Cheesy Polenta with Sauteed Chard and Mushrooms

polenta The creamy texture of the polenta and cheesy nutritional yeast makes it a perfect comfort food for a warming winter dish. I’m in love with nutritional yeast. I know the name does’t sound that appetising, but the yeast itself is grown on beets and dehydrated, so don’t let the word “yeast” scare you away. Since it is plant derived and dried out, it’s free of the harmful candida that can wreck havoc on your digestive system. This magical yellow flakes not only add a nice and cheesy taste to the dish but also provide a enormous benefit to a vegetarian diet. It is jam-packed with essential minerals and vitamins. It is a good source of vitamin B12 and folic acid, high in fibre and protein, and totally gluten-free. It is also naturally low in sodium, making it a perfect addition for those monitoring their sodium intake. For this recipe, you can top with any seasonal vegetables. Root veggie hash such as parsnip, beets and pumpkin might be nice, too. Or a poached egg on top if you want more protein.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fine polenta
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup water or vegetable stock
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 cups of chard leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup of wild mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
a squeeze of lemon
pepper to taste
a handful of pepitas

To make a polenta cake, place polenta and water or vegetable stock in a saucepan and bring it up to a boil. Simmer on low heat and keep stirring for 20-30 minutes until creamy and thick. Add nutritional yeast and season with salt. Stir to combine. Pour the polenta into a bowl or ramekin and set aside. Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and cayenne pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add chopped chard leaves and balsamic vinegar into a pan and cook for another 5 minutes. Add squeeze of lemon and pepper to taste. To assemble, place a polenta cake in the middle of the plate, top with sauteed chard and mushrooms, sprinkle pepitas and drizzle olive oil on top.

GF Carrot and Carob Cake

Carrot Carob CakeTop layer carrot cake is moist, chai-spiced and savoury whereas the bottom layer carob cake is nicely bitter sweet and rich. I ended up creating this layered cake cause I like both carrot and chocolate cake. I’m a big fan of using a mix of coconut flour and almond flour which has a good amount of fibre, protein and healthy fat, yet low carbohydrate. It is totally gluten-free, grain-free and refined-sugar free. It tastes awesome and leaves you feel healthy, not heavy!

When you use coconut flour, you need to add more liquid and binding components in the batter cause it absorbs quite a lot of liquid. Normally the rule is 1/2 cup of coconut flour needs about 4 eggs. I used only 3 eggs because I had carrot puree in the mixture as well. Secondly, you need to stir well because it tends to get clumpy in the beginning. So keep stirring until you get a smooth consistency. Let the mixture sit for a bit before you bake to make sure coconut flour has absorbed all the liquid. I made this one big loaf, about 8 servings. Feel free to add any nuts or dried fruits or frosting if you like. Happy baking x

Ingredients

Top layer
1 cup of carrot puree
3 eggs
1/3 cup almond flour
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Bottom layer
1 tbsp of carob powder
3 eggs1/3 cup almond flour
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla bean powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of Himalayan salt

In a large bowl, gently beat 3 eggs, sugar and oil. Add all dry ingredients for the bottom layer and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin and spread evenly with a spatula. For the top layer, beat 3 eggs in a bowl. Add pureed carrot, sugar and oil and stir. Add all dry ingredients and stir to combine. Spread the mixture over the bottom layer. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 50 minutes or until cooked.

Orange Soy Tempeh

tempehTempeh is a high-protein food made from fermented soybeans. It is similar to tofu, but the texture isn’t soft and mushy. The taste is quite different, as well – mild nutty flavour. Being high in protein and a complete protein food, and cholesterol-free, tempeh is a great alternative to meat for vegetarians and vegans. Soy products reduce cholesterol, increase bone density, reduce menopausal symptoms and satisfy your hunger. Tempeh’s fermentation process decreases the phytic acid, which is found in soybeans and interferes with the absorption of zinc and other essential minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and copper. Healthy bacteria from fermentation is also great for your digestive system.
tempeh1Ingredients

100g tempeh
1 tsp coconut oil
1 bunch of broccolini
1 tsp of sesame seeds

For sauce
1 orange
1 tbsp coconut amino sauce* (or tamari sauce)
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp maple syrup
pepper to taste

Cut the tempeh into cubes and set aside. Mix squeezed orange juice, orange zest and other sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium heat and cook tempeh 3-5 minutes each side until lightly browned. Add the sauce and steamed broccolini and cook until the sauce is reduced. Take it off the heat and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with sesame seeds.

* Coconut amino sauce is an alternative to soy sauce. You can find in local health food shops. The coconut aminos is made from the raw sap of the coconut tree, naturally aged and is blended with sun-dried sea salt. It has got a great amino acid content. You can pretty much use it instead of soy sauce in dressing, stir-fry, marinade and dipping sauce.

Winter Kale Salad

winter kale saladIt is quite challenging to have raw food in chilly season and all you want is a bowl of soup. Both raw and cooked meals are good, but I think you have more options to make winter salads interesting with raw veggies and fruits in season. Not only that, more living enzymes, pectin and fibre from fresh raw salads are great help for your digestion. Adding satisfying sweet fruits also helps to cut down cravings for sweets, thanks to the natural sweetness. So how do I do it? I mix shredded raw winter greens with crispy apple and sweet persimmon. I used massaged kale today. All you have to do is wash, shred the kale leaves and give a little love with a sprinkle of salt and vinegar – massage gently until soft and tender. This fresh & nutritious bowl of delicious is jazzed up with a handful of toasted pepitas and sprouts and rounded with maple-mustard-maple dressing. Viola. Your newest favorite winter salad done!
winter kale salad1
Ingredients

1 cup of kale leaves
1 persimmon
1/2 granny smith apple
a handful of roasted pepitas
a handful of mixed sprouts
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Chop the kale leaves into bite sizes and gently massage with a sprinkle of salt and a dash of vinegar. Mix massaged kale with sliced apple and persimmon, pepitas and mixed sprouts. To make a dressing, whisk Dijon mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Use half of the dressing to toss the salad and the rest to drizzle on top before serve.

Raw Zucchini Seaweed Noodles

Zucchini Noodles1Noodles are often extremely refined and stripped of nutrients compared to their whole-grain counterparts. Zucchini, carrot, sweet potato and squash can be transformed to noodles and can be eaten raw, steamed or lightly sautéed. By eating a diet that dominates in raw food you maximise the possible nutrients you absorb as heat can destroy many nutrients. Raw fruits and veggies also contain enzymes and helps to keep proper Ph level, giving you alkalising and detoxifying effect. Try to include more raw foods in your diet. It will give you more energy and clear mind 🙂 Here is some tips on what you need to focus on in your diet at different ages. Hope it helps x

  • 20’s: Make sure you have some good quality protein such as fish, eggs, cheese, tofu or meat with each meal. Protein keeps your blood sugar levels stable and prevents dips in energy.
  • 30’s: Eat more broccoli, cauliflower & kale. They contain constituents known as glucosinolates, which are a group a class of phytochemicals that many believe may reduce the risk of breast, lung and colorectal cancer.
  • 40’s: Eat some fresh berries. Berries are rich in antioxidants that help to protect against the damaging effects of free radicals that accelerate ageing.
  • 50’s and more: Pre & post menopause make sure you include lots of calcium rich foods in your diet to help prevent bone loss due to declining levels of oestrogen in the body. Make sure that as well as dairy you do include other calcium rich foods such as almonds, dark green leafy veggies, tinned salmon, sardines and tahini.

Zucchini NoodlesIngredients

1 zucchini
1 cup of dried seaweed
a bunch of coriander

For dressing
1/2 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of cardamom
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
a squeeze of lemon
1 tsp of maple syrup
1 tsp of e.v.o.o
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the zucchini and make the pasta using spiral vegetable cutter or a vegetable peeler. Place in a large mixing bowl. – See more at: http://passionaltelyraw.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/raw-zucchini-pasta-with-cilantro-cedar.html#sthash.tskAxg7c.dpuf

Wash the zucchini and make noodles with a vegetable peeler or spiraliser. Soak the dried seaweed in warm water for 30 minutes, rinse, drain and roughly chop. Wash the coriander and roughly chop. For dressing, mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and toss in a dressing. I find it is best to make this salad an hour before serve so that the resting time allows to develop more flavour. I like my dressing to be refreshing and simple here, but if you feel like something creamy, you can use cashew cream, avocado or tahini dressing.