dairy free

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Lunchbox Boss: Blueberry Coconut Balls – George Georgievski

Lunchbox Boss
George Georgievski
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN: 9781761265938
RRP $26.99
**photography by Mark Roper

“Blueberries are my favourite superfood. I use them almost daily in my kids’ lunchboxes (a half-handful is enough for a healthy hit). I like to buy blueberries in bulk when they are in season, then freeze them so I can make these beauties year-round.” p177

Ingredients
155 g (1 cup) fresh or frozen blueberries
150 g (1 1⁄2 cups) rolled oats
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or MCT oil (see Tips)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons maple syrup
45 g (1⁄2 cup) desiccated coconut
Makes 15
NF DF EF VG

Method
Time to plug in your food processor and blitz some ingredients. Drop in the blueberries, oats, oil, chia seeds, maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of the desiccated coconut. Blitz until all the ingredients are pretty smooth and you want to dip your finger in to taste (but don’t do that … unless no one is watching).

Pour the mixture into an airtight container and pop it in the fridge for 2 hours or the freezer for 1 hour.

Place the remaining desiccated coconut onto a small plate or in a bowl. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the cold blueberry mixture, then roll it with your hands until it’s almost perfectly round. Roll the ball in the desiccated coconut until it is evenly coated. Repeat until you’ve used up all the mixture. (If you’re like
me you’ll have to taste test every third one just to make sure the kids will survive.)


These are best popped back into the fridge in an airtight container until you’re ready to dispatch them to the lunchbox.


TIPS
Available from supermarkets, MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil is great for gut health, the heart and energy levels. It doesn’t have a strong taste and is very similar to coconut oil.


These balls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or freeze for up to 1 month.


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Whole Stuffed Pumpkin: Roast – Louise Franc

Roast by Louise Franc_cover_

Edited extract from Roast by Louise Franc, published by Smith Street Books, $39.99. Available now. 

 

 

Whole stuffed pumpkin

Serves 8

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil

200 g (7 oz) uncracked freekeh, rinsed

1½ teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed

1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) vegetable stock

40 g (1½ oz/⅓ cup) slivered almonds, toasted

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

70 g (2½ oz/½ cup) dried cranberries

2 large rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped

large handful parsley, roughly chopped

1 large pumpkin (winter squash), weighing at least 2 kg (4 lb 6 oz)

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) maple syrup

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) apple cider vinegar

 

Heat a small splash of the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the freekeh and coriander and cumin seeds and cook until the mixture starts to sizzle and pop. Add the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or up to 1 hour, until the freekeh is cooked through. Transfer to a large bowl and add the almonds, garlic, cranberries, rosemary and parsley. Mix well and season to taste.

 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (fan-forced).

 

Using a large kitchen knife, cut out the top of the pumpkin and set aside as a lid. Scoop out the seeds and fibres with a spoon and discard. If your pumpkin is very thick in places, scoop out a little of the pumpkin until it is even on all sides — this will help the pumpkin to cook evenly.

 

In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, vinegar and remaining olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour over the freekeh. Toss to combine and check the seasoning.

 

Spoon the freekeh into the pumpkin shell. Place the pumpkin lid on top and wrap the whole pumpkin in two layers of foil.

 

Place on a baking tray, transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour. Remove the foil and roast for at least another 1 hour. The pumpkin may seem soft at this stage when tested with a sharp knife, but it takes a long time to cook all the way through. You can test it’s done by inserting a knife into the middle and scraping off a little of the pumpkin flesh inside. If it is still a little fibrous, cook the pumpkin for longer.

 

Allow the pumpkin to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into large wedges.

 

Whole Stuffed Pumpkin

 

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Marly’s Toasted Macadamia and Banana Pancakes: Ferment – Holly Davis

Ferment cover

Ferment

Holly Davis

Murdoch Books 

ISBN: 9781743368671

 

Images and recipes from Ferment by Holly Davis (Murdoch Books, RRP $45) Photography by Ben Dearnley.

 

marly’s toasted macadamia and banana pancakes 

 

“These pancakes are a variation on a recipe I cook for Marly, for whom I am a private chef. They are fabulous and not difficult to make, though as they contain no grain or dairy products to bind them, they require a slightly different cooking technique than regular pancakes. Try them with a spoonful of cultured apricot spread (p. 154) and a generous drizzle of cashew and citrus amazake cream (p. 44). The toasted nut butter has one ingredient and can be used in any way you might use any other nut butter.”  p54

 

marly's toasted macadamia and banana pancakes

Makes 10–12 pancakes 

Ready in approximately 1 hour 10 minutes 

 

Toasted macadamia nut butter

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) macadamia nuts

 

Macadamia and banana pancakes

4 eggs

120 g (41⁄4 oz/1⁄2 cup) toasted macadamia nut butter
(see above)

2 large or 3 small ripe bananas

125 ml (4 fl oz/1⁄2 cup) water

pinch sea salt

pinch ground cinnamon

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

ghee or macadamia oil, for frying

 

Deactivate by toasting Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F) and place the macadamia nuts on a baking tray. Place in the oven and toast for 20–30 minutes, or until they are an even golden brown. Cool to room temperature then add to a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Portion out the amount you’ll need for the pancakes and transfer the remaining nut butter to a spotlessly clean airtight glass jar. This will keep in the fridge for a month or more.

Combine all of the pancake ingredients in a blender or food processor, blitzing well until the mixture increases slightly in volume and becomes lighter.

Preheat the grill (broiler) to medium and set up a wire rack with a clean tea towel (dish towel) draped over it.

Heat a 14 cm (5½ in) round cast-iron frying pan over medium heat. (The pan will be transferred to the grill so use one with an ovenproof handle.) When the pan is hot wipe it with paper towel and a little ghee then lift it off the heat slightly and pour in enough of the pancake batter to cover the pan in an even 3 mm (1⁄8 in) layer, tilting the pan to spread the mixture out evenly. Cook over medium heat until it is golden brown underneath and you can see the edges of the pancake lifting slightly.

Transfer the pan to the grill and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the top is dried but not browned. Return the pan to the stove top and, using a palette knife, carefully flip the pancake over.

Cook for 2 minutes to brown, then transfer the pancake to the cooling rack and cover with another tea towel. Wipe the pan out with paper towel and add a little more ghee, and repeat until the mixture is finished.

Serve the pancakes warm or cold, with a selection of toppings if you like. Once cooked, these pancakes keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days and can be gently reheated in a hot pan.

 

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Waffles & Date Chocolate Sauce – The Goodness of Nuts & Seeds: Natalie Seldon

It’s World Chocolate Day – let’s celebrate with a little something that combines decadent with wholesome.

goodness-of-nuts-and-seeds

http://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Goodness-of-Nuts-and-Seeds/Natalie-Seldon/9780857834133

 

WAFFLES & DATE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

 

*VEGETARIAN *GLUTEN-FREE *DAIRY-FREE

Decadent yet wholesome, these are drizzled with warm, sticky sauce and vibrant fresh berries for an indulgent affair to savour. Golden and crispy on the outside with a soft and fluffy centre, these griddled, healthy treats contain gluten-free buckwheat flour, supplying a multitude of vitamins and minerals. These provide a little sweet solace on wet and windy days and are sure to warm the hearts of family and friends.

Makes 3–4 (depending on the size of your waffle iron)

75g buckwheat flour

75g almond flour or ground almonds

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons date syrup  (or unrefined sugar)

1 egg, lightly beaten

275ml almond milk

2 tablespoons almond butter

2 teaspoons vanilla bean  paste or extract

 

For the date chocolate sauce

100ml date syrup

75g raw cacao powder

2½ tablespoons maple syrup

 

To serve

200g fresh red berries, such as raspberries, strawberries and redcurrants

25g toasted flaked almonds

 

  1. Sift both flours, the baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the date syrup, egg, almond milk, almond butter and vanilla bean paste or extract, then mix well until combined. Leave the batter to rest for 5 minutes.

 

  1. Make the date and chocolate sauce by heating all the ingredients together in a small pan over a gentle heat. Stir until combined and glossy, then set aside until needed.

 

  1. Preheat a waffle iron as per instructions, spray both sides of the iron with oil spray (I use coconut oil) and pour a large ladleful (about 150ml) of batter in the centre of the iron and spread out towards the edges with a flat-bladed knife. Close the lid and allow to cook. Repeat until all the batter is used.

 

  1. Serve the waffles with the fresh fruit, a drizzle of date chocolate sauce and the toasted almonds.

Waffles with date Chocolate sauce

 

Recipes from The Goodness of Nuts & Seeds by Natalie Seldon. Published by Kyle Cathie. RRP $19.99

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Who Would Have Thought…

Who would have thought that tahini ( ground sesame seed paste) and maple syrup could  taste this good?  Today I made my first raw food dessert – raw caramel slice from  Vladia Cobrdova’s “A Whole New Way To Eat.”

I love the base- dates and almonds, the caramel – basically tahini, coconut oil and maple syrup and the choc top –  mostly just cocoa and coconut oil. YUM.  A little goes a long way – but  make sure you keep this in the fridge.  The recipe  states this will keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container in the fridge, which is good because this recipe made a huge amount.  If you are down this way – pop in for a coffee and a taste.

 

raw caramel slice

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Spiced Almond Fritters with Pumpkin and Apple: Real Food For Babies and Toddlers – Vanessa Clarkson

Recipes and images from  “Real food For Babies and Toddlers” by Vanessa Clarkson (Murdoch Books)

Spiced Almond Fritters with Pumpkin and Apple 

Makes 10

Preparation time 10 minutes  Cooking time 15 minutes

DIETARY INFO: Dairy-free    gluten-free    vegetarian

 

4 eggs

250 g (9 oz/2 cups) peeled and grated butternut pumpkin (squash)

3 eating apples, cored

3 tablespoons almond meal

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

coconut oil for frying

maple syrup (optional), to serve

 

To make the batter, beat the eggs well in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin and grate in one of the apples, along with the almond meal and spices. Stir to combine. Finely slice the remaining 2 apples and set aside.

Working in batches and allowing 1 teaspoon coconut oil per fritter, heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, spoon 2 tablespoons of the fritter batter into the pan, and shape into a fritter using a spoon or spatula. Continue until you have three or four fritters in the pan, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Press a slice of apple into the top of each fritter. Cook for 3–4 minutes on the first side, then flip over and cook for a further 1–2 minutes until cooked through and crisp and golden on the outside. Keep warm on a plate lined with paper towel while cooking the rest. Repeat until all the batter has been used. Serve the fritters drizzled with a little maple syrup, if you like.

“For little ones: As raw apple presents a choking hazard for babies, these fritters are a great way to introduce this fruit in its whole form. The apple slice is unlikely to be soft enough for beginners, so either leave this off their fritter or grate all the apples into the batter. You may need to add a little more almond meal if the apples are especially juicy.”p.70

 

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Oatmeal Snack Balls with Cranberries and Apple: Real Food For Babies and Toddlers- Vanessa Clarkson

 

Recipes and images from  “Real food For Babies and Toddlers” by Vanessa Clarkson (Murdoch Books) 

Oatmeal Snack Balls with Cranberries and Apple

 

Makes about 12

 

Preparation time 10 minutes, plus 2 hours’ soaking (optional)

 

DIETARY INFO: Dairy-free    vegetarian    vegan

 

Cranberry Apple and Oatmeal Snack Balls

 

80 g (23/4 oz/¹⁄³ cup) unsalted raw cashews, preferably soaked for 2 hours beforehand, then rinsed and drained

70 g (2½ oz/²⁄³ cup) rolled (porridge) oats (see note on page 104)

55 g (2 oz/¹⁄³ cup) dried cranberries

50 g (13/4 oz/½ cup) preservative-free dried apple

4 soft medjool dates, pitted

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) coconut oil, melted and cooled

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Put all the ingredients in a food processor, and whiz until the mixture gets clumpy. Empty into a bowl, and shape into golf-sized balls using your hands. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or the refrigerator (although they’ll be quite firm if kept this way).

For little ones: Try shaping into fingers for easier gripping.

 

** Very suitable to put in your work lunch box as a snack –  they were easy to make and yummy – sorry no pictures  they were devoured before the camera came out 🙂

 

 

 

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Salted Macadamia Nut Slice: Food To Make You Glow – Lola Berry

Food_To Make_You_Glow_Front_CVR

Recipes extracted from Food to Make You Glow by Lola Berry. Available now, RRP $39.99, Plum.

Link: http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781743548479

salted macadamia nut slice
“Salted caramel and maca nuts … this is pretty much my dream treat, and
the fact that it’s good for my beauty regime only makes me love it more!
Macadamia nuts are full of the proteins and good fats needed for shiny hair
and strong nails, plus they are a great source of palmitoleic acid, which
hydrates and heals the skin.” p126

base
· ½ cup desiccated coconut
· ½ cup macadamia nuts,
soaked for 2–3 hours
(or overnight), then rinsed
· 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
· 2 tablespoons almond butter

salted caramel filling
· 1 cup pitted medjool dates
· 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil
· 2 tablespoons macadamia nut butter
· 3 tablespoons maple syrup
· 2 large pinches of salt flakes,
plus extra to sprinkle

topping
· 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
· 3 tablespoons maple syrup
· 3 tablespoons cacao powder

BEAUTY salted macadamia nut slice

Line a 21 cm x 18 cm baking tin with baking paper.
Place the base ingredients in a food processor and blend until the
mixture is nice and biscuity and starts to stick together. With damp
hands, press the mixture over the base of the lined tin and transfer
to the freezer while you make the filling.

For the filling, put the dates, maca nut oil, maca nut butter, maple
syrup and salt in a blender or food processor and blend until
smooth and sticky. Spoon the salted caramel over the base and
spread evenly with a knife, then sprinkle a few more salt fl akes
over the caramel layer and place in the freezer for 30 minutes,
or until set.

To make the topping, mix the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and
cacao powder together in a bowl. Pour this over the caramel layer
and then put it back in the freezer to set.
To serve, slice while frozen and enjoy straight away, or leave it to
come to room temperature before tucking in.
Makes 12–16

p126 food for beauty

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Green Kiwi Smoothie: Food to Make you Glow – Lola Berry

Food_To Make_You_Glow_Front_CVR

Recipes extracted from Food to Make You Glow by Lola Berry. Available now, RRP $39.99, Plum.

Link: http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781743548479

green kiwi smoothie
“Green smoothies are a massive part of my diet, so I’m constantly trying to come
up with new green inventions. This one is zesty and full of the good stuff – it
reminds me of summer but you could really eat it all year round! The kiwi fruit
will push your vitamin C levels up to the max and have your immune system
functioning at its best.” p. 142

· 2 handfuls of baby spinach
· 2 kiwi fruit (skin on if organic)
· ½ cup chopped frozen mango
· 2 pitted medjool dates
(or your choice of sweetener)
· grated zest and juice of 1 lime
· ½ avocado
· 2 cups coconut water

to serve
· 3 tablespoons Coconut
and Sunfl ower Seed Protein
Granola (page 144) or other
paleo granola, plus extra
· a few slices of kiwi fruit
· edible flowers

Pop all the smoothie ingredients into a blender and process until
lovely and smooth.

“To serve, cover the bottom of two serving glasses with the granola
(I love doing this as it makes a lovely a surprise, though you’ll need
a spoon to get to the last bit), then pour over the smoothie. Top with
kiwi, lots of pretty edible fl owers and a last sprinkle of granola, then
away you go.”

Serves 2
p142. food for immunity

 

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Flourless Blood Orange and Almond Maple Cake: Get Lean Stay Lean – Dr Joanna McMillan

get-lean-stay-lean

Images and recipes from Get Lean Stay Lean by Joanna McMillan (Murdoch Books RRP $35)

Flourless Blood Orange and Almond Maple Cake

“This is such a simple cake recipe, yet you won’t believe how beautiful it tastes. I use blood oranges when they are in season. If you can’t get hold of any, simply use navel oranges instead. The almonds have been roasted before grinding them to give a deeper depth of flavour. You don’t have to do this and can simply use almond meal instead if you prefer. The recipe as it stands is dairy free, but it is delicious served with a spoonful of Greek-style yoghurt.” p.208

 

flourless-blood-orange-almond-maple-cake-

Serves 6  Time 2 hours 15 minutes  DF GF V

 

4 blood oranges, skin on, plus extra orange segments to serve

Mint leaves, to serve

6 large free-range or organic eggs

175 g (6 oz/1/2 cup) pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil to grease
the baking tin

250 g (9 oz) flaked almonds, pan-roasted, then ground (alternatively, you can use almond meal, see note)

Handful whole almonds, to serve

 

 

 

Put the oranges in a saucepan and cover with water. Place a piece of baking paper over the top of the oranges—this helps keep the oranges from bobbing on the water surface. Gently bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to fan-forced 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Brush a round
22 cm (81/2 inch) springform cake tin with the extra virgin olive oil and line with baking paper.

Drain the oranges and slice in half, removing any pips. Using a food processor or a Vitamix on level 10, blitz the oranges to a paste.

Add the eggs and blitz again. Then add the maple syrup and baking powder, and mix together well.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for about 1 hour. To test that the cake is ready, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.

Remove the cake from the tin, decorate with fresh blood orange segments, whole almonds and mint leaves, and serve.

 

 

 

Note Using nut meal in place of flour keeps the cake gluten free and since nuts are already high in fat you don’t need to add additional butter or oil as with a traditional cake. This, of course, also ensures you have all good
fats present. You do, however, need to be careful with your portion size,
as nut meal is energy dense—not always easy with a delicious cake! Just
be sure to cut each quarter of the cake into a further four slices to keep your kilojoules appropriate for a snack.