Chocolate, Avocado & Banana Smoothie

 

This post will be short and sweet.

 

Avocado smoothie - sounds weird but I'm telling you it's awesome. The avocado makes it the texture of chocolate mousse.

 

Tips: Chill the banana & avocado beforehand and add ice for a nice, cold smoothie

 

Chocolate, Avocado & Banana Smoothie (serves 2 or one for a giant breakfast)

 

1 tbl cacao powder

2 tbl honey

1/2 cup yogurt

1 cup frozen banana

1 avocado 

1 cup water/ice

Substitute water with milk if you like and potentially less yogurt if you want a less sour smoothie.

 

I add lots of cacao because I like a strong, slightly bitter chocolate flavour. So again I suggest adjust this to your taste.

 

 

Put it all in your blender/mixer

 

 

Blitz and enjoy!

Tempeh Sambal

I love tempeh! A fermented soy product traditional in Indonesian cuisine, similar to tofu, except on steroids. It's easier to digest, higher in fiber and basically so good for you it's ridiculous. I has a meaty texture and when it's good it tastes great.

 

Unfortunately, despite our proximity to Indonesia, good fresh tempeh is hard to find; leading many people think they don't like it.

Imagine my excitement on moving to the Sunshine Coast to find a locally produced fresh tempeh by -the mighty bean- that would rival any Indonesian Warung.

Due to it's high nutrition content, tempeh is often served in small amounts as a  sambal/condiment with vegetables, curry and rice. This recipe is for a spicy fried sambal and given this was my first attempt I was really happy with the result.

 

Before I dive into the recipe, I have a couple of notes on some of the less common ingredients.

 

*Ketchup Manis - is a syrupy, sweet Indonesian soy sauce. I grew up with a bottle of Conimex brand ketcup manis in the fridge and loved it, it's dutch, which makes sense considering the historical links between Indonesia and the Netherlands. I've tried ABC brand, which is more readily available, however I think it tastes awful!

 

*Tamarind Paste - is a sour fruit commonly used in many Southeast Asian dishes. It is available as a ready made paste in a jar or as a solid block of concentrate. The jar version can be good, but you need to find the right brand because sometimes they contain added sugar and/or salt (even when it isn't listed on the jar) and vary considerably in taste. It should be very sour and a little sweet.

Alternatively you can buy a block of concentrate, which you need to soften up with some hot water then strain it to remove seeds. The block form is far more pure and true to the taste of the fruit. It does however take more of an effort. Many claim to be seedless, but they never are 100% seed free so you always need to soften and strain them.

For this recipe cut about a 2.5cm square block off and chop it up a little and then cover with 1/4 cup of boiling water and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then using a metal spoon press it through a sieve and scrape the under side of the sieve to grab the paste.

How sour it is can vary heaps, so I'm hesitant to suggest any absolute quantities.

 

After a quick look on the web, I found the majority of recipes for Sambal Tempeh were almost identical. I used this one with minimal modification.

 

Tempeh Sambal

 

400 gm fresh tempeh

 

aromatics

5 cm piece galangal
5 cm piece ginger
3-6 cloves garlic 

1 red onion (or 2-4 shallots)

 

2 tsp shrimp paste/belacan/trasi

fresh curry leaves

2 fresh chillis

 

liquids

1 tbl/50gm tamarind concentrate or 2-3 tbl liquid from a jar

3 tbl hot water

3 tbl ketcup manis

2-3 tbl palm sugar

Mix up the liquids and taste it.

It should be strong, and balanced for salty, sour and sweet.

Adjust to your taste.

Pound the galangal, ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle or blitz in a food processor.

 

Make it as fine as possible

 

 

Slice the tempeh into thin slices and pan fry in batches until golden brown

Traditionally it is deep fried, but I did it the slower, slightly lower fat option.

Slice it up, the finer the better (I was a little lazy with my slicing here)

Fry diced onion for 2-3 minutes

  

 

Add the galangal, garlic ginger paste with a handful of curry leaves, fry for about 3 minutes.

 

Add shrimp paste and diced chilli fry another 1-2 minute until fragrant
 

 

Make sure the shrimp paste has broken up and has been heated through

 

Add the liquid mixture of tamarind, ketchup manis and palm sugar

 

Simmer for 2-4 minutes

Add the tempeh, warm through and you're done!

This is really strong in flavour and best eaten as a side/garnish. I had some with some sautéed  spinach, mushrooms, brown rice and some chickpeas.

 

It was awesome!

Classic Bliss Balls with Activated Almonds

Bliss balls, vegan truffles, protein balls... call them what you like, these popular sweets are easy to make and super yummy. I've used a recipe from Bliss Organic Café's website, but there are hundreds of recipes online. You could certainly experiment heaps with this recipe, but I'm going to stick to the original to begin with.

 

I thought I'd experiment with "activating" my almonds. Which basically means soaking them for 12 hours then drying them out in a low oven or dehydrator. It is said to make them easier to digest. There is currently no scientific evidence to support this, however I think nutrition science has a long way to go and don't think it can hurt. Pete Evans from MKR got into quite the controversy about them late last year.

 

I soaked a cup of almonds for 12 hours, put them in the oven on low (~60-80 degrees) for 2 hours, turned off the oven and left them in there for another 2 hours until they were dry to touch. I have no idea if they are dry enough and storing them in the fridge to be safe.

 

 

I'm being very "super foodie" with this recipe, raw cacao powder, activated almonds and coconut. Except I don't like the "super foods" label. I think it's misleading and unbalanced. I'm sure science is discovering new and exciting things about specific foods, but I can't help but wonder whose paying for it? Natural sultanas, organic apples and good old white cabbage are also good for you and a whole lot cheaper than goji berries and kale.

 

It's just food people. Variety and moderation is the key.

Bliss Balls

 

 

1 cup activated Almonds

1 cup dates pitted

1 cup prunes pitted

1/4 cup Sunflower seeds

1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds

2 tbl Sesame seeds

2 tbl Shredded Coconut - extra for decorating

2-3 tbl raw Cacao powder

 

In a food processor putting the ingredients in the order above one by one.

 

 

first almonds, give a few pulses

 

 

then dates, pulse

 

 

then prunes pulse...

 

It was at this stage that my tiny food processor started struggling and I had to do the mixture in 1/4 batches to get an even consistency. A bit of a pain but worth it.

 

Add the sunflower and pumpkin seeds and pulse again. If you don't want to recognise them in the final product add them earlier. If you like your balls chunky, add them later. 

 

If you have a super powerful food processor add the sesame seeds, coconut and cacao powder and blend into a dark, sticky ball.

 

If your food processor challenged like me, put the sticky date, almond, prune & sunflower/pumpkin seed mixture in a bowl and mix in the sesame seeds, coconut and cacao.

 

  I used a metal spoon to press it through

 

Then roughly brake the entire mixture into tsp sized pieces

 

With damp hands roll them into balls and then coat them in coconut

 

Try really hard to not the eat the entire batch

 

 Chill in the fridge to firm.

 

It's that easy!

 

Happy Easter!

Black Rice Pudding/Sticky Coconut Black Rice

Breakfast is quite the celebration of gluten; breads, pastries, pancakes, breads, cous-cous, semolina, paratha, naan and more breads.

 

So where does that leave those of us who want to be gluten-free? I appreciate that there are some great GF breads and flours out there, but the majority are highly refined and I can't help but question their nutritional value. 

 

I've experimented with GF cereals but after a few days, I can't face them.

 

It's summer at the moment so porridge isn't too appealing. 

 

Omelette's are a great option, but I'm not always feeling up for eggs.

 

I enjoy yogurt with a mix of fruit and nuts but if I want to fuel up it isn't the best choice.

 

Enter Black Rice Pudding.

 

Growing up in Darwin in the far north of Australia, I was lucky to be exposed to some amazing foods from Southeast Asia. One of which was black-rice pudding. It's a very simple and highly nutritious dish made with glutinous black rice. I was introduced to it as a Balinese breakfast dish, but they also make it in Thailand, where they call it sticky coconut black rice. 

 

I had to double check, but glutinous rice, does NOT contain gluten, it's just a reference to it's viscous texture when cooked.

 

It can be eaten for breakfast or if you want to serve it as a dessert add more sugar.

 

 

1 & 1/2 cups glutinous black rice

5 tbl brown sugar/palm sugar - or more to taste

150 ml coconut milk + extra to serve

 

optional extras

kaffir lime or pandan leaves

tropical fruit to serve e.g. mango/pineapple/banana

 

Warning: on occasion your black rice might contain the odd stone, which could cost you a tooth. The best way to find them is place the rice in a saucepan and add a few cups of water and very slowly swirl your hand around the base of the pan like you would to wash the rice. Listen very carefully and feel for any stones. The stones are usually quite obvious and easy to find this way.

 

 

Okay once you've washed your rice, add about 2 and 1/2 of water and place it on a medium heat.

 

 

Bring to a simmer for about 30 minutes.

 

Keep an eye on the water level, you want it to reduce, but don't let it dry out because it will start to stick to the bottom.

 

Add another 1/4 or 1/2 cup of water if needed.

 

 

After 30 minutes, test if the rice is cooked. The outer part of the rice is always a little firm, it kind of pops when you bite it. Whereas the inside should be nice and soft.

 

Ideally the water level should be the same as the rice at this stage. If it is to watery, let it reduce for another 10-15 minutes.

 

Add the sugar and lime leaves, stir to dissolve the sugar.

 

NOTE: the sugar must only be added after the rice is cooked!

 

 

Add ~150 ml coconut milk, stir it through and allow to come back to the boil.

 

Remove leaves and you're done.

 

 

Serve with a generous dash of coconut milk and some fresh fruit.

 

Pan fried bananas work a treat too.

Mexican Corn Pizza

Homemade pizza is a quick, easy and highly adaptable meal that everyone can enjoy. Like pasta sauce, everyone has their own methods and today I'd like to share mine. For the base I prefer to use either wholemeal pita bread or tortilla wraps and I'll be researching gluten-free bases in the near future! Pita bread and tortilla wraps are cheaper, thinner and therefore a comparatively healthier option to designated "pizza bases" available in the supermarket.

If I'm in a rush I usually make a quick tomato sauce using 2 tbl tomato paste, 1 clove of crushed garlic, 1 tbl water, 1 tbl olive oil and some fresh basil/oregano. If I have more time, I make a tomato sauce along the lines of my Tasty Tomato and Mushroom Pasta Sauce except I skip the mushrooms, making it with anchovies, garlic and a tin of tomatoes and let it simmer it for 35-50 minutes.

 

Today's recipe has a vague Mexican twist. I made these pizza's just before I decided to take a break from gluten. They were delicious and a lovely change from the more traditional homemade style of pizza.

Sauce

3 tbl Black bean pate/refried beans

1 tbl tomato paste

1 clove garlic

1 tbl olive oil
1 tbl water

 

Toppings

spring onions

black olives
jalapenos

quick roasted corn

red capsicum

mushrooms

grated cheese

Making a pizza is similar to making a stir-fry, the key to low stress cooking is doing all your prep before you start putting your pizza together.

 

So first of all pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees.

Next start on the quick-roasted corn. It may seem tedious, but the sweet roasted corn flavour is pretty central to this recipe.

Heat your the BBQ and wet a peeled ear of corn under the tap (do not dry). Place corn on a plate and cook in the microwave for 2 minute bursts until it is cooked. Mine took about 6 minutes total, but all microwaves are different.

 

Place the corn on a medium heat BBQ, turning frequently for about 5-10 minutes until all sides are golden. Once it is cool enough to handle, cut the corn away from the cob ready to be used (I eat whatever corn is left on the cob).

Prepare you tomato-bean sauce.

 

I  had a bunch of left over Martha Rose Shulman's Black Bean Pate. It tasted great but I think I cooked it too long and it was a little dry. You could easily substitute this for tinned refried beans.

 

Mix 3 tbl Black bean pate/refried beans, 1 tbl tomato paste, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbl olive oil and 1 tbl of water in a small bowl.

Then finely chop a little spring onion, mushroom and capsicum. Remember any vegetables you add, contain water and you don't want a mushy pizza, so cut them finely.

Now you are ready to make your pizza. Add a thin layer of tomato-bean sauce

Veggie it up, don't forget the black olives and jalapenos!

Then cheese it up

Bake until golden. Once out of the oven, let it rest for a good 5 minutes
(or as long as you can retain self control)

Enjoy!
 

 

Super Simple Burrito Wraps

Like the post title suggests, this is a really fast, satisfiying meal that you can make within minutes of walking through the door. It would probably taste even better if you had the time to make my roasted corn salsa but sometimes you're too tired to even think about cooking let alone doing it.

 

you will need...

 

wholemeal wraps (I like to buy mission brand)

A tin of refried beans

sliced black olives

chilli sauce/Jalapeños

natural yogurt/sour cream

avocado

lettuce

spring onion

tomato

coriander

 

 

Just cut up the vegetables and you're ready to put this baby together.

 

I zap the wrap in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then put down a smear of refried beans and sprinkle on the rest.

 

If you have more time you could sprinkle the beans with cheese, onions and olives and put it under the grill for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese, then add the salad and yogurt at the end

 

Or wrap it up and put in the sandwich press to toast.

 

the choice is yours!

Tuna, Brown Rice & Green Lentil Salad

This post is a variation on a theme, salad of grains/pulses + fresh vegetables + onion + herbs, therefore it looks pretty similar to my couscous salad and chickpea salad recipes, but just different enough to keep things interesting as well as healthy! This recipe makes a pretty big salad, enough to keep you going for lunches at work for the week, or to take to a BBQ at a friends place. When I make it for lunches I make it really lean, no dressing or oil, that way it lasts longer and when I pack my lunch for the day I can either keep it super lean or put a blob of mayonnaise/dash of olive oil on it.

 

The rate determining step in this salad is cooking the brown rice and lentils. Both medium grain brown rice and French/Puy green lentils take 30 minutes to boil - so I put them in the same pot. I might be committing some kind of terrible lentil sin doing this, but it seems to work perfectly every time. Yesterday I bought some green lentils and the miss-informed sign about the bulk bin said you must soak overnight before cooking-total rubbish!

 

Tuna, brown rice and green lentil salad

 

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1/2 cup uncooked french green lentils

3 sticks of celery
3 spring onions
1/2 a red onion
1 red capsicum
2 tomatoes (seeds removed)
1/2 a zucchini

large bunch of parsley
20 mint leaves
small handful of coriander leaves
large tin of tuna

Place the lentils and brown rice into a saucepan with cold water,bring to boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Testing the brown rice to confirm when it is cooked

While the lentils and rice are cooking, it's time for your meson plus!

Finely dice the onions, vegetables and herbs.

 

then add the drained tuna, I buy SAFCOL "responsibly fished, pole and line caught tuna" based on the 2011 Canned Tuna Greenpeace Guide.

 

 

Once the rice and lentils are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Allow to cool then add to the rest of the salad.

 

 

And you're done

 

 

Today's lunch, tuna, brown rice & lentil salad with a boiled egg, some black olives and capers!