A savoury and a sweet walked into a bar…

The biggest quandary known to snackers worldwide. The sweet vs savoury conundrum. I have always fallen into the sweet category myself, but I know quite a few folk who have a hankering for the savoury stuff.

So building on the raspberry wonderland muffin base I’ve created a few hybrids I just couldn’t help but share. All SF, GF, LF and vegan friendly 🙂

 

Kale & Carrot Savoury Muffin

The Goods:

3 Chopped leaves of Kale

1 finely chopped onion

1 Large field mushroom finely chopped

1 carrot finely grated or chopped in a processor

1 cup of plain GF flour

125ml Olive Oil

125ml Almond Milk

1 tablespoon of crushed turmeric (much better for flavour)

2 teaspoons of paprika powder

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

2 teaspoons on baking powder

 

Mix the flour, paprika, turmeric powder and baking powder together until well combined. Then fold the kale, carrot, onion and mushroom into a separate bowl. Add the oil, milk and crushed turmeric. Mix well. Fold into the flour until well combined. Scoop into a muffin tray and bake for 10-15mins on 180 degrees. Top the muffins with some grated parmesan. Or for a vegan friendly option – vegan cheese. Rotate after 5 mins and check the cheese doesn’t go too brown. Serve warm.

and for the sweet fiends out there – 2 recipes to whet your appetite:

Choc Date Apple Muffins

The Goods:

1/4 cup of chopped dates/prunes

1 tin of Ardmona apples (no added sugar)

1/2 cup of sultanas

2 tablespoons of pure cacao

125ml almond milk

125ml olive oil

1 cup of plain GF flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder (gluten free)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of Honey

1 tablespoon of Maple Syrup

 

Mix the flour, cinnamon, cacao and baking powder together. Add the apples, sultanas, olive oil and milk all in one separate bowl. Add the honey and maple syrup and combine. Fold into flour until all is combined. Pour into muffin tins and bake for 10-15 mins. If you want to make it double choc – use sugar-free dark goiji berry chocolate and put tiny pieces in the middle of the muffins to create a melt in your mouth chocolatey centre.

and for those who like a ginger/citrus punch:

Ginger Citrus muffins

The Goods:

1 cup of orange zest

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 of freshly cut ginger

1 tablespoon of crushed ginger

2 tablespoons of all spice

1 tablespoon of nutmeg

1 cup of gluten free plain flour

125ml almond milk

125ml olive oil

1 & 1/2 cups of sultanas

1/4 cup of crushed walnuts

2 teaspoons of baking powder (gluten free)

2 tablespoons of honey

Combine spices, flour and baking powder in one bowl, add zest and mix through. Pour oil, milk, sultanas, honey, ginger and orange juice into a bowl and stir well. Fold into flour mix. Pour into muffin tins and bake for 10-15 mins.

There’s always a debate at morning tea as to which one is best with coffee, but so far the arguments peter out as soon as everyone takes a bite.

Enjoy

x

j

 

 

So my apples kissed a lime..

Anyone who knows me well knows I am a fan of lime, mint and well to be honest all of the ingredients that go into a classic mojioto. But when we were recently inundated with a surplus of limes, for the first time mojiotos were far from my thoughts.

Before I knew what I was doing, I created a new recipe – Apple Cinnamon Lime bread. So popular that I only managed one picture of it before it was demolished by the family yesterday.

The Goods:

1/4 cup of lime zest (equivalent of about three limes)

1/4 cup of lime juice (freshly squeezed post zesting)

2 cups of Plain Gluten Free flour

2 Teaspoons of Baking powder

2 Teaspoons of Bicarb soda

1 Teaspoon of Xantham gum

2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

1/2 cup of Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Maple Syrup

1/3 cup of Sultanas

2/3 cup of Almond Milk

1 tin of Ardmona apples 400g (no added sugar)

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

 

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and xantham gum. In a separate bowl mix, oil, milk, honey, maple syrup, sultanas, apples and vanilla together. Fold into the flour mix and gently stir until all are combined.  Line a bread pan with baking paper and pour mix in. Baking for 35-40 mins. Rotate 180 degrees after 20 mins. Once cooked it will have risen and be bouncy to the touch. Leave in the tin for 20 mins. Then remove and serve 🙂

x

J

 

ginger + choc + banana = one hell of a tart

Since starting this blog I’ve become a bit of a bower bird when it comes to recipes. Collecting them wherever I can and hoarding them in my room.

Then I pull them all out when I think no one is looking and salivate over them. Pondering how to make them sugar free or more vegan or lactose friendly. Kind of  a bit like how I’m sure Scrooge McDuck used to feel about his big pile of green money.  Rolling around in it. Throwing pages of recipes in the air.

Only with so many SF, GF options out there I’ve started to get braver with trying other people’s recipes by adding my own mark with some minor tweaks.

This latest discovery is courtesy of  Madeline at Pureposana and her raw chocolate and raspberry tart which inspired me to create a ginger, choc banana tart, topped with raspberries. All GF, SF, Lactose Free, Dairy Free and Vegan Friendly 🙂

Tart Base

The goods:

150g almond meal or ground almonds

50g Flaxseed meal

50g dates

A handful of raw walnuts

3 heaped Tablespoons raw cacao

2 Tablespoons of coconut oil (melted) + a little for greasing

A pinch of fresh vanilla from the pod or a drop of extract

A Teaspoon of Maple Syrup

Blend the almonds, coconut, dates, vanilla and cocoa together, slowly add the coconut oil.

Grease (a 26 by 26 cm pie tin with a removable bottom) with coconut oil. Now I decided on ramekins, because it’s quite a dense tart/pie. Entirely up to you if you use ramekins or a pie tin. Either way, fold out the crust evenly, making sure it covers the rim then place it in the fridge to set while you make the cream.

Ginger Choc Banana cream

The Goods:

200g almonds

1/2 cup of melted coconut oil

1 tbsp ginger infused honey  (I get mine from markets with chunks of fresh ginger in it)

1 Teaspoon of crushed ginger

2 Tablespoon of raw cacao

1 Tablespoon of maple syrup

2 Small mashed lady finger bananas

1/4 cup of Almond or rice milk

A drop of Vanilla essence

A pinch of cinnamon  & Nutmeg

A dash of filtered water

Directions:

If you have time soak the cashews for 10-15 mins in filtered water. Then blend the cashews with honey, vanilla and  rest of ingredients except the cacao and oil.

Next add the cocoa and oil, blend until creamy. You may have to scrape down the sides of the blender but blend until you create a beautiful smooth texture.

Take the base out of the fridge and with a spatula layer the cream on top of the bases in the ramekins or the pie tin. Refrigerate for an hour at least to set, then serve if you can wait that long.

Toppings: raspberries and crushed pistachios (to give some vibrant colour contrast)

To put it simply. This was divine. I was inspired to use the milk to break up the richness while still keeping it lactose free and I love the combination of ginger, chocolate and thought banana would add an additional creaminess.

Just delish!

x

J

Almond Maple Tartlets

A desert or treat which is vegan friendly, sugar free, lactose free, gluten-free and actually tastes nice? Sounds like a pipe dream, but as I’m starting to discover as part of my baking odyessy this by no means has to be the case.

Thanks to the lovely Gabby @ Veggie Nook I’ve discovered yet another example of food that makes living a life sugar-free all the more sweeter. Introducing her almond maple tartlets which are pure edible heaven.

Just had to share the recipe for these treats that I’m ashamed to say were nearly eaten all in one sitting by my family.

The Goods:

Best enjoyed right out of the fridge!

Makes 9 bites.

Base

• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (pure maple syrup variety)
• pinch salt

Filling

• 1/2 cup raw almonds, soaked for 2 hours
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 a frozen banana
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 tbsp Honey

Topping

• 1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp finely chopped strawberries
• 1/2 tsp maple sugar (optional)

Process the walnuts, maple syrup and salt in a food processor until walnuts are chopped small and the mixture sticks together. Press into a mini muffin pan (or a larger one to make larger cups) that is lined with muffin cups or plastic wrap for easy removal. Place in the fridge while you make your filling.

Blend all filling ingredients except coconut oil until smooth. Then quickly add the coconut oil (you don’t want it to re-harden) and blend until incorporated). Spoon into the cups and place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

Press the strawberries and walnuts/almonds into the cups. You can either freeze for about 30 min or until firm and serve, or just refrigerate overnight. In the morning remove from the muffin tin and either eat them right then or continue to store in the fridge.

The best part? Sampling of course..

x

J

Entering the kitchen with abandon..

‘Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all’  – Julia Child

It’s safe to say I’ve been a busy girl. Just yesterday I baked a batch of peanut butter quinoa cookies, citrus ginger muffins, an orange chia cake and some raspberry/orange muffins.

All basically to test recipe modifications out and also to stock the kitchen with goodies for morning tea for the week.

But also because I couldn’t keep the smile off my face the entire time.

The best part always for me is two-fold. Seeing the final result come out of the oven and the faces of people when they eat it. I don’t actually eat a huge amount of what I bake. Just a sample here and there. It’s mainly to hear and see the delight of others.

So as I ponder the next experiment I thought I’d share some of my favourite cooking quotes. They really convey just how wonderful I feel baking in this gf, sf, lf world. The happiness that flows when there is nothing but ingredients spread across the bench, a spoon in my hand and the oven glowing in the background.

For the love of baking and food……

 

‘There is no love sincerer than the love of food’ – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish writer

‘Good painting is like good cooking; it can be tasted, but not explained’ – Maurice de Vlaminck

‘The best seasoning to food is the love you put in it.’ – Anonymous

‘The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.’  ― Julia Child

‘Until I discovered cooking, I was never really interested in anything.’ ― Julia Child

‘…no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.’ ―  Julia Child

and who better to sum it up then this fellow…

“C is for cookie, it’s good enough for me; oh cookie cookie cookie starts with C.” – Cookie Monster, Sesame Street

ah cookie monster a man after my own heart 🙂

x

J

Boom chia wow wow…

So for those who missed the memo. Goji berries are passe’. Acai are old hat. Chia seeds are the new black.

You know when an obscure super food has gone mainstream when your grandmother shows you the woolies brand packet she just bought of it.

I’ve never been one to follow trends and hype. You’ll never catch me reading the dan brown series (hated it, too predictable) or the girl with the dragon tatoo series (too dark and obsessive). I’m the same with my food.

However, since going GF I noticed just not only much sugar was in GF recipes but the butter and dairy that was thrown into the mix to make it taste good and appear more normal.

What does this have to do with the humble black chia seed? A lot. It’s in baking that this little seed which has no taste of its own and looks just like an everyday poppy-seed dons it’s superman cape and takes charge.

Not only can I replace Dairy/Butter products with it, but I can add it to recipes to keep muffins, cakes and biscuits from drying out.

By adding one tablespoon of the chia seeds to eight parts water  a little known wonder can be created called chia seed gel. It tastes like a bowl of nothing. But put it into a recipe and it absorbs all the flavours in the recipe as it own.

It sounds like a lot of trouble I’m sure, but when you consider that by using the gel you are removing up to 75% of the fat in most of the recipes, you’ll find yourself starting to get excited.

The best part is the chia gel functions as a hunger suppressant by slowing down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in the system, thus ensuring that you stay full for a longer period without sudden peaks in blood sugar.

The chia gel acts in the digestive tract like a broom, cleaning out your intestine as it makes its way through the system. This action helps to clear the body of toxins as well as foods that may be slow in passing through the system, like meats and dairy products which are low in fiber.

I’m no chia seed junkie or cheerleader but since discovering it, the whole family is hooked. A serving (teaspoon) of the seed has:

• 15 times more magnesium than brocoli
• 18 times more Omega 3 than Salmon
• Six times more Calcium than Whole Milk
• Three times more iron than Spinach
• 30 percent more Antioxidants than Blueberries
• 15 percent more Fibre than Flaxseed

No simple feat for any single food. But it does come with a draw back. Calories. In just one teaspoon (8 grams) it has more than 68 calories. The equivalent of  nearly a cup of raspberries.

So it’s all about moderation with the seed. While the national nutritional guidelines have no limit to how much you can eat of the super food, there can be too much of a good thing.

As with all food fads I’m sure the hype and excitement around the seed will eventually die down but for once, some of its celebrity is actually deserved. So for now the humble chia seed will always have its own spotlight in my kitchen cupboard.

x

J

 

pass the buckwheat

Bit of irony in the title considering this is a blog about leading a wheat free existence, but suprisingly, buckwheat is gluten-free and has turned into one of my most favourite snacks to add to salads and meals.

If you picture that couscous, rice and barley when thirds in a baby, the result would be the humble buckwheat.

Although commonly thought of as a grain, buckwheat actually comes from a herb plant. The seeds we eat as buckwheat are the fruit seeds of a plant similar to rhubarb.  In culinary terms though,  buckwheat can be considered a grain and has a distinctive nutty flavour.

It is cooked and prepared in the same manner as other whole grains, such as quinoa, brown rice and barley. Only about five times easier. The small triangular seeds of buckwheat can be toasted in a frying pan to bring out their earthy rich flavour, and this form is known as Kasha. Or they can be boiled with stock or hot water.

In many cultures, buckwheat is prized for its super nutrition and versatility, and you’ll find it in a variety of preparations, such as the buckwheat noodles of Japan and Korea, (Soba) European buckwheat pancakes, and many  Eastern European dishes use buckwheat in its most simple form – whole grains made into porridges or grain dishes.

 As with many foods that have a long history as “peasant food” Buckwheat has long been considered a super food, a highly nutritious source of protein and amino acids, and offering health benefits for the cardiovascular system, as a natural cholesterol lowerer and can even help to stabilise and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

I thought I’d share one of my all time favourite buckwheat lunch dishes that is super easy to make and tastes lovely.

Buckwheat a la Jess

The Goods

1 Red Onion

2 Stems of eschalots

1 tin of tuna chunks in spring water (or if you want to go vegetarian don’t add)

1/4 cup of kidney beans

1 cup of fresh coriander

1 Handful of fresh mint

1/4 cup of fresh basil

1 finely chopped Capsicum

1 Teaspoon of freshly minced ginger

2 Tablespoons of White Vinegar

The Juice of half a lemon

1 Finely chopped tomato

1 Avocado

Put a cup of buckwheat (enough to make three serves of salad) into a pan with 2 cups of boiling water. Boil for 5-10 minutes until the kernels have opened and are soft to touch. In the meantime finely chop the onion, capsicum, tomato, eschalots and add to a bowl. Add kidney beans and tuna. Then make the dressing. Combine vinegar, ginger, lemon juice and some olive oil and mix. Add some chopped coriander and mint to the dressing. Then add rest of mint, basil and coriander to salad. Once buckwheat has cooked, remove and drain. Rinse with cold water. Add to the bowl and mix it all together. Drizzle the dressing on the top and then mix with tongs.

Serve with slices of avocado and some ricotta or feta on top. Most delish and easy to make – less than 10 mins!

x

J

Saturday morning sweetness equals gladness..

Oops, just realised I posted the most tantalising pic of sweet quinoa without sharing the recipe.

Very cruel of me.

Very simple recipe below for anyone who wants to get their quinoa on:

Sweet Sweet Quinoa

1 Cup of White Quinoa

2 Cups of Almond Milk

2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

1/3 cup of sultanas

1 Teaspoon of chia seeds

 1 Tablespoon of Honey

2 Tablespoons of Greek yoghurt/Or Soya Dream/

Add the almond milk and quinoa together in a saucepan. Add sultanas, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon and slowly stir for 10 minutes until the quinoa as thickened and until all the milk is nearly combined. Alow to simmer lightly and take off the heat. Add to bowl with yoghurt on top and a sprinkling of almonds or lsa (flaxseed meal) for an extra boost.

x

J

You’d never catch me..

Happy Saturday everyone.

So I woke up this morning to fog, blue skies and sunshine and thought what a perfect morning for some sweet quinoa and lactose free yoghurt.

The old me would have found that phrase very strange. In fact, 12 months ago, even 10 months ago, you’d never catch me saying something like that. How times change. I was a wheat bix, honey and milk kind of girl. Which only led to a world of trouble for my stomach and body in general.

So it got me thinking about all the things I now say or think, that prior to entering the world of gluten-free I never thought you’d catch me saying…

1) Milk chocolate just tastes wrong…..  – after going sugar-free, lactose and gluten-free I really can’t handle the taste of milk chocolate anymore. The only thing that fixes the sugar fix? Dark sugar-free chocolate. The higher the cocoa count the better.

2) Soy Milk actually makes coffee taste better and Almond milk froths so well you could swear it was made for cappuccinos… why more coffee shops don’t use rice or almond milk I do not know. Almond milk is awesome in coffees. I now can’t stand the taste of skim milk. Soy when done properly so the protein isn’t burnt just tastes amazing.

3) Bread has really lost its appeal.. I used to love bread. Garlic bread, ciabatta, spelt, sourdough you name it, I ate it. Now, Meh. It smells good, but I now know the repercussions of eating it. So anytime I’m tempted I just think about how I’ll spend the next hour or two on my bed with a migraine or in the loo or both.

4)  If there is nothing at a cafe/restaurant for me to eat, I’m ok with that… Anyone who knows me well, knows I like my food. A lot. But if I happen to go to a restaurant with friends and there isn’t anything I can have. I am happy not to have anything, rather than risk eating something that makes me ill. Or better yet, just something simple like veggies or a simple salad will tide me over til I can go home and fix something. Before it was like the amazing race, I had to eat and I had to eat then and there or I’d die. Turns out, I won’t.

5) It is not normal to burp or have gas all the time is not normal…. It’s a sign that something’s not right or being digested properly. Yes not  everyone wants to read about it, but it has to be said. I used to have this problem a lot. It’s not normal. I now know what’s normal because I’m back to at least appearing far more lady like.

6) I do not need chocolate to function… seems a bit obvious. But my mantra went a little bit like this. I had a bad day, I deserve some chocolate. I had a great day, I want to celebrate with some chocolate. I did an awesome work out, I deserve some chocolate. I ate really well today, I have earned some chocolate. I ate crap today, I want chocolate. Kind of a vicious cycle. Turns out I don’t need it to function.

7) I really don’t like the taste of sugar so if it’s not sugar-free, I don’t want it. Me without sugar? Bit like the ocean without water. Well that was the case eight months ago. Now, it just tastes so refined, so sweet and just not good. It puts my moods up and down and I end up with headaches and feeling tired. Life without it, really is so so much sweeter.

8) I didn’t realise how sweet pears and other fruit was, til I cut out sugar… seriously craving sugar? Eat a pear. Close your eyes and just take a bite. The natural sugar high is bliss.It is like a waterfall of flavour. I feel like I’m rediscovering fruit, especially raspberries, blueberries, bananas and pears all over again. Kiwis and passionfruit also are now my new best friends.

9)Store bought sauces just taste fake now. Seeing as so many pre-made sauces contain gluten, added sugar and bucket loads of sodium not to mention preservatives I’ve started making my own. Just using spices, herbs and tins of tomatoes and veggies. I now know how to make curry from scratch, my own laksa, rogan josh and also created my own types of dishes like sage ginger chicken skewers, lemon roasted chicken and spinach savoury egg pots. Talk bout an education for the taste buds.

10) I haven’t needed tissues, antibiotics or cold and flu products for eight months. This kind of says it all. I used to get throat, chest, sinus infections every three weeks. Stomach bugs every month and migraines on a monthly some times weekly basis. I haven’t had one since I went GF, SF and lactose free. Not one.

I guess at the end of the day, proof really is in the pudding..

x

J

breaking the winter gloom one pour at a time

Thought I’d share a pic which kind of sums up how cooking makes me feel. Peaceful and happy even on these grey winter days 🙂