Fig and Olive Flatbread- gluten free

The other day in a whim I bought some fresh figs, they were discounted and forlornly looking for a home on the shelf of my local supermarket and so I took pitty on them.  I have never used fresh figs before though I have come across plenty of recipes over the years that do, so I was keen to try.

It seems that goats cheese it a common companion, but obviously that was out of the equation for me, so I had a rethink and decided upon olives and herbs in a flatbread combo. You could try adding some of this feta to the mix!

I have previously posted the flatbread inspired experiments below with success so it seemed like a good opportunity for my figs too...a sweet and salty Mediterranean vibe!

Check out...


The basic GF flatbread (the one that started it all off)
10 min pizza
Mediterranean foccacia
Fruity coconut sweetbread

...or rip up and double-bake the basic flatbread to make these crazy crunchy croutons!

The basic flatbread recipe works both with GF flour mix and spelt (spelt is a little lighter) so feel free to use the flour combos you are most familiar wih, similarly I anticipate that any dairy-free yoghurt (or regular for non-vegan) could be used here though I have only tried soy.


Slice the flatbread into fingers or wedges for a great summer salad topper or to accompany a dip. I loved the more unusual sweet and salty flavour, and the moist squidgy fig pieces.

Recipe: Fig and Olive Flatbread- gluten free

Makes 2 flatbreads

Ingredients:

100g GF self raising flour (I used Doves Farm mix which contains rice, potato, tapioca, maize and buckwheat flours) or regular flour/spelt if non GF

1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

75g vegan yoghurt

30m water

2 fresh figs- quartered

Handful of olives- sliced

Sea salt

Coconut oil to glaze

Method:

Prepare the figs and olives and set aside.

Mix the flour and dried herbs and salt in a medium bowl then add the yoghurt, balsamic vinegar and water and stir through, using your hands at the end as necessary. This should result in a lovely soft dough.

Divide the dough into 2 equal sized pieces and form circular patties with your hands approx. 1cm thick. Dust lightly with a little more flour if they are quite sticky to touch. Lay on the parchment lined baking sheet.

Press the fig and olive slices cut side up into the dough. Drizzle or brush the surface of the dough patties with a little melted coconut oil and then sprinkle with the sea salt

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C for approx. 20 mins until the tops are slightly golden and fruit caramelised. Serve immediately.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Smashed avocado oatcakes with orange, onion and cumin

Late last Thursday morning I had kind of missed breakfast but it wasn't yet lunchtime. Upon opening the fridge I was greeted with a bowlful of oranges, a salad tray of red onions and a forlorn looking avocado in need of using up...

I'm not typically a huge fan of avocado on its own as the primary ingredient in my meal but there's always room to change and after seeing a number of delicious looking 'smashed avocado' recipes around the blogosphere and most recently here on Kathy's blog with it's bright colours, temptation struck and I decided to give it a go myself!

This wasn't going to be a long prep or cook time as 10 minutes was all I had... and I was hungry! So I literally sliced up and onion pretty thinly dusted it in cumin and panfried it for five minutes whilst prepping the remainder… The result?  One super simple and super tasty breakfast. I may well be an avocado convert!! P.s I admit my oat cakes were not homemade... I like these Nairns ones for a quick cracker fix.  You could use other crackers or toast for the base if you preferred.

The cumin paired so well with both the flavours of the onion and the refreshing zing of the orange slices, I'd encourage you to use it but of course feel free to swap in any spices if you prefer or you donlt have cumin to hand. I use both ground cumin and cumin seeds so they could be toasted off with the onion. 

I ate an oatcake followed by orange wedge, followed by oat cake.... the orange was amazingly refreshing and also great palate cleanser between mouthfuls of avocado.

Recipe: Smashed avocado oatcakes with orange, onion and cumin

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 avocado
1 small red onion
A splash of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 orange- peeled and segmented
Salt and pepper to taste
Oat cakes (or other 'base') to serve
Method:

Slice the onion very finely and lightly pan fry with a little oilve oil and the cumin until soft, approx. five minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the avocado and orange by lightly mashing the avocado so that it is still quite chunky and use one  of the orange segments squeezed over it. And a little salt and pepper to taste.

Using oat crackers (or rice crackers or toast if you prefer) spoon dollops of the avocado mix onto the crackers and top with the panfried onion slices. Decorate the plate with the orange wedges.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Mushrooms, jacket potatoes, beans...with a twist!

So, for those of your who read right down to the last paragraph of this post on Saturday you'll have seen that my dad's '3 favourite foods were':

"Mushrooms

Jacket Potatoes 

Baked beans"

Pretty classic stuff... so how was I to turn these into some kind of special Father's Day meal....hmmm?

In the end it all came together with a twist to the tale... Jacket potato skins and juicy grilled mushrooms for stuffing with smoky baked beans on the side, complete with spicy 'cheesy' whipped mash and a big salad. The baked beans dish was inspired by this recipe from Susan at the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, and the 'cheesy' mash inspired by Kathy's stuffed skins here at Healthy Happy Life.

Plus then there was a baked fruit custard dessert....cos I happen to know he loves custard too. I need to take some more photos of that as the light was fading! Recipe with you shortly ;-)

It was a great success! To top it all off I gave my dad a little package of dark chocolate (as he's also a dark chocolate lover) courtesy of the Real Food Source...yum!

Smoky apple baked beans

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

2 onions- finely chopped
1 large red pepper-finely chopped
4 garlic cloves- crushed (I reduced the amount called for in original recipe as my dad is not a huge fan)
1 apple- finely chopped
1 ½ large cans canellini beans (or mixed beans)

sauce:
1 large tin tomatoes
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs molasses
A few drops of chipotle sauce to taste

Method:

Sliced or process the onion, peper, garlic and apple into small pieces. Saute the mixture for 5 mins until softening. Blend the sauce ingredients together in a seperate pan/blender and then add the the onion mix. Add the beans and stir through before cooking the mix for another 5 minutes.

In theory you could serve this mix as it is, but true to baked bean style I poured the mix into a pan and baked for approx 20 mins whilst preparing the remainder of the meal, I served it whilst the top was bubbling and beginning to form a golden skin at the edges.

Spicy cheesy whipped mash

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

Approx 1 heaped cup cooked potato (middles of 4 potatoes)
2tbs hummus
2tbs nutritional yeast
2tbs salsa sauce
chipotle sauce to taste
¼ - ½ cup heated non-dairy milk to achieve desired consistency

For skins:
4 jacket potatoes- baked as usual
coconut oil
sea salt

Method:

Prepare the jacket poatoes in the oevn s usual. Alow to cool slightly before halving and scopping out the entres. Set centre aside. Generously cost the skins with coconut oil (or other oil) for a crispy skin and spinkle with salt. Place back in the oven for approx 20 minutes at 200C scooped side up, until golden. 

Meanwhile add the potato and remaining ingredients to a bowl and using a hand blender (I used my Thermomix throughout) blend until whippy and creamy, adding  little extra liquid as needed. If you use the potato whilst hot and add hot liquid the spicy mash should still be warm to serve.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Turmeric spiced burgers....recovery fuel!

The day before and the day after my Tough Mudder event I was on a complex carb, protein and anti-inflammation kick...I wanted to defend myself from all directions and help prevent muscle injury too!

Turmeric has long been know for it's healing qualities and anti-inflammatory properties and so I wanted to base my main meals around this beautiful spice, so often underused in my cooking. I think you've probably already guessed quinoa would be the obvious recipient!

This was my 'before' event dinner...

This was my 'after' event dinner...

Total yellowness!!!

Both dishes were great in their simplicty, I ate the quinoa/cauli as a main dish but it would propbably be best served asa a side dish along with some other colours :-)  We'll get onto that  dish in another post, but today I give you the turmeric quinoa burgers.

Initial inspiration for the ingredients profile came from this recipe and then I changed a few things up, namely the binding method, spices and cooking method.

I used almond flour as the key ingredient to bind them as almond flour is 'gummy' when mixed with water and is also in itself a potent anti-inflammatory, so along with onion and garlic these little burgers really should help kick sore muscles into touch (well I experienced minimal soreness after the event so who knows...)

I added a little garam masala and salt to boost the flavour, but you really want to focus on the turmeric as much as possible. Serve on a bed of spinach for even more anti-inflammatory fighting properties (and a break from all that yellow!) 

Superfoods to the rescue!!

Recipe: Turmeric spiced burgers

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup sweetcorn
1-2 crushed cloves garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic granules
2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs fine almond flour
1 tbs flax
approx 1/4 cup hot water
extra water if needed

Method:

Mix the almond flour with hot water in a small bowl and mix to form a thick paste. Mix all remaining ingredients together adding the the paste last. Add a little extra water if needed to assist the binding of the mixture.

Get your had stuck in and form small flattened patties, place these on a lined or greased baking sheet. The mixture will be a bit delicate but should easily form patties that hold together well whilst baking and being turned over once.

I didn't use any oil to coat the patties as they tasted great without, but feel free to use a light coating for extra crispness if you prefer. The patties can also be lightly fried on each side as an alternative to oven baking.  I baked them for approx. 30 minutes at 180C until lightly golden.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Crunchy quinoa cookies...hemp infused!

My original chewy chocolate quinoa cookies have turned out to be one of the most popular posts on this blog, and also one of the most popular search terms.   This is a little twist on the original recipe with a superfood hemp boost... perfect training snacking... or for anyone looking for a source of wholefood protein boost. I have combined hemp protein with brown rice protein to achieve the best texture (in my opinion) but you could try using your preferred protein powders instead.

Ok, so if I was to state my preference between these cookies and the originals...maybe the originals would win over a teeny weeny bit in the chewy stakes and because they were more intensely chocolatey ...but these are pretty awesome and hit the spot in terms of nutrition whilst bringing a big smile to my face.  Plus...I love the crunchy little unshelled hemp seeds!

I made a double batch of these and kept a stash in the fridge that lasted me right through to race day!   

                             

Recipe: crunchy quinoa cookies...hemp infused!

Makes approx 10  cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa

¼ cup peanut butter

¼ cup date syrup (or 3 tabs alternative syrup)

Few drops stevia to taste

1 banana

¼ cup hemp protein*

¼ cup brown rice protein*

¼ hemp seeds (I use unshelled for extra crunch factor)

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla bean powder or extract

*I used hemp protein and brown rice protein as my preferred protein options as they complement each other in texture and I typically like to use hemp wherever possible. Feel free to use your own preferred options.

Method:

Mix all the peanut butter, date syrup, banana and stevia together until smooth. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add to the wet ingredients until well mixed and a thick paste is formed. Mix in the quinoa until well coated.

Form small balls with your hands and press down onto a lined baking sheet.

Bake at 180C for approx 15 mins. Allow to cool fully.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Hot chocolate 'power' pudding.... power for body and mind!

Ok, so I reeled you in with the title of this post...chocolate! That'll make anyone glance twice ;-)

Don't worry I will give you a chocolate fix, but first a little post-training debrief and review of the foodie variety!

As many of you now (I promise this is the last time I talk about it to any degree!) I completed Tough Mudder last weekend and so therefore in the month or so leading up the event my meals and snacks had been more carefully thought out than usual, with higher protein and hydrating foods featuring more heavily, also higher on the complex carbs in the few days prior. I have a backlog of recipes to share so the posts over the coming weeks will showcase some of these- great for the active and non-active people alike since good hydration is great for summer recipes and my protein focussed meals and snacks were based around whole foods and not protein supplements, equally important for everybody following a predominantly plant based lifestyle. Saying that, I do have some protein cookie coming tomorrow that utilise protein powders- but that's all :-)

To keep it brief and not bore or overwhelm you, here is a little overview summary of my food profile for last week in the final run up to the event. Obviously this was a balance of food that worked well for me but every body is different, for example I know I don't react well to high quantities of dried fruits and nuts (bloat inducing) so beans and quinoa took centre stage. Many of the recipes quoted below (and shown in the montage) will feature over the next few days.

Typical Daily Food Dairy (approximated for the entire week)

Food:

• Green Smoothie upon waking- between 6-9am

• Quinoa oatmeal power bowl (similar to below but typically without choc)- between 9am-11am

• Protein cookies (tomorrow's post) after workouts, or choc protein mousse plus banana- whatever time during the day

• Quinoa salad/veg bowl, or lentil chilli soup with quinoa. Typically I made a large batch and had some for lunch/snack and then the rest for dinner. Depending on if/when I was working out that day depended on whether I had the larger portion for lunch or for dinner. 

• Tropical chia pudding prior to workouts of as dessert/snack. I made a enough to last me a couple of days and grabbed a spoonful whenever I fancied it. (I also ate this approx. 1 hour prior to the event happening- totally fuelled me up- quickly digested carbs and mega hydrating!)

Drinks:

I made up a litre of the watermelon coconut cooler which lasted me a couple of days at a time.  I also drank a lot of green tea (tropical green tea as I can't get my taste buds around the plain stuff) I drank 2-3 mugs a day, this was instead of the usual mint tea I drink. I also drank at least another 2 ltrs plain filtered water. In total a minimum of 3 ltrs fluids. I don't drink coffee or regular tea anyway so that didn't come into the equation for me.

I found the balance worked really well to hydrate and sustain me without bloating me out as a lot of seeds/nuts tend to.

So, now i'd like to hear from you- what are your favourite 'fit foods', and ways you find best hydrate and sustain you?

Oh yes, I promised you a recipe!  

Here you go...as ever a super versatile, breakfast, brunch, snack...whatever (omit the choc and add other flavours if you feel choc is a bit much for an everyday breakfast ;-)  This totally set me up for the day. Fitness, motivation, endurance and focus is as much built in the mind as it is in the body... I promise this 'power' bowl will kick both into touch!

Recipe: Hot choc power pudding:

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa (I have precooked portions in the freezer at all times for speed)
2 cups non-dairy milk of choice
2 tbs peanut butter (or other- hazlenut butter is fab!!)
4 tbs chia seeds
a few drops vanilla stevia to taste (or maple syrup)
2 tsp maca powder
2 tbs raw cacao or carob (note carob is slightly sweeter)
2 tsp cinnamon
Toppings of choice (I used a handful of goji berries and mixed red/black currants plus extra chia)

Note: you could sub some of the quinoa with part oats.

Method:

Prepare the quinoa if uncooked.

Add the quinoa, milk, nut butter, chia and sweetener to a pan and simmer on the stove for a few minutes until well mixed and warmed through. Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients, stir to mix well.

Spoon into bowls and add the toppings of choice. Eat immediately or chill half for eating later!

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Black bean and mango stew

A simple lunch that packs a punch!  Oh dear, I think i’ll leave the rhymes behind in future...

As you read this I am fighting back the nerves as I get my gear in order and make last minute preparations for Tough Mudder…. In just a couple of hours time I'll be en-route to the army base in Winchester where the event takes place so there is no backing out now. I just hope I don’t let myself down, I’m my own worst enemy for setting the bar so high in my mind and then struggle to match it. The main thing is that I give it my best shot and come back on one piece… no doubt I’ll keep you updated on Facebook once I’m done (and maybe a post on here later today if I’m not totally exhausted!!)

Now, back to food….

This is the kind of lunch (and dinner) I’ve been eating recently off the back of my tropical fruit experiments. I‘ve made this ‘stew’ both with mango and pineapple and they were equally nice. The sauce is light and fruity and makes more of a glaze.

This would be great to make with some leftover pineapple after having made the tropical bake for breakfast...just a thought ;-)

It’s a bright and simple ‘stew’ and can be cooked up as a light meal or added on top of brown rice or quinoa (i've been easy so much quinoa these final few days!) for a more hearty main dish.  Use veggies of your choice sliced thinly to cook through evenly and you’re good to go in no time.

Recipe: Black bean and mango stew

Serves 1

Ingredients:

½ cup black beans

2 cups veggies (I used an onion, sweetcorn, red pepper, mange tout and tomatoes)

½ cup fresh or pineapple mango chunks

Sauce:

1 tbs marmalade (sugar free if possible)

1 tbs lemon juice

1-2 tsp soy sauce

1 tbs fresh ginger

Method:

Saute onion for 5 mins until softened, add the remaining veggies and cook for another 5- 10 minutes (depending on size/type).

Add the cook black beans and continue to cook for a couple minutes until heated through.

Meanwhile mix the dressing ingredients and mix through with the mango/pineapple chunks. Add to the stew in the final minute of cooking to glaze and warm through.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Cucumber and watermelon coconut coolers

These coolers are just as perfect for sipping on a hot summers days as they are for replenishing electrolytes after a strenuous bout of exercise.

Good for everybody and every body ;-)

For any fitness foodies out there, or in fact any one into plant based health... if you haven’t already checked it out then Thrive Forward by Brendan Brazier is well worth a look. It’s a fairly new newsletter subscription but so far (a few months in) i’ve been pretty impressed and it’s given me lots of useful info and tips...including inspiration for today’s post.

As ever I made a few tweaks to simplify things (mainly because I didn’t want to wait overnight for the tea to seep) but Brendan’s method probably has the nutritional edge in this respect so I’ve linked it here if you’d prefer to follow it. There are some other recipes and info in his recipe article too.

Out of the two I preferred the watermelon version but both are super refreshing and hydrating- perfect prep for any endurance race!  I will definitely be making them again throughout the summer for sipping in the sun or post workout. (note: I've since made these again and fused the two options by basing the cooler on the watermelon recipe but adding cucumber to sub some watermelon and a few raspberries to maintain the lovely pink colour)

Dress with a straw and a slice of fruit and you can sit by the poolside and smile in the knowledge that good taste need not come with a sugar overload and a mouthful of additives!

Recipe: Watermelon coconut cooler

Serves 2-3 (depending on size of glass)

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups plain coconut water (equivalent to 1 can)

1 cup berry flavoured herbal tea of choice

½ tsp fresh grated ginger

½ tsp coconut sugar (or a couple stevia drops)

Pinch sea salt

1 cup watermelon chunks (unpacked)

Recipe: Cucumber coconut cooler

Serves 2-3 (depending on size of glass)

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups plain coconut water (equivalent to 1 can)

1 cup mint tea

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

½ tsp coconut sugar (or a couple stevia drops)

Pinch sea salt

Approx. 10cm chunk of cucumber- chopped

Method:

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Strain into glasses.

Best consumed within 24 hours. Store in the fridge if not using straight away and shake before drinking.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Watermelon ice lollies

This recipe is the simplest spin off from this summer watermelon cake!   Frost, Slice, Freeze, Eat...

Even of you don’t plan to make the cake, it’s still really easy to whip up the chocolate frosting, spread a thick later on a large watermelon segment, slice up and freeze. Throw on nuts or sprinkles to add some jazz and crunchy texture. I just frosted the outer edge of the segment before slicing but you could add extra if you prefer.

The original cake got a bit of stick by some who felt i'd 'desecrated' the watermelon... but that's cool, each to their own, though I felt my healthy 'not sickly sweet' frosting was a true compliment. To be honest watermelon chunks are also are pretty good on their own and so refreshing on a hot summers day (we are finally getting a few of those at the moment- let's hope I haven't now jinxed it!) 

But hey, if it gets chilly again I know what I'll be making...my pineapple baked oatmeal...warm comfort with holiday feelings all in one!

Recipe: Watermelon ice lollies

Makes 4-6 lollies

Ingredients:

1 large slice of watermelon segment- peeled and de-sseded (as far as possible)

Chocolate frosting: 

2/3 cup vegan yoghurt (I use soy)

2 tbs fine coconut flour (increase to 3tbs if thicker consistency required)

2 tbs cocoa powder

Stevia or syrup to taste

A few drops vanilla extract- optional

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir together well. Let sit for a few seconds and test the consistency (coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid), add more wet or dry ingredients as needed)

Place the water melon slice on a plate suitable for the freezer.

Using a knife thickly frost the watermelon slice. This will be easier if you first pat the surface of the melon dry to remove excess moisture. I found it easiest to frost the largest area of outer skin and also I did not want to fully frost the lolly. Press extra fruits, nuts or sprinkles into the frosting if desired.

Carefully  push lolly sticks at intervals into the fat side of the segment making sure to leave the frosting intact. Slice the water melon carefully and slightly separate the segments so that they don’t freeze together.

Place in the freezer until solid and then re-bag as necessary to store. Allow to defrost for 5 mins prior to eating for optimum texture (and so you don't break your teeth!) 

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

'Not as you know it' Nutella

Yes, yes I know there are plenty of 'healthy' 'vegan' nutella recipes already lurking around the blogosphere... and for good reason, who doesn't like a drippy spoonful of thick creamy chocolate?

So far I have avoided the temptation to make my own. Partly because  had concerns as to my self control once made, but also many of the recipes I'd come across had a number of time consuming steps and also many recipes also left a lot to be desired in the healthy department.

I made my first version of the 'Nutella' a week or so ago here for the Real Food Source. It was delcious and the coconut sugar gave a lovely caramelised touch.  I wanted to reinvent it again with a slight twist this time using my ever faithful date paste.

You'll notice there are no roasted hazlenutsa in this recipe, so technically its not Nutella at all...rather a chocolate almond spread. Somehow that description didn't tantalize my tatsebuds in quite the way it should! The chocolate really takes centre stage and the creamy almond paste (make your own or buy it) just brings it all together in a rich and creamy spread.

Plus if you add a little extra water you'll have an amazing chocolate drizzle sauce! Sooooo good.

Recipe: Healthy ‘Nutella’

Makes just under 1 cup

Ingredients:

1/3 cup almond paste*
1/3 cup date paste
3 tbs cocoa powder
1/3 cup boiling water

*almond paste is just blanched almond butter. Make your own or buy it for example here

Method:

Stir the cocoa into the boiling water until smooth. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. This works best with either a smallish sized blender or double the amount (the mixture had a tendency to fling itself to the edges of my large Thermomix and I had to scrape it down a few times)

Store in the fridge. it will thicken up a little. This would also be good mixed with a little hot water and served as a chocolate drizzle sauce. You may want to add a couple of drops of stevia to add sweetness if diluting as a drizzle.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.