The Taste-Just-Like-Dorito's Kale Chips

 

 

These may not be the prettiest crisp's, but the incredible taste compensates for anything lacking in looks.

 

I never thought it would be possible to healthily recreate that iconic Dorito's taste without the addition of countless flouvourings and additives. But today I achieved what I previously thought impossible! This chips have that cheesy-paprika addictive taste that clings to your tastebuds and makes you reach for another.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup of cashews

- 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast

- 2 teaspoon's of paprika powder

- 1 lime

- 1 clove of garlic

- 2 tablespoons of olive oil

- pinch of Himalayan salt

- two bunches of curly kale leaves  (around 400 grams)

Place the cashew nuts in a bowl of water and leave to soak for an hour. Then drain them and add to your food processor.

 

Add all the other ingredients to the food processor, remembering to juice the lime, and then blend until a gooey consistency is formed. If the mixture is still hard at this stage, add a little water.

 

Scoop this onto the kale leaves and mix in using your hands. When the leaves are all covered, spread them across two baking trays.

 

Bake at 180 degrees for around an hour, or until all the leaves are crispy. Check every 10 minutes to make sure they aren't burning.

Creamy Chocolate Brownie

This tastes like heaven. I'm really not exaggerating. It is the best tasting brownie you will ever eat, and no one will ever believe it is made using only healthy ingredients. My carnivorous family swear it's better than 'the real thing'. It contains no gluten, dairy, added sugar, or flour. Instead every ingredient is highly nutritious so no need to hold back (I certainly didn't!).

It's also super simple to and quick to make.

Ingredients: <i>(makes 10 small brownies)</i>

Bottom layer:

- 1/2 cup of almonds

- 1/2 cup of pecans

- 1 and 1/2 cups of dates (medjool work best)

- 1 tablespoon of raw cocoa

Top Layer:

- 1/2 cup of dates ( preferably medjool)

- 1/2 banana

- 2 small or 1 and 1/2 large avocado's

- 1 tablespoon of nut butter

- 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup

- 2 tablespoons of raw cacao

- 1 teaspoon of flaxseed

For the bottom layer, simply place all the ingredients in your blender, and blend until the nuts are all broken down and a sticky mixture is formed. This took my magimix blender 2 minutes.

Place the mixture into a smallish deep baking tray, and push down hard with a spatula until there is a flat surface with no gaps.

Next you can start on the top layer. Again, simply place all the ingredients in your blender, and mix it for slightly longer this time. Keep blending until a smooth and creamy texture is formed, and you can no longer see any lumps or bits. My blender took 4 minutes to get to this stage, but every blender is different.

Pour this mixture into the baking tray ontop of the bottom layer. Smooth down, then use a fork to create a nice wavy texture.

Place this in the freezer for at least 3 hours for it to set, then cut into slices and store in the fridge.

I also roughly sprinkled some coconut flakes cococut flakes and almonds for decoration, but they look great anyhow. But to be honest they taste so good just as they are I'm not sure there is any need to decorate them - the flavour says it all!

Enjoy!

Minted Strawberry and Banana Smoothie

After an afternoon sunbathing I found myself craving a refreshing smoothie, and this one hit the spot! The combination of mint and strawberries is a definite winner on a hot summer's day.

 

 

 

 

I used the mint growing in the garden, so the smoothie tasted super fresh. You could easily do this yourself - mint is in season at the moment. Supermarkets and local markets sell pots of mint cheaply, so all you need to do is bring it home ad replant it.

Ingredients:

- 1 banana

- 10 strawberries

- 6 mint leaves

- Handful of kale of spinach

- 1 cup of water

- 1 teaspoon of chia seeds

(Optional: 1 date for added sweetness)
             

Simply place all the ingredients in your blender/juicer, and mix until all the pieces are mixed in and a smooth juice is formed.