Move over trifle, step aside Pavlova, this is a three layer cake that most people with allergies will be able to eat and enjoy!
I had been figuring this recipe out for a while and decided to make it for Christmas to cater for those family and friends with allergies. It was a great success so I decided to share the joy!
It's based on a 'Bounty Bar' - dark chocolate and creamy coconut. Delicious on its own or with berries - here with fresh raspberries for that Christmassy look.
(Note: I suggest you make the creamy coconut filling before the base so you don't have to wash all that chocolate out of the food processor between layers).

Chocolate base

2 cups desiccated coconut
1 cup pitted dates in a bowl or small pot, cover with boiling water and after five minutes to cool slightly, add: 
1/2 cup cacao butter (melt gently with the dates)
1/2 cup coconut oil (melt gently with the dates)
1 cup raw organic cacao powder 

Put all  ingredients into the blender or better still, the food processor (easier to get the mixture out of) and blend till combined and smooth. Press into the bottom of a 22-24cm round cake tin. I used a 24 cm round silicon baking tin for ease of removal.

Coconut Filling

4 cups desiccated coconut
2/3 cup liquid sweetener ie maple syrup/honey or other non-refined sweetener of your choice
3/4 cup coconut cream
2 Tblsp coconut oil
1/4 cup gently melted cacao butter
1tsp vanilla extract
One pinch sea salt
Blend briefly in food processor to mix well. Then press down in a thick layer on the chocolate base. Try to get the top as level as possible.


Chocolate Topping/Ganache

This can be made two ways...
The easiest and quickest way by far is to melt a 250 gram bar of Whittakers Dark Ghana Chocolate over hot water, taking care not to get any water in the melting chocolate, then add half a cup of good quality coconut cream. Stir it through and you have delicious ganache to spread on the coconut layer.
This sort of dark chocolate has a small amount of sugar in it and has no dairy added so should be dairy free although it is made on the same line as the dairy milk chocolate, so if you are highly allergic to dairy this recipe is your best option:

200 grams cacao butter
1 cup raw organic cacao powder
1/2 cup maple syrup/coconut nectar/honey or other non-refined sweetener of your choice
1/2 cup coconut cream
One pinch sea salt

Melt the cacao butter over a very low heat and keep an eye on it. You want it to get barely warm while it melts.  Remove from heat. Add the cacao powder and sweetener and stir until it's a chocolatey sauce. Then add the coconut cream and stir in quickly. The ganache will thicken and its now ready to spread on the coconut layer. Put in the refrigerator to set. The whole cake can be frozen for a couple of weeks then thawed out for a few hours before cutting.

Press the cake out of the tin gently and turn up the right way on a large plate. 

It's lovely to serve with some fresh raspberries and also homemade raspberry puree - gently warm some frozen raspberries in a small pot with a little water and a tablespoon of honey or other non refined sweetener of your choice. If you like, you could also enjoy it with some whipped coconut cream or dairy free ice cream. If you have any leftovers, they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for about one week.

Recipe by our Director, Reg Osteopath Melanie Young, who has always loved making and eating desserts and has had to make sure eating dessert doesn't make her ill! Other recipes you may like on our blog: the moist and easy Paleo Banana chocolate muffins, divine Raw chocolate freezer fudge,  ever useful and yummy Paleo pancakes and last but not least,  our fabulous paleo/ Vegan chocolate mousse
www.cityosteopaths.co.nz
04 4991439

Ever felt ill after eating traditional chocolate mousse? I certainly have. The cream and sugar was all too much for me.

I figured this recipe out recently while trying to make good chocolate ice-cream without the cream, sugar and eggs. The result was so thick and creamy it didn't need freezing and it was found to be delicious straight from the fridge which is always handy!

It's super easy to make and has a good amount of sustaining fats, antioxidants, iron, calcium and magnesium from the cacao and also some protein from the nuts.

I always make a decent amount so its worthwhile but you could halve the recipe if you are worried you might eat it all in one go! (or pop some in the freeze for another day)

If you can buy your ingredients in bulk its much cheaper. If you like to use cashews in your life, ask at Commonsense organics for their price on 2.5 kilos of cashew nuts. You can then store them in the freezer for longer shelf life.

Recipe:
Two cups of cashew nuts (preferably organic)  soaked overnight and rinsed and drained.
One can of quality coconut cream (we use Karo from Moore Wilsons)
One cup of cacao powder (we use Natava brand)
Half a cup of maple syrup (or honey)
Three tablespoons coconut oil melted on a low heat
Half a teaspoon vanilla extract
A good pinch of salt

Method:
Put all the ingredients into a high speed blender, the food processor will also work but you need to blend it for a while till the nuts are all blended in. Test it every couple of minutes till it is smooth. 
Then put into a container and into the fridge to chill. Done!

We love to serve the chocolate mousse with coconut yogurt and berries - in the photo above those are New Zealand blackcurrants. Not grown in China like many frozen berries are!

Yes, you can see I tested it out in the bottom left hand corner!
​
Thanks for reading. Enjoy.

Melanie Young
Reg Osteopath
Director City Osteopaths
www.cityosteopaths.co.nz

​This may be the best paleo pancake recipe around!

I must admit I am rather proud of it as I pulled it together experimenting on my family (as you do). I have made these pancakes many times over the past year and since I have hand written it out for lots of patients I thought it was time to share properly.

They are gluten free, grain free, dairy free and sugar free. They provide you with protein from the eggs and nuts, fats from the nuts and coconut and carbs from the nuts, tapioca flour, banana and coconut. There is some fructose from the bananas to sweeten the mix. If you want them sweeter just add another banana. 

These pancakes  should keep you going till lunchtime and our active children love them as pancakes or pikelets for breakfast, in their lunchbox or for after school.

It is easy to make in that you put all the ingredients into the blender or food processor, whiz it up, then just pour the mixture into a suitably hot pan. I use organic butter, but you could use ghee or coconut oil. It also makes very good pikelets which will keep a day in the fridge. I have always found the mix to hold together well and turn easily in the pan. We use a solid stainless steel pan, as we found that even good quality non stick only lasts a short time before it is stratched and not safe to use.

​This recipe makes enough for four good sized breakfast pancakes. You can also make the mixture and store it in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple of days of good eating!

Ingredients:
2 ripe- ish bananas
6 eggs (ideally organic and free range)
1 cup of ground almonds or other nut meal
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1/2 cup of dessicated coconut
1tsp baking powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
Optional 1/2 cup of cacao (or cocoa) to make chocolate pancakes. Very good with berries

Blend it till smooth

Heat the pan dry, when it is hot, add butter/ghee/coconut oil. Pour an amount (about quarter of the batter) into the hot fizzing buttered pan and tilt the pan to make a good shaped pancake. When bubbles start to form on the surface, then pop, easily turn the pancake, it will only need a short time on the other side. Slide onto plate.

Serve with your choice of toppings. We use stewed organic apple and berries with some clearwater yoghurt. Enjoy!

Melanie Young
Reg Osteopath
Director City Osteopaths
(And foodie!)


www.cityosteopaths.co.nz
Ph 04 4991439

This is a delicious and nutritious recipe, with origins from 'My Darling Lemon Thyme' .
It is quick and easy to make, the only trouble being how to stop eating it!

I always have some in the freezer for that pick me up without going for refined sugar or processed foods.

It is high in Calcium, Magnesium, antioxidants and other minerals. Your body needs calcium for strong bones at any age and magnesium for muscle relaxation and melatonin production which aids sleep. Though I wouldn't eat too much of this at night as it IS also high in energy!
Scientific studies of the effects of dark chocolate indicate that it stimulates the release of endorphins in the human body. As a result, dark chocolate may have an anti-depressant effect. A study in the 2012 issue of the "International Journal of Hypertension" reports that the antioxidants in dark chocolate help to reduce high blood pressure and improve circulation. Advocates of raw cacao beans claim the beans provide these health benefits to a greater degree because the raw beans have a higher level of antioxidants than processed chocolate.

Recipe:
1/2 cup of real Maple syrup
3 Tablespoons raw deodorised coconut oil
340 grams hulled tahini (this is a whole medium sized jar)
4-5 Tablespoons raw organic cacoa powder
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
A good pinch of sea salt flakes
Grated rind of one organic orange

Melt the coconut oil gently in a small pot, take it off the heat, stir in the maple syrup, and add the rest of the ingredients, pour into a lined small container and put in the freezer till frozen. It is very satisfying as a pick me up later in the day, much better for you than commercial processed sugars.