Tag Archives: paleo cooking

Pumpkin Seed Bread

January 2, 2015 holisticwellnessforlife 2 Comments

The Perfect Paleo bread seems to be on everyone’s to do list these days. This is a delicious gluten and dairy free bread where pumpkin seeds form the bulk of the loaf. The green colour is enticing and it holds together well when sliced. I have tested the recipe several times and am very happy with the result. I hope you enjoy it!

2015-01-01 16.18.45 — A delightful gluten and dairy free bread.

I can imagine myself topping this with something delicious like avocado and tomato, or if you eat dairy some good quality grass fed butter. Following a Primal lifestyle l eat Wholefoods such as meat, vegetables, eggs, fruit, nuts, seeds and healthy oils. This bread is actually composed of some of those wholefoods or products made from wholefoods such as coconut flour. It is extremely easy to make with the most important part being to let the loaf cool in the pan.

A food processor is required for this recipe as the Pumpkin seeds need to be processed and this is difficult to do any other way. I have used activated seeds and l would advise you to use them to decrease the anti-nutrient content of the loaf.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of Pumpkin seeds (activated)

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

4 eggs (Free range, Organic or local pasture raised)

1/3 cup Coconut Flour

1/4 Cup Rice Malt Syrup

1/2 teaspoon Bicarb Soda (Bobs Red Mill)

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Pink Rock Salt (or Sea Salt)

1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds (activated) plus extra for the top.

2015-01-02 10.16.36 — Grease your loaf tin with coconut oil and line the base with baking paper. This tin is smaller than a regular loaf baking dish so the loaf is quite compact.

Method:

2015-01-02 10.30.25 — Place all ingredients into the food processor except the coconut oil and sunflower seeds. Process until well combined and the pumpkin seeds are quite small and broken.

2015-01-02 10.33.00 — The mix is quite thick. Place into a bowl and add the melted coconut oil and sunflower seeds.

2015-01-02 10.33.21 — Mix gently until well combined. The mix will look nice and moist.

2015-01-02 10.34.50 — Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and smooth the top with the spatula.

2015-01-02 10.35.33 — Sprinkle extra sunflower seeds over the top and ensure good coverage. You could use pumpkin seeds as an alternative or a mix of both would be fun.

2015-01-02 11.08.44 — Bake in a pre-heated 180 Degree Celsius oven until golden and firm. Each oven will be different and if your oven is hot then lower the temperature. My bread split slightly on the top and this was a good sign it was done.

Remove the bread from the oven and let cool in the pan until almost cool. With a knife cut around the edge of the bread to loosen it.

2015-01-02 11.50.28 — Carefully turn the bread onto a cooling rack.

2015-01-02 11.50.40 — Flip the bread over and cut a slice off. The end pieces are the best!

2015-01-02 11.51.03 — I hope you enjoy this bread. You could add some different spices to the mixture to change the flavour.

I advise slicing the bread into single serves and storing them in the freezer to use as required, although it would keep several days out of the freezer. This bread could also be taken to work as a snack on its own or you could take the toppings with you. It could be placed under the grill and heated also.

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Recipes

Chicken and vegetable cauliflower rice

November 18, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

A budget friendly, nutritious and easy to prepare meal. I used a whole cauliflower for this recipe and was amazed at the plentiful quantity it made. Cauliflower rice is a great alternative to real rice, and you will be amazed at how similar it looks and tastes.

2014-09-03 19.02.07 — Enough to feed the whole family.

Ensure that you use fresh ingredients. You can use your favourite vegetables but l used mostly greens in this one such as bok choy, celery, broccoli, spring onion tops and snow peas, plus some carrot and bean sprouts.

2014-07-10 17.49.21 — A beautiful fresh cauliflower.

This is a dish that can be pre-prepared early in the day so that at dinner time it will take a very short time to cook. It is a matter of processing the cauliflower, washing and chopping all of the vegetables and dicing the chicken. This can all then be kept in separate bowls or containers in the fridge until required.

2014-09-03 12.26.31 — Preparation is the key! One whole cauliflower, 2 free range chicken breasts and your favourite vegetables.

My favourite way to make cauliflower rice is to cut the fresh cauliflower into smallish pieces and then blend it in the food processor. This takes about 10 seconds to turn into cauliflower rice. You don’t want it in the food processor too long or it will be a pulp and wont cook nicely.

2014-06-25 18.38.33 — Wash the raw cauliflower and cut it into pieces that will fit into the food processor.

2014-09-03 12.27.08 — Process the cauliflower until it resembles rice and is an even consistency.

Steps:

I used a largish fry pan which l pre-heated on a low temperature and added some olive oil. You know the pan is too hot if the oil is smoking. High heats will damage the oil so go gently with the heat.

Add the diced chicken to the pan and lightly brown. Next add the cauliflower rice and let it cook for a few minutes, followed by the vegetables and any spices you are using. I just used pink rock salt and ground black pepper, but l have in the past added fresh garlic, ginger and lots of spices such as tumeric, cumin, paprika and cinnamon. You can also add some sauces such as a fish sauce or Tamari, but l have been having food intolerance reactions to a lot of spices at present so kept this dish plain. The cauliflower rice often changes colour depending on the spices or vegetables you use and can look so stunning. Don’t over cook the vegetables or rice to retain the nutrients. I put mine on a nice large platter to serve and it looked wonderful.

You can take this to work the next day for lunch to have cold and use different meats, or just have it as a side dish. A very fresh and clean cauliflower is essential to the success of this dish and it is so light and healthy that it is a great meal to have at night when you don’t want to overload your digestive system.

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Recipes

Beetroot, Cauliflower and Fennel soup

September 23, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

This soup is a delightful combination of colour and flavours with each of the main ingredients influencing the dish. The beetroot provides the most magnificent colour, the fennel a strong flavour and the cauliflower an interesting texture.

2014-09-21 19.51.11 — So lovely with fresh parsley. This is the colour of the soup on the second day. A bit more pink than red.

Ingredients:

2 large beetroots peeled and diced

1/2 fennel washed and sliced

1 whole cauliflower washed and diced

2 sticks celery washed and sliced

1 brown onion diced

2 tablespoons Macadamia oil

3 cups home made chicken stock (see soup section for recipe)

Add all ingredients excluding the chicken stock into a saucepan and cook on a low heat until they soften. You should stir the mixture every now and again during this stage.

2014-09-20 16.38.05 — All the vegetables are prepared. Drizzle with oil and cook on a low heat until they start to soften.

Once the vegetables are soft add the chicken stock and let simmer for at least an hour with the lid on.

2014-09-20 17.34.32 — Ready to be pureed

Puree the mixture using a hand mixer and when it has a smooth consistency, place back on the stove and let cook for at least 30 more minutes on a gentle heat. Taste now to see if the soup needs more seasoning.

2014-09-20 17.38.12 — Use the hand blender to create a smooth consistency

When the soup is cooked serve it on its own or with your favourite herbs or meat.You can freeze the left over soup or have it the next day for lunch or dinner.

2014-09-20 19.02.38 — Served with baked salmon. Just after cooking the soup was very reddish but went a bit pinker on the second day.

You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo.

Recipes, Wellness

Mini quiche: A meal or a snack!

September 17, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Bake a batch of mini quiche and discover how delicious they are! Fantastic for the whole family.

2014-08-30 11.47.16 — A small quiche can be part of a meal or a great snack.

The basic ingredient of the mini quiche is eggs (preferably free range or organic). What you add to the mix is entirely up to your preferences. This could include seeds, nuts, vegetables, cheese and seasonings as examples.

Broccoli quiche:

Mix in a bowl eggs, grated carrot, spring onion green tops, parsley, a meat such as tuna (optional), pink rock salt and black pepper. Grease the pan very well or use patty pans. Pour the mixture into each hole in the pan and place a piece of raw broccoli in the centre of each. Cook in a 200 degree celsius oven until firm and golden.

2014-08-30 11.21.16 — These muffins are poured directly into the pan. Ensure you grease it well.

2014-08-30 11.40.34 — Nice and golden,. Use a knife to cut around the edges and gently pull out.

Egg and bacon quiche are delicious straight out of the oven.

Place a strip of bacon into the greased tray and crack an egg into each hole. Season with pink rock salt and black pepper.

2014-07-01 18.55.08 — These simple egg and bacon snacks are so easy to make and the bacon makes them easy to lift out of the pan.

2014-07-01 19.14.24 — Cook until the eggs are just cooked

2014-07-01 19.18.37 — Fantastic served with vegetables

Mini quiche are also a great snack and lunch box filler. Have the leftovers the next day with a salad for lunch or grab one for morning tea. Alternatively enjoy the quiche the next night by gently reheating in the oven and serving with a delicious salad or roast vegetables.

2014-08-31 12.03.28 — Small broccoli quiche with a beetroot spiral salad, sweet potato chips and bacon. Quite a combination.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo

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Recipes

Home made chicken stock

September 14, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Home made stock is so handy and can be used as a base in dishes such as soups, casseroles, sauces or as a broth. It is extremely nutritious and adds a lovely flavour to your cooking.

2014-09-14 16.13.03 — A clear and beautiful stock.

When l had a colonoscopy recently l strained it through a muslin cloth and had it before the procedure and it helped me get through the fasting period.

IMG_20131013_161554 — Here it is as a broth with garlic and parsley.

It freezes very well and if you put it in lots of small containers is easy to add to your favourite dishes. Alternatively freeze it in a couple of larger containers and use it as a base for a soup or casserole.

2014-08-07 13.34.00 - Copy (4) — A lovely vegetable soup.

2013-12-02 18.35.31 — Apricot chicken (The recipe is in the main meal section)

To make the stock start off with a good quality organic or free range chicken which you can cook using your favourite method. I usually roast mine and have a meal or two with it then use the leftover bones, meat and skin to make the stock.

2014-05-28 14.06.39 — A delicious roasted chicken

Place the chicken carcass, left over meat and skin in a large stainless steel pot and cover with cold filtered water.

2013-10-13 15.37.05 — Put all the leftovers in the pot and cover with filtered water. Don’t use tap water if you can avoid it.

Add the following to the pot:

1 onion or spring onion chopped up

2 or 3 celery sticks chopped into a few pieces

2 medium sized carrots chopped up

Several bay leaves

A small dash of organic apple cider vinegar

A few black peppercorns

2014-07-15 16.58.15 — Everything is in the pot now.

Put the lid on and bring to the boil. Let the pot simmer most of the day and overnight if you can. When it has cooled slightly strain into a large pot or bowl.

2014-04-08 06.09.45 — This part is a bit tricky.

2014-09-14 16.13.15 — It is so golden and looks delicious.

Carefully pour into the storage containers. I usually freeze most of it and keep a small amount in the fridge for use during the week.

2014-05-19 12.40.03 — This size is handy to add to smaller meals

2014-04-29 12.47.26 — This size container is good as a base for a soup or casserole.

Some of the stock can be used straight away to make a delicious soup.

2014-04-08 06.25.30 — Vegetables prepared for the soup

2014-04-08 06.28.54 — Cooking nicely and the smell in the house will be lovely.

2014-04-09 08.43.02 — A delicious home made soup.

Do yourself a favour and make your own stock. It is very quick to make and the taste is sensational.

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Wellness

The versatility of sweet potato!

September 8, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Sweet potatoes are versatile, sweet, nutritious and affordable!

2014-09-08 18.18.19 — A simple dinner with sweet potato as the centre piece.

Oh, how l love the sweet potato which is also known as kumara or yam. Not much to look at in the shops, but once cooked the flavour is enticing.

2014-04-25 16.39.44 — The orange sweet potato is always in my fridge.

Sweet Potato is a good source of complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre and beta carotene, and this root vegetable also has modest amounts of Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin B6 and Magnesium.

2014-09-06 18.55.56 — A sweet potato mash with silverbeet, parsley and spring onion adds some colour to this meal.

Since l stopped eating processed sugar l like to include foods which are naturally sweet as part of my everyday diet. The sweet potato is a lovely addition to a meal because of its beautiful sweet taste, soft texture and bright colour. It is extremely easy to cook with and difficult to ruin. I am amazed at the lovely flavour it adds to baked goods such as cakes and pancakes and although l prefer it cooked it can be a good addition raw to a smoothie.

sweet potato noodles with soup — Sweet Potato noodles with soup

2014-03-23 18.31.30 — Sweet Potato and Walnut cake.

2014-08-13 08.54.20 — A Paleo, gluten, dairy sugar free pancake with grated sweet potato mixed through the batter.

2014-01-28 17.47.24 — Raw sweet potato in a juice tastes a lot like carrot and makes it creamy.

I can’t remember when l first ate a sweet potato but it certainly wasn’t until l was an adult. It has some similarities in flavour and colour to the pumpkin but holds together better when cooked and is especially delicious cut into chips. Sweet Potatoes can be bought quite small or enormously large, and the surprising thing is that in my experience the flavour is the same whatever size you buy. They are also available with a red skin and a white flesh and this is one of those times when your taste buds can get very confused as the taste is the same as the orange version. I have to admit here that l have on occasion tricked my children into thinking they were eating normal potato when in fact it was the red sweet potato just to get them to try a new vegetable.

How many ways can one vegetable be used in recipes?

Here are a few more pictures of how l have used the sweet potato in my cooking:

2014-03-02 14.29.57 — Sweet Potato Chips as a snack. Coat them in olive or coconut oil and season before cooking.

2013-11-28 19.02.52 — Sweet Potato and vegetable soup. See the main meals section for a soup recipe.

2014-09-04 19.19.25 — Sweet potato chips are my favourite.

2013-11-18 17.58.50 — A gluten free pizza with sweet potato.

I hope you can enjoy the sweet potato as much as l do and make it a regular part of your meals.

2014-08-28 19.26.00 — Roasted sweet potato with salmon is delicious here. I roasted it with the skin on and then sliced it before serving.

2014-08-26 19.04.28 — Vegetarian lasagna with sweet potato layers.

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. You can follow me daily on Instagram at holistic_paleo.

Here is a link to a great online book store where you can purchase some Paleo and wellness books.

exisle — Just click on the logo to see some great books.

Wellness

Chicken and vegetable cauliflower rice

September 4, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

Steps:

If you have enjoyed this post please share with a friend. I am on Instagram at holistic_paleo and Twitter at Holistic Paleo@carolynlgray

Wellness

Orange and poppy seed cake with whole oranges (gluten and dairyfree)

August 30, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

I am reposting the recipe for this delightful cake as l have had so much wonderful feedback. This is a lovely moist cake which uses whole oranges to give it a beautiful flavour and texture. I don’t normally cook with stevia but l had some in the cupboard and thought it would add a nice sweetness to the cake and used it in conjunction with Rice Malt Syrup which worked well.

2014-07-06 14.04.51 — A moist and lovely cake-gluten free/dairy free

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes and 1 whole cake so it could be halved if desired. To make this cake all of the wet ingredients plus a few extras are placed in one bowl and the dry ones in another.

2014-07-06 09.29.10 — The wet ingredients plus the poppy seeds

Ingredients:

Place these ingredients into one bowl and mix together.

2 whole Navel oranges chopped and blended-skin left on (Navel oranges are so sweet. Just chop them into smallish pieces and place into the blender until a smooth consistency).

3/4 cup filtered water

4 free range eggs

1/2 cup stevia granules

1/2 cup organic coconut oil gently melted

1/3 cup poppy seeds (more or less depending on your preference)

1/3 cup rice malt syrup

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla essence

In another bowl mix:

2 cups almond meal

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate Soda (Bob’s Red Mill)

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix gently. If making cupcakes place spoonfuls into patty pans as below.

2014-07-06 09.35.40 — Ready for the oven!

If making a cake pour half the mix into a greased and lined cake tin. Bake both in a 180 degree celsius oven until firm to touch. The cake will take quite a lot longer than the cup cakes.

2014-07-06 10.07.50 — A cute cupcake display. Add some orange pieces to compliment the cupcakes.

Let the cake cool in the tin for a few minutes and then place on a cake cooling rack. I drizzled the cake with some fresh orange juice and topped with sliced orange. I admit to having a cupcake and a piece of cake and my preference is for the cake as the extra juice and orange slice really added to the flavour.

2014-07-06 11.01.10 — Drizzle the cake with fresh orange juice and freshly sliced Navel orange.

This is a delightful cake and the flavour turned out really delicious and it is a wonderful treat for those of us living on restricted diets.

If you enjoyed this post please share with a friend. You can also follow me on Instagram: holistic_paleo, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Twitter or Flickr.

Recipes

Beetroot and walnut cake!

August 23, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

A lovely cake which is Paleo friendly, gluten, dairy and processed sugar-free. Before this cake is cooked it is the loveliest pink colour which unfortunately disappears after it has been baked in the oven.

2014-08-23 19.10.31 — The end piece is always so crunchy and delicious!

Ingredients:

2 cups almond meal

1/4 cup organic coconut flour (no need to sift, just squash the lumps))

6 free range eggs (700g)

A generous 1/4 cup organic coconut oil (gently melted)

A generous 1/4 cup raw organic honey (gently melted)

1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda (Bob’s Red Mill Aluminium free ).

One small fresh beetroot peeled and grated

1/2 cup raw activated walnuts chopped roughly (or just raw walnuts)

Extra whole walnuts for the top of the cake.

Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and gently combine with a spatula.

2014-08-23 18.05.27 — The colour is lovely

Place the mixture in a greased and lined baking tin. Smooth the top with a spatula and then place the extra whole walnuts on top of the cake

2014-08-23 18.08.19 — I greased my tin with coconut oil.

Bake in a 180 degree celsius oven until golden and quite firm.

2014-08-23 18.43.58 — The cake will be golden and smell delicious

Remove the cake from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake to separate it from the tin. Turn the cake gently onto the cooling rack, remove the baking paper from the bottom and turn over.

2014-08-23 18.45.46 — Let the cake cool and then sample a piece! I use a serrated knife to gently cut a piece.

2014-08-23 19.16.37 — The cake is lovely eaten warm!

If you have enjoyed this post please share it with a friend. You can also follow me on Instagram at holistic_paleo.

Wellness

Orange and poppy seed cake with whole oranges (gluten and dairyfree)

July 6, 2014 holisticwellnessforlife Leave a comment

This is a lovely moist cake which uses whole oranges to give it a beautiful flavour and texture. I don’t normally cook with stevia but l had some in the cupboard and thought it would add a nice sweetness to the cake and used it in conjunction with Rice Malt Syrup which worked well.

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes and 1 cake so it could be halved if desired. To make this cake all of the wet ingredients plus a few extras are placed in one bowl and the dry ones in another.

Ingredients:

Place these ingredients into one bowl and mix together.

2 whole Navel oranges chopped and blended-skin left on (Navel oranges are so sweet. Just chop them into smallish pieces and place into the blender until a smooth consistency).

3/4 cup filtered water

4 free range eggs

1/2 cup stevia granules

1/2 cup organic coconut oil gently melted

1/3 cup poppy seeds (more or less depending on your preference)

1/3 cup rice malt syrup

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla essence

In another bowl mix:

2 cups almond meal

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate Soda (Bob’s Red Mill)

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix gently. If making cupcakes place spoonfuls into patty pans as below.

If making a cake pour half the mix into a greased and lined cake tin. Bake both in a 180 degree celsius oven until firm to touch. The cake will take quite a lot longer than the cup cakes.

This is a delightful cake and the flavour turned out really delicious and it is a wonderful treat for those of us living on restricted diets.

If you enjoyed this post please share with a friend. You can follow me on:

Facebook: holistic wellness for life

Twitter: holistic paleo @carolynlgray

Instagram: holistic_paleo

Holistic Wellness for Life

Tag Archives: paleo cooking

Pumpkin Seed Bread

Chicken and vegetable cauliflower rice

Beetroot, Cauliflower and Fennel soup

Mini quiche: A meal or a snack!

Home made chicken stock

The versatility of sweet potato!

Chicken and vegetable cauliflower rice

Orange and poppy seed cake with whole oranges (gluten and dairyfree)

Beetroot and walnut cake!

Orange and poppy seed cake with whole oranges (gluten and dairyfree)

Live & eat mindfully. Gluten & dairy free recipes.