Friday 30 August 2013

Meat Pies with Rice Paper Pastry

Mmmm..... Don't usually get on to things this fast do I? Well I can tell you right off the bat that I have just finished eating theese along with my quinoa salad. As a plus, it can be made vegeteretrian with Ricki Heller at
www.rickiheller.com/2010/10/i-am-thankful-for-vegan-tortiere-gluten-free-dairy-free-anti-candida-friendly/. I haven't tried the vegan version yet but I am all in trust of the recipe. This makes about 8 - 10 mini pies to serve 4-6 people. I use Pandaroo brand rice paper but you can also use Red rose brand. Use your own herbs and spices in your own amounts. Double it. Halve it. Leave out the tomato. Fry in different oil. Use beef mince instead. Seriously, you can't stuff this recipe up.














Meat Pies with Rice Paper Pastry



Ingredients



550g lamb mince

1/2 tsp coconut oil (solid)

1 tablespoon chopped oregano

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/8 teaspoon mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin seed powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder

1-2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

1 cup tomato paste/puree

16-20 sheets rice paper


Method



Preheat oven 180C.
Melt coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. add in mince; stir fry until browned. Add in herbs,spices and  water. Stir in 1/4 cup of the tomato paste. Cook until all the liquid is all evaporated. Add in remaining tomato paste, salt and pepper. Stir and turn heat down to low while you prepare your pastry. Soak all sheets one at a time in boiling water for about 5-10 seconds. They should be soft enough to push into the ramekins, but not so much that they will tear. Oil 10 ramekins (or 10 holes of a muffin pan), and place soaked rice paper sheet inside. Push down until it is completely covering all sides. Let sit until they are sticky. Add in second layer of rice paper. Spoon in meat filling until 3/4 full then fold the tops of the rice paper over, making the top of the pastry. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes.



Chocolate Mint Biscuits - adapted from elanaspantry


I've never actually tasted a girl scout cookie -as I've been gluten dairy sugar free almost all my life - but these would have to be better. Oh my so delicious...



Chocolate Mint Biscuits




Ingredients for the cookie


1 cup ground almonds


1 teaspoon coconut flour


2 tablespoons raw cacao powder


pinch of salt


1/4 teaspoon baking soda



2 tablespoons coconut oil (solid)


1/4 cup honey


1 teaspoon peppermint extract


Ingredients for the chocolate 



6 ounces unsweeted dark chocolate chunks


1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract


1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

Method for the cookie

Preheat oven to 180C.
In a food processor, combine almond flour, coconut flour, cacao, baking soda, and salt. Pulse in shortening, honey, and peppermint extract until dough forms Roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ⅛ inch thick. Freeze dough for 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out dough. Transfer circles to a parchment lined baking sheet and Bake for 4 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheets, then freeze for 1 hour

Method for the chocolate

Melt chocolate and peppermint extract in a small saucepan over very low heat. Dip each cookie in chocolate, then place on a parchment-lined plate and transfer plate to freezer for 1 hour

Thursday 29 August 2013

Layla's Buckwheat Cookies

For me, it really all started with the buckwheat cookies. This recipe is never fail (So long as you leave enough space between cookie blobs, that is),Everything free,And above all delicious. Add in Currants, chocolate chips, dried cranberries or just leave them as is.


Layla's Buckwheat Cookies


Ingredients


370 grams buckwheat
1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (not baking soda)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
1/2 cup honey
130 grams coconut oil (solid)
1 large egg
1/2 cup currant chocolate chips or dried cranberries (optional)


Method


Put buckwheat in a bowl and cover with 5 inches of water. Soak over night. In the morning drain and place on a baking tray. Spread thinly. You might need two trays. Place in dehydrator and dry at  50C for 8 hours or overnight. When dry blend to a fine flour and weigh out 185 grams (keep the rest for another recipe). Preheat your oven to 175C and ling sheets with paper. Whisk together the honey and coconut oil until there are no lumps. Beat in the egg. Add Flour, baking powder,spices and salt and mix well roll into balls and drop onto cookie sheet leaving lots of room for spreading. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Quinoa Lettuce Salad

A quick lunch is a genius invention. What's more is it's easy to make and delicious. I used mixed quinoa because that's all i have, but if you're into the look you could totally use golden quinoa. Or less lettuce and more quinoa. Or vice versa. Really, this recipe is completely flexible.

Quinoa Lettuce Salad


Ingredients


4-6 mushrooms

1 very small onion, chopped small

2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/8 cup olive or peanut oil

1 tablespoon coconut oil (solid)

1 cup and 1/2 of  mixed quinoa, cooked

100g lettuce mix - I use pimms organics

1 cucumber, sliced thinly (optional)

Method

Preheat oven 200C on grill setting
Slice mushrooms thinly. place on tray and cover with the olive or peanut oil and grill 10 minutes.Remove from oven and drain oil. Place between layers over kitchen paper to drain away oil. Melt coconut oil in the smallest frying pan you have. Add onion and fry until golden brown. Remove straight away or they will burn.  Place between layers over kitchen paper to drain away oil. Tip quinoa into a salad bowl. Rinse lettuce and add in along with cucumber, mushrooms and onion. Pour over vinegar. Toss and serve.

Monday 26 August 2013

Coconut Rice-cream with Raspberry sauce

The best recipe ever. Although It is A bit trickier than previous recipes, it is super rewarding! 8-10 servings. Although in this case five people managed to polish it off in under an hour!


Coconut Rice Cream with Raspberry sauce


Ingredients For the Rice Cream


2 cups water

2 cups coconut milk

3/4 cup arborio rice

pinch of salt

Pinch of cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

20-30 grams unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup raw honey

2 teaspoons vanilla powder/extract

2 cans Ayam coconut cream

Ingredients For the Raspberry Sauce


1 300g package organic frozen raspberries

4 tsp tapioca starch

2 tablespoon raw honey

1/4 cup water/coconut milk

2 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon orange juice 

Method For the Rice Cream

Place tins in the fridge for 10-20 hours. Remove the thick part and measure until you have 1 cup.
Combine first five ingredients in a large saucepan on lowest heat. Cover and cook for about 50 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been almost completely absorbed. Stir occasionally. Mix honey and gelatin in a small bowl, and add to rice. Transfer to a large bowl. Let cool and add vanilla. Chill until thickened slightly. Fold in coconut cream. Turn into an 8 cup square mold.

Method For the Raspberry Sauce

Puree berries. Gradually blend in tapioca starch and honey. Add in water and transfer to saucepan  Add water. Cook stirring until sauce boils for 30 seconds. Add in Juices. Pour over rice cream

Strawberry, Banana, Mango Ice blocks

Yeah.
I know it's winter. It was pretty warm today and after a long day at the park I was sweating something terrible. I a craving for ice blocks. I knew I had yogurt in the fridge from yesterday when i attempted a dairy substitute. It was better than a substitute. It was delish. For those of you who are interested here is a recipe.

1 cup and 1/4 coconut water

1 cup and 1/2 coconut meat

1 teaspoon probiotic powder


Blend coconut water and meat in blender. Stir in probiotic. place in dehydrator for 3 - 6 hrs on 30 degrees C.

That made about twice as much as needed for this recipe. It is delious on its own or with berries. I'll admit I'm not to credit over this amazing yogurt recipe I pay my respects to Girl on Raw. Without this yogurt I would have never made this recipe. Thank you! Anyway I better get a move on with the ice block recipe. Picture coming tomorrow!

Strawberry, Banana, Mango Ice blocks


Ingredients

3/4 cup frozen strawberries, sliced

3/4 cup frozen banana, sliced

3/4 cup frozen mango chunks

3/4 cup coconut yogurt, divided

3 TBS raw honey (optonal)

Method

Blend 1/4 cup of  the yogurt and the berries and 1 TBS of the honey until smooth.pour in one inch of the mix into five ice block molds. Repeat step one with the next lot of yogurt, honey and banana. Pour one inch layer on top of the berries. Do the same with the mango. Freeze for 24 hours or until hard.