As I wrote the recipes for the HL app, I noticed that I use some not so common items in most of my recipes. I thought I should give a little low down on them, and some substitutes in case you can't get your hands on them. Organic Rice Malt Syrup By far the most used ingredient in all my recipes is the very handy and versatile Brown Rice Malt Syrup. Rice Malt is a naturally malted whole grain sweetener derived from brown rice. It is made by a slow, natural enzymatic process that produces a thick, rich, sweet liquid. Characteristically rich but mild flavored, rice malt syrup complements flavours in a recipe, whereas honey, maple syrup and molasses have a stronger, more distinctive flavour. Rice malt syrup contains about 30 percent soluble complex carbohydrates, 45 percent maltose, 3 percent glucose, and 20 percent water. It is low gi, providing a slow but prolonged source of energy. It is also low in fructose! If you can't access brown rice syrup, I would substitute with pure Canadian Maple Syrup. Maple syrup is made by evaporating the sap from maple trees, leaving a thick sweet tasting syrup. It contains a decent amount of some minerals, especially manganese and zinc. Make sure you buy 100% Canadian maple syrup and not the cheaper maple-flavoured syrup which has an is made from a nasty mix of sugar, corn syrup, molasses, caramel colour, alcohol, vanilla extract, flavours and a sulphite-based preservative. Organic Vanilla Powder Vanilla powder is such a beautiful product, I can't recommend it enough. The flavour is supreme to extracts and essences, and is simply made from grinding organically grown vanilla beans to powder and nothing else! The aroma and taste adds an edge to your recipes, particularly when added to smoothies and raw cakes /slices. If you can't access vanilla powder, you can make it yourself. All you need to do is grind some organic vanilla bean pods in a coffee or nut grinder. I have heard that you can use a thermomix as well, although I personally haven't tried it. If that's too complicated for you, and you can't find the powder anywhere, you can use organic vanilla bean paste. Most pastes that I have come across contain some kind of added sugar but there are a few superior products that don't so have a read on the label. Buckinis The famous buckini. An absolute godsend to gluten free people around the world! Deliciously crunchy and versatile, buckinis can be used in so many different ways. Most people use it as a granola or cereal replacement for breakfast, or add some to smoothie bowls for crunch. I also add buckinis in my raw cakes occasionally. I love to include it in the base of cheesecakes or slices. And I make gluten free raw-NOLA with them. So what are they you ask? Buckinis are activated buckwheat groats. To make activation possible, the buckwheat is soaked, washed and rinsed and then dehydrated at low temperatures (under 40 degrees celcius). This allows for easier digestion and absorption of nutrients. Fortunately buckwheat is seed, so buckinis are gluten free and alkalising. They are also nutrient dense, providing a rich source of protein, rutin and manganese. These days there are a wide variety of buckinis on the market. Plain, caramalised, and flavoured just to name a few. I normally stick with the plain variety as there are no added ingredients. If you want to treat yourself, get a hold of the cacao flavoured variety. You will be blown away! I love hearing about new products on the market so feel free to fill me in on your finds. T xx