GF Rooibos Scone

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The red bush tea a.k.a Rooibos tea from South Africa not only tastes amazing but also is incredibly good for you. It is naturally caffeine free and contains high antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese and zinc, which helps your bone health. Flavonoids in rooibos tea are known to relieve spasm, allergies and inflammation and help your digestion and restful sleep. Tea drinkers out there, worried about iron because of tannin in black tea? Rooibos tea actually supports iron absorption in your body unlike most other black tea since it contains less than half the tannins of black tea. The list goes on…improving blood circulation, relieving hypertension and diabetes, preventing premature aging, improving your skin tone. Wow! Are you amazed by this little beauty? I added brewed tea as well as loose tea in this gluten free scone recipe. It is crispy outside and fluffy inside, perfect as a snack with a cuppa. Enjoy x
rooibos sconeIngredients (makes 4 small scones)

3 teabags of vanilla rooibos tea
100g water to brew the tea
2 eggs
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp chia seeds
50g almond meal
50g coconut flour
50g buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt

Steep 3 teabags of vanilla rooibos in freshly boiled water and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, place all dry ingredients and combine together. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add in the rooibos tea (I added loose tea from one tea bag as well), honey and melted coconut oil. Mix dry and wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until combined. Spoon the batter onto a baking paper and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 15-20 minutes until golden. Take it out of the oven and let it cool on a rack. Enjoy with rooibos tea.

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

Home-made Chai Masala

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chai masala1
I am a coffee drinker first thing in the morning, otherwise enjoy herbal teas in the afternoon. This fragrant and spicy chai with a dash of milk and a tea spoon of honey is warm and delicious. Not only that, beautiful spices in the tea provide health benefits from their medicinal properties. Chai spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and ginger contains antioxidants and phytochemicals that prevent diabetes and cancers, support our immune system and boost metabolism. Chai tea also offsets sugar-cravings and relieve digestive problems which makes it perfect for an after-meal drink. If you’ve been having a chai tea from cafes, they either bring you one made from sugary powders or a teabag. But, trust me, making at home tastes heaps better, is healthier and is such a rewarding experience.
chai masalaIngredients

2 star anise powder
2 tsp ginger powder
1-2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp clove powder

1 black teabag
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp raw honey

Mix all spices together to make a chai mix. Brew black tea in 1/2 cup of hot water in a mug. Pour the black tea and 1/2 cup of milk into a small saucepan or milk pan. Gently heat the milk over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tsp of chai mix and 1 tsp of honey. When the milk comes to boil, turn off the heat and allow to steep for a few minutes. Strain into a cup and enjoy whilst hot. You can store the rest of chai mix in an air-tight container for later use. It is also wonderful adding into a plunger coffee or sprinkling over your coffee.

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

GF Zucchini Carrot Bread

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Zucchini carrot loafChickpea flour is readily available in health food shops, along with Indian, Italian and French grocers. It is also known as besan, chana flour, gram flour, cici flour and garbanzo bean flour. A good news is it is totally gluten-free and a fantastic substitute for wheat flour. Not done yet! Nutritionally better, as well. It has fewer calories and carbs than either whole-wheat or all-purpose white flour, yet it’s a better source of protein. Chickpea flour has double the amount of protein than whole-wheat flour and six times more than all-purpose flour. It’s an excellent source of folate, containing seven times more folate than whole-wheat flour. It even has more folate than enriched all-purpose flour. It also provides vitamin B-6, iron, magnesium and potassium. Only downfall of using chickpea flour is that cake or bread gets quite dense and it can leave a pasty taste when undercooked. So to solve that problem, I like mixing up with coconut flour or almond flour and slightly overcook to be safe. I added grated carrots and zucchini in this recipe to make the light savoury bread and served with a cashew cream cheese. It is great for on-the-go breakfast and afternoon snack.

Ingredients

3/4 chickpea flour
1/2 coconut flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup natural yogurt
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup zucchini noodles
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Add yogurt and whisk again. Add all other ingredients into a bowl and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into a baking tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 45-50 minutes until cooked. Take it out of the oven and let it cook in a tin. Serve with cashew cream cheese.

zucchini carrotloaf1

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

Raw Chai Spiced Buckwheat Porridge

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buckwheat porridgeIf you are stuck with same breakfast everyday, I strongly recommend making this nourishing and energising recipe. Raw buckwheat porridge seems to be so popular among healthy foodies on the web at the moment. It is super easy and quick to make, which is very important in busy mornings. All you need to do is rinse the soaked buckwheat and whiz up in your blender with other ingredients. It is also tasty and nutritious all thanks to gluten-free buckwheat.

Buckwheat offers many good health benefits – easily digestible protein, rich dietary fibre, antioxidants such as rutin, vitamin B complex, minerals like copper and magnesium. It is a good source of energy, low GI, grain-free, gluten-free and really easy on your digestion. What not to love about these little beauty! I used coconut cream for a rich tropical flavour and chai spice for a spicy and pungent goodness. Beautiful ingredients in chai (cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, black pepper, fennel, clove and nutmeg) are rich in antioxidants and vitalising, great for the first thing in the morning. I make a jar of chai spice and use for tea, coffee, porridge and baking. This porridge or smoothie (if you make it thinner) can last well in the fridge, so you can make ahead and even take it to work or gym if you like.

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats, soaked overnight
2 tbsp coconut cream
1 tbsp raw honey or any sweetener of your choice
1/2 tsp chai spice
1 tsp bee pollen

Soak buckwheat in water overnight. Rinse and drain next morning. Put buckwheat, coconut cream, honey and chai spice in a blender and process until smooth. Add a bit of water if too thick. Taste and adjust sweetness. Pour into bowls and garnish with bee pollen. You can also top with fresh fruits, toasted nuts, dried fruits, cacao nibs or superfood powder, whichever you fancy 🙂
raw buckwheat porridge

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

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

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spiced pumpkin muffinWe are all on a mission to incorporate more vegetables in your diet. Why is it so hard to squeeze in 5 servings of veggies everyday? Lunch and dinner is easier when you choose fresh salads or stir-fry or soup. Then what about breakfast? Are you rushing out with a slice of toast or none? I like making savoury goods for breakfast. The fun part is to experiment with a variety of different vegetables such as parsnip, zucchini, carrot, kale and beets. These muffins are well balanced with sweet pumpkin and beautiful spices. Seed toppings add not only crunchiness and nutty flavour but also extra nutrition. Pumpkin seeds contain high omega 3 and vital minerals like magnesium for your heart, zinc for men’s prostate health, iron for blood building and tryptophan for good night sleep. So enjoy baking, eat well and stay healthy x

Ingredients (makes 6)

1 cup of self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp all spice
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 cup pumpkin puree (peeled, chopped, steamed and meshed)
1/2 cup milk of your choice (adjust depending on your mixture)
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp raw honey (add more if you want sweet muffins)
pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for a sprinkle

Preheat the oven to 180 and line your muffin tin with a baking paper.  Add all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, combine meshed pumpkin, milk, melted coconut oil and honey. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry mixture and combine well with a spatula until all incorporated. You might need to add more or less milk depending on your pumpkin mixture. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin about 2/3 full and sprinkle pumpkin and sunflower seeds on top. Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked. Take it out of the oven and let it rest in a tin for 5 minutes then cool on a rack.
spiced pumpkin muffins

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