Tag Archives: gluten free

Cherry and Pumpkin pancake (gluten, sugar and dairy free)

June 28, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

A really lovely way to start the day!

The selection of pancakes on this website is rapidly growing as l start to experiment further with non gluten flours and ingredients. This pancake was inspired by my purchase of a container of fresh cherries and l thought they would go very well with pumpkin. There is a good amount of fibre in this pancake and so many wonderful nutrients.

2014-06-28 08.21.07 — The pancake ingredients plus filtered water.

I like to assemble the ingredients on the bench so that everything is on hand.

Place in a bowl:

1 cup of organic buckwheat flour

1 cup of organic coconut flour

1/2 cup organic quinoa flakes

1/2 cup ground pepitas (I did this in the food processor)

4 free range eggs

1 full cup of finely grated pumpkin (I used the fine shredding attachment on the food processor)

10 cherries seeded and chopped in the food processor

Add approximately 2 1/2 cups of filtered water and mix well. The quinoa flakes will absorb water and you want it firm enough that you can make a small ball in your hand but still quite wet looking.

2014-06-28 08.34.11 — Now to add the water and mix.

2014-06-28 08.39.45 — Place a small amount of mix in a pre-heated pan with olive oil added and cook on a lowish heat until golden.

2014-06-28 08.43.31 — Cook until golden on both sides.

Top the pancake with your favourite toppings but l used raw walnuts (soaked and dehydrated), diced fresh cherries, raw pumpkin seeds (soaked and dehydrated) and organic maple syrup.

Topped with raw walnuts, pumpkin seeds, diced fresh cherries and organic maple syrup.

I really love spending time preparing lovely meals and making them look nice on the plate. I try to sit down and eat mindfully to support my digestion and mostly keep fluids separate from my meals also.

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Recipes, Wellness

Banana, Coconut, Lemon and Poppy seed cake (gluten, dairy and processed sugar free)

June 22, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

2014-06-20 19.15.00 — A piece or two for morning tea!

This cake is made with real ingredients and as a result each of the flavours can be tasted when enjoying this cake. The fresh banana, lemon juice, lemon zest, organic shredded coconut and poppy seeds give this cake a lovely balance and depth of flavour which is extremely satisfying. When making this cake l used the base recipe that l have for all of my Paleo cakes and l was heading in the direction of a banana or lemon cake, when the idea came to combine them. I couldn’t resist adding poppy seeds as they go so well with lemon, and l adore coconut and the flavour is already in the cake from the organic coconut oil.

Place all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix with a spoon:

2 cups of almond meal

1/4 cup of organic coconut flour

1/2 cup poppy seeds

1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Place all of the wet ingredients into another bowl and mix gently until combined:

6 free range eggs

1/4 cup organic coconut oil gently melted

1/4 cup raw organic honey gently melted (organic honey is fine).

2 large bananas mashed with a fork

Lemon zest and juice. I used 4 small lemons but you could use 2 large ones. Grate the zest into the mix and add the lemon juice.

2014-06-20 18.04.57 — The dry and wet ingredients combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly with a spoon.

2014-06-20 18.09.05 — Ready for the oven!

Place the mix into a greased and lined loaf pan and cook in a 180 degree celsius oven until golden. Use your own visuals and experience with your oven to determine if your cake is cooked and when done gently turn onto a cake rack.

2014-06-20 19.02.05 — Just out of the oven!

I have tried this cake warm, just out of the oven and cold the next day. The banana flavour is more intense in the cake when hot and l preferred it cold the next day for that reason. It is quite a dense cake and held together very well. You could ice it with your favourite mix if desired but l just left it plain as there was so much flavour already and it is a very moist cake.

2014-06-20 19.03.37 — I cut this cake as soon as it was out of the oven and the smell was lovely.

If you enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. I am also on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter daily where l share recipes, wellness tips and reflections. I would love you to follow me. Thanks Carolyn

Recipes, Wellness

Raspberry and coconut pancake (free of gluten, dairy and processed sugar)

June 22, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

2014-06-17 07.17.31 — Topped with walnuts, frozen raspberries, flaked coconut and organic maple syrup.

A pancake is an enjoyable start to the day and this one is free of gluten, dairy and processed sugar. I like to use the same basic mix for all of my pancakes and make enough that it will last for a few days stored in the fridge. To change the flavour l just add different ingredients, and l find that this is a good way to add some variety to my Breakfast dishes whilst addressing my need for a diet free of gluten and which will not cause me to suffer a food intolerance/sensitivity reaction.

Place the following ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a spoon.

1 cup organic buckwheat flour

1 cup organic coconut flour

1/2 cup organic quinoa flakes

4 free range eggs

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

1 cup of frozen raspberries

Filtered water: enough to make a moist mix as the quinoa flakes and chia seeds will over time thicken the mix. You can add other types of berries here instead of raspberries depending on your preference.

Place a small scoop of the mix onto a pre-heated non stick pan coated with a small amount of olive oil. Cook slowly until golden and then carefully flip over. To make the topping for this pancake l mixed in the blender a handful of frozen raspberries and a handful of walnuts so they were combined and l sprinkled this over the pancake. I then topped it with some flaked coconut and organic maple syrup. You can vary the toppings and another idea is to add some raspberries and water to the blender to make a liquid raspberry topping that can be poured over and around the pancake. Add just enough water until the blender will mix it and blend until a smooth consistency is achieved.

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Wellness

Frozen chocolate balls

June 3, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

2014-06-03 11.47.08 — Frozen chocolate balls. Almost like chocolate ice-cream!

These little balls are very sweet and delicious. I have a few on the plate here but l would just eat one at a time. You can eat them when they are freshly made, but l like to keep my snacks in the freezer, and these taste quite like chocolate ice-cream (remembering that l actually haven’t eaten any chocolate ice-cream for a few years now).

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon raw organic Cacao (I use the Loving Earth brand)

1 frozen banana

1/2 cups almonds (activated if possible)

1/4 cup organic coconut flakes

4 medjool dates (seeds removed)

Place all of the ingredients in the food processor and mix well. Roll into small balls and cover in raw organic cacao. I have had these in the freezer in an air tight container for a few months and they are still tasting great. When they are frozen they are still just soft enough to bite into and the flavour is a mix of coconut and chocolate. The dates and banana bind them together and they are jam packed full of nutrients as well as making you feel good because they taste so great!

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Wellness

Morning pancakes- Paleo (dairy, sugar and gluten free)

May 31, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

I really enjoy my morning pancake and make a new batch every few days. I have a base recipe that l add different ingredients to including frozen berries, sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin, apple and cinnamon. I usually top them with activated walnuts and maple syrup.

Base Recipe:

1 cup organic coconut flour

1 cup organic buckwheat flour

1/2 cup organic quinoa flakes

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

4 free range eggs

Flaked almonds (optional depending on what else you are adding)

Lots of filtered water (The quinoa flakes and chia seeds will soak up the water so you will need to make it a bit too moist to start with and let it sit)

To this basic mix you can make:

Berry pancakes by adding blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries as examples. You could have just one type of berry or a mix. You can blend this up to make a really colourful pancake or use whole berries. You can also keep the mix plain and add the berries to the pancake when in the pan which will stop the colour bleeding into the mix and keep the berries fresh. Frozen berries are good for this purpose.

Apple & cinnamon pancakes by adding one or two green apples with a good teaspoon of cinnamon.

Sweet Potato by grating a medium sweet potato into the mix

Carrot & Pumpkin by grating some of each of these into the mix.

2014-02-22 07.24.30 — Grated carrot, sweet potato or pumpkin is a delightful addition to the mix.

If the mixture is quite firm you can make a ball in your hand and then flatten it and place in the pan. If it is moist then use a spoon and shape it into a neat circle in the pan. I use olive oil to cook my pancakes and have a tub of activated walnuts in the fridge. In the morning l just take the pre-prepared mix out of the fridge, cook it up and add my toppings within a few minutes. I try not to run out of mix in the mornings and make it the night before. Eating a pancake without gluten, sugar or dairy does take some getting used to but our taste buds adapt very quickly and l find these pancakes very satisfying and filling.

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Wellness

Sensational Seed and Nut bars

May 24, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Healthy, easy to make seed and nuts bars, or just seed bars if you leave the nuts out as the ones above. This recipe is very flexible and l know there are heaps of other bar recipes on the web but this one suits me, my lifestyle, tastes and food choices. The ingredients are all wonderful and you can add more or less of each seed and it wont matter. To be adventurous you could add herbs, raw cacao, cinnamon or garlic and l may start experimenting a bit now l have this basic recipe worked out. The ones in the picture above do not have nuts or coconut, but l prefer the batch l made today which included them. I use organic and activated ingredients but it is up to you and your preferences. Regular nuts and seeds will work well, but l need to support my digestion and overall health as much as possible so use the best ingredients l can.

Ingredients:

1 cup activated organic sunflower seeds

1 cup activated organic pumpkin seeds

1 cup organic sesame seeds

1 cup black chia seeds

1 cup activated mixed nuts (I used walnut, almond and brazil)

A generous 1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

8 Medjool Dates seeded and chopped (roughly chop just to make it easier for the food processor)

A good 1/2 cup raw organic honey (use organic or regular honey if that is what you have or even rice malt syrup)

A good 1/2 cup organic coconut oil

Place the nuts, seeds, shredded coconut and dates in the food processor and chop until roughly chopped. Tip this into a good sized glass bowl. I used the same measuring cup for the organic coconut oil and raw organic honey and with both in there it should look really full. Put the coconut oil in the cup first so it is easier to remove.

Melt the coconut oil and honey in a saucepan on very low heat. You don’t want it too hot so remove from the heat just before it is all melted. Give it a stir and then pour it into the seed, nut, date and shredded coconut mix. Stir well and taste test. It should be delicious and sweet.

Place a sheet of grease proof paper over a baking tray and run your finger around the edge to make a crease. Pour the mix onto the tray and flatten with a soft spatula or the back of a spoon. Make sure it is quite even across the whole tray and give special attention to the corners.

I have tried a few different oven temperatures and times but basically you don’t want the oven too hot as you will burn the seeds and lose lots of nutrients, and you want to just cook it until the edges are going golden. I cooked mine today in a Fan Forced Convection Oven at 170 Degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. You will be able to check this after your first batch.

Remove the tray from the oven and let cool until cold. I left mine for about 1.5 hours.

Use the edges of the baking paper to carefully remove the bars as a whole from the tray and lay it on a flat bench. Cut the bars while still on the baking paper into whatever size suits you using a very sharp knife and wiping clean after cutting a row. I think it is better to have the bars quite small as then you have more of a choice over serving size.

Carefully lift each bar into the container for freezing unless you are going to eat them all fresh. If they are a bit crumbly you can place the whole lot into the freezer with a cutting board underneath so they harden a bit before placing in the tub.

The best part of the whole cooking experience is eating the crumbs. Scrape them off the baking paper and into a bowl. Enjoy! You could dip something into these crumbs such as a banana or use them as a topping.

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Recipes, Wellness

Walnut and Sweet Potato Cake

May 10, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

A cake that is free of dairy, processed sugar and gluten!

I like to cook in bulk so that l don’t have to do any more cooking than l already do, and so that l have snacks in the freezer for the busy times. On the days l am working l grab a piece of this cake from the freezer and put it in my lunch box. There is also an apple and cinnamon cake on the website which l make as well. To make these cakes today l tripled the recipe, but the ingredients listed just make one cake. This is a firm cake with a sweet flavour. You can substitute the nuts with another kind or swap the sweet potato to something like pumpkin or carrot. This recipe cuts well and when the cake is cool l cut it with a serrated bread knife and wrap each piece individually with cling wrap and freeze. My husband has discovered how nice my cakes are and is also taking a piece to work each day which means that l am having to make them more often.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic almond meal (keep this in the fridge)

1/4 cup organic coconut flour

5 large eggs (700 grams) (These should also be kept in the fridge)

A generous 1/4 cup organic coconut oil

A generous 1/4 cup raw organic honey (or organic honey)

1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

1 teaspoon Bicarb Soda (Bob’s Red Mill Brandon is good)

1/2 cup walnuts (this measurement is when they are whole and not ground). Process these in the food processor until in small broken up pieces.

1 cup shredded sweet potato (This measure is the sweet potato loosely filling the cup)

Method:

Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Place the eggs in another bowl and whisk. In a saucepan warm up the coconut oil and honey until a liquid. Let cool. Add the liquid to the egg mix then add the shredded carrot and walnuts. Add this mix into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until combine.

Place in a greased square or rectangular metal or glass baking dish which has the base lined with baking paper. I grease the inside of the baking dish with the organic coconut oil. Bake in a 180 Degree Celsius oven until the outside of the cake is golden and the middle firmish. Don’t let the cake burn but the outside will be quite darkish brown when done.

This cake is lovely warm, but also freezes well. If you like it you can multiply the ingredients and make several as l did today so that they are on hand when needed. You can freeze them whole or in single slices as l do. It is surprising how lovely the organic coconut oil is in baked goods and the cake still has a sweetness to it even though it has only a small amount of honey in it.

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Wellness

Snack bars-all natural

April 10, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Another lunch box filler or sweet snack to fill in the holes that are left by following a restricted diet. These snack bars are crunchy and sweet eaten straight from the freezer which is how l prefer them, but if l pack them in my lunch box for work l use a cool block so they stay cool. The raw organic honey, medjool dates and organic coconut oil provide the elements of sweetness and stickiness that helps to hold the bars together. Everything in these bars is healthy and natural and the best part is scraping the bits off the tray and eating them while still warm. See if you can resist!

I like to make things in bulk and freeze them but if this doesn’t suit you then just halve the recipe. If you halve it just use one baking tray instead of two. It can be good to start with a smaller quantity as it often takes a few goes to get a recipe right or to make adaptations to it that suit you.

Ingredients:

1 cup Almond Meal (I keep mine in the fridge)

1 cup organic shredded coconut

1 cup organic sesame seeds (I also keep all of my seeds and nuts in the fridge)

1 cup of Pepitas

1 cup of Sunflower Seeds

1 cup of Chia Seeds

2 cups of chopped nuts (I used walnuts almonds and macadamias)

2 teaspoons organic cinnamon

12 medjool dates seeded and chopped

4 generous tablespoons raw organic honey (or organic honey)-warm so it is just a liquid

1 good cup of organic coconut oil-warm so it is a liquid

Method:

Place the nuts and dates in the food processor and pulse. Add all of the other dry ingredients and mix well. Place in a bowl and mix through the liquid honey and coconut oil. This is the time for a taste test. Yum!

Grease the two trays well with coconut oil (one if halving the recipe) and place half of the mixture on each tray. Spread the mixture evenly over the tray and using an egg flipper push the mix down so it is flattened and compacted. Focus on the corners and edges also. Place the trays in a pre-heated 160 degree celcius oven and bake until the edges are quite golden. Around 30 minutes but it will depend on the oven.

Let the trays cool for about five minutes and then run a sharp knife around the edge of the tray and carefully cut lines into the mix as shown in the picture. When the trays are completely cool, cover with cling wrap and place into the freezer for about one hour. Take the trays out of the oven and use a cake server to go around the edge of the tray and loosen the bars. Bend the tray slightly until you can see the bars lifting off the tray. Use the cake slicer to carefully lift each piece out of the tray. Place into a container and put in the freezer. This is the time to scrape the leftover pieces off the tray and enjoy. So yummy!

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Wellness

Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Casserole

April 10, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

A very warming and tasty casserole which will stimulate your taste buds.

I surprised myself by making such a spicy dish. I was originally going to make apricot chicken but the apricots have vanished from the shops so l had to make some adjustments to my thinking. I also didn’t have time to use the hot pot so just used a saucepan on the stove top. The result was really warm with the mix of spices just right. Of course, spiciness is very personal so feel free to add more or less of the spices depending on your tastes. I served this casserole with some lovely brown rice that l put in a ramekin to get the nice shape. The kids think it is funny when l serve the rice this way rather than just spooning it on to the plate.

Ingredients:

A pack of free range or organic chicken thighs (approximately 6) chopped into small pieces

1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced

1 tablespoon of Millet flour (or any other flour you like)

1 tablespoon organic tomato paste

Herbs- I used chives, parsley and mint because that is what l had in the garden. Just a small amount of each.

Spices- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a generous 1/4 teaspoon each of ginger, cumin, turmeric and a pinch of paprika

Juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon black chia seeds

Sea salt and ground black pepper to season

1.5 cups approximately of stock or filtered water. Use your judgement here. Add a cup and see if you think it needs more. The chia seeds will soak up some of the water but you don’t want it to be too runny.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In to a saucepan place some Olive Oil, the diced chicken, sweet potato and flour. Place on the heat and lightly brown. Give it a good mix as it is cooking so the flour coats all of the surfaces. Now add the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute. Add all of the spices, lemon juice and smell the aroma. Mix well. Add the stock, herbs, chia seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then let simmer for several hours. Mine simmered for around 6 hours and this was a good amount of time for the flavours to really develop. Serve with steamed vegetables or rice. You can freeze the left overs or take it to work for lunch the next day.

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Recipes, Wellness

Sweet potato and carrot pancake (gluten free)

February 26, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

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

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 07.27.33

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

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Wellness

Walnut and herb bread

February 4, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife 1 Comment

The aroma of this delicious bread will have you coming back for more. This is a lovely addition to your meal with its light texture and warming taste of fresh herbs. I actually saw the recipe on fastpaleo.com, although they called it a different name, and thought it looked so delicious that l made it the same day to accompany dinner. It was really easy and quick to make but took longer in the oven than was recommended in the original recipe. I was surprised at the very positive reaction from my husband and children when they tasted this bread and will definately be making it again.

Grease (with organic coconut oil) and line a glass loaf dish (or similar).

Ingredients:

2 cups of activated walnuts (or raw walnuts) -blend these in the food processor until finely chopped.

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons almond meal

2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary and Thyme finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda ( I used Bob’s Aluminium free)

5 free range eggs

1/4 cup coconut oil (if solid melt then let cool, but in warmer climates use at room temperature)

1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar (Bragg brand is very good)

Mix together the dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl whisk the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into the baking dish and smooth the top until the mix is level. Place into a pre-heated oven 160 degrees celsius for around 40 minutes or until golden and firmish to touch. Remove from the oven and cut around the edges with a knife to separate the bread from the baking dish. Turn onto a cooling rack. I was able to slice this bread straight away while warm and a quick taste test confirmed how delicious it is. The smell in your kitchen while this dish is cooking will be divine.

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Recipes, Wellness

Banana and coconut cake (Paleo)

January 24, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

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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Tag Archives: gluten free

Cherry and Pumpkin pancake (gluten, sugar and dairy free)

Raspberry and coconut pancake (free of gluten, dairy and processed sugar)

Frozen chocolate balls

Morning pancakes- Paleo (dairy, sugar and gluten free)

Sensational Seed and Nut bars

Walnut and Sweet Potato Cake

Snack bars-all natural

Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato and carrot pancake (gluten free)

Walnut and herb bread

Banana and coconut cake (Paleo)

Live & eat mindfully. Gluten & dairy free recipes.