Baking, Dessert, Snacks

CHOC-NUTTY COOKIES

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I’ve been trying to perfect a recipe for double chocolate buckwheat and almond cookies for a couple of weeks now but it hasn’t been going to plan. The first batch was too shortbread like once cooled and the next was to cakey. I wanted them to be a fudgier texture. So I made these instead. Peanut butter, molasses, maple syrup and coconut sugar add to the texture. The coconut, buckwheat and roasted almonds add a nutty flavour profile (along with the peanut butter) and the chocolate chips because chocolate chips.

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Dinner, Lunch, Salad, sides

ORANGE, MINT, FENNEL AND CANDIED WALNUT SALAD

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Yesterday felt like a summer’s day, I was craving a summery salad and simple pasta for dinner. I love this salad as a side at a barbecue (such as with the Middle Eastern inspired bbq chicken), or with pizza or pasta. It’s light and has a great balance of flavour, texture and nutrients – and that’s pretty much what my approach to eating is all about. And just check out those colours…

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Dinner, Lunch, Salad, sides, Snacks, vegetables

SPICY SWEET POTATO CRISPS

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I clearly had no idea what to call these. They are sweet and tangy and crispy and fresh. And spicy. Well as spicy as you want them I guess! It’s also sort of a salad. Or a nibble. Or a side dish. Or even a bar snack, along with popcorn cauliflower florets of course! The crisps themselves are baked rather than fried and placed on a mixture of sauces (green thai curry, molasses, black vinegar). They are then topped with a light and fragrant salad of fresh herbs and spices. It’s all a bit magical and crazy really, thus the trouble with the name.

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Condiments, Dinner, Lunch, Sauces, sides, vegetables

CAULIFLOWER SAUCE

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Sometime beige on beige tastes anything but. The main ingredient in this sauce is cauliflower and it can be used on pasta instead of bechamel sauce, it also works well as a substitute for mashed potatoes! I’m a little addicted…

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Baking, Dessert

CHOCOLATE SELF SAUCING PUDDING – THE WHOLE FOODS VERSION

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IMG_2520 This doesn’t taste like health food, and I’m not going to pretend it’s an all the time food. It’s a chocolate pudding so of course not, however it uses great whole foods ingredients and can easily be adapted to suit a variety of diets. There is no refined sugar and you could probably make it vegan by using an egg substitute (I haven’t done this yet). And it tastes like comfort food, because it’s a chocolate self saucing pudding and there are few other desserts as comforting as that. It also passed the boyfriend, family and house mate test. Gooey chocolate sauce, a chocolate sponge with hints of coconut. Sold? You should be.

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breakfast, Dessert

VANILLA YOGHURT PANNA COTTA

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This weekend is clearly all about cooking for me! My boyfriend and housemates are away and I have been so tired that I’ve been losing my voice this week, so I am trying to rest. And this is my version of resting ha. I’ve made this a couple of times now, and this version uses maple syrup to sweeten and vanilla and tangy greek yoghurt to flavour. I’ve served it with candied nuts, warmed berries, fresh berries, lime all are good and I’m sure you can come up with you’re own delicious combinations so I am just posting the actual panna cotta recipe here, sans toppings. I have even had this for breakfast (whoops) with some light and crunchy superfood muesli!

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Dinner, Lunch

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE PIE WITH A SPELT CRUST

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Pie. I love all kinds of pie, but I’ve been looking for a way to make it a little bit healthier. It’s actually a great vehicle for all kinds of vegetables and fillings but the traditional crust doesn’t add a lot of nutritional value! I’ve used a super simple spelt and olive oil pastry here. I find it’s best if you pre cook the crust, it doesn’t rise much so there is no need to weigh it down. You don’t have to pre cook it but it tends to disintegrate a bit if you don’t! This filling is also great with mushrooms instead of potato if you want to cut down on the starch, but I love potatoes and my boyfriend hates mushrooms (he’s pathological about it, crazy man) so this is the version i went with. The kabana sausage is also completely optional, it adds a lovely smoky flavour.

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