• Tweet

• Tweet

Well, two actually.

First up and a rather dirty little secret is that I love…..

vampire fiction.

I know, I know, I’m a grown woman who works with people to improve their health, feel more vital and empowered, and live a life that dreams are made of. I realise that vampire fiction would not typically be lumped in with this life purpose of mine, but in it’s own way it serves it. Reading fiction allows me to have total chill out time so that I can show up in full force with total energy and focus when I do work. 

OK, OK, I also just really love it. To further explain and justify:

Yes, it was the Twilight movies that got me onto it.
Yes, when I first read the Twilight series I didn’t surface from the couch for 4 days (I read a book per day) except for the occasional pee.
Yes, those pee stops were a nuisance.
Yes, book stores locally also term the genre “paranormal romance” and I am OK with that.
Yes, I have read more than ten book series featuring vampires/the paranormal/shape shifters/angels/demons since Twilight took over my imagination.
Yes, I am content with my choices.
Yes, I feel a little twinge of “don’t judge me” when I share my love of these books with new people.
Yes, that’s a straight out lie – I enjoy them too much to hide the truth or feel shame.
Yes, I have had conversations until the wee hours of the morning with 30 something year old friends who are equally as taken by this genre.
Yes, I still read book after book on health, personal development, coaching, spirituality and all things more “me”.

Yes, the sexier the better.
Yes, it is a dirty little secret but that’s what you were hoping for right?

So that’s secret number one. Do you have a secret indulgence that completely relaxes you and melts the stress away? These books seriously do it for me. I’ve had weeks where I’ll read them every spare second then months without touching the genre but I keep coming back to them. It seems I am a total sucker for them. Who would have thought?

Here’s secret number two:

Zucchini.

Yes, you heard me right. Zucchini is like the stealth, secret, ninja ingredient in raw food cuisine. So often it dons its mask, secretly hiding its true healthy nature and pretending to be something far more processed, sugar, fat, carb and wheat laden. This is why we love it. It’s the King of imitators and tasty and alkaline to boot!

The humble zucchini can often be found masquerading as spaghetti and lasagne sheets in raw food dishes, or even wrapping vegetable rolls. More recently, I came across a zucchini masquerading as a raw cookie ingredient, perhaps even the replacement for flour.

Sound odd? Yes, it does. But tasty? Certainly. 

Check out how the secret ingredient came together in this recipe…

Raw Carob Zucchini Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of carob powder (you could use cacao powder instead if you like)
1 large zucchini, grated or processed in the food processor until shredded finely
1.5 cups of coconut flour (made by grinding or blending dessicated coconut until it is fine or just purchase the flour)
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 cup of coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
5 droppers of liquid vanilla stevia (start with this much and then taste the mixture and add more as desired. Note that the sweetness will lessen once the cookies are refrigerator or in the freezer so add a bit extra. Dates would also be lovely in this recipe with a teaspoon of vanilla extract)

Directions:
1) Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.

2) Add the wet ingredients and stir through.

3) Use your hands (with or without gloves!) to squish the mixture together until it sticks together. Taste and adjust sweetness to your preference.

4 ) Form small cookie or ball shapes with the mixture and place on plate. You can roll these in more coconut if you like or leave as they are.

5) Pop the cookies into the fridge for 1 hour or more, or put them in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes. This is my preference as they stay together better and you can eat them sooner!

Devour!

Leave me a comment with your favourite “secret ingredient” and how you use it. Let’s share our sneaky ways!

Love,
Casey