Glimpse into chocolate and walnut muffins

On this Foodie Friday, I wanted to make a simple sweet for a friend's birthday. I am loving baking with cacao of late, so apologies, here is another chocolatey recipe!! Mmm mmm!

I love adding walnuts into baked treats. They add an amazing taste and texture, and have many healthy benefits. They have good quantities of omega 3 fats, protein and fibre, and melatonin (which helps regulate sleep). They contain antioxidants and vitamins for healthy hair and skin, and are good for heart and brain health, decreasing your risk of cancer, and can destroy harmful free radical chemicals. Pregnant women can reduce their baby's risk of allergies by eating the fatty acids, and men's fertility can even be boosted by the little walnut! All these sound to me like awesome reasons to throw a few almonds into your baking!

Glimpse into No Bake Lemon Slice

For this week's Foodie Friday, I am looking at the humble lemon, and am giving you a tasty, super easy, no bake slice recipe which I made up recently. I have struggled to post lately because I haven't been well, so I apologise for my silence!

Lemons (and other citric fruits) are considered the lowest fructose containing fruits. Therefore they are great for use in meals and drinks for those of us with fructose malabsorption. They also have health benefits such as helping to improve skin health and beauty. They can have a calming effect so are good in stressful situations, and can help with metabolism, digestion and the elimination of toxin build up in the body. They also have antiviral qualities, with vitamin C, and can boost energy.

Soak up the benefits in this nutritious no bake slice.

No bake lemon slice

Base

1 cup quinoa flakes or gluten free oats

1 cup almond meal (or LSA - linseed, sunflower and almond meal)

1 cup desiccated coconut

200g dairy butter

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 lemon rind

1/3 cup coconut oil

3 tbsp rice syrup

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 cup rice milk (if needed*)

Icing

2 cups dextrose

1 1/2 tbsp melted butter

3 tbsp lemon

Line a 20 x 30 cm tray or airtight container with baking paper.

Mix all the base ingredients together well.

Press the mixture into the lined tray or container.

Refrigerate until firm.

Combine the icing ingredients well til smooth.

Spread icing over slice base.

Refrigerate until firm.

Cut into squares.

Store in sealed or covered container in the fridge or freezer.

*You may find your mix is wet enough without the rice milk, or you may just desire a few splashes. 1/2 cup creates quite a moist slice, but it still is firm. A fork is in order to eat it with though!

Glimpse into Passion Pleasers

My mantra for baking is if it is healthy enough to eat for breakfast yet tastes deliciously naughty, you are on a winner! These cake squares fit this motto, and are super easy and quick to make!  

 All you need is:

 

1/4 cup nut butter (I used almond, brazil and cashew butter)

1/4 cup tahini

1/3 cup rice syrup

2 large bananas

1/3 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

*170 g passionfruit pulp

 

All you  need to do is: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Line a baking pan with baking paper. Any size you have will do, but one about 20cm x 20cm will make a good thickness.
3. Pop all the ingredients into a blender or food processor; hold back with half of the passionfruit pulp and save it for later. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into the pan evenly.
5. Top with the leftover passionfruit pulp.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until firm and golden. Keep an eye on the topping, as it will burn. If it starts to catch, cover the pan with a piece of foil.
7. Let it cool and slice into squares.

************************************************************************************
The fun part...alternative additions:
 
*Instead of passionfruit pulp, use about 100g of one or two of the following:

• chopped dark chocolate or choc chips
• berries (frozen or fresh)
• drained, crushed pineapple
• dried blueberries, cranberries or pineapple
• crushed nuts
• quinoa flakes or gluten free oats (you may need to add a little water if your mixture becomes dry when blended)
• chopped pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds or toasted sesame seeds

*You could also try:

• 1 tablespoon of raw cacao
• 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger
• 1-2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons of LSA -linseed, sunflower seed and almond meal (you may need to add a little water if your mixture becomes dry when blended)
• Whole round slices of pineapple at the bottom of the tray, and then pour mixture over the top for a pretty and fruity pattern.

I hope you enjoy these nutritious treats, any time of the day! And they keep getting better...only the blender and pan to clean!! Winner!!

Glimpse into choc chip cookies

For New Year's Eve, I decided to make a quick and easy batch of cookies. I know, I know...I make up a lot of cookie recipes! But I love them! So easy to make and so yummy to eat! I used a different combination of ingredients this time, and they turned out to be probably the best cookies so far. Slightly crunchy but soft in the middle...yum!

 

Glimpse into spiced pineapple syrup cake

With the wet weather recently, I have fancied a spiced fruity teacake! After an unsuccessful search with Mum one day for an open café that sold cake I could tolerate, I decided to sit at the kitchen bench and create one.
This cake is moist, gooey and tropical! It is delicious and decadent warm, and great cold!

Spiced Pineapple Syrup Cake.

Glimpse into choc banana quinoa cookies

You can probably tell, I love to bake, and I love the ease of cookies! This week, I wanted to make a treat that is packed with nutrition, so healthy that I could eat it for breakfast without guilt, and that was super easy to whip up! This is what I developed...a choc banana quinoa cookie!

Glimpse into green pudding

Happy Hump Day! You have made it to Wednesday; the weekend is on its way! This, of course, has no relevance to me, as I have been too unwell to work since November, but I know a lot of you will be celebrating that you are over halfway!!

 

With my body at the level of health that it is, I need to eat regularly. Even if I am not hungry or being active, if I do not eat every 2-3 hours, I plummet quickly, and it takes me quite some time to recover. So I have learnt to eat, whether I am feeling physical hunger or not. So this means, a lot of snacks!! I love coming up with new things for my morning and afternoon teas! I have been loving the ease and chocolatey goodness of my choc nut smoothies this week, but today I was in the mood for a change!

I have seen a few blog posts of people eating their chunky green smoothies rather than blending them further into a drink, and I thought I would work on that idea today!

Glimpse into choc nut cookies and choc nut smoothies

Cookies make me think of my little (well, not so little, but younger) brother, who lives in France, who has the nick name, among several others,  the Cookie Monster. He is the family's sweet tooth, but I am finding that I am also developing quite the sweet tooth these days, which is ironic now that I eat a low fructose diet!
I made up a batch of these cookies last week as a last minute, quick throw together for a treat for friends. This week, I have been in short supply of sweet treats, so this morning, my energy was dedicated to making another batch of these cookies.
I was not feeling fantastic this morning though, so to help me to power through while I made the cookies, I whipped up my latest favourite smoothie. I am absolutely a green smoothie convert, and love the additional serve of greens it gives you in the day. However, I have also discovered recently the wonder of adding nut butter to a smoothie! So my recent fav does not have greens, but is packed full of goodies; perfect for those moments when you want to trick your tastebuds into thinking you are having a decadent, naughty treat, but it is actually filled with great things to make your body happy!

Glimpse into nut & seed, banana power bread

Last night, as I lay wide awake with my usual night time companion, insomnia, I brainstormed ideas to make a cake/bread which contained healthy ingredients. I wanted to create something that I didn't need to feel guilty about eating, but tasted good, and would give me a hit of nutrition, energy and keep me feeling full, which is important to everyone, especially those with chronic fatigue issues. This morning, I woke with enough energy to hit the kitchen and experiment. A friend who doubted the flavour potential has taste tested, and he has given the tick of approval!

I think it would be nice toasted, with some dairy free butter or nut butter for breakfast or a snack.

Glimpse into gluten free & vegan fruity waffles

On the weekend, I treated myself to a waffle machine (and a dehydrator...posts on that to come!). I could probably count on one hand the times that I ate waffles before I had to restrict my diet, however, the idea of creating something yummy, crunchy on the outside and soft inside, and a winter meal change from my usual delicious quinoa porridge, made me excited to get my hands on a waffle iron and create! I sieved through multiple recipes and came up with a combination of ingredients which I can tolerate, and what I had in the kitchen. This is what resulted! (And I had to make them again this morning; they were so good!).

 

Glimpse into low FODMAP power balls

I am sure that on your quest for healthy recipes, you've probably come across nutritious balls made of an assortment of good ingredients. Most of these contain sticky, dried fruits however, and when you have fructose malabsorption, dried dates, apricots and the like are a big no no. So I decided that I wanted to come up with a mixture that is fructose friendly, delicious and provides the nutritious energy hit of these powerful super balls!

Glimpse into choc chip quinoa cookies

My craving for chocolate chip cookies has persisted this week, so I made these sweet treats. They are super quick and easy, and of course, a healthy choice for a treat! 

I eat whole quinoa and quinoa flakes every day in my diet. I have been keen to try quinoa flour, so decided to try it out in this recipe. It turned these cookies, with help from the dark chocolate, into quite an adult, bitter flavour, which I like. If you are looking for a softer, more sweet flavour, try milk chocolate, or substitute the flour for almond flour. Having fructose malabsorption, I was keen to try quinoa flour as I tolerate quinoa well, and although I do tolerate almond meal/flour well, I am always wary of eating nut products as I don't tolerate some very well, such as almond milk. Quinoa is a powerhouse of nutrients and protein, and is such a great way to turn a sweet treat into a healthy snack.

Choc chip quinoa cookies
 

Glimpse into a spicy banana nut slab

I got up this afternoon after a morning of resting with a craving for cookies. I managed to pull together some ingredients and came up with a spicy banana nut biscuit.

It was a fairly random effort, and though they taste pretty good (though super sweet!), they are not your normal cookie! They merged into a flat blob in the oven!! But hey, it says on my blog description that there will be some disasters! I put in a tablespoon of rice syrup too, but it made it super sweet, so I wouldn't put that in again. I think you could actually enjoy this fresh from the oven like a pudding, with a raspberry or strawberry purée, or a dollop of goat or lactose free yogurt! :-)

Glimpse into zucchini brownies

Using vegetables in sweet baking is an intriguing prospect! The idea of consuming one of your daily veggie serves while eating chocolatey goodness is exciting! So, I have come up with a simple, low fructose, gluten free, dairy free, egg free recipe for brownies using zucchinis!

Glimpse into Sardines

I might not be up to sharing extravagant low FODMAP and allergy friendly recipes with you just yet (as I mentioned here), but I can show you glimpses into the easy snacks and treats I have during the day!
Today's lunch? Sardines on toast! Super easy and quick, perfect on a wintery day, and I could even manage to throw it together myself while feeling achey and gross. I can feel the goodness and vitality from it oozing into my veins as I type! Definitely one to keep in the archives for days like these.

I toasted two slices of Country Life Bakery gluten and dairy free white bread. (I save gluten free bread for now and again treats, as it still has egg in it).

I toasted some pine nuts (I just placed them on the nearly cooked toast under the grill).

I used John West's Sardines in tomato sauce (in oil is also delcious) and smashed them over the warm toast.

Serve with spinach, or whatever you have around.

What is so good about eating Sardines?!....

They are packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iron, and potassium. They are quite low in salt content, they are low in mercury and toxins for a fish, and are low in calories. They are cheap to buy, can be bought fresh or tinned, are simple to prepare, and they just taste so darn good!! Get them into you!!

Glimpse into future recipes

I am very excited about bringing you more and more healthy and delicious recipes. At the moment, I struggle to cook due to my chronic health issues, such as fatigue and light headedness, so I don't often have the opportunity to blog about meals (thanks to my fantastic family who have become my personal cooks for the moment!). I will bring this part of the blog to you with full enthusiasm however, when I am more healthy, and able to look after myself in the kitchen!

I have so many ideas to share with you, including exciting ingredients such as quiona, brown rice syrup, coconut oil, and almond meal! A restricted diet DOES NOT mean tasteless, bland food! I will show you what I have learned along the way, and how I turn simple, low allergen foods into delicious and healthy meals, snacks and desserts! Stay tuned!

Glimpse into Sweet and Sour Pork

I love gooey, sticky, comforting meals with sauce and rice and deliciousness! This can actually be achieved when eating clean, healthy, low allergen foods!
One of my favourite meals is sweet and sour pork with rice. This was what was on the menu last night, on a cold and rainy day, so I will share the recipe with you. I hope that you enjoy it as much as my family and I do!

Just Like Mum's Sweet and Sour Pork Hot Pot

(for 4 people)

Ingredients

2 slices of pineapple, chopped, or 2 tblsps of lemon/lime juice

Goodpinch ground ginger or about 1 tbsp fresh

Half a red capsicum, sliced

2tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp rice syrup

½tbsp tomato puree (no added onion - try Leggos tomato paste. Or use 3 tblsps of cooked down tinned tomatoes)

1½ tsps soy sauce (gluten free soy or Tamari)

1tsp brandy or sherry or shao xing wine (optional)

300mls water

1 tblsp cornflour

2spring onions or the green part of leeks, chopped

3 small bunches of baby bok choy, chopped

800g belly pork, sliced into cubes

1 cup of white rice

Method

The choice of cut for your pork is up to you. My family love the fatty, stickiness that belly pork creates. If you want to choose a healthier cut, go for a pork fillet. This will make for a drier meal, and will be needed to be cooked less. With the belly pork, fry it up in the wok first, making it crispy and brown, and then had to the sauce later on to stew it.

 

                                      1. After browning your meat, remove it from the wok.

2. Fry the pineapple with the ginger and capsicum until becoming soft.

3. Add the water.

4. Mix in the vinegar, rice syrup, tomato puree, soy and alcohol. Simmer gently.

                                            5. Add the meat back into the wok with the sauce and combine.

6. Add the spring onions or leeks. Place a lid over the wok, and simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes; stir occasionally.

7. Cook white rice while you wait.

8. When the meat mixture is thick and sticky, and the meat is soft and tender, stir through the cornflour. Add in the bok choy, stir through and let soften slightly. Remove from the heat.

9. Serve the pork with the rice.

Glimpse into berry and poppyseed cake

This is such a delicious cake. My mum and I have tweaked and altered til we got to this combination, which is wheat, dairy and egg free, and fructose friendly. It is sweet but tangy, and the poppy seeds provide such a great pop to the texture! For a cake, this is amazingly guilt free and nutritious!

Berry and poppyseed cake

125ml vegetable oil or coconut oil
3 lemons
125ml rice syrup
9tbsp water
400g almond meal
3tbsp poppy seeds
1/2tsp sea salt
1tsp gluten free baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
3tbsp chia seeds
300g blueberries or raspberries

Powdered dextrose
Vanilla extract
Water


**Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.**

1. Combine the chia seeds and water in a bowl, and let sit for 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix the almond meal, poppy seeds, salt, baking power and baking soda.
3. On a very low heat, warm the oil and rice syrup in a sauce pan until combined.
4. Add the zest from two lemons into the oil and syrup mixture.
5. Squeeze the juice of one and a half lemons into the mixture.
6. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients.
7. Fold in the soaked chia seeds. Add in half the berries and combine.
8. Grease a cake tin and pour in the batter.
9. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out dry.
10. Let the cake cool before removing from tin.
11. In a small bowl, combine the dextrose with water, lemon juice and a splash of vanilla extract until a runny but slightly thick consistency, to the taste that you like.
12. While the cake is still warm, make holes with a skewer through the cake, and pour the glaze over the top.
13. Decorate with the fresh berries.


This was even my birthday cake a few weeks ago, because it is so yummy; courtesy of my mum!
It just goes to prove, you can have multiple food intolerances and eat your cake too!

Glimpse into breakfast treats

I woke up this morning inspired, and hungry for pancakes!! What transpired where more like hot porridge cakes, and were delicious! To top it off, they are nutritional and guilt free! What could be better?!

To make these gluten free, dairy free, egg free, fructose friendly breakfast hot cakes, this is what I did!

Mash one banana into a puree. Add a few dashes of cinnamon, a teaspoon of rice syrup, four tablespoons of cooked quiona and mix it til well combined. Fold in some fresh blueberries.

The mixture at this stage is quite wet. Slowly add in almond meal until you have a batter-like consistency.

Put a splash of coconut oil in a fry pan. When it is hot, add a spoonful of the mixture into the pan, and fry until brown on both sides. (They are difficult to flip, so take care!)

Eat warm, topped with rice syrup and raspberry puree*. Delicious!!

Enjoy. I recommend you choose a slightly cooler day than I did to make them!



*Raspberry puree: Combine 1.5-2 cups of frozen raspberries, 1-2 tablespoons of rice syrup, grated rind of one orange, the juice of one orange, and a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger in a pan. Cook until it is a puree.

Glimpse into being prepared

I have just made packs up for the freezer so that I am ready for a green smoothie anytime the craving hits for about a fortnight! It is so easy to do when you have a spare half hour, and saves you the time and energy each day.
I put all the fresh ingredients I wanted into bags, plus chia seeds, labeled with the date, and now I will just throw it all in the blender when I am ready, add water and coconut oil and blast!
The freezer is getting quite a collection of frozen meals now to prevent running out of intolerance friendly foods when I am hungry!