Get the Glow (24 page)

Arrange the rest of the pecan nuts on top and pop the whole thing in the freezer for 1 hour to harden. Cut into bite-size pieces and transfer to the fridge.

This will keep in the fridge for 10 days
.

pear and almond tart

I love pastry. In fact I am a pastry fiend. This almond crispy crust goes perfectly with the soft, melt-in-your-mouth pears. Make this one for a nice afternoon treat on the weekend.

serves 8

pears

300ml water

1 vanilla pod

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

100g honey

4 pears, peeled, cored and cut in half

crust

small pinch salt

50g butter or coconut oil, plus extra for greasing

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla extract or powder

1 egg

200g ground almonds

filling

120g ground almonds

150g honey

3 eggs

125g butter or coconut oil

toasted almonds and fresh berries, to serve

Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3.

Put the water, vanilla, cinnamon and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a high simmer, then add the pears and let them poach with the lid on for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the crust. Blitz all the crust ingredients apart from the ground almonds in the food processor, then slowly fold in the ground almonds. Grease a 26cm pie dish with some butter or coconut oil, and tip the crust into it. Spread the mix out evenly and use your hands to press it up the side of the tin. With a fork, prick the pastry base. Cook for 10–15 minutes, until bronzed.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Blend the ground almonds, honey, eggs, and butter or coconut oil.

When the base is ready, pour in the filling. Place the poached pears on top, then bake for 30 minutes.

Serve topped with toasted almonds and fresh berries.

strawberry cake with coconut whipped cream

This is my take on a classic almond cake, with the freshness of ripe berries. It sits well with the coconut cream, creating a lingering finish. You’ll need to start the Coconut Whipped Cream (see
here
) the day before you make the cake.

serves 12

170g butter or coconut oil, plus extra for greasing

300g ground almonds (or gluten-free flour)

1 tsp baking powder

170g coconut sugar or honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs

300g strawberries, hulled and cut in half

Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Generously grease a 23cm cake tin with butter or coconut oil and line with baking paper.

Mix the ground almonds or gluten-free flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Put the butter or coconut oil, coconut sugar or honey and vanilla into the food processor, and blitz until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to incorporate, then slowly add the flour. Transfer the cake mix to a bowl, and fold in the strawberries. Stir well together, pour into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes.

Serve with the Coconut Whipped Cream (
here
).

lemon cupcakes with pistachios

Cupcakes always bring joy to my life. The freshness and zing of lemon with that subtle crunch of pistachio make these cupcakes a perfect treat or afternoon snack.

makes 8

170g ground almonds

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

pinch salt

zest of 3 lemons, juice of 2 lemons

70g honey or coconut sugar

70g butter or coconut oil

3 large free-range eggs

50g raw pistachios, finely chopped, plus extra for topping

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Grease 8 paper cupcake holders.

Mix the ground almonds, bicarbonate of soda, salt and lemon zest in a bowl. In a food processor, mix the honey or coconut sugar with the butter or coconut oil, then slowly add the eggs one at a time, then the lemon juice. Pour this on top of the ground almond mixture, and mix together well. Pour the cake batter into the cupcake holders, then sprinkle the pistachios over the top.

Bake for 18–20 minutes. When out of the oven, sprinkle more pistachios on top.

These cupcakes will keep for a few days in an airtight container
.

apple tart

While this dessert is already a classic, my version showcases numerous superfoods that extend its possibilities! Chia seeds act as a binding agent, marrying the apple and sugar-level-regulating cinnamon to create the perfect guilt-free pie.

serves 8

base

200g walnuts

75g desiccated coconut

80g dates, stoned (I prefer Medjool)

3 tbsp butter or coconut oil, plus extra for greasing

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp cinnamon

pinch salt

1 tsp crushed vanilla pod or 1 drop extract

2 eggs

zest of 1 lemon

gluten-free flour, for dusting

filling

3 pears, peeled and cored

100g chia seeds

zest of 1 lemon

3 tbsp honey

2 large green cooking apples, peeled and cored

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp butter or coconut oil

cinnamon, to serve

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas mark 2.

To make the base, blitz the walnuts in a food processor until there are no big chunks left. Add the rest of the ingredients for the base and blend until you have a dough-like texture. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Trim the dough to fit the top of your tin and leave a slight overhang.

Grease a 26cm round loose-base baking tin. Use your rolling pin to transfer the pastry to the tin, then push it into the tin. Set aside while you make the filling.

Blend the pears with the chia seeds, lemon zest and honey. Leave this for 15 minutes to form a gel.

Cut the apples into quarters, and slice them very thinly. Cover the crust with half of the apple. Dust half of the cinnamon and dot the butter or coconut oil over the top.

Spoon the pear and chia gel on top of the apple layer, and then arrange the rest of the sliced apples on top. Sprinkle over the rest of the cinnamon and butter or coconut oil, and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the top is bronzed.

Once cooked to your desired crispness, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Dust with cinnamon to serve.

chocolate-dipped bananas

This is the perfect dessert to make in good company, if you want some fun – perhaps with younger relatives. It’s so simple and easy. Don’t just stick with bananas – try different kinds of fruit. You’ll have a great time!

makes 4

2 bananas, peeled and halved across

100g cacao butter (chopped into small chunks)

30g raw cacao powder

2 tbsp honey or coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder

tiny pinch salt

desiccated coconut, nuts, seeds, to serve

Stick lolly sticks gently into the bottom of the banana where you cut across. Put them in the freezer overnight, or for at least 3–4 hours.

In a saucepan, melt the cacao butter over a very low heat, stirring constantly. Pour in the rest of the ingredients, except for the coconut and the seeds, and keep stirring.

Grab your banana sticks from the freezer. Tilt the pan to the side and dip the bananas in. You have to be quick to decorate them, as the chocolate freezes quickly, so throw some desiccated coconut, nuts, seeds – whatever you like – on top and then set aside. You can always double-dunk if you are too slow the first time!