Category: Recipe

Camilla’s Homemade Crispbread

I saw this recipe for Scandinavian crispbreads on FoodbyCamilla recently and loved the idea of making our own crispbreads – I’m gluten-free and spend a fortune on oatcakes, rice cakes etc. These are chockablock with healthy seeds and oils and gluten-free oats.  The only ingredient we didn’t have was psyllium husks and they arrived today in my Buy Wholefoods Online order, so I was keen that we have a go!

Things went according to plan, until we started talking as the water was being measured and I was convinced there was more than there should be, it looked like soup! But as we dithered and debated what to do, the whole mix started to swell and come together and before it could erupt and explode all over the kitchen (kidding), it was spooned and pressed very thinly onto 3 greaseproof-covered trays and popped into the oven.

Timing is a bit tricky, you have to keep checking and swapping around, but they looked great when they came out:

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But then things went a little awry: the greaseproof paper wouldn’t come away!

My daughter and Camilla have since advised using non-stick baking parchment – I thought they were the same thing!

Nevertheless, these crackers look and taste really good: crisp, toasted, sesame-flavoured. I’m sure you could vary the flavour by adding a little Tamari or some herbs or spices of you wanted.

Oh, and I wasn’t sure about the salt, 1 Tbsp sounded a lot and I wondered if it was a typo, so we erred on the side of caution and only used a teaspoon.

Have a look at Camilla’s blog, she has some wonderful vegan recipes! You can also find her on Twitter @foodbycamilla

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Over to you, Camilla:

The recipe I want to share today is homemade crispbread. Crispbread, the Scandinavian takes on crackers, has been made for centuries. Growing up, we always had crispbread at home at all time. Nowad…

Source: Homemade crispbread

Choco Almond Truffles

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Every time we make almond or tiger nut milk, we can’t bring ourselves to throw away the leftover pulp – we are of the waste not, want not generation – and it’s become a kind of subconscious challenge to come up with a different recipe everytime!

These came about by accident as often happens. It’s the end of the month and as we searched the cupboard for likely ingredients,  we weighed and measured what happened to be left, which wasn’t very much – it was definitely a case of Old Mother Hubbard finding the cupboard almost bare! – and what was there we used up.

We reached for dried apricots, but found one had gone very mouldy and had to throw the rest away. We went for figs, none left. Dates, 3. No seeds. A quarter cup of almonds was all that was left after making the milk. We even ran out of cases!

 My husband kept saying we couldn’t do it, but I refused to be defeated. Stubborn is my other middle name! He was going to visit our son’s family and I wanted him to take some treats for our daughter-in-law. Try that, what’s in that jar? No, we haven’t any apple juice but we have an orange needs using. So, all in all, these turned out pretty well given the severity of the challenge.

They are little balls of protein, healthy fats, minerals and B vitamins, and taste moist and chocolatey.

But I’ll have to see what my daughter-in-law’s verdict is as I’m a little biased. Husband liked them though!

All ingredients are organic except the Maple Syrup. Makes about a dozen. Vegan, Gluten-free.

Ingredients

Approx. 1 Cup Almond Milk Pulp, squeezed as dry as possible

Half a Cup Raisins

3  Medjool Dates, pitted

Third of a Cup Almonds, ground

Quarter Cup Desiccated Coconut

Quarter Cup Goji Berries* lightly moistened in fresh orange juice + a few dry ones for decoration

2 Tbsps Melted Raw Coconut Oil

2 Tsps Maple Syrup

Small pinch of Pink Himalyan Salt

1 Mini Bar Goji and Orange Raw Chocolate*

1 -2 Tsps melted Raw Cacao Butter*

Method

Process all ingredients except the chocolate and cacao butter until it comes together when you press it.

Form into balls and place in the fridge to firm up while you melt the chocolate.

Melt cacao butter in a bowl over hot – not boiling- water and stir in broken up chocolate bar.

When melted remove from heat and dip treats in, placing them in small cases to keep them from rolling over.

Decorate each with a dry Goji Berry.

Place in fridge.

Keep well in an airtight container in the fridge.

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While I was writing this up on a very wintry sleety Spring day, I was coincidentally listening to James Bay ‘I Need The Sun To Break’ (‘been in the dark for weeks’) then Suede Snowblind came on! Click the links to see the YouTube videos. I need some Raw Hot Chocolate!

*from The Raw Chocolate Company

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Chia Cashew Smoothie

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After seemingly endless cycles of wind, rain, sleet, hail and snow on repeat, the sun came out of hibernation the morning I was having this for breakfast and I was able to sit out in the garden amongst the forget-me-nots, bluebells and tulips. I was joined by variously coloured butterflies and serenaded by a blackbird from the apple tree. So peaceful and so welcome.

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But on to the recipe.

I love cashews. They are delicately sweet, creamy and versatile. And they are good for you! Little parcels of protein, fibre, B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, copper, calcium, zinc, iron, selenium, potassium and healthy fats. (They contain the least amount of fat of all the nuts). They can be used in sweet or savoury dishes, whole or blended, or on their own toasted, salted or plain. A couple of handfuls of these tiny titans are also reputed to be as effective as 1 dose of prozac for its calming effects, they contain tryptophan, the precursor to seratonin, a feel-good chemical produced in our brains.

Chia seeds, too, have become a favourite: also versatile, they are a healthy addition to smoothies, breakfast porridge and desserts; mixed with water they can act as egg replacement in recipes and punch far beyond their size in nutrients. These tiny seeds provide high quality protein, fibre, antioxidants, healthy omega fats, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc.

They are usually best used pre-soaked to make them swell, however blended in a smoothie helps with this – they keep you fuller longer and help keep your digestive system moving. Some people like a spoonful of chia seeds soaked in a glass of water for 20-30 minutes with a squeeze of lime juice as a refreshing drink.

All ingredients are organic except the yogurt.

Ingredients

1 Small Ripe Banana

1 Small Handful Cashew Pieces

2 Tbsps Raw Hemp Seeds*

1 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds*

1 Tbsp Millet Flakes

Small Handful Blueberries

2 Medjool Dates, pitted

1 Small Glass Unsweetened Coconut Water

1 Tbsp CoYo Plain Yogurt

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 Blend and serve.

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I was very tempted to add George Harrison’s ‘Here Comes the Sun’ but this You Tube video of Paul McCartney’s ‘Blackbird’ has stunning pictures of a garden blackbird accompanying it, it’s such a gentle song to accompany my peaceful breakfast, I couldn’t resist…

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Green Lady Blended Juice

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This blended juice was my husband’s improvised creation. Anyone who knows our family understands that this can be a tricky situation. He has always maintained a love-hate relationship with cooking: he loves to eat but doesn’t like the process of getting it to his plate!  He has generally lived by the mantra cook high, cook fast, done when smoke alarm sounds! He tries but must be supervised at all times especially if you are the one he’s cooking for: an ambulance once made an appearance when he added 2 heaped teaspoons of ground black pepper to pasta sauce instead of basil and I collapsed on the first mouthful.

He does, however, make our juices every morning, but strictly according to Jason Vale’s recipes, and, apart from the occasional beetroot explosion, these turn out well. Improvisation is not encouraged and I approached this morning’s juice with some trepidation.

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We generally use cheaper organic Gala apples for juicing and save the larger, tarter apples for eating on their own or as desserts. Today we had run out of Galas and so HB used one of my favourite large Pink Lady apples. Sacrilege in my book, so he didn’t ask first. It did, however, make quite a difference to the flavour of the juice.

I loved it. He is very proud of himself.

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All ingredients are organic, if the lemon is not organic, pare thinly to leave as much pith as possible. Pears are best used for juicing before they ripen.

Ingredients

1 Large Pink Lady Apple

1 Pear

A Thick Slice of Unwaxed Lemon

1 Celery Stalk, chopped

4″ Cucumber

1 Small Carrot

1 Kiwi Fruit, peeled

2″ Broccoli Stem

Handful of Spinach

Third of a Ripe Avocado

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Juice all fruit and veg except avocado, then blend with chopped avocado for about 30-45 seconds in a high speed blender until creamy smooth.

Add ice if liked.

P.S. HB vetted this before it was published!

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Copyright: Chris McGowan

Banana & Sweet Apricot Kernel Smoothie

imageThis gorgeously light and delicate smoothie was created on a beautiful Spring morning and I couldn’t resist adding a photo of these striking red tulips in amongst the forget-me-nots – the smoothie looks a bit peely-wally by comparison (Scots: look it up! One for you Scribbleartie 😉)

Have you ever had bananas and peanut butter? If so, you’ll love this. It has home-made Sweet Apricot Kernel butter in it, but you can substitute it if you wish. I’d just read a Raw Chocolate Company tweet about their special offer on Sweet Apricot Kernels and I remembered we still had a bag in the cupboard, so we put them together et voilà!

                                     image                   Sweet Apricot Kernels are like small delicate almonds and can be used in the same way. You can make Sweet Apricot Kernel Butter and milk as you would with almonds.

 B vitamins, healthy fats, protein and electrolytes in a glass. Sweet and simple, so what are you waiting for?

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All ingredients are organic, vegan and gluten-free. 

Ingredients

1 Small Ripe Banana

Handful of Sweet Apricot Kernels*

1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds*

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds*

1 Tbsp Raw Unsweetened Sweet Apricot Kernel Butter or Peanut Butter

1 Heaped Tbsp Gluten-Free Oats

1 Glass Unsweetened Coconut Water

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Blend and relax.

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This recipe is for Bernadette over at https://haddonmusings.com/ she hadn’t heard of sweet apricot kernels until she read my recipe for Oh-So-Choolatey Hemp Seed Coins – there are some more recipes which have them among their ingredients here.

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Oh-So-Chocolatey Hemp Seed Coins

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Chocolatey Hemp Coins with Spicy Raw Hot Chocolate and The Raw Chocolate Company Chocolate Mulberries*

This recipe is for all of you chocolate fiends who don’t have a particularly sweet tooth but crave a chocolatey something mid-afternoon. They do have a small amount of raw coconut palm sugar in them but as it is low GI and unrefined it doesn’t produce the same sugar rush or have that tooth-rotting sweetness of refined white sugar. They are easy to make, involve no cooking and are full of raw energy, but be warned, less is definitely more! I can only manage 2!

These are a good protein pick-me-up containing hemp seeds and sweet apricot kernels (like mini almonds).

The only possible track to jig along to while making these is Choco Choco Latte, so you can sing your heart out and expend some of that Raw Chocolate energy!

Here goes:

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Shelled Hemp Seeds*

1/4 Cup Sweet Apricot Kernels*

1/4 Cup Cacao Powder*

1/4 Cup Raisins

3 Tsps Coconut Palm Sugar*

1/4 Tsp Cinnamon

Approx 2 Tbsps Apple Juice

Raw Chocolate Mulberries Snack Pack*

Method

Put the Hemp Seeds and Sweet Apricot Kernels in the food processor and grind them finely.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well, adding a little apple juice at a time until the mixture is just moist enough to come together but not too wet.

Take small amounts of the mixture and form into little balls then flatten out into coins on some greaseproof paper.

Press a Raw Chocolate Mulberry into the centre of each coin and place in the fridge for a short time to firm up.

What you do with the leftover Raw Chocolate Mulberries is entirely up to you – but I won’t tell if you don’t.

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Happy Star Wars Day! Yoda’s Youthful Green Smoothie

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 This Green Smoothie was created in honour of The Wise One’s special day!

It’s not guaranteed to bestow long life  – I think 900 years is pushing it a bit – and a wealth of wisdom, but a host of healthy anti-inflammatory nutrients including healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, electrolytes and Vitamin C, will nourish and hydrate your skin and body, while it’s omega oils will also feed the brain.

Due to it’s vegetable content, it’s perhaps more a lunchtime smoothie than a breakfast one.

All ingredients are organic except the live yogurt, but it has no sugar or additives.

Ingredients

Half a ripe Avocado, chopped

2″ of Cucumber, chopped

1 Apple, chopped

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds*

1 Tbsp CoYo Plain Yogurt

2 Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped

1 Glass Unsweetened Coconut Water

Blend and serve.

May the Fourth Be With You!

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Blended Breakfast Beetroot Juice

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Blended Breakfast Beetroot Juice in Grip and Go Bottle*

When I first began juicing, I would never have believed some of the combinations I now use every day or how many vegetables I would try with trepidation but end up loving and adding to the juicing repertoire (parsnips being the exception, of course!).

Beetroot is one of them.

I am so hardcore, I even leave the skins on!

Beetroot is known as the blood builder and is especially recommended for anyone with raised blood pressure or poor circulation.

All ingredients are organic and washed and so keep their skins, except the pineapple, if using non-organic then scrub and peel.

The juice is blended with avocado to add protein, fibre and healthy fats and because it makes you feel fuller longer.

Ingredients

2 Apples

1 large Carrot

1 Thick Slice of Unwaxed Lemon

1/2 Medium Beetroot, ends removed and scrubbed well

4″ Cucumber

2″ Broccoli stalk

Half inch slice of Pineapple

1/2 stick of Celery

1/2 small Avocado

(you can freeze the rest if you remove the skin and stone, chop up the flesh and use in smoothies or guacamole)

Juice all the ingredients except the avocado, blend the juice with the avocado.

Add ice if you like your juice chilled.

Ps If you’d like a chance to win some of these Grip and Go Bottles and Travel Mugs see Earth Day Competition but hurry, it ends midnight on Friday, 29th April, 2016!

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Khaki Kiwi Coconut Smoothie!

This smoothie turned out a bit differently from how I’d envisaged, on one of those mornings when things don’t quite go to plan – read more about it in One of Those Days …

The bananas were still very green, despite having been on the windowsill for three days, so I decided to use avocado, kiwi fruit and some cocount milk left over from the previous night’s curry.  Some romaine lettuce and a little wheatgrass powder, would, I thought produce a vivid green smoothie vibrant with health and nutrition, begging to awaken my sleep-starved body. What could go wrong?

This happened:

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I got a little carried away, adding blueberries and açaì powder. It came out khaki and looked less than appetising! And so thick I could probably use a knife and fork to eat it!

It tasted much better than it looked, however – the ugly duckling turned out to be more like a swan, so smooth as it glided down my throat – so let’s start again and pretend I knew what I was doing!

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This brunch in a glass is brimming with antioxidants, minerals, protein and healthy fats. It came out very thick, so you may want to add more liquid.

Ingredients

Half a ripe Avocado

(you can freeze the other half if you remove the skin and stone and chop it up, useful for smoothies or guacamole). 

1 Kiwi fruit, peeled

2 large Romaine leaves, washed and chopped

1 Tbsp chopped Sweet Apricot Kernels* (you can use almonds)

2 Tbsps Shelled Hemp Seeds*

2 Tbsps Coconut Milk

1  or 2 pitted Medjool Dates

Handful of Blueberries

1 Tbsp Açaì Powder *

1 Tsp Wheatgrass Powder

Glass of fresh Apple Juice + a little filtered water

Blend and eat with a spoon – or a knife and fork!

The only video that could possibly illustrate this recipe is the great Danny Kaye’s The Ugly Duckling, however it’s been removed from YouTube due to copyright issues 😕

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Improvised Thai Vegetable Green Curry with Chickpeas

This recipe is Vegan and Gluten-Free.

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This came about when we had nothing planned for dinner – nothing new there then! – and found just over half a tin of chickpeas in the fridge that needed using, along with about a quarter of a cauliflower and the same of broccoli.

I don’t often have curry. My husband likes them quite strong and puts tomatoes in which I don’t eat, but this time my tastes prevailed and so was born a mild, creamy curry made with my favourite veg.

Chickpeas – also known as garbanzo beans and gram – are a good source of protein, calcium, iron and fibre.

Most of the ingredients were organic, but not the Green Curry Paste – however, it was free from additives, refined sugar and gluten and was suitable for vegans, so passed muster for this curry.

All measurements are very approximate and timings, well, basically I’m guessing!

The curry was all cooked in a large frying pan, with the vegetables being stir-fried first. Everything was done within 40 minutes or so.

Serves 3 – on the basis that there were 2 of us and enough left over for a third if we didn’t have seconds.

We had it with brown Basmati rice – I know, clash of cultures, but that’s what we like and that’s all we had in.

Get everything prepared beforehand: rice measured, soaked for an hour and rinsed, water boiled for the rice, all veg washed and chopped into small pieces, cans opened.

Ingredients

Coconut oil for frying

1 large Onion, chopped

2 cloves of Garlic, crushed

large handful each of Cauliflower & Broccoli already chopped into small pieces

3/4 Cup Sweetcorn

3-4 Mushrooms, Sliced

1/2 to 2/3 can of Chickpeas

2/3 can Coconut Milk

1-2 Tbsps Gang Keow Wan Green Curry Paste

A Splash or two of Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)

1 Dsp Coconut Palm Sugar*

Squeeze of Lime

Handful of fresh chopped Coriander

Optional: 1 chopped tomato added near the end, we also thought plain, unsalted peanuts or cashews would go well if liked, but we didn’t have any.

 Method

(Have the rice going when the onion has been stir-frying for a couple of minutes, have a hot dish ready to put it in in case it’s ready first).

Melt the oil until hot enough for the onion to sizzle but not smoking.

Stir-fry onion for a few minutes until shiny, add cauliflower, broccoli and crushed garlic, stir-fry for another few minutes, then add mushrooms and continue to cook until it all begins to give a little.

Add some of the coconut milk, the green curry paste and the tamari and stir, cooking until the paste is dissolved and well mixed.

Add the rest of the milk, chickpeas, sweetcorn, sugar and continue cooking for a few minutes on a low heat with a lid on, until the cauliflower and broccoli are cooked but with a little bite.

Add the nuts if used.

Before serving, add a squeeze of lime juice and some fresh chopped coriander, with more coriander for garnish (I forgot it for the photos!).

Serve on hot plates.

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Hope I didn’t miss anything out!

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com

Copyright: Chris McGowan