Broiled Grapefruit with Cinnamon Cottage Cheese

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It can be quite warm or cold in March being a transition from summer to autumn in Perth. One day it is 30+ degrees, next day it drops down to 20. How crazy is that? I took advantage of the cool morning making these broiled grapefruit beauties for a snack. I never made or tasted it before, so was curious about how it would turn out. It is simple to make though I was so impressed with its bittersweet flavour and radiant pink colour. Perfect brunch or snack for chilly weather when it’s served warm with a bit of cheese or yogurt. Highly recommended!

Broiled GrapefruitIngredients

1 Grapefruit
1 tsp of maple syrup or agave or honey
1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
100g cottage cheese

Wash the grapefruit and cut it in half. Cut around the outside of the grapefruit to loosen them. Drizzle maple syrup. Broil for about 3-5 minutes until caramelised on top (don’t burn!). Serve warm with cottage cheese and sprinkle of cinnamon and vanilla. Other serving options? with yogurt, granola, breakfast muffin.

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

Mini Hummingbird Bundt Cake

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Hummingbird Cake
Hummingbird cake is a banana pineapple spice cake with a cream cheese frosting from the United States. I have no idea why it is called Hummingbird cake and no one does? The recipe was published by Mrs. Wiggin in Southern Living Magazine in 1978 and was elected the magazine’s favorite recipe in 1990. Some say that the cake is so delicious it makes you hum with happiness while others think the cake is named because it’s sweet enough for hummingbirds (hummingbirds will select only the sweetest of nectar to drink). The first one sounds good to me 🙂 I made little changes to the traditional recipe using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, reducing the amount of sugar (hummingbirds might not like this), using coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, using flaxseed meal instead of eggs and cottage cheese for frosting. It is similar to making a carrot cake, simply mixing all wet ingredients and dry ingredients, no stand mixer needed. Either making with the traditional recipe or making changes like me, it is lovely using fruits and veggies in baking, a little healthier I guess. And the house smelled incredible while it was being baked in the oven. Beautiful moist flavoursome cake! Try today or weekend…

Hummingbird Cake1Ingredients

150g self-raising flour
50g fine dessicated coconut
50g coconut sugar
1 grated carrot
1 mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup chopped pineapple
1/4 grounded walnut
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of molasses
1 tsp of vanilla bean powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of coriander ground
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of baking soda
100g milk
10g flaxseed meal
a pinch of Himalayan salt

For frosting
1 tbsp of low fat cottage cheese
1 tbsp of raw honey
a handful of walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180. To make flax “eggs”, mix flaxseed meal and milk in a bowl and set aside. Combine grated carrot, mashed banana, coconut oil, coconut sugar and molasses in a separate bowl and then mix with flax “eggs”. Add all dry ingredients (sifted flour and spices) into the wet mixture. Stir to combine with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking tin and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked. Cool it down and spread frosting on top.

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

Bulgogi and Wild Rice Pudding

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Bulgogi Our dinner tonight is Bulgogi with bok-choy and rice noodles, and wild rice pudding for dessert. Bulgogi is a popular Korean dish, grilled marinated thin beef. I normally marinade the meat overnight in soy sauce, cooking wine, garlic, ginger, onions, chili and sesame oil. When you cook the meat, make sure the pan is nice and hot and don’t crowd the pan otherwise you are stewing, not stir-frying. Add salt and pepper at the end. It is thinly sliced rib-eye or sirloin steak so you don’t need to cook for too long. It is yummy on rice or noodles with veggies on the side. Then we had wild rice pudding with tropical fruits for desserts, which I liked more than the main. I don’t normally like rice pudding as a dessert, but this one is different. Wild rice or forbidden rice has a beautiful purple colour when cooked, releases a nutty perfume and gives a nice bite when you chew. It is so divine and delicious! You can add any kind of fruits on top. Bananas, caramelised pear, blueberries, passion fruit, you name it. You can also serve this for breakfast, yum! You wouldn’t be able to skip this kind of breakfast, would you? If you are not into coconut milk, use non-dairy milk such as oat milk, almond milk or soy milk. Feel free to change the recipe depending on your taste.

Black Rice PuddingIngredients

100g wild rice
200g coconut milk
1 tsp of vanilla powder
1 tsp of cacao powder
1 tsp of maple syrup
a pinch of Himalayan salt
slices of mango, strawberry, pomegranate and coconut for topping

Rinse and soak the rice for overnight or a few hours to shorten the cooking time. Add coconut milk, vanilla powder, cacao powder and a pinch of salt into the pot and bring it up to boil. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir frequently and add more coconut milk if needed. Add maple syrup at the end. Take it off the heat and pour into the bowl. Top with your favorite fruits and serve either hot or cold.

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

Chocolate Bark with Candied Honey Bacon and Pepitas

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Bacon ChocolateHave you had bacon in sweets? I was surprised how many sweets you can create with bacon. Bacon pretzels, bacon ice cream, chocolate bacon, bacon brownie, cupcakes topped with candied bacon… Wow they all sound quirky and amazing! I remember a friend of mine ordered the bacon on waffles with maple syrup when we had brunch together, which I thought it was a very odd combination. Then another time when Daniel and I went to his friend’s BBQ, Michelle made a bacon ice cream. It even made me a bit squeamish, how is that edible? So I had to experiment this bacon in chocolate today. Verdict? Surprisingly I don’t mind it. If you love bacon, if you love chocolate and if you love salty-sweet combination, give it a go. Maybe I can try it in brownies next time? Poor Daniel.. my ginny pig 🙂

Ingredients

4 pieces of rindless bacon
200g dark chocolate buttons
1 tbsp of honey
1/2 cup of pepitas
1 tsp of Himalayan salt
1/2 cup of coconut oil

Place bacon on a baking sheet and drizzle honey all over. Put it in the preheated oven (180) for 30-40 minutes until caramelised. Turn the bacon over about half way and add pepitas last 10 minutes. Cool it down until crisp. Melt the chocolate buttons and coconut oil either in microwave or in double-boiler until it’s all melted and smooth. Cut the bacon into pieces and arrange on a baking paper. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bacon and sprinkle toasted pepitas and salt. Place in the freezer for an hour or more to set.Once the bark is firm, break into pieces and store in the air-tight container in the fridge.

Bacon Chocolate2

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

GF Pumpernickel

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When I started having issues with gluten and wheat, I felt so lost because I didn’t know where it came from. When I go out for brunch or eat out at the restaurant, I have a small bite of bread, which can give me a world of pain for the following few days. I developed a fear eating outside because you just don’t know what ingredients they use. Luckily most restaurants have a gluten-free menu now and you can ask for options. Hallelujah! There are many kinds of gluten-free flours available at supermarkets these days, along with many “all purpose” gluten free flour blends that are designed to be an easy to use replacement for wheat flour. I’ve made (well..played with) some gluten-free muffins and bread at home. It is hard to produce the same taste and texture like normal bread due to not using regular flours. I am still experimenting. I’ve listed a few of my favorite alternatives to wheat flour. It’s not a single substitution for wheat-free alternative flours as gluten is responsible for wheat flour’s incredible binding, stretching and rising abilities. In general, a combination of different gluten-free flours is used to create flavor, texture, and balance.

My favorite gluten-free, wheat-free flours are

  • Almond flour: Baking or cooking with this flour, made from pulverized, blanched almonds, is a surefire way to add extra bone-building calcium to your diet: A half-cup serving has 12 percent of your daily requirement–six times the amount of that in “light” whole-wheat flour. Almond flour is also high in vitamin E and monounsaturated fat. This and other nut flours — such as chestnut and hazelnut, macadamia and pistachio — add protein and vibrant taste to gluten-free baking.
  • Bean flours: Dried beans can be ground into flours as easily as grains can. Chickpea flour — also known as garbanzo bean or ceci flour — makes a memorable flatbread in the south of France. Lentil flour shows up in Indian cuisine. Even fava beans become flour, and show up in some commercial gluten-free baking mixes.
  • Rice flour: The starchiness of short-grain rice makes it the perfect candidate for rice flour. Smooth and finely ground, sweet rice flour thickens sauces and gravies so well that no one eating them can tell they are gluten-free.
  • Tapioca flour: This is also known as tapioca starch (just to confuse us). Its starchiness makes it an excellent gluten-free flour, but it must be used in combination with other flours to make great baked goods.
  • Buckwheat flour: Buckwheat is a strong, earthy-flavored flour, available in light and dark varieties. Use light-colored flour for best results in gluten-free recipes. Buckwheat flour adds protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals to gluten-free recipes and can be used to make delicious pancakes.
  • Gluten-free oats: Oats, with nutty taste and chewy texture, add protein, soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals to gluten free recipes. Use gluten-free oats and oat flour in bread, pancake, muffin, cookie, cake, granola and muesli recipes.
  • Quinoa flour: Quinoa is available as a whole seed, flakes and flour. The seed can be used to replace rice and barley in pilaf, couscous and soup recipes. Quinoa flakes can be used as a substitute for rolled oats. Quinoa flour has a somewhat strong, bitter flavor, can be used in small amounts in gluten-free mixes and baking recipes to improve nutritional quality.
  • Coconut flour: Coconut flour can be used in small quantities in gluten-free recipes to increase fiber content. It is almost 60% fiber, is high in fats and lower in carbohydrates than other GF flours. Coconut flour works best in recipes that include eggs and has a short shelf life. Refrigerate baked goods made with coconut flour to prevent spoilage.
  • Soy flour: Can be used like brown rice or corn flour. Has a heavy beany flavor and works best if used in combination with a moist flour, such as tapioca or sweet white rice flour.
  • Flaxseed meal: Substituting 1/4 of a flour mixture with flaxseed meal to add a hearty touch to whatever you are baking. Store in freezer to keep the nutritional value of these amazing little seeds.

Pumpernickel
Gluten Free Pumpernickel Loaf

Ingredients

4 eggs
33g almond meal
50g coconut flour
25g buckwheat flour
30g cocoa powder
1 tsp of ground coffee
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of molasses
1 tsp of carraway seeds
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
a pinch of salt

Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix with coconut oil, molasses and coffee ground. Add all dry ingredients and combine well. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin and transfer to the preheated oven (180) for 30-40 minutes until cooked. Cool it down before cutting. This pumpernickel has a light and cakey texture. You can cut thinly and toast again which gives you more a crunchy, biscuit-like texture.

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