HEALTHY-CHEF

Really good food...that's really good for you!

Archives for July 2015

Plum and Almond Cake

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Plum and Almond Cake
 
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My sister-in-law, Abi's, favourite it is very almondy and very plumy and best served slightly warm or at room temperature. Children seem to love it too, so a good autumn/winter pudding when plums are at their best! You'll be amazed how sweet and moorish this cake is despite the lack of processed sugars.
Recipe type: Cake
Serves: 6-8 slices
Ingredients
  • 500g red plums, stoned and quartered
  • 100g self-raising wholemeal flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 100g ground almonds
  • 125g butter, softened
  • 80g xylitol
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1tsp almond extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 340F/170C
  2. Sift flour, baking powder and ground almonds into a bowl
  3. Cream the xylitol and butter together until pale
  4. Whisk in the eggs and then the almond extract
  5. Fold the flour mixture carefully through followed by the plums
  6. Pour into a 20cm springform tin, greased and lined and bake for about 1hr 15mins, check after 1hr, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake it's ready when the skewer comes out clean.
  7. Once baked remove from oven and allow to cool for 10mins before transferring to a wire rack.
  8. Serve with a puddle of custard as a pudding or sliced generously as an afternoon treat.

 

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Roasted squash, red onion, rocket and balsamic roasted baby tomato salad

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Roasted squash, rocket and balsamic roasted baby tomato salad
 
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My current favourite salad.Vibrant colour, packed with nutrients and perfect on its own or accompanying a multitude of fish, meat or vegetarian dishes. Try adding walnuts or dry roasted onions to change it up.
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
  • For the salad
  • ½ large butternut squash, chopped optional skin left on
  • ½ tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 or 2tsp paprika (adapt in preference to spiciness)
  • 1or 2 tsp dried red chilli flakes (adapt in preference to spiciness)
  • 1 large red onion, sliced into rings
  • Balsamic roasted baby tomatoes (see my recipe)
  • Large handful of rocket
  • Bag of organic baby spinach
  • For the dressing
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ gas mark 6
  2. For the crispy dried onions:
  3. Preheat oven to 170F(75C) (or your oven's lowest temperature)
  4. Place onion slices thinly scattered on required number of baking trays
  5. Sprinkle with sea salt and place in the oven for 4-6hrs(see notes if you need to cook these faster)
  6. Spoon the coconut oil onto the baking tray, and put it into the preheated oven for 30 seconds NB You may need to split the oil between to trays to accommodate all the squash slices.
  7. Once the oils melted carefully place the butternut squash pieces on the tray and place in the top of the oven for 30 minutes to bake, or until the skin has turned crispy
  8. Combine the squash with the other salad ingredients
  9. For the dressing whisk all ingredients together
  10. Dress the salad and toss well
Notes
If you are peeling your squash you'll find if you place it in a hot oven for 5 minutes it will peel much easier.
If you do not have 4-6hrs to dry fry your onions you can put in a very hot oven, 425F (220C) for 30 mins or even shorter for time heat 2 tsps of coconut oil in a large shallow frying pan and fry the onions till brown and crispy. NB Not quite as healthy but just as delicious!

 

 

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Red Lentil Curry

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Red Lentil Curry
 
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This is a brilliantly easy, satisfying and really tasty side dish or lunch. It combines the protein and fibre rich goodness of red lentils with the warm, spicy flavours of the East renowned for reducing joint inflammation and being a strong anti oxidant.
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
  • 400g red lentils
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 11/2 tbs curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 3 teaspoon minced garlic (approx ¾ cloves)
  • 3 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (approx thumb sized knob of fresh ginger, peeled)
  • 3 tbs chopped coriander (approx 25g)
Instructions
  1. Rinse the red lentils well in cold water
  2. Boil 1 litre of fresh water and add the lentils
  3. Bring back to the boil and then simmer for 20-30 mins until the water has been absorbed and the lentils are soft
  4. Meanwhile heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions till golden brown
  5. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl along with 2 tablespoons of water
  6. Add to the sautéed onions and stir to combine
  7. Pour over the cooked lentils, stir in the freshly chopped coriander
  8. Serve at once

 

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Greek Salad

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Greek Salad
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 4-6 people
Ingredients
  • 4 large vine tomatoes, cut into irregular wedges
  • 1 cucumber, peeled (optional), deseeded, then roughly chopped
  • ½ a red onion, thinly sliced
  • 16 kalamata olives
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 85g feta cheese, cut into chunks (barrel matured feta is the best)
  • 4 tbsp greek extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl
  2. Lightly season
  3. Then serve with crusty wholemeal spelt bread to mop up all of those beautiful juices.

 

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Popcorn

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Popcorn
 
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Recipe type: Snack
Serves: 2-4 people
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive/coconut oil
  • 200g popping corn kernels
  • Optional toppings:
  • 1 tbsp xylitol
  • 2 tbsp organic honey/maple syrup or half and half
  • 1-2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive/coconut oil in a large saucepan on a medium hob ring, on a medium heat
  2. Add popping corn kernels and cover with a well fitting lid
  3. Shake the pan to coat the kernels in the oil
  4. Cook for approximately 4 minutes shaking the pan until the popping stops
  5. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 30 seconds

 

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Gingerbread Men

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Gingerbread Men
 
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Recipe type: Cakes and Bakes
Serves: 15 gingerbread
Ingredients
  • 350g (12oz) wholemeal spelt flour
  • 4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 125g (4½oz) butter, diced
  • 150g (5½oz) xylitol
  • 2tbsp maple syrup
  • 2tbsp organic honey
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Currants and icing, for decoration
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4)
  2. Line 2 large baking trays with baking parchment
  3. Place the flour, ginger, and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl
  4. Stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon until they are thoroughly mixed
  5. Rub the butter into the mixture using your fingertips
  6. Continue rubbing in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
  7. Stir in the xylitol
  8. Stir in the maple syrup, organic honey and the egg until the mixture starts to come together in a dough.
  9. Next, tip the dough mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until smooth
  10. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 8/10mm (1/4to1/2 in), then using your cutters, cut out the shapes
  11. Re-roll the leftover enough and cut out more biscuits until it's all used
  12. Place the biscuits on the baking trays and bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown
  13. Allow the biscuits to cool on the trays
  14. Decorate with currants and icing

 

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Chana Dall

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Chana Dall
 
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For my sins after a week away I am starting a 10 day cleanse! Having researched my sin-free list of foods I'm going to be doing lots of experimenting with new dishes. I'll post my successes and save you from the not so tasty. Here's my first, a gorgeous creamy dall 100% healthy and delicious. I served it with roasted wild salmon and steamed broccoli florets with a squeeze of lemon.
Recipe type: Accompaniment
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4-6 people
Ingredients
  • 250g yellow split peas
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp tumeric powder
  • 1 tsp mild chilli powder
  • 1 onion, diced finely
  • 1 thumb sized fresh ginger grated/chopped finely
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 25g coriander
Instructions
  1. Rinse the yellow split beans 3-4 times in cold water
  2. Leave to soak in cold water for 30 mins
  3. Drain the peas and place in a large saucepan cover with cold water and bring to the boil
  4. Boil for 10 minutes and then add the remaining ingredients except the coriander
  5. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, until the peas are tender adding water if necessary to ensure the peas do not cook dry
  6. Place in a blender with the coriander and whizz up for 30second to a minute.
  7. Place in a serving dish and serve immediately.

 

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Baked Dill Salmon

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5.0 from 1 reviews
Dill Salmon En Papillote
 
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Really easy, really simple dish I serve at least once a week to my family, sometimes alternating the dill for other fresh herbs or simple marinades.
Recipe type: Dinner
Serves: 5-6 people
Ingredients
  • X1kg side of salmon, skin off
  • X4 tbsp chopped dill
  • x1 lemon zest
  • sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 375F/190C
  2. Place a large piece of tinfoil (approx three times as wide and 11/2 times as long) on a surface, put a piece of greaseproof paper of a similar size on top.
  3. Place the salmon on the paper and sprinkle liberally with the fresh dill, lemon zest and sea salt.
  4. Fold the paper and tinfoil over the fish and roll the edges together to create a sealed parcel (en papillote)
  5. Bake for 30-35 mins until the salmon is cooked through
  6. Place on a serving platter and serve with cheeks of lemon and an extra dose of chopped dill.

 

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Carrot mash with black beans & fried onions

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Carrot mash with black beans and fried onions
 
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This is a Nigel Slater recipe, it looks gorgeous, tastes brilliant and is bursting with goodness and energy!
Recipe type: Accompaniment
Serves: 6 portions
Ingredients
  • 8-10 medium-large carrots, peeled and chopped into quarters
  • 1 tbsp chopped dill
  • x1 tin black beans
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • small bunch coriander, chopped (several leaves reserved for garnish)
  • 2 red onions, peeled and sliced into rings
  • 2 tsps mustard seeds
  • 2 tsps chilli flakes
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to season
Instructions
  1. Place carrot quarters in a steamer and steam for 25 mins, until really soft
  2. Meanwhile warm the coconut oil in a small pan add the garlic and fry f or 1 min
  3. Add the rinsed blackbeans, bring to the boil with 3 tbsp of the water used for steaming the carrots.
  4. Reduce to a simmer and season with sea salt.
  5. In a large frying pan add 1tsp coconut oil, when melted add the mustard seeds and fry for 1 min the seeds should start popping.
  6. Next add the onions and fry for several minutes till brown and slightly sticky.
  7. Stir in the chilli flakes, take off heat.
  8. Mash the carrots well with ¾ tbsp of the water used to steam the carrots.
  9. Add the dill and season well with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
  10. Add the chopped coriander to the blackbeans stir and remove from heat.
  11. Pour into a serving dish, spoon over the blackbeans and fried onions, sprinkle with the remaining coriander leaves.
  12. Serve immediately.
  13. I love this dish with baked salmon or ginger & chilli spatchcock chicken (see my recipe section)

 

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Banana & Blueberry Muffins

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Banana & Blueberry Muffins
 
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Bananas are crammed with potassium and vitamin B6, great for alleviating mood swings and and reducing water retention. Magnesium rich walnuts, calcium and Vitamin D dense yoghurt and antioxidant rich blueberries make this a great option for breakfast or snack satisfying a sweet tooth without causing a sugar rush/dip!
Recipe type: Cakes & Bakes
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 11/4 cups (120g) porridge oats
  • ½ cup(60g) rice flour/ground almonds
  • ¼cup (30g)ground flaxseed
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¼cup (60ml) plain yoghurt
  • 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup (60ml) xylitol/honey/maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup (90ml) grapeseed oil
  • ¼ cup (30g) chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F
  2. In a large bowl sift flour, baking powder and baking soda, add porridge oats and ground flaxseed
  3. In a separate bowl combine eggs, yoghurt, bananas, xylitol/honey/maple syrup, oil, walnuts and blueberries
  4. Fold in flour mix, being careful not to beat out air
  5. Divide batter among 12 muffin cases
  6. Bake for 15 mins, until the tops spring back when pressed softly
  7. Allow to cool.
Notes
I use the American measures for this recipe it just makes life a lot easier, they're readily available to buy online or in big supermarkets/department stores.

 

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