Chocolate Granola

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Chocolate GranolaAfter making home-made granola last time, it’s Chocolate Granola today. It is a healthy and guilt free way to indulge in some early morning chocolate. Never early for chocolate right? Well..a good kind of chocolate! It is naturally sweetened with a small amount honey and is high in fiber and protein from oats, nuts and seeds. The raw cacao powder is full of antioxidants and it is naturally vegan, dairy free and gluten free. It is delicious in a bowl with nut milk or yogurt. You can also sprinkle over a your smoothie or fruit salad. I make homemade granola about every month or so. But, if you are a busy mum or have no time standing by the oven, then make a batch and keep in the freezer, where it keeps fresh for months. It just takes 5 minutes for the dried fruit to soften up out of the fridge. Feel free to put more cacao powder or even add melted dark chocolate if you are a chocolate lover x

Ingredients

500g rolled oats
1/2 cup of raw cacao powder
1/4 cup of coconut sugar
1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup
3 tbsp of peanut butter, melted
1 tbsp of cinnamon powder
1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
1 tsp of fine sea salt

Add-ins: Linseed, coconut chips, almonds, apricots, pepitas, sultanas, sunflower seeds

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and combine well. Spread mixture out in an even layer on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven (170) for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Take it out of the oven, cool it down and mix with add-ins. Cool completely before storing in a glass jar.

Posted in: Baking, Breakfast, My recipes, Vegetarian

Chili Salt

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Pure salt is essential to life. The body is made from water and minerals, and all critical functions of the body require these essential minerals and trace elements. Sodium is an essential nutrient for the functions in your body, including controlling heart rate and the transmission of signals in the brain. You hear so much on the media now that you need to reduce salt consumption, but it has more to do with quality vs. quantity.

Processed table salt doesn’t have essential minerals anymore and hidden in most packaged foods, including drinks, candy, snacks, ice cream, cheese, processed meats, etc. On the other hand, sea salt or Himalayan salt is rich with over 80 essential trace elements and high in magnesium, calcium, and iron. It also alkalises your body, helps digestion, lowers blood pressure, decreases water retention, and supports the liver, kidneys and adrenals to work more efficiently. So you need to opt for a high quality and natural form.

To have a healthy sodium intake, limit processed and packaged foods and have more natural foods like fruits and veggies. If you are buying though, read the labels and choose for “less salt” or “low sodium”. Secondly, don’t be afraid to ask for no/ less salt at the restaurant because restaurant foods are full of salts and bad oils that are not doing your health any favors. Use a good quality salt at home. Use a variety of herbs, spices, vinegar and citrus juices instead of extra salt.

I like using pink Himalayan salt because it is unrefined and natural, easy to digest, helps hydrate your body after exercises, and has a hint of sweetness in it. You can make a refreshing drink with it. How? Mix coconut water, honey, cinnamon and Himalayan salt and drink on hot days or after exercises. It helps to balance electrolytes in your body. You can also make your own flavoured salt at home. My favorite flavours are chili, citrus, mushroom, thyme and celery. It is super easy and simple to do and it tastes awesome. So try today x
Chili SaltIngredients

1/4 cup of Himalayan salt
1 tsp of chili flakes
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of dried lime zest

Mix all ingredients with your fingers, a mortar and pestle, or in a spice grinder. Store in an airtight glass container and allow to sit for a day before use.

Posted in: My recipes

Easy Chicken Stir-fry

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Chicken Stir fryA bowl of chicken stir-fry on rice is quick, healthy, low-fat, gluten-free and well balanced meal with a full of flavour. Soy, garlic, ginger and chili creates a flavourful base of the dish. It is even better when you do a quick marinade of the chicken breast for 10-15 minutes. You might want to add a teaspoon of corn starch or rice flour if you want a thicker sauce. I like adding sesame seeds and sesame oil after cooking so that it doesn’t lose the fragrance and flavour over the heat. And use mixed grains for different texture and nuttiness, not just old boring white rice. Make a stir-fry and stay healthy x

you have time to meander down every isle

Ingredients

300g chicken breast
1 tsp of coconut oil
1 carrot
1 spring onion
2 tbsp of dark soy sauce
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of minced ginger
1 tsp of chili flakes
1 tbsp of honey
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1 tsp of sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of cooked rice to serve

Combine soy, garlic, ginger, chili flakes, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced chicken breast, carrot and spring onion to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden and half-cooked. Stir the sauce into the pan and continue cooking until cooked. Take it off the heat, serve on rice, sprinkle sesame seeds and drizzle sesame oil.

 

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

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

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Lemon poppyseed cakeWhen I caught up with my dearest friend from Singapore, she told me that it is illegal to take poppy seeds to their country. I was so surprised. Why??? The reason being is that every gram of seeds has about 33 micrograms of morphine and 14 micrograms of codeine. So…they are happy seeds? 🙂 That’s not enough to cause any ill effects from their use in baked goods, but it is enough to show up as a false positive result in drug tests. These seeds contain several vital minerals like zinc, calcium, magnesium, which is essential for the functioning of your body. They are an excellent source of carbs for energy and omega-3 fatty acids for healthy heart as well.

I just like looking at this cake – little dots of poppy seeds, moist inside and nicely browned outside of the loaf. Plus, it has the nuttiness, the crunchiness and the very distinct flavour from poppy seeds. Toasting these guys creates a nutty and sweet flavour. I think it needs more zingy lemon flavour and sweetness though. So if you have a sweet tooth, definitely add more sweetener or drizzle lemony icing on top. I packed a half of the loaf for my friend to take home. I’ve done so much baking recently and they are not disappearing quickly enough. Cakes, anyone? 🙂

Ingredients

200g self-raising flour
6 eggs
50g brown sugar
1 tbsp of honey
50g olive oil
1 lemon zest and juice
50g of poppy seeds
a pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a loaf pan with a baking paper. Toast poppy seeds in a pan for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Take it off the heat and set aside. Lightly beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Add all ingredients in and stir to combine. Then pour the mixture into the pan and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until cooked or a skewer comes out clean. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

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

Healthy Hot Chocolate

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Hot chocolateI have a long list of favorite comforting foods. Hot chocolate is one of them. Once you taste this healthy hot chocolate you won’t be able to order one at the cafe cause the cafe one is way too sweet. My version is made of raw cacao and almond milk, full of goodness and guilt-free. Raw cacao is full of antioxidants and happy hormone serotonin, boosting your immune system and mood. Almond milk has plant protein, healthy fats and vitamin E for healthy heart and glowing hair and skin. Trust me on this! It tastes incredible as good or even better than the conventional recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup of almond milk
1 tablespoon of coconut sugar (or any kind of sweetener you have)
2 tablespoons of raw cacao (not cocoa! don’t get confused >.<)
a pinch of sea salt
a pinch of cinnamon powder
a pinch of vanilla bean powder (paste or extract is fine)

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently. Stir and make sure all ingredients combine together. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy x

Posted in: Drinks, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian