Shakshuka

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ShakshukaI’m a big fan of one pot meals – easy, simple and efficient. I made Shakshuka for lunch today. Have you heard of it? Shakshuka (meaning “a mixture” in Arabic) is a Arabic dish, originated in North Africa. The star of the dish is gently poached eggs in a bed of tomato sauce, chili, onion and cumin, served in a skillet with bread. I think it is a lovely breakfast and also light dinner menu. Light, tasty, warm and comforting! Feel free to replace eggs with tofu if you want it vegetarian x

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 onion
1 carrot
1 potato
1 cauliflower floret
1 chili pepper
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup of water or vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
a handful of coriander for garnish

Heat a large skillet or saute pan on medium heat. Heat coconut oil in a pan, add chopped onion and garlic and saute till mixture is fragrant. Add other veggies, stock and spices in and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced. Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for a couple of minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your preference.  Garnish with chopped coriander and serve warm in a skillet.
Shakshuka1

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

GF Apple Tahini Loaf

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apple tahini loafTahini is a paste made of sesame seeds. It is high in vitamins A, E, F and T, as well as B vitamins, biotin, and choline. Tahini is also 20 percent complete protein – higher than most nuts, great for vegetarians and vegans. Tahini is also high in minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, and phosphorus, and is an excellent source of calcium. I like using it in salad dressing, hummus, power balls and spreads. I’m sure you all know the slices of apple and nut butter is a good flavour combination as well as a great snack between meals. I added a table spoon of tahini in the loaf batter and used another table spoon to drizzle over the cake. It tastes beautiful and also adds more nutrition to this guilt-free cake. You can also add some chopped dates or walnut in this recipe if you like.

Ingredients

1 Granny Smith apple
3 eggs
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp unhulled tahini paste
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp flaxseed meal
1/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla bean powder
a pinch of salt

Gently beat eggs, melted coconut oil, 1 tbsp of tahini paste and maple syrup in a large bowl. Add all dry ingredients into a bowl and combine well with a spatula. Pour the half of the mixture into a prepared loaf tin, put the layer of sliced or grated apples, then pour the rest of the mixture over the apples, and top with more apples on top. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 45 minutes until cooked. Take it out of the oven and cool down in a tin for 10 minutes. Mix 1 tbsp of tahini with yogurt in a small bowl. Drizzle over the cake and sprinkle cinnamon before serve.

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

GF Coconut Pumpkin Loaf

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You can make this harvest pumpkin bread with the canned pumpkin puree, but I really recommend using fresh roasted ones. Roasting a pumpkin is super easy. Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and clean, place in the oven, and bake until soft (30-60 minutes depending on the size of the pumpkin). This creates a beautiful sweetness which the canned ones cannot replicate. Of course, it is healthier for you too. I had no bread at all for years since I started having trouble with gluten, but now I can bake my own creation at home (sometimes fail though >.<) and enjoy a slice or more everyday. This bread is naturally sweet from pumpkin, aromatic from the spices, has a good amount of healthy fat from almond flour and chia seeds and very filling thanks to fibres in coconut flour. You can sprinkle some more pumpkin seeds on top to make more pumpkin-y or cinnamon spiced cream cheese frosting if you have a sweet tooth.
Pumpkin Coconut LoafIngredients

100g almond flour
50g coconut flour
50g pumpkin puree
4 eggs
50g coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
a pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of vanilla extract
a pinch of saffron

In a cup or small bowl, set the saffron to infuse in the hot water. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and stir in the saffron water. Add all other ingredients and combine well with a spatula. Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 50 minutes or until cooked.

 

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

Pink Peppercorns in Desserts

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Pink peppercorns have slightly spicy, sweet, fruity and floral taste. Adding these little jewels into your dish can create a beautiful complexity and extra hint of warmth, especially desserts like chocolate, ice cream and popcorn. Get popcorn instantly with the Popcorn Delivery of Vics Popcorn. It is so fragile and delicate, so you need to crush with a knife or spice grinder, not a pepper mill. I like having them on cheese, with chocolate, crushing onto poached eggs or mixing into a vinaigrette. I felt like something sweet tonight but not too heavy. So this cantaloup with pink peppercorn maple syrup was perfect to satisfy my sweet tooth, yum! Remember melons straight after meal can disturb your digestion, so have this dessert at least 30 minutes after dinner. Of course, if you can wait 🙂 Second recipe is chocolate muffins with pink peppercorns.
Pink PeppercornIngredients (adapted from Bon Appetit)

sliced cantaloupe (rock melon)
1/2 cup of maple syrup
a squeeze of lemon
1/2 tsp of vanilla bean powder
1 tsp of pink peppercorns
a pinch of sea salt

Simply warm up the maple syrup, vanilla and pink peppercorns in a saucepan. Drizzle on the slices of cantaloupe and sprinkle a good quality sea salt to serve.
Chocolate MuffinIngredients

1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp of melted coconut oil
1 tbsp of cacao powder
1/2 tsp of vanilla bean powder
1/2 tsp of baking powder
a pinch of salt
pink peppercorns to garnish

Combine all wet ingredients and dry ingredients. Stir well to combine and spoon the mixture into a muffin tray. Sprinkle pink peppercorns on top. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 20-25 minutes until cooked.

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

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