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!

Dairy-free, four ingredient smoothie

It's been a crazy few months and I now live in Singapore, where cooking at home has become a rarity. However, I am going to endeavour to cook when I can and share great tasting recipes to make quickly and without spending too much money on stuff that's good for you.

Easing myself back into it with a simple four ingredient smoothie. There is absolutely no added sugar as the sugar of the banana packs enough sweetness.

Ingredients:

1 x banana
A small handful of blueberries
1 cup of organic Oat Milk
6 x ice cubes

Directions:

There's only one step here, put all the ingredients into the blender, turn it on and blend for 1 min and then serve.

Perfect for a quick breakfast or a snack on the go. Enjoy!

Flourless chocolate cakes

These are really quick to make and hit the spot for those who live a low sugar life. Now in this recipe I use glucose but you can use Stevia instead. Also look at the sugar levels on the back of the pack of chocolate it shouldn't be over 14g for a 100g pack. You only need 4 ingredients to make this!

Ingredients:

100g Lindt 85% dark chocolate

1/2 cup of glucose or 1 tsp stevia

3 eggs

60g organic unsalted butter

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius 
2. In a muffin tin place 9 cupcake cases into the 9 holes
3. Separate the eggs so all the whites are in one bowl and the yolks in another 
4. Over a pot of simmering water place a steel bowl and place inside it the dark chocolate and butter
5. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff peaks
6. Once the chocolate and butter has melted add the glucose and yolks and mix very quickly as the chocolate will start to harden
7. Add a scoop of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and fold gently until all incorporated 
8. Add the rest of the egg whites and fold until you get a lovely chocolatey mixture, be careful not to over fold the egg whites though as you want the air to stay in the mixture
9. With a tablespoon place the mixture into the cupcake cases 
10. Place in the oven and cook for 5 mins so it's gooey in the inside
11. Once done place on cooling rack or eat straight away

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