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Recipe Blog

LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND MEDICINE BE THY FOOD

My wish for you is to Live Better, Strive Harder, Be Bolder, Dream Bigger, Climb Higher and Seek Greater.
My vision is to help people create food that is delicious, easy to make and high in nutrition,
so that food once more becomes a vehicle to fuel your body, mind and soul.

Cardamom Almond Cake (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)

By , April 24, 2021

‘Love is…serving someone else your last piece of cake’

Today you get two recipes for one, cardamom cake and blueberry, hemp smoothie. Both naturally high in protein and both great for breakfast. 

The cake is vegetarian as it has eggs in it, but you can replace the eggs with apple sauce or flax eggs to make it vegan. The cake is dense due to the flours being used a little like a pound cake. 

I like using Cardamom as a nerve tonic and think it serves well in desserts to counteract the stimulation from the sugar. Mr B is a chilled soul and so doesn’t need or have an affinity for cardamom. However, it was subtle enough in this dish for him to have his cake and eat it. 

Cardamom and almonds are grounding and so great for Vata, the sweetness is good for Pitta. 

Ingredients

Serving: 1, 9-inch loaf

  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 2 tsp. cardamom
  • 1 tsp. GF baking powder
  • ½ tsp. GF baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 3 tbsp. almond milk
  • ½ cup almond yogurt
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp. oil

Method

  • Preheat an oven to 350F and lightly grease the loaf pan (I used coconut oil)
  • Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl
  • Add all the wet ingredients into a blender and blend for 30 seconds
  • Mix to combine
  • Pour into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
  • Allow to cool before removing from the pan

Blueberry, hemp smoothie (Vegan)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 5 basil leaves (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. almond butter
  • 2 tbsp. bee pollen
  • 2 tbsp. hemp hearts
  • 1 handful spinach
  • Water or unsweetened almond milk, as needed

Method

  • Put all the ingredients in a blend them until smooth and creamy

Orange Almond Cake (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)

By , April 18, 2021

‘To improve your zest for life, fill it with vitamin C’s – Courage, Cheerfulness, Confidence, Creativity’

This recipe is from Claudia Roden as featured in her book, ‘Middle Eastern Recipes’ in 1968. Roden explains that it was popular among Sephardic Jews who brought it to the Middle East in the 15thcentury. The cake has since become a classic in cuisines from Spain to Iran.

Whilst the recipe looks like it takes time to make, it is actually very hands off. You need to boil the oranges for an hour, and then blend everything together. Boiling the oranges rather than using the zest or raw juice, gives a far superior flavour and makes for a sweet aroma.  

The cake is flour free and so gluten free if you use gluten free baking powder. It’s high in protein, vitamins and minerals, due to the egg and almonds. 

After reading a lot of comments on the various versions of this recipe, it looks like you can substitute the sugar if you’d prefer. Maple syrup, honey and sucanat seemed to have been used with success. 

Whilst Mr B has a sweet tooth, even he agreed I could take down the sugar content to make it more like a typical genoise and a good on the go breakfast treat. 

Ingredients

Serving: 1, 9-inch cake

  • 2 organic oranges
  • 6 organic, free range eggs
  • 250g blanched almonds, ground
  • 250g organic cane sugar
  • 1 tsp GF baking powder
  • ½ tsp coconut oil

Method

  • Boil the oranges, covered for an hour or until they are soft inside
  • Drain and once cooled, remove skin and seeds and blend till smooth
  • Preheat an oven to 190C/370F. Oil and flour a baking tin with GF flour, this will help the cake come out clean at the end
  • Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk. Add the ground almonds, sugar, baking powder, blended oranges and mix well to combine
  • Place in an oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean*

*This recipe produces a moist cake with as the author notes, a texture in-between a cake and a pudding. If you want to firm it up, cook a little longer. The more you cook it, the more it will caramelize and brown due to the orange, so that is your trade off.

Strawberry Hemp Breakfast Cakes (Gluten Free, Vegan/Vegetarian)

By , April 12, 2021

‘Today is a good day to eat cake for breakfast’

For Italians breakfast tends to be the smallest meal of the day and the sweetest. Breakfast is really only something to be had with coffee, so a biscotti alone would do. For this dish, I wanted to male Mr B something that was sweet but also nutrient dense and satisfying with some protein to keep him through to lunch. 

Using hemp seeds in this adds a tone of protein (1 cup raw hemp hearts = 50g+ protein, as well as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids). I also use egg in his recipe to add vitamin D, selenium, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc and iron. You can substitute for a banana to make this vegan, which also keeps the cake moist. The strawberries add some Vitamin C and an offsetting sweet/sour tone. 

From an Ayurvedic perspective this is a tri-doshic recipe. 

Ingredients

Serves: 12 cupcakes

  • 1.5 Cups Hemp Seeds
  • ¼ Cup Kudzu or arrowroot
  • 1 Tsp. GF Baking Powder
  • 1 egg or 1 mashed banana
  • ¼ cup rice/maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, small dice
  • 6 strawberries, halved
  • Pinch of salt

Method

  • Line a muffin tray with silicon cupcake holders
  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Blend the hemp seeds until they form a fine powder, add the kudzu/arrowroot, baking powder and salt and pulse to mix
  • In a large bowl whisk the egg/mash the banana, add the rice/maple syrup and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix to well combine. Fold in the diced strawberries
  • Spoon the mixture equally into the cupcake holders, place half a strawberry on each
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden 
  • Place on a cooling rack to cool 

Oat, Seed and Nut Bread (Gluten Free, Yeast Free, Vegan)

By , April 4, 2021

‘The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight’ 

I was recently advised to give up Gluten. There are lots of Gluten Free products on the market these days, so this has definitely become more common place. The gluten is normally replaced with refined starches however, which from a nutritional standpoint as definitely not as nutritive as wholemeal flour, or something that you want in high amount in your body. As a chef, the obvious next step was to find a better substitute, or to make one, which is just what I did. 

If it is to be sustainable that I make my own bread, the process needs to be easy, the taste needs to be great and the nutritional density must be high. This recipe ticks all these boxes. 

I found this recipe on David Lebovitz’s website and he based this recipe on Josey Baker Bread, noted as a bread that stands on its own versus trying to imitate traditional wheat breads. 

This is Mr B approved recipe, who has been using the bread to make avocado toast and noted that he would happily have this as the only bread in the house. 

From an Ayurvedic perspective, this bread is grounding and so great for Vata and has high fibre and low GI, so great for Kapha. 

Nutritional benefits:

Flax – Protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids

Chia – Protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids

Psyllium – Prebiotic, fibre

Oats – Soluble and insoluble fibre, high mineral and antioxidant content

Sunflower seeds – Vitamin E, Selenium, Linoleic fatty acids

Pumpkin seeds – Iron, Zinc, Magnesium

Nuts – Potassium, Zinc, Oleic Acid

Ingredients

Serving: 12 slices

  • 2.5 cups (235g) rolled oats
  • 1 cup (160g) sunflower seeds
  • ½ cup (65g) pumpkin seeds
  • ¾ cup (90g) nuts (pecans and hazelnuts)
  • ¾ cup (120g) flax seeds
  • 1/3 cup (20g) psyllium husk powder
  • 3 tbsp (25g) chia seeds
  • 2 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 tbsp. (40g) brown rice syrup
  • ¼ cup (55g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 2.5 cups (600g) water

Method

  • Toast the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and nuts, let cool
  • Add the seeds and nuts to the rest of the dry ingredients
  • In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together 
  • Add the wet to the dry ingredients and combine well
  • Oil a bread tin (9×5) and pour the mixture in. Pat down and level out the mixture
  • Place the tin in the fridge overnight. This allows the psyllium husk and flax to absorb the water and brings the mixture together
  • Pre-heat the oven to 400F/200C 
  • Bake on the middle shelf for 60 minutes, until the loaf turns golden brown
  • Tip out of the tin carefully onto a cooling rack (this should be easy as it should have pulled away from the tin a little)
  • Let cool for 2 hours before slicing
  • The bread tastes great as is, but also stands up well to being further toasted

Raw Tahini Oat & Seed Bar (Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , March 29, 2021

‘Life is salty, but love is sweet. I hope you enjoy this treat’

Apologies that I have been MIA, I have been a little under the weather since returning from London. Here is one of the recipes I developed for my sister-in-law’s 4pm snacking, whilst I was there. 

This is a bar full of ingredients with great natural fat and fibre, keeping you fuller for longer and feeding your brain. This makes it a great afternoon snack. It’s sweet and salty and tastes indulgent.

Before I left for London, I directed my sister in law on this recipe. It took her 10 minutes from start to finish. She loved it as it only used two bowls and no oven.    

Ingredients

Serves: 10 pieces

Bar

  • 1 cup Gluten Free Oats
  • ½ cup Dried Cherries
  • ½ cup Pumpkin Seeds
  • ½ cup Tahini
  • ¼ cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 Tbsp. Flax Seeds
  • 2 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
  • 1 Tsp. Vanilla
  • ½ Tsp. Cinnamon Powder
  • Pinch of salt

Topping

  • 40g Vegan Chocolate
  • 1 Tsp. Sesame Seeds

Method

  • Line an 8×8 tray with parchment paper
  • Mix all the bar ingredients in a bowl and pour into the tray, place in the fridge for 10 minutes
  • Add the coconut oil and chocolate in a bowl and melt the chocolate by either putting it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or placing the bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. Pour over the bar mixture, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top and place back in the fridge for 1-2 hours
  • When set, cut with a hot knife

Saffron Risotto with sunflower seed parmesan (Vegan, GF)

By , March 13, 2021

‘Did you know that an ounce of Saffron is almost the same as an ounce of gold?!, I’d take Saffron any day’

This is a great recipe from Food Future Institute. 

I personally love the use of saffron for the vibrant colour, delicate fragrance and amazing health benefits. 

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of the Crocus Sativus. The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried. It is an expensive spice because it is a labour-intensive crop. Flowering in the fall, each flower has three tiny, threadlike stigmas in the centre, which must be careful removed by hand and carefully toasted to dry.

The aroma and fragrance of saffron is unique, it is floral but not sweet. It is warm and earthy, but not pungent. It is smooth and gentle, yet assertive. It is unmistakably heady and wonderful. 

In dishes which usually contain it, e.g. Spanish Paella, Italian risotto Milanese or French bouillabaisse, it transforms the dish from delicious to sublime.

Saffron has been long revered for its medicinal properties, being used to improve libido, boost mood and improve memory. Most notably the carotenoid pigments, crocin and crocetin, responsible for saffron’s red colour are both compounds that have antidepressant properties, protect brain cells against progressive damage and improve inflammation. 

Dr Michael Greger has shown extensive evidence in his book, ‘how not to die’ and on his website Nutritionfacts.org, highlighting the effectiveness of saffron against the leading treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and depression.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, Saffron is tri-doshic and has long been used to protect against inflammation and oxidative damage.    

Ingredients

Serves: 4-6

Pumpkin seed parmesan 

  • 100g Pumpkin seed
  • 50g Hemp seed
  • 25g Nutritional yeast
  • 3g Salt
  • 3g Garlic powder
  • 2g Onion Powder
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive oil 

Risotto 

  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • 4 Tbsp. Plant-based butter
  • 350g Arborio risotto rice
  • 100g Dry white wine
  • 1.5 litre Hot vegetable stock 
  • 1 Tsp Saffron threads
  • 2 Tsp. Salt 
  • Pumpkin parmesan to taste

Method

  • For the vegan parmesan, put all the ingredients in a blender and blend till you get a crumb. Add the oil in slowly until the mixture comes together. Set aside till serving.
  • In a heavy-bottom, wide saucepan, large enough to hold rice with plenty of room left over, cook the shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium low heat with a pinch of salt, until onions are translucent about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in rice and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. 
  • Add the wine and reduce until rice has absorbed it fully. 
  • Add 2 ladles of hot stock, turn heat to medium high, and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring constantly not allowing it to stick to the bottom of the pan. 
  • Add Saffron and another ladle of broth a little at a time, keep cooking, stirring, and adding broth until the rice is al dente but not raw or grainy in the middle. About 25 minutes. 
  • When risotto is ready, add broth as needed to achieve the desired creamy, rich consistency and season. 
  • Off the heat, stir in the remaining butter and sprinkle parmesan to taste. 

Sesame Tahini Oat Cookies (Vegan, GF)

By , March 6, 2021

‘Today me will live in the moment, unless it is unpleasant, in which case me will eat coooooookies’ – Cookie Monster

These cookies are a great mid-morning snack. Made of tahini, sesame and oats, they are satiating and release healthy energy slowly. Tahini is the blended butter of sesame seeds. It can be dated back to at least the 13thcentury, prevalently used across the middle east, Asia and Africa. Sesame seeds are high in healthy fats, nourishing and strengthening the nervous system. The impressive calcium content of Tahini supports bone health and the magnesium content helps soothe and relax tension in the muscles. 

Sesame and tahini are used medicinally in Ayurveda. Given the sweet and heavy qualities, sesame is seen as anabolic and building in nature and so used to rebuild tissue after periods of exhaustion. The oily nature of the seed, helps with those that suffer from dryness (typical Vata symptom) whether ingested or used to massage the skin, using sesame oil. The seed is also seen as grounding, sedating the nervous system. Oats are also seen as nutritive and grounding and so this is the perfect cookie combination. 

This recipe is naturally gluten free and vegan.

Ingredients

*Serving size: 12 medium cookies

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup brown rice syrup/maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp. oat milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup oats, ground to a fine flour
  • 1 tbsp. Kudzu or arrowroot starch
  • 1.5 tsp. Baking powder
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. cardamom
  • 1 cup GF Oats
  • 2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds
  • ¼ tsp. salt (more to sprinkle over the top)
  • 1 tsp. sesame seeds for topping

Method

  • Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F
  • Mix the tahini, syrup, oat milk and vanilla in a bowl
  • Mix the oat flour, starch, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom together until well combined and mix into the first bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Add the oats, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and salt, mix well
  • Wet your hands slightly and place two tablespoons worth of the mixture into your palm, roll into a ball and flatten slightly. If you want equal sized cookies, weigh and portion the mixture or use a small ice cream scoop.
  • Sprinkle a little salt and some sesame seeds on top and bake for 10-12 minutes or until starting to brown. Let rest for 10 minutes to firm up before serving. 

Slow baked and marinated watermelon (GF, Vegan)

By , February 27, 2021

‘If you focus only on the seeds of the watermelon, you miss the sweetness of the meat’

I am currently cooking in London for my brother and sister-in-law and am lucky that are opening to trying everything. That has given me license to experiment. These watermelon recipes were born from experimentation, having seen a few posts of delicious vegan sushi treats at one of my favorite restaurants in Miami, Planta. 

These recipes are easy and tasty and bring a sweet, savory combination to the plate. They are great for the spring, as we come out of the darkness and into the sunshine, bringing a little Miami flare.

Watermelon is a diuretic, so good for detox and flushing the system. This makes it great for Pitta and Kapha but can imbalance Vata in excess.  

Ingredients

Baked watermelon

– 1 cup watermelon/1/4 of a small watermelon

– 1 Tbsp. sesame oil

– 1 pinch sea salt

Marinated watermelon

– 2 cups watermelon 

– 1 Tbsp. Toasted sesame oil

– 1/3 cup. Tamari

– 1 Lime, juiced and zested

– ½ tsp. Sea salt

– Pinch of cayenne

Method

For the baked watermelon, cut into 1-inch by ½-inch pieces. Brush watermelon with oil and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 2 hours at 180F until a little shrunken and soft. Eat as vegan ‘sashimi’ or use instead of tuna in sushi.

For the marinated watermelon, cut the watermelon into 2cm-2cm cubed pieces. Mix all the other ingredients, adjust for seasoning. Marinate for 2 hours. Serve as you would poke.

Macrobiotic Balance Bowl (Vegan, GF)

By , February 20, 2021

‘Philosophy without practice is useless; practice without philosophy is dangerous’ 

‘Some people mistake macrobiotics for a ‘brown rice diet’, while others believe that it means giving up pleasure at mealtime. How far from the truth both these ideas are! Macrobiotics is a profound under-standing of the orderliness of Nature, the practical application of which enables us to prepare attractive, delicious meals and to achieve a happy and free life’. 

Quotes from George Ohsawa

Due to my culinary degree being health supportive, we learnt many different well-being-based philosophies. Macrobiotics was one of them.

As you can see from the quotes above macrobiotics is a comprehensive life philosophy. Similar to other holistic philosophies, e.g. Ayurveda, eating is at the core. Here are some similar threads. 

  • A balanced diet leads to a balanced mind
  • When choosing food, you should take into consideration nutritional density and try and refrain from artificial, non-organic and ‘franken foods’
  • Whole foods are preferred
  • A good diet should be varied in both cooking technique (raw and cooked), colors (to obtain different minerals and vitamins) and tastes (e.g. sweet, salty, sour)
  • Sitting down and focusing on food leads to better digestion (mindful eating)
  • Eating should be minimized 2-3 hours before bed
  • Enjoy a bowl of simple soup regularly

In macrobiotics there is a hierarchy for eating for longevity. I based the bowl on this. It has low sugar, cholesterol, is vegan and gluten free. It packs a punch in terms of vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre. Mr. B loves all of these ingredients and this concept of eating. He makes this his largest meal in the afternoon and has a lighter dinner.

Recipe

  • 1 cup. brown rice
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 8oz packet of tempeh
  • Peanut sauce
  • 200g Broccolini/broccoli spears
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 pink radishes, sliced
  • 1 tbsp. Kimchi or sauerkraut
  • 1 piece of nori, cut to 1 inch pieces

Method

– To cook the brown rice: Wash and rinse the rice, place in a 2-litre pot and roast until dry. This provides a better structure for the grains in the final product as well as a nutty undertone. Add the salt and water, bring to the boil and then down to a simmer. Cover and cook till water is gone, leave to steam for 10-15 minutes if not cooked through

– Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and sear the tempeh. Add the peanut sauce. My recipe for the sauce is on the blog if you need it. 

– Add the garlic to a pan with ¼ cup water, bring to a simmer. Add broccolini, sprinkle with salt and add a lid to steam the broccoli. Cook until still soft to the tooth, 3-5 minutes. 

– Add a raw element like chopped cucumber or radishes

– Add pickles for probiotics and seaweed for extra iodine, vitamins and minerals

Coconut Green Beans with Curry Leaves (Vegan, GF)

By , February 14, 2021

‘…smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose…’

This is a beautiful, tasty, fragrant recipe. It’s quick to put together and all in all takes 5 minutes prep and 10 to cook. You are really adding a lot of depth of flavor here through adding cayenne, cumin, turmeric and garlic to the coconut. The curry leaves really give the dish an aromatic and citrusy zing. Curry leaves are great for adding complexity to a dish, both in fragrance and taste.

Curry Leaves come from the Curry Leaf tree and are native to the Indian subcontinent. They are used most widely in southern and west coast Indian cooking, in dishes like Thoran, Vada, Rasam and Kadhi. The best way to draw out the flavor is to sauté the curry leaves first. They are great added to soups, stir fries and chutneys.

Curry leaves are rich in antioxidants, calcium and iron as well as being an antibacterial and alkaloid. 

Recipe

  • 15 Curry Leaves
  • 3/4 Cup Shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 2 Tsp. Cumin
  • 1/2 Tsp. Kashmiri Chili Powder 
  • 1/2 Tsp. Turmeric 
  • 2 Garlic cloves, crushed 
  • 1 Tbsp. Coconut oil
  • 1 Tsp. Mustard Seeds
  • 2 Dried Red Chilis
  • 1 Pound Green Beans, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 Tsp. Salt (more to taste)

Method

– Stir coconut, cumin, chili powder, turmeric and garlic. 

– Add in 5 of the curry leaves, finely chopped. Add 6 Tablespoons of water to the mix, enough to bring it together between your fingers. Set aside.

– Heat wok or large non-stick pan. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, as they staff to pop add the chili’s, curry leaves (be careful as they will splatter as they hit the oil). Add the green beans and salt. Stir often. After the beans are starting to soften, 2-3 minutes, add the coconut mixture and cook until the beans are tender. Season to taste. 

Recipe adapted from @iceculinary