Apple Berry Pie

Managed a quick pic before demolition!

I recently purchased a cookbook that has become my new fave: "Make It Paleo: over 200 grain-free recipes for any occasion". Written by Hayley and Bill of the Primal Palate.
As always I started experimenting from the dessert section first. And as always I can never leave a recipe alone, so I modified their Almond Four Pie Crust recipe to suit me.
Last week in our organic vegie box from Aussie Farmers Direct we received a truckload of delicious red apples. Upon seeing the apples husband promptly requested an apple pie. For once I heeded his request, so here is my apple-berry pie recipe (gluten free and dairy free).


Nat's Apple Berry Pie
Crust
2.5 cups almond meal
0.5 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
0.5 cup coconut oil
2 sachets Natvia 
2 tsp organic vanilla powder
0.5 tsp cinnamon
few shakes pink rock salt
Throw all ingredients in the food processor and mix until a dough forms. Press the dough into a round pie dish and bake in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slighty.
For the filling:
6-8 apples, thinly sliced
1 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
handful shredded coconut
handful toasted walnuts
cinnamon and vanilla powder
Layer the apple slices and berries over the crust. Sprinkle the apples with the coconut and walnuts. Top with some extra cinnamon and/or vanilla if desired. 
Bake in moderate oven for about 30-40 minutes.
Enjoy with thick organic yoghurt. 
x
You can use the crust for any other types of pie or cheesecakes. 

The Big O: Orange Cake

This luscious cake is gluten and dairy free and very low in sugar. It uses almond meal and coconut flour instead of flour, which makes it full of 'good' fat and fibre. 

Yet another fabulously easy recipe that makes the food processor do all the hard work.
You need:
3 large or 4 small organic oranges
6 eggs
1/4 cup organic pure maple syrup
2 cups almond meal
1 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 tsp Natvia
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, if needed
Do this:
Boil the oranges until soft. Allow to cool slightly then chop into pieces and place in the food processor. Blend until smooth, then add the eggs and maple syrup and blend again. Add the almond meal, coconut flour, baking powder and Natvia and process again. (Not: the coconut flour tends to absorb a ot of liquid, so if the mixture looks too doughy, aqueeze in some extra orange juice).
Bake in a moderate oven for 45 minutes.
Serve with natural organic yoghurt or ice cream. 

Lovely Lasagne

I recently harvested my first lot of home grown veggies, and this luscious english spinach was one of the first I pulled from the ground.

The leaves were so huge I decided  to use them as a layer in a lasagne, as a replacement for pasta sheets. I tend to think pasta is a waste of space, so would much rather boost the veggie count in a dish than fill it with gluten! 


Recipe:
Meat sauce:
500g grass fed mince beef
1 jar organic tomato passata
200ml stock, plus extra water
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
extra veggies/herbs to your taste
Brown mince with onion and garlic. I have found that if I cook it all together (instead of browning the onion an garlic first), the meat absorbs all the delicious flavours and is much tastier. Add in any extra veggies, stock and passata and cook until thickens. 
White sauce:
500g organic quark cheese
1 cup organic full cream milk
a few shakes nutmeg
Place cheese, milk and nutmeg into food processor and blend until smooth.
Layer the lasagne:
Lay down spinach leaves first, follow with meat sauce, 
then white sauce. I added in a sneaky layer of mashed pumpkin for a touch of sweetness.
Repeat layer once or twice more. Sprinkle the top with grated parmesan if you wish, and bake until browned on top.
Yummmmmmm!
(oops - we ate it before I could take a photo of the finished product!)
Nat x

Quinoa (re)Quest

blog.beauty-goodies.com

My dear friend recently requested some quinoa recipes. So Kate, this one's for you.
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a fantastic grain. It is gluten free and high in fibre. It is a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids, as well as decent amounts of manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Quinoa grain (which is actually a seed) has a consistency similar to couscous but a slightly nuttier texture. You can buy it in white, red or black forms, and it is also available as flakes (similar to oats), and processed products like pasta and flour. 

Quinoa can be used as a side dish, in salads, or as a breakfast porridge. I've also used it to make risottos and sweet puddings. It is fantastic as a replacement for bulghur in tabbouleh.
Quinoa needs to be rinsed thoroughly before cooking, to remove the bitter tasting saponins which coat the grain. It also has a nicer flavour if you dry toast it before cooking. It is quick and easy to prepare: simmer 1 cup of quinoa in 1.5 cups of water until all water is absorbed.
There are a plethora of fantastic quinoa recipes on the net, so I'm going to be lazy and refer to some of my faves instead of posting my own (forgive me Kate!):

• I love this one from The Food Coach - a pilaf with preserved lemon and slivered almonds. I like to add cumin roasted cubes of pumpkin. 
• This recipe for quinoa with spring vegetables and pesto from one of my fave blogs, Gluten free Girl and the Chef looks delicious.
• Mushroom and walnut quinoa from the amazing Cannelle et Vanille. 
• Warm salad of roast cauliflower and quinoa from The Stone Soup. 
• Quinoa salmon burgers and Moroccan quinoa pilaf from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen. 
• She Let Them Eat Cake makes some fabulous Adzuki Bean and Quinoa Veggie burgers. 
• Try this Mexican quinoa from whyveg.com
• And for something sweet, try this quinoa pudding from Healthy Living...delice!

What have you created with quinoa? 

Keep me posted!

Nat x

Date, Almond & Coconut Fudge Slice

"We develop equanimity and grace as we learn to trust that, with the guiding hand of the universe, life will unfold exactly the way it should."
- Daily Om 


I am (slowly) learning that I simply cannot control every happening in my environment. Sometimes I need to let go and just trust...
I cannot control the behaviour or preferences of others, but what I can do is share my passion with them and hope they can eventually share some of my enthusiasm.
The other day we had a morning tea 'cook-off' at my workplace, (in honour of the Disabilitea promotion for the National Disability Insurance Scheme). I always feel conflicted when asked to bring along a dish to hare at these events. Do I make something more 'traditional' - filled with refined sugar, processed flour etc, or do I stay true to myself and take a dish that may not win any prizes, but makes me feel pleased in the knowledge that I am promoting happier and healthier choices.
So, on this occasion I went for the latter option. I made this Almond Coconut and Fudge slice. Note that whilst this is paleo, gluten free, refined sugar free, and contains loads of healthy fats from the almonds and coconut, it should still be considered a treat and enjoyed in small quantities...


Date, Almond & Coconut/ Fudge Slice
1 cup dates
1 cup almonds (I used homemade roasted, activated almonds of course!)
3/4 - 1 cup shredded coconut
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 tsp organic vanilla powder
1 tsp coconut palm sugar
Melt together the coconut oil, coconut sugar and vanilla. 
Place dates, almonds and coconut in the food processor. Pulse to combine, then add the wet ingredients, and run the processor for about 5 minutes until the mixture forms a smooth ball. Press the ball into a square tin (or roll into balls) and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares to serve. 
I served mine with fresh strawberries and a smattering of shredded coconut and cinnamon.
Enjoy!
Nat x

Make Your Nuts Active

"When having a smackerel of something to eat with a friend, don't eat so much that you get stuck in the doorway trying to get out.". Winnie the Pooh

On the weekend I had some friends over for lunch. it was lovely to have the house filled with the warmth and comfort of true friendship and of course nourishing food. For nibbles I served some of my home made activated almonds and macadamias, which went down well. A little too well... Its important to soak your nuts before consuming, this helps to reduce the phytic acid in the nuts. Phytic acid is a form of phosphorus, found in nuts, seeds, beans and grains, which can block the absorption of other nutrients such as iron, calcium and magnesium. Phytic acid can also inhibit enzymes needed for digestion of protein and sugar. More info, including a list of foods and their phytic acid levels, can be found here. In order to neutralise most of the phytic acid, it is ideal to soak nuts for 18 hours, then dry them out at a low temp, and roast them. You can purchase pre-packaged activated nuts in the shops, at an exorbitant price. Sure it takes longer, but it's way more fun to make your own, plus you can flavour them any way you like.  So here's my recipe for activated nuts. 1-2 handfuls of your favourite nuts (I mostly use almonds and macadamias) Soak the nuts in a glass or ceramic bowl of filtered water overnight, up to 18 hours if you can. In the morning, pat the nuts dry lightly with some paper towel. Add your choice of spices, herbs and salt. I like to use sprinkles of himalayan pink salt and  Vata spice blend, which contains Cumin, Ginger, Fenugreek, Turmeric, Turbinado Sugar, Salt and Asafoetida . I sometimes also add cinnamon for a sweeter taste. Pop the nuts on a tray and into the oven on the lowest temp possible until they dry out. You can then roast them at a hotter temp until they are crispy.  Allow to cool, and enjoy! See if you can save some for later... Nat x

A paleo dinner party and divine dessert

Had the in-laws over for dinner the other night. On the menu was mustard, lemon and herb rubbed pork fillets, steamed greens with bacon and pine nuts, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a cauliflower and parsnip mash. Dinner seemed to be a great success, apart from the overload of garlic I put into the cauliflower mash (to level the playing field I made sure everyone ate it!) 
Apparently my father-in-law has been inspired to adopt a paleo eating plan and is clearing out the cupboards and researching recipes as we speak - what more can one hope for?!


Dessert was a winner. I borrowed a recipe for a Berry Cobbler from Everyday Paleo and modified a little. The original was done with fresh blackberries but I used frozen berries. 


Here's my take on it (serves 6-8 peeps, depending on the peeps):


Mixed Berry Crumble
Take one large rectangle baking dish.

Fill the dish with about 800g frozen mixed berries (I used strawberries, raspberries and blueberries).


For the topping I mixed up:
1 cup almond meal
0.5 cup organic shredded coconut
0.5 cup coconut flour
1 Tbs organic cinnamon
1 tsp organic vanilla
2 sachets Natvia
1 egg
2-3 Tbs coconut oil


Mix the egg and the oil into the dry ingredients. Using wet fingers, crumble the topping over the frozen berries.


Bake in moderate oven until topping has browned and the house is filled with delightful cinnamony-vanilla scents...


Enjoy on its own if you want to keep it purely paleo, or serve with some organic yoghurt, ice cream or cream. 
It was delicious the next day for breakfast and for afternoon tea...
The only downside is I forgot to take a pic, it was gone too quick! 


On the bench (substitutions):
Use whatever fruit is in season or you enjoy. Next time I plan to add in some apple and rhubarb. Would be great crumbled on top of halved stone fruits too.
You could add in some honey to the fruit or crumble mixture if you prefer it sweeter. 
If you don't like the coconut taste you could sub the flour for extra nut meal and some chopped nuts for crunch. 


Enjoy x

Happy healthy comfort food: Choc-Avo Mousse

I experienced a huge disappointment this week. Disappointment must be my least favourite emotion. Nothing healthy, happy or serene about it. But there's something about a good kick in the guts that forces you to step back and take a long hard look at things. For some reason disappointment motivates me to set new goals, find a fresh perspective. Plan. Start anew. 
And if all else fails, cook. Eat. Enjoy.
 

Choc-Avo Mousse
This is a gluten free, dairy free, paleo dessert full of healthy fats and antioxidants. And with only 3 ingredients it doesn't get much easier than this! 

1 tsp good quality, organic cocoa or cacao powder

1 tsp honey

half an avocado 
(can be organic if you like the taste but pesticide residue is low in avos, for more reading on this, click here)


Mash the avocado with a fork, then gently sir in the cocoa and honey. Mix well. You could use a food processor for a smoother consistency. I just couldn't be bothered cleaning mine tonight!
I served the mousse with a few frozen raspberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon. It has a delightful creamy texture and is infinitely satisfying. 

On the bench (substitutions):
Sub honey for any sweetener of your choice. Add more cinnamon or some vanilla to taste. 
Add some yoghurt or cream for a touch of dairy goodness if you wish. 
Delicious and never disappointing! 
Nat x

Kale Pesto

A Sunday morning ritual: visited my favourite organic markets at Frenchs Forest this morning. It ticks all my boxes: a happy, healthy, serene place. Where's the serenity you may ask? The crowds may be bustling but its all in the pursuit of a tasty and healthy week's fare. Nothing beats finding that perfect bunch of beautiful leafy veg, coming home and creating something magical...
I found some delightful bunches of curly kale and decided to use one to make a pesto sauce for the week. 
So here's a recipe for a delicious, alkalising pesto. Gluten free, dairy free and paleo. Tastes great on its own, as a dip, smeared over roast vegies or protein, especially a nice fillet of salmon. Can be mixed into pasta for any grain eating folk out there.  


1 bunch organic kurly cale, steamed
2 organic zucchini steamed
juice half lemon
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 knob ginger, chopped
2 Tbs sunflower butter (I used Ceres Organic brand) 
a few generous twists of himalayan pink rock salt
few shakes black pepper


Blend all ingredients in a food processor and you're done. Licking the bowl is a must! 
On the bench (substitutions):
On the fat front, you could exchange the sunflower butter for tahini or another spread. You could also throw in a handful or so of walnuts instead. 
The garlic flavour can come thorough quite strongly so if you're not a garlic lover or have a hot date you may wish to sub it out, or roast the garlic beforehand for a milder taste.
I've also made this before with a bunch of basil thrown in, just didn't find any at the markets this morning. 


Enjoy!
Nat x

Coconut Berry Ice-cream goodness

Christened my new ice-cream maker last night, best present ever! 
I made a delicious, high protein, sugar free and mostly dairy free ice cream which keeps beckoning me from the freezer despite the chilly temperature outside, twas simply irresistible. 
So here's how it went:


Ingredients:


2 whole organic eggs
1 can coconut milk (I used Spiral Foods organic light)
1.5- 2 cups organic frozen raspberries
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 tsp cacao ( I actually used a spoonful of Miessence Berry Radical powder)
1 tsp honey
1 serve sweetener (I used 1 sachet of Natvia)
1 shake organic cinnamon


I put all ingredients into the food processor, pulsed and blended until smooth. I then added all to my new ice-cream maker, and ran it for about 10-15 minutes. You can run it longer if you prefer a harder consistency. I like a soft serve style texture. Eat immediately with extra chocolate powder and/or strawberries. You could also serve with chopped dark chocolate and nuts for texture. Put the leftovers into the freezer for later (if you can resist!) 
If you don't have an ice-cream maker I'm sure putting the pureed mixture into the freezer would still produce a heavenly result. 


Nat x