Raw gluten free vegan chocolate & coconut cookies

Ingredients 1 cup ground almonds, 1/2 cup dessicated coconut, 1 tbsp cashew butter, 1/4 cup Planet Organic chocolate coconut butter (or 1 tbsp ground cacao nibs, 1/2 cup coconut oil) 10 dates.

Serves: 24 Preparation: 10 minutes

Do you ever have a craving for something sweet? Rather than reach for some hideous, unhealthy snack food from a vending machine because it's there RIGHT NOW ALREADY, take 10 minutes to prepare these delicious, soft, nutty crumbly sweet morsels of completely sin-free pleasure. If you are dairy or gluten free or, like me, don't give your child sugar or processed foods then these will be right up your street. So quick, so simple, so so good.

1) Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz thoroughly until sticky crumbs form.

2) Press firmly into ice cube trays or silicone moulds, then remove and eat! These are good when stored in tupperware in a cool, dark place for about a month before they start to dry out a little.

Sugar-free pina colada muffins

Ingredients 350g spelt flour, 2 eggs, 2 tsp baking powder, 30g desiccated coconut 75g diced pineapple and dried cranberries, 150ml pineapple juice, 100g coconut palm sugar, 1 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tsp honey.

Serves: 6 Preparation: 45 minutes (plus an hour soaking)

When it comes to food critiquing, my husband is a man of few words, and many facial expressions so his reaction to these muffins of "oh my god! mmmmmm!!!" before grabbing a second one, posting a picture on Facebook and then begging me to bake some more for him to take to work with him says it all. These are absolutely luscious and will fill your house with the most incredible tropical scent. Plus they're sugar free and made from "good fat" and healthy flour! Hurrah!

1) Soak the dried pineapple and cranberries in the pineapple juice along with the honey for ideally an hour, then pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4.

2) Sift together the flour, baking powder, dessicated coconut and set aside.

3) If the coconut oil has solidified, melt it gently, then whisk in the eggs and palm sugar before adding the pineapple and juice.

4) Roughly fold the wet ingredients into the dry - don't overmix it. Muffin batter should never be completely smooth. Spoon into muffin cases and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. I like to sprinkle a little extra coconut on the top before baking - the toasted coconut smells and tastes WONDERFUL.

5) Leave to cool, if you have the willpower, then devour. These are good for up to 3 days afterwards if sealed in a tupperware container but benefit from being gently warmed in the oven for a few minutes before serving after that!

Chocolate chip & coconut encrusted French toast

Ingredients Chocolate chip brioche, dessicated coconut, butter, egg.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Following on from my chocolate chip brioche recipe, I have to admit that I have finally found a use for besmirching brioche in this way. It makes the most fan-fucking-tastic fluffy French toast when paired with a crispy coconut crust. Oh my oh my oh my. If you have one naughty treat this weekend, make it this. You're welcome.

1) Prepare two bowls, one with dessicated coconut and one with a beaten egg. Melt a knob of butter in a pan.

2) Dip your slice of brioche into the beaten egg, ensuring that it is coated, then into the coconut and turn over before adding to the pan.

3) Sizzle for one minute on each side, then serve!

Blueberry & coconut pancakes

Ingredients 1 1/2 cup plain flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 2 tbsp caster sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup dessicated coconut, 1 cup coconut cream

Serves: 4 Preparation: 1 hour

Coconut and blueberry go so well together and these Scotch/American-style pancakes are a wonderful way to combine them. Sharp juicy blueberries that burst with flavour, the toasted texture of dessicated coconut and the rich sweetness of the coconut milk. I like to serve these with yoghurt and honey but they're lovely on their own.

1) Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar along with the coconut, coconut milk and egg into a bowl and whisk into a batter. Leave to puff up and rest for at least 20 minutes. Add in the blueberries.

2) Stir through and ladle a spoon full of batter into a hot pan. Using a spatula, work round the edges, then when bubbles begin to appear in the surface of the pancake batter, flip over.

3) Each side should cook in about 2 minutes, giving you light, fluffy pancakes. These can be eaten immediately or toasted later.

Banana nut flapjacks

Ingredients 1 banana, 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup sultanas, 1/4 cup toasted almond flakes, 1 tbsp dessicated coconut, pinch cinnamon.

Serves: 8 Preparation: 20 minutes

These totally tropical vegan flapjacks are ridiculously quick and simple and consist literally of oats, bananas, nuts and whatever else you want to bulk them up with. I chose sultanas and coconut but you could substitute different nuts and different dried fruits - or add in some spices or even chocolate chips. My next recipe (for the world's best banana and peanut butter cookies) which will cause you to WEEP for joy when you try them was derived from this concept.

1) Mash the banana with a fork and add in the other ingredients

2) Using a tablespoon, portion out the flapjacks and drop onto baking parchment. I think these work best as rough cookie shapes because they crisp up better, but you could spoon onto a tray and cut out flapjack bars.

3) Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees