The Christmas holidays are usually associated with calorie-laden snacks, sweet treats and overindulgence.
If you're heading to a family get-together, you'll be surrounded by plates of mince pies, slices of cakes and tins of chocolates. Let's be honest, it's hard not to be tempted!
That's why we invited Catherine Tyldesley into the UP FITNESS kitchen to share her recipe for paleo chocolate orange 'squidgies'. These moist cakes are still definitely a treat but instead of being full of processed ingredients, they're full of more natural nutrient-dense foods.
The best thing? They will taste even better than that pre-packaged Christmas cake. So, whether you fancy a sweet treat at home, baking with the children or need to take a plate of food with you to a party, these chocolatey cakes are perfect for a healthier treat this Christmas.
Ingredients
4 oranges
1 cup of chia seeds
2 cups of almond milk
1 cup of coconut sugar
1 cup of ground almonds
1 cup of UP FITNESS Chocotrients
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 bar of 70% dark chocolate
Method
- Start by placing two whole oranges in a pan of boiling water and leave to simmer for 90 minutes.
- Next, mix together the chia seeds and almond milk in a large mixing bowl and put in the fridge to chill.
- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 200°C, or 180°C in a fan-assisted oven.
- When your oranges are cooked, remove them from the pan and roughly chop them. Then place the oranges, including the peel, into a blender and blitz until smooth.
- Remove your chia seeds from the fridge. By now they should be a thick, gloopy texture.
- Add the blitzed oranges, coconut sugar, ground almonds, Chocotrients, baking powder and cinnamon to the chia seeds and mix together.
- When combined, spoon the mixture into cupcake cases and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven when they are still springy to touch and leave to cool.
- Finally, grate the dark chocolate and zest of two oranges. Sprinkle the orange zest and dark chocolate on top of the cakes to decorate.
