Banana Bread

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Banana BreadPeople buy nice yellow looking bananas for a snack and then when it goes bad, they make banana bread. Me? I buy bananas to make this banana bread. Sometimes I have to wait for days until the black dots appear on the skin. Yes, Time for baking! This recipe is so simple and quick to make, no technical baking skills required. You need to mash the bananas, mix all ingredients and bake in the oven. I like chunky bits of bananas, nicely browned outside and moist inside. No refined sugar or butter used here, so relatively healthy. It is even more delicious next day as the flavour develops. Well, only if you can wait:) Try whipped cream cheese with cinnamon and honey on the slice of toasted banana bread for your breakfast or with your morning tea. It is to die for!
Banana Bread1Ingredients

200g self-raising flour
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
50g of coconut sugar
50g of rolled oats
1 tbsp of flaxseed meal
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
a pinch of salt
dash of milk if mixture is too dry

Mash the bananas with a fork in a large bowl. Add eggs, sugar and oil and whisk to combine. Add all dry ingredients and fold to combine (batter is thick and chunky). Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 45-50 minutes until cooked. Cool it down and serve with cinnamon-honey cream cheese.

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

GF Anti-inflammatory Acai Berry Loaf

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There are so many ways to reduce the inflammation in your body through the foods that you eat. Remember that foods high in sugar and saturated fat are going to encourage inflammation because the balance between omega-6 from processed fast foods and omega-3 from fish, nuts and healthy oils becomes out of whack. In short, a diet high in omega-6s and low in omega-3s increases inflammation in the body. So try to eat fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains which are naturally low in fat. Eat a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts. Avoid refined foods and processed foods. Love your spices such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and curry. This gluten-free, dairy-free loaf contains three anti-inflammatory ingredients below- superb!

  • Chia seeds: Chia is one of the most potent sources of plant based omega 3. Omega 3 is the ultimate anti-inflammatory food.
  • Nuts: Almonds are possibly the strongest fighter of inflammation, but all nuts have essential fatty acids and Omega 3.
  • Berries: Acai contains anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant, which is also common in red and purple colour fruits such as grapes and blueberries. Blueberries are fantastic for preventing intestinal inflammation while raspberries can help with arthritis.

I love baking with flaxmeal, coconut flour and almond meal, which are essential in my pantry. Coconut flour is amazing! You get a nice coconut-y flavour and extra fibre which makes you full longer, but remember it absorbs a lot of liquid and the loaf gets quite crumbly and dense. Have fun baking x

Acai Berry Loaf1Ingredients

20g flaxseed meal
100g water
75g coconut flour
35g almond meal
30g chia seeds
1 tbsp of Acai berry powder
1 tsp of vanilla bean powder
3 tbsp of maple syrup
1 tbsp of coconut oil
100g coconut milk
a pinch of salt
1 tsp of baking powder
goji berries, cacao nibs and buckwheat for garnish

Mix flaxseed meal with 100g water and set aside for 10 minutes to make flax “eggs”. Add maple syrup, coconut oil, coconut milk into a bowl and combine with flax “eggs”. Add other ingredients in and mix well. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin, sprinkle goji berries, cacao nibs and buckwheat on top and press gently into the batter. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out dry.

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

Healthy Shepherd’s Pie

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Shepherd's pieShepherd’s pie is something I never knew about before I came to Australia. The name doesn’t really explain what it is. Pie? What kind of pie? Then I was surprised when I saw it because there was no pie crust or pastry used in the dish. Healthy pie? relatively. I had to google what the cottage pie is then because it really confuses me when people use the names interchangeably. This is what I found (you might already know>.<). The term cottage pie from England and Ireland (1791) came long before Shepherd’s pie (1870). Cottage pie used minced beef and sliced potatoes layered on top whereas Shepherd’s used minced lamb with mashed potatoes spread on top. I never thought I would make this, but yes for Daniel. It is very hearty, wintery, comforting food. I tried to make a healthier version using lean beef, lots of veggies and also cauliflower in the mash. You can even skip the beef and make a vegetarian dish, too.   

Ingredients

400g lean ground beef
1 onion
1 carrot
1 potato
1 stalk of celery
1 cup of frozen peas
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of all spice
1 tsp of thyme
salt and pepper

1 tbsp of olive oil1/2 cup almond milk
1 tbsp of rice flour
2 tbsp of nutritional yeast
1 potato
1 cup of chopped cauliflower florets

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the meat and chopped veggies until brown, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and all spices in, season with salt and pepper, cook for another 5-10 minutes. Add a bit of water if the mixture is too dry. In a separate pot, cook chopped potatoes and cauliflower until cooked. Mash until smooth and stir in the oil, milk, nutritional yeast and flour. Pour the meat mixture into the baking dish and spread the potato mixture on top. Put it in the preheated oven (180) for 20-30 minutes until nice and golden on top.

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

Gluten-free, Potato-free, Healthy Polenta Chips

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The change in temperature has given me an opportunity to cook some robust warming food that I’ve had in my mind during hot summer. Yes, making casseroles, stews and soups and baking! That’s why my oven has been so busy every day.

Polenta is grounded corn meal – both gluten-free and wheat-free. It is rich in carbohydrates and insoluble fibre, low GI (stabilising your blood sugar level) and contains a good range of vitamins and minerals. It is so versatile to use. When you cook in a pot and serve immediately, it is like mashed potatoes, a creamy base for stew or casserole. Then it transforms to a hard block when it’s set in the fridge. You can cut into little cubes, pan-fry and add into your salad, just like croutons. You can also cut into squares or rounds, add your favorite toppings and make gluten-free crostini. Or you can cut into strips and make this healthy oven-baked polenta chips.

How to cook? I add a cup of polenta in a sauce pan and pour 4 cups of water. Turn on the heat, bring it up to a boil, simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes. You need to keep stirring making sure there is no lumps, and add a bit of more water if the mixture is too thick. Don’t forget to season or add some flavours such as using stock or milk instead of water, adding grated Parmesan cheese and adding in some herbs.

It is actually not as hard as it sounds. You just need to get the consistency and seasoning right. Once it is cooled down and set in the fridge, take it out and cut into little strips. Season and spray some oil. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, flipping half-way through. It should be golden brown outside and fluffy inside. As the baking process drives moisture from the polenta, the flavour will be more concentrated and corn-y.

It is a healthy alternative to normal deep fried potato chips at your dinner table. Also a great afternoon snack when you feel like something but not quite dinner yet. Or serve as a savoury nibble when your guests arrive at the dinner party? Serve with herb-y salt like rosemary or sage, tomato-chili sauce, chive-cottage dip, or sun-dried tomato humus.
Polenta Chips

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

Roasted Cabbage Salad

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How can something simple like this be so tasty? I’m talking about a cabbage roasted in the oven with a drizzle of oil and salt and pepper. Crispy, caramelised, smokey flavour on the edges of the cabbage and in contrast, buttery and sweet inside. It is not only inexpensive and super simple to make but also does all good things to your body.

Cabbage is a powerful antioxidant and an abundant source of vitamin C (actually richer than oranges) and vitamin K (good for your bone health). It also contains a good amount of minerals like potassium important for controlling heart rate and blood pressure, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Cabbage has a number of anti-cancer compounds, like lupeol, sinigrin, and sulforaphane, which are known to inhibit the growth of tumors. It is often used as a treatment for constipation, stomach ulcers, headaches, obesity, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, scurvy, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, eye disorders, heart diseases, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Roasted CabbageIngredients

1/2 cabbage
1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tbsp coconut oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp of olive oil
crumbled feta for garnish

Place wedged on a baking sheet. Toss with coconut oil, smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven (200) for 30-40 minutes until the edges of the cabbage is golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Squeeze a lemon over the salad. Sprinkle crumbled feta and drizzle olive oil for garnish.

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