August 2022 – Supercharged Food

Six Plant-Based Dessert Ideas for the Whole Family + My New Berry Crumble Recipe

Whether you’re craving a baked goodie to dunk in tea, a raw treat that can be whipped up in a jiffy, or a sweet that’s so healthy it could be eaten for breakfast, these plant-based dessert ideas are guaranteed to satisfy ye olde sweet tooth.

If you’re looking for healthier versions of your traditional favourite desserts, you’re in the right place. Here are some of the best (in my very ~~crumble~~ oops humble and non-biased opinion) plant-based dessert ideas.

Ready?

Cookies

“I hate cookies!” said no sane person ever.

But seriously, who doesn’t love a good cookie? I believe cookies are the dessert that is destined to send your tastebuds back to a time where you were sitting in front of a fire, cookie in one hand, tea in the other, and smiles plastered across the faces of your favourite people.

My favourite cookie combinations are relatively straightforward to make. I usually combine almond meal with eggs or chia seed eggs, maple syrup, baking powder and a pinch of salt. For extra goodness, I’ll add choc chips, nut butter or mixed nuts.

I genuinely believe cookies are one of the most comforting foods you’ll ever bite into. These Banana and Quinoa Cookies are for all my fellow cookie monsters.

Bliss Balls

What was once dubbed a revolutionary healthy and tasteless phenomenon has now become the new norm. These days you can find raw, vegan bliss balls at your local café and supermarket. That said, typical bliss balls are usually overloaded with sweeteners and dried fruit + sulphites, which means this ‘healthy dessert’ isn’t that healthy at all.

While fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, overconsumption of dried fruit can lead to gastrointestinal problems, weight gain and quick sugar highs. Save yourself the tummy trouble and keep the dried fruit in your bliss balls to a minimum. You’ll thank me later.

These hemp and tahini bliss balls are my go-to.

Raw Cheesecake

Does anyone else have a soft spot for cheesecake? It wraps up two of the most delicious foods on the planet – cheese and cake – with a pretty bow.

But, for my friends who avoid processed foods, gluten, dairy, sugar and eggs, cheesecake probably sends you running in the opposite direction. Until now.

It’s possible to craft a cheesecake that’s raw, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free. Before you roll your eyes at me at the idea of a cheese-less cheesecake, just trust me.

My favourite cheesecake is a raw mango cheesecake.

For the base, simply combine a mix of nuts, coconut, coconut butter and sea salt in a blender to get a crumbly yet firm foundation. You may need to add in some filtered water. Then, place it in a dish and pop it in the freezer.

For the filling, combine cashews, mango, coconut butter, lemon juice, coconut milk and a bit of honey in your blender. Place the mixture on top of the base and place it in the freezer to set.

Keep the cheesecake in the freezer for a few hours, and then serve with fresh berries. It’s sure to convert even the biggest sceptic.

Sweet Nuts

Are you looking for a quick nibble?

Sweet and spiced nuts are an excellent and easy sweet snack that you can make with your family. Sweet and spiced nuts are rich in both protein and fat, which means they keep us full. Simply combine mixed nuts with rice malt syrup, sea salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and maybe chilli if you’re a bit daring for a nibbly sweet and spicy snack.

If you’ve got a chocolate craving, roast your nuts in the oven with a pinch of salt, melt dark chocolate over the stove and coat the nuts in the dark chocolate. Everyone will go nuts for them!

Banana Bread

Did you really experience lockdown if you didn’t venture into banana bread land? Banana bread is a relatively fuss-free loaf that holds its own.

Bananas are incredibly nutrient-rich, containing fibre, several antioxidants and potassium, which supports a healthy heart and can even help lower blood pressure. Plus, bananas contain magnesium, which means they’re excellent for relieving cramps and aches.

The problem with bananas, however, is that they can ripen quickly. That’s where our saviour, banana bread, comes in.

Who would have thought combining overripe bananas with flour, eggs, baking powder, a sweetener of your choice, and a bit of milk would create a dreamy, moist and satisfying dessert? My family goes bananas for coconut banana bread.

Berry Crumble

If any nutritionist says that a healthy breakfast needs to be savoury (read: boring), they’re wrong. It’s possible to make a crumble that’s so nutritious and pleasurable; you could eat it for breakfast.

A good berry crumble feels like a soul-hugging dessert; it’s nourishing, guilt-free and perfect for savouring over a long and slow Sunday morning.

While berries are traditionally used in a crumble, if they’re not in season, they can be expensive. So, this is your invitation to get creative and substitute berries for apples, pears, or whatever else you have sitting in your fridge or freezer.

This is my favourite berry crumble recipe.

Start with the topping.

Topping

1 cup cashews, roughly chopped
1/2 cup macadamias
1/2 cup almonds
3 tablespoons butter or you can use 2 tablespoons coconut oil for vegan
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place all the topping ingredients apart from butter/oil in a food processor and roughly chop.

Transfer to a bowl and rub the butter in or add coconut oil and stir and set aside.

Filling

1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder, paste or one scraped out vanilla pod
2 tablespoons almond meal
Zest of 1/2 lime
600 g (1 lb 5 oz) mixed berries (can use frozen)

To make the filling, mix the maple syrup, vanilla and almond meal with the lime zest.

Place the berries in a saucepan and pour over the mixed syrup.

Mix gently to combine, taking care not to break up the berries.

Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a pie dish and sprinkle over the topping ingredients.

Place in oven and cook for 20-25 mins.

For the best result, serve this crumble straight from the oven with a generous dollop of chilled yoghurt or whipped coconut cream.

This berry crumble is vegan-friendly, gluten-free and free of refined sugar, making it the perfect goodie to share with friends and neighbours.

There you have it, my favourite plant-based dessert ideas. I hope you enjoy them!

How to Save Money and Increase Your Savings

Saving money is important for anyone! It doesn't matter what kind of job you have, how much disposable income you have, or which tax brackets 2023 you fall under. Saving money helps create financial security and a sense of safety, avoid debt and create an emergency fund. With the COVID-19 pandemic, rising living costs and food suppliers struggling to meet demands, there has never been a better time than now to make your savings a priority.

You never know when your savings will come in handy. If you have a goal in mind, such as buying a house or a car, you should get saving as early as possible, so you can meet your goals. But you don’t have to have a goal in mind to save your money. Saving is a great way to prepare yourself in case of an emergency, or just to enjoy on a rainy day. You can feel relaxed in life knowing that if anything comes up, you can cover it, and you can open yourself up to more opportunities and increase your quality of life with nice things and experiences.

Saving can be difficult, not to mention the challenge with the rise in living costs and the slowly increasing living wages. But saving is not impossible. Once you have established some ground rules and start taking action, you will be able to create a new habit and saving will become much easier to do. You will find that when you get started with saving, you will quickly build momentum and see it grow beyond your expectations.

To help you get started with saving money or increasing the amount of money you have in your savings, here are some top tips you need to follow.

#1 Set goals

If you are saving for a big ticket item, such as a holiday or a home, you should start by researching your goals and find out how much money you need to save to meet your goal. For example, if you want to buy a house, you will need to save a house deposit, taxes, legal fees, real estate agent fees, and more. Once you have a figure in mind, you will know what you are aiming for.

If you don’t have a big ticket item to save for, then perhaps you can think of a figure you would like to aim for. For example, you can set a goal to save five thousand or ten thousand.

Having a clear goal in mind can make saving much easier, as you can see what you are working towards and the progress that you are making.

#2 Earn on your savings

When you start saving with a basic savings account, likely, you will not be earning any money on your savings. Saving accounts tend to have no or very low-interest rates on them. This is a good opportunity to research other savings accounts that have higher interest rates, so you can earn money on your savings. This way you can save more money. There are different types of accounts to help you earn on your savings that you can choose from, including investments. The lower interest rates will be offered on accounts where you need to take money in and out and use the money within 2-5 years. There are plenty of ways to get a higher interest rate, but this often comes with a long-term commitment, such as locking the money into an account that you cannot access for a certain number of years, or it will come with higher risks. Some of the products that you can look into are high-yield savings accounts, certificates of deposit, tax-advantaged retirement accounts, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, index funds, stocks, shares, bonds, cryptocurrency, real estate investment trusts, and more.

These kinds of accounts will put your money to work for you and will help you build long-term wealth. In successful cases, you can earn a lot of money and increase your savings.

#3 Act like a saver

It’s not enough to just want to save money, you have to act like a saver. Taking action is key when it comes to growing your savings and meeting your goals. When it comes to taking action, you need to ensure the action you take is realistic and relevant to your circumstances.

It is a good idea to start by reviewing your current financial situation. Take a look at how much money you earn and what you are spending your money on. It can be helpful to categorise this, so you can easily see where your money is going. See how much disposable income you have left after your important outgoings have left your account, such as rent, utility bills, food, petrol and more. You should also take note of the outgoings you have that are not necessary. If you are paying for subscriptions or memberships that you no longer require, then cancel them. If you want to reach your goals quicker, you should also be careful with your spending.

If you find you are eating out a lot and buying coffee, you might want to change your ways and meal prep your food and make your coffee at home. Small lifestyle changes like these can make a huge difference, as all the money you can save will make a huge difference and help you meet your goals quicker.

Other ways you can act like a saver and make lifestyle changes are:

Always looking for cheaper alternatives when you make a purchase
Ask yourself if you really need the item you are intending to purchase
Avoid buying items out of impulse or habit
Break bad spending habits
Make a shopping list before you do a food shop
Avoid credit cards and only spend what you have each month

When acting like a saver, it doesn’t mean you can’t do anything for yourself. You can still go out, and go on holiday. When you plan things like this, you should do some research to see where you can save yourself some money, for example, with NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.

#4 Set up a standing order or direct debit to your bank account

Once you have reviewed your financial situation and have a better idea of how much you spend each month and how much money you have to spare, you can choose an amount to save each month. Sticking to the same amount each month can be helpful to create a new saving habit and increase your savings. You can make sure you are consistent with putting the money into your savings account, by setting up a direct debit or a standing order, so that it goes automatically.

When choosing an amount to save, you should make sure it is realistic and doesn’t put you in financial difficulty. This will only make saving stressful, and you will set yourself up to fail. Make sure you have enough money to live your life and a little to spare to spend on something you enjoy. You must be able to live comfortably and make yourself happy. If saving is draining your happiness, it is going to be much harder to stick to. If you have any spare funds left over for the month, you can then transfer the money manually if you like.

#5 Pay off debts

Many individuals will focus on saving, and ignore any debt that they have. This is because you can see the amount of savings going up, and it can be hard to let go of that. However, the longer you have debt in your name, the more money you are wasting that can be topping up your savings. While it might sound counterintuitive, it is important that you prioritise paying off any debt that you have before you save. This can be difficult to do, but if you pay off your debt, you will not be wasting money on interest rates. You will be able to clear your debt, which can release a lot of stress, and then you can put more money into your savings and put it towards your goals. Clearing your debt can also be helpful in boosting your credit score, which will be helpful for any goals that involve buying a house, a car or other big-ticket items.

#6 Tell a friend and stay accountable

It can be helpful to tell a close friend or a family member that you can trust, so that they can hold you accountable while you try to save. This can be helpful, especially when you are having a bad day or trying to resist spending money unnecessarily. You can ask them to help you stick to your spending plan, in any way that will be good for you. For example, you might ask them to check in regularly with you to see how you are getting on. Alternatively, you might talk to them when you are struggling or want some advice. Make sure you only speak to someone that you can trust, as you will be sharing sensitive financial information. You also want to make sure that they have your best interests at heart.

Increasing your savings can be hard. Follow these top tips to help you reach your goals.