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.
‘Timeless and versatile, almonds are an organic shade that speak to authenticity and all that is natural’
I found this recipe in Goop, when looking for ‘alternative’ flour recipes. I love using almond flour, as it such a wonderful whole food ingredient and brings a natural sweetness to the recipe. Almonds are also full of magnesium, vitamin E, monosaturated fats and protein. They are grounding and nutritive.
I substituted almond yogurt for the dairy element, it worked well and helps to keep the cake moist. I also served a slice with yogurt and some lemon curd to reinforce the dominant flavours.
Given these ingredients are mainly almonds and eggs, I could serve this to Mr B for breakfast, which he was mighty pleased about.
Ingredients
Serving: 6
2.5 cups lightly packed almond flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup almond yogurt
½ cup maple sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup of EVOO
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt
In another bowl whisk together the rest of the ingredients
Add the wet to the dry ingredients
Line an 8-inch cake tin with parchment paper and brush lightly with EVOO
Transfer the batter to the tin and use a spatula to spread it evenly
Place in the middle of your preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the cake is brown and a toothpick comes out clean
When I turned to vegetarianism at the tender age of 13, one of the things I missed most was my mum’s roast lamb. She would make it at Christmas, Easter and on request for special occasions. One of the things that made up for giving this up was to get extra portions of her cauliflower cheese.
Silky and luxurious was the sauce, that I later found out was made up of a roux turned into bechamel with cheddar to finish. Being British, only cheddar was used, not the 15-cheese pile up I tend to see over here in the states.
Over the years, I ended up eating cutting out cow’s milk but still craved my childhood dish and my mum was kind enough to work out how to make dairy free versions to satiate my cravings. When she was in New York with me recently, I had the chance to cook for her and nervously served up this 5-minute cashew version. To my surprise and delight, she loved it. I served it in a pasta bake with veggies and gluten free brown rice pasta, so was even more surprised when she asked for a second portion.
So, this recipe is dedicated to my mum. Thank you for nurturing me with your food and being open to trying mine.
Ingredients
2 cups cashew milk
6 tbsp. nutritional yeast
3 tsp. yellow miso
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp mustard powder
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend. Taste and add salt and pepper or other seasonings as desired.
‘We have to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles and work, or waffles, friends and work. Either way work comes third’.
Lucky for me, making waffles is my work as a chef. It is also my obsession, having realised that you can have wholefood, healthy waffles for breakfast, whilst working at Divya’s Kitchen where they were made with lentils, rice and even had turmeric in them. I like waffles as they are adult and kid friendly, easy to make gluten free and great to freeze and just pop in the toaster when needed.
Below I give you two recipes, the coconut flour ones are paleo friendly and the buckwheat are gluten free. The buckwheat ones are the lightest waffles I have ever tasted and actually taste better after freezing and toasting. Mr. B loves the coconut flour ones as he loves the taste of coconut. I complement them with fruit and some shredded coconut to add to the experience. I like the buckwheat ones with blueberries and a little cardamom infused maple syrup.
Ingredients
Serving: 6
3 tbsp. vegan butter/coconut oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. monk fruit sweetener
4 tbsp. coconut cream
½ cup coconut flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
Method
Preheat the waffle iron
In a large bowl mix the butter, eggs, vanilla extract, monk fruit and coconut cream. Whisk until well combined
Add the coconut flour, baking powder and salt and stir well
Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes (to let the coconut flour absorb the liquid and thicken the batter)
Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the waffle iron
The waffle is ready when the steam has dissipated, and the waffle is golden brown. In my waffle iron, that takes, c.3 minutes
Buckwheat waffles
These are possibly the lightest and crispiest waffles I have ever tasted. They have a rich and nutty flavor from the buckwheat. I like using buckwheat as not only is it gluten free, but it has a high antioxidant and fiber content.
From an ayurvedic perspective buckwheat is dry and heating. It is nutritive, grounding and strengthening. Buckwheat is known to dry up mucus in the respiratory system, pacifying Kapha.
Ingredients
Serving: 6
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tbsp. coconut sugar
1.5 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cardamom
1 cup buttermilk (1/4 cup almond yogurt mixed with ¾ cup water)
4 tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
1 large egg/1 tbsp. flax meal with 3 tbsp water
Method
Preheat the waffle iron
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cardamom
In a liquid measuring cup mix the yogurt and water together and then mix in the melted butter and egg
Pour the wet into the dry mixture and stir them together
Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes
Add 1/3 cup of batter to the waffle iron
The waffle is ready when the steam has dissipated, and the waffle is golden brown. In my waffle iron, that takes, c.3 minutes
‘It’s much harder to be sad, when eating a cookie’
I love these cookies, as they take 5 minutes to make and 10 minutes to bake. They are great for kids, with the sweetness coming from the banana, protein from the nut/seed butter and great fibre from the oats. They are pretty much the equivalent of a bowl of porridge but in a much more appealing form. This means you can put them in a packed lunch, grab them on the way out or even use them as bribery with your kids. Mr. B is my tester for all things sweet and he found this ‘extremely satisfying’, so I am sure kids would too. LOL
Ingredients
2 mashed bananas
½ cup peanut butter/seed butter
1 cup GF oats
¼ cup vegan choc chips/raisins
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F
Mix all ingredients together
Scoop the cookies onto a parchment paper lined baking try, 10-16 depends on size preference
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until starting to brown. Flipping once.
‘Man’s mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions’
I love it when a recipe expands and changes your perspective. Amy Chaplin’s Book, Whole Cooking Every Day is great for this, as she is taking your every-day items, like porridge and creating new varieties of them, keeping your chef mind and palate active. Every recipe is simple to execute on too, making it easy to integrate into your every day. I particularly like the combination of fennel, cardamom, raisins and orange zest, giving it a sweet fragrant taste. Mr B likes a simple porridge, so I make a more savoury preparation for him, topping it with a little cinnamon.
Ingredients
½ cup almonds, soaked overnight in 2 cups of water
2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 cup black rice, soaked overnight in 3 cups water
Pinch of salt
½ cup golden raisins
1 tbsp. orange zest
Method
Drain and rinse the almonds (I popped off the skin, but you don’t have to) and transfer them to an upright blender
Add the fennel seeds, the cardamom, water, salt and 4 cups of water. Blend until smooth.
Add the rice and pulse until it is coarsely ground
Pour into a medium pot, bring to the boil and then down to a simmer
Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the porridge is cooked and nice and creamy. Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan
When ready, let rest for 5 minutes and then stir in the golden raisins and orange zest
Add berries or maple syrup for sweetness if desired and/or granola for texture
‘Home is where heart is. Heart is where cookie is. Math clear: Home is cookie’ – Cookie Monster
This recipe uses coconut flour, used predominantly by the paleo community for its high fibre, low carbohydrate quality. The flour has good fats and protein, is nutritive and satiating.
Coconut flour absorbs more moisture than other flours, making the product denser and heavier. It has a nutty, sweet taste, which Mr B loves. If you don’t like the taste of coconut, then substitute in a little almond flour.
Due to its high fibre content, including coconut flour in your diet promotes stable blood sugar, good digestion and heart health. It may also support a healthy body weight as part of a balanced diet.
Coconut is considered a divine plant in the Vedic traditions. It is used in sacred ceremonies. It is considered a stress buster, good for the digestive and metabolic systems.
Ingredients
½ cup almond butter
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
½ tsp. flaky sea salt
½ cup coconut flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ cup coconut sugar
½ tsp cinnamon powder
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F
Stir together the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and stir till well combined
Add the egg and mix thoroughly
Add the salt, coconut flour and baking powder. Mix well.
Combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl
Roll the dough into 10-12 small balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar
Place on a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 12 minutes
Let cool to room temperature, this will firm them up
‘The difference between a tart, a pie and a quiche are a blur’ – Yotam Ottolenghi
This crustless quiche or zucchini bake is a great batch recipe and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The veggies used can be changed for variety and it can be cut up and placed in lunch boxes for a kids and adults alike. It’s not too dissimilar to Mr B’s Italian frittata, just a little GF four added and less eggs.
Perfectly simple and simply perfect.
Ingredients
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 shallot, small dice
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup olive oil
4 eggs
1 cup GF flour
½ cup pecorino
½ cup GF breadcrumbs
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. oregano
Method
Preheat the oven to 375F
Grease a casserole dish with olive oil
Rinse the zucchini, disregard the tops and bottom. Thinly slice using a knife or a mandoline, approximately 1/8-inch slices.
Lay the zucchini out on kitchen towel, salt and leave for 10 minute. Wipe off the excess moisture
Add the diced shallot to a bowl, add the pressed garlic, add the oil
Beat the eggs and add them to the bowl
Add the zucchini
In another bowl, add the flour, baking powder, pecorino, salt, pepper and oregano
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix till well combined
Pour into the casserole dish, smooth to make the top even
Bake for 50-60minutes, or until the top is golden brown
‘If you only master one spice in your life, master pepper, it has more power to transform a dish than any other’
I am not a big chilli eater, but I am a fan of spice. So often these two are mixed up. People say to me in earnest, I can’t eat Indian food as I can’t tolerate spice. There are all sorts of wrong with that statement and why they think they need to go out of their way to tell me, LOL. But that is a conversation for another time and blog.
Spicing is an art form.
Spices can be used to warm or cool you, to hurt or heal you.
In the summer I try and avoid to many heating spices and in the Winter, I add them in to warm up my digestive and metabolic systems. My favourites are cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, turmeric and mustard. I love them in chai, porridge and granola. This granola is also a little less sweet than normal and so I add it to savory dishes too. The spice is subtle, gently heating the more you eat. Mr B likes heat, but doesn’t like salty sweet, so for him I reduced the sea salt and increase the maple syrup a smidge.
Ingredients
1.5 cups GF rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts (e.g. pecans and walnuts)
2.5 tbsp. black/white sesame seeds
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp. roasted sesame oil
2 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. tamari
½ tsp. ginger
1 tsp. ground black pepper
Flaky sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 300F
Mix the oats, nuts and sesame seeds
In a separate bowl mix the maple syrup, two sesame oils, tamari, ginger and black pepper
Mix the dry and wet ingredients together
Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper
Sprinkle over the salt
Bake for 15 minutes, then mix. Taste for salt and add if needed
This dish was requested by Mr B. It is something his mum makes in all different forms, changing the vegetable dependent on the season. His favourite is the squash blossom version, which they make a lot as they produce them in their garden. The asparagus and artichoke ones come next. It’s an easy dish, one pot and a slow bake. It is made like a cake in a round bottomed pan, flipped over and placed in the middle of the table for sharing. Simple, healthy fare. It can also be made quickly, so if you only know that your son is coming over for an extra visit, when he calls you on his way, you can make it in a jiffy.
I have also made a vegan version using mung beans, like ‘Just Egg’ so you can substitute that mixture in here if you’d prefer.
Ingredients
Serving: 6
1 zucchini, grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp. ghee/olive oil
1 tsp. soma salt
9 eggs
¼ cup oat milk
½ tsp. ground pepper
1 cup GF breadcrumbs
½ cup pecorino, grated
Method
Preheat the oven to 300F
Squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as possible, using a kitchen towel or paper towel
Mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and cheese
Season with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like
Melt the oil/ghee, add the garlic and gently fry for 10 seconds, then add the zucchini and sauté for 30-45 seconds, till the remaining moisture has gone
Add the egg mixture and mix, let cook for 2-3 minutes to set and then place in the oven for 30 minutes or until set (toothpick in the middle that comes out clean)
This is a beautiful recipe for the winter. It is grounding due to the seed and nuts being used in place of grains and can be eaten warm or cold. It is rich in protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is a great recipe to batch, with the below making around 6 portions. You can add different toppings to make for different versions during the week or for different tastes. I like mine with blueberries for example and Mr B likes his with a dollop chocolate spread.
The recipe is from Amy Chaplin’s, ‘Whole Food Cooking Every Day’. As a discipline, I am attempting to go through the book chronologically. This is actually very difficult. As a chef, I am used to jumping around a recipe book and cooking what I fancy. This book however is worthy of working through slowly, as the concepts are new, but the principles are aligned with mine, being gluten, dairy and refined sugar free. Needless to say, more to come.
Ingredients
Serving: 6 small portions
For the pie crust
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked overnight
½ cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
¼ cup chia/basil seeds
¼ cup hemp seeds
2 tbsp. ground flax seeds
½ cup almonds, soaked overnight
2 tbsp. coconut flour
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 pitted dates, soaked to soften (optional)
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup unsweetened, coconut flakes
Method
Rinse and drain the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, set aside
Combine the chia/basil seeds, hemp and flax in a medium bowl
Rinse and drain the almond and place in a blender with 2.5 cups of water. Add the flour, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and dates. Blend till smooth.
Add the coconut flakes and seeds and pulse a few times till roughly chopped and combined
Pour mixture into the bowl, mix to combine and set aside for 30 minutes, until thick and creamy
Eat cold or warm, adding toppings of choice and sweetener, e.g. maple syrup if needed
