If I’ve learnt anything about being a Hollingsworth it’s that when it comes to food, if you snooze, you most definitely always lose. As my lovely husband explained to me after the other half of a cookie I was eating was pinched from under my nose by someone who will remain nameless, ‘if it’s not on your plate it’s fair game’.
Category Archives: Sweet treats
Nut-free no-bake chocolate granola balls
Energy balls are my saviour when it comes to snacks on the go. Before I discovered them I was prone to many a ‘hanger’ attack (far from pretty for anyone involved) so nowadays I always make sure that whenever I leave the house I pop a few in my handbag to keep me going throughout the day. Continue reading
Peanut butter cup chocolate fudge brownie birthday cake
This year was Mr H’s 31st birthday, which he really wasn’t happy about. Apparently he’s ‘properly’ in his 30s now that his age doesn’t end in a zero anymore, or at least that was his logic. So as the day approached it became clear that to cheer him up I’d need to feed him something chocolatey, indulgent, rich and delicious, and to get top wife marks it would need to include some peanut butter too.
Choco-banana-quinoa breakfast sliders
Breakfast is a magical thing – it has the power to transform something that would usually be classified as a dessert into a totally acceptable main meal. And I’m all about taking advantage of gastronomical norms when it means I get to start my day with something super delicious, a little sweet and potentially (and more often than not) full of cacao and or nut butter.
Peanut butter and raspberry jam cheesecake slice
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – peanut butter is one of the loves of my adult life. I’ll happily eat it on its own, but I’m fully aware that there are some foods out there that complement it beautifully too. Chocolate is one (try our peanut butter chocolate cheesecake slice if you don’t believe me) and jam (or jelly to our American pals) is another. In fact we must applaud our friends across the pond for this delicious combination as they came up with PB&J over 100 years ago! It seems to have taken its time to become quite as popular in old Blighty, but the PB&J revolution is definitely now growing momentum over here too.
Raspberry ripple mini cheesecakes
I’m not a massive ice cream person these days, but when I was younger we’d always have raspberry ripple ice cream at my grandparents house for dessert, and I used to love it. So I guess this recipe is somewhat of a nostalgic one, but with a healthy twist. Raspberries are one of my favourite berries, I get so excited when they come into season (and so sad when they go out of season, but I guess that’s what my freezer’s for) and this year I was desperate to go raspberry picking. However with the arrival of baby H we had a pretty busy summer so we never quite managed to go, but it’s definitely on my list for next year! If you have any recommendations of where’s good to pick them near London please do let me know! Continue reading
Tiramisu – better latte than never!
Coffee is like marmite – you either love it or you hate it – and if you love it (like me) it can be dangerously addictive. I used to get through not one, not two, but three large skinny lattes a day when I was working in an office, but managed to wean myself off it and felt loads better for doing so. But I do still really love the taste of it, so these days I’m still partial to the odd decaf almond milk latte here and there.
Lemon meringue pie balls
Did you know the addition of lemons to sweet desserts can be traced all the way back to Medieval times? In those days citrus fruits were pretty expensive in the UK, so these sort of puddings were only enjoyed by the super wealthy. Of course nowadays we can all pop to the shops and grab a couple of lemons for £1, which is great because these balls are too good to miss out on! Continue reading
Four ingredient choc chip banana oat cookies
I’m finding more and more that I keep running out of time – I always seem to be rushing around and I honestly don’t know where the days go. People used to tell me that time gets quicker as you get older and I definitely believe it now. I also think that because I’m doing something I love I’m not just sitting at a desk twiddling my thumbs and clock watching, but whatever it is I have to really make a conscious effort to spend a little time each day being mindful, for my own sanity if not everyone else’s! Continue reading
Super easy chia choco coconut truffles
I’m a massive fan of chia seeds; I sprinkle them in my porridge, on my soups and salads, I love a good chia seed pudding and they’re amazing as an egg replacer in vegan baking. So when the lovely people at Of The Earth Superfoods sent me some of their chia seeds as part of their Organic September campaign I was super excited to get in the kitchen.
Chia seeds are touted as a superfood, and for good reason as they have about a zillion and one health benefits – they’re packed with antiodixants, fibre, omega 3s and protein, as well as being great for your skin, heart, digestive health and lots more. Pretty damn super if you ask me! Continue reading
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