Banana Pancakes

Posted on September 23, 2015 by TheRobbInn

Probably one of the easiest recipes out, yet one of the most tasty and also one of my favourite breakfasts or brunch.

All you need are two eggs and one bananapancakes1 in a glass bowl.  The riper the banana, the better.  Whisk together until light and frothy.

I use my trusty handheld Kenwood electric beater and it takes just a few seconds to break the bananas down and whisk until frothy.  At this stage you can add a tablespoon of coconut or buckwheat flour – just whisk in.  It does make the pancake easier to flip although I often make them without any flour.

Heat a little coconut oil in an omelette pan and pour a little batter into the hot oil.   Once the pancake starts to set and bubbles rise, flip over for just a few seconds to brown the other side.

Serve with your favourite berries and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

pancakes2 (2)These pancakes are much lighter and fluffier than traditional flour/egg/milk ones.

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tortilla Chips

Posted on September 22, 2015 by TheRobbInn

These Tortilla Chips are fun to make and the taste may be varied by either leaving plain, or adding a sprinkling of topping.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup flax meal
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt

METHOD:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until dough forms.
Divide into two halves.
Roll each half out between parchment paper to 1/8″ thick. I find that each half can be rolled out on parchment to fit a flat baking sheet approximately 35cm x 30cm.
Remove top paper and add topping if desired*
Slide bottom paper on to a baking sheet and score into diamond shapes.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°.
Remove edge chips as they start to lightly brown.
Break into the diamond shapes and leave to cool before storing in an airtight tin.

*Optional toppings: sprinkle with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, Parmesan cheese or chilli flakes.

These chips are delicious served with cheese, with dips or just to nibble on their own.

image

Delicious Tortilla Chips

Posted in Sweets and Treats | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Simple Roasted Vegetables served with Salmon

Posted on September 21, 2015 by TheRobbInn

Sometimes, the simplest of meals end up being the most colourful and tasty and they can be put together in a few minutes.

One of our favourite dinners is roasted vegetables served with either a piece of salmon or a chicken breast.

We have such a wonderful all-year round assortment of vegetables now that we have come a long way from the meat and two veg of years ago.

image

Ready for roasting

I usually choose to use sweet potato peeled, beetroot unpeeled, carrots, red, yellow or green peppers, red or white onions, leeks, baby potatoes and broccoli florets, or whatever I have in the vegetable basket.  Sometimes I add fennel and parsnips.

Quarter the beetroot and onions.  Cut the carrots and baby potatoes in half and the sweet potato into chunks. Toss in a small amount of olive oil and scatter on baking trays in a single layer.

Roast for approximately 45 minutes at 180° turning half way through.  Add some vine tomatoes for the final 15 minutes.

image

Roasted vegetables with salmon

These roasted vegetables are served with a salmon fillet (squeeze of lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper) wrapped in foil and popped in the oven for the final 20 minutes.  Loads of fresh parsley blended with a knob of butter adds the finishing touch.

Alternatively, serve with grilled chicken breast and a honey mustard dressing (heaped teaspoon whole grain mustard mixed with a couple of tablespoons raw honey).

The vegetables also taste good with the addition of fresh or dried herbs for a change.

Posted in Dinner, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Raw Coconut and Cacao Bites

Posted on September 20, 2015 by TheRobbInn

Last Autumn, Ella (DeliciouslyElla) ran a competition. She had six hampers to award and would choose the winners from photographs posted of her recipes prepared by the contestants.

I had made Ella’s Raw Coconut and Cacao Bites for my grand-daughter’s birthday party and my daughter-in-law (Juicy Health) had persuaded me to enter the competition. To my amazement, I was one of the winners and received a superb hamper of goodies.

These Bites are a firm favourite with all of our family and they are simple to make. They ‘firm up’ in the fridge and will keep for quite a few days if you can leave them that long.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup almonds
1 cup medjool dates
4 tablespoons cashew butter
2 tablespoons raw cacao
1 tablespoon coconut oil

METHOD:

Place the almonds and desiccated coconut in a food processor and blend until a flour forms.
Add cashew butter, coconut oil and raw cacao and blend for a few seconds before slowly adding the dates.
Continue to blend until everything has combined to form a sticky mixture.
Roll the mixture into small balls and leave plain, decorate with a nut, or roll in either toasted desiccated coconut or chopped mixed nuts.

Store in the fridge.

image

Raw Coconut and Cacao Bites

These Bites are a little bit like a healthy bounty bar;  they are also a super energy booster – perfect for bringing you out of that afternoon slump.

Posted in Sweets and Treats | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cauliflower Based Pizza

Posted on September 19, 2015 by TheRobbInn

If anyone had told me I would be making pizza bases from cauliflower a year ago, I would have laughed but they are unbelievably tasty and healthy to boot.

Imagine a “healthy” pizza which tastes good!   I spotted the recipe in the cookbook The Art of Eating Well (Hemsley & Hemsley) and couldn’t wait to try it out.  They were so delicious, easy to make AND I could make 4 bases from one cauliflower, that my freezer now has a stack of them ready for grabbing for either a quick lunch, or a light evening meal.   I freeze them in between parchment paper and top them whilst still frozen.   They don’t taste too cauliflowery and are perfect for almost any toppings.

INGREDIENTS for the Base:

140g cauliflower (about ¼ of a head without the stalk)
1 egg white, beaten
50g ground almonds
40g buckwheat flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

METHOD:

Either grate the cauliflower into rice-sized pieces using a hand grater, or as I prefer pop into a food processor and blitz.
Add all other ingredients and blend to form a sticky dough.
Draw a 30cm (approx.) circle on a piece of baking parchment and spread the dough out with the back of a spoon to fill the circle.
Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes at 190°. After about fifteen minutes, take out of the oven, pick up the parchment with the pizza base attached and turn it over and peel off the paper. Return to oven to finish cooking.

base

Cooked cauliflower pizza bases cooling

pizza1

Ready for the oven

 

 

 

 

TOPPING:

Spread the base with either tomato paste or passata or make your own sauce by frying 3 diced garlic cloves in coconut oil, adding 12 large tomatoes roughly chopped, 2 teaspoons dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh), sea salt and black pepper and 1 fresh chilli chopped (optional). Cook this for about 15 minutes and either mash or blend. You probably won’t need all of it so freeze the remainder for next time.
Add your favourite ingredients for pizza, such as sliced onions, sliced peppers, mushrooms, ham, pineapple, spinach, spicy chicken, parma ham, rocket etc.
Top with a sprinkle of either cheddar or mozzarella cheese and plenty of fresh oregano.
Pop back into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.

pizza2 (2)

The finished pizza

pizza3 (2)

Pile the toppings as high as you like!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve with a large, green salad.

Posted in Dinner, Lunch | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Savoury Breakfast Pancakes with Caramelized Banana

Posted on September 17, 2015 by TheRobbInn

A big thank you has to go to Jamie Oliver (Channel 4) for inspiring me to make this breakfast.  He made it look so quick and easy to make, as well as looking really tasty and nutritious that with a couple of alterations I set about making it the very next day and was pleasantly surprised at just how delicious it was.

INGREDIENTS:
100g buckwheat flour (I used buckwheat instead of 200g wholewheat SR flour)
½ teaspoon baking powder (as I wasn’t using SR flour)
2 eggs
200g tub of cottage cheese
Bunch of spring onions, finely sliced
1 red chilli, finely sliced
340g tin of chickpeas (I used chickpeas instead of sweetcorn)
Salt and pepper
1 banana per person
1 rasher smoked bacon per person

METHOD:
Place all the ingredients except the banana(s) and bacon in a bowl and mix thoroughly to make a thick batter.
Heat a non-stick fry pan (no oil needed) and drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture into the pan. Spread out slightly. Cook over a low to medium heat for about five minutes. Once the pancakes have started to set and the underside is nicely browned, flip carefully over.
Slice the banana(s) lengthways and place flat side into the pan. Add the bacon to the fry pan. I sometimes pop the pancakes on a plate into a low oven to keep warm whilst finishing this dish. Carefully turn the bananas to cook on the rounded side. Turn the bacon.

TO SERVE:
Put the pancakes on a warmed plate. Serve with the caramelized banana and bacon. Top with a tablespoon of live yoghurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.

image

Savoury pancakes with caramelized banana and smoky bacon

This recipe makes between six and eight pancakes (depending on size) but the batter will keep covered in the fridge for 2 or 3 days. Chilli for breakfast – works perfectly!  The sweetness of the banana with the smokiness of the bacon and the savoury pancake really does make for a very tasty dish.

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Raw Carrot Slaw served in Spicy Chicken Wraps

Posted on September 16, 2015 by TheRobbInn

Whenever I roast a chicken, I make sure I have enough ‘scraps’ left over so that we can enjoy wraps the next day either for lunch or a light evening meal.

Although I have been experimenting with making my own, I sometimes use corn wraps or more recently have been using Paleo Wraps which are made from just coconut; coconut meat, coconut milk and coconut oil.

Our favourite filling for wraps involves peppery rocket, raw carrot slaw and spicy chicken.  Simple, very quick to put together and extremely tasty – bursting with flavour.

Top: Paleo wraps Bottom left: Corn wrap Bottom right: Fajita seasoning

I keep a supply of homemade Fajita seasoning especially for these wraps.

2 tablespoons cornflour
1 ½ tablespoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix together and store in an airtight container.

 

 

The Raw Carrot Slaw is from the cookbook Get the Glow by Madeleine Shaw and is very quick and easy to prepare.  Just mix everything together.

2 large carrots, grated
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (I toast them slightly)
Salt and pepper

slawTo make the wraps – toss left-over chicken in some fajita seasoning and fry quickly in coconut oil until hot and crispy.  Warm the wraps;  pile up rocket, slaw and chicken and fold up using a cocktail stick to secure.   The gingery carrot slaw really seems to bring out the flavours of the spicy chicken and peppery rocket.  Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Granola

Posted on September 15, 2015 by TheRobbInn

I had my first tantalising ‘smell’ of granola toasting in the oven when my daughter-in-law (Juicy Health) came to stay with us on the Isle of Wight last year.  She had run out of her supply so brought along the ingredients to replenish;  the memory makes me drool just thinking about it.   My original thoughts about granola or muesli were of a rather dry, tasteless cereal which did nothing for me, but how wrong can you be.

There must be hundreds of different recipes for granola on the internet, and in cookbooks, but the following one is the basis of the granola I now make on a regular basis.  Depending on what nuts, seeds, fruit you add, it can vary each time you make it but whatever you put in, it remains absolutely delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups oats (I use gluten-free)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup flaked almonds (I usually add more)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
5 tablespoons sesame seeds
Sprinkle of salt
6 teaspoons coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup

METHOD:

Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Melt the coconut oil and combine with the maple syrup then pour over the dry ingredients, mixing well until everything is combined.
Spread on baking sheets and toast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 140° stirring every ten minutes to ensure even toasting. Toast until lightly browned, or slightly more browned if preferred.   I once almost burnt mine but it still tasted delicious.

image

Dry ingredients into a bowl

image

Spread on baking sheets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image

Add dried fruit, berries and seeds

When cool, add as much (or as little) of the following as you wish:

1 cup of sultanas.
1 cup of apricots, chopped
1 cup of dates, chopped
Gojo berries (packet)
Hemp seeds or Chia seeds
Inca berries or dried blueberries

 

 

Serve with Almond or Coconut milk, or a live yoghurt if preferred.

Store in an airtight container where it will keep for a few weeks (if you can leave it that long).

cropped granola finished

The finished Granola

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Almond Bread

Posted on September 14, 2015 by TheRobbInn

When we discovered that my husband was intolerant to wheat/gluten, I searched the internet to find an alternative as he really didn’t like the gluten-free products found in the local supermarkets.

There are many different recipes for Almond Bread but with a few tweaks here and there, the following one is made frequently in our household and there are always plenty of slices packed away in the freezer.   This is a lovely moist bread which is very filling.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup arrowroot
¼ cup almond flour
¾ cup cashew butter
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
Chia seeds
Small amount of melted coconut oil

METHOD:

Brush a small loaf tin with melted coconut oil and pour in chia seeds. Swill around until all sides are coated. Tip the loose seeds back into their packet.

tin

Loaf tin coated with Chia seeds

Beat the eggs and butter together until light and well blended.
Mix all the dry ingredients together then add to the wet ingredients and quickly blend.
Pour batter into tin.
BAKE: 350° for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Turn out and leave to cool.

almond bread

Almond Bread

I prefer to use a small loaf tin; the top measuring 16cm x 10cm and double the recipe so that I can bake two at a time.  I have increased the amounts and baked in a larger tin but don’t seem to get the ‘rise’ so well.

The Chia Seeds add a lovely crunch  and also make the bread extremely easy to turn out.

Almond Bread goes exceptionally well with both sweet and savoury dishes.  We use it under poached or scrambled eggs,  served up with some nut butter or eaten on its own.  I slice the loaves and freeze it in two-slice packs.

Posted in Breads, Breakfast | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Chocolate Chilli

Posted on September 13, 2015 by TheRobbInn

Many months ago, an email appeared in my inbox with the recipe Chocolate Chilli.  I can’t remember where the email originated from (I had probably subscribed to something or other) but I believe the recipe was from the cookbook Well Fed: Paleo Recipes For People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan.

I had eaten a dish before combining chocolate and chilli whilst in Norway and had been very impressed and as both my husband and I love chilli, I set about making this version which immediately became our favourite chilli of all time.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds of best quality minced beef (see note #1)
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 tablespoons chilli powder (I use ‘hot’)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I use raw organic cacao)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth (I make my own and keep a supply in the freezer)
1 cup water

METHOD:
Heat a large, deep pot over medium-high heat then add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add the onions and stir with a wooden spoon and cook until translucent – about 7 or 8 minutes. Add the garlic and as soon as it is fragrant, about 30 seconds, crumble the minced beef into the pan, mixing with the spoon to combine. Cook the meat, stirring often, until it is no longer pink.

In a small bowl, crush the oregano to release its flavour then add the chilli powder, cumin, cacao, allspice and salt. Combine with a fork then add to the pot stirring really firmly. Add tomato paste and stir until combined – about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, beef broth, and water. Stir well. Bring to the boil then reduce heat so that the chilli enjoys a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for at least two hours. Do not skimp on the simmer!

Everyone likes to serve their chilli differently.  We like ours with a mix of brown and red rice and accompanied by organic probiotic yoghurt and freshly sliced avocado drizzled with lemon juice.

chilli1

The most delicious Chocolate Chilli

chilli2 (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This recipe freezes well and I often make a double quantity so I have plenty in the freezer.

Note #1:  Most of the time I buy all my meat from the local butcher (he’s my son!!) but I was at the opposite end of the town one day in a department store and thought I would pick up a couple of packs of their minced beef to save myself a few minutes travelling.  On that day, to my amazement they only had mince with a fat content of 10%.  I do know that they sell mince with a 5% content but had none on the shelves.  Basic mince at the larger local supermarkets has a staggering 20% fat content although they do sell packs with 10% and 5%, priced accordingly.   I checked with my butcher who confirmed that his minced beef has a fat content of UNDER 5%.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments