Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar   (10 Servings)   

This healthy, protein-rich treat gets the seal of approval from both of my kids (who usually have half of an adult serving) and my husband.  You could change the flavor to suit by adding a small amount of cocoa powder when mixing, adding roughly chopped nuts or dried fruit or seeds of choice.  The sky is the limit really when it comes to flavor possibilities!

Ingredients:

-100g dates
-100g raw almonds
-100g desiccated coconut
-1 tbsp. honey

200g plain unflavoured whey protein (I used Red 8)
90mL water 

100g Whittaker’s Dark Ghana 72% Chocolate, chopped

Method:

-Process first 4 ingredients in the food processor until almonds are well ground and the mixture is beginning to stick together
-Add Protein powder and pulse until incorporated
-Add water until the mixture becomes sticky enough to easily roll into a ball with the fingers 
-Tip out into a large bowl, and mix the chocolate through by hand
-Press into a square container lined with baking paper.  Press top down well.
-Lift out onto a chopping board and chop into 10 equal pieces (it stays together pretty well, so this should be easy, if not you may not have used enough water).

Per serving:

-296 calories
-20g protein
-16.6g total fat
-19.8g carbohydrate

Grain-free Hot Cross Muffins (Makes ~12)

This Easter I wanted to make a tasty treat that would fulfill the urge for a kitchen full of delicious spicy scents, and something festive to put in my kids' school lunches.  I tend to make muffins around once a week to fill the lunchboxes, so I figured I might as well put crosses on them this week to embrace Easter.  Here is what I came up with.  These are not traditional yeasty Hot Cross Buns, but they are pretty delicious!

Blend in the food processor until well mixed and creamy (or mix with a cake mixer or stick blender):

2 cups almond meal
1 large spoonful of honey (a scant 1/4 cup, or just a huge blob from the jar!)
5 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 rounded tsp. cinnamon
1 rounded tsp. mixed spice
1 rounded tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Stir through by hand:

1 apple, grated (or in my case, random bits of apple cut of the windfall from our trees)
Dried fruit or peel of choice (my kids and husband hate dried fruit in muffins, so I left theirs without, and mine had sultanas)
Finely chopped 70% or darker chocolate (optional, to taste)

-Bake in silicon muffin cases at 160 degrees C for approx. 15-20 minutes (I don't time it so I am guessing!)
-Remove from cases and cool on a wire rack
-When lukewarm, pipe crosses onto the top using melted 70% or darker chocolate.