Category Archives: Recipes

Recipes, Wellness

Rosemary and Sea Salt seed bars

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2014-03-12 20.14.24

These were really nice on their own but l can imagine having them with a nut butter or avocado with tuna or salmon on top. I cut them quite small so they are more like a cracker biscuit and have placed them in the freezer to pack in my lunch when working.

Ingredients:

1 cup of organic sesame seeds

1 cup of organic pumpkin seeds

1 cup of organic sunflower seeds

1 generous tablespoon organic coconut oil

1 generous tablespoon raw organic honey

1 heaped tablespoon fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup filtered water

Place all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth.

Spoon the mix into a well greased biscuit tray (mine was 24cm x 34cm) and spread out smoothly with a spatula until even across the pan. I greased the pan with organic coconut oil and it is very important to grease the base well. The mixture should be about 1/2 cm thick across the tray. Bake in a 180 degree celsius oven until golden on top. Remove from the oven and while still in the tray cut the mix into slices. A tip is to run a knife around the edge of the tray to loosen the bars slightly. I cut mine into small squares as it had slightly stuck to the tray and they were easy to get out with a spatula. Carefully lift each piece out of the tray and place carefully with space between each piece onto two clean and greased trays. Return to the oven and bake for about another ten minutes or until they are looking golden. Remove from the tray with a spatula and place on the cooling rack. You can eat these bars fresh or place in the freezer to use later on.

2014-03-12 20.13.32

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Recipes

Sweet Potato chips

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2014-03-02 14.29.57

I just made a batch of these and they were gone in a flash. Eaten straight from the oven they are so delicious with a warm and sweet flavour. You can make these with lots of different vegetables but sweet potato is my favourite cooked in coconut oil with a sprinkling of sea salt and ground black pepper.

Ingredients:

One large sweet potato

One tablespoon organic coconut oil

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of ground black pepper.

Method:

Firstly peel and wash your sweet potato. You can use several sweet potatoes if you want to make a really big batch. You will just need more oil and salt. If you have a mandolin or other kind of slicer that is a help but l cut these with a knife and it gave them a rustic quality. Cutting them too thin isn’t really a problem but if you cut them too thick they will remain slightly soggy and not go crispy. They will still taste nice but it is better to try and cut them all quite thin so they cook evenly.

Once they are cut place them in a bowl with the sea salt, black pepper and melted coconut oil. You can use Extra Virgin Oilive Oil if you don’t have coconut oil or you don’t like the flavour. Give it all a good mix so the sweet potatoes are all coated in oil.

2014-03-02 13.59.21

Lay the sweet potato slices out on trays lined with baking paper and place into a pre-heated hot oven (200 degrees celsius). After about five minutes take them out and flip over each piece of sweet potato with some tongs. This can be a bit fiddly but will ensure the sweet potato chips are nice and crispy. I used three trays for the one sweet potato so if you make a big batch you will need to do a few batches to cook them all.

2014-03-02 14.01.06

When the sweet potato chips are looking golden and some are showing signs of burning on the edges they are done. Remove the trays from the oven and let the sweet potato chips cool for about five minutes. Pick each one up with tongs and place in a bowl to serve. They should be quite crispy and still warm. They are best eaten straight away.

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Recipes, Wellness

Sweet potato and carrot pancake (gluten free)

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2014-02-26 07.29.03

A delicious and nutritious start to the day!

I really like to start my day with a warm and sweet pancake topped with my favourite foods which in this case is sliced banana, activated (soaked and dehydrated) walnuts and organic maple syrup. Over the past year l have experimented with many different flours and ingredients and find it exciting to be creating so many delicious recipes.

I make up a big batch of mixture that lasts me a few days. It keeps well in the fridge and holds together superbly when cooked. When you add the water to the recipe it will seem like a lot but the chia seeds and quinoa flakes will very quickly soak up the fluid so the mixture is just moist but not wet.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa flakes

1 cup Buckwheat flour

1 cup Coconut flour

1/3 cup black chia seeds

1/2 cup flaked almonds

4 free range eggs

2 medium sized carrots- washed and grated

1/2 a medium sized sweet potato peeled and grated

3 cups of filtered water

2014-02-26 07.11.51

Method:

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a spoon or spatula. Let sit for a short time (around 10 minutes) so that the liquid can be absorbed.

Pre-heat your pan and add some extra virgin olive oil, along with several spoonfuls of the mixture. Use your spoon to neaten up the edges and flatten the top. Be careful not to have the temperature too high as the pancake needs to cook for a good amount of time so the ingredients are well cooked. When golden on the first side, carefully turn the pancake over with a spatula.

2014-02-26 07.23.15 2014-02-26 07.23.482014-02-26 07.27.33

Place the pancake on a plate and decorate with your favourite ingredients.

If you have enjoyed this post, please share with a friend. I am also on Facebook and Twitter. Thankyou Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

A juice for a hot day!

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2014-02-10 19.13.562014-02-10 19.15.39

This juice is a really stunning colour which makes it very inviting to drink. I rushed off in the car yesterday to pick my children up from school and forgot to take my drink bottle with me. I literally have this drink bottle which is filled with filtered water with me at all times and sip it constantly. By the time l got home l was really thirsty as it was a very warm Melbourne afternoon and l was gone for around one hour. Because of my digestive issues l just couldn’t drink enough water to catch up and l was so busy making lunches and dinner that l started to crave a really refreshing juice, rather than a meal. I made the rest of the family a lovely roasted free range chicken served with salad and myself the very delicious juice pictured above. Over about an hour l managed to drink it all and l felt thoroughly satisfied and my strong thirst was gone. I usually share my juices with the family but on this occasion l decided that l should spoil myself and as l had cut up half a watermelon for my husband and children to eat for dessert, they seemed not to notice what l was having. I also tried out my new stainless steel straws which l can highly recommend. I always drink through a straw which is related to sensitivity in my teeth and the plastic ones were such a problem to dispose of and a real waste. I bought a pack of four stainless steel ones which came with a little brush to clean them. Not being able to bite them as you can with a plastic straw takes some getting used to, but they are wider than a normal straw so you get a good amount of liquid through them.

Ingredients:

2 green apples with the skin on (well washed)

1 lebanese cucumber-well washed with the seeds removed

1 bunch of bok choy or a similar green

1/2 a lemon with the skin on-washed

A small handful of mint.

I processed this through my cold press juicer and had it straight away. It would be nice with some ice added and a small amount of ginger would add to the taste.

If you like this post please tell your friends and share.  I am also on twitter and facebook. Thanks  Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

Banana and coconut cake (Paleo)

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2014-01-24 17.15.37

A sweet treat.

I have seen a few versions of this cake and thought it sounded so delicious that l decided to make my own. It is a very soft and moist cake with a lovely coconut and banana flavour, as well a being gluten, processed sugar and dairy free.

You will need a greased and lined loaf tin. I greased mine with organic coconut oil and my loaf tin was made of glass. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Ingredients:

6 Medjool dates chopped in the food processor (seeds removed)

4 medium sized ripe bananas (mashed)

1/2 a cup of filtered water

1/2 a cup of melted organic coconut oil

4 free range eggs (beaten)

2 tablespoons raw organic honey (or just organic honey)

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup coconut flour

1 cup hazelnut or almond meal

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Method:

Mix together the first six ingredients (all the moist ones). Add the dry ingredients and gently mix through. Pour into the baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Place into the oven and cook until golden. This cake is very moist so it needs to be cooked well. I let mine sit in the tin for a while when l took it out of the oven and let it cool on a rack before cutting.

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Recipes, Wellness

Roast chicken

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2014-01-13 17.15.19 2014-01-13 19.19.58

A magnificent home cooked chicken

Why buy a pre-cooked chicken from the shop when you can cook a delicious free range one at home, and the smell throughout your home will be enticing! I bought this free range chicken from Aldi and it was very reasonably priced for a whole chicken of this quality.

First of all l unwrap the chicken and rinse the outside and insides with cool clean water. I place the chicken on a rack as shown in the picture and put two cups of water in the glass dish. I coat the chicken in extra virgin olive oil and season with some ground black pepper, sea salt and mixed herbs. I then cover it in foil and place into a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees celsius. I like to cook my chickens for quite a long time so this chicken was in the oven for around 2.5 hours plus another twenty minutes with the foil off to brown. When l remove the chicken from the oven l cover it in foil again and leave it for about 30 minutes to rest. I then place it on a serving dish and cover it with new foil and place it into the fridge if l am not serving it straight away. Every part of the chicken as shown above was so moist and delicious and you know you have done a good job if you try to transfer it from the cooking dish to the serving plate and it falls apart. Remember not to throw away the bones, skin and left over meat as this can be used to make a very healthy stock.

Recipes, Wellness

Sweet potato, apple and almond pancake

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2014-01-14 15.18.21 2014-01-14 07.56.44 2014-01-14 07.37.43

A breakfast delight!

You may have noticed that l have a liking for pancakes. Since removing breakfast cereal and bread from my diet l needed to find an alternative and my current breakfast habit is to make up a batch of my pancakes which lasts for a few days, and then l make a completely different flavour. The combination of sweet potato, apple and almond is really nice and the mix of different flours, almond meal, flax and eggs helps this pancake hold together very well.

Ingredients:

1/2 a medium sized sweet potato peeled, washed and grated

1 green apple with the skin on, washed, cored and grated

2 tablespoons black chia seeds

1/2 cup flaked almonds

1 cup besan (chick pea) flour

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

4 free range eggs beaten

Filtered water

Method:

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly with a spoon. Add enough water that the mixture is thick but quite moist. You will need to add more water after a few minutes as the chia seeds soak up the moisture and expand.  Pre-heat your frypan and pour some extra virgin olive oil into it. Place several spoonfuls of mix into the pan and flatten with the back of a spoon and push the edges in so it is a nice shape. Use a spatula to turn and flatten again. I topped this pancake with flaked almonds and organic maple syrup and it was really delicious. The mix will keep in the fridge for a few days.

Recipes, Wellness

Lemon and raspberry smoothie

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2014-01-14 16.04.22

On a super hot Summer afternoon a refreshing drink is required, and a glass of this lemony drink is very fulfilling. This recipe makes several glasses and is very easy to make in your blender.

Place in the blender:

1 small lemon with the skin on-washed and seeds removed

1/2 a green apple with the skin on (or a whole one if it is small)

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

1/2 cm piece of fresh ginger (more or less depending on your liking for it)

250 ml plain coconut water

1 generous cup of frozen raspberries

Mix the ingredients on high until nicely blended then serve.

Recipes, Wellness

Egg salad with walnuts and seeds

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2014-01-12 18.28.57 2014-01-12 18.41.07

Delicious, crunchy, healthy and full of flavour.

Eggs are a great protein source and l experimented with some of the ingredients here to make a really healthy and crunchy salad. I served this salad with my Zingy tomato salad and roasted sweet potato and the flavours blended together beautifully. Some of you might ask where the meat is in this meal and certainly l could have served some grilled fish or chicken on the side or had a nice piece of Salmon with it. Sometimes it is just nice to have a non-meat meal and there were good sources of protein in this meal including the eggs, walnuts and chia seeds. Those of you who follow this blog will know that l have had my gall bladder removed and as a result l don’t eat red meat as l find it hard to digest and find that a light non-meat orientated meal can be a good way to finish the day.

Ingredients:

8 hard boiled free range eggs

2 small finely diced carrots

1 cup of activated walnuts (raw walnuts soaked and dehydrated)

1 cup of finely diced cabbage

2 spring onions (the green ends finely diced)

2 stalks of celery finely diced

1/4 cup activated sunflower seeds

1/4 cup activated pumpkin seeds

Method:

Mix all of these ingredients together in a nice glass bowl and add your favourite dressing.

My dressing:

In a bowl mix with a hand blender:

1/4  cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, 2 cloves of crushed garlic and the juice of one small lemon or lime. You can add in any herbs or other spices you have that you think would make this dish extra delicious. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until serving.

Recipes, Wellness

Apple and cinnamon cake (Paleo)

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2013-10-13 16.05.36 2013-11-04 16.41.38

I am re-posting this recipe because l have many new followers and wanted to share this wonderful recipe again with everyone. The mix of coconut, cinnamon and apple is really enticing and satisfying. Since l have adopted the Paleo diet this cake has become one of my favourite snacks.

Ingredients:

2 green apples, 2 cups almond meal, 1/4 cup coconut flour , 6 free range eggs, 1/4 cup organic coconut oil, 1/4 cup raw organic honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda (Bob’s Red Mill Aluminium free ).

Method:

Chop up the apples into small pieces. I leave the skin on because of the additional fibre and nutrients. Place in a saucepan with the organic coconut oil and cinnamon. Bring to the boil then simmer until the apples are soft. The smell in your kitchen will be amazing. Beat eggs and honey then add dry ingredients. Add contents of the saucepan and mix together. Place mixture in a greased and lined loaf tin and bake in a 170 degree celsius oven for approximately 40 minutes. Cool on cake rack. Yum! You can also use square tins as the picture above shows. The cake on the right is darker because l let the cinnamon and apple mix cook a bit longer than for the cake on the left. 

Hint;

When cool l slice this cake into single portions, wrap in glad wrap and freeze. When l am working and pack a lunch l just pop a piece into my lunchbox. Now my husband has realised how delicious it is l make double batches every few weeks to keep up the supply.

Recipes, Wellness

Sweet potato slice (Paleo)

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2014-01-08 19.55.51 2014-01-08 19.54.19

A taste sensation straight out of the oven!

Who would have thought that sweet potato would be so delicious in baked goods. When this slice came out of the oven it was really delicious and l admit that l had two pieces because it was very tasty. I also have a liking for eating my treats straight out of the freezer and this slice is really good cold and hard as well. The recipe is really sweet so if you need to you could cut down on the Stevia granules or just have a small piece.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized sweet potato peeled, steamed, mashed and cooled (about 2 cups when mashed)

1 dessert spoon of granulated stevia

Just under ½ a cup of raw organic honey

¼ cup organic coconut oil

2 free range eggs (beaten)

1 cup of coconut flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon all spice

½ teaspoon organic vanilla essence

2 teaspoons baking powder (gluten free).

Method:

Pre-heat a fan forced oven to approximately 160 degrees celsius or a bit higher. Grease a slice tray with organic coconut oil. I used a glass dish and that worked well. Line the base with baking paper.

Gently mix all of the ingredients together with a spoon, ensuring everything is evenly distributed. Smooth the top of the mixture with the back of the spoon so it is nice and even. Place in the oven and cook until golden on top and just coming away from the edge of the baking dish.

When the dish is cooked remove it from the oven and leave to rest for a few minutes in the dish. Run a knife carefully around the edge of the slice and as it cools a bit the slice will pull away from the dish. Place the cooling rack on top of the slice and with a t-towel so you don’t burn your hands flip the cooling rack and slice tray up-side down so that the slice is out of the dish and on the tray. I then used a second cooling rack to turn the slice over to the right side. I cut the slice into small pieces and after l had tried a couple and it had cooled, l wrapped each piece individually with cling wrap and placed in the freezer. This would be delicious as a dessert but l will use it mainly as a snack for when l am out and have my lunch box with me.

 

Recipes, Wellness

Zingy tomato salad

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2014-01-08 18.46.032014-01-09 15.47.34

This is a very simple but tasty salad that is a wonderful side dish to a meal. I have had it for lunch the last two days with my home made seed bread and eggs, and it was really wonderful. I used baby Roma tomatoes that had been grown on the vine and they were so delicious and sweet. My own tomatoes are coming along nicely but need a few more weeks of the hot Australian sunshine to be ready to pick.

Place the following ingredients in a nice bowl and mix:

8 small truss baby Roma tomatoes (or a smaller quantity of larger ones) diced

1 Lebanese cucumber diced (wash well and leave the skin on)

2 spring onions. I only use the green tops which l chopped finely

The juice of a small lemon

Some herbs chopped up. I had mint and basil in the garden and the taste was nice. If l had some flat leaf parsley l would have put that in also.

Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Cover with some cling wrap and store in the fridge until required.