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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.

Paleo Okonomiyaki (Cabbage Pancakes) (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)

By , April 23, 2022

‘Street food, I believe, is the salvation of the human race’ – Anthony Bourdain

Over my lifetime I have come to realise that I like street food more than restaurant food, appetisers more than entrees and finger food more than a main course. I don’t know where this is because I like the variety it provides or if I have fond memories of occasions from my childhood which always featured the former versus the later dishes. 

I first had okonomiyaki in Tokyo. A friend took me to an okonomiyaki place after we had some sake and needed a second dinner to soak up the alcohol. It was the first time I had eaten anything other than sushi in Tokyo and I had no idea what it was. It was quintessentially the opposite of sushi, a pancake fried with veggies and noodles inside. I thought it bizarre at first, having assumed that all Japanese food was super healthy, but quickly realising that this was just based on my narrow western experience. I have always loved food for this quality, being able to expand your palate and cultural awareness at the same time. 

This version of okonomiyaki is a little healthier, using almond flour instead of white flour, cabbage and no noodles. It comes together quickly and so can be made in-between bath and bedtime for those with kids. Mr B said he didn’t want dinner and then ate more than half of his share as they smelt so good. He noted it as his favourite cabbage forward dish to date. 

Ingredients

  • 4 cups shredded cabbage
  • 4 scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal 
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • 4 small eggs/3 medium eggs
  • 1 tbsp. tamari
  • 1 tbsp. minced garlic

Method

  • In a large bowl mix the cabbage, scallions and almond flour
  • In a small bowl, mix the eggs, tamari and garlic
  • Combine the two and mix completely
  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, heat to a medium heat and add around half a cup of the mixture to the pan. All in all, this measure will make around 8 small pancakes
  • If not eating immediately you can warm and oven and place them in when done, this also crisps them up

Smoky Carrot and Cardamom Soup (Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , April 16, 2022

‘I really love the taste of smoke, because it is so unexpected. Yet when you taste it, it’s sort of familiar and otherworldly at the same time. I guess that’s what I really like about what smoke does to food’

I saw a recipe for carrot and cardamom soup in the Covent Garden Soup cookbook and since I love all things cardamom, I thought I’d try it out, with a few adaptations. 

Black cardamom is smoky, so it made sense to me to use this instead of green. I also used a smoked salt. People have often remarked to me that for a plant-based eater, I like a lot of smoke accented products. However, to me smoke is just another smell and flavour dynamic, not restricted to the smoking of meat. It adds a depth to the food, be it a lapsang tea, roasted matcha/barley or smoked salt and black cardamom. Mr. B likes this version too, not being a fan of the fragrant tastes green cardamom brings. 

I also added lentils to this soup to increase the protein content and took out the flour originally in this recipe, as the lentils will thicken the soup which I assume is why flour was in the original.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 350g carrots/6 large carrots, chopped
  • ½ cup red lentils
  • 750ml/3-4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp. lime
  • 2 tsp. black cardamom/seeds of 8 pods
  • 1 tbsp. coconut cream
  • Salt, at least 1 tsp. preferably smoked if you have it

Method

  • Heat the olive oil and cook the onions, garlic, lentils and carrots with a pinch of salt
  • Stir in the stock, coconut cream and lime juice. Bring to a boil then down to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender
  • Cool and then liquidize in a blender
  • Add the cardamom and salt, add more of each to taste
  • Serve warm or cold. Garnish with fresh herbs or toasted coconut shavings

Raisin Cranberry Sauce (Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , April 9, 2022

‘The sweet taste promotes happiness, contentment, calmness, cheerfulness, love and satisfaction in the mind’ – Mudita Institute

This is a recipe from Divya Alter’s, what to eat to how you feel. She calls it an Ayurvedic BBQ sauce, but I like to use it as a chutney. It is a sweet-sour combination and the cranberries are acidic, so it’s great for Vata and Kapha, but shouldn’t be eaten in excess by Pitta. The original recipe uses dried cranberries and all I could find where a sweet version, which worked well. It also had chilis which I took out, as I prefer sweet to heat but you can always add some red pepper seeds back at the end, which I did for Mr B. 

Ingredients

Chutney

  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • ¾ cup dried sweet cranberries
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp digestive masala
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ¼ cup Thompson raisins
  • 1 tsp. lime juice

Digestive Masala

  • 2 tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp. fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 2 tsps. Kalonji seeds
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric

(Place in an electric grinder, grind to a fine powder)

Method

  • In a small saucepan combine 1.5 cups of water with the cumin, black pepper, cranberries, olive oil, cardamom, bay leaf, salt and masala. Bring to the boil and then down to a gentle simmer till for 10 minutes
  • Add both sets of raisins and cook for another 10-15 minutes till the cranberries are mushy and raisins are plump
  • Remove black cardamom pods and bay leaf
  • Allow to cool and blend until smooth, stir in the lime juice
  • Keep in an airtight glass jar

Brown Rice and Oat Bread (Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , April 2, 2022

‘Love doesn’t sit there like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; re-made every day, made new’.

This is a lovely base recipe from Amy Chaplin’s whole food cooking every day. It is naturally gluten free and made of great satiating ingredients. I adapted it slightly to adjust to the ingredients I had available and it came out perfectly. I also added everything bagel seasoning to the top as it gives it a nice salty bite. 

Mr B said he loved the bread, that it tasted buttery (from the olive oil), satisfying (from the core ingredients of brown rice, oats, seeds and psyllium) and cravable from the everything topping.

Bread making can be pretty arduous, unless you are one of those people who love the process and know how to adjust for the ambient temperature of your kitchen, but this is a soak, blend and bake recipe so super easy. It has the added bonus of being yeast free, so no rising time and no sugar needed to feed the yeast.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups brown rice, soaked overnight
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds, soaked overnight
  • 1 cup oats (rolled or groats)
  • 1.5 tbsp. psyllium husk powder or 2 tbsp. psyllium husks
  • 1 tbsp. GF baking powder
  • 3 tbsp. EVOO
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp. everything bagel seasoning

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and line a bread pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang to help you remove the bread from the pan
  • Strain and rinse the rice and seeds and place in a food processor, add 1 cup water plus all of the ingredients apart from the seasoning
  • Blend until broken down and well combined, scrape the sides down to make sure there aren’t any missed pieces
  • Transfer the batter to the bread pan, sprinkle top with seasoning. 
  • Bake for 40 minutes in the middle of the oven, then rotate the pan and bake for another 40 minutes or until the bread is golden and the bread is pulling away from the sides of the pan
  • Use the parchment paper to remove the bread and put it on a wire rack to cool. Slice the next day and store in an airtight container.

*Instead of everything bagel seasoning consider pumpkin, sunflower, sesame or poppy seeds

Crispy sweet corn polenta (Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , March 26, 2022

‘If you plant corn, don’t be surprised to get corn’

This recipe comes from. ‘At home with the whole food kitchen’ by Amy Chaplin and Johnny Miller

I made this polenta and served it a few different ways. The first step is to cook the polenta in water. You can add salt and pepper and in Italy they like to add a decent amount of Parmesan or pecorino cheese. This gives you a grits type dish which Mr. B loves. The second preparation is to place this mixture into baking tray, let it cool and bake it. This gives you a firmer, crouton texture. I cut up little blocks and pan fried them for gluten free croutons and make squares with toppings for canapés.

‘As the joyful belly notes, corn contains a sizeable amount of potassium. A high potassium diet may just be ideal low sodium diet. As a diuretic, potassium actually reduces water retention and thus counteracts the action of the sodium in the body. Corn is thus a boon for those with high blood pressure, especially in the spring when water congestion reaches it’s peak’. 

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup corn grits
  • ¾ cup sweet corn kernels 
  • ½ tsp. course pepper

Method

  • Oil a rimmed baking sheet and set aside
  • Add water and bay leaves, bring to the boil, cover po, reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Disregard the bay leaves. 
  • Add salt. Raise heat to high and slowly pour in the grits, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil
  • Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until the mixture sticks to the spoon. You will need to stir the mixture every minute or so to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • 5 minutes from the end of cooking, stir in the corn kernels. They will bring a lovely sweet pop to the end dish.  At the pepper at this point also. 
  • Once cooked, pour into the baking tray and spread evenly. Make it about ¼-1/2  inch thick if possible.
  • Leave to cool until there is no more steam coming off it
  • Once cooled place in the fridge for 45 minutes or until you are ready to bake it
  • Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with oil and set aside.
  • Tip out the polenta and cut into small triangles. Place them on the baking tray, making sure they do not touch. Lightly brush with olive oil.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until crispy and golden.
  • Remove from the oven and served warm.

Topping suggestions:

  • A sprinkle of pecorino/parmesan/vegan cheese
  • Chucky salsa or guacamole
  • Garlic butter (miyokos garlic parm oat butter)

Zaatar Taro Baked Fries (Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , March 19, 2022

I should really call these disappearing fries as every time I make them and leave them on the counter, half of them are gone by the time I come back (mentioning no names, Mum and Mr. B)

They are delicious and taste similar to normal fries, although they seem to crisp up better.

I now use taro exclusively when cooking at home instead of white potatoes. As although it is starchy it contains two types of carbohydrates that are beneficial for your blood sugar level. Fibre and resistant starch. Taro has double the fibre of white potatoes. Since fibre is not absorbed it has no impact on blood sugar levels and can slow down digestion and absorption of other carbs preventing a blood sugar spike after a meal. 

‘Taro is highly valued in Ayurveda as a prebiotic food, with its slippery nature it binds to toxins seated in the colon and blood and drives them out of the body.’ Taro is Pitta and Vata pacifying and can aggravate Kapha in excess. 

Ingredients

  • 3-4 Large Taro
  • 1 tbsp. Zaatar seasoning
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt (more to add to taste at the end)
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 450F or turn your oven to convection (a dryer heat at 400F)
  • Wash, peel and cut the taro into wedges or pieces of a similar size
  • Pat dry with a paper towel
  • Place into a bowl and toss with the olive oil, then the seasonings
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  • Place the taro on the tray in a single layer
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges start to brown, turning once. 
  • These are flavorful on their own so don’t need a dipping sauce

Almond Flour Lemon Yogurt Cake (Gluten Free, High Protein)

By , March 12, 2022

‘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
  • Let cool before eating

Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce (Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , March 6, 2022

‘Just say cheese’

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. 

Buckwheat Waffles/Keto Coconut Flour Waffles (Gluten Free, High Protein)

By , February 26, 2022

‘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

Breakfast Oat Cookies (Gluten Free, High Protein, Vegan)

By , February 19, 2022

‘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.
  • Will firm more as they cool