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!

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

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

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!

Blueberry smoothie with lactose-free yoghurt

I made this the other day when I was craving something cold and refreshing but healthy. This is so simple to make and you can replace lactose-free yoghurt with natural or greek style yoghurt.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp lactose-free yoghurt
1 x punnet of blueberries
1/4 cup cold water
6 x ice cubes
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp xylitol
1 x vanilla pod

Directions:

1. Combine blueberries, lactose-free yoghurt, cold water, ice cubes, ground flaxseed and xylitol in a blender
2. Scrap out vanilla beans from vanilla pod and add to mixture in blender
3. Put lid on and blend
4. Serve in a tall glass and enjoy!