SNACKS TO GO WITH COCONUT & BLISS
Peanut butter protein balls
1 1/2 cups oats
1 scoop protein powder (optional)
1/4 cup chia seeds
Pinch salt
1/2 cup runny peanut butter
1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
50g dark chocolate, chopped
Method:
Place oats in a blender and blend until a fine powder (I used my @nutribulletaus smart touch blender). Add oats to a bowl with protein powder, chia seeds, salt and mix to combine. Stir in peanut butter and maple syrup, followed by the chocolate. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and freeze for approx. 20 mins or until firm.
3-ingredient almond cookies
2 cups almond meal
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a tray with baking paper.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
Scoop tablespoons of the dough onto the tray and slightly flatten.
Bake for 10-12 mins until golden.
Crunchy choc PB slice
Base
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (runny is best)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp butter or coconut oil
Pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups puffed quinoa or rice
Chocolate Topping
100g dark chocolate
1 tbsp butter or coconut oil
1 tbsp peanut butter
Salt flakes, to sprinkle
Method:
Line a 30x20cm pan with baking paper. Add all base ingredients except quinoa to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix for about a minute or until smooth. Place puffed quinoa or rice in a large mixing bowl and pour over the peanut butter mixture. Stir until well combined. Pour mixture into pan and press to flatten. In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt topping ingredients until smooth. Pour over the base, top with salt flakes and place in the freezer to set for at least 30-45 mins. Store in the fridge.
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Q&A with the Sophie Fisher, Founder of Coconut & Bliss
Can you tell us when and why you started Coconut and Bliss?
I started Coconut and Bliss way back in 2014 during my 2nd year of uni – this was when healthy food started emerging as a huge trend. Multiple healthy cafes started popping up all over Sydney – as a foodie, I was fascinated by all the healthy alternatives they offered like raw caramel slice, acai bowls and ‘cheesecakes’. Out of the blue one day, I decided to start an Instagram to house all the food pics I took at these cafes. Fairly soon after, I started uploading my own recipes that aligned to this way of eating – I’ve always loved cooking so this was quite a natural evolution. From here, my account really started to gain traction – I realised people were genuinely loving my healthy takes on recipes. All my content was vegan, gluten, dairy, refined sugar free – very different to the recipes I create today.
Did you expect the response you had to your platform?
Definitely not! I think I was one of the first healthy food accounts so people were genuinely interested in the content I was sharing. I also started being more strategic about my posting which is when I saw exponential growth.
Why do you think people come to your page?
These days, my platform is all about sharing easy, healthy-ish recipes – I still use butter, occasionally sugar and regular flour but I reduce the quantities where I can and make substitutions for more nutritious options. I think this very balanced approach is hard to come by (it’s often one extreme or the other) and that’s what people love about my recipes. They’re not too restrictive but they’re also not using excessive amounts of unhealthy ingredients.
Do people always ask you to cook for them?
Yes… mainly my family! They love trying all my creations. I love their honest feedback – if they think a recipe needs tweaking, they’ll tell me and I won’t post it until I’ve nailed it.
What’s been the most popular recipe on your page so far?
Probably my carrot cake with a healthier cream cheese frosting…. But people also love my easy cinnamon scrolls and yoghurt bark.
What are your vegan alternatives you can’t live without?
While I’m not a vegan, I absolutely LOVE nutritional yeast for cheesy flavour. I sprinkle it over pasta, avo toast and even blend it into creamy pasta sauces – I rarely go a day without it! I’m also a huge fan of almond, oat and soy milk – I love the flavour and the texture.