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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.

Avocado and coconut ice cream

By , July 11, 2015

This one is for Maxi, the cutest kid I know (who loves avocado)

It is a really simple recipe, as the only process is to blend

It sounds like an odd combination but is creamy and sweet

It’s another great recipe from ‘I quit sugar’

Taste, healthy and fun!

Processed with Moldiv

Processed with Moldiv

Ingredients

  • 1 large ripe avocado
  • 250ml coconut cream
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 tbsp. coconut water
  • 1 tbsp. rice malt syrup
  • 1 tsp. chia seeds (for extra goodness)
  • Pinch of salt

(Options: You can change the rice malt syrup for another natural sugar, I prefer agave as it has a subtle taste and this recipe is already sweet from the coconut cream. If you don’t have lolly moulds, place this is a tub and serve it as you would ice cream.)

Method

  • Blend all the ingredients in a blender till it the mixture is completely mixed and gives a creamy texture
  • Spoon the mixture into lolly moulds
  • Freeze for at least 4 hours

Nutritious Natural Nut-ella

By , July 8, 2015

This was another American adventure, given that Hazelnuts are not called Hazelnuts in the USA, they are called Filberts. When I asked the guy for where to find Hazelnuts and he said Filberts, I thought he was introducing himself, and so introduced myself and asked again. He thought I was a little odd to say the least!

The advertising would have you believe that Ferrero’s Nutella is made of milk and hazelnuts and is a great source of protein for your kids. Unfortunately, if you look into the ingredients (this takes a bit of digging), you find that the dominant ingredient is sugar and the second is palm oil, creating a 55% sugar and 30% fat product, more akin to a chocolate bar. It provides little in the way of nutrition and only contains 13% hazelnuts in fact.

This is a great recipe; it doesn’t have much process and is full of super foods

The recipe is taken from ‘I quit sugar’

In my opinion it also tastes better than the store bought version, but that is just my opinion!

Go on, indulge your health and self….

Processed with Moldiv

Processed with Moldiv

Ingredients

  • 135g hazelnuts
  • 125ml coconut milk
  • 80ml rice malt syrup (or alternative natural sugar)
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 30g raw cacao powder
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla powder/essence

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180c. Bake the hazelnuts on a tray for 8-10 minutes until browned (this smells great)
  • Rub off most of the skins (you don’t have to be too precise)
  • Grind the nuts in a food processor until smooth
  • Add the remaining ingredients and process until well mixed
  • Add extra coconut milk if you want a thinner mixture
  • Store in the fridge

Detox Dairy free Beetroot Brownies

By , June 14, 2015

This is an indulgent brownie, with all the taste but no gluten or dairy

It’s from the detox kitchen bible

It’s full of super foods and antioxidants

The beetroot is sneaky, as you can’t taste it

It can be made as a brownie or a rich chocolate cake

Your kids will never know it is healthy!

Ingredients

  • 150g peeled raw beetroot, cut into cubes (one large beetroot as you need to take into account the weight post peeling)
  • 50g hazelnuts
  • 100g gluten free flour (I used rice flour)
  • 1 tsp. gluten free baking powder
  • 60g raw cacao powder
  • 150g honey
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 75ml rapeseed oil
  • (Optional extras: I used almonds instead of hazelnuts, as that is what I had in the cupboard. You can interchange gluten free flours. Add a few cacao nibs as an extra super food treat!)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180c. Line the bottom and sides of a cake tin with greaseproof paper
  • Put the beetroot in a microwave-safe bowl with 50ml water, cover with cling film and cook on a high heat for 7 minutes until soft. (Be careful of the steam when you take the cling film off.)
  • If you don’t have a microwave, wrap the beetroot in foil and bake in the heated oven for c. 40 minutes until soft.
  • Put the nuts in a blender and blend until chopped into grainy rice sized pieces. Transfer into a large mixing bowl. Sift the flour, baking powder and cacao powder in.
  • Blend the cooked beetroot in the blender for 1-2 minutes until smooth. (If you have undercooked the beetroot it will form pieces rather then being smooth. This is okay, as it will cook more when you bake the brownie.) Add to the dry ingredients in the bowl, but don’t mix yet.
  • Using the blender for the third time (don’t worry about washing it in-between), add the honey, salt and eggs and blend for 3 minutes. Pour into the bowl and with the oil and mix the entire mixture with a large spoon, folding rather than vigorously mixing so as to retain some air in the mixture.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in a heated oven for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  • Try and let the cake cool completely before cutting into squares and devouring

Asparagus, poached egg and parmesan

By , June 13, 2015

This is a 7minute meal

It’s an Italian starter, but good for breakfast or brunch

It’s low in calories but high in flavour, texture and nutrition

Ingredients (serves 2)

  • 8 asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 25g shaved parmesan
  • Salt and pepper to taste

(Optional extras: Add some salad leaves and a splash of balsamic and olive oil for a more substantial salad)

Method

  • Blanch the asparagus in a pan of simmering water for 2 minutes then remove and set aside.
  • Crack the eggs into the pan and simmer gently for 3 minutes (for runny yoke), remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper
  • Place the asparagus on a plate, the poached egg on top and sprinkle shaved parmesan over the dish
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper
  • The runny yoke acts as a sauce
  • Simply delicious morning, noon or night!

Banana pancakes: Gluten/Dairy free

By , June 7, 2015

This is a three-ingredient recipe

It is protein and magnesium rich

It is sweet without any sugar being added

Paleo genius!

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 Banana, peeled
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil for cooking

(Optional extras: add a tsp. of cinnamon for added natural sweetness, some pure maple syrup if you have a really sweet tooth, or some cacao if you want to make a chocolate version)

Method

  • Blend together the egg and banana to form a batter
  • Place 1 tbsp. of coconut oil into a frying pan, warm and pour in the batter. Make sure you cover the whole pan to make a thin pancake
  • Keep on a low-medium heat for 10 minutes, slower is better as it is easy to burn the mixture
  • Pick up a corner to check when the pancake is brown and flip or turn over. Let cook for another few minutes. The mixture is cooked through once you have done one side, so don’t worry about the other side too much unless you want an even colour
  • Place on a plate and eat this sweet treat

Cheese biscuits: Gluten free

By , June 6, 2015

This is great as a snack or a canapé

Ingredients

  • 150g Rice flour
  • 2 tsp. Paprika
  • ½ tsp. Salt & ½ tsp. Pepper
  • 50g Butter
  • 100g Grated cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs

(Optional extras: swap the cheddar for another hard cheese, remember to season well as gluten free flours are a little bland)

Method

  • Mix together flour, paprika, salt & pepper
  • Work the butter into the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs
  • Stir in the grated cheese
  • Beat the egg and stir into the mixture, bring everything together into a ball of pastry
  • Rest the pastry in the fridge for 10 minutes
  • Roll out the pastry on a floured surface or between two sheets of cling film until around 4mm thick
  • Use a biscuit cutter or cut into strips
  • Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper
  • Place into a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes
  • Take them out and put them on a rack to cool
  • Snack, serve with salmon, goats cheese or a bit more cheddar

Dairy free creamy mushroom sauce

By , May 31, 2015

From the healthy foodie

This is healthy, has a creamy texture and can be added to pasta or chicken as an alternative to a version with cream

Ingredients

  • 2-3 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
  • 450g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 2 cups water
  • 100g raw cashews

(Optional extras: Add bacon, chicken and pasta for a tasty dinner)

Method

  • Melt the ghee or place the coconut oil in a frying pan on a medium heat
  • Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, 5-7 minutes
  • Add the onions and let them sweat for 3-4 minutes, until soft and translucent
  • While the mushrooms and onions are cooking, add the cashew nuts to a blender and blend until the cashews form a smooth paste, releasing the natural oils, depending on the strength of your blender, this will take 3-15 minutes. Once made add this to your mushroom/onion mixture
  • Add the mustard, sage, thyme, salt and pepper to a large glass and mix together with the water until completely combined. Add the mixture to the pan
  • Mix completely, taste and add more seasoning if needs be

7 minute: Guacamole Taco’s

By , May 23, 2015

This is a 7 minute meal

It is healthy, tasty and feels indulgent when it isn’t

Ingredients (1 portion)

  • 6 gyoza wrappers
  • 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
  • ½ onion (diced)
  • 6 cherry tomatoes (Quartered)
  • 1 avocado
  • A pinch of salt (more to taste)
  • Half the juice of a small lime/lemon, depending on your preference

(Optional extras: a pinch of chilli flakes or smoked paprika)

Method

  • Place the gyoza’s in a pre-heated oven at 200c, after 3 minutes fold them in half and then place them back in until they start to brown (I used a toast rack to keep the taco shape)
  • Whilst the gyoza wrappers are in the oven prepare the guacamole
  • Take the avocado, peel and de-stone. Cut into chunks if you like it chunky or in the blender for 30 seconds if you like smooth
  • Add in the crushed garlic, half a chopped onion and the quartered cherry tomatoes. Mix completely. Add the salt and citrus to taste.
  • Take the folded cooked gyoza wrappers and fill with the guacamole, place on the plate and sprinkle on an optional extra
  • Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole!

Superfood bread

By , May 6, 2015

This bread is so tasty that it doesn’t need anything on top of it

It holds together, so you can slice it and it holds its shape

It is an adapted recipe from Deliciously Ella

It makes a normal size loaf, if you want a small loaf or it’s your first time trying it out, use half of all the ingredients

It has Psyllium husk powder as an essential ingredient; it binds the bread together. I found it acted as an appetite suppressant for me, apparently because it absorbs liquid it gives you a sense of feeling full. So we have found bread you can eat when watching your weight.

Also the FDA (more authoritative) has established a tangible benefit of psyllium seed husk intake and a decreased risk of coronary heart disease….just saying.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup = 6 tbsp.
  • 4 cups of cold water
  • 3 cups of pumpkin seeds
  • 2 cup of brown rice flour
  • 2 cups of macadamia nuts (or any other nuts)
  • 1 cup of sunflower seeds
  • 6 tbsp. psyllium husk powder
  • 4 tbsp. of chia seeds
  • 4 tbsp. dried mixed herbs (herbs de Provence are good, if you don’t have it mix your own herbs, tbsp.. each of basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano)

(Options: the recipe calls for almonds, but I used macadamia nuts (mainly because my grandma gave me 1kg of them, but also because they have a plain taste versus hazelnuts for example. If you don’t have rice flour you can use any other gluten free alternative.)

Method

  • Simply place the macadamia nuts (or other nuts) and 2 cups of pumpkin seeds in a blender and blender for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is crumbly/more like flour than nuts
  • Transfer this to a bowl and stir in the remaining pumpkin seeds, add the flour, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, psyllium husk and dried herbs. Stir the mix together until evenly combined.
  • Gradually pour the water in and mix.
  • Let sit for 45-60 minutes to make sure it binds. If it is watery after an hour, add flour one tbsp. at a time and mix until it is firm.
  • Place in a well oiled (rapeseed or coconut oil preferably) bread tin
  • Place in a pre-heated oven at 180c and bake for 45-60 minutes or until brown
  • Let cool for 5-10 minutes and then tip upside down. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled slice and enjoy.
  • If you want to store it, place in the fridge or freezer

Raw Fennel Salad

By , April 30, 2015

This is another one for the picnic series

It is taken from the Salad & Vegetable pocket book by the River Café, which was given to me by a lovely foodie friend.

It’s fresh and refreshing and takes 3 minutes to make

Don’t worry too much about the sizes, cut the fennel roughly and large or small and fine. The lemon, olive oil and Parmesan are a lovely complement. If you are nervous about combining the ingredients, just do it a little at a time starting with the lemon, then the parmesan then the oil.

Ingredients

1 Fennel bulb
25g parmesan –shaved (this means thin pieces of parmesan, but don’t worry too much as it is more about the taste)
2-4 tbsp. Lemon Juice
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(Optional extras: the recipe calls for 2 tbsp. lemon juice but I used 4 as I like it a bit more lemony, add two and then add a little at a time to taste)

Method

Cut the bottom off the fennel bulb and discard
Cut the green herby tops and chop finely
Chop the fennel into c. 1cm pieces. Combine.
If you want to save time, put the herby tops and fennel into a blender and pulse slowly till in roughly 1cm pieces, or a size at which you would want to eat them
Place into a bowl, add the lemon juice and olive oil and mix together
Season to taste
Serve with the parmesan shavings