Chickpea-flour pancake with garlic mushrooms

This is a lovely simple quick recipe which makes a delicious dinner or brunch, it's gluten free and vegan. You can change the fillings to suit your taste, I think aubergine with tomatoes would be equally delicious or even some halloumi. I like to add some spinach, garlic and shallots in with the pancake batter. The pancake itself is only 2 ingredients so as it's a simple, cheap eat!

Ingredients: (for one pancake)

- 1/2 cup chickpea flour (also called gram flour)

- 1/2 cup water

- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

- paprika 

- chilli flakes (optional)

- 1 medium shallot 

- 1 garlic clove

- handful of spinach

- handful of mushrooms

- oregano 

- 1/2 avocado

Method:

- Start by frying half of the shallots and garlic in olive oil, then add the mushrooms and sauté until brown, add the oregano, salt, pepper and set aside.

- Mix the chickpea flour and water into a paste, whisk with a fork until there's no lumps left. Add chilli flakes, paprika then cook the remaining garlic, shallots and spinach before adding them to the pancake mixture.

- Heat up some olive oil in a non-stick pan and spread the mixture evenly. You should have the heat on medium so the pancake cooks through, around 4 minutes on each side.

-When the pancake is crisp and golden top with the mushrooms to gently heat for one minute.

- Finally top the pancake with half an avocado and serve with a salad of your choice! I just had mine with baby gem and hummus this time but a big mixed leaf salad with olives and seeds is also a great addition.

The great thing about cooking with chickpea flour is that it has a great taste and is also much lighter and less stodgy than the average gf flour mix and it's surprisingly filling. This recipe is so adaptable, I can't wait to try some variations!

Wildebeest Falmouth - may be my favourite restaurant

It's rare that a vegan cafe satisfies the most stubborn of meat eaters - however my steak-loving boyfriend loves eating at Wildebeest almost as much as I do. And whenever I'm there I always hear people talking about how this style of vegan cuisine could make them change their meat-eating ways. I feel really lucky that this beautiful cafe appeared in the small Cornish town where I live. Falmouth is full of generic fish restaurants and steak houses, therefore I was so happy when Wildebeest arrived, doing amazing things with vegetables. Much of their meals are gluten free and they even make delicious refined sugar-free cheesecakes with coconut cream which are divine.

 They seem to change the menu every month, adding new experimental ice-cream flavours plus mouth-watering mains. This is food which makes you feel good but which can also feel a bit naughty and indulgent, partially thanks to the magic of coconuts.

Last night was the first time Iv'e tried their latest menu and I wasn't disappointed. I went for the polenta straight away as I'm a huge fan, it's served with a butternut puree, leeks, homemade pesto and a salad of baby leaves and aubergine.

It may not look very filling but believe me that polenta is. The contrast of creamy butternut and crunch polenta was delicious, I would definitely order that again.

My lover went for the black rice noodles with spiralled cucumber, beetroot and asparagus. The dish was beautifully presented, it had a lovely tangy taste due to the radish with sweet pomegranate for contrast and what an amazing crunchy texture!

We shared three desserts to finish (yes we love food) the coconut lime cheesecake was lush, as always and their new mexican chocolate pudding was amazing - so many spices which were beautifully complimented by fresh rasberries. We also tried the lucuma icecream.. Lucuma is a South American fruit which people seem to be going crazy about and selling as a health supplement, apparently it's full of iron and potassium which is great but I just enjoyed the sweet flavour!

I will keep returning to Wildebeest for the best food in the South West (fact not opinion) So if you happen to be in Falmouth, I would definitely recommend a visit!

 

Really easy flourless pancakes

Pancakes may seem like an indulgence, however they don't need to be. This 3 ingredient recipe is full of protein and good fats. It's my favourite weekend breakfast or lazy lunch. The flax seeds add a good dose of omega 3 and iron which are both vital for someone like me who has coeliac and low iron absorption.  

Ingredients:

- 1 egg
- 1 banana
- tablespoon ground flax seeds (I use Crownfield from Lidl as it's cheap!)
- Coconut oil for frying

Method:

Mash the banana then mix in the egg and flax. Heat up the coconut oil in a frying pan, spoon half the mix into the pan and turn when the edges look solid, then repeat! I tend to turn the heat to medium so the batter cooks through. Once they look golden brown top with your favourite fruit and yoghurt and enjoy! Simple, nourishing and delicious.

Speedy late-night spiced lentils with cauliflower

When I get home late after uni and need to whip up something quick and nutritious tinned lentils are my saviour. They're so versatile and filling, also I can make enough to have leftovers in my packed-lunch the next day!

Luckily I had a fresh cauliflower in the fridge, which when grilled makes a delicious accompaniment to spiced lentils.

So here's a quick recipe that I made up as i went along..

Ingredients:

- 1 small shallot

- thumb sized piece of ginger

- 1/2 cauliflower

- 1 tin green lentils

- big handful of spinach 

- teaspoon paprika

- teaspoon tumeric

- 1/2 lemon

- olive oil

- 1/2 teaspoon bouillon or veg stock

- sesame seeds

- (optional) big dollop of hummus 

Method:

- Turn grill to high, chop cauliflower, sprinkle with paprika, sesame seeds and drizzle with olive oil before placing on a baking tray under the grill

- Fry shallots in olive oil, add ginger and turmeric, then when shallots have browned add the drained lentils

- Stir for one minute before adding 2tbsp hot water and the bouillon, leave to simmer for 5 minutes

- Add the spinach to the lentils and put a lid on the pan for 2 minutes so that the spinach wilts

- Stir in the spinach, take the cauliflower out of the oven and plate up with half the lentil mix per person or if you're eating alone put the remaining lentils in the fridge for an easy lunch! Then add a nice dollop of hummus if you like

Takes around 15 minutes to prepare, who says fast food can't be healthy! I also cooked up some brown rice to mix with the lentils for my lunch tomorrow, with added cherry tomatoes and sunflower seeds.