GF Beetroot Chocolate Cake

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Beetroot cacao cakeRoots are amazing nutrition-dense vegetables. Beets, turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, radish, yam, ginger, artichoke, celeriac, etc. They grow under ground which means they absorb good nutrition from the soil, full of antioxidants, vitamins and iron. Root veggies also have a slow-burning carbohydrates and fibre, which leaves you full longer and regulates blood sugar level.

Red sexy beets are available all year around, but best from summer to autumn. They’re full of beta-carotene and betalains, which are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory. I love using beetroots for its earthy and sweet flavour, great when roasted, pickled, grilled or even raw. Beets go really well with citrus fruits, berries, goat cheese, cumin, nuts and tahini.

I made this decadent chocolate cake using grated raw beetroot, cacao powder and almond meal. It is gluten-free, refined sugar-free and guilt-free. Beautiful rustic texture, moist and chocolatey! It will be also nice to add a shot of espresso or ground coffee for the dark and intense flavour next time.

Ingredients

1 cup of grated beetroot
20g of flaxseed meal
20g chia seeds
2 eggs
50g almond meal
50g buckwheat flour
50g raw cacao powder
1 tsp of grated ginger
1/2 cup of maple syrup
1 tbsp of coconut oil
a pinch of salt
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of baking powder
50g water

Add flaxseed meal, chia seeds and water into a bowl and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it’s set. Add eggs and maple syrup in and whisk gently. Then add other ingredients and combine well with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40 minutes or until cooked. Put a dollop of cream cheese frosting on top to serve.

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

Girly Lunch

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girly lunch
Having my friend coming over for lunch, I wanted to make something quick and easy, looking elegant, a bit of Korean and a bit of Western style. So I came up with these two dishes. Japchae is Korean stir-fried sweet potato noodles with soy-based sauce, whereas this noodles salad is inspired by Busan-style Japchae with spicy Gochujang sauce. I only cooked noodles underneath otherwise all veggies are raw and healthy. For the sauce, it is best to make it in advance so that the flavour gets all balanced and rich. You can find Gochujang paste at Korean or Asian grocery shops. Go easy on this sauce if you don’t like chili. This salad is totally vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Second dish is a great party finger food idea. This beautiful Tasmanian salmon gravlax is cured in sugar, salt and dill. It is moist, sweet, succulent and melting in your mouth, perfect match with savoury pancakes. I cannot wait to actually go to Tasmania and explore all the fresh seafood. I heard it is amazing. There you have it! Lunch is ready!
Noodle saladRaw Veggie Noodle Salad with Gochujang Sauce

Ingredients

200g of dried sweet potato noodles
1 carrot
1/2 cucumber
1 cup of bean sprouts
alfalfa sprouts
shredded nori for garnish

For the sauce
1/2 tsp Gochujang paste
1/2 tsp Korean chili flakes
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the noodles in boiling water until cooked, drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside. For the sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add noodles into the bowl and mix with the sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cut the noodles if too long. Arrange prepared veggies on top and garnish with shredded nori.
Salmon and pancakesSpring Onion Pancakes with Gravlax Salmon

Ingredients

1 bunch of spring onions
100g buckwheat flour
a pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
cold water
1 tbsp coconut oil

100g Gravlax salmon
2 tsp of capers

Wash the spring onions and peel off the outer layer if too tough. Mix buckwheat flour, finely chopped spring onions, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add water little by little while whisking until you get a pancake batter consistency, not too runny or thick. Heat coconut oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spoon the batter into a pan and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with salmon and capers on top.

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

Spiced Tofu with Pumpkin and Kale

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Tofu and KaleIf there was no chilli in this world, food would taste so boring and tasteless. There are many spicy dishes in Korean cuisine and I grew up with them. So I get a chilli craving quite often. It can be painful depending on how hot it is, but I like a hit of capsaicin rushes the endorphin through my body and pleasure with each mouthful of fire. Never mind, you get runny nose, steaming eyes and throbbing mouth. It is so weird you tend to keep going back despite that. Daniel had a few occasions of this chilli “pain” when I hand over a piece of chilli I’ve already had a bite. I know it is hot, almost burning my tongue, but want to share with Daniel because I love him so much:) He should know by now the chilli I put in his mouth is almost always hot, but he doesn’t seem to mind to take it. Strangely addictive!

You will be pleased to know eating chilli is good for you. Chilli is an excellent source of vitamin A, B, C and E, seven more times more vitamin C than an orange! More importantly, the capsaicin contains beta-carotene which is a powerful antioxidant. It also increases your metabolism, which means eating chilli can help you lose weight. Other benefits are decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced inflammation, improved digestive system, maintaining bone health and lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

An excellent source of vitamin A, B, C and E, the humble chilli is packed with goodness including minerals like molybdenum, manganese, folate, potassium and copper. Incredibly, chilli contains seven more times vitamin C than an orange. – See more at: http://www.bodytrim.com.au/the-health-benefits-of-chilli#sthash.3m3L61Qt.dpuf

If you are a lover of tofu and spiciness, you will like this dish. I made a jar of harissa with birds eye chilli, cayenne pepper, chilli flakes, smoked paprika, garlic, onion and olive oil. A teaspoon is spicy enough for a whole dish like this. But if you prefer mild spiciness, you can choose to add chopped green chillies in without seeds instead. Add more or less of any ingredient to suit your taste.

Ingredients

1/2 block of firm tofu
1 cup of kale
1/2 cup of diced pumpkin
2 tsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of harissa paste
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1/2 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1 tsp of fennel seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and tear kale into bite sizes. Dice the pumpkin into small cubes. Slice the firm tofu and remove excess water with a paper towel. Preheat a pan over a medium heat. Add coconut oil, harissa and garlic first. Then add pumpkin and kale into a pan, keep stirring and cook for 10 minutes or until pumpkin is cooked. Transfer to a serving plate. Add prepared tofu into the same pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Sprinkle smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side. Arrange pan-fried tofu on sauteed kale and top with sesame seeds and fennel seeds. You can also serve this over rice or noodles.

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

GF Berry Crumble

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As the temperature drops down, I am craving for more warm, sweet and tasty breakfast. I don’t normally eat or make crumbles but felt like making one this morning out of the blue. I know it is more of a summery dessert with cream or ice cream on top, but mine is healthier, tastier and I think it is perfect for cold mornings. To top it off, I added a drizzle of Canadian pure maple syrup that my brother-in-law got me after his awesome trip to Canada. Beautiful caramel-like yet light sweetness goes really well with berries.

Coconut flour is made by drying and grinding the meat of a coconut. It is full of fibre and protein, leaving you full for longer and stable blood sugar level. It is also naturally gluten free, giving you no inflammatory allergy reaction to your body. It can be a bit tricky though because if you replace normal flour with coconut flour 100%, it will be crumbly and dense. I’ve been there and don’t want to be there again >.< I also find different brands have different texture and water content. So you need to experiment, control the amount of the liquid going into the batter and mix with other flours like almond flour, oat flour, buckwheat flour, etc.
Berry CrumbleIngredients

500g of mixed berries
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp of cardamom powder
1 tsp of vanilla bean powder
1 tbsp of maple syrup
a squeeze of lemon

For crumble
1 cup of rolled oats
1 tbsp of coconut flour
1 tbsp of almond meal
2 tbsp of coconut oil
a pinch of salt

Toss berries in spices and maple syrup in a large bowl. Transfer to a baking dish. Mix all crumble ingredients and make a crumbly dough with your hands. Pour the mixture over the fruits and bake in the preheated oven (200) for 20-30 minutes or until golden on top. Serve warm with thick natural yogurt and maple syrup.

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

Carob Prune Protein Balls

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Carob Prune BallsCarob powder is similar to cocoa and cacao, but doesn’t have caffeine. So if you get headaches or restless nights after eating chocolates, carob may be a better choice for you. It has less calories than cocoa and is also naturally fat-free. I find it tastes naturally sweeter so you don’t have to add as much in recipes. I have used dates to make power balls so far, but experimented with prunes today.

Prunes are also high in minerals and vitamin C and K. They are good for your digestion, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. If you are sensitive to high fructose, then it is better to use other dried fruits instead of dates.

Nuts are all good for you. I like using different kinds of nuts here. Cashew for creamy texture and iron, zinc and copper, almonds for calcium and vitamin E, walnuts for healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Feel free to use other kinds, too. Brazil nuts for selenium, macadamia nuts for thiamin, hazel nuts for manganese and vitamin B6, peanuts for protein. Go nuts and make some power balls x

Ingredients

1 cup of prunes
1/2 cup of rolled oats
1 cup of mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts)
1 scoop of whey protein powder
1 tbsp of carob powder
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend well. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit of water. If too wet, add some more oats or nuts. Make little balls and keep in an air-tight container in the fridge.

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