I found this versatile therapeutic herb and natural sweetener at Borough Market. Great for making fresh cinnamon and liquorice root tea, a brilliant way to keep colds at bay.

Liquorice is mainly grown in hot dry climates such as in Southern Europe and Asia. It is derived from the Greek meaning 'sweet root' and man is it sweet! Liquorice contains a therapeutic compound called glcyrrhizin which is responsible for the sweet flavour as well as it's beneficial effects on the body. Some of which include; respiratory conditions (such as asthma and the common cold; due to it's expectorant properties), inflammatory conditions (such as arthritis and gout), viral and fungal infections and liver disorders. Liquorice may also play a role in hormonal balancing due to the adaptogenic properties of glcyrrhizin and has been shown to support adrenal function by increasing the half-life of the stress hormone cortisol, allowing the adrenal glands to rest and restore function. 

Liquorice teabags are available at most supermarkets, but to get the full benefit, use the real deal. Also, please be aware that I do not mean go away and eat liquorice sweets and candies, these sweets usually contain sugar/molasses, liquorice extract, and a binder such as flour and/or gelatine.

NOTE
★ Do NOT use liquorice root if suffering from hypertension (high blood pressure) or if pregnant.
★ Long-term, high-dose use of glcyrrhizin/liquorice root can cause potassium levels in the blood to drop, causing water retention, which in turn can lead to hypertension. Please see a practitioner before using liquorice for chronic conditions.

Liquorice and Cinnamon Tea
1 cup water
1 stick of liquorice root
1 cinnamon stick

1. Boil 1 cup of water in a pan.
2. Add the liquorice root and cinnamon stick and leave to steep for 5 minutes.
3. Pass the boiled water through a strainer and into a teapot or mug.
4. Discard the liquorice and cinnamon.

I threw together these choccie cookies today as I needed to use my extremely ripe, blackened bananas. I used nuts and seeds that I had in my cupboard, so feel free to improvise. They turned into the perfect tea-time cookies; great chunky texture with a powerful chocolate hit.

Nutritional goodness
Packed with nuts and seeds, these cookies are protein rich and very filling. A brilliant easy, free from recipe to rustle up if you are short of time. The riper your bananas the sweeter they will be, so if using super ripe bananas then you may only need 1 tbsp of the honey. I personally prefer a bitter and powerful cacao kick so I would leave out the honey altogether, however I recommend a raw mixture taste test before making that decision, as it may not be up everyone's street.

Make your own
3 ripe bananas
4 tbsp nut/seed butter (I used 2 tbsp pumpkin seed butter and 2 tbsp almond butter)
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup walnut pieces
¼ cup raw cacao
1-2 tbsp wild honey (sweeten to taste)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
   
2. Blend the bananas, vanilla, nut/seed butter, oil and cacao (and honey if using) in a food processor until smooth.
   
3. Stir in the desiccated coconut, walnuts and seeds.
   
4. Spoon the mixture (around 1 tbsp per cookie) onto a lined baking tray.
   
5. Bake for around 10-15 minutes.
6. Leave to cool.