GF Apple Harvest Loaf

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apple loafI’m a big fan of Granny Smith apple because it is tart, tangy, crisp and crunchy. They are a great snack with low calories and high fibre, which keeps you satisfied and stabilises blood sugar level between meals. So do not peel your apples! They are also rich in vitamin C and high in the flavonoids cyanidin and epicatechin, which are powerful antioxidants. Want beautiful teeth? Bite into these little guys. The extreme tartness of Granny Smith apples helps with more salivation than a sweeter type of apple. High levels of saliva decrease bacteria in your mouth that attack teeth and cause cavities. They are a great additions to your green salads and sandwiches as well as a healthy dessert. I made a spiced apple loaf today with cinnamon and nutmeg. It smells amazing! It is not really a sweet cake so feel free to add more sweeteners if you like. Happy baking x

Ingredients

1 granny smith apple, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
4 eggs
a squeeze of lemon
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Boil apple, maple syrup, lemon juice and salt in a pot and simmer for 10 minute or until apple is tender. Take it off the heat and set aside to cool. Gently mix all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled apple mixture into a bowl and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40-50 minutes or until cooked. Cover with foil if the top gets too brown. Take it out of the oven and let it cool before serve.

Posted in: Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

Sprouted Mung Bean, Roasted Cauliflower and Pumpkin Salad

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Sprouted mungbean1 Mung beans are highly nutritious, easy on digestion, low in calories, high in fiber and B vitamins. Sprouting process is a fantastic way of boosting enzymes, vitamins C and K and minerals, particularly zinc and iron. So try to include more sprouts in your diet. All you have to do is to soak them in water for 1-2 days and let it germinate to sprouts. After grains are soaked in water then strained and left at room temperature in the dark, their reproductive system kicks in, and they begin to sprout and ferment. Once you have a desired “tails”, you can keep them in the air-tight glass container in the fridge or freezer, which keeps it fresh for weeks. Same principles apply to other beans, grains and seeds like chick peas, rye, buckwheat, quinoa and red beans. You can add them into your smoothies, salads, bread, stir-fries and soup or eat it raw as a healthy snack. Tasty, crunchy and healthy! If you want to read more about sprouting, read my previous post about sprouting quinoa here.

Ingredients

3 cauliflower florets
2 cups of pumpkin
1 cup of sprouted mung beans1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of Himalayan salt
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

Mix all dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped cauliflower and pumpkin into a bowl and gently toss. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 20-30 minutes until golden. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle sprouted mung beans over the veggies and drizzle more balsamic vinegar before serve.
Sprouted mungbean

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Avocado Truffles

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Did you know you can substitute avocado for butter? Sure, avocados still have calories and fat, but the fats are much better than in butter or oil.
Read more at http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2013/07/chocolate-avocado-truffles/#tsj2IpDM1eGrze1g.99

Avocado TrufflesDid you know avocado is a fruit? To be honest, I do not like avocado that much by itself (tastes quite oily and fatty>.<), but using the creamy texture of avocados instead of using the cream or butter or oil is fantastic. While avocados still contain calories and fat, they’re also packed with powerful nutrients. Avocados contain high amounts of monounsaturated fat which is easily burned for energy. They are also high in fiber (10g per on average avocado), potassium (twice the amount of a typical banana), Vitamins E and B and folic acid. They have been shown to reduce cholesterol and help manage weight.

Normally truffles contain the heavy cream, which is not good for your blood vessels and waistline. These rich little truffles substitute an avocado for the cream, making for a tasty treat with reduced guilt. It is creamy and decadent. The best part is you can’t even tell the difference. I made two versions, one with carob powder and coconut and the other with nuts and seeds. If you like creamy chocolatey flavour, go for the first one. Second recipe is crunchy, nutty and avocado-y. You can smash this one on your toast with a squeeze of lemon for your breakfast, too. Beautiful and healthy snack and dessert. Enjoy x

Carob Avocado Truffle

1/2 avocado
2 tbsp of carob powder + extra for rolling (you can also use cacao powder. I find carob powder is sweeter than cacao. So use more coconut sugar if using cacao powder.)
2 tbsp of coconut flour
1 tsp of coconut sugar
1 tsp of coconut butter
1/2 tsp of vanilla bean powder
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Add all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Make the truffle balls. If the mixture is too wet to work with, add a little bit more coconut flour. Roll the truffles on carob powder. Store in air-tight container in the fridge.

Chia-Sesame Avocado Truffles

1/2 avocado
5 Medjool dates
1 tbsp of chia seeds + extra for rolling
1 tbsp of sesame seeds +extra for rolling
1 tbsp of pepitas
1 tsp of flaxseed meal
1 tsp of coconut sugar
1 tsp of coconut butter
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Blend all ingredients in food processor. Make the truffle balls and roll on chia seeds and sesame seeds.

Did you know you can substitute avocado for butter? Sure, avocados still have calories and fat, but the fats are much better than in butter or oil.
Read more at http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2013/07/chocolate-avocado-truffles/#tsj2IpDM1eGrze1g.99
Posted in: Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

Korean Vegetarian Dishes (Bibimbap and Japchae)

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While being raised in South Korea, I don’t think I appreciated enough what I had – culture, family, friends, food. Well..I guess a part of it was because I was younger and not as mature. This blog has been the outlet and given me a great opportunity that I can think about my past, present and future..who I am.. I can sit in my own zone in silence, read, learn and write. This journey has transported me to a happier time in my life back home, and I connected food with those memories. Don’t you all have that? When you think about those foods from your cherished memory, it brings you a big smile. You feel like you are just there, you can even smell the aroma and feel the warmth on the tip of your nose. Feeling of love:) Yes, food is so powerful. It can impact us on a deeper emotional level than just physical health. These two Korean dishes. I totally adore them. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, healthy and, of course, delicious! I’m glad I can show you some Korean dishes on my blog. Thank you for visiting my site and sharing my journey x

bibimbapBibimbap is lightly cooked vegetables on rice commonly served in the hot stone bowl, which keeps it warm and also makes the crispy rice at the bottom. The way you eat is add Gochujang, Korean spicy sauce, mix all up and eat. You can put any kinds of veggies but normally bean sprouts, spinach, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, daikon, tofu, zucchini and kimchi. It can be as simple or as complicated as it can be. I add my healthy spin on it – using raw veggies for good enzymes, tempeh for protein, and cauliflower rice with a light Gochujang dressing.

JapchaeJapchae is sweet potato noodles (springy glass noodles) stir-fried with vegetables. Mum used to make it for my birthday, school picnic day, Thanks giving day or just on the weekends. It is a kind of food you make a huge plate and share with everyone. To make it healthy, I normally steam the veggies al dente, boil the noodles and then mix with a soy dressing in a large bowl. Dressing consists of soy sauce, minced garlic, shallot, vinegar, honey, sesame seeds, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Simple combination, but delish!

 

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

GF Grapefruit Yogurt Cupcakes

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Grapefruit CupcakesI find adding fruits or fruit juice or fruit puree is a bit challenging since it changes the texture and ph balance of the cake. Depending on how juicy your fruits are and how dry your flour is, you need to change the recipe slightly. Trust your gut feeling? These cupcakes worked for me today, yay! A burst of sweet-tart flavour from the grapefruit and extra moistness from yogurt makes this cupcakes so perfect. I added in the lactose free yogurt instead of thick Greek yogurt. You can also use silken tofu for dairy-free option. If you have a sweet tooth, you might want to add more sweetener since it is still quite tart cake. Or use sweet oranges instead? Have fun baking x

Ingredients

1 grapefruit (about 2 tbsp of zest and 2 tbsp of juice)
50g coconut flour
50g almond flour
100g lactose free natural yogurt
2 eggs
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of stevia (adjust depending on how sweet your grapefruit is)
1/2 tsp of vanilla bean powder
1 tsp of baking powder
a pinch of salt

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add zest and juice from the grapefruit, stevia, coconut oil and yogurt into the bowl. Stir to combine. Add all other dry ingredients and stir. Spoon the mixture into a prepared cupcake tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 25-30 minutes or until cooked. Let it cool and enjoy.

Posted in: Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack