Pregnancy SUMMER Treats
When you are pregnant you want eat the best food you can, as of course you are eating for both baby and yourself. We're told not to eat too much sugar or processed food (good advice) but often we crave something sweet, and something chocolatey (or is that just me?!)
Well here's a recipe for some amazing 'raw brownies' (no cooking required - so they are super quick and easy to make). They are just totally delicious, yet really good for you too and whats known as 'nutritionally dense' (ie packed full of great stuff!). Plus for this rather warm weather right now there's also a recipe for a lovely 'pregnancy friendly' cooling drink (lots of iced coffee is off the menu sadly) - a cooling jasmine and melon iced tea.
Enjoy these treats, they are great for a little lift at any time of day (and not just for the Summer either, I love them all year round!) Here's how to make them.
Super Raw Brownies
Ingredients:
100g Almonds, with skins on if possible.
250g Pitted Dates, chopped (Medjool if you can get them)
2 Tablespoons Set Honey (raw honey is good)
75g Cocoa Powder (again raw is good)
1/2 tsp Salt flakes
50g Chopped Pecans
To Make: Put the almonds in a food processor and whiz to a coarse powder. Add the chopped dates, honey, cocoa and salt - then whiz again for around 1 minute until it comes together into a dough like ball. If it seems to dry to do this add a splash of water. Turn the mixture out onto a board and gently kneed in the chopped pecans.
Line a 20 cm square baking tray with parchment, turn the mixture into it and press down with your fingers or back of a tablespoon to get an even layer. Put into fridge to chill of at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares. These will keep for up to a week....if you can manage to not eat them all before!! (if its hot outside keep in the fridge).
You can substitute other nuts if your prefer, or that's what you have in the cupboard.
Recipe by Anna Jones, in A Modern Way To Eat.
Jasmine & Green Melon Iced Tea
Ingredients:
1.5 litres water
2 jasmine green tea bags
1/2 Galia Melon (water melon all works well)
200g honey syrup (mix 125g runny honey and 125ml hot water in a pan, bring to nearly boiling then stir to dissolve. Use 200g of this for the recipe)
To make: Boil 1.5 litres water in a pan, add the 2 teabags, stir. Take off heat and leave to steep and cool for 15 minutes. Peel and cube the melon, whiz it in a blender/food processor with the honey syrup until smooth. Remove teabags from the cooled tea, mix in the sweetened melon puree. Chill for an hour or so in the fridge, or serve with masses of ice. enjoy. Recipe from Honey & Co - Food From The Middle East.
Enjoy, Susan xx