Tag Archives: grain free

Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping

23 Feb

grain free blueberry muffins with pecan crumble topping

I’m a firm believer that life should be delicious.  And with summer here it certainly is!  Colourful fruits and crisp fresh vegetables abound just waiting to adorn our plates.  One of my summertime favourites is berries, especially fresh blueberries; but I don’t discriminate. If I can get my hands on strawberries or raspberries at a reasonable price I put them in pretty much everything! I know the season won’t last for long so I make the most of them while I can.

Which brings me to this recipe…

Blueberries are the hero of this wholesome snack, which also includes the protein power of almond meal.  Topping the batter off with cinnamon scented pecans adds a great crunch to a treat that does not disappoint.  Even better still is knowing that these little beauties are also good for you! They are gluten, grain and dairy free and are suitable for those following a low FODMAP diet.

So get your baking pans out a whip up a batch for easy breakfasts on the run or a yummy snack.

Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble

muffin 1

Ingredients 

Blueberry Muffins

  • 1½ cups blanched almond meal
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup cooked sweet potato
  • ⅓ – ½ cup maple syrup (depends how sweet you like your treats)
  • ¼ cup silken tofu (substitute mashed avocado for soy-free)
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • Muffin liners

Pecan Crumble topping

  • ¼ cup pecans chopped
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (add more if you like)
  • 2 tsp coconut oil or butter

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
  2. Prepare crumble topping: Place  ingredients in a small bowl. Use your fingers to rub the coconut oil or butter in with the other ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Prepare muffins: Combine almond meal, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  4. In a food processor, combine sweet potato, maple syrup, tofu, almond butter, vanilla and egg yolks. Purée until combined and smooth.
  5. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, until just combined; do not over-mix.
  6. In a separate dry bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, using a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter.  Add blueberries and stir to combine
  7. Prepare muffin tin with liners.  Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin liners.
  8. Distribute crumble topping evenly among muffins and lightly press into batter.
  9. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 20 – 25 minutes.
  10. Cool completely before serving
  11. Leftovers may be kept refrigerated in a resealable container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

For a printable version click here: Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble

If you make these, send me a pic and let me know your thoughts!

-Sarah xox

What is your favourite summer fruit or vegetable?

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Low FODMAP delicious

3 Oct

Being creative in the kitchen can be tough when you have a lot of food intolerances, but that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to a menu of plain chicken and rice!  The key to success is to adapt recipes and use friendly ingredients to create a healthy, balanced meal that still packs loads of flavour.  If you need some inspiration check out my latest pinterest board Low FODMAP delicious.  All the recipes have notes to help you make these dishes fructose friendly and Low FODMAP.  You can also check out my sweet and savoury boards for other ideas, or hit up my recipe page.  Time to tantalise those taste buds!

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Tasty not sexy recipe #1: Mediterranean Meatballs

31 May

Like a lot of health food bloggers, I really enjoy cooking, and sharing the fruits of my labour with my lovely readers.  For me it is a creative  and therapeutic outlet (and baking up a batch of healthy cookies is also way cheaper than seeing a therapist too!). Whether I’m experimenting with new-to-me ingredients, putting a healthy spin on a classic dish, or just baking some comforting cookies, the kitchen is my ‘zen’ zone.

My dream kitchen

But to be honest, a lot of the stuff I cook doesn’t get to grace the pages of my blog.  Half of the time I will make something really yummy, only to realise halfway through eating that I never took a picture!  Pretty sure nobody wants to see a half eaten plate of food, so I usually just continue chowing down instead.  The other half of the time, I make something really yummy and take a picture only to realise….it doesn’t look all that sexy.  Which brings me to this post: Tasty not sexy.

I think seeing so much media around food photography and food styling has made me really critical of my abilities as a home cook.  Sure I want my food to look good, but the more important thing is how it tastes!!!  So I decided to stop being Miss Judgy Pants about the quality of my photography and just share the recipe instead.

Tasty not Sexy Recipe #1: Mediterranean Meatballs

Gluten free (Grain free option), dairy free, Low FODMAP

Seriously how do you make a ball of meat in tomato sauce look appetising?  But who cares anyway.  These balls are filled with the goodness from shredded broccoli, chopped celery, baby eggplant, and even pureed parnsips!   My brother is like the ultimate vegetable hater, so I take every opportunity to sneak in extra veggie nutrition where I can.  He didn’t detect any flecks of green so gobbled them down happily (and then proceeded to eat the leftovers too).  I made close to 50 meatballs from this recipe so feel free to freeze the leftovers for a quick dinner mid-week.  

Prep time: 25 mins        Cooking time: 45 mins

Makes about 45 meatballs

 Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp garlic infused olive oil, divided
  • 1 large stalk celery, finely diced
  • 1 stalk of broccoli, grated
  • 2 finger eggplant, finely diced
  • 1 medium parnsip, peeled, boiled & pureed (about 1/4 cup puree)
  • 1/4 cup gluten free rolled oats, ground into flour**
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried chives
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
  • 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 250g lean pork mince
  • 500ml tomato & basil pasta sauce

To serve

Method:
  1. Heat 1 tbsp garlic oil in non-stick pan.  Saute celery, shredded broccoli, and eggplant for 8 – 10 mins until soft.  Add water one tablespoon at a time to prevent vegetables from sticking to pan.
  2. Combine cooked celery mixture with remaining ingredients, excluding tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly using clean hands.
  3. Using your measuring spoons, scoop out a tablespoon of meat mixture and form into a balls.  Mixture should make about 40 – 50 meatballs.
  4. Cover meatballs loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 10 mins to firm up.
  5. Heat remaining 1 tbsp garlic oil in non-stick pan.  Saute meatballs in batches, for several minutes until browned on both sides.  Once all meatballs are browned return them to the pan and add tomato pasta sauce. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
  6. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 25 – 30 mins.
  7. Serve with gluten free pasta, vegetable spaghetti and a green salad.
**Substitutions: To make this grain free omit the oats and use 1/4 cup walnuts or almonds ground into flour.

You will probably see a few more entries in the tasty not sexy series over the coming weeks and I do hope that you try some of the recipes.  While they might not look as appealing as pictures from a magazine I can assure you they taste terrific.  And if you are being super judgemental about your own abilities I urge you to stop! You are only human and don’t need to do everything perfectly.  So make your food tasty and nutritious, snap a quick pic and eat!

What’s your favourite dish that’s really tasty but not so sexy?

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Lovely Lemon Snow Eggs

5 Apr

Happy Hump day! It’s Wednesday and that usually means you have made it through 60% of the work week and really it’s all down hill from here. But this week is even better…you know why???

Easter Holidays!!!

And a four day work week means that you’ve actually made it through 75% of the work week by now.  Well done you! I can honestly say that I’m really looking forward to this holiday weekend.  Some rest, relaxation, time with family, and a few treats all sound like the perfect end to what has been a very hectic week so far.

Most years I get to celebrate Easter with my Greek family back in Adelaide, but unfortunately a visit interstate just wasn’t possible this year.  Since my family doesn’t make a big deal about Easter, I always loved spending it with my Greek family.  Their company is great, but their food is even better! At easter time my Greek Momma cooks up a storm of traditional delights such as avgolemono soup, which is served after midnight mass to mark the end of lent.  But the one thing the whole family looks forward to most is my Greek Momma’s Flaounes, a traditional easter bread filled with cheese and sultanas.  My Greek Momma’s son told me I should have a crack and make them gluten free…

I pondered it over for a minute, but thoughts of lead weights not bread rolls filled my mind so I decided to give that challenge a miss.

I opted for something much simpler instead: cookies.  When it comes to gluten free baking I find cookies are always a reliable option.  They stick together better, and there is no need for any fancy gums or 10 different types of flour.  So for me, cookies are where it’s at.  And this recipe couldn’t be any simpler! I used this recipe from Elena’s Pantry as inspiration for the biscuit base, then dressed them up a bit to make these lovely Lemon Snow Eggs.

Lovely Lemon Snow Eggs

(Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free, Vegan, Low FODMAP) 

Ingredients:

Biscuit Base

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
  • 2 tbsp brown rice syrup or other liquid sweetener
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1.5 tsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • Egg shaped cookie cutter
Topping
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar OR Sugar Free Protein Frosting (see below)
  • Lemon juice
  • Unsweetened desiccated coconut
Method:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F (175°C).  Line two baking sheets with baking paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl combine the almond flour and sea salt. Mix with a fork to combine.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together the coconut oil, brown rice syrup, lemon zest and lemon juice.
  4. Add wet ingredients to almond flour mixture and mix thoroughly to combine.  The dough will resemble bread crumbs at this stage.
  5. Fold chia and poppy seeds into the mixture.  Then using your hands, carefully shape the dough into a ball.
  6. Roll out dough between two sheets of baking paper to 1/4 inch thickness.  Use the cookie cutter to cut out shapes and carefully transfer to baking pan.
  7. Cook in pre-heated oven for approximately 5 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Let cool slightly on pan before transferring to cooling rack.
  8. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar with a small squeeze of lemon juice. Stir to form a thick paste.  If frosting is too thick for your liking, continue adding lemon juice until it reaches your desired consistency.
  9. Place desiccated coconut in a small shallow bowl. When cookie have cooled completely, frost them with icing then roll in coconut and serve.
  10. Store biscuits in an airtight container and keep in a cool dry place.  Best if consumed within 2 – 3 days.
 *Sugar Free Protein frosting: Replace powdered sugar with 1/3 cup protein powder (vanilla flavour would work best).  Add a splash of unsweetened almond milk and stir to form a thick paste.  Ice cookies with frosting then roll in coconut before serving.

To download a printable version of this recipe click here: Lemon Snow Eggs

They are not as special as Flaounes, but I’m sure my Greek Momma would approve no less!

What do you love about easter?
Do you have any traditions?

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Grain Free Cranberry Orange Mini Muffins

1 Feb

Growing up I was obsessed with hostess mini muffins, especially the blueberry and banana nut flavours.  I mean they tasted pretty good, but i think it was also the fact that they fit in my little hands, and I got a whole package of muffins instead of just one!

I’d like to think I’ve grown out of my mini muffin madness and my taste buds are more refined, but truth is I still love those cute sweet treats.  I decided to recreate my childhood fav into a healthier grain free treat that I could enjoy when a craving hit.  These mini muffins are free from gluten, wheat, dairy, soy, nuts, and refined sugar.  They pair beautifully with a hot cup of herbal tea as an afternoon treat, or can be packed neatly into lunch boxes for healthy snacking.

Grain Free Cranberry Orange Mini Muffins

Prep Time: 20 mins            Cooking Time: 25 mins

Makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 tbsp orange zest (from 1 – 2 large oranges)
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F) and lightly grease a mini muffin tin with coconut oil or butter.
  2. Sift the dry ingredients together two times through a fine mesh sieve.  This will ensure a light texture when baked.  Transfer ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Place 3 egg whites into a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile place egg yolks, orange zest, orange juice, pumpkin, maple syrup and vanilla into a small bowl.  Gently mix to combine.
  5. Combine egg yolk mixture with dry ingredients and blend.
  6. Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter.  Once incorporated, transfer remaining egg whites and cranberries into batter and mix to combine.  Do not over mix as this will knock the air from the beaten egg whites.
  7. Drop heaped teaspoons of batter into greased muffin tins.  Bake in preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and tops are golden brown.
  8. Cool on a wire rack.  Once cool, store in a sealed container for up to 1 week in the fridge.  Muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Click here for a printable download: Grain Free Cranberry Orange Mini Muffins

For more grain free baking check out my Paleo Banana Bread and other recipes.  Or check out allergy friendly wednesdays at The Gluten Free Pantry.

Questions:

  • What was one of your favourite childhood treats?
  • Do you prefer mini sized or mega sized muffins?

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Big Fat Lies & Paleo Chicken Burritos

8 Jan

First just let me say this: nutrition is a touchy subject.  I studied it at uni for two and a half years and it did my head in.  No really it did.  Everything I learned I applied to myself.  I thought I was just being ‘healthier’.

But what is ‘healthy eating’?  I’m sure if you were to ask five different people you’d get five completely different answers.  But it might be along the likes of eat less fat, and eat more wholegrain foods, fruits and vegetables.

I was definitely a proponent of the ‘eat less fat’ thing.  Because if low fat is good for you, then no fat is probably better, right?  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  We need fat!!!  According to Michael Green of Aston University in England, “the brain is 60 percent fat,” and very low levels of cholesterol have been associated with depression, aggression and anti-social behavior. While most people in developed countries need to limit their fat intake, “zero fat is definitely not the way to go,” he said.

Eat Fat for Brain Health!

Fats play an essential role in the proper functioning of our bodies.  They provide an energy source, help with absorption of fat soluble vitamins, form parts of a cell’s membrane, and have roles in cell signaling.

One of the more important functions of fat is the production of cholesterol.  Cholesterol is produced mainly by the liver and used as a precursor for bile acids and steroid hormones.  And this is one of the biggest reasons you should fall in love with fat.  Steroid hormones help control metabolism, inflammation, immune functions, salt and water balance, development of sexual characteristics, and the ability to withstand illness and injury.  Yes that’s right ladies and gentlemen, fat makes you sexy!

And let’s face it, fats make things taste better too.  I will choose crisp oven roasted vegetables over steamed any day.  And to me peanut butter is pretty much a food group on its own (and yes I will eat it out of the jar by the spoonful).

Or just make these Paleo Chicken Burritos and call it a day.

 Paleo Chicken Burritos (grain free, Low FODMAP)

Technically speaking this is more of a stuffed omelette, but it still tastes amazing! If you cook the eggs for long enough in a small pan, the ‘wraps’ should be sturdy enough to hold and eat.

Ingredients:

  • 4 whole eggs
  • 1 medium avocado, roughly mashed
  • 1 lime
  • Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • ½ cup salsa or enchilada sauce, medium or mild heat
  • 2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
  • 1 cucumber, sliced
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 cups salad leaves
  • 2 large carrots, cut into sticks

Method:

  1. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado and place in a small bowl.  Add about 2 tbsp of lime juice, and roughly mash with a fork.  Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Preheat a nonstick pan and lightly coat with oil or butter. Crack one egg into a small bowl and whisk gently.  Pour egg into pan and swirl to evenly coat.  Cook for several minutes until egg wrap is completely firm and set.  Invert onto a plate covered in baking paper.  Repeat three more times to make a total of four egg wraps.
  3. Lay wraps out on a flat surface and spread ¼  mashed avocado on each.
  4. Top avocado with salsa or enchilada sauce, and follow with the chicken breast, cucumber, cilantro, and salad.
  5. Roll up your wrap and secure by folding it in wax paper or aluminum foil.
  6. Enjoy with a side of crunchy fresh carrot sticks, and extra salad.

Bonus! Download a printable version here: Paleo Chicken Burritos Download

References

QUESTIONS:

  1. Do you prefer creamy or crunchy peanut butter?
  2. What is your favourite healthy fat? Any favourite recipes?

Leave your comments below!

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