Are you familiar with KIND snack bars? I used to eat these daily while working at the office. They made for a great morning or afternoon snack, while being one of the more healthy bars you can purchase. But if you read the ingredients list, you will see that not only do the KIND bars have honey, they are have glucose syrup AND sugar added to them. That’s 3 kinds of sweeteners! Totally unnecessary in my opinion. Now that I’m working from home, I try to eat as healthy as possible during the week, and then I eat whatever I want on the weekend. So I wanted to make a nut snack bar that will take care of those afternoon cravings, while nourishing the body. Enter these Healthy Cashew Coconut Bars!
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Blueberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal
If you’re in need of switching up your breakfast game, give this Blueberry Coconut Baked Oatmeal a go! It’s special while not being fussy, and can be mostly prepared the day before if desired.
I’ve always loved having oats in some form for my breakfast, whether they’re in porridge, granola or overnight oats. But baked oatmeal is a game changer! Packed with nuts, chia seeds and fruit, this breakfast will keep you going and give you lots of energy to go about your day.
I must admit, my first experience with baked oatmeal several years ago was not a good one! I found a recipe for strawberry rhubarb baked oatmeal and followed it exactly as written. Unfortunately, instead of the outside being delightfully toasted with a soft center, my baked oatmeal turned out to be a sloppy mess. There was way too much liquid and juice from the fruit, and I didn’t touch another baked oatmeal recipe for a long time after that! Fortunately, I decided to give it another go and got the consistency right.
Coconut & Mango Chia Pudding
We’re almost at the end of 2017! It’s been a very dramatic year for me, I can only hope 2018 will be a lot calmer. Still, I am very thankful to be ending the year on a high, and with my beautiful Mum by my side. The past week has been super indulgent for me,…
Raspberry Chia Coconut Yoghurt from Cathedral Cove Naturals
I have fond memories of the first time I discovered the Cathedral Cove Naturals brand. I was on a road trip with my best friend and we stopped in Hahei for the day. I saw that there was a macadamia orchard there, so of course we stopped and met with the founder, Hamish Pilkington, who was only too kind to give us a sample of each of his products. Along with the macadamias, I took home a bag of the Lightly Toasted Organic Muesli, and fell in love with the flavour and the simple, natural ingredients.
That trip was some years ago now, and since then I’ve lived mostly in New York City. I returned back to Auckland this August and on a supermarket trip I saw a jar of Cathedral Cove Naturals Coconut Yoghurt on the shelf. Of course I had to try it! It was the Raspberry Chia Coconut Yoghurt and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Super creamy, with the tang of the raspberries, and a distinct coconut flavour, this yogurt was divine just by itself.
Summer Offerings at Dominique Ansel Bakery
At my office, we always celebrate birthdays with a cake of that person’s choosing, and I usually bake it the night before to bring in the next day. This past Monday was my birthday, and since I’m the only one out of my colleagues who bakes, they let me choose a bakery to purchase a…
Matcha Coconut Energy Balls
Matcha and Coconut are two of my favorite things. It was only a matter of time before I put the two together to create a satisfying treat. These energy balls are raw vegan, and come together in a matter of minutes. Matcha ( a special form of green tea from Japan) has many health benefits and also gives you a boost thanks to the caffeine. Matcha is made from high quality tea and the leaves are ground down into a fine powder. Because whole leaves are injected, this makes Matcha a more potent source of nutrients than green tea. It is rich in antioxidants that can help prevent cancer and heart disease, and can help to regulate sugar levels in the body.
This Pie Is Nuts
This Pie Is Nuts is a range of healthy pies and granola, which are free from preservatives and are nourishing for the body. I first tried these delectable pies at the Bryant Park Holiday Market and I got to meet the pie creator herself, Diana. The pies come cutely packaged as individual squares and the flavors are Key Lime, Chocolate Mousse, Purely Pumpkin, Coconut Cream and Sweet Potato & Ginger.
I chose a Key Lime pie and a Coconut Cream pie. The Key Lime was definitely my favorite, with its zesty tartness mixed with creaminess. Pie perfection. The Coconut Cream was really luscious, with flakes of unsweetened coconut adorning the top of the pie.
Authentic Isan Thai Food at Larb Ubol
Larb Ubol, in Hell’s Kitchen, serves up authentic Isan Thai food that will have you coming back for more. Isan, a region in northeast Thailand, dominates the food scene across the entire country despite containing only 30% of the population.
I ordered the Larb Moo (pork) salad ($9), which consists of finely ground pork, shallots, fresh mint, scallions, cilantro, chili powder and lime dressing. Larb is a Thai salad, although instead of a vegetable salad, it’s a meat salad. If I’d never had a taste explosion before now, this dish would definitely cause one. Upon first bite, I exclaimed ‘wow!’ It was like being hit in the face with a fish. But in a really good way! The flavours in this dish really delight the senses: you have spicy, salty, sweet and sour all in the same plate. Make sure to order a side of sticky rice.
Easter Macaroon Nests
Happy Easter everyone! This year I really wanted to make some macaroon nests and fill them with chocolate eggs. They just look so cute and I love pretty much anything with coconut! I experimented with the egg whites. The first batch was a runny disaster, as I didn’t beat the egg whites enough and added…
Gelato from Takapuna Beach Cafe & Store
The gelato at Takapuna Beach Cafe & Store is multi award-winning, and I can now see why. If you’re a coconut fan, you can’t go past the Coconut Vanilla gelato. This stuff is seriously some of the best gelato I have ever tried, and that is saying something considering I’ve lived in New York City…