Imperfectly Paleo

This cooling summer dessert is inspired by my Matcha-Maca-Cacao Tricolor Treats Matcha Cacao Nice Cream Cups It is super simple to make - no blender and only TWO core ingredients (plus a pinch of sea salt). The matcha and cacao add extra yumminess, colour and antioxidants but really, they're fabulous even without. Enjoy and make the most of the glorious summer sun  x

This is a great way to start the day as the matcha provides a lovely morning boost, with some caffeine and, more importantly, plenty L-theanine (an amino acid reported to boost concentration). The anti-ageing, antioxidant and detoxifying benefits are just extras thrown in for good measure. Cleansing Peach and Matcha Green Tea Smoothie Bowl

When I was little I often spent summers in Hong Kong. One of my most vivid food memories (and that is some feat given the quantity and variety of foods consumed per trip!) is the purple Ube flavoured ice cream. It was like nothing I'd ever seen here at home (and no, the blue bubblegum flavour ice lollies do not count). To think an actual real food had a colour as bright and fun as a Strawberry Shortcake cohort was mindbogglingly glorious! Purple Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Be still my beating heart... I kid you not, I needed to exert an extraordinary level of self-restraint not to eat the entire contents of the food processor prior to this mix making its way into the cake tin. It exudes a dangerously Voldermort-esque allure! And when it came to slathering over the creamy top onto the base I may have accidentally on purpose left more than a generous amount at the bottom of the bowl for licking out - cook's prerogative and all that. Shhh - don't tell my kids! Mooohaha! Sweet Potato, Chocolate & Chia No Bake Cake

So many festivities requiring a complimentary foodstuff to celebrate and commemorate with this week! After yesterday's Chinese New Year dish I am going to share this pancake recipe I actually created last summer. It's interesting looking at my photos from just over half a year ago - still being the complete amateur photographer that I am, taking all my photos on my ipad with my untrained eye, I'm not sure I'd have styled them quite this way now, nor used the same angles and positioning. Life eh? Ever evolving... Happy Shrove Tuesday x Beetroot Pancakes with Blueberries and Fruit Compote

Affectionately known as The Orange One, this has hints of carrot cake about it, with the cinnamon and spices. The apricots lend a slightly more tart flavour making it perfect as a refreshing breakfast wake-up. Carrot and Apricot Spiced Smoothie Bowl

Consider this a warning - this is a highly addictive substance. In some circles it could be considered a banned foodstuff in light of its ability to incite overindulgence! Macadamia Nut Superfood Fudge

Serve as breakfast, snack, dessert, or even as a lunch alternative. This recipe featured as a guest post over on  Perfectly Paleo a UK based online source for paleo-friendly cupboard essentials. Banana Bread Smoothie Bowl Kids and grown ups alike will enjoy this smoothie bowl, full of vegetables to ensure a hefty dose of vitamins and a modest insulin impact. The secret ingredient to make it extra sweet and creamy is butternut squash, while maca powder gives a lovely butterscotch flavour - particularly delicious with cinnamon, banana and honey. I recommend adding a spoon of collagen for protein and amino acids but this is optional and will not affect the taste if omitted.

Most Paleo/ Vegan raw cakes (the ones that kinda masquerade as cheesecakes but actually taste nothing like cheesecake!) are packed with nuts. Aside from the fact I am appalling at portion control and eating nuts by the cupful, albeit in a smooshed up consistency, really does me no favours digestively or calorically speaking, my daughter is actually allergic to several varieties. I made this to celebrate her major achievement this week and hope she likes it! Spirulina Mint and Carob Raw Cake

Could anything be more the stuff of dreams than indulgent chocolate being healthy? Well, in this case, a resounding yes! Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Dream Cake

With the weather turning colder my regular breakfast salad is starting to feel a little amiss. More than the odd morning have I caught myself sneaking covetous glances and salivating slightly at the steaming bowl of porridge (oatmeal) across the breakfast table being enjoyed by my gluten tolerant other half. Fig and Blueberry Grain-Free Porridge (N'oatmeal)

As much as I love coconut flour and am fiercely loyal to the regular inhabitants of my life, dietary or otherwise, sometimes, out of nowhere comes an itch to venture off-piste just for a brief adventure! Squidgy Sesame Protein Brownies

To celebrate our anniversary I wanted to make something special. And obviously I had to make enough for the children! Anniversary Chocolate Mousse Tarts Looking back at the person I was on my wedding day feels like looking back at a long lost friend - I haven't caught up with her for a while, shared a joke (or a gluten and dairy pizza). Though she's changed a lot, one thing that has remained unwavering is her love of chocolate - albeit these days without the dairy and only a fraction of the sweetness.

Spirulina is touted as somewhat of a superhero of the food world - it lays claim to superpowers that include fighting viruses, preventing cancer and warding off the effects of ageing. It contains all the essential amino acids and is high in protein. Quite veritably Superman in the skin of the Incredible Hulk! Spirulina Detox Smoothie Bowl

This quick and easy treat needs no preamble. (Scarily Delicious) Chocolate Truffles I'm never one for much of an excuse when it comes to yummy treats and honestly these are pretty healthy as far as chocolate truffles go but who am I kidding, a truffle is a truffle is a truffle! Enjoy in moderation.

To celebrate (or commiserate) the end of summer and because today I need some happy brightness to counteract a sad loss... Raw Watermelon Freezer 'Cookies' Watermelon is in abundance in the summer months plus it's refreshing and cooling on hot days. Its high water content makes it unhelpful to bake with so this is raw and does need to be stored in the fridge (or even better, freezer then defrost briefly before eating).

Lavender grows in abundance in this part of the world. It smells so relaxing and looks so beautiful that when I recently visited a lavender farm I knew I had to devise a recipe that set it centre stage. Lavender Fig and Honey Mini Cheesecakes Lavender is a herb that has a huge host of uses, including easing anxiety and stress, antiseptic properties and apparently relieving muscle and joint stiffness

Got to love the idea of healthy creativity instigated on Instagram by @amylecreations and @delicious_and_healthy_by_maya Yin Yang Superfood Smoothie Bowl This recipe was my contribution to their #howtomakeithealthier campaign; which conveniently coincides with #howtomakemehappier! 

These remind me of The Purple Pieman from Strawberry Shortcake! Obviously they are not wicked in the least - being free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy. The sweetness comes from juicy blueberries and a ripe banana, which adds to the super squidgy texture. The hidden red cabbage adds that extra nutritional bomb, packed with polyphenols with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. Surely the epitome of healthy cake!  'The Purple Ones' - Blueberry and Red Cabbage Mini Muffins Conveniently, they are also nut-free for those intolerant and find many Paleo muffins use nut flours.

The temperature here has soared to high 30s - apparently last week saw the hottest Wimbledon week in history. Might as well pretend we are in the tropics! Mango Tropical Chia Breakfast Pudding