A Recipe for Raw Chocolate | 'Cooking With My Smallest Chef | Raw Vegan Toddler / Children Ideas

Opeie decided that he wanted a kitchen for Christmas whilst shopping in Ikea . He was so excited by the idea of making things and cooking that I couldn't wait for Christmas morning to come . ( Even though we celebrate Christmas Day on Boxing Day in our house ) It was totally worth the wait ! 

Opeie has been cooking up a storm in his Diner but the other day he asked if we could make some chocolate together , as chocolate making is one of my favourite things to do , I quickly started melting the Cacao Butter , while Opeie carried the equipment from the main kitchen , to the Diner kitchen . 

{ I need to get some non-glass containers for him to play with however, as yesterday these fell off the shelf and almost smashed. Any ideas of nice plastic, bpa free containers, comment below! }

I decided to use his empty advent calendar tray as a mould so we could talk about recycling as we made them . Despite being 2 1/2 Opeie understands the concept very well .I'd like to get some good 'Ice lollie' shapes ones so that we could make raw ice cream too, but all the ones I've had in the past don't support well, and the ice cream always topples off.... anyway...

We also made "raw Reece's peanut butter cups " which I'll come to later-  if you're wondering why there's peanut butter on the table . 

I'd recommend using a toddler safe bowl while making these, something that has grip to the bottom as you don't want a chocolate-y mess everywhere, we used our trusty Oxo Tot bowl from the Small & Large Set  as I knew these wouldn't move around while Opeie was stirring. I'd also recommend using a silicone whisk as i find the metal ones are abit slippy if they get the cacao butter on the handle, which happened to us (we didn't have one however)

To make enough chocolate to fill 25 small moulds and to cover 12 Raw Reece's . 

0.5 cups melted Cacao oil / butter 

0.5 cups melted coconut oil 

12 tablespoons cacao powder

6-8 tablespoons maple syrup or agave

Pinch of salt 

Scraped vanilla pod 

••••••••••••••••••••••

Mix the melted  cacao butter & coconut oil together, Add the salt , vanilla and syrup ( I prefer to use less syrup - around 6 tablespoons , and opted for agave ) 

Once mixed, slowly add the cacao powder, whisking to make sure it's not lumpy . 

Fill the moulds until almost at the top , we decided to use the moustache moulds we had for Christmas also since there was a little left over . When they're all full - put in the freezer for 15 minutes to set, or the fridge for 30 mins if you're not impatient ! 

(  Opeie's favourite part, licking the utensils clean afterwards ) 

When the moulds are cool - pop out of the tray and eat , or store in a airtight tub ! Enjoy ! Have you made anything nice lately ? Are you on a post Christmas diet ? Is your New Years resolution to loose weight & be healthier ? 

Detoxing Raw Vegan Chocolate Avacardo Dessert Mousse Whip

For Harvey : 

I was talking to my other trainer today at the gym, he told me he has a real sweet tooth, and that he's on a 16 week program to shred his body basically, where as I'm on an eight week plan to try and undo the damage that was done from my c-sections. 

Anyway, I was thinking of a dessert that Harvey my trainer could make, and I remembered that I made this quite alot in summer. Enjoy!!!!

Makes enough for 5 portions. 

• 1 ripe avocado, skinned and destoned
• 1.5  ripe banana, peeled
• 1/3 cup grape or orange juice - for natural sweetness
• 5 tablespoon cacao/cocoa powder - excellent detox  ( + 1 teaspoon cinnamon -optional)
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup - very low G.I
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or scrape out 2 vanilla pods. 

Add the whole lot of ingredients to a food processor or high seed blender, and blitz, continue to wipe the sides down with a spatula, and keep blending it until it's perfectly smooth.

It reminds me of Angel Delight, that I had as a kid, I often have this for breakfast with fruit on a hot summer day .

Healthy ice cream • Vegan • Raw • Soya Free

Ice cream is one of the best things to eat in summer & winter - in my opinion! 

I love it with hot steamed rhubarb, apples, pears, blackberries in winter ! Delicious! 

It's super simple to make too. 

Peel & chop some bananas, freeze .

Freeze any other berries you want to use, cherries, raspberries and blueberries are my personal favourite . 

Put in a high speed blender , of through a twin gear juicer on the Ice cream setting - we have a Tribest GreenStar. Stir in raisins / raw chocolate chips or cocoa powder . 

It comes out like sorbet/ ice creamy delicious dessert which you can freeze and store and then scoop ( leave it to soften on the counter for a couple of minutes) 

Raw Vegan Caramel Recipe • With Coconut oil , almond butter , maple syrup, agave • UK vegan food blog

I've been wanting to make some raw caramel for a while, to use in other recipes, and as a dip for the boys fruit, or as a topping on things , it was annoying me that I couldn't seem to think of what to use . 

In a food processor ( mine isn't that good, it was a really cheap one ) if you have the attachment for ' creaming ' use that, if not the regular blades should work . 

Add 2 teaspoons of Vanilla

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup Coconut butter

1/2 cup maple syrup ( dark and pure )

1/3 cup almond butter

2 teaspoons agave 

Put everything in the food processor , and blend, stopping to check every few minutes .everything at   the bottom / sides are bring mixed in ok - blend in food processor for around 5 minutes until it thickens .

It will become thick & gloopey like the Caramel you know and love ! 

( I made raw vegan " Snickers Bars" and " Toffee Crisp" style dessert snacks today and oh my goodness ! Amazing and healthy ! ) stay tuned for the recipe ! 

Healthy Courgette Zucchini Vegan Sushi Style Snack Idea for RAW vegans

Sometimes if I'm not that hungry and I just want a snack rather than a meal I make these " Sushi" courgette wraps that are totally raw , delicious and nutritious . 

To make them it's really easy , you just need a julienne slicer or one of the cheese slicers we have.

Slice the courgettes and lay them on a plate, mill fresh sea salt over them to take away the bitterness and leave for 30 mins • I usually make more than I need so I have some in the fridge ready to eat with other things •

Make the filling you'd like, I normally have home made guacamole - it's dense in loads of good fats, oils, protein, and vitamins . I'm sure most people have made guacamole , but invade you haven't : 

In a food processor:

2 or 3 avacardos - flesh scooped out / destoned 

2 chopped tomatoes (de-brained) 

One white onion sliced 

2 tbsp lemon juice 

Salt & pepper

Blitz in a food processor until its how you like it . I like mine chunky. 

I also like to have some Marigold B12 inactive yeast on hand so that I can sprinkle it on the courgette & guacamole before I roll it up . 

• note - wash the salt off the courgettes , and pat then dry , before you roll them up as they will be too salty •

These are really nice for picnics , work snacks , and for apertisers at a BBQ or party . 

Vegan Breakfast :Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Raw Protein Banana Milkshake & Raisan, Cacao Oat Cookies. | Suitable for Toddlers and Kids

I tend to get up earlier than the boys, and Pauly loves cookies, so I decided to think of a way of making some high protein cookies which are healthier, and to make a banana milkshake with Sunwarrior which tastes like a really delicious ice cream laden shake.



-Sunwarrior Protein Banana Shake.



Put 3 frozen Bananas, 1.5 cups Almond milk, 1 scoops Sunwarrior Warrior blend Vanilla, 1/4 ice , dash of vanilla extract in a blender and blitz until lumps are gone.



Cookies: Preheat oven to 160c

- 8oz of wholemeal Allisons Flour / or white gluten free flour.
- 4oz Flannigans Porridge Oats - Organic and Gluten free
- 8oz Pure spread
- 8oz Coconut sugar
- 4oz Raisins
-2 scoops of sunwarrior protein powder - optional. ( it's hit and miss, sometimes it tastes ok, sometimes not. )



Put everything in a mixing bowl and mix by hand, or in a mixer.



Roll into balls and press down on grease proof paper
Bake for 12-16 minutes.

Vegan protein balls recipe | raw foods | toddler snacks

Making Protein Ball Snacks | toddler finger food 

A few weeks ago I was trying to think of different things to make for Opeie and some things to take to work to nibble on, so I came up with Coconut , Brazil nut , date, almond & raisin balls. 

- 1/2 cup raisins

- 1/4 cup dates 

- 1/2 coconut / shredded

- 1/2 Brazil nuts

1/4 almonds

- coconut sugar 2tbsp

- agave to taste 

Blitz everything together in a food processor, until it makes a good dough consistency, put in the freezer for 10 mins , and then form into balls - then roll in either shredded coconut or cinnamon .

 

Raw vegan toddler snack ideas - Offering plate | Lunch | Dinner | snacks | Preschool

 Opeie can be picky when it comes to food. He loves cooked , mashed up vegetables that we make for him , but you can't have the same meal every single meal time .

I was reading on Dr Sears the other day about toddler meals and a balanced diet when I read something that basically said  as a parent we shouldn't aim for a balanced meal or day , BUT a balanced week of foods . Toddlers change their minds so frequently that you give them something on Monday and they can't get enough of it , and by Wednesday it's the most gross thing ever!

Opeie is strong willed, testing , and confident. He knows what he likes and pretends to know what he doesn't like - even if he's never even seen/ or tastes it before. 

I came up with idea a while ago to introduce " offering plates " to Opeie throughout the day , so he has something to eat , but at his pace and he gets to choose what he has. 

So far it's gone down well . He's been eating most of the food on the plates , so I've been happier .

 Opeie's really taken to eating from the 'Food Offering Plates' which are just silicone moulds, which I'm super happy about.  It's nice for him to be able to choose from a selection of foods I think, and have lots of different flavours and textures to try.

Babies ( and all humans really ) are better off not just having 3 'square' meals a day, we're better off eating every 2 hours, to keep your metabolism steady, and your energy levels up - I do this , and love it, as I get to eat more! Ha ha!

Opeie's been having 2 or 3 offering trays between his 'set' meals, but today as he'd eaten quite alot for breakfast and during the mornings snack offering trays, I decided to do his lunch on one, as he has a small tummy and we couldn't expect him to eat lots, he's also had quite alot of breastfeeds during the morning too.

Opeie seems to be really enjoying the new food experience, and he likes playing with the small sections, moving the food around as he eats it, and dipping bits.

His favourite are the raw peanut butter cups, and gluten free bread sticks, along with fruit, houmous and pretzels.

Organic Banana Dairy Free Ice Cream Lollies | Vegan | Soya Free |Gluten free | For Children

With Opeie and I being Vegan, minus soya (and most gluten 99% of the time ) , Seth and Pauly being on limited dairy I wanted to think of a way to get them to be able to Enjoy a frozen dessert that's not a sugary / fructose syrup sorbet type thing .

So I came up with the idea of freezing bananas and sticking them on Ice lolly sticks initially .

Here's how I made them-   ( It seems pretty simple, but they can go wrong!)

Chop/ break up peeled bananas to the size you'd like - I do some smaller for Opeie as he's only a toddler.

Push lolly sticks into the bases of the bananas. Be careful not to push them too far - if if comes out the other end the banana will break up & it won't be a lolly .

Pop them in a air tight bag and freeze for an hour or two .

Remove from freezer and enjoy ... Or....

As a really indulgent treat - I like to add a layer of melted chocolate - either home made organic Raw chocolate or Organic Moo Free chocolate .

I melted around 3/4 of a 100g bar of  Moo Free Chocolate over a pan of boiling water . 

Once melted - and not hot , roll the bananas around in the melted chocolate , or drizzle the chocolate over with a spoon . As the bananas are frozen the chocolate should set immediately - if not within a minute .

Pop in a zip lock bag and store for 1 month maximum - these last about 1 week in our house- we all love them ! Enjoy !

Comment below with your vegan ideas for desserts !