This is SUCH an easy recipe and just the thing for a day like today, in the garden, after work…I’ve adapted it from Patrick Holford’s recipe in Food Glorious Food. I served this lemonade recently at a dinner and people just couldn’t get enough. If you or whoever is to drink the lemonade doesn’t like “bits”, strain the lemon juice before adding to the syrup. The lemon/xylitol syrup base will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
For 4 servings:
Juice of 2 lemons
2 heaped tbs xylitol/erythritol or (for zero calorie or ketogenic diet) 20 drops of pure stevia or to taste
50ml clean water (filtered if possible)
750 ml mineral water, fizzy or still, whatever you prefer
A sprig of mint, lemon balm or a slice of lemon to decorate
Ice cubes, if liked
If you are using stevia instead, you don’t need to make xylitol syrup at all. Otherwise, place the xylitol and 50ml water in a small pan and warm till the xylitol is dissolved fully. This prevents the sweetener sitting uselessly at the bottom of the jug or glass.
While the xylitol/erythritol is dissolving, squeeze the lemons, discarding any pips.
Allow the xylitol/erythritol syrup to cool slightly before mixing with the lemon juice.
Put the lemon juicesyrup mix in a jug in the fridge until ready to use.
Top up with 750ml mineral water and enjoy, preferably in the sun…
Why this is good for you Natural, freshly squeezed lemon juice gives fantastic support to your liver to help cleanse toxins. Provided the lemon juice isn’t heated, its also high in vitamin C. So if you want clear, glowing skin or to boost immunity or stay younger longer, this is a pretty good “treat” drink. Lemon juice is very low in natural sugars and xylitol doesn’t raise blood sugar. And stevia drops which a natural calorie-free are even better. This means this lemonade is fine for anyone who has diabetes or other blood sugar regulation problems (like energy or mood peaks and dips through the day). It also won’t send your kids hyperactive like normal fruit juices or added-sugar drinks.
Lemon juice aids detoxification because it is (when raw) packed with antioxidants (ever stop a cut apple from browning or oxidising by smearing it with lemon juice?). It is also alkalising (once metabolised, it promotes alkaline pH in your body tissues – this is important if you want to be well. Most vegetables and fruits promote alkaline (healthful) pH balance in you!! Milk, cheese, meat, fish and most grains are acid-promoting in your body. You need lots of fruit and veg to balance them.
This is my absolute favourite juice of the moment. You need a masticating juicer like the Samson from www.juicers.ie for juicing leafy greens. If you can get organic produce (especially spinach) so much the better. Non-organic spinach is one of top 3 most agri-chemical contaminated produce so its best avoided unless organic.
For 1 approximately 250ml serving
1/2 cucumber, including skin
3cm peeled ginger root
2 celery sticks
3 kale leaves (optional)
Large handful baby spinach or green cabbage leaves (cabbage is great for healing your gut)
Juice 1/2 lime or 1 dsp fresh lemon juice
Optional (for sweetness): 1 small apple, skin and all
Optional (for sweetness): A few drops of stevia to taste (see my “larder & shopping” section on this blog) to sweeten
Why this recipe is good for you: Because its contains ginger, lemon/lime and lots of magnesium-rich chlorophyll (greens) this will turbo charge your liver and aid detoxification. The natural enzymes in the raw, fresh juice aid digestion and help reduce inflammation in your digestive system, joints and more. Green vegetable based juices are much more beneficial than fruit juices because they are lower in sugars. Massive amounts of sugars (even from natural sources like fruit) slow liver function and aren’t conducive to 100% health. Refined sugars are more problematic still. Did you know that your thymus glads production of T-cells to fight infection is significantly lowered every time you eat sugar. A peer-reviewed study showed this. No wonder so many people get sick after Christmas, Easter and other sugury feasts that go on for days!
I sometimes also call this Dracula juice in order to get kids to try it. For first time vegetable juice tasters, I usually add apple juice (and less beetroot) to make it taste a little more familiar, though its pretty sweet anyway. If you want to make a big batch and have some for the next day, just store in an airtight jar in the fridge, adding a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The potent antioxidants in the lemon juice keep the juice fresher longer.
Using a masticating juicer like the Samson single auger juicer retains more nutrients but you will still get a decent juice from an ordinary rotary juicer (the type that spins and grates instead of gently crushing).
Do have this juice with some protein. Otherwise the hit of sugars (natural sugars in the root veg) causes spikes in blood sugar which are bad news if you want to look and feel your best.
To make about 350ml juice (2 servings)
5 medium/large carrots (about 500-600g in all)
1 small beetroot
2-3 sticks of celery, with leaves
2-3cm knob of ginger, peeled
Optional: generous squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
Juice ingredients
Why this is good for you Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which gives your skin a natural golden glow and helps prevent acne and other skin problems. It’s also an important antioxidant for your liver and immune system. Beetroot is rich in betaine, chromium and iron. These also help your liver clear the many toxins it has to metabolise every day to keep you well. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-infection spice that soothes your digestive system too. The vegetables are rich in potassium, which helps your natural thyroid hormone action at cellular level. This is one of the reasons why eating a veggie rich diet helps you feel more energetic, cheerful, and motivated as well as helping your hair. Yes, your hair can thin if you don’t feed yourself potassium-rich foods (veg) to help your thyroid keep hair thick and strong. Like fruit, this juice is high in natural sugars so is best with a protein-containing meal or snack so it doesn’t cause erratic blood sugar levels. Erratic blood sugar levels can cause peaks and dips in energy and mood.
This is a chocolate cake that I’d call a crowd-pleaser. It’s really easy and even healthy enough to eat for breakfast. It disappeared within half an hour yesterday when I brought it in to clinic for the other practitioners. It’s really moist and rich though it contains no oil or butter. Unless you know, you could never tell it was made using beans. If you can, use organic ingredients, especially the eggs and the orange zest. I adapted this from the original recipe on atastylovestory.com. The cooled cake stays really moist for at least 2 days if you store it in an airtight container.
1 heaped plus 1 level tbs cocoa powder
1 heaped plus 1 level tbs brown or white rice flour, organic if possible
1 rounded tsp aluminium-free baking powder*
1 x 400g tin of black beans, rinsed and drained (or soak 180g beans overnight then boil till very soft, cool before using)
3 large eggs
150g erythritol or xylitol (use 100g if you like your cakes only slightly sweet)
1 espresso shot (25-30ml) strong dandelion coffee or coffee
½ tsp vanilla extract
Juice and zest from ½ a medium sized (organic if possible) orange
A pinch of Himalayan or Atlantic sea salt
50g fresh or thawed frozen raspberries or dark chocolate (70% cocoa) chopped into pieces about the size of raisins
1 small loaf tin
Silicon or greaseproof paper
A little oil for greasing the tin
1. Preheat oven to 180C (165C fan oven). Grease and line the base of the loaf tin with a rectangle of paper.
2. Sieve the rice flour, cocoa and baking soda together into a bowl.
3. Blend all the ingredients except the chocolate in a food processor or blender (put liquid ingredients in first, then add beans gradually to help everything go round) until the mixture is smooth. The mixture will seem really runny.
4. Pour batter into a greased, parchment-lined loaf tin. Spread raspberries or chocolate pieces across the surface pressing in with a teaspoon.
5. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. It’s done when the point of a knife or cooking needle comes out clean when you stick it into the middle of the cake. Set aside to cool completely before removing it from the tin.
Note: If you decide to make 2 loaves together this will increase the baking time to around 50 minutes.
*Aluminium in baking powder or bread soda is often listed as “flow agent” or “anti-caking agent”
Why this recipe is better for you The beans in this recipe contain soluble fibre which is a valuable food source for the friendly gut bacteria you need for healthy immunity. Healthy immunity means great defences against pathogens AND not having autoimmune/inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, eczema, hypothyroidism, Crohns or arthritis.
This cake is protein-rich and grain-free, which means it will keep you fuller for longer and not cause spikes in blood sugar (and energy) in the way that “normal” cakes do. It’s low GI, meaning it doesn’t load you up with sugar and deplete essential vitamins and minerals. This is important if you want a tip top immune system and to keep your stress levels low. Xylitol is a healthier alternative to sugar and can safely be used by people with diabetes.
Dandelion coffee is literally the dried, roasted roots of the dandelion plant. It helps support your liver and gallbladder function to help digestion and even your skin. Buy pre-ground dandelion coffee from www.intelligenttea.ie or from health stores dandelion coffee to grind at home. Do avoid “instant” dandelion coffee products they are packed with immune-sabotaging sugars like lactose or dextrose.
Aluminium is an additive in most baking powder and a lot of bread sodas – its used to prevent clumping. Unfortunately aluminium is a “heavy metal” which means it interferes with the body’s ability to utilise nutrients. This can result in a range of issues such as digestive difficulties or low mood.
Using an organic orange and organic eggs means you get less exposure to pesticides. Pesticides are concentrated on the skins or peels or fruit and also in fatty parts of animal produce (eg. egg yolks). Non-organic hens housed in cramped conditions are routinely dusted with pesticides as they are prone to ticks and mites. These chemicals are absorbed through the skin and by inhaling and a certain amount ends up in the eggs. Pesticides are drawn to the fat rich tissues of the body such as nerves and brain. This may be why (non-organic) farmers and agricultural workers have a higher rate of Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases compared to the normal population.
I love this with Christmas pud or mince pies. This is a brilliant substitute for dairy cream and is naturally sweet. You want a mini food processor or a spice/coffee grinder to make this easily. I think these 2 gadgets are the best pieces of kit you can get for your kitchen if you want to eat lots of easy-to-prepare interesting and healthy food. Alternatively a mortar and pestle and a lot of effort would work. This “cream” keeps for at least 3 days in the fridge, covered. If it dries out a bit, just add a little water and mix well to smooth it out.
3 servings
½ cup unsalted unroasted cashew nuts
1 cup filtered water
A few drops of vanilla extract
Grinder or pestle-and-mortar method (for an even smoother consistency):
Do not soak the cashews but grind finely, then beat in the water and vanilla essence with a whisk.
If you want it thinner add more water, thicker add more ground nuts.
Mini food processor method:
Soak cashew nuts overnight in the cup of filtered water
Blitz all ingredients in a miniature food processor until it reaches a creamy consistency. Add more water to thin if you like.
Tip: You can make a similar “cream” using soaked and peeled almonds.
Why this is good for you: Cashew nuts contain some protein and beneficial fats which help balance blood sugar, reducing the tendency to binge eat.. This is particularly great if you are serving with mince pies, plum pud or other high carb foods. Cashews are also rich in magnesium, which helps keep mood chilled, spirits high, blood pressure normal and much much more. People need lots of magnesium-rich foods at Christmas, when alcohol, white flour and sugar deplete this nutrient.
This is a delicious, short, sweetish pastry. I used it to make mince pies this week and they were fantastic. Your have to be careful though that they don’t burn. Placing a baking sheet above the pies on the next shelf of the oven (about an inch above the top of the pies) is the best way to prevent burning. The crust will be quite thick as its tricky to roll out without breaking. If you have a food processor, use it to make the pastry. It’s a doddle!
Makes 9 mince pies, with covers
100g finely ground almonds (or raw hazelnuts instead, ground finely in your spice grinder or mini food processor)
65g gluten-free oat flour from health stores (or make your own in a food processor/grinder using GF oatflakes). If you’re not coeliac or gluten-sensitive, normal oat flour is fine.
A little extra oat flour or brown rice flour for rolling out the pastry
1 level teaspoon xanthan gum
25g virgin coconut oil
1 dsp virgin macadamia oil or light olive oil
1 level dsp honey (use a hot spoon and a knife to measure)
1½ – 2 tbs iced water
Patty tin
A metal baking sheet
Pastry cutters, ideally a 7.5cm circular one and a star shape (or 5.5cm circular one)
A jar of my home-made mincemeat (recipe posted separately)
Combine ground almonds, xanthan gum and oat flour and mix well. Rub in the coconut oil (you can do this in a food processor if you want) until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Add the macadamia/light olive oil, the honey, and the iced water and blend again.
Roll out the pastry on a board floured with rice or GF oat flour.
Grease your patty tins with a little coconut oil. Cut out pastry circles to fit and line the tins with these.
Add about a heaped tsp mincemeat (or a little more) per pie. Press together and roll out the pastry remnants. Cut out smaller circles or star shapes and top the pies with these. There’s no need to seal the edges, just press the tops down lightly to flatten a little.
Bake at 200C/185C fan with a metal baking sheet placed just above the pies, on the next rack of the oven, for about 15 minutes. The baking sheet above the pies reduces burning. If they are getting too brown, remove from the oven, otherwise leave in for another 5 minutes.
If you choose to use my crumble topping for mince pies instead of using pastry covers, bake at 180c/165 fan oven so the almond flakes dont burn.
Why this is better for you: So what’s the difference between oats and gluten-free oats? Oats are usually contaminated with gluten grains like wheat and barley because they are harvested in the same hoppers and crops may be rotated. Gluten-free oats are grown and harvested completely seperately from gluten grains. They are batch tested for purity and that’s why they can be certified gluten-free.
The pastry in these pies uses mostly healthy oils that are good for health and vitality. Coconut oil in particular, is safe, even when heated to 200C. That means it won’t contribute to excessive ageing, skin breakouts, or weight gain. The special fats (medium chain triglycerides) contained in coconut oil are burned directly by your body instead of being stored as fat. Good news for Christmas waistlines! Oats are of course a wholegrain and are rich in chromium and fibre. This, and the protein content of the almonds, helps regulate blood sugar levels, keeping your mood and energy more stable. Almonds contain magnesium which is important for a happy, stress-free mood. That said, cooking any nuts or ground nuts damages their healthy oils so this is not an everyday recipe, but a occasional treat recipe.
I usually only post once a week but as Christmas is coming and I don’t want all you healthy eaters or those with food intolerances to feel deprived I’m stepping up the pace for a week or two. This pudding, adapted from the recipe in Rose Cousins “Cooking Without”, is fabulous. It’s lighter in texture than standard pudding and is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. If you have a problem with eggs, it can also be made egg-free. These quantities make 3 puddings each serving 4 people. I make these in advance and stick them in the freezer until Christmas Eve. On occasion I have eaten the last Christmas pudding at Easter and its still lovely…
Don’t forget to check “larder & shopping” section for unusual ingredients
1 portion Xmas Cake recipe (posted separately last week)
20ml/2 level dsp gluten-free baking powder (GF baking powder is usually free from nasty anti-caking agents made from aluminium so is much healthier)
2 large carrots, finely grated
225g cooking apples, peeled & grated (eating apples don’t give a good texture)
A little oil (eg light olive oil, coconut oil) to grease your pudding basins
Greaseproof or silicon paper to cover the pudding basins with, and string to secure
Ceramic pudding basins
1. Mix the Christmas cake as per recipe.
2. Mix in carrots, apples, baking powder.
3. Divide into greased pudding basins, depending on the size of pudding you require.
4. Steam or pressure cook. The 4-person pudding takes 3 minutes in a pressure cooker, 2 hours over boiling water or (if you must) 12 minutes in a microwave.
To reheat your (thawed overnight) puds when you need them:
Steam for 1 hour or microwave (if you must) for 5 minutes on high. I have to admit to heating my puds in our seldom-used microwave just to save hassle on Christmas day. Microwaving causes changes to food that damages your DNA* but when it’s only once a year I think, what the hell…
Why this recipe is better for you: Although the large quantity of (naturally sugary) dried fruit means this pudding can never be a vitality enhancing food it IS better for you than the normal one. It is free from refined sugar. It is also aluminium-free (as it uses GF baking powder), good news for your long-term brain and digestive wellness. Cooking apples are a rich source of pectin, which helps mop up and neutralise toxins in your gut. Pectin is a soluble fibre that feeds beneficial bacteria. Carrots are a rich source of beta carotene, which helps give your skin a beautiful, natural golden glow. Beta carotene from orange/red foods in your diet also helps prevent against acne and digestive disorders. Using macadamia, or even light olive oil for cooking means your pudding is not laden with toxic trans fats. Trans fats are generated when polyunsaturated oils (eg. “vegetable” oil, sunflower, rapeseed and other nut/seed oils) are processed by the manufacturer or heated by you.
*Damage to DNA initiates premature ageing, cancer, ME/chronic fatigue syndrome and more. That is one of the reasons why microwaved food is never a health-enhancing choice.
Don’t know about you but I’m really looking forward to Christmas and have started my baking already. This recipe is the nicest mincemeat and doesn’t boil over during baking. It’s adapted from Rose Cousin’s “Cooking Without” recipe book for people avoiding gluten or dairy. But I’ve been making it for years because I love it. Store this mincemeat in a sterile glass jar. If you intend to store for more than a couple of weeks, allow the mincemeat to cool a little before adding a tablespoon of brandy/whiskey. Mix well just before bottling. You can sterilise jars by boiling the lids in water and heating the jars themselves to around 80C in the oven for 15 minutes.
Organic where possible:
450g peeled cored eating (not cooking) apples – Cox’s are fantastic for flavour
225g unsulphured sultanas
225g unsulphured raisins
110g dried mixed peel (if you avoid citrus, or want to 100% avoid the refined sugar in the peel, use currants or chopped unsulphured apricots instead.
Rind and juice of 1 orange, organic is possible (if avoiding citrus, use apple juice instead)
¼ teaspoon allspice
Level tsp Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 level tsp nutmeg
A little cloudy apple juice
1. Mix together all the ingredients in a large cooking pot with lid
2. Simmer very gently ½ hour
Pastry recipes:
This one’s dairy free, gluten-free https://www.annacollins.ie/gorgeous-gluten-free-mince-pies/
This gluten-free one is made with butter https://www.annacollins.ie/fantastic-buttery-gluten-free-pastry-for-pies-tarts-and-mince-pies/. If you are sensitive to dairy products then you can use clarified butter for the pastry. Make this by very gently heating the butter, skim off the foam on the top and chill in a tall drinking glass or jug, then allow to solidify. You will use only the solid part to make your pastry. Discard the white iquid part underneath – that’s where the problematic milk proteins (which provoke the reaction) are found.
When baking your mince pies
Bake 20-25 mins at 200C (185C fan) until golden
You can use an egg wash to stick the pastry tops on the pies.
Put a baking tray over the next rack in the oven so the pies cook evenly through.
Why this is (somewhat) better for you: While I’d love to say this is a health-giving recipe I can’t really because its very high in natural sugars. Although it doesn’t contain refined sugar it IS very high in natural sugars from the dried fruit. BUT this mincemeat is free of low grade oils (like vegetable suet or sunflower oil) and refined sugar – both of which fire up inflammation in you. If you choose organic dried fruit you avoid sulphur dioxide (preservative) that wreaks havoc on so many peoples digestion around Christmas time. This preservative is converted by pathogenic bacteria in your bowel into irritating sulphites, which can cause gas, bloating and general unwellness in your gut. Non-organic grapes (raisins etc) are also very heavily contaminated with herbicides such a glyphosate that cause your gut to leak toxins and undigested food into your bloodstream.(increased intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation). This process predisposes to and perpetuates inflammatory conditions from autoimmunity to mood issues and many more besides. Choosing food free of undesirable contaminants is a great step towards better health. Here’s to a happy and a healthy Christmas. I will certainly be eating some (gluten-free) mince pies…
We continued to use our glut of cooking apples yesterday and ate this warm out of the oven. You could use eating apples (such as French golden delicious) instead of cookers, in which case you don’t need to sweeten the apples at all. If you have one, use a food processor to blitz the oats to make the crumble super-nice. If you don’t have one, use gluten-free oat flour from the health shop (if you can eat gluten, standard oat flour is fine). You can buy miniature food processors in Argos or department stores and save yourself time and effort.
For 6 people:
1 kg cooking apples
1 tbs water
20 drops stevia (or 2 rounded tbs xylitol)
Alternatively use 1kg sweet eating apples (e.g. French golden delicious) and omit the stevia/xylitol
Optional: handful of blackberries Remember to check out my larder & shopping section for unusual ingredients
Crumble topping:
100g (1¼ cups) gluten-free porridge oats or gluten-free oat flour (or normal porridge oats/oat flour if you can eat gluten)
50g (1/2 cup) ground almonds
40g (3 level tbs) virgin coconut oil
1-2 rounded dsp xylitol (amount depends how sweet you like the topping)
1. Into a large saucepan put 1 tbs water and 20 drops of stevia (or the xylitol). Put on a low heat to warm while you peel and slice the apples into the pan. Stir around to make sure the stevia/xylitol is evenly distributed. Cover and cook gently for around 10 minutes until the apples are softened.
2. Preheat oven to 170C (for fan oven, for non-fan oven, 185C)
3. Meanwhile make the crumble. Blitz the porridge oats in the food processor or use the gluten-free oat flour. Tip into a bowl with the ground almonds, a dessertspoon of xylitol/coconut sugar and the coconut oil. Chop the coconut oil into the mix with a knife until it resembles breadcrumbs. Taste for sweetness and, if you like, add another dessertspoon of xylitol/coconut sugar and mix around.
4. Grease a 20x30cm pyrex dish or roasting tin – a bit smaller or larger won’t matter much but this size gives you a nice depth of dessert.
5. Empty the cooked apples into the dish and flatten with a spoon. Scatter the crumble evenly over the top.
6. Cook in the oven for around 30 minutes until slightly golden.
6. Serve on its own or with one of the following:
Dairy-free: natural coconut yoghurt (e.g. Abbot Kinneys or Coyo) sweetened with a few drops of vanilla extract
Dairy: a blob of Greek yoghurt
Variations:
Instead of 100g oats you can use 50g gluten free oat flakes and 50g buckwheat flakes, all blitzed in the food processor to a coarse flour. If you are able to eat gluten, you can also buy oat flour in health stores and use this instead. NB. Unless certified gluten-free, oats are often contaminated with wheat (gluten).
Add a pinch of ground cloves and a teaspoon of cinnamon to the apple mixture for extra health benefits and delicious fragrance
You could also use coconut sugar instead of xylitol for extra caramel flavour and crunch – its delicious and contains some minerals.
Why this is better for you: Apples, especially cooking apples, are a rich source of a soluble fibre called pectin. Soluble fibres like pectin feed beneficial bacteria in your gut. Pectin binds to harmful toxins (e.g. mercury from dental fillings and tune, or arsenic from non-organic rice) in the bowel. This makes them inert and aids their excretion. Oats also contain soluble fibre. Coconut oil is a rich source of medium chain triglycerides that help boost energy rather than being stored as body fat. Unlike most other oils, coconut oil is stable at high temperatures and so is safe to use in cooking. Using pure stevia (as herb) as your zero calorie sweetener for the apples is a 100% healthy form of sweetening. Xylitol is made from birch tree sap and causes fewer spikes in blood sugar than “normal” sugar or honey. I use xylitol for the crumble as stevia didn’t really seem to sweeten the topping enough when I experimented with it. Sweeteners such as xylitol, honey, coconut sugar, molasses and maple syrup are still not actively good for you though, so sweetened foods like this dessert are best kept for occasional treats not everyday eating
These are like a cross between a cake and a flapjack and are great for lunchboxes if you feel the need to put baked treats in. You can also eat them warm, topped with a dollop of natural coconut yoghurt or (for dairy) Greek sheep’s yoghurt with a few drops of vanilla extract stirred in. For these, I adapted Theodora Fitzgibbon’s apple flakemeal layer cake recipe into a traybake and swapped butter for virgin coconut oil.
Makes 16 squares For unusual ingredients, see “larder & shopping”.
325g cooking apples
1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
A generous pinch of nutmeg, if you have it
30g raisins
50g virgin coconut oil (or butter, if you eat dairy)
1½ rounded tbs rounded tbs honey
1 rounded dsp blackstrap molasses
175g gluten-free porridge oats (or normal if you eat gluten)
Grated rind of an organic lemon (if you cant get organic, scrub in hot water before using)
Juice ½ lemon
1 egg
Turn on the oven to 180C (165C fan).
Line a 20-20cm baking tray or brownie tin with greased baking paper.
In a large saucepan on a very low heat gently melt the honey, molasses and coconut oil. A tip for getting the honey or molasses easily off the spoon is to heat the spoon first in a jug of boiling water.
Meanwhile chop the raisins, peel and grate the apples and mix everything together with the lemon juice and rind. The antioxidants in the lemon prevent the apples turning brown. When the oil and honey mixture is melted, add the oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, apple mixture to the saucepan and mix to combine. Finally, beat the egg, add in and mix lightly.
Turn the mixture into the prepared tin, even out and smooth down with a knife or spatula and bake, checking after about 20 minutes. It should take around 30 minutes and be only very slightly browned on top and at the edges. It will still be moist and a little springy to the touch.
Why this recipe is better for you: Virgin coconut oil is a healthy oil rich in medium chain triglycerides that help increase energy levels in your body and brain rather than being stored as fat in your body. Cooking apples are a very rich source of pectin, which binds to toxic materials in the bowel until they can be eliminated safely. Both apples and oats contain soluble fibre which nourishes beneficial bacteria in the gut. Beneficial bacteria help support immunity, clear skin and regulate bowel function. Honey, molasses and almost all other sweeteners are still high in natural sugars so if you want the ideal diet, aim not to eat them more than a couple of times a week. For transitioning from a high sugar to a low sugar diet though, these are ideal. Molasses is high in iron and chromium so it does have some benefits as well as its lovely toffee flavour. Stevia is the only exception to this as it contains no sugars at all and is 100% healthy.
