Tag Archives: Kitchen

Nutty chocolate squares

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Warning: This recipe is definitely not healthy BUT it is delicious!

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Ok, so these might not be one of the so-called clean bakes I like to create but they are so yummy and perfect if you fancy a treat or if you’ve got friends/family coming over – and who doesn’t like chocolatey treats!?

I made these for my mum who had to take some sweet treats into work for a cake sale.  I also made a batch for the whole family to devour and we all loved them. The recipe is actually one from my Grandma so I can’t take credit for this creation but I guarantee you won’t be left disappointed if you do give them a try!

You will need:
– 2 medium sized eggs
– 1/4 tsp salt
– 2 tsp vanilla essence
– 1 1/2 cups pecan nuts, chopped
– 1/2 cup plain flour
– 1/4 cup caster sugar
– 1/2 cup golden syrup
– 3oz plain chocolate, finely chopped
– 3 tbsp butter
– pecan nuts to decorate

Mixing together the sugar and golden syrup

Mixing together the sugar and golden syrup

To make:
– Start by whisking the eggs, vanilla and salt together.
– In a separate bowl mix the chopped nuts and flour.
– In a pan bring the sugar and golden syrup to the boil gradually then remove from the heat. Keep stirring so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
– Once removed from the heat stir in the chocolate and the butter which should all melt in. Gradually mix in the egg, vanilla and salt mixture before folding in the pecan and flour mix.
– Pour the mixture into a greased baking tin and bake for about 35 minutes on 180 degrees.
– Once ready (you can check the squares are ready by inserting a knife into the middle of the bake & if it comes out clean, they’re ready!) decorate each square with a nut on top and drizzle with chocolate before cutting up in to squares!

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Healthy pancakes with blueberries

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Pancakes make the perfect Sunday brunch or weekend breakfast…

pancakes

They also make the perfect post-work out snack if you add some protein powder to them, making them the perfect balance of protein and carbohydrates. If you top them with some honey or golden syrup you’re making the most of that recovery window where it’ll go straight into your muscles to refuel rather than to be stored as fat!

You will need: 
– 1/2 cup of coconut flour
– 1 tbsp oats
– 3 eggs
– 1/2 cup of milk
– any fruit you want in there
– 1 tbsp of natural honey or golden syrup if you want to sweeten them

To make:
 – Mix all of the ingredients together in a blender or by using a hand blender.
– Put a dollop of your chosen oil ( I use coconut oil) into a pan on a low heat and when the oil has melted add a spoonful of the mixture to the pan.
– Flip the pancakes when you see the surface begin to ‘set’/bubble. Stack them up and then add whatever toppings you fancied.
– I like to top mine with honey, blueberries and peanut butter!

Tag me in your creations using #hannahshappypace and let me know what you top yours with.

🙂

 

Paleo mini muffins with peanut butter frosting

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Peanut butter muffins that aren’t bad for me…I’ll take 10 please!

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I love baking and I also love turning my favourite treats in to clean bakes. However baking is not my forte, especially clean baking but these were a huge success!

When I’ve previously tried to create some ‘clean’ cakes I’ve used coconut flour and found that it’s a pretty hard ingredient and consistency to work with often leaving the cake too dry and crumbly. Never fear though for I have found the perfect ingredient to make your clean bakes as light and fluffy as a ‘regular’ cake should be! All hail almond flour.

Almond flour is a little more expensive than coconut flour but I’d say it’s definitely worth it if you’re someone who does a lot of baking and will use it regularly.

These muffins are possibly my biggest clean baking success yet and I’m putting it down to the almond flour.

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You will need: (makes 12 muffins)
For the muffins…
– 2 cups of almond flour
– 20 dates, chopped
– 6 eggs
– 4 tbsp maple syrup or natural honey
– 1/2 tsp baking powder
For the frosting…
– 4 heaped tbsp of smooth peanut butter – I used Meridian’s which I find is best for this icing
– 4 tbsp of icing sugar
– 1 tbsp maple syrup or natural honey
– raw cacao nibs for decorating

To make:
– Start by pre-heating the oven to 250 degrees. Then either using a hand blender or a smoothie maker mix the almond flour, chopped dates, eggs and maple syrup/honey together.
– Once the muffin batter is thoroughly mixed transfer to some muffin cases and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 12 minutes. NOTE: check on them after about six minutes as mine cooked super quickly!
– Take the muffins out of the oven when cooked and leave to cool. To check if the muffins are ready insert a knife in to one and if it comes out clean then they are cooked.
– To make the frosting put the peanut butter, icing sugar and maple syrup/honey in a bowl and mix together. You may need to add more peanut butter or icing sugar if it isn’t the same consistency that regular frosting would be.
– Once the muffins have cooled spread the frosting on top and decorate with a few raw cacao nibs and enjoy!

Let me know if you make these and tag me in your creations on Twitter and Instagram using #hannahshappypace. My Twitter is @hannahbryan91

🙂

Easy homemade guacamole

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If there’s one food that’s extremely versatile it’s avocado. This homemade guacamole is super easy and quick to make and can be used as a dip, added to your lunch, spread on wraps or as a garnish on certain dishes.

You will need:
– 1 red chilli
– 1 red onion
– 1 whole lime
– 1 ripe avocado
– Black pepper for seasoning
– tomatoes (optional)

To make:
– Start by finely chopping the chilli and red onion and put into a bowl.
– Peel and dice the avocado and add to the bowl along with the black pepper for seasoning.
– Next add the juice of one lime and mash together with a fork.
– If you want to add tomatoes I’d recommend a variety of red and orange ones. Simply chop finely and add to the mixture as well.
– Voilà – homemade guacamole ready in a flash!

Enjoy 🙂

Tag me in your creations on Instagram and Twitter using #hannahshappypace

Seafood & three tomato courgetti in a spicy tomato sauce

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Crazy for courgetti!

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Looking at the picture on the left you could easily mistake it for a pan of pesto covered spaghetti yet it’s actually one of my favourite “pastas”, courgetti!

Thanks to my handy little spirazlier (which you can spend as much or as little on as you want – mine was £13 from Amazon) I’m able to transform this underrated vegetable in to yummy ribbons of courgette as a substitute for pasta. The outcome is a light dish which has the same texture as spaghetti and is quicker to cook than pasta – I love it.

Another food I love is fish and it goes great with courgetti which is how this dish was created. The recipe uses fresh, clean ingredients that are easy to get hold of and the entire dish can be made in less than 40 minutes. Healthy eating doesn’t need to be overly fancy and involve lots of ingredients you can barely pronounce, just eat good stuff! Also, this dish is ridiculously tasty!

You will need: (this served three people, two ladies & one big portion for the other half!)
– Three courgettes, spiralized
– Cherry tomatoes, chopped
– Vine tomatoes, chopped
– Sundried tomatoes, chopped
– 1 tbsp red pesto
– 2 tbsp, tomato purée
– King prawns
– 2 salmon fillets
– Coriander, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– Kale
– Coconut oil
– 1 red chilli, chopped

To make:
– Start by preheating the oven to about 180 degrees and wrap the salmon in some tin foil before putting in the oven to cook for about 18-20 minutes.
– Heat a tsp of coconut oil in a frying pan and add the chopped garlic, cherry tomatoes, vine tomatoes and chopped chilli. After a couple of minutes add the tomato purée.
– When the salmon has been in the oven for about 10 minutes put the kale on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil before putting in the oven to roast for about 10-12 minutes – be careful though as it does crisp up quickly.
– Add the spiralized courgetti to the pan and stir in the pesto, king prawns and chopped coriander.
– Once everything is ready, put the kale in a bowl then add the courgetti pasta and top with a piece of your salmon fillet.

Enjoy and tag me in your creations using #hannahshappypace

Got a courgetti recipe you want featured? Contact me! 

Egg muffins – a healthy high-protein breakfast or snack

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Muffins? Love. Eggs? Love. Egg muffins? GO ON THEN!

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Many of us don’t have the time/would prefer not to make eggs in the morning so these are the perfect portable breakfast to have on the go or as a snack or lunch accompaniment.

Boasting the density of a muffin and all the protein benefits of eggs, this is a super easy and tasty recipe to rustle up when you’re doing your food prep.

Not only that but it’s another way of getting your greens in first thing in a morning. If you’re someone who can’t stomach the thought of broccoli for breakfast (personally I love it morning, noon and night!) then this is a great way to get those vitamins and nutrients in your system in a creation which actually tastes amazing too.

You can keep these egg muffins in the fridge, heat them up or simply eat them cold.

My recipe below used the ingredients I had in the fridge at the time but you can add chorizo, salmon, sweet potato… basically anything you like – give it a go and let me know what you use.

You will need: (makes 6 big muffins)
– 6 eggs
– Handful of chopped spinach
–  Pepper/spices to season
– 4 spring onions, chopped
– ¾ bacon rashers, grilled & chopped up

To make:
– Crack the eggs in to a jug or a large bowl and whisk with a fork as though you’re going to make scrambled eggs.
– Add the pepper and other spices as well as the rest of the chopped ingredients and stir well.
– Pour the mixture into muffin cases or a Yorkshire pudding tray, basically anything that’s deep enough to hold the mixture and put it into a pre-heated oven at about 180° for 20-25 minutes until cooked.

Have you made these and added your own fillings? Let me know. Tweet me at @hannahbryan91 or tag me in your creations using #hannahshappypace

Mexican breakfast bowl

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I love breakfast!

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Weekend breakfasts – and breakfasts in general – are my absolute favourite thing to make and eat! Here’s a little recipe I rustled up at the weekend in less than 20 minutes. Not only is it great for slow releasing energy (slow carb) but it’s got good fats from the avocado, protein in the eggs and beans and loads of fibre and vitamins in the green veggies. Cereal? No thank you! 🙂 Seriously, this was super tasty and a welcome addition to my breakfast menu.

You will need: (to feed two hungry people!)
– 1 can borlotti beans
– 1 ripe avocado
– 1 lime
– Chorizo
– Handful of sundried tomatoes
– Sprinkle of chopped coriander
– Spinach
– Eggs (I used 5)
– Tenderstem broccoli
– Pepper to season
– 1tsp coconut oil

To make:
– Start by heating the coconut oil in a large frying pan and add the chopped chorizo.
– Next add the broccoli and stir-fry until cooked before adding the spinach. In a bowl whisk the eggs & then pour into the frying pan. Stir slowly as the eggs scramble. Add the pepper for seasoning.
– In a separate pan empty the can of borlotti beans in and heat until warm.
– To make the avocado mash peel an avocado and mash it up using a fork. Then add the chopped sundried tomatoes and the juice of one lime.
– Serve in a big bowl with a sprinkling of coriander on top and voilà, done!

Enjoy 🙂

Tag me in your creations using #hannahshappypace

Super quick sausage & bean stew

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A stew which takes less than 30 mins – yes please!

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If there’s one thing I hate it’s waiting for my food! After a run I am RUNGY (see what I did there!?) and the last thing I feel like doing is waiting an hour or so for my dinner to cook.

I love to food prep and I’m pretty good at making my lunches in advance but not so much with my dinners and they tend to end up being something super quick and easy. When I’m cooking for just me it tends to be meat/fish, veg & some sort of lentils/carbs if I’ve trained. It’s always something pretty basic really but when I’ve got friends over I feel as though I can’t just give them the basics.

So last night Dane and I did some tough intervals (a post to come on that session soon!) and after that I needed something I could rustle up quickly for us both…you don’t want to be around Dane and I when we’re hungry!

This stew is perfect for that. It’s full of flavour and packed full of fibre and protein from the beans. This means they’ll keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer.

If you’re a vegetarian then simply leave out the sausages, it’s more than substantial on its own I just love sausages!

I served mine on a bed of crispy kale or if you fancy something even more filling then serve it with brown rice or quinoa although don’t forget you are getting carbs from the beans.

You will need:
– Sausages (I used Tesco finest sweet chilli sausages which are delicious)
– 1 tin of cannellini beans
– 1 tin chopped tomatoes
– 1 tablespoon of tahini (I used dark tahini which I’d recommend if you’re digestive system is good because you’re getting the full benefit of the seed because in the light tahini the seeds have been hulled)
– Handful of sundried tomatoes (drained of oil)
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1 tsp chilli powder or a chopped red chilli
– 1 tsp cumin
– 1 tsp paprika
– Pepper for seasoning
– Coriander to stir in and to garnish

To make:
– Start by either grilling or frying your sausages (I’d always recommend grilling but if you’re frying then try to use coconut oil)
– Once the sausages are cooked simply put them to one side. Drain the beans and rinse them with water before adding to a large pan along with the tomatoes (chopped and sundried), tahini, garlic, spices, pepper and some chopped coriander.
– Heat in the pan for about 10 minutes or until everything is piping hot. You can either serve with the sausages on top or chop them up and stir them into the stew.

* If you’re making crispy kale heat the oven to about 180 degrees and when pre-heated put the kale on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and put in the oven for between 10-15 minutes – keep an eye on this as once it starts to crisp up it does so very quickly!

For afters I had some (and when I say some I mean that we ate it all) of this Lindt dark chocolate and a gingerbread green tea – so, so good!

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Enjoy 🙂

Tag me in your creations using #hannahshappypace

The muscly mess burrito

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The flavours are as powerful as the muscles it gives you! 

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Breakfast, lunch or dinner this burrito ticks the boxes for all occasions. This dish was a joint creation between Dane and I when basically we couldn’t decide whether to make beef tacos for dinner or have an egg scramble. We decided to combine the two and this muscly and delightfully messy burrito was the outcome.

This is a meal nutritionists would have on their plan and a meal athletes would devour for breakfast.

The lean minced beef provides plenty of protein for muscle growth and repair whilst the kale and broccoli means you’re getting fibre and plenty of vitamins from the dark greens. Dark greens are particularly good for heart health and some research even suggests they’re beneficial for fighting some cancers. Meanwhile the wholemeal wrap is a good source of low GI carbs while the avocado is full of good, healthy fats. Overall it’s got the makings of an insanely delicious meal packed full of good stuff that’s going to keep you full until lunch time if you have it for breakfast. It’s also a really great post-training dinner, ticking all the boxes for what your body needs after a tough session. It’s even good if you’re having friends over because burritos are fun to eat and you won’t have to make a lot because guaranteed no one will be able to comfortably eat more than two in one sitting without entering a Man V Food style eat-off!

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You will need:
– One packet of wholemeal seeded wraps
– One pack of lean minced beef (size depending on how many people you are feeding)
– One green chilli, chopped
– Two eggs
– One orange pepper, chopped
– Herbs/spices to flavour it (I used a bit of cayenne pepper & cumin)
– Handful of coriander – chopped
– Kale
– 1 ripe avocado
– 1 tsp coconut oil

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To make:
– Start by preheating the oven to about 180 degrees.
– Next put a tsp of coconut oil into a frying  pan and brown the mince. Add the chopped pepper, chilli and spices to the pan. Fry until thoroughly cooked.
– While the mince is cooking put the kale on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil before putting in the preheated oven to crisp up. This usually takes about 10-12 minutes – note, kale goes from crisp to burnt incredibly quickly so make sure you keep an eye on it!
– In a bowl mash the avocado up and spread on to the wraps.
– In a separate bowl beat the eggs as if you are going to scramble them and then add them to the main mince mixture, stirring all the time until everything is well mixed in.
– Put a handful of kale on top of the avocado before spooning the beef mixture on to the wrap. To check out how to fold them up burrito style watch this little video below.

Enjoy 🙂

Tag me in your creations on Instagram/Twitter using #hannahshappypace

Avocado & raw chocolate mousse

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You don’t know that you’re eating avocado but it’s a nice surprise to know that you are!

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This mousse has been on my list of creations for a long time now so I’m really excited to have finally made it!

Yes, this is made with avocado but spooning it into your mouth you’d never know that. It’s totally clean too so even though it feels like an indulgent and somewhat naughty pudding it’s actually packed full of goodness. I guarantee you’ll be able to trick your friends and family the next time you cook them dinner.

This recipe serves two people so double up on ingredients if you’re catering for more.

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You will need:
– 1 large, ripe avocado
– 40g raw cacao powder
– 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
– 2 tsp of agave nectar
– 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
– Raspberries to decorate

To make:
– Mash the avocado until smooth. This can be done either with a fork in a bowl or in a food processor.
– In a separate bowl mix the cacao powder and almond milk until well combined – this does take some mixing.
– Stir in the agave nectar and vanilla extract and then any chopped raspberries you want in there as well.
– Pour in to individual bowls/ramekins and pop in the fridge until ready to serve.
– You can decorate the mousse with whatever you fancy from a few raspberries on top to a dollop of nut butter or crunchy granola or chopped nuts!

Enjoy 🙂

Tag me in your creations on Instagram and Twitter using #hannahshappypace