FINYS FABULOUS FOODS AND FINDS

I am not a vegan, however I am avoiding making recipes that have processed sugar in them.  This can be quite difficult at times, as all my favourites do have sugar in them. Unfortunately I have a sweet tooth, so after being diagnosed with high sugar levels, I decided I had to stop eating cakes, biscuits and desserts which I had on most days! I then went down the path of making sweet morsels that had fruit in them.  I realise that the fruit still has sugar in it, however it is not processed and therefore possibly healthier than ordinary sugar. I mostly use coconut sugar or similar in these recipes, however am now making ones that do not require any added sugar as the sweetness comes from the dried fruit.  These are not as sweet as commercial cakes and biscuits, however in time I have got used to having bliss balls, or raw sweets to satisfy my sweet tooth. It is with all this in mind, that I made these raw apricot slices.  I often use either dried apric...

I am not a vegan, and I am no longer even a vegetarian - I eat little red meat, and have a lot of milk and cheese. However, now, as I have often said, my lovelies, I have had to cut down on the amount of sugar I eat, so am always trying new low fat, no added sugar desserts and snacks. This is actually a vegan recipe, I believe, however that was co-incidence.  Often these raw desserts are vegan, and nearly always they are delicious. It is another recipe that needed to be made several times to get the consistency correct, but hey, I love creating and experimenting.  This one I had tasted a similar one at a friend's place, however she had bought it and did not quite know what was in it! This recipe does have some maple syrup in it, and I always buy the pure maple syrup as the cheaper one is more processed.  Even though "sugar is sugar" regardless of how it is presented, I really believe that using a natural sugar like maple syrup, or coconut sugar, is far healthier....

Raw is currently the rage in cooking!  I have made some interesting recipes, though I have to admit some of them have failed! It is not so easy to get the right quantities of ingredients so that the sweet or dessert will not fall apart. I make a lot of bliss balls, as currently I am not eating much with refined sugar in them, and most of these raw desserts have no added processed sugars. This one also has chia seeds in it.  I love the texture of these seeds, and they are so easy to use in a variety of sweets and puddings.  They are also supposedly another of the new "super foods".  Their health properties include such things as Omega-3, antioxidants, fibre, iron and calcium.  They also contain some protein and are versatile in that they can be eaten both cooked or raw.  However they should be added to another food or soaked before eating them. Raw foods are the latest health craze and many of them use obscure ingredients.  However this recipe...

SO YOU WANT TO EAT HEALTHY? Quinoa is one of the latest healthy seeds which can be cooked or sprouted, if you want a totally raw food.  It is supposedly a "super food" but then again, half the "new" foods that are brought out, are said to be "super foods". Quinoa is said to be a great source of protein, and even  includes nine amino acids.  Quinoa is also low in fat and carbohydrates, making it great if you are on a diet! In this recipe I have used another "super food" - Chia seeds.  So this, my lovelies, must be a SUPER recipe! I also used almonds which have wonderful health properties, and this recipe tastes excellent, as well as being easy to make and obviously healthy. You could eat it as a main if you are vegetarian, or have it as an accompaniment to a meat or chicken meal. Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Makes: 3-4 servings Ingredients 2/3 cup quinoa (any colour) 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced 2 ...