Apt3D

Vegan Gluten Free Date Squares

2016-04-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Incredibly delicious and healthy vegan and gluten free oat-buckwheat bars packed with a creamy gooey date filling and a chewy crust that makes a lovely sinless snacking option.

Vegan Gluten Free Date Squares

adapted from Ricardo Cuisine

Filling	Crumble
250 g Dates, pitted and chopped 200 ml Water 1 tbsp Lemon juice 1/4 tsp Baking soda 50 g Leftover cranberry preserves, optional	90 g Rolled oats 110 g Buckwheat flour 1 tbsp Coconut sugar 1/2 tsp Baking powder Pinch of salt 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder 120 g Coconut oil, softened

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 8-inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, bring the chopped dates, water, and lemon juice to a boil. Add the baking soda and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the dates have fallen apart. Let cool.
In a bowl, combine the rolled oats, buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon powder. Add the coconut oil and mix until you have a crumble like mixture. .
Spread half the mixture in the pan and press firmly. Spread with the cranberry jam if using and the date mixture. Cover with the remaining crumble and press lightly. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Dairy Free Einkorn Pancakes

2016-03-30T01:16:00.000-07:00

Replace the regular milk with soya or almond milk in these stevia sweetened wholegrain pancakes suitable for people allergic to dairy and needing to limit sugar intake.

170 g Einkorn, ground into flour
2 tsp Baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/3 tsp Vanilla powder
5 g NuNaturals white stevia powder
1 Egg
1 Ripe banana, mashed
220 ml Soya milk
40 g Coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp Coconut oil, for brushing
Maple syrup to serve, optional

Place the ground einkorn, baking powder, salt, vanilla powder and stevia in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Make a well in the centre, add the egg, mashed banana, soya milk and melted coconut oil and whisk to combine.
Preheat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with coconut oil. Add ¼ cup of the batter and cook for 2–3 minutes each side or until puffed and golden. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with maple syrup if desired.

Oatmeal Banana Coconut Breakfast Cookies

2016-03-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

A healthy and delicious breakfast on the run or lunchbox snack. These cookies are gluten-free, energy packed and lightly sweetened with an overripe banana and stevia.

200 g Coconut oil
10 g NuNaturals white stevia powder
10 drop Vanilla flavoured liquid stevia
Pinch of salt
1 Large egg
1 Large over ripe banana, mashed
400 g Rolled oats
1 tsp Baking powder
50 g Chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 170C/340F, fan forced. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat coconut oil with stevia powder, liquid stevia and salt until softened and fluffy. Beat in egg and mashed banana.
Stir in rolled oats, baking powder and chocolate chips until well combined. Scoop up heaping teaspoons of dough, and form into balls with your hands and place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1-inch apart.
Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing to finish cooling on wire racks.

Einkorn Chia Poppy Loaf Cake

2016-03-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

This lemon poppy seed einkorn cake is deliciously healthy, and quick to make, and perfect for a spring brunch. The flavours of lemon and poppy seeds complement each other beautifully in this loaf cake, but chia seeds and coconut were added for extra goodness and flavour. If desired, prepare a lemon syrup and drizzle over the warm cake.

Einkorn Chia Poppy Loaf Cake

adapted from taste

110 g Einkorn, ground into flour
100 g Finely ground poppy seeds
1 tbsp Coconut flour
1 tbsp Chia seeds
1 tsp Baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
10 g NuNaturals white stevia powder
10 drop Lemon flavoured liquid stevia
70 g Coconut oil, melted and cooled
160 g Coconut cream
2 Eggs
1 Large lemon, zested and juiced
80 g Blueberries, optional

Line a 20cm loaf pan with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
Whisk together the ground einkorn, ground poppy seeds, coconut flour, chia seeds, baking soda and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl.
In another bowl, stir together the stevia powder, liquid stevia, melted coconut oil, coconut cream, eggs, lemon zest and juice.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix gently until well combined. Transfer the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with the blueberries if using.
Bake in the middle of hot oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn out the cake and cool on a wire rack completely.

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free Almond Cookie Squares

2016-03-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

These healthy almond chocolate cookie squares are grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free (if using vegan chocolate chips or cacao nibs) and sugar optional. But despite being so healthy, they taste freaking delicious!

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free Almond Cookie Squares

adapted from simply vintage girl

250 g Finely ground blanched almond
1/3 tsp Sea salt
1 tsp Vanilla powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
80 g Coconut oil, melted and cooled to room-temperature
2 Eggs, medium
2 tbsp Maple syrup or liquid stevia
100 g Dark chocolate chips (or cacao nibs)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Combined ground almond, sea salt, vanilla powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled coconut oil, eggs, and stevia or maple syrup.
Pour the egg mixture into the almond mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips or cacao nibs.
Place the dough on the prepared baking tray and shape the dough with your hands into a square or circle.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and cut into squares.

Arugula, Radicchio and Plum Salad with Mango Chia Dressing

2016-02-29T21:11:00.000-08:00

A deliciously healthy salad recipe of sweet plum, blueberries, radicchio and arugula salad with a tangy fruity mango chia dressing. Vegan and gluten-free!

Mango Lime Chia Dressing	Salad
1 Ripe mango, peeled and diced 2 tbsp Freshly squeezed lime juice 1 tbsp White balsamic vinegar 1 tsp Whole grain Dijon mustard 1 clove Garlic 1 tsp Sea salt Freshly ground white pepper 1 tbsp Chia seeds Parsley leaves	60 g Arugula 60 g Radicchio, sliced 2-3 Plums, stoned and cut into wedges 60 g Blueberries Coconut chips, optional

Place all the dressing ingredients in a blender and process until combined. Chill until ready to serve.
Arrange the arugula, radicchio, plums and blueberries on serving plates. Drizzle with prepared dressing and gently toss to combine. Serve with coconut chips if using.

Whole Baked Romanesco with Ajvar Sauce

2016-02-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

Romanesco (Roman cauliflower), a cross between cauliflower and broccoli, is a tasty side dish that has bizarre spiraling points. The whole roasted romanesco makes a beautiful presentation as well as being really delicious with ajvar sauce.

Whole Baked Romanesco with Ajvar Sauce

adapted from Jamie Oliver

1 Red onion, peeled and chopped
3 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 head /800 g Romanesco
Olive oil
A handful of black olives, stoned
2x400 g Bottled ajvar sauce
150 ml Vegetable stock
1 stalk Green onion, finely chopped for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Trim the outer romanesco leaves. Trim away and discard the stalk so the cauliflower can sit flat.
Add the chopped onion and a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and and slowly fry for 10 minutes until softened and with a little colour. Add the olives, ajvar sauce and vegetable stock. Stir everything together and bring to the boil.
Transfer the sauce in a baking dish. Take the romanesco and gently push it down into the sauce. Spray the romanesco with a little olive oil and bake for around 1 hour 20 minutes, or until golden and tender. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Raisin Oatbran Banana Einkorn Loaf

2016-02-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

Found this recipe on Ricardo Cuisine, but I tweaked it a bit using what I have on hand and making it even healthier with ground whole-grain einkorn, oat bran, banana, coconut oil and liquid stevia. This makes a good snack, breakfast, or even dessert with a chocolate glaze or lemon icing.

110 g Wholegrain einkorn flour
80 g Oatbran
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Sea salt
120 ml Buttermilk
1/2 tsp Vanilla-flavoured liquid stevia
3 Very ripe bananas, mashed
1 Large egg
30 ml Coconut oil, melted
100 g Raisins

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a small loaf pan (21cmx10cm) and line with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, combine the wholegrain einkorn flour, oatbran, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, liquid stevia, mashed bananas, egg and melted coconut oil with a whisk.
Stir in the dry ingredients until the flour is just moistened. Set aside 1tbsp of raisins for garnish and add the remaining ones to the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with the reserved raisins and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean. Let cool completely before unmoulding. Slice and serve.

Chia Protein Bread

2016-02-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

Hearty, moist and dense – this isn't your average everyday bread! This bread is a unique blend of German Quark cheese, eggs, nuts, seeds and spices with wonderful taste and texture.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Lunar New Year and a prosperous Year of the Monkey! !! GONG XI FAT CAI!!

Chia Protein Bread

inspired by this

6 Eggs
500 g German Quark cheese
100 g Almond meal
50 g Chia seed
100 g Crashed flaxseed
35 g Flaxseed flour
15 g Baking powder
1 tsp Ground coriander
1/2 tsp Ground anise
1/2 tsp Ground fennel
1 tsp Sea salt

Place everything in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Transfer the mixture in a standard loaf pan lined with parchment paper and smooth the surface.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Bake the bread in the middle of hot oven for about an hour. Cool completely before slicing.

Linseed Sweet Potato Burgers

2016-02-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

Vegetarian, naturally gluten-free, these baked sweet potato patties are so easy to make and healthily delicious. They have a great texture and they hold up very well in the oven. You can easily veganize them by leaving out the feta.

Linseed Sweet Potato Burgers

adapted from Taste

600 g Sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
Olive oil
1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove Garlic, finely minced
1 Small zucchini, trimmed, grated, excess moisture removed
50 g Feta, crumbled
35 g Oat bran
55 g Linseeds for coating
Bread buns, wholewheat or gluten-free
Avocado kale sauce or tzatziki
Sliced tomato, to serve
Salad greens, to serve

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place sweet potato on a lined baking tray. Spray with a little olive oil. Season with pepper. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Mash. Set aside to cool.
Reduce oven to 180C/350F. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray with a little oil. Cook onion, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Stir in minced garlic for 1 minute or until aromatic. Cool.
Stir onion mixture, grated zucchini, crumbled Feta and oat bran into the mashed sweet potato. Mix and shape into 4-5 patties. Place linseeds on a plate. Add patties and press to coat. Cover and chill for 20 minutes or until firm.
Spray patties with oil. Bake on a lined baking tray for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Serve on bread roll with avocado kale sauce, salad greens and sliced tomato.

Gluten Free Poppy Kale Loaf

2016-01-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

This delicious poppy kale bread is naturally gluten-free, hearty and nutrient-dense. Serve warmed with some Greek yogurt or top with avocado slices for the breakfast and it's also great for dunking in soup.

Gluten Free Poppy Kale Loaf

adapted from Taste

120 g Kale, finely chopped
200 g Poppy seeds, ground
100 g Almond meal
12 g Baking powder
3/4 tsp Sea salt
3 Eggs
2 Egg whites
80 ml Macadamia oil
1 tbsp Freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp Maple syrup

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 9.5 x 19.5cm loaf pan and line with baking paper.
Finely chop the kale leaves. Combine kale, ground poppy seeds, almond meal, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk eggs, egg whites, oil, lime juice and maple syrup in a jug. Add to kale mixture. Stir until combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool the loaf in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!

Barberry Chia Energy Bites

2016-01-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

These tempting little bite-size snacks, inspired by Kelly's no bake energy bites, are a delightful combination of oats, seeds and fruit. They make a mid-morning or afternoon energy boost. If you don't have dried barberries, goji or cranberries are great substitutes.

1 med Ripe banana, mashed
60 g Smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp Maple syrup
1/2 tsp Vanilla powder
2 tbsp Chia seeds
130 g Quick cooking oats
25 g Dried barberries (or cranberries)
40 g White chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Mix in peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.
Stir in chia seeds and oats. Mix until well combined. Now add in dried barberries and white chocolate chips.
Divide the mixture into 25 g portions, then roll between lightly moistened hands to make about 14 balls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Frisée, Artichoke, Sweet Pointed Pepper Salad with Lime Chia Vinaigrette

2016-01-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

A colourful and deliciously vegan salad with pleasantly bitter frisée, sweet pointed pepper, sweet corn, and artichoke hearts tossed in a lightly spicy tangy lime chia vinaigrette. Served as a side dish or lunch salad.

Lime Chia Vinaigrette	Salad
20 ml Extra virgin olive oil 50 ml Vegetable broth 20 ml Freshly squeezed lime juice 1 tsp Dijon wholegrain mustard 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes 1 tsp Maple syrup 1 tbsp Chia seeds Salt and pepper to taste	200 g Frisée 150 g Sweet pointed pepper 100 g Sweet corn 1 can Artichoke hearts in water, drained Pomelo, optional

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together until well combined. Pour into a glass jar, cover tightly and chill for at least an hour to thicken slightly.
Wash, stem, and dry the frisée. Slice the pointed pepper into rings.
Arrange the frisée, sweet pepper, sweet corn, artichoke hearts and pomelo on serving bowls. Serve with the chilled chia vinaigrette.

Grain-free, Sugar-free Hazelnut Cookies

2016-01-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

These chocolate hazelnut cookies are grain free, gluten free and refined sugar free. Easy to make and a great one to put all the excess holiday baking ingredients to good use.

Grain-free, Sugar-free Hazelnut Cookies

adapted from here

120 g 70% Dark chocolate, chopped
10 drop Liquid chocolate flavoured stevia
10 g NuNaturals white stevia powder
1 pinch of Cinnamon
1 pinch of Cloves
250 g Finely ground hazelnuts
2 Extra large egg whites
1 pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Rum
200 g Milk couverture, chopped
Sprinkles, optional

Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until chocolate is just melted, turn the heat off and stir in chocolate flavoured liquid stevia.
Combine the white stevia powder, spices, and finely ground hazelnuts. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff. Gradually add in hazelnut mixture and fold to combine. Now add in melted chocolate and rum. Form into a ball and wrap in a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 1-cm. Cut out the cookies with your favourite cookie cutters. Place the cookies on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Leave them on the kitchen counter to dry overnight.
Next day preheat the oven, with the fan on, to 180C/350F. Bake the cookies for about 7 minutes. Remove the cookies from the sheets and cool them on a wire rack.
Melt the chopped milk couverture in a double-boiler. Dip the cooled cookies halfway into the melted chocolate and place it on waxed paper. Garnish with sprinkles if using.

Belgian Endive Tuna Salad with Kale Avocado Dressing

2016-01-03T22:43:00.000-08:00

A super simple, light and refreshing Belgian endive and tuna salad with a kale avocado dressing. Great as a starter, finger food or even a light dinner. If you're not a fan of canned tuna, just replace it with roasted chicken or Feta.

Salad	Dressing
2 head Belgian endives 1 Small pomegranate, deseeded 1 handful Parsley leaves, chopped 50 g Hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped 150 g Tuna canned in water, drained	150 g Kale, chopped 1 Ripe avocado 2 tbsp White balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp Lime juice 1 clove Garlic Sea salt and black pepper 2 tbsp Water

Trim the bases of Belgian endives and pull the leaves from the heads. Cut and deseed the pomegranate.
Blend all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender until smooth.
Arrange the endive leaves on a platter. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley leaves and chopped toasted hazelnuts over, then the drained tuna. Serve with the prepared kale -avocado dressing.

Fresh Pepper Salsa

2015-12-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

This is a tomato-less salsa made with crunchy, juicy bell peppers and tangy, sweet pomegranate. You can serve this salsa with crackers, burgers or roasted chicken.

1 Red pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 Green pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 Yellow pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 Small onion, peeled and finely diced
1 cup Pomegranate seeds
2 tbsp Chopped parsley
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 tsp Chilli flakes
1 tbsp Olive oil
2-3 tbsp Fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Stir together all ingredients. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Salsa will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ham and Mango Rice Noodle Salad

2015-12-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Ham and Mango Rice Noodle Salad

Serves 4
Prep 15 Minutes, Cook 5 Minutes

Ingredients

200g rice vermicelli
200g sliced leg ham, torn into bite-sized pieces
200g steamed greens (see cook's notes)
1 large mango, sliced
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
50g snow pea sprouts, trimmed, halved
2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
½ cup fresh mint leaves

Sweet Chilli Dressing

2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
¼ cup lime juice

How to make

Cook noodles following packet directions. Drain. Refresh under cold water. Drain. Place in a large bowl.
Make Sweet Chilli Dressing Place oil, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice in a bowl. Stir until well combined.
Add ham, leftover steamed greens, mango, capsicum, snow pea sprouts, onion and mint to noodles. Add Sweet Chilli Dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve.

NUTRITION: (per serve) 1525kJ; 15g fat; 3.7g sat fat; 14.8g protein; 40.4g carbs; 4.5g fibre; 25mg chol; 776mg sodium.

Cook's notes:
For the steamed greens, we used asparagus and green beans, but you can use any leftover steamed green vegies you have, such as broccoli, broccolini, zucchini or snow peas.

Persimmon Spelt Bread with Chocolate and Fresh Cranberries

2015-12-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

Studded with fresh cranberries, this vegan chocolate persimmon quick bread is so delicious, full of winter flavours and very versatile. Enjoy it It can be served as breakfast or as an afternoon tea snack. If you can't find persimmon, then use mashed banana or applesauce instead.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year! May your home be filled with cakes, candles and all the love that this festive season brings!


100 g Whole grain spelt flour 120 g Refined spelt flour 30 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 tsp Baking powder 1 tsp Baking soda 1 tsp Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp Ginger powder	1/2 tsp Salt 450 g Persimmon puree 6 tbsp Maple syrup 6 tbsp Coconut oil, melted 60 g Dark chocolate, chopped 150 g Fresh cranberries 1 tsp Icing sugar, to dust, optional

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a standard-size loaf tin with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, combine together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ginger powder and salt.
Blend together the persimmon puree, maple syrup and melted coconut oil. Add it to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate and fresh cranberries.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the middle of hot oven for about an hour or until a skewer comes out clean when tested. Stand in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.

Sticky Pumpkin, Cranberry and Rocket Salad

2015-12-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

Sticky Pumpkin, Cranberry and Rocket Salad

Serves 6
Prep 15 Minutes, Cook 20 Minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup white miso paste
3 teaspoons salt-reduced soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1½ tablespoons caster sugar
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
1 garlic clove, crushed 800g kent pumpkin, cut into 6 wedges (skin on)
2 tablespoons pepitas
Canola oil cooking spray
1 avocado, sliced
120g baby rocket
1 Lebanese cucumber, halved lengthways, sliced diagonally
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Lime and Soy Dressing

1/4 cup lime juice
2 teaspoons salt-reduced soy sauce
2½ teaspoons caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1½ tablespoons rice bran oil

How to make

Preheat oven to 220°/200°C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Combine miso, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Cut each pumpkin wedge in half. Place pumpkin, in a single layer, on prepared baking tray. Brush pumpkin with ½ the miso mixture. Roast for 10 minutes. Brush with remaining miso mixture and sprinkle with pepitas. Spray with oil. Roast for a further 10 minutes or until sticky and tender.
Meanwhile, make Lime and Soy Dressing Place lime juice, soy sauce, sugar and oils in a small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves.
Add avocado to dressing. Toss to coat. Arrange rocket, cucumber and pumpkin on a platter (see notes). Top with avocado and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with cranberries. Serve.

NUTRITION: (per serve) 1153kJ; 15.7g fat; 3.1g sat fat; 4.9g protein; 30.1g carbs; 4.1g fibre; 0mg chol; 668mg sodium.

Cook's notes:

If packing lunch for 2 people the next day, reserve 1/3 of the salad mixture and 2 tablespoons dressing.
For lunch: Devide salad mixture between 2 airtight containers. Add a 95g can tuna or salmon, drained, flaked, or 50g chopped teriyaki tofu to each salad mixture. Devide dressing between 2 small airtight containers. Add dressing just before eating.

Chicken And Soba Noodle Salad in a Jar

2015-12-22T13:46:00.001-08:00

Chicken And Soba Noodle Salad in a Jar

Serves 2
Prep 15 Minutes Cook 5 Minutes

Ingredients
90g dried soba noodles
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, cut into ribbons
1/2 carrot, cut into long matchsticks
2/3 cup sliced cooked skinless chicken
2/3 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup snow pea sprouts, trimmed

Sesame Dressing
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

How to make

Cook noodles following packet directions. Drain. Refresh under cold water. Drain. Transfer to a bowl. Add green onion. Toss to combine.
Meanwhile, make Sesame Dressing Place vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, oil and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Stir until honey dissolves. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide dressing between two 2-cup-capacity glass jars (see notes). Layer zucchini, noodle mixture, carrot, chicken and cabbage into jars. Top with sprouts. Secure lids. Refrigerate until required.
To serve, turn jars upside-down and allow the dressing to drain through the salad (see notes). Serve.

NUTRITION: (per serve) 1872kJ; 14.5g fat; 2.5g sat fat; 24.1g protein; 54.1g carbs; 7g fibre; 45mg chol; 1223mg sodium.

Cook’s notes:

To make these salads easy to eat, use jars with a wide opening, if possible, or decant them into a bowl to serve. If you don’t have jars, use plastic containers.
You can make this salad up to 1 day ahead.

White Hot Chocolate Almond Snowballs

2015-12-17T23:42:00.000-08:00

Made with Nestle hot white chocolate mix, cream cheese, almond and spelt flour, these snowball cookies, also known as Russian tea cookies, will make a festive addition to any cookie platter or a great gift for anyone who loves cookies. Do not allow these cookies to get too brown. It's better to undercook them than to overcook them. If desired, re-roll cookies in powdered sugar for an extra sweet touch. Thank you, Kris, for sharing the recipe.

140 g Unsalted butter, softened
100 g 4% Cream cheese, softened
90 g White hot cocoa mix (I used NESTLÉ)
4 packet NuNaturals white stevia powder
5 drop Vanilla flavoured liquid stevia
120 g Refined white spelt flour
100 g Blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
Additional powdered sugar for rolling

In large mixing bowl, cream together butter, and cream cheese. Mix until smooth. Add white hot cocoa mix and stevia powder. Stir in vanilla flavoured stevia.
In small bowl, combine refined spelt flour, almond flour and salt, gradually add to butter mixture. Mix until flour is fully combined. Cover with a plastic film and chill for at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 175C/350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cookies will not brown on top.
Remove immediately to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely on wire racks. If desired, reroll cookies in powdered sugar.

Beetroot and Persimmon Salad

2015-12-12T06:41:00.000-08:00

This delicious, heart-healthy salad brings a stunning display of vibrant colour to your holiday table. It also offers an array of anti-inflammatory benefits from nutrient-dense red beets, pomegranate, and sweet sunny persimmons. It's naturally gluten-free, and vegan.

Beetroot and Persimmon Salad

inspired by this

300 g Vacuum-packed beetroot
2 Ripe persimmons
2 tbsp Pomegranate seeds
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Pistachios, chopped
Baby greens
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice the beetroot and arrange them on a serving plate. Peel and dice the persimmons.
Mix the diced persimmon, pomegranate seeds, minced garlic and baby greens. Top the beetroot with the fruit mixture.
Stir together the olive oil and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, and sprinkle the chopped pistachios over.

Whole Spelt Gingerbread Earthquake Cookies

2015-12-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

Spicy, crispy around the edges and soft in the middle ginger cookies made with 100% wholegrain spelt flour, molasses, and stevia. These gingerbread cookies have a powdered sugar coating that cracks upon baking, hence the name earthquake cookies.

Whole Spelt Gingerbread Earthquake Cookies

adapted from taste

100 g Butter, chopped
100 ml Molasses
220 g Wholegrain spelt flour
10 packet NuNaturals white stevia powder
10 drop Orange flavoured liquid stevia
2 tbsp Applesauce
1 Large egg
2 tsp Ginger powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp Ground cloves
1 tsp Baking soda
Sifted icing sugar or beet powder for coating

Combine the butter and molasses in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until butter melts and mixture is well combined. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the flour, stevia powder and liquid, applesauce, egg, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 45 minutes or until cool and firm.
Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line two oven trays with baking paper. Sift the icing sugar and beet powder separately onto two small plate. Roll tablespoonful of cookie mixture into balls and roll in icing sugar or beet powder. Place on the lined trays, inch apart, allowing room for spreading. Gently press the balls to flatten slightly.
Bake in the preheated oven, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside on trays to cool completely.

Wholegrain Spelt Persimmon Bread with Peanuts and Raisins

2015-12-01T05:09:00.000-08:00

Sweet, juicy ripe persimmons can be sliced and added to salads, or halved and baked as the desserts, or pureed and used in this lovely quick bread gently spiced with nutmeg and refined with Cognac, chia seeds, and nuts. The persimmon puree adds a lot of sweetness and moisture to the baked goods.

Wholegrain Spelt Persimmon Bread

adapted from James Beard via David Lebovitz

280 g Freshly ground wholegrain spelt flour
55 g Ground hazelnut
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
2/3 tsp Ground nutmeg
5 packet NuNaturals white stevia powder
1 tbsp Chia seeds

50 g Pure stevia syrup
100 g Melted unsalted butter, cooled to room temperature
3 Large eggs
60 ml Cognac or whisky
300 g Very ripe hachiya persimmon, pureed
1 Small ripe banana
100 g Applesauce, unsweetened
150 g Unsalted, roasted peanuts
100 g Raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or dust with flour and tap out any excess.
Whisk the spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, stevia powder and chia into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, blend together the stevia syrup, melted butter, eggs, cognac, persimmon puree, banana, and applesauce.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then stir into the liquid mixture. Now fold in the roasted peanuts and raisins. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and then place the pans in the oven.
Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool 5 minutes in the pan. Turn out the bread from the pan and cool completely on the rack.

Anise Oatmeal Cookies with Marzipan

2015-11-24T22:21:00.000-08:00

These chewy oatmeal cookies have a distinctive anise flavour and slight nutty taste. They are glazed with milk chocolate, topped with toasted chopped almonds, and low in sugar. We love these cookies, but if you aren't a fan of anise flavour, then these cookies are not for you.

Cookies	Topping
175 g Old fashioned rolled oats 3 tbsp Einkorn, ground into flour 1/2 tsp Baking powder 1 tsp Anise powder 100 g Marzipan, finely diced 100 g Butter, softened 1 Egg 5 packet NuNaturals white stevia powder 1 tbsp Raw brown sugar 1 tsp Vanilla extract	150 g Milk chocolate, chopped 2 tbsp Chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat a fan forced oven to 170C/340F. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Toast rolled oats in a skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Remove and cool to room temperature.
Combine toasted rolled oats, ground einkorn, baking powder and anise powder in a bowl. Finely dice the marzipan. Cream together the diced marzipan, softened butter, egg, stevia, raw brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture until combined.
Drop tablespoonful of mixture onto prepared trays and press down slightly, allowing room for spreading. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place the chopped milk chocolate in a bowl and set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. Coat the cookies with melted chocolate and sprinkle with some toasted almonds.