Bo's Kitchen

Plant based recipes made with love

dairy free

Matcha and blackberry curd tarts

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matcha and blackberry curd tarts gluten free vegan

These matcha and blackberry curd tarts may just be my favourite recipe yet. Simple, sweet and light, they make the most wonderful dessert or snack. These babies are vegan, gluten and refined sugar free and very almost raw. The flavour combination is something else, I promise you will love them!…

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Tropical bircher bowls

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tropical bircher bowls

Tropical bircher bowls are just what this new month calls for. Zesty, vibrant, fragrant and fruity food is what I’m lusting for after what feels like an eternity of cold weather. The first blossoms are starting to appear on the trees, the birds are singing and I’m planting some edible flowers this weekend, which means spring is coming! I couldn’t be happier. …

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Onion Bhaji with a lime and coriander dip

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onion bhaji gluten free dairy free

I’m craving comfort foods right now. Comfort food to me is usually something Indian inspired. A big hug in a bowl daal, a fluffy naan bread, a spice laden pot of potato curry or a heaping mountain of steaming hot, fragrant rice. Basically anything with spice and carbs or vegetables and I’m there. All over it. …

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Cranberry and pistachio energy bars

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cranberry and pistachio energy bars

These cranberry and pistachio energy bars have been a firm favourite in my house this month. They’re so quick to prepare and compared to traditional energy bars, which in my experience tend to be dry, flavourless and tough, these are moist, sweet and incredibly moreish. The best bit is you can easily swap the ingredients around depending on what you have in your pantry- I love flexible recipes. The perfect way to use up all of those leftover bags of dried fruits and nuts from Christmas. Pistachio and cranberry is a wonderful combination though, so I’d recommend grabbing these if you can. They freeze really well too, so I’ve been making a big batch on a Sunday to enjoy through the week.

Feel free to add in your favourite superfoods, nut butters, dried fruits, coconut shreds, whatever you fancy really, just keep the proportions of wet to dry ingredients the same and you’ll struggle to go wrong.

I’ve worked all through the Christmas period and now I’m off for three whole days and I can’t wait to cook and shoot again, I really miss it if I can’t take pictures every day. I’m going to be rustling up some turmeric lemonade today, after spotting this beautiful recipe on my friend Janine’s blog. Take a peek here to check it out, the photography is stunning and her blog is a joy to visit. If you’d like to follow her on Instagram, you can find her at @nutsandblueberries.

Hope you’re staying warm, my sweet peas! Wishing you a very happy New Year, roll on 2017!!!

Cranberry and pistachio energy bars

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
  • 1/ 4 cup chia seeds
  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup shelled and roughly chopped pistachios
  • 1/4 tsp pink himalayan salt
  1. Preheat oven to 190•c. Pour oats, almonds, walnuts and seeds onto a baking tray and spread out evenly. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, until slightly golden.
  2. Add dates and 1/2 cup of hot water to a food processor and blitz until a date caramel has formed. Add date mixture and toasted oat mix into a large bowl.
  3. In a small pan, gently melt maple syrup, coconut oil and almond butter. Once combined, add to the large mixing bowl with the date caramel and oats. Stir well until everything is coated. Now mix through the cranberries, pistachios and salt, leaving a few pistachios and cranberries for the top.
  4. Line a small square baking tin (mine was 8×8 inches) with parchment paper- leave a little hanging over the sides so it’s easy to remove later. Flatten the mixture down with your hands or the back of a spoon. Now add your remaining pistachios and cranberries to the top.
  5. Set in the freezer for 30 minutes, or an hour in the fridge. Cut into 12 bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Clementine sesame raw cookies

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Clementine and sesame raw cookies

Hey babes! I’m sorry for being away a lot lately, life has been pretty hectic this month and the days are so short my time for photography is very limited (I should probably get an artificial light but I’m too stubborn). I’m back with this wonderfully easy raw cookie recipe though- full of festive ingredients to get you in the Christmas spirit. There’s something about cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger that makes my heart happy, they smell truly magical together.

Sweet, citrusy, delicately spiced and full of vitamins, they’ll help to keep you snacking healthy this Christmas. They’re vegan, refined sugar free and no bake- meaning less washing up and minimal prep time (less than 10 minutes). They’d be a great cookie to make with little ones too.

I can’t believe this year is almost over. What a year it has been. I could never have predicted just quite how unpredictable it could be. It’s been a rollercoaster in every way possible but thankfully I’m ending it on a huge high and I’m so grateful to the universe for everything it has thrown my way.

I’ve learnt that sometimes bad things need to happen so you can see things as they really are. And it’s far better to have your eyes wide open than be blinded to the truth, however painful it may be. I’m ending the year on a massive high with somebody I truly love and everything feels like it is going to plan for the first time in my life!

Fortunately my new man has taken to this whole vegan malarky like a fish to water, so I have an excuse to make loads of food again. The whole raw cookie thing was completely unchartered territory for him, so I knew I had to create something extra sweet and delicious to make a good first impression (the green smoothies are still too ‘funky’ for him at the mo hehe). These babies hit the spot for sure, although he didn’t get to enjoy that many as I wolfed them down in less than two days. I’d love to know if you try these, either leave a comment below or please take a pic and tag me on Instagram – @bos.kitchen, it would make my day!

Stay warm and nourished, sending you a big hug and an even bigger bag of cookies.

xx

 

Clementine sesame raw cookies (makes about 16 small cookies, or 12 big ones)

  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/4 tsp himalayan pink salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup agave/maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup melted cacao butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 clementine, juice and rind
  • 1/4 cup dairy free choc chips
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries/sour cherries other dried fruit
  1. Add oats, cashews, walnuts and 1/4 cup of the sesame seeds to a food processor and grind to a flour.
  2. Add salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to the blender and pulse briefly to combine.
  3. Tip dry ingredients into a bowl and stir through the clementine juice, agave syrup, melted cacao butter and vanilla until the dough comes together. It should be very moist and smell awesome (feel free to taste test at this point)!
  4. Now stir through the choc chips,  1/4 cup sesame seeds and cranberries. Shape into little balls and flatten into a cookie shape. Sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and clementine rind. Eat right away, or pop them in the fridge to firm up. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Pear bliss balls

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pear bliss balls

I do love a bliss ball, a healthy, refined sugar free morsel of energy can keep you going when you’re trying to hold out until tea time. I adore pears, sweet, juicy and delicately flavoured, they are such a pretty fruit. I decided to combine my two loves this month and the pear bliss ball was formed!

These are almost raw, apart from the pear puree- but they’re still refined sugar free and thanks to the puree you’re getting a fair bit of fruit in each bite too.

These little cuties are packed with all the good stuff – nuts, fruit, oats and chlorella. This superfood has the highest chlorophyll of any plant and is a whopping 56% protein. It alkalises the body, improves digestion (I can vouch for this) and increases energy, it’s powerful stuff! You can’t even taste it in these balls, so these would be great for little ones too. If you don’t have chlorella you can try using wheatgrass, matcha or spirulina instead.

Pear bliss balls  – Makes around 16

  • 4 pears, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp all spice
  • 1-2 tsp chlorella (I always use Organic Burst)
  • 1/2 cup pitted dates
  • Cacao nibs, mint leaves and cacao powder for decoration
  1. Make your pear puree by adding pears, water, coconut sugar and lemon juice to a small pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for about 20-30 minutes, until sweet and thick. Set aside to cool.
  2. Add almonds and pecans to a food processor and pulse until small, crumbly pieces. Add in oats, cinnamon, all spice and chlorella and pulse again until combined. Add dates and 3/4 cup of pear puree and pulse until a dough is formed. If it’s too sticky, add a few more oats, tbsp at a time. If it’s too dry, add a little water until the mixture comes together.
  3. Shape mix into little pear shapes. The best way to do this is to make a ball, then start rolling the top half of the ball flat on a board with your finger, to make a little pear shape. Add a little cacao nib for the stem and mint for the leaves and dust lightly with cacao powder. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Chia and fennel green pizza

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chia and fennel seed pizza crust

I’ve just realised that this is my third pizza recipe. I must really love pizza! I think what entices me the most is how adaptable it is, you don’t really need to have much in the cupboards to whip up a pizza. I always end  up chopping up more veggies than I need for toppings.

I had a craving for a green pizza this week, a herby, summery, savoury affair but with a crisp base that tastes like the real deal. This is honestly so delicious I will be making more houmous at the weekend just so I can have it again next week for lunch. The fennel seeds work really well with the garlic infused pesto. Pesto houmous is also my new favourite thing- SO GOOD.  I thoroughly recommend using marinated artichokes on top, because they are just the most delicious vegetable in the world and every pizza tastes better with more artichokes. A good thing about being vegan and asking for a pizza with no cheese when I eat out is that I get to ask for more artichokes instead. I’m all about the artichokes.

Recipe

Chia and fennel seed pizza crust

  • 1 cup gram(chickpea) flour
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 5 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • Salt and pepper

Kale pesto

  • 5 large handfuls of kale
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 1 bunch of basil (large handful)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup of walnuts
  • 2 tsp Organic Burst wheatgrass (optional)
  • 1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt

Houmous

  • 1 tin of organic chickpeas
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 cup of water/liquid from the can of chickpeas

Kale pesto –

  1. Start by blending your garlic cloves in a food processor until finely minced.
  2. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth.
  3. Store your kale pesto in a jar for up to four weeks in the fridge, covering with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it fresh.

Houmous –

  1. Blend garlic in a food processor until fine.
  2. Add all other ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy, adding more water/chickpea liquid a little at a time if you need to.
  3. If you want to make kale pesto houmous, simply mix equal parts houmous and kale pesto.

Chia and fennel seed crust-

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°c and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. To make the pizza crust, mix the chia seeds with 4tbsp of water and leave to form a gel. This should take around 5 minutes.
  3. Add all dry ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl and stir to incorporate. Now add the cup of water and the chia seed gel. Mix until it’s smooth but still quite thick, you want it to slowly drop of the spoon, like a thick paste.
  4. Spread the base over your prepared baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, until firm.
  5. Allow to cool and then top with kale pesto houmous, courgette ribbons, red onion, fresh oregano, fresh basil, marinated artichokes and sesame seeds.

Rose sherbet

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rose sherbet with cashews, strawberry and rosewater

An exotic Rose Sherbet, the best way to cool down on a warm day. Made with ice, cashews, strawberries and rosewater. This sherbet is so creamy and refreshing. My version is refined sugar and dairy free. I added a little raw beetroot to boost the rosy pink, but you can omit this if you don’t have any. I made this originally with 1 tbsp of rosewater, which wasn’t enough for me. My advice is to add a tbsp at a time and taste, some rosewater can be very potent.

Sherbet has been around since the 16th century! It is traditionally made from fruit juices or extracts of flowers, mixed with sugar and water to form a syrup. The syrup is then stored and mixed at a later time with water or ice. As refrigeration was only available to the rich, reducing fruit to a syrup or liquid meant that even the poor could enjoy something sweet and fruity all year round.
Sherbet is an important drink in Muslim culture and often served to end a day’s fasting during Ramadan. In Egyptian Arabic, you can say ‘dam sharbaat’ which means somebody is very sweet, it translates to ‘his blood is sherbet’. Children are often called ’sharbaataat’, meaning ‘cuties’ or ’sweethearts’. How cute is that? In some parts of Turkey, a woman drinks rose sherbet to show she has accepted the groom’s hand in marriage. This is a very special drink with a lot of history, I had so much fun learning about it!
Recipe – makes enough for two glasses
  • 3/4 cup cashews (soaked overnight and drained)
  • 1 large handful of ice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 2-3 tbsp rosewater
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp rice malt syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
  • 2 inch piece of peeled, raw beetroot (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and process on high until smooth and creamy.

Baobab sunshine smoothie bowls

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baobab sunshine smoothie bowl
 Wake up and feel amazing with my baobab sunshine smoothie bowls. This recipe reminds me of being on holiday. Creamy coconut milk, pineapple and orange are a winning combination. With the weather being so wet and dreary here in the UK at the moment, I am resorting to making my own sunshine in the kitchen!
I added a good dose of Organic Burst baobab to these beauties for an extra pick me up. Baobab is full of natural vitamin C and iron, which is just the thing if you’re feeling tired and depleted of energy. It has a slight citrus flavour which works beautifully in these fruity bowls. I’ve also added a little of my favourite spice, turmeric, which is a powerful anti inflammatory with a multitude of benefits. It’s secret is curcumin, a powerful healing compound. Did you know that in some studies, curcumin has been proven as effective as Prozac in treating manic depression? In fact, some studies show curcumin to be even more effective than prescription drugs! I won’t rave about it for too long, but seriously, take a minute or two to do some research on this miracle spice and you’ll see what I mean.
Baobab sunshine smoothie (makes enough for two bowls)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
4 frozen bananas
1 pear
1/4 pineapple
1 orange
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp turmeric
1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth, adding more water as needed.
2. Top with fresh fruit, coconut shreds, toasted nuts and chia pudding.