Grain-free Vanilla Cake

I love cakes. This turned out quite nicely! Plantains are really a keeper J

You can adjust the sweetness per your taste, I don’t like baking with stevia, so I managed to find a nice ratio with 4 TBS of a mix of organic brown sugar and xylitol.

I needed some “dry” cake to carry as a snack so I totally ignored the frosting.

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2014/04/24/3-ingredient-vanilla-cake-sugar-free-grain-free-recipe/

Plantain Stuffing

I didn't use it as a stuffing; it made a very nice meal actually...

To make it vegetarian, use vegetable broth for the chicken broth.








From Purely Twins
Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2013/11/20/best-classic-real-food-thanksgiving-stuffing-paleo-gluten-free-recipe/

Onion Soup

Testing some soups for winter.

4 small onions, chopped into half moons

1 heaping TBS ghee (or organic butter)

1 heaping TBS tapioca flour (or any other gluten-free flour)

½ liter homemade or bio vegetable stock

1 tsp turmeric

Salt, pepper & seasonings to taste

(serves 2)

Chop onions into half moons. In a pan, heat ghee. Add onions and cook until they start to get transparent. Add flour (sift it), and then add vegetable stock. Add salt, pepper and other seasonings to taste. Cover pan and let it simmer for ca. 20 minutes over low heat.

Mushroom Buckwheat Risotto with Brussel Sprouts

I used roasted brussel sprouts instead of the peas in the original recipe. Delicious dinner.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

¼ cup finely chopped shallots

220g sliced mushrooms

1 cup buckwheat groats

Kosher salt

½ cup roasted brussel sprouts

2 ½ to 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

Directions:

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes till browned and soft. Season with salt, to taste. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm the broth.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the remaining olive oil and shallots. Cook for 1 minute or until softened.

Add the buckwheat and stir to coat the groats with oil. Cook for another minute to toast the buckwheat.

Add ½ cup of broth and stir until all the liquid is absorbed.

Add the remaining broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring after each addition. Cook until the groats are softened and slightly chewy, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Add the reserved mushrooms and peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt, to taste.

This recipe was based on this recipe online that was apparently deleted: http://www.ivillage.com/mushroom-buckwheat-risotto-peas/3-r-517164

Easy Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding

Try this for a very satisfying dairy free dessert or snack. For a vegan version, use maple/agave for the honey.

Note: I totally recommend keeping a liquid sweetener for more softness.





From Delicious Obsessions
Recipe: http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2014/03/easy-sweet-potato-chocolate-pudding/

15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

I needed an avocado pasta so much! Just couldn't be easier and faster to make this. I served with rice spaghetti for a gluten-free dish.

From Oh She Glows
Recipe: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/31/15-minute-creamy-avocado-pasta/

Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I LOVE carrot cakes… Since this one is gluten-free and with no refined sugars I can enjoy it with no bad side effects ;) Mild, moist and fabulous. This was so good that my husband asked me to rebake it for our Christmas family reunion.

NOTE: If you’re cutting fats and/or need a lactose-free option, then skip the frosting. I have a weakness for butter (organic, of course), I just couldn’t avoid it… It’s just too good!

From She Cooks… He Cleans

Recipe: http://shecookshecleans.net/2011/08/12/carrot-cake-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting/

Coconut "Bacon"

You must be kidding me :D It's incredibly amazing. Really (but you must have liquid smoke, otherwise it won't look/taste "kinda like" bacon).


















From Cookie and Kate
Recipe: http://cookieandkate.com/2014/how-to-make-coconut-bacon/

Baked Fig Plantain Bread Pudding

It worked perfectly with dried figs here. A thick and healthy pudding.











From Purely Twins
Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2013/09/18/figplantainbreadpuddingrecipegraindairyfree/

Carrot and Coriander Patties

A not-so-boring way to use carrots.

Ingredients:

3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

3 TBS garbanzo bean flour

3 TBS olive oil

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp asafetida

1 tsp chilli flakes

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp of Himalayan salt

pinch of black pepper

ghee to fry (or any oil of your preference, if vegan)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Heat ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Make patties with your hands and fry them (ca. 8 min., flipping them halfway). I served with some kefir.

Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Brownie

I loved these brownies, another great recipe using plantains. And no eggs.

From Purely Twins
Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2013/10/11/best-fudgy-flourless-paleo-grain-free-bean-free-chocolate-brownie-recipe/

Baked Whole Rice Balls

Rice leftovers? No problem!

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup gluten-free flour

1 cup cooked brown rice

½ tsp salt

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

red pepper flakes, to taste

1/4 cup finely grated goat cheese

1 egg, beaten

fresh cilantro, to taste

3 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 215°C. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except oil. With damp hands, form balls. Line a baking pan with olive oil. Put the prepared balls in the baking sheet, making sure that they are all fully covered with the oil. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown, making sure to turn the balls half way through.

Yields ca. 9-10 balls depending on the size you roll them.

Serve with some delicious Tatziki!

Oat Chia Porridge with Figs and Pear

Talking about comfort food...

200 ml almond milk

3 TBS gluten-free oats

1 TBS chia

3 dried figs

1 small pear

sweetener to taste (I used natural beet and apple sirup)

Soak chia and oats overnight in almond milk. Pour mix into a pan over medium heat. When warm, add figs and pear. Cook for another minute or so, stirring all the time. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and drizzle with the sweetener of your choice. Serve warm.

Curry-Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes with some exotic flavor.

My substitution: Instead of half-and-half, I used almond milk.

From My recipes

Recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/curry-spiced-sweet-potatoes/print/

Coconut Flour Carrot Cake (Dairy-free)

This is sooo soooo good J

I didn’t have any pineapples, so I ignored them. Also ignored the glaze because I wanted it to be more like a simple cake.

From The Detoxinista

Recipe: http://detoxinista.com/2014/10/coconut-flour-carrot-cake-dairy-free/

Gluten Free Ginger Cookies

Enjoy these delicious Xmas cookies!

My substitutions:

Almond flour = gluten-free mix

Yacon syrup = apple beet syrup

Due to the different flour, I baked for 15 minutes.

From Elana’s Pantry

Recipe: http://elanaspantry.com/ginger-cookies/

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

I’m so happy I decided to cook a huge batch of chickpeas J So many gorgeous recipes I still have to make with this super nutritious food!

You won’t regret baking this awesome snack.

From Snack Girl

Recipe: http://snack-girl.com/snack/spicy-roasted-chickpeas/

Ghee and Cinnamon Spread

Don’t know how managed to live so many years without ghee. Spread this almost every morning on plantain bread.

1 TBS Ghee + 1 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp honey

 …or other ratio according to your preferences. THAT’S IT.

Garlic Roasted Vegetables with Grilled Halloumi

Isn't this lovely?

1 eggplant, chopped in cubes

1 zucchini, chopped in cubes

2 big tomatoes, chopped in cubes

2 TBS olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 grilled Halloumi

cumin, to taste

salt and pepper to taste

chopped chives, to taste

Preheat oven to 220ºC and cover the oven pan with aluminum foil. Place vegetable cubes in the pan and toss with olive oil and garlic. Roast for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through and tender. 

While veggies roast, grill the Halloumi. When veggies are done, toss them with cumin, salt, pepper and spring onions. Add Halloumi. Serve.

Inspired by this recipe: http://www.foodmayhem.com/2008/04/roasted-eggplant-and-red-pepper-salad.html

Easy Tzatziki

Love this Greek sauce. I make this regularly here using Kefir or Natural yogurt to increase my dietary intake of probiotics.

From Food Network

Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/easy-tzatziki-recipe.print.html#

Bean Sprouts & Tofu Turmeric Stir Fry

Last tofu in the fridge had to go…

NOTE: Used Tamari instead of light soy sauce (Tamari is gluten-free).

From Kiran Tarun

Recipe: http://kirantarun.com/food/2014/06/13/bean-sprouts-tofu-turmeric-stir-fry/print/

Baked Homemade Falafels

Another delicious and nutritious recipe with chickpeas (garbanzos) from the huge batch I cooked the other day.

Personal notes:

1)      I pre-cooked cooked my garbanzos, though. Last time I tried a falafel recipe it was awfully bitter. After some research online, I got some info that when you bake them (instead of frying), it's usually better to pre-cook the peas in order to avoid bitterness.

2)      I was also scared about the amount of cumin and coriander powders, didn’t want them to be too overwhelming, so used a bit less: 1 tsp of each, instead of 1 TBS.

3)      Baked them: 200ºC for 30 minutes (flipping them halfway).

From Feasting at Home

Recipe: http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/06/falafels-with-home-made-pita-and-creamy.html

Plantain Donuts with Coconut Sugar

And plantains make fine donuts, too! J (Skipped the frosting)

From: Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2013/07/26/egg-free-grain-free-plantain-donuts-with-protein-frosting/

Quinoa with Leftovers

This was the perfect recipe for what I had in the fridge.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1-2 TBS olive oil

1 small onion, very finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bell pepper

a handful of chopped almonds

4 sundried tomatoes

½ lime

chopped cilantro

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Using a skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until a bit translucent. Then add garlic and pepper. Cook until pepper is a bit soft and then add cooked quinoa, lime juice, almonds and sundried tomatoes. Cook until everything is heated.

Add salt and pepper and adjust to taste. Top with grated vegan or goat cheese. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve.

This is how it works here, his
 food on the left, my food on the right ;)

Based on this recipe: http://www.tastespotting.com/features/mushroom-quinoa-risotto-recipe

Whole Wheat Muffins with Zucchini and Walnuts

I could never EVER have imagined that zucchinis would make such incredible muffins! They are so tasty and fluffy! 100% approved. One of these vegan recipes any non-vegan will love too. Smells like Christmas!

And I also made this gluten-free with my buckwheat flour mix, which made them a little bit starchier (as starches tend to make up a significant portion of gluten-free flour blends and mixes).

Another recipe from Veganana, my favorite Brazilian vegan blog!!! Click the link and scroll down for English version. Veganana is now gradually updating her blog with recipes in English, you’ll soon be able to enjoy everything she has to offer!

From Veganana

Recipe: http://blog.veganana.com.br/2014/11/muffin-integral-de-abobrinha-e-nozes.html

Homemade Spicy Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:
1 cup non-dairy milk

2 tablespoons of organic raw cacao powder

1 ½ tablespoons raw, organic honey or maple
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon powder
2 pinches of cayenne pepper

Adapted from this recipe: http://www.therisingspoon.com/2012/12/how-to-make-hot-cocoa-with-cacao-powder.html