I love gnocchi....it is such a nice alternative to pasta with a much more filling consistency. The great news is that it is so simple to make at home with only 3 ingredients. Now I must admit that I haven't always made my own gnocchi at home, having purchased 'healthy' gluten free alternatives (which still contain many additives and preservatives). But this week I decided it was time to dive into homemade gnocchi to see what it would be like. The results were wonderful. They were so simple to make and be mixed with any ingredients that you would like. I decided to mix mine with some pesto, wild alaskan salmon and fresh spinach. HOMEMADE GNOCCHI Serves 4-6 INGREDIENTS 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled, chopped and steamed) 2 cups of gluten free flour (I used doves farm) 1 tsp. himalayan sea salt DIRECTIONS 1. Steam the sweet potato until soft 2. Add to a large bowl and mash with a fork or masher 3. Add in half the flour and mix through, then add in the second half of the flour and mix. You should have a soft dough consistency. 4. Add in the sea salt and mix, you may need to add a bit more flour if the consistency is still too sticky. 5. Next take small pieces of the dough and roll them into small oval shapes and set them aside. 6. Once they are all rolled out heat a pot of water until it is boiling 7. Add in the gnocchi 10 at a time and cook until they begin to float towards the top of the pan 8. Remove them and continue to cook the rest of the gnocchi 9. Then heat a pan over medium heat, add your cooked salmon, spinach and pesto, toss through you gnocchi and enjoy. This recipe does make quite a lot of gnocchi so if you want to freeze some of it for another meal in portions that may be a good idea. We just had the leftovers the following day. I hope you enjoy these. Adapted from: Madelaine Shaw
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If you currently use chickpeas in your favourite vegetarian dishes like curries, stew or stirfries, but you haven't tried chickpea flour yet then it's your lucky day. Not only is chickpea flour a great alternative to any gluten free eating plan but it is packed with fibre, protein and no gluten like the whole chickpea would offer. When I am going through gluten free alternatives with clients they are always confused by which grains they can eat and which foods they can use in replacement of gluten and wheat containing grains. Every since I started using chickpea (gram) flour for my wraps I have never turned back. They are so easy to prepare, take less then 3-5 minutes to cook and they add that extra special something to a morning breakfast or lunch. Chickpea flour is also very versatile in that is doesn't really have any taste so you can mix into it whichever herbs or spices you feel like for your recipe and enjoy the added bit of nutrients to enjoy throughout the day. The wraps are best eaten fresh as they do crack and stick if you keep them in the fridge, but I haven't yet tried to freeze them and then heat them up to use when needed. Let me know if that works for you? So here is my go to recipe for using chickpea flour for breakfast or lunch. CHICKPEA WRAPS Makes 2 wraps INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup of chickpea (gram) flour 1/4 cup of filtered water any spices or herbs you would like (I used mixed italian herbs, cumin, coriander or anything I have on hand - sometimes I just leave them plain) Toppings - scrambled eggs or pouched eggs, watercress or rocket, sliced peppers, courgettes or cucumbers, 1/2 avocado and then I drizzle with fresh lemon juice or with tahini (my secret indulgience) DIRECTIONS 1. Place the chickpea flour into a small bowl and then add the water and herbs/spices if you are using them 2. Mix well until all the flour become more like a batter 3. Heat a pan over medium heat (small pan) 4. Pour half the mixture into the pan and allow it to cover the bottom 5. Allow to cook until some bubbles form then slowly release the sides of the wrap and flip to cook for another minute. 6. Then cook the other wrap and place them both on a plate 7. Cook your scrambled eggs if you are having eggs (you don't have to) and top with all your other ingredients sometimes instead of eggs I have 2 slices of parma ham cooked for 5 minutes in the oven to crisp them up. 8. Then drizzle with fresh lemon juice and tahini This recipe will keep you going for hours throughout the morning or afternoon and gives you various vitamins and minerals to support your overall health and wellbeing. Every weekend we treat ourselves to homemade pancakes. We love them topped with fresh blueberries, raw nuts & seeds, organic natural greek yogurt and a drizzle of 100% maple syrup. This weekend I was in search of a grain free alternative and usually make simple banana and egg pancakes, but they don't fluff up like traditional American pancakes which is what I wanted to achieve. So with a few tweeks to the basic 2 ingredient pancake I was able to make not only a grain free pancake but one that was light, fluffy, healthy and delicious. Packed with protein, omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, fibre, B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, B12 and much more. These are an excellent way to start your day with energy that lasts, without making you feel sluggish and tired mid morning. The protein, healthy fats and fibre will help slow the release of carbohydrates giving you long lasting energy without the spike in blood sugar levels and crash that happens not long after a high sugary and processed breakfast. These would be an ideal start to the day for young and old (kids love pancakes and I am sure if you gave them the choice they would eat them any day of the week). So why not swap out your sugary cereals and juice which give kids (and adults) more then their recommended daily amount of sugar for the day for these no sugar added, grain free, protein packed and nutrient dense pancakes. Here's the recipe. 5 Ingredient Paleo Pancakes Makes - 10-12 pancakes Serves - 5-6 (2 pancakes each) INGREDIENTS 2 bananas mashed 4 free range/organic eggs 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. baking powder gf 1/2 cup of ground almonds Optional: Swap out the mashed bananas for mashed sweet potato or mashed squash for those who don't like the taste of bananas - makes about a cup DIRECTIONS 1. Mash the bananas in a bowl 2. Whisk through the eggs then add in the dry ingredients 3. Combine until it forms a batter 4. Then heat a non stick pan over medium heat and cook these in batches about 3-4" wide 5. Once they bubble on the top, flip them over and cook for another minute then set aside until all the pancakes are cooked. 6. Serve 2 pancakes with fresh blueberries or mixed berries, 1/4 cup of natural organic yogurt, 2 tbsp. of raw nuts/seeds (peanuts are legumes so they are not included here), and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I hope you enjoy these, please let me know what you think in the comments below and share with your friends or family. They are guaranteed to be the hit of any brunch or breakfast. Finding new ways to cook with vegetables can be fun when you find simple recipes like these vegetable fritters. They only take 5-10 minutes to prep which is great for those busy/hectic days through the week and then only 15-20 minutes to bake which is when you can prep a healthy salad to serve them with or you could even use them as the bun for a grass fed organic burger. A quick simple and delicious recipe for the whole family to enjoy that gives you 2-3 servings of vegetables for the day, hurray! INGREDIENTS 2 - 4 cups of water 1 - 2 cups of broccoli chopped into small pieces including stem 1 cup of carrots cut into rounds or matchsticks 1 cup of courgettes cut into matchsticks 1/2 cup of ground oats or ground almonds 1/8 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp garlic salt (or 1/2 clove garlic adjust to taste) 1/8 tsp chili powder ground 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 shallot chopped finely or spring onions (or leave out for FODMAPS) 1 large egg whisked DIRECTIONS
Optional: Avocado Sauce 1 large avocado 1 tbsp. chopped chives or dill 1 clove of garlic (optional) 1/2 small lemon juiced 1/4-1/2 cup of natural organic yogurt or almond/coconut milk Combine all the ingredients in a blender until creamy and serve on top of your fritters. Adapted from: www.jessicagavin.com Since I was a little girl I have always loved pumpkin pie and with pumpkins galore at halloween I thought I would try my first homemade gluten free pumpkin pie. Pumpkins are an amazing vegetable that can be enjoyed in both savoury and sweet dishes. It provides 2 1/2 times your daily recommended amount of Vitamin A as well as Vitamin C, Iron, Zinc, polyphenols and antioxidants. So why not throw it into your next recipe or give this pumpkin pie recipe a try. HEALTHY GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN PIE Serves 1 pie Ingredients – Pie shell 1 cup of gluten free/whole oats (ground) ½ cup of sunflower seeds ¼ cup of macadamia nuts ¼ cup of almonds 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed (3 tbsp. water) 1 tbsp. coconut oil (melted) or olive oil 2 tbsp. filtered water Directions Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and combine until it forms a slightly sticky crust – grease a pie tin with coconut oil or olive oil and then press the pie crust into the tin Preheat oven to 175C and bake for 12-15 minutes, remove and fill with pumpkin pie mixture Adapted from Oh she glows Ingredients – Pumpkin Pie Filling 2 ¾ cups of pureed pumpkin (made from fresh pumpkin) ½ cup of maple syrup 1/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk/or coconut milk 2 ½ tbsp. arrowroot powder ½ tsp. ginger, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp. cloves, ¼ tsp. nutmeg, ¼ tsp. all spice ¼ tsp. sea salt Directions Steam the pumpkin until soft, then mash with a fork or potato masher. Add in the other ingredient and combine until smooth. Then pour into the pie crust and bake for 50 minutes until cracks form on the surface. Allow to cool and then place in the fridge to set for a few hours or overnight (if you can wait that long) Adapted from minimalist baker The Autumn season is now in full swing and that means we get to enjoy warming, spice infused and comforting foods. I love this time of year not only because all of my favourite vegetables come into season but also because I love when the trees change colour, the leaves fall onto the ground and we get to breath in the crisp clean air (well when it isn't grey and dreary here in the UK) If you don't already know I love baking and finding healthy alternatives to share with my family, partner and my clients. I always bake using gluten free grains, coconut flour or ground nuts/seeds and substitute sugar with healthier alternatives including Maple Syrup, Raw Honey or Liquid Stevia. It just takes a bit of playing around to find a recipe that works, sometimes the result is a bit of a disaster (still edible) other times they are a huge success. So I decided to give this Autumn Spiced Apple Cake a go which I have adapted from A Tasty Love Story making it gluten free and refined sugar free. If you are looking for a healthy treat to enjoy over the weekend this is a great one to try. Why not top with a raw chocolate ganache for an extra special treat. The kids will love these too. AUTUMN APPLE CAKE Serves 10-12 slices Ingredients 100g buckwheat groats (ground) 50g organic oats 50g organic oats (ground) 3 organic/free range eggs 50g of coconut oil (melted) or 1 mashed small banana 2 tsp. baking powder ½ cup of maple syrup 3 apples peeled and finely chopped or grated 2 medium carrots finely grated ½ tsp. ground cloves ½ tsp. ground ginger (or 1 tsp fresh) ½ tsp. cinnamon (optional) 2 small handfuls walnuts (optional – for extra crunch) Directions Mix the eggs, oil or banana, maple syrup and spices. Then add in the ground flours and the oats, baking powder, apples, carrots and walnuts if you are using them. Mix to combine. Preheat an oven to 160C and line a square baking tray with parchment paper. Bake for 30-40 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned on top. Let the cake cool. Then frost with optional frosting below. Raw Chocolate Icing ¾ cup of maple syrup ¾ cup of raw cacao powder 1/3 cup raw coconut oil, melted or 1/3 cup cashews soaked (2 hours) pinch himalayan sea salt ½ tsp. vanilla (optional) ½ tsp. almond extract (optional) Mix all ingredients in a blender until well combined and creamy Source: Nouveau Raw This is a simple and easy recipe to mix up for the whole family to enjoy and a great addition to any lunch box through the week. These can be frozen in batches for quick and easy meals. Ingredients 300g of gram flour (chickpea flour) 200g of sweet corn (frozen and thawed) 1/4 cup of coriander or chives (or other spice/herb of choice) 250 ml of filtered water sea salt and black pepper optional: chopped chilis for a spicy kick Directions Allow the sweet corn to thaw, then chop the herbs and mix in with the flour, water, sea salt and pepper. Combine until smooth. Then allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken. Heat a non stick pan over medium heat and place a heaped tbsp of the batter into the pan, cook for 2 minutes on one side then flip and repeat on the other side. Continue to cook the fritters until all the batter is finished. Serve with a fresh mixed salad or other vegetables of choice. A wonderful meat free recipe that is light, refreshing and sweet. This brand new smoothie is a mix between a creamy gazpachio and a delicious tomato juice without the sugar. Yep that is right smoothies don't have to include fruit (although avocado and tomatoes are classified as a fruit - they are both allowed on a sugar free or candida diet plan). If you are embarking on a new journey to improved health that involves reducing your sugar intake even from natural sources like fruit then this is for you. No time required except a couple minutes to wash and prep your veggies and a minute to blend up all the ingredients. If you just don't have the time in the morning to prep the smoothie, then you can chop everything up the night before to save some time and then in the morning add your water and blend it up ready to enjoy at home or on the go. The tomatoes in this smoothie provide the body with a wide range of different phytonutrients which help protect the body in various ways. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C, beta carotene, manganese, and Vitamin E. Where tomatoes come out on top is their ability to to help reduce the risk of heart disease and also help reduce the risk of lipid peroxidation in the blood. This is when fats which are carried around the blood or those found in the membranes of cells lining the blood vessels get damaged by oxygen. This damage can be managed, however if it increases too much then this signals the immune system and an inflammatory response which can increase the risk of antherosclerosis. Ingredients 1-2 medium tomatoes (any colour variety is great here) 1/4 cucumber 1/2 celery 1/2 avocado 3-4 romaine lettuce leaves himalayan salt pepper Directions Chop up all your vegetables, add to the blender and top up with water to 500-600ml. Combine until blended and smooth. You can also add 1 cup of ice to make it colder or if you have more time then place your tomoatoes chopped in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before blending. Serve in your favourite glass and enjoy. If you are interested in working with a nutrition advisor on simple and practical ways to incorporate nutrient rich foods into your eating plan then contact me today. I can help you improve your overall health, lose those extra inches that just aren't shifting, increase energy levels during the day and help you get that glowing and radiant skin. Contact me to book your initial consultation today Beginning the day with a healthy nutrient dense breakfast may be the best way to balance out blood sugar levels, to give long lasting energy throughout the day and also help with weight loss goals.
If you enjoy a bit of a crunchy treat in the morning that is packed with fibre, protein, omega 3 & omega 6 essential fatty acids, magnesium, manganese, calcium, iron, B1, B6 & Vitamin C then this granola recipe is a great place to start. Whole oats contain a fibre known as beta glucan which may help lower cholesterol levels which can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Having one bowl of oats in the mornings has been correlated with a 8-23% reduction in total cholesterol levels. Unfortunately many of the store bought brands of granola are also very high in added sugars which causes a crash in energy levels, increases the likelihood of snacking throughout the day and also results in weight gain if eaten in excess. Why does this happen? When we eat foods high in sugars including all processed foods and grains they get broken down into glucose, the useable form of energy. This signals the release of the hormone insulin from the pancreas which removes the glucose from the blood and takes it to the cells for energy. When insulin in continously signalled to remove glucose from the blood stream it starts getting stored as fat when the cells don't require the energy any longer, this can lead to unwanted weight gain. The best way to reduce the effects of glucose on blood sugar levels, energy levels, and weight gain is to create well balanced meals that include complex carbohydrates, fibre, protein and healthy fats. The fibre, protein and fats slow down the release of the carbohydrates into the blood stream resulting in a slow steady stream of energy without the crash effect that often leads to snacking on more sugar filled treats. Pair this granola with homemade almond milk, bio live greek yogurt and fresh blueberries for a well balanced breakfast. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare this recipe, great for those on the go and the oven does the rest of the work for you. Give it a go, you may be surprised by how delicious it really is. Ingredients: 2 cups of nuts of choice (this doesn't include peanuts) 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds 1 1/2 -2 cups of Gluten Free or Organic Oats (remove for grain free option) 1/4 cup of maple syrup 1/4 cup of ghee or coconut oil Optional: add in flaked coconut or desiccated coconut Directions: Preheat the oven to 150C Place the ghee/coconut oil in a small pan, heat on low until melted and add in the maple syrup. Place the nuts and seeds into a food processor and pulse until large chunks form. Mix the nuts and seeds and oats (if using) into the liquid and toss until coated well. Then place the granola onto a baking tray and spread out evenly. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes then toss and continue to do this until the granola is browned. Store in a sealed container and enjoy! Suggested serving size is 1/4 -1/2 cup, served with fresh fruit and unsweetened almond, coconut or hemp milk or bio live organic yogurt or coconut yogurt. Today is officially the hottest day of the year here in the UK and I for one felt like a nice refreshing drink to cool me off. I have always loved ginger beer, but wanted to find a healthy version without the high amounts of added sugars found in most brands. So thanks to Jason Vale I have found the most delicious substitute and you can drink it guilt free. All you need is one organic apple (peeled if not organic) preferably golden delicious or granny smith along with a large piece of fresh ginger. You will also need a juicer (if you don't have one you can purchase a basic one at any kitchen store for around £30-40 and it will start to transform your life and health) like this 700w Whole Fruit Juicer Cut the apple in half and put one half in the shoot followed by the ginger (knuckle size) and then the other half of the apple. Turn the juicer on and extract the fresh juice. Then grab a 1 litre bottle of san pellagrino remove a bit of the liquid and fill it with the extracted juice. Shake gently to mix and allow it to sit and settle for a few minutes. Serve in your favourite glass over ice. Not only does this taste amazing & refreshing but it also has all of these health benefits too: Anti-inflammatory Antifungal Antiseptic Anti-nausea Antibacterial Antiviral Circulatory stimulant Increases blood flow Relaxes blood vessels Aid in weight loss Reducing Cholesterol Anti-cancer properties Helps to manage diabetes May also help to reduce symptoms of asthma Debbie Vanderboom Nutritional Advisor Owner of Be Natural Nutrition |
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