Onion Jam Spelt Bread Rolls
Thursday, February 08, 2018These chewy yet soft golden dinner rolls are filled with a homemade onion walnut jam. They smell incredibly delicious and make the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of steaming hot soup or a hearty stew on a cold winter day.
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- Place yeast, sugar and warm buttermilk or water in a jug. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
- Add bread and whole spelt flour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough for 10 to 15 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Using your fist, punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough into 6 even portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Place on lightly floured oven tray. Set aside for 10 minutes to rise.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease one maxi muffin tray well with olive oil. Roll each portion of dough into an oval. Slice the dough 6 times all the way to the center of the dough. So you have 6 strips at the bottom. Place 30 grams of onion jam on upper side of the dough, then roll up to seal the filling. Coil the length of dough roll into a snail shape and place in the prepared muffin tray. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
- Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes or until dough has almost doubled in size. Brush the top with egg. Bake for about 20 minutes. Turn rolls onto a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature.
Blood Orange and Fennel Salad with Bacon Bits and Macadamia
Thursday, February 01, 2018Refreshingly crunchy Romaine lettuce leaves, sweet tangy blood oranges, and fennel bulb with its unique mildly licorice-like flavour are topped with honey roasted macadamia nuts and crispy bacon bits, then dressed with black cumin oil and lemon juice.
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- Peel and cut blood oranges into rounds or wedges. Set aside.
- Strip the fronds from the stalks and finely slice the fennel bulb lengthways. Reserve the fronds for the garnish.
- In a heavy large non-stick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and cool slightly.
- Separate the romaine salad leaves and arrange them in a serving platter. Scatter the fennel slices and top with blood orange, bacon bits and macadamia nuts.
- Drizzle over the black cumin oil and lemon juice, then season. Garnish with the reserved fronds and serve.
Harissa Carrot Ribbon Salad with Roquefort
Thursday, January 25, 2018Create an amazing side dish with this simple carrot salad with blue cheese and fresh herbs. A simple vegetable peeler turns carrots into beautifully thin ribbons, then marinated in a hot, garlicky, lemony and mildly sweet dressing. Try it with roasted chicken, fish or even tofu if you prefer a meatless meal.
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- With a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the carrots into long ribbons and place into a bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add in the Harissa and minced garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add the lemon juice, maple syrup and salt and fry for another minute.
- Pour the Harissa mixture over the carrots and toss well. Add the chopped herbs and Roquefort cheese. Allow to stand for 30 minutes and serve.
Refined Sugar Free Spelt Banana Loaf with Streusel
Thursday, January 18, 2018Use the natural sweetness of very ripe bananas to sweeten this delicious banana bread. It's perfect for those who are avoiding refined sugar. The thick streusel topping, lightly sweetened with coconut sugar, is an integral part of the banana bread, and provides a flavourful crunchy texture, so don't skip it.
Streusel Topping | Batter |
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- Combine flour, coconut sugar, and pinch of salt in a bowl. Add in vanilla and butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Store in the fridge until ready for use.
- Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Lightly grease a 30-cm loaf pan and line with baking paper.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas and add in pumpkin seed oil, yoghurt, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Sift in spelt flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir to combine. Fold in raisins or chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the surface with prepared streusel. Bake for about an hour or until a skewer inserted in centre of bread comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack top-side up to cool completely.
Tri-coloured Quinoa Rice Paper Rolls
Thursday, January 11, 2018Create a simple, healthy and flavourful lunch with these rice paper rolls which are low-cal, low-fat and gluten-free. Use the roasted chicken and cooked tri-coloured quinoa leftovers to make this time-saving, delicious meal.
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- Place quinoa and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer. Cook, occasionally stirring, for 10-12 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Cool slightly. Toss with the tamari.
- Soak a sheet of rice paper wrapper in hot water for 10-20 seconds. Transfer to a clean tea towel to absorb excess water. Place a little of the quinoa in the middle of the rice paper. Top with sliced chicken, sweet pepper, chilli and fresh herb leaves.
- Roll up firmly to enclose the filling. Cover with a slightly damp cloth to preven drying out. Repeat with remaining sheets. Continue with remaining rice paper and fillings. Serve with extra tamari, if desired.
Vegan Persimmon Pear Salad with Walnuts
Thursday, January 04, 2018Lamb’s lettuce (or arugula or baby spinach) combines perfectly with sweet juicy pears and crunchy walnuts in this simple classic winter salad. If you prefer, apples can be used instead of pears. This simple salad is complimentary to a variety of meat dishes or pan seared tempeh if you want to keep it vegan.
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- Place corn salad, pear, zucchini, persimmon slices in a large serving platter.
- Place olive oil, walnut oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, paprika flakes, and mustard in a screw-top jar. Secure the lid. Shake to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to combine. Top with candied walnuts and serve immediately.
Vegan Orange Cardamom Spelt Bread Rolls (Dairy-free, Egg-free, & Refined sugar-free)
Thursday, December 28, 2017A slightly sweet, aromatic bread (sweetened with maple syrup and erythritol) flavored with the unique scent of cardamom and orange peel for the New Year or for a mid afternoon snack or lunch-box treat. You can bake this braided or in a cake pan. For a more traditional cardamom bread, use walnut instead of the raisin filling.
Dough | Filling |
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- The night before preparing the rolls, soak raisins in orange juice or rum in your refrigerator.
- Whisk the dried yeast, coconut milk and maple syrup in a jug. Set aside for 10 minutes or until frothy.
- Combine the flours, cardamom powder and salt in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Make a well in centre. Add the yeast mixture, melted coconut oil, and orange rind. Stir at low speed until the ingredients roughly combined, about 3 minutes. Increase speed to medium, and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to let rise for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down and let rest 10 minutes.
- Combine cardamom, cinnamon and erythritol granules in a small bowl. Drain the soaked raisins and reserve 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid.
- Roll the dough out to approximately a 36cm x 24cm rectangle. Sprinkle the rectangle with the spice mixture and raisins.
- Roll up, starting at the long side, and pinch edges firmly to seal. Cut the roll into 8 slices. Place the slices, cut side down, in a 26-cm round pan lined with parchment paper. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.
- Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Brush the top with reserved soaking liquid and sprinkle the hemp seeds over. Bake for 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Drizzle the melted white chocolate over warm rolls. Enjoy!
White Chocolate Coconut Ganache Cookie Cups
Thursday, December 21, 2017White chocolate coconut ganache cookie cups made with a special spelt black sesame cookie dough and garnished with holiday sprinkles. You can use your favourite cookie dough and coconut cream also can be replaced with whipping cream.
Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. May peace, love, and prosperity follow you always.
Cookie Cups | White Chocolate Coconut Ganache |
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- Place spelt flour, black sesame powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Cream butter and coconut sugar until fluffy. Add in egg yolks, one at at time, beat until combined. Sift flour mixture over butter mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine.
- Divide the dough into 24 portions and shape each into a ball. Place one ball into each muffin cup. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately use the bottom of a shot glass to press firmly down in the center to create a well. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then place on wire rack to cool completely.
- Open the can of coconut milk and scoop the firm cream at the top into a saucepan. Bring it to a simmer. Roughly chop the white chocolate and place them in a mixing bowl. Pour in the hot coconut cream and and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir continuously until it is shiny, smooth, and completely melted. Set aside to cool thoroughly.
- Beat the mixture until smooth and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the ganache into the cookie cups and if desired, garnish with sprinkles.
Baked Harissa Spiced Sweet Potato with Pesto
Thursday, December 14, 2017This baked Harissa sweet potato side dish with a nutrient-packed kale and walnut pesto is super tasty and healthy at the same time. It is prepared with just a few ingredients and makes a fabulous accompaniment to any main meal.
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- Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Combine together the olive oil, melted butter, minced garlic, harissa spice mix, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Pour half of the oil-spice mixture in the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Arrange sweet potato slices in the dish and brush potatoes with the remaining oil-spice mixture.
- Bake for 40 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Serve with pesto.
Thai Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Chickpea and Pomegranate
Thursday, December 07, 2017A Thai-inspired, Paleo friendly salad that's perfect for the holiday season because of its festive colours and wonderful flavours. It's mildly spicy, gluten-free, and makes a hearty vegetarian main course salad or the perfect side dish for grilled meat or seafood. You can also crumble in some feta, but it is very delicious just as it is.
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- Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Combine cauliflower florets, red curry paste and olive oil in a large bowl.
- Place the cauliflower in a large oven tray lined with baking paper and roast for 40 minutes or until cooked through and charred. Taste and season with sea salt.
- Add in pomegranate seeds and crispy chickpeas. Scatter the chopped parsley over and serve.