A guilt free treat to start 2014

We're on day 2 of 2014, I go back to work tomorrow, and I'm fighting the festive cold. I've dosed up on manuka honey and clementines this evening, then heading to bed with a hot water bottle after I've posted this and hopefully that'll sort me out. At least I only have to work 1 day, then it's the weekend :o)

Here are a couple of delicious and guilt free recipes if you want a little treat that fits in with your New Year diet resolutions. Both drinks are free from refined sugar, dairy and wheat, and the smoothie packs an extra nutritional punch with chia and sesame seeds and banana making it great for breakfast. Each drink also contains half a Nakd Bar which is packed with dried fruit and nuts - delicious.

I used almond milk to make both drinks, but any type of milk would work - almond, hazelnut, oat, soya, rice, coconut (or cows milk if you can tolerate it) - they would all be delicious.

Nakd Gingerbread Latte (serves 1)

• 1/2 a nakd Ginger Bread bar
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• pinch mixed spice
• 1 tsp instant coffee of your choice

Using a liquidiser or hand blender, blitz the almond milk and nakd bar until smooth the strain through a tea strainer (unless you don't mind bits in your latte!).

Heat until just simmering, then stir in the coffee.

Dust with the mixed spice before serving.

Since it's the season of glitter and sparkle, I added a few edible stars.

The great thing about this is that the blended bar and the almond milk are naturally sweet so you even if you usually like your coffee sweetened, you may well find this is sweet enough as it is.

Nakd Almond Gingerbread Smoothie (serves 1)

• 1/2 a nakd Ginger Bread bar
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 a medium banana
• 1 tsp chia seeds (I used Fushi chia seeds)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Put all ingredients into a liquidiser or hand blender, then blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth.

Pour into a glass and enjoy - it's as simple as that.

And if you want to see more of my cooking adventures, head to the nakd website where each month the team will upload one of my scrummy dairy free vegan-friendly recipes :-)