Roasted Parsnip Chips

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Have you had roasted parsnip before? I do like root vegetables, but I haven’t actually used parsnips that much. I tried it raw, which has a bit of bitter and earthy taste. Then I made roasted chips in the oven and it tastes quite sweet from caramelisation. Just like carrots and pumpkins, roasting process brings out all the natural sweetness from this amazing root. They are healthy and a perfect alternative to fried potato chips.

Parsnips are an excellent source of soluble fibre, which keeps your cholesterol and blood sugar level down, helps regular bowel movements and helps your digestion. Potassium found in parsnips regulates blood pressure and helps the proper muscle and nerve function. They also have vitamin C, which acts as anti-oxidant and boosts the immune system. Great for pregnant women because folic acid or folate is abundant in parsnips, which reduces the risk of birth defects, lowers the risk of acquiring heart diseases and may also help prevent dementia and osteoporosis.

Parsnips are so versatile and exciting! You can add raw or cooked parsnips into your salads, make a warm soup with carrots and apples, make a hearty gratin dish in chilly weather, make little pancakes with grated parsnips, and even add into your cakes and muffins for healthy baking.

parsnip chipsTo roast parsnips, scrub the roots clean and slice into strips. I seasoned with Himalayan salt, smoked paprika, curry powder and pepper, and drizzled olive oil. Put in the oven at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.

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

Lentil Olive Tapenade

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Lentil tapenadeI happened to come across this beautiful food blog called My Darling Lemon Thyme. As soon as I saw the photos and recipes, I fell in love. Her style of cooking was exactly what I was looking for – easy, simple, healthy, gluten-free and vegetarian. Surprisingly, she lives in Perth, as well. Then she released her first cookbook recently and I was lucky enough to go to a book launch in Mount Lawley. Meeting her and her family in person, listening to her story, tasting three of her recipes from the book, yes! getting that beautiful cookbook in my hands. It was a wonderful night and gave me so much encouragement, believing in myself and what I really like and am passionate about. One of the dishes that came out is this lentil tapenade. It was delicious on carrot sticks and chickpea crackers. I had to try make one at home with my own spin on it. I mixed two kinds of lentils – French puy and brown lentils, added toasted pine nuts for nutty flavour and crunch.

“Tapenade” is just a fancy word for an olive spread. This lentil black olive tapenade recipe isn’t the classic one, but it’s tasty and a wonderful nutrient-dense spread.

Lentils are sky-high in soluble fibre, which slows down digestion and fills you up. As soluble fibre enters the digestive tract, it absorbs water and dissolves into a viscous gel that reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Potassium found in lentils helps to lower blood pressure. They are also rich in folate and B vitamins for fighting against cancer, iron for boosting energy, great vegetarian protein and antioxidants. French puy lentils, my favorite kind, has rich and peppery flavour, stay firm when cooked, great for salads, tabbouleh and pilafs.
lentil tapenade1Ingredients (adapted from My darling lemon thyme)

100g dried French puy and brown rentils
1/2 tsp of minced garlic1 heap table spoon of chopped pitted black olives
1 tsp of rinsed capers
1 tbsp of e.v.o.o
a squeeze of lemon
a pinch of salt
a handful of toasted pine nuts
pepper to taste

Wash the lentils thoroughly, put in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring it up to a boil and simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes until cooked. Drain and set aside. Put all the other ingredients and cooked lentils in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crackers or veggie sticks.

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

Cauliflower Rice with Balsamic Roasted Veggies

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cauliflower riceI fell in love with raw cauliflower rice since I made tabbouleh last time. It looks like rice but tastes quite different – crunchy, nutty and delicious. You cannot substitute for rice in every recipe, but it is a perfect base for the main meal such as curry, stir-fry, stew, roasted vegetables on cauliflower rice. Enjoy either raw or cooked depending on your preference. For your sweet tooth, you can add almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and some roasted stone fruit on top. Yum!

Ingredients

2 cauliflower florets
1 cup of diced pumpkin
1/3 zucchini, diced
1/2 spring onion
1 cup of diced parsnip
1 stalk of celery
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
a handful of dried cranberries and almonds

Wash and dice all the vegetables. Toss with balsamic vinegar, coconut oil, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Place them in a baking dish and put in the preheated oven (200) for 20-30 minutes until cooked. Make cauliflower rice using a box grater and season. You can also use a food processor. Roughly chop the cauliflower and pulse into little pieces until it looks like rice. When veggies are all cooked, take it out of the oven and let it cool slightly. Then combine with cauliflower rice in a large bowl. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with dried cranberries and almonds.

 

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

GF Apple Harvest Loaf

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apple loafI’m a big fan of Granny Smith apple because it is tart, tangy, crisp and crunchy. They are a great snack with low calories and high fibre, which keeps you satisfied and stabilises blood sugar level between meals. So do not peel your apples! They are also rich in vitamin C and high in the flavonoids cyanidin and epicatechin, which are powerful antioxidants. Want beautiful teeth? Bite into these little guys. The extreme tartness of Granny Smith apples helps with more salivation than a sweeter type of apple. High levels of saliva decrease bacteria in your mouth that attack teeth and cause cavities. They are a great additions to your green salads and sandwiches as well as a healthy dessert. I made a spiced apple loaf today with cinnamon and nutmeg. It smells amazing! It is not really a sweet cake so feel free to add more sweeteners if you like. Happy baking x

Ingredients

1 granny smith apple, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
4 eggs
a squeeze of lemon
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Boil apple, maple syrup, lemon juice and salt in a pot and simmer for 10 minute or until apple is tender. Take it off the heat and set aside to cool. Gently mix all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled apple mixture into a bowl and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40-50 minutes or until cooked. Cover with foil if the top gets too brown. Take it out of the oven and let it cool before serve.

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

Sprouted Mung Bean, Roasted Cauliflower and Pumpkin Salad

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Sprouted mungbean1 Mung beans are highly nutritious, easy on digestion, low in calories, high in fiber and B vitamins. Sprouting process is a fantastic way of boosting enzymes, vitamins C and K and minerals, particularly zinc and iron. So try to include more sprouts in your diet. All you have to do is to soak them in water for 1-2 days and let it germinate to sprouts. After grains are soaked in water then strained and left at room temperature in the dark, their reproductive system kicks in, and they begin to sprout and ferment. Once you have a desired “tails”, you can keep them in the air-tight glass container in the fridge or freezer, which keeps it fresh for weeks. Same principles apply to other beans, grains and seeds like chick peas, rye, buckwheat, quinoa and red beans. You can add them into your smoothies, salads, bread, stir-fries and soup or eat it raw as a healthy snack. Tasty, crunchy and healthy! If you want to read more about sprouting, read my previous post about sprouting quinoa here.

Ingredients

3 cauliflower florets
2 cups of pumpkin
1 cup of sprouted mung beans1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of Himalayan salt
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

Mix all dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped cauliflower and pumpkin into a bowl and gently toss. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 20-30 minutes until golden. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle sprouted mung beans over the veggies and drizzle more balsamic vinegar before serve.
Sprouted mungbean

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