Orange Chocolate Protein Balls

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cacao

14 fresh dates

1 tbsp nut paste

the zest of one orange

the juice of 1/2 - 1 orange (add more or less depending on the consistency)

1 tbsp of melted coconut oil

1/2 cup shredded coconut + extra for coating

1/3 of mixed seeds

handful of chia seeds

Method:

In a food processor blend the listed ingredients together, adding a little of the orange juice at a time so the consistency is monitored and the mixture doesn't become too moist.

When the desired consistency is reached (the mixture should be able to be molded by your hands), roll the paste into even sized balls and then coat them in the remaining coconut.

Finally place them into the freezer for 30 mins to an hour and enjoy. 

The protein balls can be either stored in the freezer or fridge (depending on the consistency of your own mixture they may hold better in one or the other). 

Banana and Coconut Smoothie With a Bit'a Raw Core Lovin'

Banana and coconut smoothie - an all time favourite

Blend:

2 ripe bananas

1 1/2 cups of oat/nut milk

1 tbsp of Raw Core Love (Muma_official)

2 tbsp coconut milk

Our second(?) camping trip for the week (with Lewis, Buddy and Sophie).Only thirty minutes from home and it's as if we have arrived in another country, so fantastic.  

CAMPING. a massive amount of fun spent with my lovely friends and a whole lot of smokey vegan cooking.

Update

Hey everyone,
I am so sorry, I have been so slack posting lately even though I promised to make it more of a regular thing! Recently with all the opportunities I have been presented and all the things I have learnt I wanted to start updating my blog with not only recipes but a few of my thoughts as well. I think I have a little bit more to offer other than just food so I would love to get a bit more creative in that respect.

Firstly, a little about myself.
I am an only child that lives on the coast of South Australia in a small little town that has beautiful beaches, a bit of lush country and a forest that is just a twenty minute drive away - in short, it has it all. Although most people that live here complain that there is nothing to do or spend there time wishing for the moment that they can finally escape the confines of this desolate, boring, isolated, good for nothing town; I wouldn't change it for the world. Some of the most amazing views I have witnessed have been right here in this small country town, and I am so grateful to live here.

At the moment, I am studying at a small college and I am part way through my second year of year twelve. The reason I chose to split my final year over two was originally so I could keep doing what I love doing without it impacting my final results too heavily. During the first year I studied both English Studies and Mathematical Studies, which were fairly engaging subjects. As much as I loved everything about English, Maths was a different matter which I somewhat struggled my way through. This year I am studying Biology and Physical Education and loving every minute of it.

As previously mentioned, I split my year twelve so I could continue to keep up with the things I loved. This was mainly centered around gymnastics which has been a massive part of my life. However with a change in club, and an increased travel load (one hour and a half each way), my thirteen year passion has begun to dwindle. Although I am still doing gymnastics, this year a large portion of my focus has been upon my schooling, food/photography/Instagram, running, and spending time with people that I care about.

Currently I am on the verge of adulthood. In a few days (June 22nd) I am turning eighteen. Already this year has brought me so many opportunities - particularly through the world of Instagram - and I am so grateful for all of them. I never dreamed of anything ever eventuating out of this which makes it all the more exciting. Although the addition of an extra year doesn't actually change much, the start of the next year will. I finally have to find a place to live, find a job there, choose a career path and do a substantial amount of growing up. Next year I am hoping to focus my education around nutrition as it has been a passion of mine since the creation of my Instagram account.

So whats to come?
In a couple of weeks time I am heading to Melbourne and with a bit of luck I will be able to document some of my time there, the places where I eat, the things that I do and the pictures that I take. On top of this as well as continuing to provide you recipes, I'll share my thoughts with you every so often. So stay tuned!

Raw Caramel and Nut Slice

Second (?) times the charm; today I had another attempt at perfecting the recipe of my raw caramel and nut slice. This little slice resembles the traditional Snickers bar with a caramel centre and a nutty chocolate top. For this recipe I used hazelnuts and almonds, however almost any type of nut of your choice could be substituted into the slice!

These bars didn't last long in our household, so I really hope that every thing goes to plan and that you thoroughly enjoy them! If you do happen to try these I would love to see your creations! So be sure to hash-tag #miso_healthy and even tag my account in your photo if you get the chance to share them on Instagram - it honestly brightens up my day to know that I have inspired at least one of you, and that people are getting involved with the blog by trying the recipes!

So without further adieu; my raw, vegan, caramel and nut slice.

Base 
2/3 cup fresh medjool dates (approx. 10)

1 cup of an assortment of hazelnuts and almonds

Filling

1 cup of fresh and juicy medjool dates (approx. 14)
2 tbsp of natural and organic peanut butter without nasty additives

Top
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (cold pressed, virgin oil is best)
2 1/2 tbsp cacao
2 - 3 tsp sweetener of your choice (to taste)


Assembly
1/2 cup of an assortment of both hazelnuts and almonds

MethodFirstly in a food processor, blend the ingredients for the base (dates and nuts) until the mixture is crumbly and sticks together well when compressed.
When the desired texture is reached, firmly press the base into a small lined baking tin (mine was 18cm x 18cm) and then place in the freezer.
For the filling add the dates and peanut butter in to a processor and blend until the mixture is fully combined (mixture should naturally form a large ball in the machine when ready). Next press/spread the caramel over the base with clean hands - if mixture begins to stick, for best results, wet your hands slightly.
After the caramel is neatly and evenly spread over the base, sprinkle the assembly nuts evenly over the caramel and firmly press them down, cementing them in the filling. Next set the slice aside so it remains at room temperature.
Lastly combine the ingredients for the chocolate and stir until combined, when mixture is smooth, poor the chocolate over the two layers and gently move the tin side to side, evenly distributing the chocolate and coating the nuts.
To set, store in the freezer for 30 mins - 1 hour.

Notes
As mentioned earlier, any variety of nut can be used, however I recommend almonds and hazelnuts! The same can also be said for the peanut butter where any sort of smooth nut butter can serve as a substitute.

Creamy Cacao and Acai Smoothie

After recently receiving my assortment of teas that SkinnyMe Tea very generously sent me; I did my best to come up with ways I could incorporate them into into daily life. Aside from my usual cup during the day my first idea was a chocolaty acai smoothie. Made with frozen banana, this chocolaty treat can also be served as an "nice-cream" by adding a little less liquid!

Ingredients:

3 frozen bananas

1 cup chilled and strongly brewed

Acai SkinnyMe tea

1 tbsp cacao powder

Method:

Add the bananas to a blender and to assist the blending process; gradually add the acai tea.

When the desired consistency is reached, (depending on whether you want ice-cream or a smoothie) set the remaining tea aside and either fold or blend in the cacao.