Easy treats for Valentines Day ...and everyday!
I’m not a huge Valentines fan if I’m honest.
I’m definitely in the camp that says “don’t wait for a specific day of the year to show your loved ones you love them!”
Maybe it also has something to do with being single, ha ha ;-)
BUUUUTT I do want to share a round up of some of my favourite Valentines day treats because I know many of you do love Valentines day and would like to treat your favourite person (or people!) with an indulgent yet healthy treat.
Or even simply treat yourself… that may even be the best reason yet!
If, like me, your not V-day fan. Bookmark these and make them whenever love strikes!
If you make something from this list, let me know! Tag @johodson on Instagram.
P.s full disclosure, there is a lot of chocolate on this list. No apologies!
Before you scroll down to the round-up… here is a super easy treat I haven’t shared before, but one I found in my photo archives… a little bonus for you!
Grab a pot of your absolute favourite nut butter (give yourself permission to splurge here - no holding back!) I love to use hazelnut butter for these - but almond, pistachio or cashew may be your jam!?
Melt a bar of your favourite chocolate - I use 70% vegan dark chocolate. Using mini silicone cake cakes spoon a teaspoon of melted chocolate, add a dollop of the nut butter then cover over with extra chocolate.
Repeat until you have used up all the chocolate. You can add some kind of sprinkle on top if you like. Chill to firm then pop out of the silicone cases. YUMM!
They make the perfect gift packaged in a box with a bow… just sayin’ :-)
Easy love-filled treats for Valentines Day...and everyday!
If you want more healthy indulgent inspiration… checkout my ebook, jam-packed with super tasty free-from treats!
BEST EVER chocolate brownie round up!
Yesterday, the 8th December was #nationalbrownieday.... waahh, another day I missed. Any chance to celebrate chocolate and cake, right!
So I am a day late to the party, but who cares. I figured this was a good excuse to share a brownie round-up with all the best brownie recipes I've created over the years. There are quite a few, and all very different too. Plenty to try out and inspire you to put you own twist on things.
This is the description taken from 'National Day Calendar (I can't guarantee how accurate this info is!)
"Brownies were created in the United States at the end of the 19th century. A cross between a cookie and cake, they soon became very popular across the country. There was a request for a dessert for a group of ladies that would be attending a fair in the late 1800s. They wanted a small cake-like dessert that could be eaten from a boxed lunch. A Chicago chef, working at the Palmer House Hotel, created the first brownie for the ladies, which featured an apricot glaze and walnuts. The Palmer House Hotel still serves their original recipe for brownies on their menu."
Brownies are the perfect platform for veganizing, healthanising, de-gluten-ing and hiding veggies and beans in. I love the fact that brownies are by their nature quite dense and a little gooey - this makes it easy to hide sight 'mistakes' too (a light airy cake is typically much harder to achieve when keeping the above objectives in mind!)
I consider brownies to be the perfect beginner cake when transitioning to alternative baking!
Click the text links below to for the original recipes and have a scroll through my gallery to tickle your fancy.
One of my all time favourite recipes for ease, flavour and versatility is my award-winning Chocolate Banana Brownie Bread, so I have included a free downloadable recipe card for it below- scroll down and click the pic to download.
Enjoy the round-up and please do tag me on Facebook or Instagram if you make any of the recipes... i'd love to see them! :-)
1) Pumpkin brownies are a great way of packing veg in cakes (sweet potato works well as a swap as does courgette and carrot or even parsnip!)
2) A bit this year late for advent- but these festive advent calendar brownie bites were a very early recipe on my blog! (you could use any recipe and apply the same ideas as brownies freeze so well)
3) The carrot cake brownies follow a similar theme to the pumpkin brownies, served in cake-like wedges!
4) These raw chocolate brownies are packed with nuts for a rich an filling treat! A little goes a long way.
5) Raspberry ripple brownie slices... packed with tofu and black beans for a fat-free brownie variation!
6) For a non-chocolate version, you can try these double banana blondies.
7) This raw black bean fudge brownie is a spin on my 'worlds healthiest fudge' with added chunky nuts and dried fruits for a brownie vibe!
8) Last but not least... the chocolate banana brownie bread (great as a loaf, slice or muffins) scroll down for the recipe card.
There final two pics shown in my gallery were created for other publications/brands beyond this site... but you could replicate the same kind of thing with any of the recipes above.
For the protein brownies, swap in some of your favourite plant-based protein for some of the flour in any brownie recipe. Make the 'deconstructed brownie trifle' but slicing the brownie into small cubes and tossing with berries and yoghurt or coconut cream- makes an amazing super simple dessert!
Download the Choc Banana Brownie bread that was a 2016 PETA 'Bake Off' Finalist below...
Jackfruit inspiration... 15+ versatile vegan recipes!
Jackfruit has been a player on the vegan scene for a while now... in my excitement late last year I bought a can from the Asian market near me but and until last month it has sat in the cupboard- forgotten! Oops..
A few weeks ago I came across that lonesome can and figured it was time for some experimentation. After a little research and realising the true versatility of jackfruit, I then put a call out for some other wonderful vegan bloggers to contribute their delicious recipes too.
Since jackfruit in this context is often used a meat substitute but as it's a fruit has a low protein count in itself, I would typical advise teaming it with beans/nuts/tofu to create a nicely balanced dish.
So here you have it, my own jackfruit 'buddha bowl' recipe creation and lots more ideas from some vegan friends. If this doesn't inspire you to go buy a can and have a play then I don't know what will! :-)
Perfect for the summer months, it famously makes a great 'pulled pork' style topping/filling. I have also tried freezing it once marinaded and part cooked, it worked really well- simply defrost enough to 'flake up' then grill or bake for a few minutes until the edges are a little crispy and serve. In the future I will definitely be making up a big batch this way!
Final top tip- make sure you buy the young jackfruit in brine (not syrup!) this also works much better using canned jackfruit not fresh (which is handy as fresh is harder to come buy in Europe and it can weigh up to 100 pounds!) Many of the recipes online call for chopping out the centre 'core' of the jackfruit pieces, but I didn't both as I felt it would mean discarding quite a lot of the fruit and the core seemed quite soft and so I simply chopped it up well- but feel free to discard if you prefer.
This is a photo of a jackfruit tree that I took in Chaing Mai Thailand last year!
Recipe: BBQ Jackfruit Buddha Bowl
(from Jo!)
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 can young jackfruit in brine or water (not syrup) - approx 1 1/2 cups
3 sun dried tomatoes- chopped (optional)
1 small onion- finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves- crushed
1 tbs coconut oil (or other oil of choice)
BBQ sauce:
1 can tinned chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tbs maple syrup
1 tbs molasses
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of cumin
1 tbs liquid smoke*
For building the 'buddha bowl' (or use whatever you have to hand)
1 can black beans- cooked
2-3 large handfuls fresh coriander
2 avocados- sliced
A big bunch of sautéed greens of choice- I used chard (use lots as green wilt so much!)
Sprinkling of pine nuts (optional- I just fancied some!)
Note: when I first made this I did not have any liquid smoke, I left it out and it still tasted great. It juts adds some extra BBQ-ey depth of flavour ;-)
Method:
Sauté the sun dried tomatoes, the onion and garlic in a medium pan until softened. Meanwhile prepare the jackfruit (cut out core if desired) by 'flaking it up' a little. Add all BBQ sauce ingredients and jackfruit to the sauce pan and simmer for 15 mins.
Remove from the heat and allow jackfruit mix to sit and marinade for an hour. (You could also marinade for longer or overnight by allowing to cool, covering and placing in the fridge). This would also be the point at which you freeze any extra portions.
Lay the jackfruit mix in a thin even layer on a lined oven tray (or two) and bake at approx. 160C for approx 20 mins until slightly crispy at the edges.
Meanwhile prepare the remaining components of the buddha bowl ready to serve along with the BBQ jackfruit.
Jackfruit recipe creations from the vegan community! Thank you to all those who contributed ;-) (click the pics to jump to the original recipes)
Jackfruit Vegan Pozole Rojo
Doras Kitchen
Vegan Enchiladas with Jackfruit and Black Beans
Well Vegan
Buffalo Jackfruit Sandwiches with Hemp Ranch
Simply Overjoyed
Jackfruit Fried Chick’n
Soy Division
Jackfruit Carnitas
Yup...It's Vegan
Teriaki Jackfruit Bowl
The Veg Life
Jackfruit Taquitos with Southwest Dipping Sauce
The Mostly Vegan
Jackfruit Crabless Cakes
Healthy Slow Cooking
Jackfruit Tacos
One Hungry Bunny
Pulled Jackfruit Enchiladas
May I have that Recipe?
Jackfruit Chile Relleno Pot Pie
Spabettie
Vegan gyros with jackfruit and creamy tzatziki
Zena N Zaatar
Teriyaki Jackfruit Sushi Bowl
Elephantastic Vegan
Jackfruit Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Vegan Heaven
Slow Cooker Pulled Jackfruit
Yummy Mummy Kitchen
Here are a few other jackfruit recipe/cooking technique inspirations from around the web that provided me with inspiration when I began my experiments:
BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches - Minimalist Baker
How to make the Ultimate BBQ Jackfruit - Organic Authority
How to cut, open, prepare and eat fresh jackfruit - video (if you don't want to use canned!)
Have you tried jackfruit or a you a newbie? If these recipes have inspired you... let me know in the comments what you try!
Product roundup... big up the super smoothies!
It's quite rare that I do a review post, and when I do it is usually when I have come across great products that have inspired me at food and wellness shows, and so I have personally asked the brand for some samples to try, instead of the other way round!
I have been to so many health, wellness and food shows this year and have eaten soooooo many samples!! But now as we are heading swiftly towards the end of the year, and I have no more shows on my agenda, I figured a review post could be a useful thing - with the spotlight on two healthy new and unique smoothie brands in particular!
First up Pack'd Frozen Smoothie Kits...
As taken from their website:
"Cutting edge frozen Smoothie Kits, designed with nutritionists to bring out your best. Each PACK’D Kit contains a pouch of freshly frozen, whole fruits and vegetables plus a sachet of natural superfoods. Simply blend ingredients with a choice of liquid - coconut water, almond milk, juice or water - for the ultimate smoothie without the hassle."
I drink geen smoothies and blends pretty much every day, I personally don't feel the need to buy kits BUT I appreciate that many people do not have the same flexible lifestyle I have and don't necessarily want to buy a cupboard full of expensive 'superfood' products.
In that respect I felt that these frozen blends ticked a few innovative boxes- whole frozen fruits and veggies as well as a sachet of 'booster' ingredients. The least amount of processing for the easiest smoothie blend. One downside for some would be space- you need to fit the pacs in your freezer- there are two servings in each pack.
So far I have tried the Detox and Defence blends. I tried both mixed only with water as I want to test the flavour in the purest form. The flavours were great in my opinion, the Detox blend does taste of 'green-ness' which might be too much for some, but I enjoyed it and you could easily make it sweeter with a touch of juice or coconut water.
My top tip- when you open the little 'superfood' sachet and pour the contents in, refill it with water and add then that too to make sure you get all the bits that might stick to the packaging- no wastage that way!
Second up... Love Your Blender
As taken from their website:
"We combine superfoods, whole nuts, seeds and other tasty ingredients such as vanilla pod and rose petals. Over 90 per cent organic, 100 per cent vegan, and totally delicious! Simply add to fresh produce in your blender to super-charge your smoothies."
What I liked most about these little packets of goodness, when I found them at a food event, was the fact they contained whole foods as well as being very conveniently packaged. I also liked the label which offered suggestions to changed up the flavour to suit all tastebuds (I tried the creamy option with both). The offer another convenient way to portion up your power packed smoothie ingredients.
I did find these blends still had a slightly grainy texture even with my high powered blender, not a problem for me but something to bear in mind if you are a bit sensitive to texture.
Note: neither of these blends offer you something you can't create for yourself with a little effort and a few ingredients BUT for many it's that little bit of effort too much to fit into a busy schedule and I feel that inspiring yet easy ways to get good nutrition is a good thing. :-)
I'd love to hear from you... what are your favourite new products of this year? What would you like to see more of on the shelves?
Here's a little shout out to some of my other interesting favourites...
In particular (now that I have had a chance to try all of the items in the photo) Savvy Spreads chocolate and sesame spread, Teapigs Matcha tea drink, Pumpkin Tree oat and smoothie blends and Kind Bars.
Plus all the brands in my porridge ebook launch giveaway- there was a reason I asked to collaborate with them after all! :-) I highly recommend OMG Matcha Tea, Steenbergs Organic, Sweet Freedom & Choc Shot, Real Food Source... and last but not least Thrive Magazine.
On that final note Thrive Magazine are offering a special discount for Including Cake readers.... enter #CAKE at the checkout for a discount of £5 off a printed or digital subscription.
This was a haul from one single food show!!! (I then had to carry this lot across London and on the tube and train home!)
Fathers day... top last minute recipe roundup.. and top gifting recipe!
Tomorrow it's Father's Day, and to celebrate I wanted to offer you a little recipe round up.
Ok, so we've only got a little time left so here you have a selection of filling, super speedy, easy vegan recipes to please any man in your life.
Two years ago I made my dad this lunch spread with stuff potato skins, boston beans, grilled mushrooms and cheesy mash... so good! (here are the recipes) So this year I asked him to pick his top two favourites from the blog for me to include here along with my pick!
My dad's two favourites were:
My sweet potato curry... an oldie but a classic! AND sweetcorn fritters...which haven't actually gone on the blog yet... they got a lot of love over on Instagram last week and I will be posting the recipe next week... so watch out!
Here's my pick... you have a breakfast, couple of main meals and sides plus dessert. Now you are good to go! :-)
For breakfast.....
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Porridge (and the fudge itself is amazing) ...For some reason when I think of dad's I think of peanut butter... no idea why, cos many of the ladies in my life (me encoded) love PB, but anyway... make this!
Main dishes and sides...
Sweet Potato Rostis... I know you've seen quite a lot of these recently as thy were featured in Thrive Magazine. But they are in my mind right now and a real crowd pleaser for all the family.
Celeriac Fries.... Great accompaniment to any meal and a great twist on regular or sweet potato fries. Serve with some indulgent dips or sauces...Mmmmmm.
Red pepper ranch dressing... This makes a great hearty sauce over a side salad, or even try using in conjunction with the sloppy joes below!
Lentil Sloppy Joes.... great flavours and textures with a cheesy drizzle on top. You could make a thick cashew cheese or even the raw smoky ranch dressing which could be a great alternative!
For dessert...
Triple chocolate banana pancakes.... just because Triple. Chocolate. Banana. Pancakes.
A dad worthy dessert if ever I saw one!
Bonus recipe... to give as a gift?
It has to be these nutty choc truffles... still the most popular gifting treat yet! No bake and so simple. Drizzled in chocolate and if you like any other toppings to your hearts content.
Make them right now... and try not eat all the mix yourself in the process...
Have you got a favourite recipe from my blog that you find yourself making often?
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October 1st = Word Vegetarian Day! (plus... pumpkin roundup!)
It's World Vegetarian Day.. and also October 1st. Summer has sailed away (but it's still gloriously sunny here today!) ... oh and a rhyme too ;-)
World Vegetarian Day initiates the month of October as Vegetarian Awareness Month, which ends with November 1, World Vegan Day, as the end of that month of celebration.
When it comes to health coaching, I offer my clients the full breath of service... we focus on YOU not my own choices. That said my ethos for refined sugar-free, low wheat, clean whole foods with lots of veggies does remain, and in fact it's precisely that which brings many of my clients to me looking to boost their heath and kickstart their habits.
Plants are great and we should all eat more of them. Simple as that!
Whether it be a meat free day once a week, veggies lunches at work, adding in more veg to each meal, or incorporating more healthy snacks throughout the day.... there are so many small steps you can take to increasing you plant based nutrition.
It's world Vegetarian Day... so why not go veggie (or vegan), today... or tomorrow, or for one week, or one month....
It's all about trying new things, creating new mindsets, seeing what feels right for you body, getting experimental. I know I have this phrase on repeat but it's true "embrace the creativity and question everything".
Oh and it's also October 1st today... that means it's nearly Halloweeen, right? So that means I can talk about pumpkin, right?
Good, because today I am sharing a roundup of pumpkin is inspired recipes with you in celebration of October... enjoy!
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'Clean Eating' breakfast round up!
My '21 Day Lemon water Challenge' starts on Monday... have you joined the group yet?
No...? Check out this link and get in on the action, it's a free challenge so what are you waiting for. I have created a tips and countdown calendar print out available to download direct from the event page, plus if you sign up to my newsletter by midnight Sunday you'll get a mini detox guide absolutely free (those already on my mailing list will get it too!). You can use this alongside the lemon water challenge as an optional bonus or simply as a little inspiration.
I have had a lot of questions bouncing around in relation to the challenge and one of those was:
"what would be an ideal breakfast to follow on from the lemon water cleanse?"
Obviously since follow a plant based diet my answers might be a little different to some others, but at the same time there are many recipes I have to offer and some general principles I would advise. When it comes to cleansing the body, plant based foods do offer some incredible benefits in helping the body detoxify.
The general principles are outlines below and I thought this would also be an ideal opportunity for a little breakfast round up to showcase a few options to help inspire your own creations... most options can be modified to suit, so if you are soy free, nut free etc most of these recipes can easily be adapted for you. Some people prefer a heart breakfast whilst others prefer a light one and then another snack before lunch... there are some ideas for everyone.
No matter what time of the morning you have your first meal these are some general principles I follow:
• Pack in the antioxidants: berries, green veggies and super foods like maca, chia flax etc
• Go wheat free: I personally feel that gluten is more taxing on the body (regardless on whether you have a sensitivity or not) and so a gluten free breakfast (or at least wheat free as I often use oats) is easier on the digestive system. Also as a nation we eat so much refined wheat in general, it's a good principle to reduce.
• Quit the sugar! If you prefer a sweet breakfast (like me!) then sweeten with fruit only or a little natural stevia (see food basics menu tab for more info).
• Probiotics are great: If you have the option, add a small glass of kombucha or coconut keffir or another source of natural probiotics (even from a good quality capsule) which can help give your digestive tract a boost.
Some recipes round-up Ideas:
Raspberry chia pudding (great for dessert of breakfast! You can also substitute other berries or soft fresh fruits)
Superfood Granola (make ahead for great nibbly snacks):
Pear and ginger carrot porridge (I love adding veggies to my porridge!)
Creamy quinoa porridge (a great protein rich alternative to using oats- or use part quinoa and part oats)
Cashew cream (great as a non-dairy alternative with fruit/nuts etc)
Or if you prefer something of the less sweet more savoury variety...
The beginner green smoothie (of course!)
Chickpea cauliflower quiche (can be prepared ahead, sliced kept in the fridge and eaten cold- yum!)
Smashed avocado crackers (oat crackers are a great alternative to regular wheat)
What is you favourite clean eating breakfast recipe?
Feel free to post links if you like!
I'd love you to join me in other places too!
Why not sign up for my newsletter in my sidebar where I feature roundups and special offers plus me FREE ebook. If you are new round here check out my 'About' and 'Getting Started' tabs up top. To buy nibbles you can also find me over at Wholeplus. Day to day you can always find me in these places:
Get your green on!
It's St Patricks day..... what better day to celebrate all the glorious green in our lives.
From food to nature... 'green' brings me back to my senses and reminds me of the essence of life. Ok, maybe thats a bit to deep ands meaningful! But I think you all know what I mean... there is something so timelessly fresh and pure about 'green'.
I have been furiously recipe developing behind the scenes in recent weeks for two reasons... the main line being the Real Food Source 'Nut-Butter' book that is now nearing completion... the other reason i'll update you on later this week.
My green recipe of the weekend was this minty green shake... a cross between a green smoothie and a thick creamy shake. I used my original green smoothie recipe as it base and added a generous dollop of cashew butter...mmmm.
Will go be doing anything 'green' today?
Recipe: Creamy green mint shake
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup water (or more for a less thinner shake)
- 1 cup packed spinach (or other greens)
- 1/3 cup cucumber
- ½ cm fresh ginger
- 2 tsp lime juice (or lemon)
- 1 small apple, pear or chunk of mango (approx 1/3 cup)
- 2 tbs cashew or blanched almond butter (ot roasted)
- 3-4 small fresh mint leaves (plus extra for optional garnish)
- A few drops of stevia (only if needed)
Method
Blend everything together until as smooth as possible.
Some more 'green' recipes to inspire you...
I'd love you to join me in other places too!
Why not sign up for emails in my sidebar where I feature roundups and special offers. If you are new round here check out my 'About' and 'Getting Started' tabs up top. To buy nibbles you can also find me over at Wholeplus. Day to day you can also find me in these places:
There are many ways you can change your life, but nourishing your body and mind is a good place to start!
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You’ll love Health Coach On Call. It’s like having your very own health and wellness expert ready to help you at your kitchen counter… for an entire day!
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