Friday, October 11, 2013

Sumac Avo

This is a really quick one and I'm not really sure if it counts as a recipe as there is really nothing to it. So how about we call it a quick and easy snack idea. 2 ingredients 10 seconds and its a nutritious morning or afternoon snack or yummy lunch or dinner addition.
sumac is an amazing spice I have been using it a lot lately. its a little salty but zingy and has a slight tomato flavour.
Enjoy this one.



Ingredients:
  • 1 Avocado
  • 1 Tsp Sumac


What to do:
  • Slice avocado in half and remove pip. Sprinkle with sumac and enjoy. 

Jersey Caramel and Chocolate Slice.

This ones easy as pie. As long as you have a good blender you can whip this one up in 5 minutes. I came across this recipe and it is a healthy spin on the old confectionary lolly "jersey caramel". My first taste, I could see the similarities in flavour but not texture, and I felt it needed another dimension. Which is why I added the chocolate layer. This one is best cut into small pieces eaten straight from the fridge or freezer. With such little ingredients you can whip this one up any time of the day or night.
Enjoy. 



Ingredients:
  • 4 cups desiccated or shredded coconut
  • 1 cup dried dates

What to do:
  • Place dates and coconut in blender and blend on high speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture holds together. If after 5 minutes the mixture still resembles bead crumbs add 1-2 Tblsp water to help it bind together. Press into a lined square baking tin and refridgerate.

Chocolate layer:

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1/2 cup dates
  • 2 Tblsp raw cacao powder
  • 2 Tblsp coconut oil.

What to do:
  • Combine coconut dates and cacao in blender and blend until well chopped and the mix comes together. Add oil and blend until well combined on low speed. Do not over mix once you add the oil otherwise it may separate. Spread chocolate layer over the caramel layer and refridgerate until well set. With a sharp knife cut into 24 pieces.
Enjoy.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Nutty Loaf

Ahhh this one is simply delicious. As I was searching the net I came across a recipe, that to me was total bliss. It was called "life changing bread". As I created this one a few months ago I have tested this a LOT, and it works every time. A delicious bread/nut loaf that is great toasted with honey. I haven't really altered the ingredients too much as everything in the recipe was wholesome and delicious so give this one a go. This bread also freezes well, otherwise store in an air tight container for 3-4 days.
Enjoy.



Ingredients:
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup whole almonds
  • 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 6 Tblsp psyllium husk
  • 1 tsp hymilayan salt
  • 1 Tblsp honey
  • 3 Tblsp coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 cups water
What To Do:
  • Mix all wet ingredients together until well combined. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until well combined. Place all ingredients in a loaf tin and press bread firmly until we'll compacted. Leave at room temperature for minimum 2 hours until baking to allow psyllium husk to act as the binder. 
  • Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 20-30 min. Take the loaf out of the oven and place upside down on a lined tray, remove the loaf tin and bake for a further 30-45 minutes until golden brown all over. Allow loaf to cool completely on tray before slicing.                       Enjoy.

Monday, October 7, 2013

No Bake Coconut Pie

I think you all will know by now that since giving up dairy I have been in love with everything coconut, and this one is delicious. My father In law, in the past few years hasn't eaten any desert but I managed to twist his arm and he tried some of this pie and of course went back for seconds. its east as its no bake and would take no longer than 10 minutes to prepare then in the refrigerator to set.
Enjoy.

Base:
  • 6 Dates
  • 1/2 Cup Walnuts
  • 1/2 Cup Almonds
  • 1-2 Tbsp. Water

Filling:
  • 1/2 Cup Cashews
  • 1/2 Cup Dates
  • 1 vanilla Bean or 2 tsp. extract
  • 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
  • 2 Cups desiccated Coconut
  • 3 Tbsp. Raw Honey
  • 3 Tbsp. Water
  • Juice of 1 lemon



What To Do:
  • For the base combine all ingredients in a blender on high speed until well chopped and holding together. Add another tbsp. of water if its not coming together. Press base in to a lined spring form pan with an approximate diameter of 20cm.

  • For the filling place a whole vanilla bean in a high powered blender until finely chopped. Alternatively scape vanilla pod and add to other ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and blend until all finely chopped and well combined. Ensure that all nuts are chopped finely. Press firmly on top of base and sprinkle with coconut. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week and in the freezer for at least a month.
Enjoy!!!



Saturday, March 9, 2013

Muesli Bar Slice

This recipe came about as I had a request for a lunck box muesli bars. The request was egg, dried fruit, nut, dairy, gluten and wheat free which I'm still working on. But this one is still dairy, sugar and nut free and so easy. I was always lead to believe that oats contained gluten but they do not. You just need to buy your oats that state gluten free. Freedom foods which are readily available from the supermarket, claim that their oats are gluten free as they and are not processed on the same equipment as wheat, barley and rye. Product that do not state gluten free may have traces of gluten and are not appropiate for celiac sufferes.

I think this is one of my easiest recipes yet. All you need in a whisk and a bowl. This recipe freezes and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Enjoy!!!



Ingredients:
  • 1 Cup Oats
  • 1 Cup Dessicated Coconut
  • 2 Free Range Eggs separated
  • 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Honey
  • 1/2 Cup Sultanas
  • 1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds

Topping:
  • 2 Tbsp Tahini
  • 2 Tbsp Honey

What To Do:
  • Separate eggs and place egg whites in a large bowl. Whisk until well aerated and fluffy. Stir in egg yokes, oil, honey and coconut until well combined. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combine. Press really firmly into a 20x20cm baking dish lined with baking paper. Place slice in a moderate oven 180 degrees for 15 minutes or until it starts to become golden on the sides.
For The Topping:
  • In a bowl stir tahini and honey together. After the slice has baked for 15min spread the tahini mix evenly on top of the slice and  sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for a further 5-7 minutes keeping an eye on the honey and tahini mix ensuring it is golden and bubbly. Allow to cool in the dish for 30 min before allowing to cool in the baking paper on a wire rack. Cut when completely cooled. Makes 12 small squares.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Green Smoothy.

What do you start yor day with??? We always cleanse with loads of filtered water, followed by a Green smoothy. This recipe is from 'The Beauty Detox Solution' by Kimberly Schneider. Its a great book if you have the time to read it. We all love it and I hope you do too.

Enjoy.

 


Ingredients:

  • 1 apple
  • 1 banana
  • 1 pear
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 1 baby coz lettuce
  •  2 big handfuls spinach or kale
  • juice of 1/2-1 lemon
  • 400-450mls water
  • small knob ginger optional

What to do:

Blend fruit, celery, ginger with lemon and water until smooth. Add lettuce and spinach and blend until very smooth, at least 1 min. (It's creamier if you use frozen bananas)
So good for you and so cleansing. It will keep for 24 hours in the fridge just shake we'll before drinking. This is enough for 2 adults.


Friday, February 8, 2013

Chocolate Fruit and Nut Balls

This recipe is a great snack for the whole family. There Moorish, so you may want to make a double batch. They have the goodness of dried fruit and nuts with added calcium from tahini and antioxidants from the raw cacao. Not forgetting the easily digestible plant based hemp protein powder adding extra nutrients. We are one of the lucky schools, well so it seems, as the students are allowed nuts, making it easy for us. But for those with a nut allergy or intolerance or simply have to abide by a nut free school policy, just omit the nuts and add more dried fruit of your choice. Try sultana's, raisins or apricots. Enjoy they are amazing.



Ingredients:
  • 2 Cups of Pitted Dates (chopped)
  • 1 Cup Raw Almonds
  • 3 Tbsp  Raw Cacao Powder
  • 2 Tbsp Raw Honey
  • 2 Tbsp Hulled Tahini
  • 1/2 Cup Dessicated Coconut
  • 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
  • 1-2 Tbsp Hemp Protein Powder

  • Extra 1/2 Cup of Dessicated Coconut for Rolling
What To Do:
  • Place all ingredients in a high powered food processor, and process until well combined. If the mix appears dry add 1-2 tablespoons of water and pulse until mix comes together. Roll mixture in to desired ball size and coat in coconut. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Banana Quinoa Breakfast Muffins.

Fancy a breakfast on the run packed full of nutrition and goodness. Look no further because I have created a recipe full of essential amino acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium, phosphorus, and iron, vitamin C, E and B6 and also dietary fibre . These muffins are not only delicious, but also moist and great for the whole family. I hope you like them just as much as my family does.
Enjoy.



Ingredients:
  • 1 Cup Quinoa Flour
  • 1/3 Cup Sunflower Seeds
  • 2 Free Range Eggs
  • 1 Large Banana, mashed (or 2 Small)
  • 1/3 Cup Coconut Oil
  • 1/3 Cup Almond Milk (other milk alternatives suitable)
  • 1/3 Cup Walnuts
  • 1/4 Cup Honey
  • 1 Heaped tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

What To Do:
  • Place Quinoa flour, sunflower seeds, walnuts and baking powder in food processor. Pulse until it resembles a fine crumb texture. Add all of the remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined. Spoon into lined muffin tins until 2/3 full, and bake in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes until golden. The muffins are cooked when a skewer is inserted and it comes out clean. If using a mini muffin tin only bake for 8-10 min.
          Enjoy!!!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Chocolate Peanut Fudge

I'm loving the taste of chocolate and peanuts together lately. Well to be honest I think that's what was in my cupboard in abundance at the time when I created this recipe. I was hoping this would hold up as a lunchbox treat but it becomes quiet soft out of the fridge. So lets call it an after school snack. Its smooth, rich, delicious and soooooo good for you.
Enjoy!!!


Ingredients:
  • 200 mls Coconut Cream
  • 1 Cup Pitted Dates
  • 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 3 Tbsp Organic Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Desiccated Coconut
  • 1 cup Raw Almonds
  • 3 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder
  • 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
What To Do:
  • Place coconut cream, dates, maple syrup and peanut butter in a small saucepan. On a low heat simmer gently for 5 minutes or until dates have softened. Allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients and blend until well incorporated and smooth. Transfer to a square 20cm x 20cm tin lined with baking paper. Press until equal and flattened. Refrigerate or freeze until well set. Once out of the fridge serve immediately before it softens and melts.                                                                                                  Enjoy!!!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Rice and Vege Pancakes

These pancakes are a staple in our fridge lately. My 13 month old daughter will eat them at every meal of the day if offered, she loves them. We were having some issues with her digestion and trying to find foods that she likes. We were advised to hold back on the brown rice as the husk of the brown rice may be too dificult for her to digest. So we have temporally made a switch to white rice (eeeekkkkkk I never thought id say that). She absolutely loves the flavour of jasmine rice so I have used this in this recipe. I have a powerful machine that mills grains so i can make jasmine rice into flour. If you dont own a high powered milling machine you could use a mortar and pestle to grind up the raw rice or just use store bought rice flour. Brown or white rice will work just as well. I hope you like this one just as much as my baby girl does,
Enjoy.



Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 Cups Jasmine Rice Flour (Brown or White Rice Flour will work)
  • 2 Carrots (skin on)
  • 1 Large zucchini
  • 1-2 Spring Onions
  • 1-2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1-2 tbsp Tamari (wheat Free soy sauce)
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 4 Free Range Eggs
  • 1/4 Cup Olive oil
  • Olive Oil Spray for cooking
What to do:
  • Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until the batter becomes a rough puree. If you don't have a food processor you could always finely chop garlic and spring onions, and grate carrots and zucchini. Then combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until it becomes a thickish batter. Place a non stick pan on a low heat and spray lightly with olive oil. Dollop 1 table spoon of batter on to preheated pan and cook on each side for 3-5 min or until well set and golden in colour. Continue until all batter is used. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week if they last that long or in the freezer for a quick and easy lunch, brunch or a lunchbox snack. Enjoy!!!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Buckwheat, Garlic and Quinoa Focaccia or Flat Bread

This recipe came about as I was trying to create a grain free bread. With the help of 2 websites http://www.elanaspantry.com/ and http://www.grainfreeliving.com/home my knowledge in the grain free cooking world has broadened. I have been using buckwheat, quinoa and arrowroot a lot more as they are not considered grains. I created this recipe as I wanted to replace typical white flour focaccia is traditionally made with. It is a great bread alternative, with a great flavour, but as it is dense it doesn't keep well. So the next BBQ gathering you host give this one a go. Tell everyone it is super healthy and great for there digestive system (it wont leave you bloated like most wheat based breads do), they'll love it.
Enjoy.



Ingredients:
  • 2 1/4 Cups Buckwheat Flour
  • 1 1/2 Cups Quinoa Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Arrowroot Flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 350 mls Lukewarm Water
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 heaped Tbsp Dried Yeast
  • 4 Tbsp olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Caraway or Fennel Seeds

What To Do:
  • Combine water, 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt and yeast in a bowl and whisk well. Finely Chop Garlic and add to wet mixture. Add flour and mix until well combined. The mix will be quiet wet. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to sit for 1 hour. Place 1 tbsp of olive oil into a roasting pan and grease well. Transfer focaccia mix to roasting pan. Press bread dough with fingers until approx 1 cm thick. Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil on top of the bread. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds and caraway or fennel seeds. Season with salt and transfer to a preheated hot oven 220 degrees for 20 min. The bread is ready when it is golden and crisp and sounds hollow when tapped on top. Cut or break bread apart in to individual serving sizes, enjoy with dips, as a starter or as an accompaniment to soup.

Flat bread:
  • After allowing the bread to sit for 1 hour, section the dough into golf ball sizes. Press with fingers until 1/2 cm thick. Heat a non stick frypan or griddle pan on medium heat. Using a small amount of olive oil spray or regular olive oil, grease the pan and place flat bread in. Sprinkle with a small amount of sesame and caraway or fennyl seeds and salt. when the flat bread becomes golden, flip and repeat on the other side. This may take up to 3-5 min per flat bread and the effort is well worth it.


Sunday, January 20, 2013

Choc Peanut Biscuits (Grain Free)

Lately I have been dabbling in new year, clean eating, detox diets and have come across the paleo diet. A Paleolithic diet consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oil. I haven't been basing
my recipes around meat as I am a vegetarian, but i have been finding grain free deserts, treats and bread and rice/pasta alternatives. There is a whole new world of eating out there, and there is no reason why we should be eating processed food. Since I have been on my food journey I can really tell when a particular food doesn't agree with me. For example, if I have sugar I instantly get an ear ache and my vision becomes blurry, if I have dairy I have pain in my abdomen and if I have oats or dried fruits I get sleepy. So in saying that I try to avoid these foods where possible. Its amazing the affects food can have on you when you strip it all back.
So here is a grain free lunchbox treats. Sugar free, grain free, dairy free and by leaving out the organic peanut butter they could also be nut free.
Enjoy.

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Ingredients:
  • 230g Arrowroot Flour
  • 4 tbsp Honey
  • 1-2 tbsp Molasses
  • 110g Coconut Oil
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 heaped tbsp Cocoa Powder
  • 1 heaped tbsp Organic Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan Salt
What To Do:
  • In a saucepan combine honey, molasses, peanut butter and coconut oil. Heat over low heat until simmering and well combined stiring often. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, stir until well combined. Roll into small balls and and place on oven trays lined with baking paper. Press down slightly on each ball to the desired biscuit size and place in a moderate oven for 10-12 min or until slightly browned and set. Allow to cool on tray before transfering to a storage container or jar.