Superfood Energy Balls & Bites: Nutrient-rich, healthful & wholesome snacks by Nicola Graimes

I love how the author starts by saying that "Although 'superfood' may have become a buzzword in recent times, certain foods are undeniably blessed in that they provide superior nutritional value for the amount of calories they contain." because it is a buzzword. One that I generally roll my eyes at whenever I read it, as it's usually accompanied by someone who uses it to feel superior.

Drawn to the book, despite my assumptions on the word 'superfood,' I was pleased to have those same assumptions erased by the time I read through this book! Nicola Graimes, an award-winning writer, shows us how to use these superfoods in a variety of snacks and treats to get us through our day.

The author gives us an A-Z list of all the superfoods used in the book, most I have heard of, like the avocado and quinoa and some I haven't like guarana which is a powdered berry from an Amazonian plant. Then we get chapters that cover raw and cooked superfoods as well as savoury superfoods and it covers other snacks and treats!

A few of the recipes I would like to try are:
Blueberry Bites
Carrot Cake Balls
Morning Mocha
Berry Bounty Balls
Double Raspberry Maca Balls
Chocolate Goji Bars
Lemon Bliss Bites
Coconut & Cherry Drops
Banana Oat Bites
Raspberry, Coconut, & Lemon Bars
Cauli-Chickpea Power Balls
Sweet Potato & Quinoa Bites
Japanese Rice Balls
Satay Rice Balls
Cashew 'Cheese' Balls
Wasabi-Roasted Edamame
Cauli 'Cheese' Bites
Raspberry Kefir Gels
Fruit 'n' Nut Chocolates
Strawberry & Cream Balls
Salted Caramel Banana Bites
Mango & Brazil Nut Wonder Balls

The majority of the ingredients can be found in your local supermarket. There are nuts and dried berries and a few of the not so common ingredients are easily sourced via health food stores or online. They are also very straightforward and simple to put together. 

This book gives us every reason to indulge in our snacking! A nation who loves to snack it's nice to have an alternative to all the sugar or salted ones that line our supermarket shelves. If you like me are weary of the word 'superfood' please do not let it put you off this title, it's full of delicious looking snacks and treats and can change your snacking habits for good! 

* I was provided a copy of Superfood Energy Balls & Bites by Nicola Graimes to review by the publisher, Ryland Peters & Small, retails at £9.99 and available now from your local book retailers or online! All opinions are my own, I was not given any other compensation nor was I asked to give a positive review, please see my contact/policy page above for more information. 

Bakeland: Nordic Treats Inspired by Nature by Marit Hovland

There are a lot of cookbooks and baking books on my shelf and all of them are as unique as the authors who wrote them, but it does take something truly special to stand out and impress me as much as this book has.

Bakeland is the baking book I never knew I wanted or needed in my life. Marit Hovland has a website that is titled Borrow My Eyes. It is the most perfect title for her site as she sees such incredible things in nature and the things around her. I am glad she has loaned us her eyes through her photography and her ability to recreate what she sees in her baking.

It's a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively! The fact that it is not a book full of rainbow everything and over the top sprinkles I adore it. There is a place in the world for those sorts of things and don't get me wrong I do like shiny sparkly things, but I also love the colors of the world around us as they are just as effective if not more so.

As in the sub title of the book and my description above the pages of Bakeland are filled with treats inspired by nature.

Unlike other other baking books that break the recipes into seasons Hovland gives us her recipes for the changing of seasons. The first chapter being Winter into Spring, followed by Spring into Summer, Summer into Fall, Fall into Winter, and ends with recipes for the New Year.

A few of my favorite recipes that I am bookmarking to try are:
Coffee Ice Cream Cake with Chocolate Meringue
Chocolate Almond Cookie Eggs (pictured)
Cardamom Macarons with Blueberries and Cream Cheese
Birch Bark Cookies
White Chocolate Seashells with Raspberry Filling
Cinnamon Bun Cake with Rum Glaze
Lime and Strawberry Macarons (pictured)
Soft Pistachio Cookies with Strawberry Glaze
Walnut Brownie Cake with Whipped Cream and Blueberries
Vanilla Cloudberry Macarons
Pistachio Brownie Cake with Troll Cream (on cover of book)
Cinnamon Macarons with Apple Filling (pictured)
Chocolate Cinnamon Tree Cookies
Raspberry Mousse Cake with Mint Chocolate
Spice Cake with Cinnamon Almonds
Apple Pie with Caramel and Chocolate Leaves
Gingersnap Macarons with Cream Cheese
Gingersnap Pinecones with Cocoa (pictured)
Chocolate Coffee Mousse
Cheesecake with Cinnamon-Chocolate Crust (pictured)

I wish I could show you every single one of these recipes with you, but I suggest  your own visit to Bakeland  by picking up your very own copy at your local book store, I like supporting books stores, but it is of course available online and for more delicious recipes check out the authors blog linked above! 

*I was provided a copy of Bakeland: Nordic Treats Inspired by Nature by Marit Hovland to review by the publisher, Greystone, Retails at £22 and available from the 13th March 2018 from your local book retailers or online! All opinions are my own, I was not given any other compensation nor was I asked to give a positive review, please see my contact/policy page above for more information.