Gluten Free Swedish Saffron Buns (Lussekatter)

Hi all!

So I tried and I tried and I tried to find a gluten free alternative to the traditional Swedish Lussekatter. However, all the recipes in Sweden used Semper flour mix which I never liked as it contains all sorts of strange things and is FAR from being healthy. So I tried to see what I could do and which flours would work best for this, which I found was Red Mill Gluten Free Flour. This is what I came up with. Now, the recipe has sugar in it, although you can skip it entirely or just use half! The trick is, greek yoghurt and less flour...

Ingredients

75 g Butter
2 dl Milk
50 g fresh Yeast
2 Tsp Fiber Husk
1 Egg
1 dl greek yoghurt
1 Packet Saffron
1 dl Sugar
500 g Gluten free flour mix ( I used Red Mill as they are the absolute best!)

Method

Melt the butter and add the milk and let cool. Whisk the yeast and fiber husk into the butter mixture. Add the yoghurt, sugar egg and saffron.

Add the flour to a separate bowl. Remove 2 dl of the flour, and set aside. Add the wet mixture to the flour and work. Let the dough set for 30 mins under a baking towel.

Preheat your oven to 250 C

Roll and shape the dough into lussekatter and gently cover them with a whisked egg.

Place in the oven for 5 mins, and check on them!

Viola!

Enjoy!

Decadent But Not So Naughty Dessert

So I have a secret dessert recipe I want to share with you all. It's not too sweet but just enough to satisfy the tastebuds after a delicious meal. Enjoy! It's a perfect substitute to all the sugary and sweet holiday desserts!

Decadent Dessert

Ingredients

1 can Coconut Milk

2 Tsp vanilla extract (organic)

150 g Chocolate (darker the better)

5-6 Tbs chia seeds

Method

In a saucepan on low heat add the coconut milk and break the chocolate into the milk and stir gently till all is dissolved. Then add the vanilla and lastly the chia. Pour into little bowls or I have once done it in small espresso cups. Place in the fridge and let set for a few hours 2-3 should be enough.

Serve chilled and with berries on top. It becomes like a healthy chocolate mousse! The entire recipe depends on the quality of chocolate you use. Now I prefer some sweetness so 70% Lindt with chilli was my favourite but you can use anything really! 

Salads for the happy bloat-free stomach

If you are looking for a recepie for something satisfying, stunning colors and incredibly tasty I have a good one for you! 

Beet root, Pecan, Lentil and Goats Cheese Salad.

Serves 2-4 

Ingredients

4 Beet roots

100 g Goats Cheese (soft)

200 g cooked Puy Lentils

1 red onion

2 handfuls of Pecans or walnuts

Method

I would recommend roasting the beetroots in the oven but this can be very time consuming so if you want you can cook them for the recommended time. I threw in some salt and two pressed garlic cloves in the boiling mixture. Cook the lentils and let cool. Once the beets are cooked slice them in quarters or cubes depending on what you prefer and toss them with the lentils and the red onion which is finely sliced! Crumble the goats cheese on top and add more if you like, but 100 g should be enough depending how much lactose you can tolerate. Although goats cheese is easier to tolerate compared to cows cheese. Chop the nuts and sprinkle on top!

Dressing.

2 tbs oil ( I use neutral oil )

1 tbs apple cider vinegar (I use this a lot as it is Gluten free!) 

1 tbs seeded mustard

1/2 clove garlic

Whiz the ingredient in a mixer and ta dah! 

Toss the salad so that it is gently coated with the dressing. 

The goats cheese salad served with a side of avocado bites on gluten free bread with egg free mayonnaise. Perfectly healthy and very nutritious! 

 

Glorious Poached Salmon Salad!

This glorious salmon salad will even have the non fish eaters begging for more. Its that good! This is amazing in the fridge and added to sandwiches, salads, crackers... Just about anything. Its good for 5 days in the fridge. I made it dairy free but you can use regular ingredients if you are not fussed. Naturally it is gluten free as well. 

Glorious Salmon Salad

Ingredients

2 fillets poached salmon (just add salmon to simmering water and cover for 5  mins) 

2 Tbs Egg free mayonaise (I use Amisa)

1/2 Chopped red onion

1 Stalk Celery finely chopped

Handful Dill (fresh)

Salt & Pepper to taste.

Method

Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl. The salmon should flake gently and mush it together with a fork. Add ingredients depending on taste. Don't over salt! Just one or two shakes of pink himalayan works wonders. 

Refrigerate for a few hours. The longer it sits the better it tastes! Mmmm. This is great on crackers or crisp bread, as a snack or as a canapé for a pre dinner snack. 

Enjoy!

Clean oat pancakes

Try these pancakes if you want something, healthy, clean, lean and completely guilt free! They turn out like American style pancakes! 

Clean Oat Pancakes

Serves 4 

Ingredients

300 g cottage cheese

200 g Rolled Oats (gluten free)

5 organic eggs

Coconut Oil

Method

Just put all the ingredients in a blender/Vitamix and blitz till you have a smooth batter. Use a small frying pan and add a teaspoon of coconut oil. Then ladle the batter into the pan and cook to taste. 

Serve immediately with fruit of your choice, Greek yoghurt or maple syrup. 

Yum! Happy breakfast everyone! 

The clean, gluten free healthy pancake

Sweet Raw Food Chocolate Bars

How about something sweet, but no added sugar, gluten free and delicious? Yupp... its possible. As I have cut out all processed food and sugar from my diet the benefits are huge, my skin is clear, my blood sugar is stable and my weight is dropping and becoming manageable.

However, my weakness is sugar, my sweet tooth and I have had a relationship since I was a child. That relationship is over now. Dead never coming back. But like all exes it creeps up on me once in a while and professes how much it misses me and I start thinking "yeah I miss you too..." So I dive in and eat a piece of candy and feel immediate regret. Why... ?? My stomach starts to protest and my head aches with remorse. It doesn't taste as good as I remembered it would. So I run hysterically for 2 days and do 10 Sun salutations just to balance the regret. Not worth it! 

Thats why I decided to try and find something that I could snack on in my moments of weakness. These have no added sugar, are gluten free and use high cocoa chocolate. Yes please. So try these and enjoy!

Guilt Free Candy Bars

1 1/2 Cups Raw Cashews

1 1/2 Cups Chopped Dates

1/2 Cup Almond Butter

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

1/2 Cup Maple Syrup

1/2 Cup Desiccated coconut

300 g Chocolate (Dark 70 - 100% cocoa)

1 1/2 Tsp Coconut Oil

Its so simple, just grind the cashews in a blender/ Vitamix till fine milled. Then add the maple syrup, dates, almond butter, coconut and coconut flour. Pulse in the blender until it is a dough. I mixed it but I wanted some pieces in it, but blend till you are happy. Place parchment paper in a tray and press the mixture into the tray. 

Place in the fridge for 6 - 8 hours or overnight. 

Once the mixture is set, melt the chocolate over a bain marie together with the coconut oil. Once it is all melted pour on top of the doughy mixture and place it all in the fridge to set for 1 hour. 

Then cut into shapes (using a cookie cutter) or into bars or like I did, small squares. Just a bite size of pleasure... ;) 

The doughy mixture after it has set overnight.

Cut into bars

The final Product! Bite size heaven!

Quinoa salad with herbs, chilli, pom and Feta

First, let me say sorry for not having updated the blog in so long! I have been super busy and when I am done for the night and tucked into bed I tend to fall asleep in a matter of minutes. My intentions have been good though! 

Now for some cooking ideas, I know this is usually made using bulgur but I try to stick to as much gluten free as possible. Now this is an incredible dish best served cold, so it is perfect for summers ( if you live in the southern hemisphere) but super as a stable fridge addition for when you want something to quickly eat or serve with a newly roasted chicken ( like I did last night ).

Just try this you will never go back!

Incredible Qunioa Power Salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 3/4 water

1 whole pomegranate seeds

Lots of Flat leaf parsely

Lots of Fresh Mint

Feta 200 g

1 Yellow Chilli

Tbs Olive Oil

Cook the quinoa, remember to wash and drain it properly. Rinse it under cold water for a while using a fine mesh strainer. Then add the water and cook till all the water has been absorbed. Then put a piece of kitchen towel between the lid and the saucepan and let stand with heat off for 5-10 mins. Fluff with a fork afterwards. 

Let cool and add to a bowl, chop the parsley and mint add as much as you like. I added more parsley than mint but lots of both. Then add the finely chopped yellow chilli, and pomegranate seeds, and cut the feta into small cubes. Combine it all, and add olive oil, salt & pepper to taste as well as lemon!

Yum! Enjoy... I am obsessed with this right now. 

Goats cheese chilli spread (so good!)

I am pretty tired of all the processed foods available and how simple it could be to make your own... So I did, and now its your turn to try it! As I am obsessed with goats cheese and chilli, I thought why not combine it? 

So this was the result, and omg... its good. So good.

The Wonder Spread

Ingredients

125 g soft goat cheese

1/2 Red onion

1/2 green chilli

1 Tsp Red Wine Vinegar ( or if you want strictly gluten free Apple Cider Vinegar )

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

If you finely chop all the ingredients you can just combine them in a bowl but I am super lazy and practically married to my Vitamix so I threw everything in there and whizzed it around for a few mins and viola! 

Place in a jar and chill for at least 1 hour. Then enjoy this incredible spread on toast, crackers, vegetables. Anything you can imagine. The chilli is great for your metabolism and the goat cheese is usually better tolerated than normal cheese and is milder for your stomach. 

Mint Lemonade

Today the weather is not cooperating. It is raining, my feet are cold and even the tip of my nose is cold. Brrrr. But I thought why not try and pretend it is summer by creating the most delicious summer taste. Lemonade. I love it, adore it even, if that is even possible. I try to avoid everything processed so thought I would challenge my Vitamix (my blender) and see if it could deliver. Boy did it deliver! Try this if you like something summery in your fridge!

Jo´s Lemonade

Ingredients

3 Cups Water (filtered of course)

1/4 Cup Agave Syrup (because you need something sweet )

1 1/2 Lemons, peeled and deseeded although the seeds are ok if you have a powerful blender

Large handful mint leaves.

1 Cup Ice cubes. 

Add the ingredients into the blender/ Vitamix in the listed order. Then blast away till it is completely combined. Add more or less lemon/ mint if you think you need it. I added more Mint to mine, hence why it is green. 

Keeps well in the fridge for a few days! Also works amazing as a cocktail mixer!

Marinated Salmon with Vegetables.

I made this salmon other other night and it was super easy to make, and tasted delicious. If you want to marinate the salmon overnight that is perfectly ok to do I left mine in the marinade for 27 hours, but it was ok! 

Long Marinated Salmon with Vegetables

Serves 4 

Ingredients

Marinade

4 Salmon Fillets

4 Tbs Tamari soy ( low sodium if you can find )

2 Tsp Honey

2 Tsp Sesame Oil 

1 Courgette

4 Carrots  Peeled

1 Red Onion

2 Celery Sticks

1 Tsp Coconut Oil

Baby Spinach

Sushi Ginger

Place the Salmon in the marinade skin up and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, the longer the better. Slice the vegetables longitudinally. Heat a pan with coconut oil and add the vegetables to the large frying pan. Turn frequently and take off heat once they are soft. In another frying pan add the Salmon (you can also grill the salmon) fry for 3 - 4 mins each side depending on your cuts but general rule just check it is cooked through.

Serve with the vegetables on the bottom, then chopped spinach and salmon then garnish with Sushi Ginger, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Seriously healthy and incredibly tasty. 

Enjoy!

Heavenly Healthy Bread

There is this bakery. Its amazing, it has the most incredible gluten free products and I am utter obsessed with their bread and crisp bread all of which contains zero sugar as well. A rare find as most gluten free products have lots of sugar in them. Why? Anyhow, this bakery: Friends of Adam is in Stockholm. Yay if you live there but nay if you don't. I used to pack my bags full of the stuff whenever I fly over but as I have no trips planned for the next few months I thought I would try it out myself. Now bread making is the scariest thing for me. So much work, and effort and I never have the right amounts or there requires some strange kitchen appliance I never even heard of. 

Screw it. I oiled my loaf tin and set out on a mission. To make it as easy as possible, and this was the final product and the entire kitchen smelled heavenly. I eat a slice now and then and I know in Scandinavia there is a huge bread culture where it is a social standing according to what bread you eat. But be careful with bread like all starchy products. If you eat a slice of bread I always recommend it with a vegetable.... like Avocado. I loooooove avocado, and lemon and pepper on this bread. Do it, try it. You will never smother it in nasty butter again. 

So here is goes my modified but deadly simple recipe for bread. All you need is a loaf tin, and the ingredients. 

This recipe is in Decilitres but easily converted to cups. 1 Deciliter = 0.4 cups

Chia & Seeded Gluten Free Bread

3 dl Sorghum Flour

2 dl Rice Flour

1 dl Rolled Oats (make sure are not gluten contaminated)

2 Tbs Quinoa Flour 

1 dl Potato Flour

1 dl Sunflower seeds

1 dl linseeds

2 Tbs Chia Seeds

1 Tsp Xantham gum

6 dl water

50 g fresh yeast

1 Tbs Rapeseed Oil

0.5 dl Agave Syrup

1 Egg white

Preheat the oven to 250 C. Sift the flours together and add all the other dry ingredients. Then combine the wet ingredients and add them to the dry ingredients. Oil the bread tin with sunflower oil. Work the mixture till dough forms, work it for a few mins. If you have a bread kneader or mixer use that. For the less bread-prepared (like me) just keep mixing it. Add it to the tin and place pumpkin seeds on the top, or whatever you have at home. Place it under a towel for 20 mins, before putting it in the oven. Let it yeast.

After yeasting place it onto a baking tray. Throw half a cup of water on the hot tray and immediately close the oven door. Pull the heat down to 200 C and bake for 60 mins. Do keep an eye on it after 45 mins, it might need longer or shorter. 

Once done pop it out the tray and leave to cool on a wooden board or cold tray. 

Viola! Gluten free pretty darn good bread. Slice it up and keep it in the freezer if you like. 

Roast that chick!

Now this could be the worlds easiest dinner, and most delicious unless you are a vegetarian. Sorry. But I LOVE a fresh organic roasted chicken. If you are a big sandwich kind of person please rethink when you buy prepackaged meats (please), they all have added sugar to them. Check in your fridge or  the next time you go food shopping. Rather then roast a whole chicken, slice it up and keep it for your snacks, sandwiches, salads. 

All you need for this is time, but you can easily do this during the weekends. 

Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs

Ingredients

1 Medium Organic Chicken. Always go for the organic.

1 Whole lemon

2 Tbs Olive Oil

Herbs of your choice

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Yellow Onion. 

Optional (a cup of coffee) 

Preheat your oven to 175 C or whatever the guidance is on your oven. Get a nice tray for the bird and place it in there. Rub and massage and really get the thing covered in the oil, top and bottom. Next start stuffing. I slice the lemon in 2 and squeeze some of it and then pop it in, next add the garlic cloves, which you press with the flat side of the knife to release the oils and lovely smell, next just quarter the onion and press it in. I also add rosemary, thyme and oregano in the cavity. 

Next spice, and drench the surfaces with your choice of spices and herbs. I am going through a chilli phase and love it on this! But use what you have at home and what you like! Next I like to pour a cup of coffee in the tray, when basting for the first time you can use another cup of coffee or just baste using the remaining juices. 

Pop in the oven for 1 1/2 hours and baste every 20 - 30 mins. Sounds like hard work? It is not at all, super simple really, and worth it in the end.

My coffee soaked roasted chicken. Very very good!

Roast chicken in coffee and thrown in some root vegetables in the roasting pan!

Crunchy Cambodian Salad

Fantastic Salad to give your metabolism a kick and give you a boost of Vitamin B12 from the beef. Lovely for winter and summer

Crunchy Cambodian Salad 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500 g Fillet Beef

2 Tsp Olive Oil

1 Stick Celery

100 g Cucumber

100 g Pomegranates

100 g Fresh Bean Shoots

1 Yellow Pepper

100g Red Onion

100 g Cashew nuts (chopped)

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Red Chilli

2 Tsp Ginger Root (grated)

1 Cup Chicken Stock

1 Lime

Coriander

Chop the Peppers, cucumber, celery, onion and half of the chilli. Slice them thinly. Rub the fillet with olive oil, and add chilli powder if you like. Place the steak in the grill or in a frying pan and cook 2 -3 mins on either side and serve medium rare. In a bowl add the vegetables, and pomegranates. To make the dressing whiz the garlic, other half of chilli, chicken stock, ginger and lime in a blender and pour over immediately. Last sprinkle the nuts on top! Each serving has 407 kcal and is the good kind of calories! Add some extra lime juice and the coriander to garnish! This is definitely a crowd pleaser. Perfect for dinner parties.

Homemade Crisp Bread

This is a recipe I have slightly modified from a relative. Feel free to do the same by adding spices, vegetables, fruits, nuts... you name it. Get creative with it!

Homemade Crisp Bread

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Corn Flour

1 Cup Boiling Water

1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds

1/2 Cup Linseed

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

1 Tbs Rapseed Oil

Add various other spices, e.g chilli powder, curry, oregano, rosemary, cumin, cinnamon, raisin, cranberries, apricots, paprika, you name it! 

Preheat the oven to 150 C and line a tray with baking paper. Mix the dry ingredients first then add the water and last add the oil. Also add your spices and extras here. Smooth the mixture out on the baking paper and use a spatula to press down. You choose how thick or thin you want it. I like mine really thin and crispy. 

Place in the oven for 60 mins and shorter if you make it thin. Just keep an eye on it.

I am not a salt lover, and I think the natural ingredients already give it a salty taste plus you can put goats cheese on it and then I don't think you need the salt. Some people however, crave salt (try to stop!) and you can sprinkle some sea salt on it just before you put the tray in the oven. 

Enjoy!

Mixing the dry ingredients

After adding the wet ingredients

The finished product!

Guilt Free Brownies!!

Im so sick of not being able to have the sugary stuff anymore... I crave it and when I give in once in a blue moon, it tastes horrible. So disappointing. My brain craves the sugar but somehow my tastebuds have understood the toxic effect on my body and rejects it! So what do I do??? Well I thank Gwyneth Paltrow for writing the most incredible cookbook and creating this recipe! Now if you like something sweet but like me don't want the sugar dip and fattening effects sugar has then just go buy the following ingredients and don't ever look back! Plus this recipe is gluten free, lactose free and vegan.

I make these babies and then keep them in the freezer! Pop one out If you are having a weak moment but without the guilt!

It comes out more like a brownie cake but wait for it to cool before you slice it to pieces. 

Gwyneths Heavenly Brownies! 

Ingredients: 

2 cups white gluten free flour ( add 1 Tsp Xantham gum)

1 cup high quality cocoa powder

1 1/2 tbs baking powder

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil or egg free mayonnaise 

1 cup Maple Syrup ( grade a )

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1 cup strong brewed coffee

1/2 cup soy/ rice/ almond milk

1 tbs pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 175 C and line a baking tray with baking paper. 

Sift the flour, Cocao and baking powder and add the salt. In another bowl blend the wet ingredients. Combine the wet an dry ingredients and don't over mix! Pour the batter into the tray and bake for 30 mins. 

It's that easy! Now my tip to you is if you need to find the ingredients go to your local health store. If you live near a whole foods,you can find everything there! 

Alternatively you can add walnuts, pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts or whatever you prefer. I usually use chopped pecans and walnuts. 

Enjoy!

Quinoa and Chickpeas

Looking for some super easy lunch ideas that you can quickly throw together and everyone likes? Try these... oh and did I mention they are healthy and nutrient packed?

Quinoa Bites
 Ingredients

2 cups Cooked quinoa
6 Basil Leaves
1 cup Cherry tomatoes
Half a Red Pepper
100 g Shredded Mozarella ( Goats Cheese or Tofu)
2 Pressed Garlic Cloves
1 Red Onion Finely chopped.
1 Tsp cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp Chilli Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste.
2 Organic Eggs


Preheat your oven to 400 F or 200 C
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a large spoon. Feel free to add or substitute any of the other ingredients to taste! Mine are just a guideline, no need to follow exactly! Press the quinoa mixture into muffin trays. I filled them halfway! Pop in the oven until they have a brown crust. I added Parmesan at the final 5 mins of cooking but this is optional.

Serve after a few mins cooling. You can dip them in tomato sauce, or eat them on their own! Perfect to have at home to snack on.

Quinoa bites, who doesn't love quinoa?

Chickpea Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 can Chickpeas (preferably Organic)

1 red Onion (or Scallions)

100 g Feta

4 Tomatoes

2 Tbs Neutral Oil

1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar ( Gluten free Vinegar)

Pepper to taste

Garnish with either chopped Mint, Parsely or Coriander depending on which you prefer. The Mint is excellent for summer days. 

Drain the chickpeas from the can and wash over a few times until they are throughly washed and place them in a strainer to drip off the last of the water. Slice the red onion thinly and quarter the tomatoes. Crumble the feta in and add the chickpeas. Pour on the oil and vinegar and a few churns of pepper. Serve immediately. 

I usually make this in a big bowl and then leave the rest in the fridge, is perfectly fresh up to 2 -3 days, if kept in a metal bowl. 

Enjoy! 

Vegetarian, Gluten Free Lasagna.

The weather in London today is miserable, after being blessed with clear skies and warmth for the past few weeks today seems to be the first day of Autumn. What could be better than some comfort food for dinner? I have made this a few times and it never gets old, my Gluten Free, Vegetarian Lasagna. If you think it looks good, and trust me it is! Then why not give it a go!

The Lasagna

Ingredients:
Gluten Free Lasagna pasta ( I love the one from Rizopia - no need to pre cook!)
Gluten free Tomato and basil sauce (Store bought - Heinz do good ones or whiz 8 Tomatoes ( without the seeds if you like it sweet), 1 cm of tomato paste, half an onion, 1 garlic clove and a handful of basil and oregano in a blender for a few mins)
100g Shallots chopped
2 Courgettes
2 Eggplants
1 Cup Chopped carrots
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon Chilli Flakes
3 large Salad tomatoes
3 Tbs Sunflower oil
Oregano
Pepper
Chilli Powder
Onion Powder
Fresh basil

Optional - Buffalo Mozarella on top instead of Bechamel Sauce. Alternatively use Goats cheese or no cheese, just tomatoes.

Pre heat your oven to 175 C. Take a large baking form which you want to make the lasagna in. Cover the bottom and sides with the sunflower oil. Put the form to the side and prepare the vegetables. Slice the courgettes with a cheese slicer lengthwise so you get long flat pieces. Slice the eggplant and rub the surfaces with Himalayan salt and let sweat for a 5 -10 mins,( after which you wipe the excess moisture off with a paper towel.) Next slice the carrots, shallots, garlic and tomatoes. Start by placing a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom and then add the vegetables, be creative! I added the eggplant first then some shallots and then placed sauce on top and put a layer of the brown rice pasta on top, always adding the spices to each layer as I went. Keep layering until the vegetables are all gone and you are left with the pasta on top. Cover the top pasta layer with sauce and add some spices and the mozarella.

Stick it in the oven for 30 - 40 mins. Make sure the pasta is completely covered in sauce, it will give you the best result. Take the lasagna out once it is piping hot and cooked through. Set to cool for a few mins and then add some fresh basil leave on top.

Nobody will know how healthy it really is unless you tell them! You can add anything else in there, my recipes are just inspiration to get you going! Maybe you have some vegetables at home you want to get rid of, just chuck them in!

One average Portion contains 239 Kcal and is rich in Vitamin A!

Curried Apple, Cauliflower and Carrot Soup

This soup is perfect for rainy Autumn days when you need something to warm you up. It's so easy just chuck all the ingredients into your blender and viola! If you have a Vitamix start on variable 1 and increase to 10 then run on high for 4-5 mins.

Curried Apple, Cauliflower & Carrot Soup

Serves 4-8

1 cup peeled and chopped carrots

2 large Granny Smith apples peeled

2 cups cauliflower

1 1/2 Tsp curry powder

1/4 Tsp chilli flakes

1/2 Tsp salt

1 can coconut milk

2 Cups chicken stock

1/3 single cream

Juice from 1 lime

Handful of parsley

1 large Spring Onion chopped

1/2 red chilli chopped 

Steam or boil the cauliflower and carrots to soften them up. Then transfer all the ingredients into your blender and turn it on. Blend on highest power until you have a smooth consistency. 

Serve immediately.

Delicious nutrient dense dinner ideas

I try to eat vegetarian twice a week. Now last night we BBQ sirloin but I made some vegetable sides which were absolutely delish and are definitely filling enough to serve on their own!

Stuffed Sweet Potatoe

Serves 4

4 sweet potatoes all roughly the same size and shape.

1 can of chickpeas 400 g

Handful parsley

1 Clove garlic

Juice from half a lemon

1 Tbs flaxseed oil 

Turn you oven on to 200 C and place the sweet potatoes whole in the oven. Set the timer for 40 mins.

Place the other ingredients in a mixer or blender and blend till desired consistency. I recommend you to have some chickpea chunks. 

Once the sweet potatoes are soft to the touch take them out of the oven and slice them lengthwise and place a spoonful of the chickpea mixture in the gap. Ready to serve! Most definitely a favourite on the dinner table and very healthy for you.

Filled courgettes

Serves 4

2 red onions

4 Tsp honey

4 Tsp balsamic vinegar

100 g goats cheese

2 courgettes

Cut the courgettes lengthwise and using a spoon scoop out the seeds and create a groove in the middle. Place the courgettes, groove down on a wire rack with a pan underneath with just a little bit of water. Place in the pre heated oven 175 C for 15 mins.

In the meantime, pour some flaxseed oil in a frying pan and place the finely sliced red onions in, cook till softened. Add the balsamic vinegar, and honey and stir the onions frequently until they become sticky. 

Take out the courgettes and turn them over and pour away the remaining water in the pan below. Fill the groove with the onions and place the goats cheese on top. Pop them back in the oven for about 10 mins, or until the goats cheese is slightly golden. Serve immediately.

Enjoy! 

Chocolate Delight

Ok so here is something well worth trying if you are trying to stay clean and lean! It's so yummy!

2 ripe avocados

1 Tbs honey

3 Tbs Cocao

Zest and juice from one large orange.

Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix till smooth. It's that simple! 

I scooped the mixture into four small bowls and chilled for 3-4 hours. Shred the orange skin and decorate with. 

One serving has 284 kcal and is the good calories! I can highly recommend this dessert

Smoothies

Rarely have I been a smoothie person. I completely overdosed on them when I was living in Prague and would simply throw every possible ingredient in and with a scoop of protein powder and call it breakfast. Although they were delicious they were also full of the wrong nutrients for my body. Therefore I gained a few kilos and swore them off. It's a dangerous game juicing and smoothie making. You start blending and blending and sometimes you don't really think of measure what exactly it is you are mixing.

Today I did just that! I threw in a banana, a whole orange, an apple and 1/2 cup raspberries. All well until you have a towering glass full of 4 large portions of fruit in liquid form. I am a firm believer of when you have some fruit you should have some nuts with it. Anything really to slow down the fruit sugar from hiring your bloodstream quickly. Sounds weird perhaps but it's something I once read in a physiology book. 

So today I just poured half a glass and sipped this dream of a smoothie. 

I will be trying many more versions so keep you updated! Looking to make the most nutrient dense but also tasty smoothie/ juice I can dream up. Watch this space! 

p.s - Did I mention I love my Vitamix?

Dinner ideas

Today's dinner was super easy and clean and lean. Roasted pepper and whole tomato salad with homemade fresh spring onion dressing. 

Roasted vegetable

Place the desired vegetables in a preheated oven (I use the fan grill setting on 200 C). Drizzle oil and roast till they are brown. Let cool and slice. I just added them to romaine salad. 

Spring onion dressing

Throw the following ingredients into a blender/mixer

2 whole fresh spring onions 

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt

Halv a lemon (peeled and de-seeded)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 avocado

4 Tbs Sunflower oil

2 Tbs Apple cider vinegar

Blend till desired consistency is reached. I chilled mine for a few hours and works well as a dip for vegetables or chips.

Sweet and Kind - The Almond Cookie

I have gotten tons of feedback from people who follow my Instagram (which is unfortunately Private) about these cookies. They are super simple and completely Gluten Free and the sweetness comes from Maple Syrup, and Almond butter. Pure genius and delectable to have in the freezer. I like to dress them up and down. The best is with a sprinkle of Maldon Salt, but I have tried them with Chocolate Chips (Note, these are NOT sugar free) and my favourite version with desiccated coconut.

Here is the recipe.

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour (all purpose)
3/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum
1 Tbs Cinnamon
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
1 cup Maple Syrup (grade A if you can find it)
1 cup Almond Butter (I use Biona Organic and use the whole jar)


Turn your oven on to 175 C, and line a baking tray with baking parchment
Simply mix the dry ingredients together, and in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients. Combine the two and using wet hands roll small balls on your hand and press on to the parchment. The trick here is to have wet fingers and hands.

As a final touch sprinkle Maldon salt, coconut or anything you can think of and bake the cookies for approx. 10-12 mins.

*If you want to make Chocolate chip cookies, add dark chips to the batter. Can also use raisins and oats if you like. The batter is merely a canvas and you can then add whatever you like to it.

Here they are getting baked in the oven. I made these for my brothers who cant stay away from Chocolate

Viola! Here are the baked coconut cookies and Chocolate Chips. 

The Maldon Salt Version, and my personal favourite.