Raw Berry Cashew Cheese Cake

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Having a handful of nuts everyday is good for you because nuts have a moderate amount of protein (9-20%) and high quantity of essential fat (49-74% total fat). They are also a good source of fibre, a range of essential nutrients, especially vitamin B and vitamin E, minerals like iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium and anti-oxidant compounds. Increasing nut consumption is NOT going to cause a weight gain, however, you need to enjoy in moderation and replace them for less nutritious foods such as chips and sugary snacks. So how much is recommended daily? 30-50 grams which correspond to

  • 20 almonds
  • 15 cashews
  • 20 hazelnuts
  • 15 macadamias
  • 15 pecans
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 60 pistachios in shells (30 g of kernels)
  • 10 whole walnuts or 20 walnut halves
  • a small handful of mixed nuts

As per my previous post, it is better to soak your nuts for your digestion. I find an easy way is making a nut-based “cheese” cake and enjoying a slice a day to have your daily nut intake. They are absolutely raw, pre-soaked and blended for you with a pack of flavour. Make this cake (about 6-7 servings) on the weekend and enjoy for a week. So easy!

Raw Berry CakeIngredients

For the base
100g mixed nuts (I used cashew, almonds, walnuts)
1 table spoon of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1 tablespoon of nutmeg
5 Medjool dates
a pinch of salt

For the filling
100g raw cashew nuts (soaked 4-5 hours or overnight)
100g frozen mixed berries
1 table spoon of coconut oil
1 table spoon of maple syrup or honey

Place the base ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it all comes together. Scoop out the mixture and spread in a spring-form pan. Press firmly and set in the fridge. Now onto the filling. Put all filling ingredients in a food processor and whiz up until smooth. Then pour the mixture onto the crust and smooth with a spatula. Place in the freezer for a few hours to set. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices to serve. Keep the rest in the freezer. Enjoy with berries on the side or just by itself x

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

GF Ravioli and Raw Zucchini Ribbon Salad

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GF ravioli
Believe or not, I’ve never ordered ravioli or any other pasta dishes at Italian restaurant. I remember when I went out with work people for Christmas party a few years ago. We all went to this very popular Italian restaurant in town. Well some people ordered pizza, pasta, lasagna, you know all the traditional Italian foods. I ordered a bowl of salad (a safe option for being gluten-sensitive) and Daniel ordered a steak. Everyone laughed at us not ordering any Italian foods at Italian restaurant. I still don’t order those although they offer a gluten-free option. It tastes quite heavy to me. When I was browsing some food blogs, I came across this blog called “Dolly and Oatmeal” based in NY. Her blog has beautiful photographs and simple recipes that I fell in love. This ravioli is inspired by her.

You should all have some leftover rice papers in your pantry. Well I do! If you don’t, you can get them from any Asian groceries or in the Asian food aisle at the local supermarket. Handling rice papers can be a little bit tricky because it gets sticky and messy when you dip it in water too long. So you might need to play with it and practice until you get the hang of it. I like making rice paper rolls using fresh crisp vegetables and now making this gluten free ravioli! You can put any kind of fillings such as pesto, cheese, tofu, etc. I had a jar of chilli-capsicum chutney made up in the fridge, so decided to try with it. The bright red colour actually went so well with the green zucchini salad.

GF Ravioli1
Ingredients

For the ravioli
Rice papers

Fillings
Dried chilli
Char grilled capsicum
a teaspoon of coconut oil
a teaspoon of smoked paprika
a teaspoon of cardamom powder
Himalayan salt

For the salad
1 zucchini
1 cup of arugula leaves
1 cup of sliced celery
a teaspoon of fennel seeds

Maple vinaigrette
a table spoon of coconut vinegar
a teaspoon of e.v.o.o
a teaspoon of maple syrup
a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
a squeeze of orange juice
salt and pepper to taste

Dip the rice paper in water until soft and set it on the plate. Put dollops of chutney fillings on the rice paper. Dip the second piece of rice paper in water and then put it over the bottom piece. Get rid of air bubbles using a knife to make little cuts and create a seal around the filling. You might want to use a bit of oil in your finger to handle the rice papers since it can be quite sticky. Use a cookie cutter or a sharp knife to cut the ravioli. For the salad, I simply mixed ribboned zucchini, sliced celery, arugula leaves and fennel seeds. Then tossed with the maple vinaigrette. A beautiful fresh summer salad! You can make this to impress your loved ones or it is a perfect entree on a special day.

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

GF Black Bean Brownies

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Black beansYes, dessert can be healthy yet still delicious! I like putting savory ingredients in sweets e.g. beetroot, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, beans. It really fools you! They don’t taste like beans at all, but adds an amazing flavour and consistency. Rich, dark, moist, chocolatey and fudgy. Just the way the brownie should be! Trust me on this. You will fall in love with this after the first bite. From a health point of view, it is gluten-free, sugar-free and guilt-free. This brownie has a good amount of protein from beans and eggs, which means it fills you up and stabilises your blood sugar level unlike other desserts that are commonly full of sugar and empty calories. Great for a breakfast if you have a sweet tooth, a snack with a cuppa, even a satisfying yummy dessert with a glass of red 🙂

Black bean brownie 2Cacao powder – well known superfood. The best source of magnesium and anti-oxidants.
Almonds – high in essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E
Black beans – very high in fibre, folate, protein, anti-oxidants, an amazing longevity food!
Cinnamon – natural anti-infectious components, contains fibre, calcium, iron and manganese
Chia – very high in fibre, omega 3, a complete protein, anti-oxidants
Maple syrup – an anti-oxidant powerhouse. contains anti-inflammatory compounds, essential minerals like zinc, iron, calcium, and potassium. helps with digestion and muscle recovery

Black bean brownie

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked black beans and adzuki beans
50g almond meal
25g cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 table spoon of chia seeds
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/3 cup of maple syrup
3 eggs
a pinch of salt

Soak dried black beans over night. Wash well and cook in a boiling water until soft and tender. Drain and mash them with the back of the fork. Add all wet ingredients in a mixing ball, and then dry ingredients. Combine well making sure there is no lumps. Pour into the baking tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40 minutes until cooked.

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

Chilled Green Soup

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Chilled Green SoupI probably have a bowl of soup 4-5 days a week in winter. That’s how much I like a hearty flavoursome soup, but having a soup in hot summer is a bit of challenge. I made this cold soup with leftover veggies in the fridge. It’s a great way of using up the leftover, especially all the tough stems of celery, broccoli, coriander, spring onion, leek, etc. Do not waste those bottom bits because there is so much goodness in them and they actually taste awesome. You can make a chilled soup like this or use for making your own vegetable stock.

Okay, I added some spices for a kick, but leave them out if you want. You can also strain the soup after pureeing for a smooth silky soup, but I actually like a bit of texture and fibre in my soup, so I skipped that step. If you are into a creamy rich soup, add more dairy like milk and creme. I just topped with a pinch of saffron here, but for a more crunch and flavour, you can add some roasted nuts or roasted pancetta. Enjoy x

Chilled Green Soup2Ingredients

1 chopped onion
1 cup of broccoli
1 cup of celery
1 cup of zucchini
a handful of coriander stem
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
a pinch of saffron
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
stock or watersalt and pepper to taste

Cook chopped vegetables with coconut oil in a large pot until cooked. Season and add turmeric powder and cayenne pepper as they cook. Add stock or water, bring it up to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. Puree the soup with a stick blender. Pour into soup bowls and sprinkle saffron. Chill the soup in the fridge for an hour or more. Top with a dollop of creme before serve if you wish.

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

Love of Spices

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I go to Kakula’s for the spice shopping on the weekend. It is fun to look around different spices, grains, beans and nuts. I’m not a spice expert, but always keep them in my pantry and try to use them a lot in my cooking. So here it is some health benefits of my favorite spices and a gluten-free muffin recipe 🙂

Ginger

Light yellow in color and strong-smelling, some claim ginger to be the “wonder spice” for all of its health benefits. If you’re feeling nauseous or have an upset stomach, ginger can help get rid of these nuisances. From poor digestion to even sore joints, chew on a bit or add some to a hot drink because ginger has the nutritional properties that can help.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory used widely in ayurvedic medicine. It also helps boost your immune system, so this is a good spice to use if you feel a cold coming on.

Paprika

Paprika is packed with healthy nutrients that are good for our bodies, and especially vitamin A. One tablespoon of this red-colored spice contains more than 100 percent of the daily intake requirement. As the vitamin A helps to improve eyesight, paprika also gives your body extra iron to help those bones stay strong.

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne is rich in capsaicin. The pepper also contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, and flavonoids, which give the chili its antioxidant properties.

Cumin

Cumin is pungent and strong, and acts as a great salt substitute. With its low levels of sodium, using this instead of extra salt can help reduce blood pressure, all while adding a delicious flavor to meals. Cumin is also a good source of vitamin B, which helps to improve sleep.

Aniseed

Aniseed is high in vitamins such as folates, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It is also an important source of potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and selenium.

Saffron

In ancient cultures, saffron was used to relieve stomach aches and kidney stones and was also used as an agent in improving the circulation of blood. Saffron contains a number of carotenoids which are believed to be largely responsible for a number of saffron’s health benefits, including inhibiting skin tumors, improving arthritis and improving eye and vision health. Other benefits are the treatment of asthma, menstrual discomfort, depression, atherosclerosis, whooping-cough, and many other health problems.

Spiced Almond Muffin

GF Almond Muffins

100g almond meal
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon of cardamon powder
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of aniseed powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
1 teaspoon of vanilla powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
a pinch of Himalayan salt
a pinch of saffron
1 table spoon of maple syrup
1 table spoon of coconut oil


Lightly beat the eggs and mix with coconut oil and maple syrup in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients and combine well making sure there is no lumps. Pour into a muffin tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 30 minutes. Serve with a thick Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. It is not sweet muffins after all, so add more of your favorite sweetener if you like.
Posted in: Gluten Free, Vegetarian