Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Posted on February 22, 2016 by TheRobbInn

This is the most delicious comfort food for cold mornings that I know.  It is definitely on my list of favourites and although excellent for a cold, frosty morning, I also make this dish frequently in the summer whilst staying over on the Isle of Wight.

It keeps in the fridge for a few days and a bowlful reheats beautifully in the microwave.  Supposed to be a breakfast dish, but I can be found having a bowl of this oatmeal at any time of the day when I am feeling peckish.

INGREDIENTS:

Dry mixture:
2 cups oats (or any rolled flakes), I use gluten-free
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 pinch coarse sea salt
1 1/3 cups / 200 g / 7 oz grated raw carrot (about 4 carrots)
a handful raisins

Wet mixture:
2 organic eggs or chia seed mixture (see note)
2 1/4 cups / 500 ml / 17 oz plant milk of your choice
1/4 tsp ground vanilla or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Crunchy top layer:
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature + extra for greasing the pan
1 cup / 180 g walnuts or nuts or your choice – I love pecans in this dish
3/4 cup / 100 g sunflower seeds or seeds of your choice

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C). Grease the base of a 8 x 10 inch (20 x 25 cm) baking dish with coconut oil and then set aside.  I use a large oval dish.

Combine the oats, baking powder, spices and salt in a mixing bowl, then add grated carrots and raisins and stir to mix.  Spoon the oat mixture into the baking dish.

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Oats, spices, carrots and raisins in a greased dish

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Pecans mixed with seeds, maple syrup and coconut oil

To create the crunchy top layer, put the syrup, coconut oil, walnuts and sunflower seeds in a small bowl and mix with your fingers to make sure everything is well coated.

I buy packs of a seed trail mix in bulk every time I visit Aldi – these tubs are a perfect mix of seeds for this dish. They are also ideal for sprinkling on top of porridge or adding to a bircher.

 

 

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk well to combine, then pour the egg mixture over the oats so everything is evenly soaked.

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Make sure the oat mix is evenly soaked

Sprinkle the seed and nut mixture on top and bake for 25 – 35 minutes.

When it’s done, the oatmeal should be set and the nuts and seeds lightly browned and crunchy. Leave to cool slightly before serving.

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Oh so tasty – Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

 

NB: All the photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

 

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Ethiopian Chicken and Lentil Stew

Posted on February 20, 2016 by TheRobbInn

Another recipe I have recently made using my slow-cooker is this Ethiopian Chicken and Lentil Stew.

A very hearty and medium-spicy stew which would probably serve at least six people, but  I like to have left-overs to pop in my freezer for another day.

You can make the Berbere spice mix yourself as it uses well-known store cupboard spices but it is available to order online from a speciality spice shop, or from Ebay (I’ll pop the recipe below).

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons butter (or oil of your choice)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Berbere spice mix
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 chicken breasts
1 cup green split lentils (dried)
1 can (540ml) diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock

After Cooking:
Juice from ½ lemon
1 teaspoon brown sugar (I used palm sugar)
Salt if needed

To Serve:
Flatbread or gluten-free pittas / or see below!
Greek Yoghurt

METHOD:

Melt butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 – 8 minutes, until cooked through.

Add the berbere, cardamom, paprika, ginger and garlic, and cook for 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant.

Place the onion mixture in the slow cooker along with all the remaining ingredients.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

Gently stir in the lemon juice, brown sugar and salt (if needed).

Serve with flatbread and yoghurt.

Processed with MOLDIV

Cauliflower Pizza Base “bread” served with Ethiopian Chicken and Lentil Stew

This stew is medium-spicy.  If you don’t like spice you will need to reduce the cayenne/red pepper flakes in the berbere spice blend.  If you want it really SPICY, double the cayenne/red pepper flakes.

Just before dishing up this delicious stew, I realised that I didn’t have any suitable bread to serve with it.  Delving through the freezer I spotted some cauliflower pizza bases – ready cooked and waiting to be topped.  I warmed them up and they were the perfect accompaniment to the stew.

This was one of the tastiest stews I have ever eaten.  It was the first time I had used Berbere spice mix but it most definitely won’t be the last.  The richness and depth of flavour was amazing.

BERBERE SPICE BLEND:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sea salt
½ tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon funugreek seed (or powder)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon ground ginger

Combine all ingredients and store in a sealed container.

Recipe by Sweet Peas and Saffron

NB: All the photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

 

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Chickpea Spinach Muffins

Posted on February 18, 2016 by TheRobbInn

I am sometimes not very good at sticking to exact quantities in a recipe and that happened with these muffins but they turned out so well, that I don’t think it made much of a difference.

I’ve given below the recipe (as it should be) but as I didn’t have frozen spinach, I wilted about 600g of fresh spinach leaves, used two tins of chickpeas and four eggs and adjusted the Parmesan and seasonings accordingly.   This made quite a few muffins and some will be for breakfast, whilst the rest will be popped into the freezer for another day.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can/carton of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 package of frozen spinach (10oz)
½ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
Pink Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
Oil for brushing muffin cases
2 eggs

METHOD:

Defrost the frozen spinach.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas.

Put the spinach and eggs in a food processor and pulse the ingredients together.

Add the chickpeas and pulse until blended.

Add the nutritional yeast, parmesan, paprika, salt and pepper and pulse again.

Grease your muffin tins with oil and fill with the mixture (just over two-thirds full).

Bake at 375° for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Chickpea Spinach Muffins just cooked

 

These muffins are really moist, tasty and very filling.  Ideal for breakfast, lunch box or taking out on a picnic.

For breakfast, I reheated the muffins quickly and served them with some homemade tomato sauce, toast (gluten-free) and almond butter.  My husband can’t wait to have them again.   They are also delicious cold.

Recipe courtesy of Sarah / Balanced Babe

 

 

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Chickpea and Spinach Muffins served with some homemade tomato sauce, gluten-free toast and almond butter.

NB: All the photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

 

 

 

 

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Basil and Walnut Pesto with Courgetti Noodles

Posted on February 17, 2016 by TheRobbInn

I don’t know how many times I say that a recipe drops into my inbox when I have just the right ingredients in my fridge/cupboard needing to be used up.  That’s what happened recently when I had a huge basil plant on my windowsill and I had only used a few leaves.   In the summer, I grow basil in hanging baskets on my patio – that way I always have a good fresh supply and the slugs can’t get to it.

I also love courgette noodles – or zoodles as some people call them.  They are delicious raw or very slightly sautéed in a little coconut or olive oil.   I often mix them with carrots and/or sweet potato for a change.

Basil and Walnut Pesto with courgette noodles come together to make a delicious light lunch, dinner or supper.

INGREDIENTS:

½ lemon (1 teaspoon zest and 15 – 30ml lemon juice)
2 garlic cloves
80g fresh basil
60ml extra virgin olive oil
30g walnut pieces
¼ teaspoon Asafoetida (the one ingredient I didn’t have so I left it out)
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 – 2 ½ tablespoons Nutritional Yeast flakes
1 – 2 courgettes or a mix of carrot, courgette & sweet potato

METHOD:

Wash the lemon and grate 1 teaspoon (or more if preferred, then juice half of it).

Peel the garlic. Wash the basil and remove the leaves from the stem.

Place the lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of juice into a food processor. With the food processor running, drop the garlic down the pouring shoot. Blend until it’s blitzed.

Add 4 tablespoons of oil, 30g walnuts and the asafoetida (if using). Season the mixture with salt and black pepper to taste. Blend until the nuts are smoothish and creamy. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture off the sides and the lid, back down into the base. Add 2 – 2 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast (depending on your preference). Mix until combined.

The mixture will not be completely smooth, but this is ok.

Add the basil and blend until completely processed. Taste and season again if necessary.

Add more lemon juice, yeast etc if preferred. If a slightly thinner consistency is preferred, add a little water – 1 tablespoon at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.

Spiralize the courgettes. Heat a little oil in a large pan and quickly sauté the noodles, tossing all the time. Don’t overcook as they will go soggy. Toss with the pesto and serve immediately.   Alternatively, toss the pesto with raw courgettes – just as nice.

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Courgette Noodles with Basil and Walnut Pesto

Any leftover pesto can be stored in the fridge, or frozen in small portions.

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Store Pesto in airtight pots

 

This recipe can be adapted with your favourite nuts or seeds, herbs or any other type of ingredient.

The nutritional yeast has a lovely nutty and ‘cheesy’ element that helps give your plant-based pesto a more true and authentic taste.

 

 

Another great recipe idea from Alex and Lynn on their Eat2Health blog.

NB: All the photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chilli

Posted on February 15, 2016 by TheRobbInn

Although I am not a vegetarian and I love my Chocolate Chilli, it is always nice to try a new recipe and this hearty vegetarian chilli is really delicious , easy to make and is an ideal lunch or supper dish.

We like serving our chilli with a helping of fluffy basmati rice, sliced avocado and a bowl of homemade yoghurt.   Alternatively, serve with quinoa and sour cream.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large sweet potato, cut into small pieces
1 can/carton black beans (approximately 450g)
1 can chopped tomatoes (approximately 400g)
½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons chilli
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Oil for cooking
Salt and pepper
3 teaspoons lime juice

METHOD:

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat.

Add the sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add garlic, chilli powder, cumin, cinnamon and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds.

Add chopped tomatoes, black beans and bring to a simmer.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer until the sweet potato is tender, about 20 minutes.

Add the lime juice, season to taste and remove from the heat.

Serve.

 

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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chilli served with Basmati Rice, Avocado and plain yoghurt

As I had quite a few sweet potatoes in my vegetable drawer, I doubled up this recipe and it has made plenty to pop in the freezer for another day.

Recipe adapted from FoodbyCamilla.

NB: All the photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared myself.

 

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Lentil, Carrot and Turmeric Soup

Posted on February 13, 2016 by TheRobbInn

It’s very strange how recipes pop into my inbox when I have just the right ingredients in my cupboards, although most ingredients in this tasty soup are store-cupboard essentials.

I had some carrots left over from making a salad and just one large sweet potato languishing in the vegetable basket so I was all set to make a double quantity of this soup and freeze it in portions.  My husband tends to have a soup for lunch most days (I am not a soup lover although I enjoy making it) and I like to keep a good supply in the freezer so he can just help himself.

INGREDIENTS:

150 grams of Red Lentils, (thoroughly washed twice to remove dust and stones)
1 large onion
2 carrots
2 tsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of Curry powder
1 tsp of Cumin
1 tsp of Coriander
1 tsp of Turmeric
2 Cloves garlic crushed
1 pint of chicken or vegetable stock
Sweet potato (optional)
Chilli flakes , (to taste)
Olive oil, (drizzle to taste)
Salt & pepper, (to taste)
1 handful of pumpkin seeds & cashews, (to garnish – leave out cashews if you have a nut allergy)
2 tsp of Flaxseed, (to garnish & stir in)

METHOD:

Soak and rinse the lentils, I usually soak them for at least 20 minutes and wash 3 times until clear.

Chop the onion and sweat in a little coconut oil in the pan.

On a low heat add the crushed garlic and stir.

Add the spices and mix well to make a spicy, soft sludge. (leave chilli until later)

Chop the carrot and add to the pan.

Then add the lentils and stir (add more oil to lubricate)

Add the stock and stir to mix well.   You may need to add additional water for the desired consistency especially if adding in a sweet potato.

Simmer for at least 20 minutes (add sweet potato at this point if desired)

During this time add extra flavourings such as the chilli (and more spices / pepper / salt).

When the lentils are soft, take off the heat and blend (I use a hand blender)

Stir in olive oil drizzle

Garnish with cashews, flaxseed and pumpkin seeds.

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Lentil, Carrot and Turmeric Soup

This soup is very warming and what my husband calls ‘meaty’.  It made a really thick hearty soup but for those who prefer thinner soups, just add a little more stock or water.

Recipe courtesy of Mealz.

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Middle Eastern Meatballs with Yoghurt and Tahini Sauce

Posted on February 11, 2016 by TheRobbInn

I came across this recipe on the blog Cooking Up The Pantry (Ros in Western Australia) where she said “I can remember joking as a child that my Mum had one hundred and one ways of cooking mince but this certainly wasn’t one of them!“.     I’ve always said there are so many ways to use mince but I have never cooked Middle Eastern Meatballs before so as soon as I saw the recipe, I knew I wanted to try them as I love new flavours and ways of cooking.  Yoghurt and tahini – what a lovely mixture.

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, peeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves
70g dates
80g breadcrumbs (gluten-free if necessary)
100g pistachio kernals
5 teaspoons ground cumin
6 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon chilli powder
50g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
600g minced beef

SAUCE:
350g Greek yoghurt
90g tahini
1 garlic clove, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon
150mls water
Salt and pepper

METHOD:

Using a food processor, blend the onion and garlic.

Add the dates, breadcrumbs, pistachios, cumin, ground coriander, fresh coriander salt and pepper.

Pulse until the nuts are finely chopped.

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Paste before adding the mince and egg

Tip this paste into a bowl; add the egg and minced beef and using your hands, mix really well.

At this stage you can leave the meat in the fridge for 4 to 12 hours to develop its flavour, or carry on as below.

Preheat the oven to 190°C.

 

 

Heat a large non stick fry pan over a medium to high heat. You can add a little oil if you want.

Form the meat into small meatballs – around 40.

Cook the meatballs in batches, just to seal the outside. Place the sealed meatballs in an ovenproof dish and continue to cook the remaining balls.

Once all the meatballs are sealed, spread them evenly in your ovenproof dish.

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In a jug, combine the yoghurt, tahini, garlic, lemon zest, water, salt and pepper and pour over the meatballs.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are just cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Serve with Lebanese flatbreads or a gluten-free pitta bread and salad.  Alternatively, roll them up in lettuce leaves and eat using your hands.

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Middle Eastern Meatballs with Yoghurt & Tahini Sauce

These meatballs can be frozen, in their sauce, before cooking in the oven.

The flavour of these meatballs was divine.  Slightly sweet, yet a little spicy and so very moist.     We decided to eat our meatballs rolled in lettuce leaves.

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Orange Chicken with Almond Pilaf

Posted on February 9, 2016 by TheRobbInn

Orange, chicken, almonds and vegetables really do make a delicious mix of flavours, especially with a few sprigs of thyme thrown in.

I had some chicken thighs needed to be used up so used these instead of breasts.  I also increased the zucchini to a whole one as I didn’t have any squash.   I probably used far more spinach than 1/2 cup as it cooks down so much.

The lovely orange flavour really came through and added a zing to the vegetables and almonds.  It also smelled fantastic whilst it was cooking.

INGREDIENTS:

2 farm organic chicken breasts
1 orange (keep a slice for decoration)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
Small amount of olive oil

INGREDIENTS FOR ALMOND PILAF:

1 cup slivered almonds
½ red pepper
½ green pepper
½ each yellow squash and green zucchini (I used a whole zucchini and no squash)
½ cup fresh spinach, chopped

METHOD:

Cut chicken breasts in half lengthways.

Heat olive oil in pan over a medium heat then add chicken.

Squeeze half of the fresh orange over the chicken and place 2 springs of thyme on top.

Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.

Turn chicken breasts over, squeeze the remaining half orange over them and add remaining thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Whilst the chicken cooks, prep your vegetables for the pilaf.  Dice the peppers and squash/zucchini and chop the spinach; mix in the almonds.

When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add the pilaf to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes.

Arrange the pilaf on a plate with the sliced chicken on top. Garnish with some orange.

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Orange Chicken with Almond Pilaf

This is one of the recipes adapted from Primalpaleo.com.

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Grain-free Crepes (Dairy free)

Posted on February 7, 2016 by TheRobbInn

These crepes are ideal if you are avoiding dairy and/or grain.  They are simple to make and taste absolutely delicious served warm with a little honey, maple syrup, or even a spread of almond butter and banana.   Another way to serve them would be to fill them with fresh raspberries and perhaps some whipped coconut cream.  Whichever way you choose, they are light and tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

6 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 tablespoons coconut flour, sifted
2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Coconut oil for pan

METHOD:

Whisk the crepe ingredients together in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes so that the coconut flour can absorb the liquid, then whisk again.

Heat a crepe pan over a medium-high heat. Melt a small amount of coconut oil, swirling to coat the bottom and sides.

Pour a ladleful of batter into the hot pan and tilt to spread the batter thinly around the pan.

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Cover the bottom of a non-stick pan with the batter

Cook for approximately 1 minute until the edges start to lift. Gently work a spatula under the crepe and flip it over.

Cook on the second side for a few seconds until lightly browned. Turn out on to a plate.   Continue with the remaining batter, stacking the crepes on a plate as you work. Add a little more oil to the pan every 3 to 4 crepes or if they start sticking.

 

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Grain and Dairy Free Crepes

 

This recipe makes ten good-sized crepes.  I made mine earlier in the day and quickly reheated them in the microwave when needed.  They only took a few seconds to heat through.  Eagle-eyed readers will spot I only have nine crepes on the plate – the first one I made was far too thick, so make sure you only ‘just’ cover the bottom of the pan with the batter.   You will then have enough batter for 10 crepes.

Recipe adapted from Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain.

 

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Super Eggs Benedict with Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

Posted on February 5, 2016 by TheRobbInn

As a special treat, I decided to cook my husband Eggs Benedict after seeing the picture my daughter-in-law put on her Juicy Health Company page.  I could see husband drooling over the picture and licking his lips so the other evening I surprised him with my take on the dish.

I loosely followed Jamie Oliver‘s recipe with just a couple of small alterations which I have noted below.   The end result, was one very happy husband.

INGREDIENTS:

4 spring onions
Olive oil
400g baby spinach
Nutmeg, for grating
1 lemon
4 English Muffins (I used my own multiseed loaf)
8 small free-range eggs (1 used 4 large of which 2 had double yolks)
100g wafer-thin smoked ham (I used smoked salmon instead)
FOR THE HOLLANDAISE:
100g unsalted butter
2 large free-range egg yolks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
White wine vinegar

METHOD:

Trim and finely chop the spring onions and put them into a large frying pan on a medium-low heat with a drizzle of oil. Add the spinach with a grating of nutmeg and a good pinch of sea salt and pepper. Cook down until dark and delicious, and any excess water has cooked away, then add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, make the Hollandaise. Melt the butter in a small pan. Put the egg yolks into a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and whisk with a tablespoon of lemon juice and the mustard. Whisk constantly, very slowly (otherwise it will split) and pour the melted butter a little at a time into the egg mixture. Whisk until well combined, adding a splash of water to loosen if needed. Whisk in a splash of vinegar and season to perfection. Turn off the heat and keep warm over the pan of water, stirring occasionally and loosening with an extra splash of water if needed.

Warm the muffins/sliced loaf in the oven.  As I had a few slices of my multiseed loaf left, I decided to try it out in this recipe and it worked well.

Poach your eggs with your favourite method. I like to use egg rings in a pan of simmering water. Jamie Oliver suggests pressing an oiled sheet of good-quality clingfilm into an oiled teacup; cracking two eggs into it; bring the sides up, ease out any air, twist together and tie a tight knot to pouch the egg into a parcel. Poach the parcels in a pan of gently simmering water for 8.5 minutes,

Halve the warm muffins / place slices of seeded bread on warm plates. Top with the spinach mix and waves of smoked ham or salmon. Gently place the poached eggs on top and spoon over some hollandaise.

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Super Eggs Benedict with probably a bit too much Hollandaise

There is more Hollandaise in this recipe than you need as it is really hard to make a smaller batch.  However, you can refrigerate the remaining sauce and use it almost like a mayonnaise over the next few days.

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