Paleo Choc Blueberry Cake

Serves 10-12

Ingredients
BASE
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup raw walnuts
¼ raw cacao powder
2 tbs. coconut oil
1 tbs. raw honey (or rice malt syrup)
FILLING
2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight, if you don't it will still work, just won't be as smooth!)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup blueberries (fresh or thawed frozen)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tbs. raw honey
1 tsp. 100% vanilla extract

TOPPING
1 cup fresh blueberries
¾ cup raw cashews crushed
1 tbs. coconut sugar
1 tbs. ghee or coconut oil
½ a batch of paleo chocolate (recipe available here)

Method
Line the base of a 20 cm spring form cake tin with baking paper and grease the edges with a little coconut oil.
Start with the base
In a food processor (we use our Vitamix), place the walnuts, coconut and raw cacao powder. Whiz these ingredients until a fine meal forms.
Add the coconut oil and raw honey and whiz until it becomes a choc butter.
Once it's all combined, press the base in to the cake tin, making sure you press it out evenly, covering the entire base.
Place in to the freezer.
Now for the filling
Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in to the food processor along with the coconut milk, blueberries, coconut oil, raw honey and vanilla extract.
Whiz until completely smooth, this will take around 5 minutes.
Take the base out of the freezer and pour the filling on top of the base.
Shake the tin to even out the top and place the cake in to the freezer for around 1 ½ hours or until set.
Take the cake out of the freezer and let sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, time for the toppings! You'll need to make a ½ batch of paleo chocolate the place the crushed cashews, coconut sugar and ghee in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
Stir continuously until the ghee is melted and the cashews have caramelised. Transfer these on to a plate and allow to cool.
Rub the outside of the cake tin with a hot cloth and release the spring form slowly (you may need to run a knife around the edge).
Top the cake with fresh blueberries, caramelised cashews and drizzle with paleo chocolate. Cut in to slices with a hot knife and store any left overs in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Fresh Blueberries Lower Risk of Heart Disease by 15%

As July rolls around, so too does the start of the Australian fresh blueberry season. Since last year, breaking research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found a significant correlation between lowering heart disease and fresh blueberries. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study concluded that eating 150g of fresh blueberries daily decreases the risk of heart disease (Australia's number one killer) by up to 15%. 

The research analysed the benefits of blueberries on Metabolic Syndrome - a condition affecting one-third of westernised adults. Around 30% of Australians suffer from this, and are consequently two to four times more likely to develop heart disease. 

Dr Peter Curtis, study co-author, said: 'We found eating one cup of (fresh) blueberries per day resulted in sustained improvements in vascular function and arterial stiffness.' Both of these directly affect a person's likelihood of developing heart disease. 

This study is not unique in its appraisal of fresh blueberries - adding to multiple previous studies showing both brain and heart benefits from the fruit. The benefits all stem from 'anthocyanins,' which are what gives blueberries their stunning colour. 

'The simple and attainable message is to consume one cup of blueberries daily to improve cardiovascular health,' concluded Dr Curtis.