Images and recipes from The Scandinavian Belly Fat Program by Berit Nordstrand (Murdoch Books) RRP $35.00

 

Nut Cake

” This is a wonderful cake that does not require baking. It contains neither gluten nor dairy products.” p41

serves 6

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or pepitas
(pumpkin seeds)

5 fresh dates or prunes, stones removed

100 g (3½ oz) raisins

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)

pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (flower honey is best)

 

 

Process half of the nuts and seeds in a blender, until quite finely ground. Repeat with the rest
of the nuts and seeds. Transfer all the blended nuts and seeds to a mixing bowl.

Put the dates and raisins in the blender and run it at full speed until they are finely chopped.

Mix the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla powder and sea salt into the blended nuts, and stir in the chopped dates and raisins.

Drizzle over the maple syrup or honey. Bring the dough together with your fingers.

Press out the dough in a cake shape that measures approximately 22 cm (8½ inches) in ­diameter, or press it out into six small portions.

 

TOPPING SUGGESTIONS

plain yoghurt, fresh fruit, dark chocolate flakes and lemon balm, mint or chervil

sour cream, softened cranberries and lemon balm, mint or chervil

sour cream and oven-baked apple slices with ground cinnamon

fresh blueberries and 2 pears simmered until tender in 200 ml (7 fl oz) apple juice, then diced

100 g (3½ oz) melted dark chocolate and 1 tablespoon organic coconut butter, combined to make a chocolate sauce