Danny Painter catches up with Izelle Hoffman

Every Tuesday on 'Love Songs with Danny Painter', lifestyle chef and cookbook author Izelle Hoffman joins Danny for a segment on 'mindful living'.They talk food, TV, body, mind, and more food!

Each week, Izelle brings a recipe from her 'Mindful Eating' cookbook, which she shares with us, explaining why the ingredients in her recipe can help us heal and get super healthy, no matter what our starting point! With Izelle Hoffman, you can have your cake and eat it, mindfully! 

This week they are talking coffee! Coffee, and cookies! Rather, Izelle Hoffman's 'chocolate espresso biscuits'! These little bites of heaven are jam packed with all the goodness and none of the guilt! 

Chocolate Espresso biscuits

Prep time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 7–10 minutes

Servings: 20–24 biscuits

300 g almond flour plus extra for dusting

50 g diced almonds

1 heaped Tbsp raw cacao powder, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp fine Oryx desert salt

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

200 g almond butter

6 Tbsp raw honey, plus extra for drizzling

2 tsp vanilla essence

1 shot espresso or 1 heaped tsp ground or instant coffee

coffee beans and hazelnuts or macadamia nuts for garnishing (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Spray a baking tray with non-stick cooking spray and dust with almond flour.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except the garnish, to form a dough.
3. Roll the dough into 20-24 small oblong shapes
4. Place them on the prepared baking tray and, using a fork dipped in cacao powder, firmly press down on each biscuit. They should look like Nuttikrusts or old-style koffiekoekies, just healthier.
5. Garnish with coffee beans and hazelnuts or macadamia nuts if desired and bake for 7–10 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with honey and dust with cacao powder or extra coffee grounds.
7. Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.

If you are a coffee snob like me and appreciate a strong coffee taste, use ground coffee for a more intense flavor.

Why are we making use of these ingredients:

Almonds

Whether in the form of milk, flour, butter or flakes, almonds are packed with nutritional benefits. They boost the immune system, help repair damaged skin, help prevent cancer, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and have alkalising properties. They are also a source of vitamin E, magnesium and high-quality protein. 

Raw Cacao

Raw cacao contains very high amounts of antioxidants, reduces appetite and helps with weight loss. It alleviates stress, helps manage depression and regulates blood pressure. It is a fantastic source of calcium too.

Oryx Salt

What is the purpose of adding salt during cooking? It’s to enhance flavour, right? So why not start by using a good-quality salt to do the job? Sun-dried and unrefined with no additives will bring out the best in your food in the healthiest way possible.

Bicarbonate of soda

You will find this in my pantry as well as in the bathroom next to my toothbrush. Bicarbonate of soda alkalises the body, and so drinking half a teaspoon dissolved in water before I go to bed at night helps neutralise the acidity build-up of the day. It also provides relief from colds and flu, and supports healthy detoxification

Raw Honey

Salt needs sweet and vice versa to enhance taste and flavour. So when you add sweetness, choose a sweetness that has a healing effect on your body and health. Raw honey is antiviral and anti-fungal, and contains powerful antioxidants. Its helps ward off allergies, stabilise blood pressure and balance blood sugar levels. It also boosts the immune system and promotes digestive health.

You can catch this week's podcast here: 

You can buy your copy of the award winning 'Mindful Eating' cookbook here!

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