COCONUT MILK CULTURED YOGURT

Hey everyone!

I decided I am going to blog again. I know some people prefer to read blogs than watch videos!
I have lots of will, just less time :)

Anyway, I hope that I will be able to post at least once a week.

Here's the recipe for coconut yogurt which I absolutely adore!

I make it in large batches so that it last for a while.
Hope you will enjoy it too.

INGREDIENTS

4 cans of coconut milk (full fat)
4 TBSP Tapioca flour (you can omit that if you don't like thick yogurt)
8 probiotic capsules (or liquid probiotics or other) or 4 TBSP of previous batch yogurt
1tsp vanilla bean paste (optional)
Sterilised jars

METHOD

Pour coconut milk into a pan and heat on medium heat, add tapioca flour and mix, cook until the mixture starts to thicken.
Set aside to cool down to about 40C.
Add probiotics (open capsules and then add), mix well.
Pour into sterilised jars. I usually pour half of the mixture and I mix in the teaspoon of vanilla bean paste into the other half to make vanilla yoghurt.

Place jars in either yogurt maker for around 10 hours or in the oven with only light on or lowest temperature.

After the time passes, place jars in the fridge for few more hours and it's ready to eat!

It can stay in the fridge for up to two weeks.

And here's the video of how to make it.

Sweet Almonds

Finally... I succeeded at making this snack! Always felt jealous that you can buy the unhealthy option, which is full of sugar (if only!)  unfortunately :( So decided to make my own version. Nothing easier!

INGREDIENTS:

Almonds
Honey
Cinnamon

METHOD:

Place almonds, honey and cinnamon ( I used lots of cinnamon) in a bowl and mix well. Spread the almonds on baking sheet on a tray or oven proof dish and put in the oven heated to 200C fan. Bake for about 20 minutes, checking if they don't burn :) After taking it out of the oven seperate them from paper, best on a plate, put aside to chill. Enjoy! They taste like heaven!

Barley and Mushroom Burgers

These delicious burgers were inspired by one of the other bloggers :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup pearl barley (before cooking)
250g mushrooms
1 big onion
1 big carrot
salt, pepper, cumin
fresh dill
2 garlic cloves
wheat bran or wheat germ
2 eggs
olive oil
wholewheat flour
coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook pearl barley as instructed on the box. In a frying pan heat up  some coconut oil, add mushrooms, onion, carrot and garlic and fry for 5 mins. Then add the veggies to still warm barley, add spices, eggs, wheat bran, olive oil and flour. Add more flour if needed until satisfying consistency (until they won't fall apart), mix well. Form burgers.

Fry on coconut oil, on each side.

I served them with curry quinoa (previous recipe) and salad.

Bon apetite!

Here's the video:

Curry Quinoa

Hey guys!

I know, I know... I haven't updated my blog for a while but trying to find some time for even rest between work, gym, few video blogs, home (cleaning, cooking and washing etc :)) is really difficult. I know though that some of you like to have a recipe on here instead of a video on Youtube so I'll do my best to put the recipes up on here :)


Here's a recipe for a very easy, very quick to prepare curry quinoa which you can eat with either veggie dishes or fish or meat. Doesn't take long to prepare and it's absolutely delicious. Some people don't fancy plain quinoa as they say it's too bland so that's a great option for them :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of quionoa, rinsed with water
3 cups of water
1 onion, diced
curry powder, black pepper, salt (himalayan or sea salt)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Put all ingredients into a pan, cover and cook on medium heat until the water is absorbed.

Bon apetite!

And here's the video

Blueberry Buns

Ingredients

• 200g almond meal
• 1/2 tsp sea salt or himalayan salt
• 2 whole organic eggs, whisked
• around 150g blueberrie
• 80ml melted butter or ghee
• 4 TBSP honey

Method

In a mixing bowl mix almond meal and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix eggs, honey and butter and stir well.
Mix dry and wet ingredients together. In the end fold in blueberries.
In a baking tin or oveproof dish put baking paper and from the batter form 6 buns.
Set the oven to 180C and bake for about 30 minutes until the buns start to turn golden. Let them cool down before eating :)

Enjoy! I absolutely love them as they are quick to prepare and absolutely delicious :)

Cashew Butter

Hey guys!

So.. you think peanut butter is good? Well... let me tell you that this cashew butter is a 100 times better!
It's so sweet and creamy!! I have been making it for good few years now and it's one of my favourite snacks, especially when I feel like eating something sweet. I used to use sunflower oil to prepare it but this time I decided to experiment with my fave coconut oil and must say it came out even better!

Ingredients:

• Raw cashew nuts (I used 500g but depends how much cashew butter you want!)
• Melted coconut oil (coconut oil melts in the temperature higher than 24C so if you ned to melt it, just pop the jar in the sink under hot water for few mintes)

Method:

Simply put cashews in the blender and blend until they start getting smooth (also depends if you like your butter smooth, I like it with bits so that it's a little bit crunchy) then add coconut oil to the blender and keep on blending, you will also see how much to add as you keep on blending, so add small amount first. Taste if you need to! Everyone likes their cashew butter different so you need to find your own preference!

I love to do cashew butter wraps with wholewheat tortillas or put some cashew butter on oat cakes, you can also spread it on toast or add it to smoothies!

I'm sure you will love it as much as I do!

Bon apetite!

Coconut crepes

Hey guys,

Since I don't use white flour in my kitchen, I used wholewheat one for making crepes but they always always come out really thick.. Until now.. Look at these beautiful thin crepes! And they are delicious too! With my favourite coconut flour!!

 Ingredients (for about 7 crepes)

• 6 free range organic eggs
• 250ml rice milk or almond milk or coconut milk- whichever you fancy
• 3 TBSP coconut flour, sifted
• 2 tsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp arrowroot powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I used himalayan pink salt but sea salt is fine too)
• coconut oil for greasing the pan

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients (apart from last one) together until smooth consistency. Heat up the pan with some coconut oil and fry crepes!  I ate mine with sugar free blueberry spread.

They tasted like heaven, Honestly! So light!

Bon apetite!

Baked sweet poatato with feta salad

Ingredients

For 2 potatoes

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, washed properly and dried
• feta cheese, 1 pack
• 20 black olives, pitted and chopped
• buch of fresh parsley, chopped
• 4 tsp of sun-dried tomato paste or sundried tomatoes
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250C fan. Pierce each potato several times with a fork, wrap them in foil and bake in the oven for about an hour. Bake until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and cooked through.

While poatatoes are cooking mix all the other ingredients together.

When potatoes are ready place them on plates and cut in half and half again as in cross sign and divide the filling between two.

Enjoy! This is a great lunch recipe!

THAI CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of coconut milk
• butternut squash, diced
• 4 free range chicken breasts, diced
• coconut oil
• 1 large or 2 medium or small onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• spices: all spice, medium curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon
• peppers: 1 yellow, 1 red and 1 orange

Method

• In a mixing bowl add 1 can of coconut milk, add pumpkin, chicken breast, peppersHeat  and spices and let it marinate for a while
• Heat up coconut oil in a frying pan and add onion and garlic and fry for few minutes until they turn translucent
• Heat up another can of coconut oil in a big pot and add marinated mixture, then add onion and garlic to the pan
• Cook first on high heat, then turn down to medium and cook until chicken is cooked and butternut squash is soft. serve with cous cous

Celeriac Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 500g celeriac, peeled and chopped
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock
• 100ml rice/almond/soya milk
• salt and pepper
• parsley, chopped

Instructions

• Heat oil  in a large pan and cook the onion, celery, garlic, and celeriac for 5 minutes, stirring ocassionaly
• Pour the stock and milk and bring it to boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• Transfer the vegetables into a blender with some stock and blend till smooth
• Pour it back to the pan and season with salt and pepper
• Sprinkle parsley for serving

Orange and Almond Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 oranges
• 6 eggs
• 250g almond meal
• 150g honey
• 1tsp baking powder
• coconut oil for greasing
• almond flakes

Instructions

• Wash oranges and place unpeeled in a pot of boiling water for 2 hrs. Drain the water and allow oranges to cool.
• Preheat oven to 180 C fan
• Break 6 eggs into a blender.Add honey and blend together
• Add 2 oranges into the egg mix and blend until the smooth consistency. Add the almond meal and baking powder and blend
• grease the 20cm cake tin and putbaking paper inside, then grease the paper with coconut oil
• Pour batter into the panand sprinkle almond flakes on top
• Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and skewer comes out clean

Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 mashed banana
• 2 eggs (or 4 egg whites)
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein
• 1/3 cup oats or oatmeal
• cinnamon to taste

For topping

• sugar and salt free peanut butter/almond butter/cashew butter
• honey

Instructions

In a medium bowl mix all ingredients together in order listed above. Heat a little bit of coconut oil in a frying pan. Once pan is hot, separate 4 portions of your batter into the pan. When the pancake starts to bubble or turn golden flip them over and cook for another 30 seconds.
Once they are ready spread some honey and/or nut butter and serve with some fruit.
Enjoy!

Leek & Parmesan Risotto

Ingredients:

• 25g butter
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 150g brown rice
• 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 25g Parmesan, finely grated

Instructions

Bring the stock to simmer. Heat a large wide pan and add half the butter and olive oil. Add the spring onions, leek and garlic and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the rice and stir. Add the stock a little at a time, stirring until the rice is tender. Stir in the Parmesan and the rest of butter and season.

Chicken and coriander

Ingredients:

• 2 free range chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 chilli peppers, cut into small pieces
• 1 bunch coriander, chopped
• olive oil
• wholemeal breadcrumbs
• wholewheat tortillas
• tamari sauce

Instructions

In a bowl, mix chicken with tamari sauce and chilli peppers. Leave it to marinate for a while.
In a frying pan heat up a little bit of olive oil and fry onion for about 3 mins until transculent. In a separate frying pan heat up oil again. Put some breadcrumbs in a bowl or plate and roll chicken pieces in it before you throw them in the pan and fry. Once the chicken is ready mix in a bowl, chicken, onion and corriander.
Heat up tortillas in the oven, when ready wrap the chicken filling mixture in tortillas and enjoy!

Spinach Omelette

Ingredients:

• 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, beaten
• Handful of spinach, washed and drained
• watercress and rocket salad for serving
• few tomato slices and few slices of red onion for serving
• salt and pepper
• olive oil or coconut oil

Instructions

Heat up  a little bit of oil in a frying pan on low to medium heat. Add spinach and after 2 mins, add eggs, cook on low to medium heat and flip after one side is cooked (you might want to use a plate for that for it not to break :))
Once the omelette is cooked place it on the plate, add to one half salad, tomato and onion, season and then close.

Vegetable Moussaka

Ingredients:
For the layers

• 2 large aubergines (or egg plants :))
• 1 large courgette (or zucchini)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 250g spinach

For the topping (optional)

• 40g finelly grated organic cheddar
• 4tbsp natural organic yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the sauce

• 1 onion
• dash of olive oil
• 1 can lentils
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 large pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 1 pinch allspice
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 240C. Slice the aubergines into 1cm thick rings, cut the courgettein half, then into 5mm slices lengthways, cut the peppers into 4 pieces each, then grill them all. Steam the spinach and squeeze excess water.

For the sauce, chop the onion and add it to a hot pan with the olive oil. After 3 mins add the drained lentils, tomatoes, cinnamon, thyme, allspice and nutmeg and simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix the cheese, yoghurt and cinnamon together well.

In the oven-proof dish put a little olive oil at the bottom and place aubergine slices, top with a spoonful of lentils. Next layer courgette, lentils, pepper, lentils, spinach, aubergine and then dollop of youghurt mix(this is optional).

Bake in the oven for 15 mins and serve.

Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

• handful of blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1 glass Oat milk or rice milk
• 2 tbsp of organic natural youghurt
• 1 heaped tbsp of milled flaxseed or flaxseed with nuts and seeds

Instructions

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!

Fruit Salad

Right...this is simple..use any fruit you like, I used here grapes, banana, strawberries, apple and orange- that's what I had at home.

Remember to eat fruit on it's own, fruit for desert wouldn't be a good option as they digest quicker than other food and would only ferment in your stomach if eaten after a meal.

Leek And Butterbean Bake

Ingredients:

• 4 medium leeks, cut in half and sliced into 2 cm chunks
• 100ml soya cream or soy/rice milk
• 150 g butterbeans
• handful of fresh herbs, chopped(e.g. sage & thyme)
• 150g organic mozarella
• 30g freshly grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 190C
Cook leeks in boiling water for 2 mins, then drain well.
Mix together the milk/cream and chopped herbs, season to taste.
Put the leeks and butterbeans into an ovenproof dish and mix well. Pour the milk on top.
Arrange mozarella slices on top of the mixture and finish off with grated Parmesan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cheeses are golden.

Protein Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter (I use unsweetened and unsalted)
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup apricots, diced
• 1 cup almonds, chopped
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein (optional)
• Cinnamon, as much as you like

Instructions:

In a pot, on low heat warm up honey and peanut butter until texture is runny.
Mix in apricots, oats, almonds, cinnamon and protein and stir until all ingredients are well coated.
Now, cool in the fridge for about 45 mins. Roll into balls and enjoy!

They are so tasty that even though they have no added sugar, they have plenty of natural sugar in the form of honey and dried fruit so be careful not to overdo it! I found it really hard to keep my hands off them! :)