Also, I'd like to give a huge well done to everyone else in my category (especially Natasha from Dance Flow Lift who has just become a Sweaty Betty ambassador!) and all the other winners -you can see the full list here. All photos in this post were taken by the talented Marie Claire of Fluke Photography, who was absolutely lovely (as well as being a self-proclaimed happiness ninja!).

Natasha and I got ready for and went to the event together, which was held at the work/living integrated space of The Collective Hub, which is exclusively rented out to young London professionals in the aim of building a like-minded community. Amanzitea, who were the sponsors of the yoga and spirituality awards, kept us all hydrated with healthy mocktails. I started with and elderflower and rose mar-tea-ni with real rose buds and later had a spicy lemon and matcha drink, which really hit the spot. Food was supplied by Soulmate Food and was so flavoursome. I saved my flapjack for the next day on the coach, and since I had run out of time to buy lunch it was a lifesaver!

The whole event was led by the HBC's boss lady Fab, with Zanna Van Dijk, Hazel Wallace,  Pixie Turner and Darlene McCormick as judges. We started with a Q&A session with the judges, which was so helpful for getting those niggling blog tweaks answered. The most interesting suggestion was, when working with brands, is the get an agreement down in writing. I don't think many of us had even considered this, but it came highly recommended to protect yourself and your finances. When the questions were opened up to the audience, I took the opportunity to ask Pixie for her advice on choosing a nutrition course. Her suggestion? Stick with universities, and look for proper accreditation to make sure that your course meets scientific research standards. Pixie kindly spoke to me after in a bit more depth. Other Q&A points included not undervaluing yourself as a blogger when charging fees, and how both Hazel and Zanna have made the move to working with an agency to help them when working with brands.

After a short interlude, we move on to the award ceremony itself. To my slight alarm, the yoga and spirituality award was the first to be called out, judged by Fab herself. Because of the spirituality element, my category was quite varied, with all of the blogs being very individual from each other. When Fab described the winning blog as "having it all" or "covering all bases", I figured it wasn't me as I don't really touch on the spirituality side of things. But when "scientifically-backed" and "speaking about ethical issues" and the environment were mentioned, Tash whispered "It's you!" and the next thing I knew my name was being called out! I had my photos taken with Antonia of Amanzitea, before the rest of the awards were read out. A bonus award for the Health Blogger of the year was unveiled, and the amazing Rachel of Healthy and Psyched won. Rachel (who will forever be the first person to recognise me from my blog!) is the nicest person and has such a professional looking blog and photography style, especially as a new blogger. I was rooting for her and she so deserved to scoop the top award.

After further mingling, sharing of business cards and a cheeky glass of prosecco, we all headed back home. If someone had told me that I would be in a room full of 100 like-minded people, collecting an award and growing as a community of health and wellbeing bloggers, I wouldn't have believed it, even a few months ago. With attendees from as far afield as Denmark, it is truly amazing to be part of such a group of creative and inspiring people. Getting on the coach home certainly brought me back to earth with a bump, but now I am so excited to keep growing and exploring new avenues.

All the Details

• Hosts - HBC and That Protein -big shout out to Fab, Laura and Darlene for their organising skills!
• Sponsors -That Protein, The Soil Association, Linwoods, Soulmate Food, Amanzitea, Superfoodlx, Bounce Balls and Two Chicks.
• Venue -The Collective
• Photography - Marie Claire of Fluke Photography

Chocolate and Cherry Paleo Parfait

Granolas are something of a staple in the breakfast cupboard, being useful for adding to smoothie bowls, crumbles and baking besides merely the traditional bowlful with milk. I decided to embrace the flavours of the 80's with a chocolate and cherry combination and shake up the breakfast parfait with a healthy twist. Planet Organic has released a range of paleo granolas* including a rich chocolate flavour, which is disappearing way too quickly! Whist I have no fear of grains -my Instagram account is a testament to my love of porridge! -having a granola was something I was more than happy to try, especially when it promises a high protein content. It is also full of goodness including sunflower seeds, cashews, chia seeds, coconut, cacao and dates rather than being packed with high sugar, refined ingredients. The recipe here is more of an assembly job than exact science, so use the quantities as a rough measurement based on how hungry you are feeling.

Adding chia to a fruit compote is an easy way to create the set of a jam without adding lots of sugar -it is the pectin in sugars that helps a jam to solidify. The chia jam becomes more solid as it sets, so you can either make this breakfast the night before for a speedy morning, or make it fresh and serve warm and runny. The lemon juice and small amount of sugar from the honey gives the cherries the additional sharp, bright flavour that marines beautifully with the dark chocolatey granola. Alternatively, you can check out Meridian's range of jams which use apple puree instead of refined sugar.

Ingredients -for the jam

• 2 cup cherries, stones and stalks removed
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp honey or other sweetener, to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon

For the parfait

• 2 tbsp cherry chia jam
• 40g (about 3 tbsp) chocolate granola*
• 100ml yogurt -coconut (paleo, vegan), Greek or natural all work

Grab a glass or jar and sprinkle over your first tablespoon or so of granola, followed by enough yoghurt to cover it, and finally all the jam. Add a further layer of granola and yogurt, and top with fruit, extra granola and anything else that you fancy. Eat straight away, or leave to allow the flavours to mingle. And that's it!

*Denotes PR sample. All thoughts, opinions and work is my own.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl

This week, I am getting all geared up for the Health Blog Awards. Thanks so much to everyone who voted; it really means the world to me! I know my blog really is a small corner of the internet, but I'm so proud of it, so grateful for the love and support, and I am excited about the future for Green+Aquamarine and my own journey into wellness. I would love to know your thoughts -what do you like, what would you like to see more of? In the meantime, I have a delicious chocolatey smoothy bowl, made heavenly with a generous dollop of peanut butter. I used Meridian's coconut peanut butter and it really was like dessert for breakfast, without being insanely high in sugar. Nativa adds a little extra sweetness without the need for extra fruit or honey.

With the unpredictable weather, I find myself switching between summery meals and comfort food frequently. For days when you really don't know what kind of food mood you are in, or for indulgent healthy dessert, this smoothie bowl really fits the bill. It's cooling and uses tropical bananas, yet is rich and comforting in flavour. I've included 1/2 an avocado as an option, but as there is already a bit of fat coming from the peanut butter, you may wish to omit it depending on your diet and goals. The avocado can be replaced with either a scoop of oats or an extra 1/2 banana, if you wish.

Ingredients

• 1 banana, frozen
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/2 cup nut milk
• 1 tsp Natvia*
• Optional: 1/2 avocado (see alternatives above)
• Optional: handful of spinach

To make, simply blend all the ingredients together. Use more or less liquid as needed to achieve a thick consistency. Pour into a bowl and add your toppings as preferred. I used extra banana, coconut flakes, strawberries, blueberries and chia seeds. Enjoy!

*Denotes PR sample. All thoughts, opinions and work is my own.

Spiced matcha and cucumber cooler

Matcha really has become the drink of the moment, appealing to health-conscious people all over. Being served as a tea, latte or form of iced drink, matcha really is versatile and has grown greatly from it's origins in Japan, where it was drunk by monks. Eat Clean Tea is trying to get you drinking iced matcha instead of sugary cocktails and fruit juices, and so set the #summerofmatcha challenge of creating a drink using their premium matcha powders. What I love about Eat Clean Tea is that they offer a choice of flavours, currently pure matcha, mint, or ginger. I selected the matcha and ginger flavour to get experimenting with, wanting to create an uplifting drink that will make you feel great, inside and out. Matcha, made from green tea leaves, is energy and metabolism boosting. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and it's spicy flavour lifts the mellow matcha beautifully. Inspired by my favourite green juice, I paired the matcha with cucumber, and added some fresh lime for a zinging light drink that is low in sugar but high in flavour. If you don't have a juicer you can blend the cucumber and strain it through a sieve, so anyone can make this!

Ingredients -serves 2

• 1 tsp ginger matcha powder*
• 1 cucumber
• 1 lime

To dissolve the matcha, mix with a small amount of hot water and mix vigorously. Juice or blend the cucumber, and squeeze out the juice of the lime. Combine all three, add ice and serve. That's it!

*Disclaimer - a sample sized matcha powder sachet was sent to me as part of a blogger recipe competition. All work and opinions are my own.

Chaga Chai Latte

I've been hearing about the powers of mushroom extracts for a while now (Gwyneth Paltrow's super smoothie anyone?) so was interested to give one of these powders a try. Including mushrooms varieties into our diet (so long as they're edible!) is useful nutritionally, as they contain different compounds and nutrients to other aspects of our diet, being fungi rather than plants. Chaga is thought to be especially rich in health-boosting compounds, being dubbed the "king of mushrooms" in parts of Russia and Siberia where the mushroom has been used for many years. It is found on mature birch trees throughout the Northern Hemisphere, so you can actually go foraging for it. Luckily, it is also widely available in a variety of forms, including powder, which I received from Indigo Nutrition. What I like about Indigo Nutrition's products is that they are from mushrooms harvested in Scotland and Estonia rather than from all four corners of the globe.

I was surprised to find that the chaga extract has a pleasantly malty taste and smell to it; I was expecting something much more pungent. Mixed with nothing but hot water, the chaga "tea" makes a great alternative to a cuppa or a coffee, so I decided to blend it with chai spices for a warming drink that can be enjoyed year-round. To make the chai tea warm, add all the spices to the milk and leave in the fridge at least overnight, and either add the chaga powder to drink cold, or gently heat to just below 40 degrees before drinking.

Chaga Chai Tea - Ingredients

• 1 cup almond or oat milk
• 8 cardamon pods, crushed beneath a knife
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Half a vanilla pod, seeds removed (reserve and use for baking or making almond milk!)
• 1 star anise
• 1/2-1 tsp chaga powder*, to taste
• Optional: honey, maple syrup or other sweetener

Over a low heat, infuse the milk with the spices for between 30 minutes and an hour. When the milk tastes sufficiently spiced, remove or strain out the spices. Whisk in the chaga and serve, adding honey or maple syrup if desired.

*Donotes PR sample. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I will only positively feature or recommend products that I would use myself.

Raw Millionaire's Shortbread

Millionaire's shortbread has long been one of my favourite sweet treats. The buttery, crumbly base, the sticky caramel and the final flourish of chocolate. I've been keen to have a go at making my own healthier version for a while, so when I found myself with a pre-measured packet of raw chocolate* ingredients in my cupboard, I knew what I was going to make. Having all the ingredients for the chocolate measured out is so helpful, and coast effective if you don't use ingredients such as cacao butter often. This packet is from Indigo Herbs, but I've also jotted down a recipe for raw chocolate if required. I based the ingredients for the shortbread on my Easter orange and cashew cream biscuits, which you can find here, swapping the coconut for ground almonds. The dates really help to bind the biscuits. I used a packet of sticky dates for the base and saved the expensive medjool dates for the caramel, where their flavour really shines through.

Saturday was my friend West's birthday, and we decided to brave an extremely early morning to reach the summit of mt. Snowdon for sunrise. Leaving the house when many people were on their way back from nights out was the strangest thing, but standing 1085 meters above sea level at 6am was just incredible. We had been up for nearly 4 hours by that point, so the millionaire's shortbreads got passed around and went down a storm!

Ingredients
For the shortbread base

• 120g ground almonds
• 65g cashews
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 80g dates

For the caramel

• 150g medjool dates
• pinch sea or rock salt
• water

For the topping

• Use one packet of Indigo Nutrition raw chocolate pack* OR
• 100g cacao butter/coconut oil
• 80g cacao powder
• 80g sweetener such as maple syrup or honey

First up, make the shortbread base. Prepare a rectangular tin by lining with cling film. Then blend all the ingredients together in a food processor until finely ground. Check to see if the mix can be pressed together into a solid mass, and add extra ground almonds, coconut oil (or add honey) as required. Tip the mix into the tin and press into a 1-1.5cm thick base.

Next, wipe the food processor clean and tip in all the medjool dates (removing stones if required). Add a tablespoon of water and salt and blend, scraping down as required. Keep blending until you have a smooth paste, then check the consistency. You want the caramel to be thick, but just loose enough to be able to spread over the shortbread, so you may need to add extra water -I used about 4 or 5 tablespoons. Add extra salt to taste. Spread the mixture over the top of the shortbread before moving on to the chocolate.

In a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, heat the cacao butter until it becomes liquid. Remove from the stove and whisk in the cacao power, followed by the sweetener. Keep whisking until completely smooth and glossy, then pour over the shortbread and date caramel. Use a spatula to smooth out the chocolate topping then pop in the fridge to set for an hour.

Enjoy on the top of a mountain, or in the comfort of your own home as preferred, but use a hot knife to cut through the shortbread to avoid the chocolate cracking.

*Donotes PR sample. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I will only positively feature or recommend products that I would use myself.

REVIEW | Voltaire Vegan Restaurant

I don't get much of a chance to do reviews of restaurants and shops on here, and not being in a large city it feels as though any review would be a little niche. However, with the opening of a new vegan restaurant in my university town of Bangor, I felt as though this definitely needed sharing! You're likely to visit Bangor, situated right up on the North Wales coast if you're off to climb Snowdon, or are en route to cross over to Ireland from Holyhead. I have to be honest and say until now, Bangor is pretty poor on places to eat. During the day, there's the famous Blue Sky cafe, which really is amazing, but at night time you would have been better off going to Caernarfon or Beaumaris down the road. Step in Voltaire, the first vegan restaurant to open in Bangor. Having opened just two weeks ago, I was keen to try it out and headed over with Jess for a girl's lunchtime date.

Voltaire-named for the French philosopher and early supporter of vegetarianism -is located just by the pier in a quirky, bright old building. The front room feels cosy and cafe-like, but there's also a skylight-lit room behind and private function space. Although officially a restaurant, you can go in for coffee and cake, and Voltaire offers a lighter lunchtime menu as well as a range of starter dishes and tapas, so you feel catered for whatever your situation. Whilst Voltaire is not a health food restaurant -the owner, Rachael wants to dispel the notion that veganism can't be indulgent -there are lots of nourishing, healthy options. I opted for the superfood salad, made with quinoa and pomegranate. The quinoa part of the meal was served on the side of a fresh, leafy salad (pictured above), rather than all mixed together as a cohesive dish. Still, it was tasty and a perfect lunchtime portion size. Jess tried vegan cheese on a jacket potato for the first time and was pretty impressed. Main meals come in at roughly £10, which is very reasonable, but the lower price of the lunch menu was also appreciated. There was also a deal on the tapas if I remember, making a mix-and-match meal be very easy to build up.

Wanting a thorough review, Jess and I decided we just HAD to have dessert (ha!). I had a nutty vegan brownie and Jess a fudge chocolate cake with vegan icing, both with soy ice cream. I usually tend to avoid soy because of all the associated environmental and health impacts, but will have it in small or occasional amounts, and in this case I'm so glad that I did because it was heavenly! Creamy, and ever so slightly nutty in flavour, the ice cream went beautifully with the warm, dense brownie. There is also an option for oat cream, which sounded very fast. All the cakes are baked for Voltaire by a local lady, and hats off to her. I'm looking forward to sampling her ginger cake, recommended by Rachael.

Voltaire is still very much in it's infancy, with Rachael and the team holding back on really pushing the marketing until they find their feet, which seems sensible. I'd like to see the menu changing on a regular basis to keep things fresh, with perhaps a little more confidence and flair in some of the salads, whilst maintaining the simple comforts already offered. With vegan nachos and beer-battered cauliflower, I'll definitely be keen to try more of the current menu as well. I am very much looking forward to watching Voltaire grow, with evening events or supper clubs and an engaging website top of my list of things to see.

You can find Voltaire on Facebook, where updates and photos are often posted up.

Manuka Immunity-Boosting Smoothie

It is kind of funny how the second a bit of sunny weather and slightly raised temperatures can result in almost epidemic levels of bare legs and summer clothes, even when there is still a biting wind. It's not that warm guys! Still, it is lovely to feel the sun on your back and see all the spring flowers blooming and these seasonal changes definitely make me want to eat more smoothies and fresh fruit. So when Holland and Barrett* offered to send me some manuka honey to use in their immunity-boosting smoothie recipe, I was delighted to have a go.

Manuka honey comes from New Zealand and is monofloral, as it is made from the nectar of the Manuka Tree flowers. So what makes manuka honey so much better than other honeys, and worth the price tag? It is all to do with the antibacterial properties of the honey. Due to the presence of hydrogen peroxide in honey (don't worry; it is nowhere near potent enough to do you any harm!) and other compounds, all honey is antibacterial to a degree. But what makes manuka honey special, it that it has several other compounds, including methylglyoxal (MG), which is formed from another compound that is found in high concentrations in the manuka flowers. The concentration of MG in manuka honey relates to a rating called the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) that you will see on the bottles of manuka honey. If you have been feeling run down, are unwell or have a nasty blemish, this is the best time to utilise your manuka honey. For sweetening healthy treats or general usage, I'd suggest utilising a more standard honey (ideally local, especially if you have hay fever) to make your manuka honey last longer. Just make sure it is from a brand or company that supports the preservation of bees.

Immunity-Boosting Smoothie - makes one large glass

• 1 medium carrot, washed
• 1 orange, peeled
• 1 tbsp manuka honey (try this*)
• 1 cm slice ginger
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• Ice

To make, simply blend all the ingredients together until smooth and drink straight away.

Have you tried manuka honey before and did you think it was worth it? Let me know if you have any other favourite new smoothie or manuka recipes!

*Donotes PR sample. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I will only positively feature or recommend products that I would use myself.

Dessert Cups, Three Ways

I don't know about you, but I have a serious thing for peanut butter cups going on. However, they can be a little bit questionable in terms of health and quality... not that the odd indulgence is a bad thing at all! Still, for adding a little extra goodness to your day, these are an indulgent must. I used Pip and Nut's cashew, cinnamon and honey butter for my nut butter cups and oh my -if you have a pot, donate a little to making these and thank me later! As for the rest of these, get experimenting and testing. I've used standard sized cupcake cases, but if you have a set of mini cases then go for it and make a batch of bite-sized pieces.

For the chocolate -makes enough for approximately six cups

• 90g cacao butter (1/2 cup)
• 60g cacao powder (1/2 cup)
• 60g sweetener -I use honey

~or~

• 100g coconut oil (1/2 cup)
• 60g cacao powder (1/2 cup)
• 60g sweetener (3 tbsp)

For the fillings (choose one, or go half and half to try two different flavours!)

• 6 tbsp nut butter, sea salt
• 50g goji berries, sweetener, sea salt
• 2 tbsp cacao butter/coconut oil; 4 tbsp tahini; 2 tbsp sweetener; sea salt

First up, make the raw chocolate. Line a cupcake tin cake cases. Pop the cacao butter or coconut oil in a bowl over a saucepan of simmer water until melted. Whisk in the cacao and sweetener until smooth and glossy, and pour two tablespoons of the melted chocolate into each cake case. This should leave half the mixture left for the topping. If you're making the tahini cups you should be able to make at least 9 cups as there is no top chocolate layer. Pop into the freezer to set for 40 minutes to an hour.

Meanwhile, make your fillings. There's no prep required for the nut butters, so just do your best not to demolish the jar whilst you're waiting. For the goji berries, tip into a bowl with a tablespoon of sweetener and pour over enough hot water to cover the berries and allow to rehydrate. Add a squeeze of lemon for an extra bit of tanginess. Just before you take the chocolate out of the freezer, drain and blend up the goji berries.

For the tahini, make in the same way you did the chocolate by melting the cacao butter or coconut oil and stirring in the tahini and sweetener. 

Remove the chocolate from the freezer. For the nut butter and goji berries, add a tablespoon of the filling to the chocolate, trying to stay a couple of mm away from the edge. Pour over the remaining chocolate -again, about two tablespoons per cup. For the tahini, simply add on top of the chocolate without adding another chocolate layer. If you do have leftover chocolate, swirl it through the tahini. Then, pop all the chocolates back into the freezer for an hour to set, removing after 20 minutes to add a pinch of sea salt on to each. When set, keep the dessert cups in the fridge. Please note, the tahini cups made with coconut oil will come out softer than when made with cacao, but I personally really like this.

Liked these recipes? You can now also get my recipe for lime matcha butter cups as shown in the photo above, by heading to the Filmore and Union blog!

Aubergine Power Balls with Courgetti and Tomato Sauce

I was going to call these vegetarian bites aubergine meatballs initially, but instead of giving them a name that conjures up images of bland meat replacements, I've decided to call them power balls. And why not, when these tasty morsels are nutrient power houses? KAP-OW. The fibre-rich aubergines are a source of the antioxidant nasunin, which has been found to protect the fats in brain cell membranes from free radicals. Chickpeas add protein, helping to make this a pretty balanced meal. I'll be having a go at making more falafel-style veggie balls and naming them all power balls, making them the savoury version of the much-loved energy bites (try my apricot and coconut bites here). Embrace the superpowers of your food and give them the epic names they deserve. Boom.

Recently, I have become a complete convert to making tomato sauce properly from scratch, giving it the time it needs to let flavours develop. Onion, garlic and olive oil provide the rich base for this sauce, with added spices adapting the flavour to suit your food. Here, I've added a touch of of smoked paprika. I love smokey flavours paired with aubergine and the way it reminds me of babba ganouch. The trick here is to not let the aubergines over cook. By working in batches and letting the aubergines sit in the pan for a couple of minutes each side stops the vegetable from becoming too soggy when blended up. If you do find that you have let the aubergines cook for too long, or just don't fancy meatball-like food, then just roughly blend the aubergine and chickpeas and stir directly into the tomato sauce and treat like mince.

Ingredients -serves 2 with leftover power balls

• 2 tsp chia or ground flax seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• Smoked paprika
• 1 aubergine
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1/2 cup spelt or rice flour
• 1 medium courgette
• Juice of half a lemon
• Olive oil

Mix the chia seeds with 6 teaspoons of hot water, stir and set aside to form a binding gel (optional). With a small amount of olive oil, cook half the onion in a pan, adding one clove of the garlic just before tipping in the chopped tomatoes. Add half of the can full of water to the pan. 

Chop the aubergine in half and then into 2cm chunks and heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a frying pan. Cook the aubergine, in batches if needed, for a couple of minutes on each side with the rest of the onion. The aubergine should be just translucent where it has touched the pan, but still fairly solid looking. Add the garlic just before finishing, and remove from the heat when the garlic becomes fragrant without burning. Allow to cool briefly, using a spiraliser or peeler to turn the courgette into noodles in the meantime. Tip the aubergine mix into a food processor alongside the drained chickpeas, mixed dried herbs and ground pepper. Blizt until a smooth puree is formed, adding the flour as needed to form a sticky mixture. 

Return the frying pan to the heat, with a scant amount of oil to stop the power balls from sticking. Using two tablespoons, form ball shapes out of the mix and add to the pan. Allow to cook for roughly a minutes before turning. Repeat until all of the mixture has been cooked into power balls. 

In the food processor blend the tomato sauce until smooth. Share the courgette between two bowls and squeeze over the lemon juice. Add the tomato sauce before topping with the power balls. Keep leftover power balls in an airtight container to add to lunches over the next day or so.

Orange Cashew Cream Biscuits

With the bank holiday weekend now here  the call of sweet treats and hearty meals is a strong one. There's lots of options for dark, raw and vegan cacao Easter eggs and healthier swaps for lunch, so I fancied trying my hand at some of the afternoon snacks that can be so tempting! I had a bit of difficulty trying to name these sweet treats... cheesecake bites, fudge biscuits... they fit somewhere between them.

Honey gives a really lovely flavour, but to let the taste of the orange zest take centre stage, I used Natvia* for a touch of sweetness. Low GI and derived from stevia, using this keeps these biscuits even more innocent. If you don't have any to hand, use honey or date syrup instead.

Ingredients
For the base

• 1 cup dates
• 1 cup cashews
• 1 cup desiccated coconut

For the orange cashew cream

• 200g cashew butter (about one pot of Meridian cashew butter!!)
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tbsp Natvia sweetener*
• Zest of 1/2 orange

Soak the dates in hot water for ten minutes or so to soften them. Drain and blend the dates, cashews and desiccated coconut into a fine consistency. Add a little coconut oil if using a less powerful blender to help the mix to stick. Press a tablespoon of the mix into a silicon cupcake case or cupcake cases. 

Next, blend together the cashew butter, coconut oil, honey and orange zest together before adding a teaspoon of the creamy mix over the the biscuit base. Leave to set in the fridge or freezer. Serve with a little sea salt or extra zest for that mid afternoon pick me up.

*Donotes PR sample. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I will only positively feature or recommend products that I would use myself.

Nutritionalists: the Good, the Bad and Everything in Between

When I first started getting interested in healthy eating, lots of bloggers were advertising themselves as nutritionalists. As someone who had seriously considered taking a degree to become a registered dietician, seeing these nice shiny qualifications was reassuring. The bloggers clearly knew what they were talking about with their official-sounding title, and I had lots if role models to aspire to. Since then, there has been a quiet backlash in the more scientific community against so-called nutritionalist. The problem is, the term nutritionalist doesn't actually mean anything. Whilst becoming a dietician requires at least a three year undergraduate course accredited by a body such as the British Dietetic Association, health coach/nutritionalist courses can be undertaken in six months or even less. Both the Guardian and Women's Health have shared articles about the unclear waters between dieticians, nutritionalists and health coaches, and as someone interested in both holistic health and proper scientific accreditation, I thought I would share my thoughts on the subject.

Of course, that isn't to say that becoming a health coach is misleading -many bodies such as the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) are extremely popular and can equip professionals with the tools to become better able to help their clients. The problem is is that these holistically-focused courses can miss out key areas of study, such as biochemistry and physiology and typically do not hold scientific accreditation. I have noticed that a few IIN graduates have relabelled themselves as health coaches rather than nutritionalists, and I respect them for making that distinction. Health coaches have packed in a year of hard study, but I think it is important for there to be a clearer distinction. On the flip side, others are making it clear that they do not see themselves as nutritionalists, but rather chefs and food writers. Blogger and "wellness rebel", Plant Based Pixie is bucking the trend by undertaking a Masters in Nutrition and isn't afraid to call out popular health trends and diets.

When you have health professionals and bloggers offering dietary advice, you need to feel confident in their knowledge, and this can be a tricky line to toe. I strongly believe that good diet, movement, sleep and stress management go a long way towards improving health, and this isn't something that will necessarily get prescribed at your GP. Health coaches and holistic nutritionalists are definitely helping to fill this gap, but again, when it comes to diet the area becomes much more grey. A classical example is gluten. It's currently the big bad boy of the food world, right next to sugar. If you are intolerant to gluten, or have a sensitivity to it (which can be temporary, particularly if you have been on a course of antibiotics) then of course, reducing or cutting it out is going to make you feel better. But if you can digest it, then why ditch a nourishing food source? Everyone is a unique individual, and so are affected differently by foods. But when you find yourself looking at a gluten free option that is twice the price of your everyday item, and with added sugars and ingredients to make up for the gluten, you do have to wonder if it's worthwhile if you don't have an intolerance. Last year I asked if bread really was the enemy, looking at all the factors that could be causing you bloating after a slice of toast -you can read it here.

Then we come on to the subject of experience. Previous work in kitchens, or perhaps some watertight reviews can give professionals an edge, even if they haven't completed their studies. Before training at the IIN, Madeleine Shaw worked in health food kitchens in Australia, and has a fair bit of experience working in professional kitchen. She is also continuing her studies in nutrition, albeit at a holistic naturopathic school rather than a university. Personally, I would like to see more courses than aim to bridge the science of dieticians with the holistic approach of naturopathy. Up and coming health food brand Primrose's Kitchen is based on naturopathic principles and has a very tempting range of products.

When it comes down to it, you need to make the decision for yourself about who's opinion you value, and whose you might not. Whether you are looking for a nutritionalist for a private consultation, or are surfing the health blogs, don't be afraid to research the diets and foods that they recommend to gather your own opinion, or to ask questions. Different needs require different expertise and in taking the initiative to delve deeper, you can improve your own understanding, and build better communication with each other... be you talking to a blogger, nutritionalist, health coach or dietician.

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

It's another Monday arriving again, but as the four day Easter weekend rolls ever closer, I find myself not minding. That, or the fact that weekends don't exist in quite the same way when you're in assignment season at university. I have been flirting with the idea of having more savoury breakfasts, although my heart still firmly lays with meals of the sweeter persuasion first thing. This kale and squash quinoa bowl is a good choice for such moods as grain bowl is reminiscent of porridge, and, with a bit of evening prep, is nice and simple to put together for a weekday early start as it is for Saturday brunch. The lemon brings all the ingredients together without being too heavy. Plus, with only three main ingredients and condiments, my breakfast bowl won't overwhelm your palette (or washing up load!). The measurements here are approximate, and depending on what size butternut squash you buy, you may find this serves closer to three than two people. If so, pop any leftovers in a Tupperware for a satisfying lunch later on. You can also swap the quinoa for bulgar wheat, which is less expensive, buttery tasting and still a good source of protein.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• Olive oil
• 100g dried quinoa (should produce 2 cup)
• Vegetable stock
• Cayenne pepper or chilli power
• Mixed dried herbs, or fresh thyme
• Two handfuls of kale, coarse stems removed
• Coconut oil

I strongly suggest cooking the butternut squash and quinoa the night before!

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Peel, remove the seeds and chop the butternut squash into bitesized cubes. Tip into a roasting tin, and drizzle with olive oil and herbs before roasting in the oven for 40 minutes, checking occasionally. 

Next, rinse and cook the quinoa in two parts water for every one part quinoa. Add a stock cube, or teaspoon of stock powder and a pinch of pepper or chilli. Cook in a lidded pan for twenty minutes, or according to packet instructions.

In a frying pan, saute the kale in a tablespoon of coconut oil over a medium heat until wilted. Add the butternut squash and quinoa  and stir. Add the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. When everything is heated through, divide between bowls, and enjoy. If you'd like, you could also add goat's cheese or sliced (or shaved if you're feeling fancy) avocado.

Healthy Hacks: Zoats (and other hidden vegetables)

With recent recommendations increasing our ideal daily vegetable intake from three to as much as seven portions. This can seem like a fairly steep task, but boosting your abundance of daily veggies really is doable. In The Microbiome Solution, Dr. Chutkan recommends the 1-2-3 rule: one portion of vegetables at breakfast, two at lunch and three for dinner. Between-meal snacks can also help to fill in any missed portions, or further increase your intake of vegetables to the desired seven portions and beyond. Whilst the most obvious ways of eating vegetables in the AM are savoury dishes and smoothies, something more sweet or comforting can be more desirable. My favourite health hack? Adding vegetables to porridge. If you're familiar to busy breakfast bowls, or have tried my baked carrot cake porridge, this concept will probably be one you have come across before. If not; fear not! I promise your breakfasts won't taste like you've tried to turn your porridge oats into a salad!

To get you started, here is my rough guide to making delicious courgette (zucchini) porridge, or "zoats". My newest discovery is adding cacao powder or chocolate-flavoured coconut milk for a rich, creamy bowl of zoats. It brings the breakfast or post workout bowl into a complete other level of indulgence, without actually adding much naughtiness. How much liquid you need depends on the type of oats that you use -jumbo or steel cut oats absorb up to twice the amount of liquid (but really do taste better for it) whereas rolled oats require less.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp oats
• Half a courgette, grated
• 150-250ml nut milk or water (I use roughly half and half)
• To sweeten: 1 banana, chopped or mashed; 1 scoop of vanilla protein; maple syrup
• Optional: 1 tsbp cacao or cocoa powder

Mix together the oats, courgette, banana and cacao powder (if using) together in a pan before adding the liquid and heating over a medium temperature. Cook until all the liquid is fully absorbed, adding more if needed. If you are using protein powder, remove the pan from the heat and stir in, adding extra milk if needed. Sweeten with maple syrup to taste, pour into a bowl and add your toppings. Flaked coconut, kiwi, berries, nut butter and squares of chocolate all taste fantastic.

Want more healthy hacks for supercharging your diet and lifestyle? Comment below if it has helped!