And so it’s another beautiful Saturday! I hope you’ve had a magical week.
I wanted to pop you a question – I’ve never asked you when your birthday is before, but had a brain wave the other night and thought, I’d love to send you something on your big day. If you’re like me, you find as the years go on, one’s birthday becomes less and less of a celebration. But why not you and I have a sneaky salute to another year of you being on this planet.
Click this link here, pop in your bday details, then hit save. I haven’t quite decided what I’m going to send you yet, but I’ll make it something lovely!
Speaking of lovely, and of birthdays, this Hemp Cookies & Cream Cake is pretty much just that. 5 reasons you’re going to love it?
- Classic cookies & cream goodness – I know, sounds naughty right?
- Encased in a rich chocolatey biscuity crust,
- Super cost effective – thanks to these hemp seeds filling out the mix (not just our trusty cashews),
- Packed full of omega 3 essential fatty acids, shown to enhance brain function; the cardiovascular system; support your skin, hair, and nails; and reduce inflammation in the body (believed to be the root cause of many diseases), and…
- Like a New York baked cheesecake only better (and better for you!).
Whilst we’re merry-making, I’ve also included a wee section for you on the Top 5 Benefits of Hemp (the legal non-psychedelic kind), so you can feel even more virtuous whilst savouring your slice of this Hemp Cookies and Cream cake!
Happiest of future birthdays, and let’s hop to the goods!
Top 5 Benefits of Hemp
I wrote an article about hemp about 6 years ago when I first started this blog, which I think fell pretty flat at the time as hemp wasn’t very well known. These days though, hemp is the cool kid on the block. And for good reason.
You can read that original article here, but in the meantime here are my current top 5 reasons you should consider adding hemp seeds into your life.
1. 33g of Protein per 100g!
That’s right, 33%. That’s heads and shoulders over your average piece of meat/chicken/fish/steak at just 20% protein. But without the saturated animal fats and ethical issues. Just one slice of this cake gives you 16g of protein. Plus, it’s a complete protein (like meat), meaning it contains all amino acids necessary for the human body. This table here shows you how it stacks up against your fav protein pumpers.
2. 3 x the Iron of Beef
While we’re at it, let’s not forget the sweet 8mg of iron per 100g in those sweet seeds. That’s almost three times the content in a slab of red meat. Who said meat-eaters had all the iron? (Ps for more plant-based iron containing foods, see my comprehensive list here).
3. It’s Efficient and Eco-Friendly
Hemp is able to grow in a wide range of different climates and soil types, has a fast growing rate and high yields, and growing it in fact improves soil health. This means farmers can grow food immediately after harvesting hemp, without any waiting period, and with a higher nutrient content in the ensuing food crop. It’s also naturally resistant to most pests, meaning it can be grown organically really really easily.
4. Complete Source of Essential Fatty Acids
Hemp seeds are one of the world’s highest sources of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are health omegas our bodies can’t produce themselves. These omegas (3, 6, and 9) are known for their role in preventing heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, arthritis; encouraging healthy skin, joints, brain & cardiovascular function; improving post-workout recovery, increasing metabolism and promoting fat-burning; and act as an anti-inflammatory in the body.
5. Sustainable Alternative to Fish Oils
A recent 2015 study published in the Scientific Reports journal, showed that fish oil supplements in New Zealand are highly oxidized (meaning they can cause inflammation), and only 9% contained the actual EPA and DHA contents that they advertised on the label.
Make no mistake – fish oils are big money right now, being the number one seller for chemists and pharmacies. Everyone is jumping on the band wagon, and thus quality is a serious issue. My suggestion? Go plant-based for your omega sources (and yes we can find plant-based pre-formed versions of EPA and DHA in algae), and be both safer and more sustainable while you’re at it.
Now that you’re armed with the highlights of hemp, come and make this Hemp Cookies & Cream Cake with me! It’s psychedelically super.
Have a wonderful weekend my friend, and til next week as always, stay happy and well.
Pease note – if you are wanting to meet any of the specific dietary requirements below, please read my recipe notes.
Hemp Cookies and Cream Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Base
- 1 c hemp seeds
- 1/2 c oats
- 1 c sultanas (or raisins / dates)
- 1/4 c cacao powder
- 2 tbsp cacao nibs
- 1 tbsp cacao butter melted
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Vanilla Cream Filling
- 1 c hemp seeds
- 1 c cashews
- 3/4 c plant based milk (oat, hemp, almond, rice or soy)
- 1/3 c liquid sweetener (coconut nectar or brown rice syrup)
- 1/4 c cacao butter melted
- 1/4 c coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
Toppings
- Cacao powder, cacao nibs, shaved dark chocolate, hemp seeds
Instructions
Chocolate Base
- In a food processor / blender combine all base ingredients (minus the cacao nibs & butter) and blend until you achieve a breadcrumb like texture. Add in cacao nibs, melted cacao butter and process for a few more seconds to form a sticky mixture that holds between your fingers when pressed (if not, add a dash of water).
- Press mixture into a cake tin (with the base lined with baking paper), pressing the mixture up the sides as well.
Vanilla Cream Filling
- Into your processor/blender, combine all filling ingredients except cacao butter, and blend until super smooth and creamy. Add the cacao butter, and blend again until combined.
- Pour mixture inside the base, then place in the fridge overnight to set (or the freezer for 2 hours).
Toppings
- Once set, remove and pile high with cacao powder, cacao nibs, shaved dark chocolate and hemp seeds. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Your tart will keep in the fridge for a week, or three months in the freezer (if it lasts that long!).
- Serve directly from the fridge, or from the freezer + 5 minutes out if you prefer a firmer texture like me.
- This cake is only modestly sweet, like most of my recipes – if you prefer a more traditional sweet cake you can increase the liquid sweetener in the Vanilla Cream Filling to 1/2 c.
- I used a mix of sultanas and dates in the base as that’s what I had on hand, but feel free to use a combination of all 3. Dates have the mildest flavour so can go on their own, whilst sultanas and raisins are quite strong so nice blended with another dried fruit to balance.
- This cake is quite ‘hempy’, so if you’re not accustomed to the taste quite yet, you could reduce the hemp seeds in the base and replace with some almonds, and reduce the seeds in the filling and replace with more cashews. We like the hemp!
- Make it gluten free: I often use oats to reduce the cost of my recipes and also the energy density. If however you’d prefer a gluten free option, simply replace the oats with almonds or cashews.
Did You Make This?
Tag @begoodorganics
I can’t wait to see your creations!
