Banana Date Muffins (GF Vegan, soy free, oil free)

Ever find yourself with a lot of ripe bananas? Sure, you could freeze them and make ice cream or a smoothie, but why not do what mom did? Make banana bread! Minus the eggs, milk, and who knows what else ;)

Yields: 14 muffins or 12 muffins and 2 ramekins | Time: 40 min

1/2 cup buckwheat flour*

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup millet flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1 tbs baking powder

2 tsp ceylon cinnamon

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup plain applesauce

1/2 cup plant milk

1/4 cup + 2 tbs water

8 pitted medjool dates

2 tsp vanilla extract

* I buy coconut and brown rice flour, but it is healthier to mill your own. I have a coffee grinder that I use to make millet, buckwheat, teff, and other flours.

Preheat the oven to 400F/205C

Sift together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a small food processor, add the dates and water. Blend until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas and add all the wet ingredients. Stir. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet, stir, and repeat. Stir well as the mix will be thick.

In a silicone muffin tray, spoon in the mix. I filled them almost completely because gf banana muffins don't rise as much as others. Brush two ramekins with coconut oil and add the remaining batter.

Bake for 30-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool (about 30 minutes) before removing.

Enjoy with a refreshing glass of plant milk!

Adapted from:

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/01/banana-date-walnut-muffins.html

Create, share, love at first bite!

Instagram | Youtube

Coconut Carrot Curry (GF Vegan)

For those that need a good soup to warm up with this cold weather, try this creamy curry full of vitamins and warming spices.

Serves: 2-4 | Time: 40 min

13 med-large carrots
1/2-3/4 onion, chopped
1 can light coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
2 stalks of celery with leaves
2 large roasted red peppers
3 dried bay leaves
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp nigella sativa
2 inches organic ginger
1/2 tsp green curry paste
1/2 tsp TJ dry chili paste
1/4 tsp tamarind
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp garam masala

Grab a large pot and place over medium heat. Add just enough water to cover the bottom. When it begins to sizzle, add the bay leaves, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and nigella sativa (black cumin/kalonji). Temper for a few minutes and make sure the seeds pop. Add the veggie stock and cover.

Wash and peel (if necessary) your carrots. Dice roughly. Chop your onion as well. Mince your ginger. My mom is not a fan of how ginger tastes and my dad doesn't like the little strings you get from it sometimes. My trick is to place the ginger inside a tea leaf steeping spoon and place it in the broth for 5 minutes as it heats up. I then toss half the ginger and keep the rest. You can modify this however you want.

Now add the carrots and onions to your pot and cook for 20 minutes. We're not using a lot of stock because I don't want the end soup to be too thin and I don't want the taste of the coconut to be overwhelmed. However, you can add more liquid towards the end if you prefer it thinner.

Make sure the carrots are soft enough to blend. Remove the bay leaves and add the coconut milk, roasted red peppers, and spice pastes. I enjoy spicy food - not too spicy, but I don't mind a little burn - but if you don't then omit the chili paste. I'm using a stick blender because I'm too lazy to transfer to and from a food processor. Blend until relatively smooth (or leave it a tad chunky if you prefer). Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mince the celery. I like to add this towards the end to add a little texture to the soup. If you want a smooth soup then you'll want to add this before blending. Add the remaining spices and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust spices accordingly. I didn't use too much curry powder because I want to be able to taste all the different components of the soup.

Spoon into bowls and allow to cool a bit before enjoying. Sprinkle with the celery leaves from an extra treat! This soup is perfect served with flatbreads or over basmati rice.

Create, share, love at first bite!

Instagram | Youtube

Blueberry Banana Teff Porridge (GF Vegan)

I've found a new breakfast option that's perfect for that winter weather! Personally I love a warm bowl of porridge when it's cold outside, and it's a lot cheaper than a fruit-centered meal.
This recipe features teff. The world's smallest, mineral-rich grain. I ordered a bunch to make injera (shown here) and now I'm experimenting with other recipes.
There are many variations for this teff porridge, but here are two of my favorites.

Serves: 1 | Time: 20 minutes

Blueberry Banana

3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
3/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup whole grain teff
1/2 cup filtered water
1 tbs maple syrup*

2 small bananas, sliced
10 pecan halves, chopped
1 tbs raw hemp hearts

* make sure it's pure

In a medium sized pot, mix together the teff, plant milk, water, and maple syrup. Place over a medium heat, covered, and stir every 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the bananas and ready your toppings. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the blueberries.
When thick, pour the porridge into a bowl. If you like a thinner consistency, 15 minutes should be an adequate cooking time. Top with your goodies. Enjoy!


Red, White & Blue

3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
1/2 cup whole grain teff
1/2 cup filtered water
1 tbs maple syrup

6 raw pecans/walnuts
1 tbs raw hemp hearts
1 med banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
10 blueberries

Follow the above instructions, using your brain to make the necessary changes/additions ;)

Create, share, love at first bite!

Instagram | Youtube

Spelt Berry Salad (Vegan, oil free, raw option)

I made this salad for a party today and it was a big hit with even some picky eaters. I lucked out!

Serves: 3 | Time: 10 min

2.25 cups sprouted spelt berries

2/3 cup chopped pecans/walnuts

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup 100% juice*

1/2 large apple, diced

2 celery stalks, sliced

3 tbs red wine vinegar

Salt & pepper, to taste

* I used a cherry and apple juice mix

Wash and soak 1.75 cups of spelt berries. Drain and let sit on the counter under a cloth for 36 hours, with one to two rinses. If you would like to eat these raw, I would recommend sprouting them for at least 48 hours (with an additional rinse).

Add to a pot with 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 55 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid and add the grains to a bowl. Add the fruit juice and vinegar, then chill the grains in the fridge (or bring to room temperature).

Chop all the ingredients. Add to a serving bowl with the cooled grains and dried cherries (sub chopped dates, if you prefer). Toss.

Add a crack of pepper and salt. Also pairs well with this feta cheese but I'm too lazy.

Create, share, love at first bite!

Instagram | Youtube

Ethiopian Extravaganza (GF HCLF Vegan)

We're off!

Ethiopia is an ethnically and ecologically diverse country on the east coast of the African continent. Evidence suggests that it was from here that Homo sapiens set out for the Middle East and beyond. So let's return to our roots with a bounty of simple, healthy food.


Kik Alicha (Split Peas in Turmeric Sauce)

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 45 min

3.5 cups of water
1 cup dried split peas
1/2 med onion, minced
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 inch ginger or 1 tbs ginger paste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Add 3 cups of water and the rinsed split peas to a pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Crack the lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté your onion in a little water for 5 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another minute. Add to the cooked peas with the rest of the water.
Sprinkle in the cilantro in the last few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Atkilt Wot (Cabbage Stew)

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 30 min

1/2 head cabbage, shredded
5 gold potatoes, julienned
3 large carrots, julienned
1/2 med onion, chopped
1/2 cup veggie broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp sea salt

Chop all your veggies. In a large, nonstick pan add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes on a medium-high heat. Add some veggie broth and the rest of the vegetables with your spices. Stir and cover. Cook for the remaining time, over medium heat, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Add the remaining veggie broth as needed.


Beet Salad

Serves: 4 | Prep: 5 min | Cook: 5 min

1 can of sliced beets
Juice of 1/2 lemon*
2 inches of jalapeño*
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper, to taste

* I used a lime
** I used a serrano pepper

Drain the beets. You can also use fresh beets, but I didn't have any. Add to a small bowl with the lemon juice. Cut off a piece of your pepper. Remove the seeds and mince. Add to the pot and cover. Cook on medium-low for 5 minutes.


Injera

Yields: 8 flatbreads | Inactive time: 24+ hours | Cook time: 40 min

3 cups teff flour
4 cups filtered water
1 tsp pink rock salt

I milled my own flour from whole grain teff. Because it is the world's smallest grain the amount of grain to flour is almost exact.
Whisk the teff flour and water. Cover with a tea towel secured with a rubber band. Store in a warm part of the kitchen for at least 24 hours (up to 5 days).
Add salt and whisk. Heat a non-stick griddle or tava. Pour roughly 1/2 cup of batter onto the pan and swirl. Cook for 5-6 minutes on medium-low heat. A large lid can be placed over the griddle to help steam the bread.
Injera does not need to be flipped. Yay! When the bread starts to pull away along the edges it is almost ready. Cut 8 squares of wax paper. Place one on a plate and use a spatula to transfer the injera.
Repeat with the remaining batter until you've made all the flatbreads.


To serve, use the injera as you would a plate. Arrange three circles of food around the plate. Roll a second injera in case you need extra. Tear of pieces of the spongy bread and use it as a spoon to scoop up the food and sop up any juices.

Create, share, love at first bite!

Instagram | Youtube

 

Roasted Veggie Ricotta Pizza (GF Vegan, soy-free option)

My mother loved the lasagne I made last week so much that I started toying with the idea of a lasagna pizza. I've never heard of a pizza with ricotta on it before, but I didn't see any reason why it wouldn't work so I tried it out. No disappointment here! It was a little messy, so we ate with a fork and knife, but if the pizza had a thick crust it would've been sturdy enough to eat with your hands.

Bon appetit!

Yields: 2 14" inch pizzas | Time: 45 min

Ricotta:

1 package silken tofu*

3 tbs nutritional yeast

3 tbs fresh lemon juice

3 tbs fresh basil leaves
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp onion powder

1 tsp himalayan salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

Toppings:
1 roasted sweet pepper, sliced
1 cup cubed butternut squash
2 cups of broccoli florets
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small onion, minced
3/4 cup pizza sauce
3 tbs chopped basil 

Parmesan:

1/3 cup roasted salted cashews

3 tbs nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 tsp himalayan pink salt

* firm tofu works too but you have to add 3 tbs of water
** for those with soy allergies it is also possible to make this using cashew ricotta, but it's very high in fat, so I'd recommend making this alfredo cauliflower mash instead.

Mix the ingredients for the ricotta well with a fork or potato masher and set aside.
Chop the veggies and steam the onion, broccoli and butternut squash for 20 minutes.
If you don't have jarred roasted peppers then you can make one (or a ton) by simply deseeding a pepper and placing it skin-side down on a tray and baking for 40 minutes at 400F.
For these pizzas I used pre-made thin crusts from Trader Joe's. Typically I pre-bake my crust for at least 10 minutes before adding the toppings, but it wasn't necessary this time.
Smear on a thin layer of tomato sauce, spread the ricotta with a spatula/spoon, sprinkle on the basil, veggies and parmesan.
Bake the pizzas for 24 minutes at 400F.

Enjoy :)

Create, share, love at first bite!

Instagram | Youtube

 

Carrot Cake/Banana Bread Fusion! (GF Vegan, oil free, refined sugar free)

Carrot Cake Batter

90g large carrots
60g medjool dates
3 large ripe bananas
1 tbs ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla powder/extract

Soak your dates for 5 minutes while peeling the bananas and carrots. In a food processor, blitz the carrots to a fine mince. Pit the dates and add to the food processor with your bananas, cinnamon, vanilla, and blend until smooth. You can easily make this a smoothie by adding some coconut water, orange juice, water, or non-dairy milk.


Carrot Cake/Banana Bread Baby
Serves: 2-4 | Time: 1 hour

2 cups Carrot Cake Batter
1 cup gluten-free flour*
1/4 cup organic raisins
1.5 tsp raw coconut sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup water

* I used oat flour but brown rice also works well

Preheat your oven to 375F.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Scoop up two cups of the batter with a measuring cup and mix it in with a fork.
Add your water and fold into the batter until the consistency is cake-like.
Add half of your batter to an un-greased 8x8 ceramic or glass dish lined with parchment/baking paper. Sprinkle the raisins in. Add the rest of the batter and smooth with a spatula if necessary.
Sprinkle the coconut sugar on top. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat, crack the door, and let cool before cutting.
It is normal for the cake to be somewhat moist and dense, which is typical of a banana bread.

Enjoy :)

Create, share, love at first bite!
Instagram | Youtube