GF Pear Chai Tea Cake

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What kind of tea do you like? I visited T2 shop in Emporium in Melbourne CBD a few times just because I fell in love with a hundred variety of teas there. There is a lot of health benefits of drinking tea including detoxing, preventing cancer, improving your skin and even weight loss, but hey I just like the smell and taste that calms me down. Whatever reason you choose to drink tea, it is good for you 🙂

– If you are caffeine sensitive, it is probably best to avoid black, white and green tea later afternoon.
– Stick to chamomile and red tea (a.k.a rooibos tea from South Africa) which is caffeine free and very soothing for your digestion!
– Try spiced tea with coconut milk or almond milk and a few drops of stevia.
– Miss coffee? Try chicory root and dandelion. It tastes just like coffee without caffeine.
– Make iced tea in hot summer. Brew the tea. Just add sweetener and slices of your favorite fruits in a jug and keep in fridge up to 3 days.
– Use brewed tea and tea bag for baking such as rooibos, earl grey and chai tea.

I made this tea cake vegan and gluten-free with no refined sugar. So it is not too sweet and quite dense in texture. Having a big dollop of thick vanilla yogurt or whipped coconut cream would be nice. Of course, freshly brewed chai tea on the side, too.
pear chai cakeIngredients

1 tbsp flaxmeal
1 cup of strongly brewed chai tea
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup of coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
100g brown rice flour
50g coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pear sliced
a pinch of salt

Combine flaxmeal, brewed tea, melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add other ingredients, except pear, into a bowl and mix well with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking tin. Arrange sliced pear on top and gently press. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 30 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool in a tin for 10 minutes before slicing.

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

GF Bread with Sprouts + Simple Guacamole

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sprouted breadHow much do you know about alfalfa sprouts? Did you know it is a healing food? Alfalfa sprouts are the shoots of the alfalfa plant, harvested before they become the full-grown plant. Because they are so small, the sprouts contain a concentrated amount of certain vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin K and vitamin C. They are one of the most significant dietary sources of phytoestrogens, that can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Saponins in alfalfa sprouts can help lower your bad cholesterol while also increasing good cholesterol. Saponins might also help boost your immunity. An easy way of using them is rinse under running water and add into your salads, sandwiches, wraps and burgers. I used to make this awesome gluten free bread, which turned out to be really good. You don’t need to pay ten dollars for a loaf of sprouted bread any more when you can make it so easy at home. Plus, for my lunch, I made a quick guacamole to spread on this beautiful slice of bread. Yum!

treat kidney stones, gastrointestinal and bloating

sprouted bread1Ingredients

For Guacamole
1 avocado
1/2 cup chopped parsley
a squeeze of lemon
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
a pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tbsp thick Greek yogurt
1 tbsp of olive oil

Simply place all ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until serve.

For Sprouted GF Bread
20g chia seeds
1/2 cup earl grey, strongly brewed
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tbsp thick Greek yogurt
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Soak chia seeds in earl grey tea until it gets thick and gel-like. Add eggs in and gently whisk to combine. Add coconut oil and yogurt in and stir to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well to combine, pour the mixture into a loaf tin and set aside for 10 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40-45 minutes until cooked. Take it out of the oven and let it cool in a tin.
guacamole

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

GF Quinoa Blueberry Bake

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I wanted to make a treat for myself for breakfast/ lunch. Berries were the first thing that came across my mind. Something sweet, sour, coconut-y and delicious. Ingredients for this recipe are so simple. I think it is perfect for weekend breakfast or even healthy dessert with whipped coconut cream. Yum!
Quinoa blueberry bakeIngredients (makes 2)

1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp blueberry powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup frozen or fresh berries
pinch of salt

Lightly beat eggs in a mixing bowl. Add other ingredients into a bowl and combine well with a spatula. Pour the mixture into the ramekins and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 20-25 minutes until cooked.
Quinoa blueberry bake1

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

Spinach Onion Frittata

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frittataI had a bag of white onions from last week’s shopping and wanted to make something that shines onions. Pickles? Onion jam? Soup? Stuffed onions? Balsamic onion! I like making a big jar of it now and then, which can be added to home-made vegetarian patties, grilled meat or temphe, bean salads, etc. Today I made frittata using sweet balsamic onion along with spinach and peas. Eggs are packed full of protein, amino acids and 11 different vitamins and minerals. They are also easily digestible and jam packed with vitamin D and healthy cholesterol. This recipe is healthy, quick and easy to prepare, oodles of flavour and easy on your wallet. Any leftovers? Enjoy next morning for nutritious brekkie or in your lunch box. Great for either warm or cold x
frittata1Ingredient (serves 2-4)

Balsamic Onion
2 white onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp raw honey
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp thyme
a touch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Spinach Onion Frittata
1 cup of packed spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of green peas
1 cup of balsamic onion
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
4 eggs
50g grounded almond
1 tbsp sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

To make balsamic onion, heat coconut oil over medium heat in a pan, add sliced onions and cook until fragrant. Add other ingredients and cook until liquid is reduced. Take it off the heat and set aside. Crack the eggs in a large bowl and gently whisk. Add the rest of ingredients except sesame seeds into a bowl and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a baking tin, lined with baking paper, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Place in the preheated (180) oven for 40 minutes until cooked.

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

GF Banana Date Loaf

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Date loafI used to live in a house with a beautiful garden when I was up until 8 years old. I have great childhood memories there, helping my parents with gardening, riding a bicycle, playing with my dog and rabbits, having a little picnic lunch with friends when the sun was out, etc. There was an giant acasia tree, an orange tree, a jujube tree and all sorts. Fresh juicy fruits straight from the trees were delicious. Then we moved to an apartment. I’ve been living in an apartment with no garden or backyard pretty much since then. Well, good thing was that my parents didn’t have to spend every weekend looking after the garden as they both worked full-time. I felt safer and more convenient when I was home after school looking after my little brother. Oh, I miss my childhood when I could run around the garden in bare feet and be closer to the nature. We need more of that these days, don’t you agree? 🙂

You might have tried jujube either fresh or dried. Jujube (Korean date) is called Daechu in Korea. Fresh ones taste like a mini apple, crunchy, sweet and slightly sour. Dried ones are commonly used in Korean herbal medicine since they are anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antioxidant and are believed to alleviate stress. How to use dried jujube? You can make a jam or tea with dried jujube, cinnamon and honey, which I used to drink when I have coughing and flu symptoms. Add into a chicken soup to add more flavour or use in baking muffins and cakes. Korean jujube is definitely not as sweet as the dates you normally use, so add more of them or other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup or stevia.

Ingredients

1 cup of dried jujube
1/2 cup of strongly brewed chai tea
1 carrot, grated
1 large ripe banana
2 tbsp tahini
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
100g almond meal

Soak dried jujube in chai tea for 10-15 minutes to rehydrate them. In the mean time, mix grated carrot, meshed banana, tahini, eggs and honey in a large bowl. Drain, (preserve some of the tea), deseed and roughly chop the jujube. Add them into a bowl along with chia seeds, cinnamon, baking powder and almond meal. If the mixture is too dry, add a little bit of preserved tea. Combine well with a spatula and transfer to a loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 30-40 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool and enjoy.

 

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