GF Pear Chai Tea Cake

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What kind of tea do you like? I visited T2 shop in Emporium in Melbourne CBD a few times just because I fell in love with a hundred variety of teas there. There is a lot of health benefits of drinking tea including detoxing, preventing cancer, improving your skin and even weight loss, but hey I just like the smell and taste that calms me down. Whatever reason you choose to drink tea, it is good for you 🙂

– If you are caffeine sensitive, it is probably best to avoid black, white and green tea later afternoon.
– Stick to chamomile and red tea (a.k.a rooibos tea from South Africa) which is caffeine free and very soothing for your digestion!
– Try spiced tea with coconut milk or almond milk and a few drops of stevia.
– Miss coffee? Try chicory root and dandelion. It tastes just like coffee without caffeine.
– Make iced tea in hot summer. Brew the tea. Just add sweetener and slices of your favorite fruits in a jug and keep in fridge up to 3 days.
– Use brewed tea and tea bag for baking such as rooibos, earl grey and chai tea.

I made this tea cake vegan and gluten-free with no refined sugar. So it is not too sweet and quite dense in texture. Having a big dollop of thick vanilla yogurt or whipped coconut cream would be nice. Of course, freshly brewed chai tea on the side, too.
pear chai cakeIngredients

1 tbsp flaxmeal
1 cup of strongly brewed chai tea
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup of coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
100g brown rice flour
50g coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pear sliced
a pinch of salt

Combine flaxmeal, brewed tea, melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add other ingredients, except pear, into a bowl and mix well with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking tin. Arrange sliced pear on top and gently press. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 30 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool in a tin for 10 minutes before slicing.

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

Chickpea Patties with Wasabi Tzatziki

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chickpea pattiesBesan or gram or chickpea flour is basically made from ground chickpeas and available at health food shops and Asian groceries. It is gluten-free and high in protein compared to other types of flour. I usually use it to make socca and also falafels without a process of soaking, cooking and blending chickpeas. It is super quick and easy to make with a little ingredients and so yummy. Good thing about this recipe is that you can make different variations such as adding pumpkin or sweet potato mash for more veggie intake or mixing with tuna or salmon for protein boost.

You can eat it just by itself or smear this wasabi tzatziki sauce which will give you a bit of kick in your nose 🙂 I’m sure most of you have tried green wasabi peas as beer snack, right? Spicy and salty, perfect to munch on. I got to admit I’m not that good with spicy food though I do love it! Wasabi is one of those that I know I shouldn’t go overdose when eating sushi, but I always do. Did you know wasabi belongs to a brassicaceae family like horseradish and cabbage? Wasabi not only has a unique and powerful taste but also provides health benefits like reducing a risk of cancer, inflammation, infection, allergies and respiratory problems. The antioxidants in wasabi also are great for detoxing and boosting the immune system. It is rich in vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin A and vitamin B6. Yes, it is an awesome ingredient to include in your healthy balanced diet. If you don’t like it spicy, then feel free to leave out the wasabi powder. Easy flavoursome vegan dish served x
chickpea patties1Ingredients (makes 6 little patties)

100g of chickpea flour
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
100g hot water
coconut oil for cooking

a pinch of wasabi powder
2 tbsp of cottage cheese
finely chopped cucumber
a pinch of salt
lemon juice from half lemon

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, make a well in the middle and add water into a well. Stir to combine with a spatula until it becomes thick mixture. Cover and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add coconut oil. Spoon the patty mixture into the pan and press the middle to shape into little discs. Cook 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown. For wasabi tzatziki sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl. To serve, place chickpea patties on a serving plate and top with the sauce. Drizzle balsamic glaze and serve with greens on the side.

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

Raw Goji Ripe Bars

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Goji Ripe BarsI had such a determination after a daily consume of baked goods like homemade muffins and cakes for months. It’s time I had something different like porridge, smoothie, fruit bowl or something. Then all sense of discipline melts away next day. I just admit I cannot live without them because of a joy of making them plus utterly fabulous taste after a bite. Oh well, at least I make them healthy. It is okay, right? I had to share these raw snack bars with you because they are incredibly delicious and healthy for you. I have tried a packet of cherry ripe in the past (it tastes like SUGAR) and wanted to recreate the same flavour with natural ingredients. Base has beautiful cinnamon and sweet dates. I used dried goji berries and turmeric powder in the filling mixture which are packed with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory components. My cravings are well taken care of. Knowing that there is no nasty sugar in them allows me to go ahead, free from pangs of guilt. Raw desserts seem so hard to make, but trust me! It is easy to make and is kept very well in the freezer. Only downfall of this recipe is you have to resist the urge to devour all of them at once. Enjoy x

Ingredients (makes 10 bite sizes)

Base

2/3 cup walnut
4-5 Medijool dates
30g cacao powder
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of sea salt

Filling

50g goji berries, soaked in warn water and drained
50g vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
a pinch of sea salt

Icing

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp cacao powder

As preparation, line a container (20cm x 10cm) with a baking paper or Glad wrap. Place all the base ingredients in a food processor and blitz until the mixture comes together. Add a bit of water if too dry. Transfer the mixture into a prepared tin and press down with the back of spoon or spatula. Place in freezer while making fillings. Blend all filling ingredients in a food processor and pour the mixture on top of the base. Press down, smooth the top and place in freezer. For icing, mix melted coconut oil and cacao powder in a small bowl. Pour over the filling and set in freezer for a couple of hours. Take it out of freezer about 10 minutes before cutting into little squares and keep them in freezer.

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

Healthy Chocolate Cups with Pink Peppercorns

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Christmas and this time of the year to me is all about reflecting on what has been happening in your life and planning for the new coming year. Yes, just a quite one. We walk around the streets full of bright lights and carols and look around window displays, maybe snow too. I think I enjoy the excitement and anticipation more than Christmas day itself. That is how my family ‘celebrates’ Christmas, not a kind of tradition having to cook a giant turkey or mountains of foods in an utterly chaotic kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I like a celebratory Christmas feast, too. Anyhow, I made a little Christmas treat here (excuse my love affair with making sumptuous desserts at the moment). Cacao is rich and bitter sweet and pink peppercorns add a bit of spicy savoury yuminess. Total deliciousness full of antioxidant and mood enhancer without refined sugar or dairy. This is real clean eating 🙂 Keep them in your freezer for hungry emergencies or sweet craving moments. Enjoy and I hope you all are having a great time with your family and loved ones x

homemade chocolateIngredients (makes 8 mini cups)

3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tbsp almond ground
1-2 tsp honey or any of your favorite sweetener
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
a pinch of sea salt
a bit of water
pink peppercorns

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Add a bit of water if too dry. Spoon the mixture into little molds and top with pink peppercorns. Chill in the freezer and serve cold.

 

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

Lettuce Boats

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Lettuce Boats1As the holidays approach, we love indulging ourselves in all the favorite foods – wine, cheese platter, chips, meat, etc. I’m seeing a lot of Christmas ads at the shops like cold meat platter, prepacked dips, tons of cheese and crackers, discounted chips and soft drinks. Seriously? Plan ahead and shop smart. I want to see more fresh seasonal homemade foods on the table that are made with love.

This is a great finger food and a healthy delight, perfect for entree or appetiser. You can taste freshness in every single bite. It is healthy, crunchy, light, pretty and no mess to eat. You can put any kind of fillings in lettuce cups, maybe add some protein (fresh diced tuna, chopped poached chicken breast, boiled eggs) to make a complete meal. Mine just had some veggies for afternoon snack. Butter lettuce and endive both work quite well to hold the fillings in, but endive has a fairly bitter taste. I will list some good flavour combinations below, but feel free to be creative and make your own 🙂

Serving suggestions:
boiled egg salad
curried chicken
chilli-peppered tofu
braised lentils with feta cheese
chorizo, halloumi, tomato salsa
apple, brie cheese, currents, walnut
Asian minced pork
prawns, mango, avocado
Mediterranean couscous salad
beef with horseradish sauce

I finely chopped tomato, avocado, kale and celery. Put them in a mixing bowl and dressed with simple dressing made of lemon juice, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the filling onto the lettuce cups. Serve as entree or snack.
Lettuce Boats

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