For those of us with a sweet tooth, having healthy yet delicious dessert recipes on hand is essential.
Fortunately, Lilian Dikmans - Australian model, Muay Thai fighter, actor and the founder of healthy-living website Real Food Healthy Body (www.rfhb.com.au) has agreed to share her recipe for Chocolate, Raspberry and Chia Slice with Nutrient Avenue.
This gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free treat is not only delicious but features two superstar ingredients - raspberries for their antioxidant benefits and chia seeds for omega-3 fatty acids. And then there is of course chocolate.
See below for the full list of ingredients, plus Lilian's simple instructions.
*If you're allergic to gluten, use gluten-free oats or substitute with nut meal.
Preparation
1. Line a 10 x 16cm container with baking paper or cling film.
2. Process the base ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Press the mixture into the prepared container and set aside in the freezer.
3. To make the raspberry layer, place the frozen raspberries in a small fry-pan or saucepan over a medium heat. As the berries start to defrost and soften, squash them with the back of a spoon to turn them into a paste. Add the chia seeds, water, rice malt syrup and coconut oil and stir everything together. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer, continuing to stir regularly. The mixture should thicken as the chia seeds absorb the liquid. Once the mixture has thickened into a thick paste, take it off the heat, allow to cool slightly and then spread it over the base. Place the slice back in the freezer to chill.
4. To make the chocolate topping, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring to combine. Remove the slice from the freezer and pour over the chocolate mixture. Return the slice to the fridge for a few hours to set. Once set, leave the slice at room temperature for a few minutes before cutting into squares. If the chocolate topping is still quite hard, the pressure required to cut the slice may cause the raspberry filling to squish out a bit. So I recommend turning the slice onto its side and then carefully cutting it that way.
