Raspberry chia oat jar on the go.

Those of you who can't eat gluten will know that the hardest thing is grabbing food on the go. Gluten free snacks can be expensive and hard to find. The way  to be is organised. I have started taking a jar of something with me to uni every day sometimes just nuts or dried fruit but if i want something more substantial this fruity oat jar is my favourite. 

It's essentially a muesli but with fresh fruit rather than dried, full of simple inexpensive ingredients (apart from the chia which can be left out if you want to save money). 

Ingredients: 

-1 cup gf oats

-handful of raw almonds and cashews

-tablespoon of mixed seeds

-tablespoon chia seeds

-1cup almond milk

-handful of fresh or frozen raspberries (blueberries work well too)

-drizzle of maple syrup or honey

Method: 

Place all dry ingredients into the jar and give it a good shake with the lid on of course!

Add the almond milk and maple syrup then give it a stir with a teaspoon and another shake with the lid on. 

Finally add the raspberries, crush half of them in with the mix and place a few on top. 

Place in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight and you'll have a creamy tasty snack to take anywhere. Easy!

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.

Pear and Brazil nut granola

When I woke up this morning it was a miserable wet day in Cornwall, the perfect day to get experimenting in the kitchen!

I have been making granola for years now and have tried many different nut / fruit / seed combos but this tasty version is my current favourite. You can mix it up by swapping the dried pear for your favourite fruit - figs or apricots are always good.

I like to make a nice big batch and keep it in an airtight container - this lasts me for a few weeks!

Ingredients:

- handful of Brazil nuts

- handful of mixed almonds and cashews

- 2 mugs gluten-free oats (I use Nairns)

- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut 

- 2 tbsp linseeds

- 2 tbsp ground linseed

- handful of dried pear (can be found at most health food stores)

- 1/2 mug coconut oil

-1/4 mug honey

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c, then Roughly chop the nuts, I use a large knife but if you have a food processor than give them a quick whizz!

2. Measure 2 mugs (I use an average-sized coffee mug) of oats into a large mixing bowl, then add the nuts, seeds and coconut.

3. Melt the coconut oil and add to the dry mixture along with the honey, stirring together until the dry oats and nuts are coated.

4. Tip the granola mix onto a baking tray and press down with a spoon so the mixture is tightly packed. (This helps the oats and nuts to stick together so that they can be broken into clusters later)

5. Place tray on the middle shelf in the oven, make sure you stay in the room as you will need to give the granola a stir every 5 minutes! Make sure you press it down each time. 

6. When the mix is golden brown all over (this should only take around 20 mins) take it out of the oven and leave to cool.

7. Once the mixture is cool break it up, hopefully it will create nice clusters of crunchy goodness! Add the dried pear and stir together. Finally put most of the mixture in an airtight container and the rest in a bowl to eat now!

I like my granola with a generous serving of fruit; my favourite are figs, banana and blueberry, along with some almond milk or natural yoghurt.

My granola makes the perfect speedy breakfast or amazing post-uni snack!

Avocado and egg brunch

This brunch is the perfect start to a busy as it's based on two protein rich foods; avocado and egg.
These two foods are such a tasty combo and are complimented perfectly by roasted cherry tomatoes. 
Since I had some leftover brown rice from last night, I decided to lightly fry it with some spinach to accompany the avocado boats, toasted gluten-free bread is equally good on the side. 

Ingredients:

- 1 avocado
- 1 egg
- handful of spinach
- small bowl of cooked brown rice
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- squeeze of lemon
- 1 clove garlic
- teaspoon of coconut oil
- sesame seeds
- paprika, black pepper and salt to taste

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180c then start by finely chopping the garlic and slicing the tomatoes in two.
Slice the avocado in half, scoop out a bit from the hole and eat it! This is to leave more room for the egg.
Crack the egg into a glass then pour half into each side of the avocado.
Place the avocado halves in an oven-proof dish (with high sides so they don't tip over) and add the tomatoes to the dish. They will need to cook for 30 mins.
Meanwhile heat up the coconut oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and fry for a couple of mins, then add the sesame seeds and fry until golden. Then add the spinach and a generous squeeze of lemon, along with a dash of paprika. Stir fry until spinach wilts then add the rice until heated through. 
Finally take the avocado boats and tomatoes out of the oven, plate up with the rice and lightly season with salt and black pepper!