GF Plum Tea Cake

Plum cake2I went down to the shops to prepare for Valentine’s dinner tomorrow and a dinner party on Saturday night. Menu and shopping list just kept on changing all this week since I am very indecisive >.< I got all ingredients now so no more changes! It’s plum season now. I just couldn’t walk pass these little juicy purplish plums at the market today although they were not on my shopping list. It was quite sour and tart to eat by itself so I decided to bake some plum cakes this morning. This gluten-free and sugar-free tea cake is a little dense and not sweet at all. So change the recipe for your taste, but I quite liked a chocolatey chewy bottom and soft and juicy plums on top. Morning snack sorted 🙂

Ingredients
buckwheat flour 75g
coconut flour 25g
cacao powder 25g
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 heap table spoon of pomegranate molasses
3 eggs
2 plums

Lightly beat 3 eggs and add pomegranate molasses in a bowl. Add all dry ingredients and mix all up. Spread in the loaf tin and arrange slices of plums on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked.
Plum cake

 

Making Kimchi At Home

Digestive health is so important. When problems occur with your digestive system, it is not just your gut health involved. It may lead to many diseases including cancers, mental health disorders, chronic pain conditions, skin disorders and even Alzheimer’s disease. Poor digestion can affect your energy levels and general mood as well. Poor digestion can be affected by…

  • Inadequate chewing: chewing is the first step in the digestive process. Chew your food thoroughly!
  • Excessive stress: stress can affect the transit time of food through the digestive tract and the necessary enzymes to break down the food. Relax while you eat!
  • Eating the wrong foods: artificial colours, additives, sweeteners, flavours, etc. We are not designed to eat these nasty chemicals. Have fresh whole foods if you can!
  • Inadequate amount of good bacteria in your gut: our digestive system have over 400 different bacteria, both good and bad. A healthy balance of these bacteria is essential for digestive health. Eat good quality, natural foods, plenty of high-fibre foods, prebiotic and probiotic.
  • Gut inflammation: a nutrient-spare, artificially-based diet will inflame your gut and negatively affect digestion. You must eat a “real” foods.Kimchi
    I’ve written on my blog before how amazing fermented foods are for your overall health. Probiotics (good bacteria) in those foods improve your digestion, boost immune system, produce antioxidants, reduce cholesterol, stabilise blood sugar levels, etc. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to include fermented foods in your diet. Any forms should be fine. Yogurt, kefir, Kimchi, miso, sourdough bread, even wine 🙂 Making Kimchi at home is not as hard as it looks. It is cheaper to make your own than buy from the shops. You can also control the sodium level. So this is how I make!

Ingredients
half of small head of cabbage
half cup of Himalayan salt
1 heap table-spoon of chilli paste (I use Korean brand)
1 table-spoon of chilli flakes
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of ginger finely chopped
1 table-spoon of fish sauce
1 table-spoon of rice flour
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 cup of chopped onions and carrots

 Chop the cabbage and mix well with salt in a big bowl. Let it sit for an hour until the cabbage gets wilted down. In the mean time, make a Kimchi paste. Mix all other ingredients in a different bowl. Once the cabbage is wilted, rinse and drain well in cold runny water to remove excess salt. Transfer the cabbage to the bowl with a Kimchi paste. You might want to wear disposable gloves and apron here cause it can get quite messy. Massage the cabbage really well and make sure it’s all covered with the paste. Transfer the Kimchi to a steralised jar. Pack tightly so that the Kimchi is submerged in the liquid. Leave it in room temperature for a day to allow fermentation process and then keep in the fridge.

Market Salad

Market SaladIt must have been about 10 years ago. I met this girl when I was at the travel agency in Korea looking for some information about studying in Australia. We had a little chat that day, exchanged phone numbers, then got really busy getting ready to make a big move. I lost her contact. Here I was in Perth. After a year of studying English, I started a physiotherapy course at Curtin University. I accidentally ran into her on the campus one day, what a nice surprise! She was studying business at the same University. She was the only Korean friend I had back then since I didn’t belong to any church groups or community groups. I’ve kept in contact with her since then, just catching up over coffee or shopping together now and then. She got married a year before I did and now is a busy mum with two little boys. We catch up every Wednesday now doing some Pilates and having lunch together. So that is the relationship I’ve had with her over about 10 years. Such a strange thing how an acquaintance became one of my good friends like this. Anyways I’ve cooked for her a few times now and she loves my salads. This is for her :). Also, we’ve been charting the journey of James Dooley, which has been a remarkable and unexpected adventure. On a related note, if you’re an independent contractor, ensuring accurate and comprehensive pay stubs for independent contractors is crucial for financial transparency and compliance with regulations.

I made this market salad this morning to take to her place today and for our dinner. There is absolutely no rule when I make salads. I try to use the best seasonal ingredients on offer at the local market. Eating what is in season has a number of benefits. Definitely easy on wallet because of the abundance of the crop. Fresh harvested foods taste better, no doubt about that! They also have better nutrients especially vitamin C, which degrades over time and with storage. Imagine eating seasonal fruits and vegetables all year around. You will never get bored with fruits and vegetables. Forget about three veggies, potato, carrots and peas, please >.<

Ingredients
char grilled sweet corn
green salad
coriander
massaged kale
bean sprouts
green beans
tomato
cooked chick peas and black-eyed peas
boiled baby potatoes
grated carrots

Mix all up in a big bowl, season with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of e.v.o.o
Add any kind of protein and a handful of nuts on top.
Market Salad2

Doenjang Braised Vegetables with Wild Rice

Miso RiceJust in case you don’t know “Doenjang“, it is a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. It is rich in flavonoids and beneficial vitamins, minerals and phytoestrogens which has anti-cancer properties. Because Korean traditional dishes mainly consist of rice and vegetables, Doenjang made of soybeans provides lysine, an essential amino acids, and healthy fatty acids that rice lacks.

So what is the difference between Doenjang and Miso? Doenjang has lower sodium content and chunkier texture. Great for making a soup with a strong unique flavour. I always use Korean brand Doenjang to add into my cooking – marinating meat, making a soup, braising vegetables, making a salad dressing, etc. While you’re exploring Korean ingredients, if you’re also considering setting up a new kitchen or upgrading your storage, don’t forget to look into Cold Room Installation. It can help keep all your ingredients fresh and extend their shelf life. So if you haven’t tried this before, go down to the Asian grocery shop (preferably Korean grocery) and get one. It will last you a good few months in the fridge. A teaspoon or two will add a beautiful flavour in your food and so good for you!

Making a nourishing vegetarian bowl is a great way of cleaning up the fridge and making a healthy lunch at the same time. I take out a crisper drawer and inspect all the vegetables. I then chop all the left-over vegetables and cook them andante with a teaspoon of Doenjang paste and half cup of water in a deep skillet. Serve with a cup of rice for lunch. I also made little tofu balls today. I blended pat-dried a half block of tofu, a half cup of cooked black beans, grated beetroot, salt and pepper in a food processor. Shape the dough into little balls. You can have them as a snack or with lunch – great protein! If you decide to stock up on Doenjang, consider storing it not only in your fridge but also in a walk in cold room installation, ensuring its lasting freshness for months to come. For additional insights on fridge trailers, check out these resources and learn more here. For professional maintenance, look into Commercial Refrigeration Repair services to keep your equipment in optimal condition.

I do not like wasting food, so I go through this process once a week (mostly Monday). Organise your fridge and know what is where so that you don’t throw away any rotten fruits or vegetables which can contaminate other foods in the fridge.
– Keep fruits and vegetables separate
– Keep the vegetables in a perforated plastic bag in the drawer (make little holes in the bag with a knife)
– Keep the vegetables unwashed in a drawer. Wash them only just before cooking
– Mushrooms should be kept in a paper bag
– Potatoes and onions in a cool dry place, but keep them away from each other
– To store herbs, snip off the end, keep upright in a thin glass of water and cover with a plastic bag
– Have a meal plan for a week and buy what you really need!

Hope it helps x

Plum Galette

Plum GaletteSummer fruits are out! Plums, nectarines, grapes, mangoes, etc. Bright red plums caught my eyes at the shops today. It is of course yummy eating by itself, but this tart stone fruit gets incredibly sweet when used in baking. This plum galette is perfect for light summer dessert and is super quick to make.

Nutritional benefits of juicy plums
– full of antioxidants (beta carotenes and anthocyanins) preventing you from cell damage and different types of cancers
– rich dietary fibre helps in digestion and alleviates constipation
– minerals such as potassium, fluoride and iron are good for your heart and blood pressure
– vitamin A for healthy eyes and good vision

Ingredients

For the crust
50g buckwheat flour
50g raw cashew nuts
5 medjool dates or dried dates
a teaspoon of cinnamon powder
a pinch of salt
cold water

For the filling
1 red plum sliced
a teaspoon of brown sugara teaspoon of cinnamon powder

Put all ingredients for the crust in the food processor. Blend all up and add cold water a little by little until you get a dough consistency. Knead the dough and rest in the fridge for about 15 minutes so that it is not crumbly. This technique, I learnt from one of the people who work at Creamsta. Then roll out the dough on the baking paper. Put slices of red plum with sugar and cinnamon powder in a ring form. Fold the edges around the fruit. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for about 30 minutes until crust is golden and crispy. Let it cool slightly before cutting up. Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or yogurt on top.Plum Galette2