Foodie Friday: Making Cacao Boost Porridge Squares & Superberries Parfait with Bioglan Superfoods

The Bank Holiday weekend has arrived, and I've teamed up with Bioglan Superfoods to make two of their super easy-to-follow recipes for some tasty healthy treats that you can share with your friends and family.

Superfood Powder Blends

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I love making things like smoothies and baking healthy sweet treats, and you guys know how much I love a good superfood blend! Bioglan Superfoods have an impressive range to choose from, and their superfood powder blends are so versatile and easy to add to any recipe for a big health boost.

They kindly sent me two vegan-friendly blends to try out recently; Cacao Boost and Superberries, and let me tell you - these are delicious!

Bioglan Superfoods Cacao Boost* (70g, £9.99, link)

Cacao Boost is for all you chocolate fans out there. Featuring an organic mix of Cacao Powder, Lucuma Powder, Hemp Protein Powder, and Maca Powder, each 10g serving gives you a good source of Copper, Manganese, and Magnesium, to help reduce tiredness and fatigue. It has a sweet malty, chocolatey caramel flavour so it lends itself well to baking and can be used as a healthy substitute for cocoa powder in things like muffins, brownies and cupcakes. Yum!

Cacao Boost Portable Porridge Squares (makes 12)

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 50g hazelnuts or almonds, chopped
• 375ml almond or oat milk
• 225g oats
• 60ml maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons Bioglan Superfoods Cacao Boost

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
• Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined and pour into the tray.
• Place in the oven for 15 minutes until set and allow to cool.
• Once cool, slice into squares - enjoy!

Bioglan Superfoods Superberries* (70g, £9.99, link)

For a fruity treat, you can't beat awesome Superberries. Specially formulated to support your immune system, this blend has a superstar lineup of berries such as Goji, Açai, Blueberry, Acerola Cherry, Strawberry, Redcurrant, Montmorency Cherry, Pomegranate and Bilberry, plus Beetroot for even more antioxidants. Needless to say, each 10g serving contains a whopping 80% of your RDA of Vitamin C and 25% each of Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Magnesium, and Manganese. 

Superberries tastes a little tart which means it's great in smoothies or added to pancake batter and fruity breakfast muffins. You can also try it in this delicious Parfait recipe.

Superberries Parfait (serves 10)

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1.5kg Greek yoghurt or a dairy-free alternative
• 330g frozen mixed berries
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp Bioglan Superfoods Superberries

Method

• Line a loaf tin with cling film.
• Add the mashed bananas to a large bowl and then stir in the yoghurt with the maple syrup. 
• Add the frozen berries and Superberries powder, stirring until combined.
• Pour into the loaf tin, cover with cling film and freeze for at least 6 hours until set.
• Before serving, leave the parfait out to stand for 15-20 mins, remove from the tin and peel off the cling film.
• Top with fresh berries if desired, slice and serve - enjoy!

Shop the full range of Bioglan Superfoods online at bioglansuperfoods.co.uk

Have you tried any superfood blends?

Follow me on: BlogLovin' | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Read more

Health & Lifestyle: Bioglan Superfoods Digestive Boost review #GutHealth

 

A new release from Bioglan Superfoods, Digestive Boost is an easy to use daily supplement that you can use to boost your gut health, whilst also giving your immune system a helping hand.

Busy modern lifestyles, stress, a poor diet and a lack of exercise can all have a negative impact on your gut health, and as we learn more about our 'second brain', it becomes clearer that we need to look after our gut to benefit both our physical and mental health. 

Digestive supplements can be a useful addition, but if you're not a fan of swallowing capsules, why not try a powder product instead? 

What Is It?

Bioglan Superfoods Digestive Boost is a superfood powdered blend that's full of microbiome-friendly ingredients to benefit and support your gut health. Each 5g serving contains 500 million live cultures in addition to carefully selected plant-derived ingredients, which are each chosen for their unique health properties. It's also high in fibre, high in calcium and high in Vitamin B12 so it's especially useful for vegans as an alternative way for them to get that all-important B12 into their diet (each serving contains 400% NRV Vitamin B12 and 306% NRV Calcium).

What are the key ingredients?

Digestive Boost contains key ingredients of Inulin (a fibre found naturally in vegetables such as chicory), Psyllium Husk, Turmeric, Ginger, Dandelion Root, Nettle Leaf extract, a Multi-Enzyme blend, and added Calcium and Vitamin B12. Sweetener (in the form of Sucralose) and natural flavouring is also added to make it more palatable.

Who Can Use It?

Any adults who want to give their digestive and immune systems a boost can use it, but do check with your GP if you have any concerns that may need to be addressed. It's completely plant-based so it's suitable for vegans and there are none of the 14 common allergens in the blend.

How Do I Use It?

I found the Digestive Boost really easy to incorporate into my daily routine and the recommended serving is 5g per day - each pack contains 14 servings. Being a powdered blend means that you can easily add it to drinks such as juices and smoothies (I made a delicious Mango & Banana Smoothie above), or you can stir it into yoghurts and cereal. You can add it to basically anything that isn't hot as hot temperatures can destroy the enzymes in the blend. On the back of the packet is a recipe for No-Bake Vanilla Cookie Balls which I can't wait to try!  

What Does It Taste Like?

Although there's some natural Vanilla flavouring added to this product, I'd say that the flavour of Turmeric comes through the strongest, with more of a hint of sweet Vanilla following afterwards. You can't really taste it once it's blended into a juice or smoothie drink though.

Overall Thoughts

As mentioned earlier, looking after your digestive health is vitally important for your overall wellbeing and it's essential for both your physical and mental health so a supplement like this will certainly benefit many people, especially those who struggle to eat enough fibre which is most of us. Vegans will do well with this as it contains more than their daily requirements for both Calcium and Vitamin B12. The addition of antioxidants such as Turmeric, Ginger and Nettle help to support a healthy immune system which is also important as we head into the colder months. I enjoyed how easy it was to add to my breakfast routine too so it gets a thumbs up from me!

Bioglan Superfoods Digestive Boost* (70g - 14 servings, £12.99, link)

Do you take any digestive supplements?

Follow me on: BlogLovin' | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Read more

Health & Lifestyle: Bioglan Superfoods Beauty Protein Powder review #VeganBeauty

Collagen supplements have been popular amongst skincare fans for a long time now, but did you know that most are made from marine or bovine ingredients? For those who have been searching for a vegan-friendly collagen alternative, Bioglan Superfoods have the answer in the form of their new Beauty Protein Powder.

Collagen is a protein that's found naturally all throughout the body; it's in your bones, skin, muscles and tendons, and is often referred to as the body's 'scaffolding' which is a good way to sum it up as it supports your overall structure. Like many natural sources though, collagen production starts to slow down after around the age of 25 and takes a tumble even further for women after the menopause (thanks Mother Nature!). 

Needless to say, finding ways to boost collagen, and thus its production, has been touted as one of the big 'anti-ageing' research areas as declining collagen levels ultimately lead to a loss of skin elasticity and moisture - resulting in those common signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and drier skin. 

There are a myriad of different collagen supplement products available on the market, from capsules to drinks, to topical skincare and rejuvenating face treatments, but now there's finally a vegan-friendly option thanks to Bioglan Superfoods' new Beauty Protein Powder - hooray!

What Is It?

Bioglan Superfoods Beauty Protein Powder is a collagen-boosting blend of superfood berries and plant-based protein which has been enhanced by additional vitamins and minerals to give your skin a boost from within. It features a unique amino acid mix that essentially mimics the composition of traditionally used bovine collagen, giving vegans and vegetarians a cruelty-free alternative.

What Are The Key Ingredients?

Pea and Rice Protein offer a good source of plant-based protein (7.1g per 10g serving), whilst Goji Berry and Raspberry Fruit Powders provide a source of antioxidants and Vitamin C that helps to maintain normal collagen formation for healthy skin. The amino acid complex is made up of L-Glycine, L-Alanine, L-Proline, L-Hydroxyproline, L-Leucine and L-Arginine, each of which has been specially chosen for their abilities to help boost collagen, and there's also Hyaluronic Acid (to help the skin hold onto moisture for longer), Bamboo extract and Biotin (to keep skin, hair and nails strong) added to complete the blend.

How Do I Use It?

Super easy - like everything in the Bioglan Superfoods range, you can add it to porridge (as above),  overnight oats, birchers, smoothies, shakes, or stir it into yoghurts, and even add it to pancake and muffin recipes for a healthier treat. Two teaspoons (10g) is all you need per day.

What Does It Taste Like?

Unlike other mainstream collagen supplements which can have a fishy aftertaste, this one doesn't really taste of much, except for a subtle 'protein powder' flavour (if you drink protein shakes, you'll know what I mean!) which I don't mind. It's easily disguised in whatever you blend it with anyway! 

Overall Thoughts?

I know a lot of vegetarians and vegans who have been looking for a product like this, and with more people turning to a plant-based diet, I can see this being very popular. It's free from animal products, high in protein and contains no added flavours, sugar or sweeteners. Plus it's easy to use and incorporate into your daily routine, and it can help to improve your skin in the long term - what's not to like?! My only bugbears are the plastic packaging (I hope Bioglan are looking into this) and that a product of this nature could be made even better by using organic ingredients, however for the price, it's definitely worth a try.

Bioglan Superfoods Beauty Protein Powder* (100g - equal to 10 servings - £12.99) is available direct from Bioglan Superfoods and Holland & Barrett (link)

Do you take any collagen supplements?

Follow me on: BlogLovin' | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Read more

Foodie Friday: Creamy Banana & Cacao Pudding (Dairy-Free / Vegan recipe)

I've been having some major chocolate cravings this week and after a quick look in my fridge, I decided to whip up this Creamy Banana & Cacao Pudding which is a tasty way to use up any overripe bananas that you may have laying around. 

This pudding couldn't be simpler to make and if you're into healthy eating, you'll probably have most of the ingredients in your fridge or kitchen cupboard already. If not, you can easily pick them up from any large supermarket and many of the budget discounters such as Aldi and Lidl now stock products like Cacao Powder - just make sure that you buy a 100% raw version that doesn't contain any other ingredients. Alternatively, high street shops like Holland and Barrett and TK Maxx have an excellent selection available, or you can purchase it online.

Cacao Powder is made from unroasted cocoa beans and as a result, retains all of its essential nutrients such as Magnesium and Copper so you get a good health boost from it, as well as a delicious, rich chocolate flavour. Both the Bananas and Avocado in this recipe give the pudding additional vitamins, minerals, and a source of healthy fats for a truly guilt-free dessert to enjoy after dinner. I highly recommend sprinkling over some Pomegranate Seeds and Cacao Nibs for further health benefits, flavour and a yummy crunch!

Ingredients: (makes two standard ramekin-sized puddings)

• 2 overripe fairtrade Bananas
• 1 ripe Avocado
• 200ml Coconut Milk (from a tin)
• 2tbsp Cacao Powder (I used Bioglan)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 tsp Maple or Agave Syrup
• Pomegranate Seeds & Cacao Nibs (optional, to serve)

Method:

• Slice up the Bananas and chop up the Avocado into chunks. Place in a food processor and then add in the Vanilla, Cacao Powder, and Maple/Agave Syrup. Blitz until smooth.
• Give the tin of Coconut Milk a good shake and then measure out 200ml. Switch the food processor back on and pour it in whilst blending. Whizz until you have a thick, creamy and pudding-like consistency.
• Divide the mixture into two ramekins and pop them in the fridge for half an hour if you want them to set a little more, otherwise, sprinkle over some Pomegranate Seeds and Cacao Nibs if using and dig right in! 

Are you a fan of healthy puddings?

Follow me on: BlogLovin' | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Read more