Month: February 2016

Whole Wheat Welsh Rarebit Muffins
February 29, 2016

Whole Wheat Welsh Rarebit Muffins

These whole wheat Welsh Rarebit Muffins are addictively cheesy, and make the perfect savoury snack! Last week Kirk and I booked tickets to visit home in the Summer. I’m so excited!! We have decided to make this visit more of a holiday, so along with …

Baked Goods, Breakfast, Starters & Snacks
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by Emma
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17 Comments
One Pot Brazilian Chickpeas and Rice
February 19, 2016

One Pot Brazilian Chickpeas and Rice

Zesty, vibrant, and nourishing! This one pot Brazilian Chickpeas and Rice is an easy weeknight option! I don’t know if my fellow veggies can relate, but sometimes I’ll be scrolling through Pinterest, or Foodgawker, and a beautiful dish will catch my eye. Then I realise …

Mains
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by Emma
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76 Comments
Coconut Cashew Granola Bars
February 15, 2016

Coconut Cashew Granola Bars

These vegan Coconut Cashew Granola Bars are sweet, satisfying, and wholesome!

Coconut Cashew Granola Bars

I was watching a clip of my favourite lady Nigella making Granola Bars the other day, and she described medjool dates as “the most delicious edible glue”. Isn’t that perfect? She’s right (obviously…!), medjool dates add the most wonderful sticky, caramely, natural sweetness to any recipe, and thus, they make the perfect no-bake granola bar ingredient.

Coconut Cashew Granola BarsCoconut Cashew Granola Bars

When time permits, I always prefer homemade granola bars to shop bought ones. Healthier, whole ingredients, and they just taste better to me. This is my current favourite bar- a toasted oat and coconut base, with crunchy cashews, and a drizzling of dark chocolate for a little indulgence. So delicious!

Coconut Cashew Granola Bars- Emma's Little Kitchen

Whats your favourite go-to snack?!

Coconut Cashew Granola Bars
 
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Author:
Serves: 12 bars
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup chopped raw cashews
  • 1½ cups oats
  • ¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1½ cups pitted, chopped dates (medjool if possible)
  • 6 tbsp maple syrup or honey (if not vegan)
  • 6 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
Method
  1. Line a 9x9 inch pan with two sheets of cling film (plastic wrap) so that all four sides are covered. Push your fingers into all of the corners to ensure that it fits tightly
  2. Tip the nuts, oats and coconut into a medium saucepan, and warm over a medium heat. Toast the nuts, oats and coconut in the dry pan stirring constantly. When the coconut turns a golden brown colour, immediately remove from the heat and tip into a large bowl (the coconut can burn very easily!)
  3. Return the saucepan to the heat, and add the chopped dates, maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir everything until it has melted together and the dates start to break down into a sticky sauce-lie mixture (like in the picture above). Remove from the heat, and tip into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir everything until well combined
  4. Tip the mixture into the lined pan, and press it flat with your fingers and pop in the fridge to chill
  5. Put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, and heat in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring between each time, until the chocolate is melted. Drizzle over the top of the bars and allow to set in the fridge before cutting into slices

Adapted from my Gingerbread Granola Bars.

For best results, store in the fridge.

Coconut Cashew Granola Bars- Emma's Little Kitchen

Breakfast, Starters & Snacks
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by Emma
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48 Comments
Simple Almond Hearts
February 10, 2016

Simple Almond Hearts

These simple almond hearts are gluten-free, refined sugar free, and vegan! Plus they only require 4 ingredients, one bowl, and about 10 minutes to make! This was not supposed to be a post about cookies. For months I had a glorious Valentines breakfast bun recipe …

Baked Goods
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by Emma
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35 Comments
Healthy Pancake Round Up
February 5, 2016

Healthy Pancake Round Up

Pancake Day is upon us, rejoice!! And I have a little treat to help you celebrate: 17 Healthy Pancake Recipes gathered from the interweb, just for you. Much as I love traditional pancake day pancakes with a sprinkle of sugar and a dab of lemon, …

Baked Goods, Breakfast, Dessert
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by Emma
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10 Comments
3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce
February 1, 2016

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

Do you ever come across recipes that seem too good to be true? Thats exactly how I felt about this beauty when I first stumbled upon it. How can 3 very simple ingredients come together to create something that bloggers were waxing lyrical over?

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

Well, I tried it, and discovered it to be every bit as wonderful as promised. However, for me there was one obvious flaw: 45 minutes of simmering seemed like a very long time at the end of the day when tummies are rumbling, so I tried to simplify it even further by tossing it in the slow cooker, and was delighted by the results. Imagine, returning home at the end of the day, and having a rich, velvety tomato sauce ready to be tossed with your favourite pasta, lush!

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Pasta Sauce
 
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A magical 3 ingredient sauce that is silky, velvety, and simple yet luxurious.
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 800g/28oz tin of tomatoes* (see notes)
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • pasta, herbs and parmesan to serve
Method
  1. Slow Cooker Method:
  2. Put tomatoes, butter, and onions in the slow cooker, and cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 8 hours. Remove the onion, and give everything a good stir. Season to taste, and toss with cooked pasta of choice. Serve with herbs and/or cheese if desired.
  3. Stovetop Method:
  4. Put tomatoes, butter, and onions in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the onion, and give everything a good stir. Season to taste, and toss with cooked pasta of choice. Serve with herbs and/or cheese if desired

Notes

*I like to use chopped tomatoes for ease, but whole tomatoes work well too. You will have to crush them with a spoon during or after cooking. I like to use unsalted tomatoes so I can control the salt content. If you use salted tomatoes, you will likely need less or no salt. Finally, I like to spend a little more on good quality tomatoes here, it does seem to make a difference.

Discovered on Rachel Eats, and adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

Mains
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by Emma
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13 Comments