Tag Archives: paleo

Moist Gluten Free Chocolate cake

Treats, , , , , , , , ,

Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

With my son’s birthday fast approaching, and children in his class with nuts and gluten allergies, making a birthday cake this year took a little bit of experimentation. This chocolate cake received the children’s seal of approval, with not a single piece left in the box that we sent into his classroom.

Ingredients

  • 50g good quality cocoa powder (sifted)
  • 125ml boiling water
  • seeds of one pod vanilla
  • 70g sweet potato flour
  • 60g rice flour
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 150ml coconut oil (or regular olive oil, not extra virgin olive oil – it is too strong tasting)
  • 100ml honey (or use maple syrup)
  • 3 large eggs
  • handful of frozen cranberries (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat the oven at 170 degrees Celsius (340 degrees Fahrenheit).
  2. Sift the cocoa into a bowl. Add the boiling water and stir well to make a smooth paste. Put aside to cool down while you prepare the rest
  3. Measure the sweet potato and rice flour into a separate bowl. Add the bicarbonate of soda and salt and set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a food processor or mixer, add the coconut oil, honey and eggs.
  5. Mix for about 3 minutes until well aerated.
  6. Add the chocolate mixture to the mixture in the foodprocessor or mixer. Mix thoroughly.
  7. Add the flour mixture to the foodprocessor or mixer. Mix thoroughly.
  8. Prepare as springform cake tin of 20-25cm with a base lining of baking paper. Oil the sides of the tin with a little coconut oil.
  9. Pour the mixture into the tin.
  10. Sprinkle over the cranberries or other berries (optional)
  11. Cook the cake for 40 minutes in the oven or until it is still moist in the centre, but cooked through.
  12. Serve warm or cooled down.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Breaks Co-op – Sounds Familiar

 

 

 

 

Lebanese Lamb Burgers on a Portobello “bun” with Sumac Onions

Dinner, , , , , ,

Lebanese burgers with portobello bun

Burgers do not need to be unhealthy snack food. This burger is full of goodness with lamb mince flavoured with Lebanese seven spice mix. Delicious with sweet potato chips cooked in the Air Fryer, and a simple salad.

Ingredients

For the burgers

  • Coconut oil
  • 500 gr minced lamb
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • Handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp coriander stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 – 3 mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp Lebanese 7 spice powder
  • 1 tsp of sea salt
  • Freshly grounded black pepper
  • Fresh coriander to garnish, roughly chopped
  • A few salad leaves
  • Olive oil

For the portobello “buns”

For the sumac onions

  • Coconut oil
  • 2 red onions, sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • Sumac

Directions

  1. To make the burgers, combine all ingredients – apart from the coconut oil, fresh coriander, salad leaves and olive oil – in a large bowl and mix with your hands until everything is well combined.
  2. Wet your hands and form medium sized patties.
  3. Place the patties on a lightly oiled plate and store in the fridge for about 30 minutes so they can firm up a little.
  4. While the burgers are in the fridge, slice the onions and garlic and put aside.
  5. Preheat the oven onto 200 degrees celsius.
  6. Destem the portobello mushrooms and lightly brush them with a little coconut oil.
  7. Sprinkle them with sea salt, pepper and some za’atar spice mix.
  8. Heat some coconut oil in a large skillet and fry the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your burger and your liking.
  9. In the meantime, place the portobellos in the oven and bake for around 7 minutes or until a bit soft and tender. Make sure they do not burn!
  10. When your burgers are ready, place them on a plate and leave them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  11. While the burgers are resting, use the same skillet as you used for the burgers to fry your sumac onions. Let the pan cool of slightly, then add a little more coconut oil. Add the onions and cook them for 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add a generous amount of sumac and stir through.
  12. To arrange, place a few salad leaves on a plate and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Place a portobello on the salad leaves and top with a burger. Add the onions on top of the burger and garnish with a few coriander leaves. Sprinkle everything with a little more olive oil, serve with kumara chips and enjoy!

About Lebanese seven spice powder
Lebanese 7 spice powder is a blend of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, group fenugreek, and ginger. All of these spices are readily available in most supermarkets.

If you are unable to find it in your asian food store, then we have also included a recipe for Lebanese 7 spice mix for you to make yourself

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Beirut – The Rip Tide

 

 

Sweet Potato Leaves in Coconut Sauce

Dinner, , , , , , , ,

Sweet potato leaves in coconut sauce

Sweet potato leaves are not a very common ingredient to find outside Asia. Try looking for them at your Asian food stores, otherwise you can substitute for spinach in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 400 gr sweet potato leaves
  • 1 red onion, finely sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 cm fresh ginger, chopped or grated
  • 1 tsp ground fenugreek
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos
  • Salt and pepper
  • Handful of kaffir lime leaves, shredded
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 200 ml water
  • Coconut oil

Directions

  1. Cut of the stems of the sweet potato leaves.
  2. Wash the leaves and steam the leaves with a small splash of water for 1 minute.
  3. Transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice cold water to stop the leaves from cooking.
  4. Drain the leaves and set aside.
  5. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and fry the onion, garlic, ginger and lime leaves for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
  6. Add the fenugreek and fry for another minute.
  7. Season with the coconut amines and add the coconut milk and water.
  8. Add the sweet potato leaves and simmer until the sauce has thickened a little.
  9. Season with salt and pepper and serve with coconut rice or rice.

About sweet potato leaves
Sweet potato leaves are primarily eaten in Asia and Africa, but can be found further afield in Asian food stores or sometimes in your supermarket. They can be substituted with Spinach where you are unable to find sweet potato leaves.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Zee Avi – Zee Avi

 

 

Kale Chips with Parma Ham, Cumin and Sea Salt

Snacks, , , , ,

Kale chips with parmaham, cumin and sea salt-2

Kale is a superfood, but one I always found a little “super freaky”. It was something that health nuts ate, until we experimented with it, and made these chips. Now we even have our son snacking on kale chips.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven on 170 degrees Celsius.
  2. Cut the stalks from the kale leaves and tear the leaves into bite size pieces.
  3. Place half the the leaves on a baking try.
  4. Sprinkle with half the cumin, some sea salt and half the parma ham.
  5. Before you put the kale into the oven, sprinkle with a splash of coconut oil.
  6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, turning the leaves every so often to bake them evenly.
  7. When the first batch is done, transfer into a large bowl and bake the second batch.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: William Fitzsimmons – Gold in the shadow

 

 

 

 

Sago and Coconut Porridge with Fresh Fruit

Breakfast, , , , ,

Sago and coconut porridge with fresh berries-4

One of the most difficult things we found in adapting to our new lifestyle was “what to do with breakfast?” I mean, how do you do breakfast without toast or muesli? As a child growing up my mother used to make a sago pudding. It was a rich and creamy treat, and I thought we must be able to adapt it into a breakfast porridge. This has become our go to start of the day.

Ingredients

  • 300 ml of water
  • 75ml sago pearls
  • 50ml grated (desiccated) coconut
  • 100 ml coconut milk
  • 2 bananas, sliced
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Fresh fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, mango, papaya

Directions

  1. Combine the water, sago pearls, coconut, coconut milk and banana in a little sauce pan and bring slowly to the boil. Keep stirring as it will quickly stick to the bottom of the pan.
  2. As soon as the porridge has reached its desired consistency – after 5 to 10 minutes – take the pan of the heat and transfer the porridge to a bowl.
  3. Sprinkle over the cinnamon, top with the fruit of your choice and add a little splash of coconut oil for some extra creaminess.

About sago
According to Wikipedia, Sago is a starch extracted from the spongy centre, or pith, of various tropical palm stems, especially Metroxylon sagu. It is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas, where it is called saksak, rabia and sagu. A type of flour, called sago flour, is made from sago. The largest supply of sago comes from the East Indies. Large quantities of sago are sent to Europe and North America for cooking purposes. It is traditionally cooked and eaten in various forms, such as rolled into balls, mixed with boiling water to form a paste, or as a pancake. Sago is often produced commercially in the form of “pearls”. Sago pearls can be boiled with water or milk and sugar to make a sweet sago pudding. Sago pearls are similar in appearance to tapioca pearls and the two may be used interchangeably in some dishes.

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Norah Jones – Good morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lamb Salad with Papaya, Pumpkin and Avocado

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , ,

Lamb salad papaya pumpkin avocado paleo
 
This is a delicious salad meal which tenderizes the lamb with papaya. You could also exchange the papaya for mango if it is difficult for you to obtain. 

Ingredients

For the dressing

  • Rind of half a lemon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • Sea salt and pepper

For the salad

  • 1 small red onion, finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 1 large bag of rocket or baby spinach leaves
  • 250 gr pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 400 gr papaya, peeled, deseeded and cut into cubes
  • 2 ripe avocados, cut into bite size pieces
  • 500 gr good quality lamb in cubes
  • Sea salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Start with the dressing. Put the lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano in a little bowl.
  2. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir. Set aside.
  3. Roast the pumpkin in the oven (200 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes or in an Air Fryer at 200 degrees C for 10-15 minutes until done.
  4. Season the lamb with a generous amount of sea salt and black pepper.
  5. Heat a little coconut oil in a large skillet and fry the meat for a couple of minutes until brown all over. Be careful not to overcook your lamb, especially the smaller pieces can turn into rubber rather quickly.
  6. When the meat is done, put on a plate and leave to rest for at least 5 minutes.
  7. After resting, slice the meat into slices.
  8. Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl, add dressing, put the meat on top and enjoy!

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: The Map Room – The Map Room