Saturday, November 10, 2012

Chewy Dairy Free Raw Chocolate

My favourite is raw chocolate especially this one that doesn't leave you feeling high on sugar. This one will have you going back for more. Not because your body is addicted to the sugary rush that comes with conventional chocolate but the smooth chewy texture is Devine. yummmmmmmmmmmmmo
(Note the chocolate looks a little frosty in the photo below as I was trying to speed up setting time by putting them in the freezer.)



Ingredients:
  • 100g Raw Coconut Oil
  • 3 tbsp Raw Honey
  • 6 tbsp Raw Cacao Powder
  • Pinch Hymilain Salt
What To Do:
  • Heat oil in a double boiler on a very low heat until completely melted (no hotter than 40 degrees as the raw goodness of your ingredients will be damaged and not as nutritious.) Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients vigorously until well combined. Poor into silicon chocolate moulds or poor onto baking paper (and break up or cut when set). Allow to set in the freezer until solidified should take 30min. Store in a container in the refrigerator. Best savoured with a pot of herbal tea. Delicious!!!

Zucchini Slice (Gluten Free)

This recipe came about as one of my most loyal followers requested a quick, easy, throw in a pan/pot and cook recipe for dinner. I hope this fulfills the brief. Here it is. Gluten free and dairy free Zucchini Slice that's so tasty, hot or cold, for lunch or dinner. Just serve it up with a salad and roast potatoes and dinner is done.
Enjoy!!!


 


Ingredients:
  • 2 Zucchinis grated
  • 1 Carrot (skin on) grated
  • 1/2 Red Onion finely diced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 6 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder (gluten free)
  • 1/2 Cup Brown Rice Flour
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Tsp Tamari (wheat free soy)
  • 1 Tsp Himalayan salt
  • 1 Tomato
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 Tbsp Savoury Yeast Flakes
What to do:
  • Combine eggs, oil, flour and baking powder, tamari and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Add grated carrot and zucchini, onion and garlic and mix well. Transfer mix to a 20cm square tin, lined with baking paper. Slice tomato into 5 thick slices and place on top. sprinkle with oregano then yeast flakes and bake in a slow oven 160 degrees for 1 hour or until set.
Enjoy!!!

Lemon and Coconut Slice (Nut Free)

Sugar free, dairy free, nut free, gluten free, GOODNESS. Yes this one has been trialed and tested many, many times in our house hold and it always gets the thumbs up. This one is another great lunchbox treat that is far better for your little ones than providing something from a packet.
Enjoy!!!



Ingredients:
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
  • 1 cup Desiccated Coconut
  • 1/2 Cup Oats
  • 1/2 Cup Brown Rice Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder (gluten free)
  • 2 Eggs

What to do:
  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined. Transfer to a lined 20cm baking tin and bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 25-30 min, rotating the pan after 15 min to prevent over browning. Allow to cool in pan and transfer to refrigerator in the pan to chill before slicing. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

Another request accomplished. A DAIRY FREE creamy pasta. This can also be Gluten free by using gluten free pasta. Now days I always choose alternatives when using pasta in my cooking. I'm always seeking out more nutritious options that are better for my whole family. So next time your at the supermarket or organic grocer try and mix things up a little and experiment with millet and rice pasta or corn and rice pasta or even quinoa noodles, spelt pasta or wholemeal pasta. This is a great mid week, quick and easy dinner that even the kids will love.

Enjoy!!



Ingredients:

1 pk 500g Pasta pf choice
1 Can Coconut Cream
1 Tin Organic Tomato's
1 Brown Onion
2 Cloves Garlic crushed
2 Tbsp Tamari (Wheat Free Soy)
8-10 Button Mushrooms
1/2 Red Capsicum
2 Tbsp Olive Oil.
1 Tbsp Savoury Yeast flakes per serve.

What To Do:

In a deep pan combine olive oil and onion on medium high heat. Saute until translucent. Add mushrooms and capsicum and saute on medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic stir for 1 min. Now add tomatoes, coconut cream and tamari and simmer uncovered on low for 20-30 min or until sauce had reduced and thickened.
Cook pasta as instructions on packet until cooked. Drain water and add pasta to sauce and serve with a sprinkle of savoury yeast flakes.
yum yum yum!!!

Apple Pie

The dangers of sugars and refined carbohydrates in our diet have been well documented. Excess consumption of sugar can cause hypoglycemia and weight gain, leading to diabetes and obesity. Sugar also raises blood pressure, triglycerides and bad cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease. Children who consume excess sugar have difficulty concentrating and learning. And that’s just scraping the surface of the havoc sugar causes on our systems. Which is why I am always on the hunt for the alternative, the more healthier option. I have recently come across a product called Xylitol. Xylitol is slowly absorbed and metabolized, resulting in very negligible changes in insulin. Xylitol therefore won’t raise your blood sugar like regular sugar. The perfect sugar alternative for diabetics and also Xylitol will not cause tooth decay. While Xylitol is just as sweet as table sugar (sucrose), it has about 40% fewer calories and 75% fewer carbohydrates. That in itself can make a big impact on your waistline.

So in saying all this I have done my research and i really prefer this in my cooking. It is a little bit more expensive but it seems that good health and nutrition these days, really leaves a hole in our pockets. So from this I have come up with my version of  "Apple Pie". This may be a little crumbly eaten hot out of the oven but it seems to hold up better as a chilled pie/slice.
Enjoy everyone.




Ingredients:

      Base:
1 Cup Oat flour
1/2 Cup Ground walnuts
1/4 Cup Flax Meal
1 Cup Dates
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp Xylitol

     Top:
4 Apples (any variety)
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Xylitol

What To Do:

In a food processor blend all ingredients for the base until it comes together in a ball. Press out base into a lined spring form pan. Cut apples roughly and  place in food processor. Blend until well chopped. Place in spring form pan as the topping and bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. This pie is best served cold so allow to cool to room temperature then transfer to the refrigerator.
Enjoy.

Millet & Sweet Potato Patties

I love millet as another alternative grain to brown rice or quinoa, and these patties are again, so easy and delicious. I make these in advance and freeze them in the shape of a patty then its an easy dinner simply defrost and bake. There also great for lunch leftovers with a salad or on a bread roll. I hope you like the sweetness and spice combination of this little beauty.

Enjoy.



Ingredients:

1 Large Sweet Potato skin on
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Cup Dry Millet
1/2 Stock Cube
1 1/2 Cup Water
1 Red Onion
1 tbsp Tamari
1 tbsp Curry Powder
2 tsp Sumac
1/2 Bunch Coriander
1/4 Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

What to do:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

To cook millet, wash grains well under running water. Transfer millet to a small saucepan. Add stock cube and water and bring to boil. Make sure the stock cube is dissolved and well incorporated. Simmer for 15-20 min until grain is cooked.

Roughly chop garlic, onion, sweet potato and herbs and place in a food processor add. Blend all ingredients except cooked millet in food processor until the mix is slightly sloppy. Stir in cooked millet. Place 1-2 tbsp amount in the shape of a patty on to a lined baking tray and bake in a hot oven at 200 degrees for approximately 1 hour. Patties need to be golden and crispy on the outside for them to hold together. Allow to stand for 10 min once cooked to prevent them form crumbling.
Enjoy!!!

Raw Chocolate Chia Energy bars

I love cooking and experimenting with ingredients that I know are so so good for us inside and out, and chia seeds are just that. Chia seeds (Salvia Hispanica) are the highest known plant source of Omega-3, with 8 times more than salmon. Unlike other sources of this important Essential Fatty Acid (eg. Flax or fish oil), it is in highly stable form due to its powerful naturally occurring antioxidants. Chia seed have a slight earthy flavour and when combined with water they become quiet gelatinous.

This recipe came about as I had a request for a nutritious lunchbox snack and my kids cant wait to have this one in there lunchbox tomorrow.

To make this NUT FREE replace the nuts with more dates and or coconut. You can also mix it up by changing the nuts to cashews, almonds or walnuts. I have also used both maple syrup or honey in place of xtlitol and it works just as well.

Enjoy.



Ingredients:

1 cup Dates
1/2 Cup Chia Seeds
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Desiccated Coconut
1 Tbsp Xylitol
1/2 Cup Macadamia Nuts
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Raw Cacao powder

What To Do:

Blend all ingredients in food processor until nuts and dates are well chopped and incorporated. Line a 20cm x 20cm slice tin with baking paper and press mixture until flat and even. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares or bars and individual wrap in greaseproof paper or cling wrap ready to pack into a lunchbox.

yummmmmmo!!!