Gluten Free Buckwheat Banana Bread

It has been a long time sorry all! Here's my latest recipe. I also now have a youtube channel with video recipes which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXmlI4FDoPruQcomPZvyrSA

Ingredients:
3 cups buckwheat flour (don't use Bob's Mill brand or it will be very dark)
3 x Organic Free Range Eggs room temperature OR 3 x Tbs flaxseed mixed with 12xTbsp water
1 Tbsp Rice bran oil 
3 x bananas
1 Tsp baking soda (check the ingredients for no added nasties)
1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp stevia

Directions:

1. Line bread tin with grease proof paper (you can add butter to the tin to make paper stay better) and preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. In a bowl add 3 peeled bananas, stevia, oil, vanilla extract, 3 eggs and baking soda and mix using an electric blender.
3. Add in the buckwheat and mix under all combined to a cake batter consistency. If the mixture isn't at this consistency you can add 1/2 cup of water.
4. Bake for 3o minutes in a moderate oven, it may take less time the hint is when you start getting the nice smell of baked bread it is done. You can check by putting a skewer in the middle to test it, if it comes out clean it's done
5. Let cool for 5 mins, then take out of the tin and let it cool on a wire rack
6. Cut into pieces and store the rest into your fridge. Great with homemade almond butter
   
   Optional - add blueberries or carob nibs in the mix and flaked almonds on the top for extra textures.

Arabic lentil soup

This is my absolute favourite soup and my go-to whenever I feel rundown. I enjoy cooking fresh and tasty food for my vegan friend so this one is easy and packs the flavour.

Ingredients:

2 x cups of red lentils

3.5 x cups water

1 x tbsp himalayan pink sea salt

1 x tbsp ground cumin

1 x large onion

1 x handful chopped parsley

2 x tbsp rice bran oil

0.5 x lemon

Directions:

1. Wash lentils in cold water 5-10 times until the chalky water starts to run clear

2. Once washed, place lentils in a pot and top with the 3.5 cups of water. Cook for 20 mins or as directed on the back of the packet

3. Dice the onion finely, it doesn't need to be perfect

4. In a frying pan put the rice bran oil, onions and cumin and sweat the onions down - make sure not to burn them!

5. Place the onions and make sure to also add the oil you cooked them in into the lentil mixture

6. Add salt, chopped parsley and the juice of half a lemon and cook for a further 2 mins

7. Serve and enjoy!

Easiest and quickest quinoa salad

I have a confession, I don't ALWAYS feel like cooking. There are times where I just wish dinner was there waiting for me but, on the nights this isn't possible, this is a quick and healthy meal that always satisfies.

Ingredients:
1 cup of quinoa
1/2 x cucumber
1 x carrot
4 thick slices of haloumi cheese
1/2 Tsp dried coriander
1/2 Tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp rice bran oil
1/2 lemon
1 x tomato

Directions:

1. Boil the quinoa with water in a pot over medium heat for 15 mins (or as the back of the packet suggests)
2. Drain water from quinoa once cooked and set quinoa aside in a bowl
3. In a frying pan add the rice bran oil and leave it for 30 secs over a medium heat so the oil gets hot
4. Add the haloumi slices into the pan and cook on each side until nice and golden
5. Chop cucumber into small squares and place into quinoa
6. Chop tomato into small squares and place into quinoa
7. Peel the carrot and then grate it finely - add the grated carrot to quinoa mix
8. take the haloumi out of the frying pan and cut into cubes the same size as you did the cucumber, then place in with quinoa
9. To dress the quinoa add the olive oil, sea salt, dried coriander, lemon juice and black pepper into the bowl
10. Mix all the ingredients together and then plate up!

Middle eastern rice (Hashwe)

I haven't eaten rice in probably 8 months, but due to my dietician telling me I needed more carbs in my life and that she would like me to eat brown rice as part of a low FODMAP lifestyle I have been having it in small amounts this past month.

This is an Arabic rice dish that is accompanied by roasted chicken, a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a green salad dressed with lemon juice, salt and olive oil. But it is just as good all on its own!

Ingredients:

150g minced beef or lamb
1.5 cups brown rice
2.5 cups water
1 Tbsp mixed spice (check to make sure it has no onion powder in it)
1 Tbsp Himalayan pink sea salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1/2 cup flaked almonds

Directions:

1. In a bowl add in the brown rice, minced meat and all the spices
2. With clean hands combine all the ingredients so the meat is evenly distributed
3. Place the mixture in a pot and add the water. You may wish to add extra salt to the water but I prefer to under-salt than over-salt
4. Once the water boils turn down the heat and simmer for 30 mins or until the rice is cooked
5. In a frying pan add the flaked almonds and allow to cook on high heat until they start browning - watch them carefully you do not want them to burn
6. Serve by placing Arabic rice in a plate and drizzling with a small handful of flaked almonds

Chocolate chia pudding

This is delicious, I adapted it off another recipe I saw but as always made it my own. If you want it to set properly you can leave it overnight. If you just want to enjoy the goodness that same night, leave it in the fridge for 15 mins and then devour it (in a healthy way of course!).

Ingredients:

1 cup Oat milk or Lactose-free milk or Almond milk (for this one I use Oat milk)
1 Tbsp Stevia (I used PureVia)
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1 x vanilla pod

Directions:

1. Place cocoa in a bowl and pour in the cup of milk
2. Whisk until all mixed together
3. Scrape seeds from vanilla pod and place into bowl
4. Add chia seeds and Stevia and whisk mixture again
5. Pour mix into glass cups and place in fridge for a minimum of 15 mins or overnight for firmness
6. Serve

Lamb ribs with beansprout avocado salad

While I have bouts of vegetarianism, it is difficult for me to give up meat. But if you are vegetarian, you can simply have the salad in this dish as it is wholesome and filling.

So this recipe makes one serving. Obviously double if it's for two people.

Ingredients:

3 x lamb ribs (they come in a pack of 6 usually)
100g organic beansprouts
1/2 red pepper (also known as capsicum for the Australians out there)
1 lebanese cucumber
1/2 avocado
1 x handful of chopped fresh coriander
1 x lime
2 Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
1 Tsp paprika
1 Tsp all spice
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Lamb ribs

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees celcius
2. On a tray place the lamb ribs, coat with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tsp of salt, 1 Tsp all spice, the juice of half a lime and mix around using clean hands (optional: 1/2 tsp chilli flakes) 
3. Place lamb ribs in the oven and cook for 15-20 mins or until browned

Salad

1. Place washed beansprouts in a bowl with the chopped fresh coriander
2. Cut avocado into little squares and place in bowl
3. Do the same for the cucumber and red pepper, squares should be around 1cm thick all around but don't be too worried about precision
4. Add the juice of half a lime, a Tsp of salt and 1 Tbsp of olive oil
5. Mix together and place on flat plate
6. Take out lamb ribs and serve on top of the salad. Enjoy!

Bunless turkey burger

This is a recipe for those who enjoy a burger but their stomachs just can't handle the bread.
 

Ingredients:
  250g turkey mince
1 x onion finely diced
1 x egg
1 Tbsp mixed spice
2 x Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
1 x handful of finely chopped parsley
1 x large aubergine
50g feta
2 Tbsp rice bran oil
 
Directions: 

1. Chop the aubergine into circles 1 cm thick and add a pinch of salt. Set aside
2. In a bowl add the turkey mince, onion, mixed spice, sea salt, parsley and egg
3. Mix well
4. Grab a heaped tablespoon full of the mix and flatten into a Pattie and place on a greaseproof sheet of paper
5. Once you have turned all the mix into patties place into the fridge
6. Heat fry pan and add oil
7. Place aubergine in hot oil and fry on both sides for 10-15 mins or until cooked through
8. Place aubergine on a paper kitchen towel to drain excess oil
9. Remove turkey patties from fridge and place in hot frying pan
10. Cook on both sides for 10 - 15 mins until completely cooked through. Place onto a plate
11. Chop feta lengthways 1cm thick
12. Place feta in frying pan and cook for 2 mins on each side

 
Assembling the burger:

1. Lay one slice of aubergine on a plate, followed by a turkey pattie and grilled feta
2. Top with another slice of aubergine

You can also add cranberry sauce before you put the top aubergine on (optional)
 
Bon appetit!

Aubergine and tomato sauce with konjac noodles

While I enjoy eating meat, I like to take a break from it a couple of times a week as meat can take more time to digest and can cause strain on your digestive system. 

Here is a really easy to make vegan recipe that is full of favour and doesn't make me crave meat. It's also carb free for those watching their sugar intake or are coeliac.

Ingredients:

1 x aubergine

1 x diced tomato

2 x garlic cloves minced

1 x finely diced onion

2 cups of filtered water

1 Tbsp olive oil or rice bran oil

1 Tsp Himalayan pink sea salt

1 Tsp dried parsley

1 Tsp dried oregano

1 Tsp creamed basil (or fresh basil if you prefer)

1 x pack of Slim noodles/ Konjac 

Directions:

1. Char-grill a whole aubergine by putting it whole on a gas stove and rotating every 30 seconds for 5 mins (It doesn't have to be cooked all the way through as it will finish off cooking later)
2. In a frying pan add oil, onions and garlic and let them sweat down for 2 mins on a medium heat
3. Chop up aubergine and add to frying pan
4. Stir for 2-3 mins until aubergine softens a bit further
5. Add diced tomatoes, oregano, salt, parsley and creamed basil and stir for another 2 mins
6. Add 1 cup of water gradually so it begins to form a sauce, don't put it all in at one time as it will take longer to reduce
7. Turn down the heat to simmer for 5-10 mins, if it reduces down too much just add slightly more water
8. While this is cooking, boil 1 cup of water in a small pot and add the Slim noodles - they will cook within 2-3 mins
9. Drain the noodles and pour into the frying pan, mixing the noodles and the sauce together for 1 minute
10. Serve in a bowl and enjoy!

Vegan cauliflower soup

It's been a while since I have posted, I've been travelling a lot so haven't had much time on my hands for cooking. Until now that is! Here's a super easy recipe for Cauliflower soup and it's suitable for vegans or those who are intolerant to dairy.

Ingredients:

1 x large head of cauliflower
2 x cups of water
1 x onion finely diced
2 x minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 x parsley leaves
1 Tsp cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a pot and cook onions on low heat until they have sweated. This should take around 10 mins
2. Add garlic and cook for a further 5 mins, don't let the garlic burn
3. Chop up cauliflower and place into pot
4. Mix all the ingredients together and add nutmeg and cinnamon
5. Add 2 cups of water, put the lid on the pot and cook on a medium heat for 20 mins or until cauliflower is soft
6. Add salt to the pot, stir and put into the blender
7. Blend until smooth
8. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of cracked black pepper and a few parsley leaves

Pan-fried salmon with chilli garlic prawns

Seafood is my joy and this dish always put a smile on my dial. It takes about 10-15 mins to make so there's no excuse in terms of having no time to cook.

Ingredients: 

1 x salmon fillet

50g shelled king prawns

4 x cloves of crushed garlic

1 Tsp chilli flakes

1 Tsp Himalayan sea salt

1/2 lemon

2 Tbsp rice bran oil

Directions:

1. In a frying pan pour in 1 Tbsp rice bran oil
2. Season the skin of the salmon with 1/2 a tsp of salt
3. Place salmon skin-side down in a sizzling pan
4. Cook for 2-3 mins on this side until the skin is nice and crispy
5. Turn the salmon and cook for a further 2 mins, then take out of the pan and set it aside somewhere warm
6. Add 1 Tbsp rice bran oil to frying pan and add in crushed garlic and the prawns
7. After 2 mins add the chilli flakes and cook for a further 3 mins
8. Turn off the heat and squeeze lemon juice into the pan
9. Immediately place prawns on top of salmon
10. Serve with green salad or broccoli cooked with oyster sauce

Healthy sugar free "Nutella"

So I don't touch Nutella any more. After reading the ingredients in it I was seriously put off by the amount of sugar in it and the fact they use modified palm oil. I decided to make my own version as essentially it's cocoa and hazelnuts, however I try to avoid caffeine so I made mine with carob. Carob tastes like chocolate but you can tell the difference, so if you're not avoiding caffeine then stick with raw cacao, which has been touted as better than cocoa.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 x cup of shelled and skinned hazelnuts (taking the skin off is a pain otherwise)

2 Tbsp carob powder (or raw cacao)
1 x vanilla pod
1 Tbsp of xylitol (or 1/2 Tbsp liquid stevia)

Directions:

1. Roast hazelnuts in the oven for 5-10 mins or until they get a nice colour on them. Make sure to watch them because if they burn your spread is ruined
2. Let cool for 5 mins and then place hazelnuts in food processor
3. Scrape out beans from vanilla pod and place in food processor along with the xylitol 
4. Scrape down hazelnut mix in food processor and keep it on for 10 mins until it starts to become like a spread consistency
5. Add the carob powder into the hazelnuts and allow to mix
6. Once the mixture is the same consistency as regular Nutella it's ready

Buckwheat flatbread (vegan, gluten free, dairy free)

I absolutely love this bread, I could eat it everyday but this girl has to watch her figure. This is a great replacement for any flatbread and can be cut up and baked to turn into nachos. Buckwheat is not wheat as the name assumes and is completely gluten free. The best thing about this recipe is it takes less than 10 mins to make and cook.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Buckwheat flour

1/2 cup room temperature water

1/2 Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

1 Tbsp Rice bran oil

1 Tsp Olive oil

Directions:

1. Place buckwheat flour in a small bowl with salt
2. Make a hole in the centre and add olive oil and mix
3. Slowly add water until the mix becomes a batter, it can be a relatively watery batter which is fine
4. Set aside for 2 mins and heat up a fry pan
5. Add rice bran oil to the pan and distribute it evenly around
6. Pour buckwheat mix in pan and use the back of a spoon to spread the mixture out evenly and quite thin
7. Allow to cook on one side for 2 mins then flip over and cook on the other side for another 2 mins. If you want the bread more crispy cook for longer
8. Serve with eggs or fill with anything you like!

Fried aubergine with onion and tomatoes

Hope you all enjoyed the amazing weekend. Today's recipe is one you can make and have cold or hot. You can use it as a dip at parties or as a side dish or main - it's so versatile!

Ingredients:

1 x large aubergine (or eggplant for the antipodeans)
2 x cloves garlic crushed
1 x onion 
1 x tomato
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 Tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
2 Tbsp rice bran oil 
1 x handful of chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut onion in half and finely slice length ways
2. Cut aubergine into 2cm cubes and add 1 tsp of salt to bring out the water inside it 
3. Finely dice the tomato
4. In a frying pan add rice bran oil and let it heat up on a medium to high heat
5. Use a paper towel to dry off aubergine and add it to the pan with the onion and crushed garlic
6. Add turmeric and cayenne pepper straight away and stir
7. The aubergine will absorb a lot of the oil so if after 5 mins it isn't cooking quickly enough add a tiny dash more of rice bran oil
8. Cook until aubergine has softened and then add the tomato
9. Cook for an additional 5 mins and then add 1 tsp of salt
10. Garnish with parsley (optional)
11. Serve with Buckwheat flatbread or any other bread you choose (Buckwheat flatbread recipe to come...)

Labne (yoghurt) cheese

This is the easiest cheese you will ever make in your life. A bold statement but it really can't be simpler. This is a Middle Eastern cheese made purely from yoghurt. There are only two ingredients needed for this - full fat yoghurt and salt. I can eat a small bowl of this in a few days it's so moreish but super healthy.

 

 

You will need a cheesecloth or if you don't have one a white pillowcase turned inside out will do.

Directions:

1. Get a bowl and colander, and place colander on top of the bowl
2. Place cheesecloth in colander and spread it open 
3. Pour a tub of full fat natural or greek yoghurt (or you could have a mix of the two) into the cheesecloth.
4. Add half a tsp of salt to the yoghurt and give a small stir
5. Tie up cheesecloth
6. Add something heavy on top of the cheesecloth like a brick or some heavy books
7. Leave for a day so the water drips out of the yoghurt
8. After a day, untie the yoghurt and you can either place in a tupperware or if you plan to not eat it as quickly as I do, fill a sterilised jar up with olive oil and make small balls out of the cheese and drop them into oil. This will preserve it for ages

You spread this cheese like you would any cream cheese and sprinkle with some paprika, it is honestly delicious.

Until next time, happy eating!

Family recipe with a twist: Bamyeh (okra stew)

The twist for this dish is I serve it with buckwheat groats instead of rice. Buckwheat is a great source of fibre and is gluten free and wheat free. It replaces most of my former carb intake, which consisted of pasta, rice and wholemeal bread. The perfect thing is it doesn't bloat you, it doesn't raise your blood sugar levels and it slowly releases energy keeping you fuller for longer.

Bamyeh is a traditional dish from the Middle East that my mum used to make all the time growing up. I hated vegetables at the time, but for some reason okra never registered as a vegetable to me as it was so ingrained in my everyday.

So here's the dish, please let me know if you have any questions.

Ingredients:

200g okra (also called lady fingers)
150g cubed lamb shoulder (you can cut these into smaller pieces if you like)
1 x head of garlic
1 Tbsp mixed spice
1 Tbsp Himalayan sea salt
1 Tbsp white pepper
1 x lemon
2 Tbsp tomato concentrate
1 x tin of organic chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp dried coriander
2 Tbsp of olive or rice bran oil
4 cups of water
150g Buckwheat groats - (to be cooked just like rice)

Directions:

1. Boil buckwheat groats with water and a pinch of salt as if you were cooking rice, once cooked set aside
2. For the stew, crush a whole head of garlic and chop okra into smaller pieces if they are too big
3. Cut up lamb shoulder or whatever cut you like (can even make it with beef) and add to a pot to quickly sear it
4. Add okra with half the garlic to the pot and add mixed spice and pepper
5. Pour water over it and let it boil for a bit
6. Skim off any scum on top of the water to make sure the broth is clear
7. Cook for around 10 mins then add a tin of tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of tomato concentrate
8. Let cook for another 20-30 mins.
9. In a fry pan cook the remaining garlic with lots of olive oil and a tablespoon of dried coriander (you could also use rice bran oil)
10. Add to the pot of okra stew
11. Add salt to taste
12. Serve with buckwheat groats and a lemon wedge as lemon brings out the flavour