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.
This is a simple recipe, full of protein, vitamins and minerals. It is a great kids or Mr. B snack, with an interesting contrast of sweet and savoury from the mix of the dates and the tahini/sesame seeds.
The recipe is from @oliviathechef one of the most innovative chefs @iceculinary where I recently completed my Health Supportive Culinary Degree.
I’ve had the recipe stored for a long time and thought now was a great time to try it given that sesame is a great source of protein, iron, magnesium, vitamin E, calcium and good fats making this a great prenatal and post partum snack.
In Ayurveda, sesame seeds are seen as a blood, muscle tonic and overall strengthener. They are great for Vata and Kapha especially, but since they are made from earth and fire, Pitta should minimize. In excess they can also be channel blocking to all doshas so be careful with tahini especially as it is very concentrated.
Ingredients
Serving: 12-18 cookies
½ cup black sesame seeds
1.5 cups pitted dates
1.5 cups almond meal
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup black tahini
¼ tsp. sea salt
Method
Place sesame seeds in a pan and toast for 2 minutes
Grind them in a mortar and pestle
Add all ingredients to a food processor
Process for 1 minute or until well combined
Scoop cookies and flatten, you may need to wet your hands so the mixture doesn’t stick
Baked Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts with Pecan Maple Glaze and Gluten Free
Pumpkin Waffles
‘I can smell autumn dancing in the breeze. The sweet chill if pumpkin and crisp sunburnt leaves.’
Seasonal eating is a core principle in Ayurveda. Not only is it better for the environment to eat locally and seasonally but the foods match the changes in the weather associated with the season and thus helps us stay balanced.
Pumpkin is the perfect example of this. As autumn brings in a fluctuation in weather, pumpkin with its predominant earth element acts as a grounding force. It is nutritive and acts as a natural sedative due to its tryptophan content, which increases serotonin.
Both of these recipes have been adapted to be naturally gluten free and vegan. They are full of healthy, nutritionally dense ingredients, so suitable for breakfast or dessert. Mr. B loves all things pumpkin as it reminds him that the holidays are around the corner, so our house tends to take on a cosy aroma around this time of year with tones of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Ingredients
Serving: 6 donuts
Donut recipe
¾ cup oat flour
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup coconut oil
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 sea salt
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Maple pecan glaze
¾ cup pecans
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp. coconut oil
¼ cup water or coconut milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a donut pan with coconut oil
In a bowl mix all the ingredients, in the order listed
Transfer to a piping bag or a zip lock, cutting off the corner so you can pipe the batter
Pipe the batter into the donut pan and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden
Leave to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. They will firm up a little more.
Tip the pan out and tap to release. Place on a drying rack.
For the maple glaze, add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth
Brush on, dip or drizzle the glaze onto the donuts
Sprinkle with pecans to serve
Pumpkin Waffles
Ingredients
Serving: 6 waffles
½ cup red lentils
1 cup oat milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract/powder
1 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup oat flour
1 tbsp. GF baking powder
½ tsp. soma salt or Himalayan salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup raw organic cane sugar
1 flax egg (1 tbsp. ground flax + 3 Tbsp water)
Method
Soak red lentils overnight. In the morning, wash till the water goes clear and drain
Place in the blender with the milk , pumpkin puree and vanilla
Blend until smooth
In a bowl mix the dry ingredients, whisk till well combined
Add the dry to the wet mix and whisk, add flax egg and whisk again
Heat up your waffle maker, pour ½ cup batter into the middle of the waffle iron, cook for 3 minutes or until the waffle maker light goes from green to red
If you open the waffle maker and want a darker waffle, unplug the waffle maker and let the waffle sit for another few minutes
‘One should not attend, even the end of the world, without a good breakfast’
I love baked beans. They were a staple of an English breakfast and a comforting, easy dinner when I was based in the UK. They are high in sugar however, so I was delighted to see a recipe for baked beans using natural ingredients and a healthier source of unrefined sugar, whilst at culinary school.
The great thing about these beans is that you can increase and decrease the sweetener to your taste. Using only half the amount of maple syrup works for my palate or substituting brown rice syrup. You can also use any bean you’d like.
Mr. B didn’t grow up with beans for breakfast, more biscotti, but is a fan of these and a more savoury breakfast/brunch.
Ingredients
Serving: 4 cups
1.5 cup of small beans (I used Anson Mills heritage red island peas)
2 tbsp. white miso
½ tsp. sea salt
¾ cup tomato puree
½ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Method
Preheat the oven to 325F
Cook the beans, either in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes or on the hob for c. 45 minutes or until cooked through
Drain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid
Mix the miso. Salt, tomato puree, maple syrup and mustard and whisk. Add the cooked beans.
Bake in a casserole dish, covered for 45 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. If the beans dry out, add a little of the reserved bean liquid.
Feel free to adapt by taking the sugar level up and down, adding spice/chilli or vegan sausage
‘The food of the true revolutionary is the Sichuan pepper, he who cannot endure it, is unable to fight’.
This is a great recipe, from Bon Appetit. It utilises pouring hot oil over the aromatics, as a technique to release both the aroma and prepare the dressing.
Using Sichuan peppercorns in this recipe creates a building heat, which Mr B loves. I had to add more noodles and veg half-way through, as my tongue is not as heat resistant, LOL.
You can use the dressing as a dressing or dipping sauce for other dishes and you can mix the vegetable selection to help you get rid of whatever is in the fridge.
Ingredients
Serving: 4 serving
1 tsp. Sichuan peppercorns
4 scallions, thinly sliced (reserve some of the greens for garnish)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp. white and black sesame seeds
1.5 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½-cup sesame oil
½-cup tamari
2 tbsp. brown rice vinegar (optional)
1 cup cooked corn kernels
12 oz. green beans, topped and tailed, thinly cut into 2-inch pieces
8oz. GF soba noodles
Method
Grind the Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, leaving the texture as course
Transfer to a heatproof bowl and add scallions, garlic, sesame seeds and the red pepper flakes
Heat the oil in a small heavy-set pot and pour over the mixture. This technique is classically used in Sichuan cooking and releases the aromatics without burning them.
Stir in the tamari and vinegar if using. Season with salt and let cool.
Blanch the green beans in a pot of water with salt, c. 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a cold bowl of water. Drain and set aside.
Return water to a boil and add soba noodles. Once cooked, drain and run under cold water
Add noodles, cooked corn, beans and dressing and toss to coat
Leave for at least 30 minutes to let marinate
Serve with fresh green herbs and the greens of some scallions
‘Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way – that’s the best way to take your everyday cooking to a higher level’ – Jose Andres
I adapted this recipe from one I found in Bon Appetit. I love the braising technique as it adds a huge amount of flavour to the food and decreases the need for cooking using oil. It leaves the food moist (making it one of the favoured Ayurvedic cooking techniques) and with a flavourful liquid that can be used like a sauce or slurped directly from the bowl at the end of the meal.
If you prefer your sauce a little stickier, like Mr B, add a little cornflour slurry (1 tsp of cornflower with 1/2 cup water) and this will thicken it up.
I served this with Carolina Gold Rice which I had purchased from Anson Mills, a company dedicated to bringing heritage grains and flour back, beneficial for flavour, crop diversity, health and the integrity of farming.
Heat oil on a medium-low heat. Cook the peppers, chilli for a few minutes until soft (3-5 minutes)
Add shallots, garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes, c.2 minutes until fragrant
Add tofu, mirin, tamari, vinegar and ¼ cup water
Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook till braising liquid has reduced by half, basting and turning the tofu often to make sure the flavor is evenly distributed
‘If we were not meant to have midnight snacks, why is there a light in the fridge….??’
I’ve been craving coffee recently, just the smell of it draws my senses in. This is rather strange, since I don’t usually drink coffee. I drink a variety of tea, herbal, caffeinated and spiced. This is one of the few cravings I have had since being pregnant, that is out of bounds with what I usually like and just confirms to me the nature of my baby’s Italian heritage is strong.
Mr B has been making me almond milk, decaf coffee to satiate this craving and so I decided now was a good time to develop a healthy biscotti to pair with this delight.
This recipe is based on one I learned at school with a few adaptations. I switched in oat flour as a substitute to sorghum, as I wanted to make this ‘flourless’ (I ground the almonds to make almond flour and oats to make oat flour). Most people have oats and almonds in this house so I thought this would make it easier, plus oat adds more natural sweetness. I decreased the maple syrup and I added sweet masala (a mix of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper) to help with digestion and metabolism.
Ingredients
Serving: 10-12 biscuits
10 tbsp. almond flour
2 tbsp. tapioca flour
¼ cup oat flour (homemade or store bought)
1 tbsp. flax seeds, ground
½ tsp. sweet masala (optional)
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼. Tsp. baking soda
3 tbsp. maple syrup
3 tbsp. coconut oil
¼. tsp. almond extract
Pinch sea salt
¼ cup thinly sliced almonds
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together (almond flour to baking soda)
In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients, except the almonds
Pour wet into the dry ingredients and mix well to combine
Roll the dough in the sliced almonds
Roll out to 2 7-inch by 1.5-inch logs and place on the baking tray (the log will expand so make sure there is enough room or use 2 trays)
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown
Cool for 10 minutes and then slice into ½-inch slices
Re-bake for 5 minutes if you prefer your biscotti harder
‘Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.’
I love discovering new ingredients in the farmers market. This year I found baby corn. Baby corn is actually the early picked maize. At this point it is softer and has less starch and sugar. I bought little ears that were about 7-inches long, roasted them, chopped them and put them straight in the curry. This is because the cob is softer so you can eat the whole thing, adding more fibre to your dish and a little less preparation in your cooking.
For the curry, I blended the spinach, onions, tomatoes, garlic and spices and then cooked that mixture, making this a short cut recipe. I also used cashew nuts instead of cream and added almond yogurt for some probiotics and a sour elements.
Ingredients
Serving: 2-4 serving
1 bunch spinach (2 cups packed spinach)
¼ cup coriander leaves
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 small shallot
10-15 cashew nuts
1-inch ginger
3-4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. EVOO or ghee
3 cups corn
1 tsp. cumin seeds
4. tsp. asafoetida
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. chilli powder
½ tsp. Turmeric
Almond yogurt for garnish
Method
Place the whole baby corn in the oven for 20 minutes. Let cool and chop into 1-inch pieces.
Place the spinach, coriander, mint, tomatoes, shallot, ginger and garlic in a blender and blend to a puree.
Add some oil or ghee or half of each to sauté pan on a low heat, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida
Add the puree as soon as the cumin starts to crackle. Cook the puree until the oil and puree start to separate and the raw smell starts to dissipate, 5-8 minutes
Add the chilli, salt and turmeric, cook for 2-3 minutes, taste and adjust for seasoning
Add the corn and cook in the masala on a gentle heat whilst you make some rice or roti
Add a couple of tbsp. of almond yogurt before serving (optional)
‘The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us…’
This is a beautiful moist gluten free cake from Nik Sharma of a brown table. It is a beautiful blog and there is always an interesting culinary twist to be inspired by. This cake caught my eye due to the combination of lemon, honey and rosemary and because it uses no flour, just blanched almonds as the base.
Mr. B loved the cake but not so much the rosemary, as it brings a savory tone and he is sweet all the way. That is why I have noted it as optional.
Ingredients
Serving: 8 serving
4 eggs
255g honey
60ml extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tbsp. rosemary leaves, chopped (optional)
60ml fresh lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
360g blanched almond flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Method
Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease and line a round 9 inch/23cm springform pan and line with parchment paper
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, honey and olive until well combined
Whisk in the rosemary if using, the lemon juice and zest
Finally fold in the almond flour and baking powder
Pour the mixture into the cake pan. Place in the oven for 50 minutes, rotating once half-way
The cake will be done when a skewer comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 200F
Let cool for 15 minutes and transfer to a serving plate
Soup in the summer may seem counterintuitive, however from an Ayurvedic perspective, our bodies when hot on the house side, cool down on the inside and so does our agni/digestive power. We also tend to overload our systems with raw food (harder to break down and therefore to absorb the nutrient value of our food), grilled food (drying cooking methods, create internal dryness) and cocktails (gives our bodies more to detoxify).
Soup is the perfect antidote. It supplies dense nutrition, moisture and give your digestive system a break as everything is warm and precooked, allowing for higher bioavialability of nutrients.
Two of the recipes here have protein and grains, supplying all your amino acids for a full protein source. For the green soup, I have added sprouted mung as a topping, with the millet this makes it a full protein also.
Mr. B doesn’t like broth, so I tend to give him more of the bulky content, or sometimes add some bread to the soup to soak the liquid up.
I am giving you three recipes to tide you over till I return in September. Till then, catch me on the plant.to.table Instagram account.
Spring greens soup (Gluten Free, Vegan)
This is from Divya Alter’s book, ‘what to eat for how you feel’. It’s a healing summer soup. Light and delicious.
Ingredients
Serving: 2-3
1 tbsp, plus 1 tsp. ghee or oil, divided
½ tsp. black mustard seeds
1 tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. ground turmeric
4 tbsp. millet
2 tsp. soma salt
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups washed and thinly sliced spring greens: dandelion greens, nettles, chard, spinach, beet greens or other
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
Garnish with black pepper, micro greens and/or sprouted mung
Method
Heat 1 tbsp. ghee or oil in a 3-quart saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the mustard seeds and toast until they start to pop. Add the coriander, turmeric, millet and salt, mix and toast for c. 30 seconds. Add the hot stock.
Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes till the millet is cooked
In the meanwhile, heat 1 tsp. ghee oil in a medium frying pan and add the greens with a little salt. Sauté for a few minutes, till wilted but still vibrant green. Set aside and add to the soup when the grains are cooked.
Add the lime juice, pepper and adjust for seasoning
Ayurvedic Minestrone (Gluten Free, Vegan)
This revipe is from one of Divya’s Culinary School classes. It is extremely nourishing and filling.
Ingredients
Serving: 5-6 servings
½ cup chickpeas (green lentils or adzuki beans)
¼ cup cooked quinoa
2.5 tsp. salt, divided
2 tbsp. olive oil or ghee
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ginger, chopped
1/8 tsp. asafoetida
1 cup peeled and chopped sweet potato or taro root (1/2- inch pieces)
1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1 cup peeled and diced carrots (1/4 inch)
½ cup diced celery (1/4 inch)
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. tamarind pulp
1 cup diced zucchini
Method
In a 2-quart saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add 1 tsp. of salt and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes. Set them aside.
Meanwhile, in a 6-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over a low heat. Add the ginger, cumin and asafoetida, then potato, cabbage, carrots and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. add the dried basil oregano, tamarind pulp and remaining 1.5 tsp. salt. Add 4 cups of water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the zucchini and cooked chickpeas and quinoa and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add more water if you prefer the soup brothy.
Garnish with basil leaves, micro basil or basil oil, lime and a few sprinkles of pepper.
Serve hot.
Ayurvedic white bean soup (Gluten Free, Vegan)
This is a traditional Tuscan white bean soup recipe that I adapted to become Ayurvedic. It’s tasty and hearty.
Ingredients
Serving: 3-4 servings
1 cup small white beans, soaked overnight and drained
3 cup buckwheat groats
2.5 tsp. salt, divided
2 tbsp. olive oil or ghee
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. asafoetida
1 cup peeled and diced carrots (1/4 inch)
½ cup diced celery (1/4 inch)
½-1 cup fennel (1/4 inch)
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
2 cup diced zucchini
2 cups fresh spinach
Method
In a 2-quart saucepan, cover the white beans with 2 inches of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add 1 tsp. of salt and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes. Set them aside.
Meanwhile, in a 6-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over a low heat. Add the cumin coriander, carrots, celery and fennel. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the buckwheat, dried basil oregano, tamarind pulp and remaining 1.5 tsp. salt. Add 6 cups of water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the zucchini and cooked white beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add more water if you prefer the soup brothy.
Garnish with basil leaves, micro basil or basil oil, lime and a few sprinkles of pepper.
This is taken from Divya Alter’s summer recipes. It’s a sweet-sour, creamy and refreshing and more nourishing than ice cream.
The cashews make for a rich dessert so you don’t need much to feel satiated. That did not stop Mr. B from having two. The balance of sweet and sour is perfect. I reduced the sugar from the original recipe as I prefer a tarter dessert. The vanilla and cardamom add to the sweetness and the cardamom offsets the way your system reacts to sugar.
New ingredient alert: Sunflower lecithin – SL is a natural emulsifier, creating a mousse like texture. The most well-known benefit of lecithin is its ability to lower cholesterol. Some breastfeeding experts recommend it as it can decrease the viscosity of your milk. It has been seen to help with digestion, especially those with ulcerative colitis and IBS. Lecithin contains choline which is a chemical your brain uses to communicate. Clinical research suggests that a diet rich in choline can lead to a sharper memory and help people with Alzheimer’s.
Ingredients
Serving: 6-8 servings
1.5 cups cashews, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
¾ cup almond or plant milk
½ cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup raw organic cane sugar
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. cardamom
1 tbsp. sunflower lecithin
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
Method
Combine the cashews, almond milk, lime juice, sugar, vanilla and cardamom in a blender and blend till smooth
Add the lecithin and coconut oil and blend till incorporated
