Emma Newlyn Yoga

Welcome in the weekend by indulging (guilt free!) in some wholesome, healthy brownies….

These nutritious bites are great for re-fuelling before or after exercise, as dessert, or you could have a couple of them as an on-the-go breakfast.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Quinoa Flakes
• 1Tbsp Hemp Seeds
• 5 Dates
• ½ Cup Broken Walnuts
• A few chunks of raw coconut flesh (I happened to have coconuts in the house at this point – if you don’t, then add 1-2 Tbsp of coconut flakes) *At the moment, you can buy a couple of coconuts for around £1, and as you can drink the water from them – with enough of the flesh left over for days of snacking, it’s really worth getting a couple to try. (Plus, it’s fun to smash coconuts open….)
• 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2 tsp lucuma powder (optional – the lucuma will make for a sweeter taste, but if you don’t mind a bit more sugar or a wetter texture and you still like a sweet taste, add a little honey)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 pinch Himalayan mountain salt or good quality sea salt
• Sesame Seeds for sprinkling
  Other Optional toppings:
• Gogi Berries
• Raw Cacao chips
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Cinnamon

HOW TO: 

• Take your Quinoa flakes, hemp seeds and mixed nuts, and grind them in a blender until they almost form a flour consistency

• Add the Dates and blend until they’re well combined

• Add the raw coconut chunks or coconut flakes and blend again

• Finally, add your lucuma powder, raw cacao, vanilla extract and salt, and blend again until everything begins to form a thick mushy consistency

• When everything is combined, take your mushy mixture out of the blender and place on a chopping board or large plate.

• Flatten the mixture out a little and then begin to divide in to chunks; either with a knife or with your hand, and shape them in to squares or any other shape you fancy.

• Once everything is divided up; sprinkle a few iron-rich sesame seeds on top and place the brownies in the freezer for a couple of hours to set, or leave them in the fridge for a while before eating. (Or you could just get stuck in, as they’re already ready to eat!)

If you’re keeping an eye on what you consume at the moment as you’re ‘shaping up for summer’; it’s worth remembering that all that working out you’re planning on doing requires lots of energy! Living off fruit and water for the next few months won’t help anyone, (especially because our moods often go waaaay down when we’re constantly hungry, and Summer time isn’t the time for bad moods!). So stick with snacks like these, which contain lots of nutrients and will keep you happy and moving for hours!