Emma Newlyn Yoga

To balance mood and hunger levels, good quality healthy fats are essential, especially when it comes to hormones or women’s overall health. After the ‘low fat’ craze of the 1980s and ‘90s, much of the ‘healthy’ food in supermarkets is still marked as low fat, but it turns out this low fat food is actually more likely to cause an increase of ‘bad’ fat stored in the body. Low fat foods are often filled with more sugar in order to make them taste better, and to replace the fat taken out. Healthy fats like the ones found in this recipe are recognisable to the body and the brain, and it can therefore make good use of them!

When we don’t consume enough fat, the body continues sending out hunger signals to the brain even though we’ve already eaten enough. If this continues, we eventually lost contact with the feeling of satisfaction and full-ness until we’ve eaten way more that we usually would. Adding fat back into your diet can mean you’ll feel full for longer, your mood and levels could be a lot more balanced, and hormones, skin and overall sense of ‘wellness’ is quite likely to be higher.

Try making these bars and have them on hand in the fridge for when you’re looking for a satisfying snack or dessert.

INGREDIENTS

(MAKES AROUND 10 BARS)

• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 4 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
• 3-4 tsp stevia (could also use honey or maple syrup if you’re not concerned with making the bar totally ‘zero carbs’)
• handful of seeds or nuts
• handful of shredded coconut or cacao nibs

You’ll also need:

• a tin or baking dish

METHOD

1. Melt half the coconut oil
2. stir in the cacao / cocoa and 1 tsp stevia with a fork or whisk
3. Pour the mixture into your tin or baking dish and place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set
4. In the mean time, add the rest of the ingredients to a blender and blend until everything is combined. Everything works well if it reaches a consistency you can spread easily. If things are too dry add more coconut oil or a splash of warm water or milk
5. Take the dish out of the freezer, and spread the mixture over the top of the set coconut oil and cocoa
6. Sprinkle over the seeds and coconut / cacao nibs if you’re using them, and press down so they sink into the mixture
7. Place in the freezer and leave to set for one hour
8. Once set, remove from the freezer and use a long sharp knife to cut into bars
9. Store in the freezer for up to a couple of weeks and enjoy!