Recipes

Beans & Pulses

I have found when I eat a good serving of a dish packed with some form of pulse for lunch it fills me up with good quality protein and fibre.

This prevents me from feeling hungry and craving sugar / carbs later on in the day.

Here are some simple recipes that should hopefully inspire.

Vegetarian chilli

Soak 500g dried kidney beans in lots of water for at least 24 hours

Boil kidney beans in a large pan with lots of water for 2 hours or until nice and soft

Dice 2 red onions and let them sweat in the bottom of a large cassarole pan

(my favourite are the cast iron le Creuset) with a small amount of coconut oil

Dice a variety of vegetable – red, green, yellow peppers, mushrooms, courgettes etc and once the onion has turned slightly brown add the vegetables

Wait about 5 minutes then add the cooked kidney beans (keep the juice for later)

Add 2 tins of tomato and garlic, pepper and chilli to taste

Keep cooking on a low heat for at least an hour, adding kidney bean juice if dry

Just before servicing stir in 1 packet of washed baby spinach, which will immediately wilt from the heat

Serve on top of some boiled brown basmati rice and top with crumbled feta cheese

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Humus

I think humus works best with purchased boxes / tins of chickpeas

Take 2 boxes/tins chickpeas and drain (reserve liquid and about 10 whole chickpeas)

In a food mixer chop ½ / 1 clove of garlic depending on your taste

Add the chickpeas and blend until super smooth keep adding small amounts of the chickpea liquid to facilitate easy blending) but try and keep it quite dry

Add 2 large tablespoons of tahini, the juice of half a lemon, ½ or 1 clove of garlic, a teaspoon of ground cumin, some Himalayan salt, blend with the chickpea paste

Transfer to a bowl and pour a generous amount of virgin olive oil over the to, decorate with whole chickpeas and a sprinkle of cumin

You can also replace the cumin with paprika or sundried tomatoes 

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Black bean chocolate cake gluten free and packed with protein

I would like to thank Josephine Malene Kofod atastylovestory.com for this recipe

Original recipe makes one small loaf cake.

By using double the ingredients small delicious loaf cake

I have just repeated this recipe using double the amount of all ingredients as I found the loaf cake a bit meagre. I also took out the orange zest and juice and added instead 2 tbs of instant coffee or 1 tbs of coffee extract. It made the most sumptuous moist mouth-watering loaf cake.

1 tin of ideally organic black beans, drained

3 large eggs

½ cup/100g coconut palm sugar

3 heaped tbsps of cocoa powder (Green and Blacks if you can)

½ cup/50g of 85% chocolate

½ vanilla pod or a tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp baking powder

Juice and zest ½ organic orange

Pinch of Himalayan/sea salt

• Preheat oven to 175c
• Blend all the ingredients, except the dark chocolate, together in a food processor until there are no lumps
• Pour very liquid batter into a lined loaf tin
• Chop the dark chocolate and mix 2/3 into the batter, leaving ½ to sit on the top of the cake
• Bake for approx 35 minutes and then leave aside to cool thoroughly
• Eat with relish

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Sam’s butter bean mash (enough for 3 people)

Drain 2 tins of butter beans, reserving some of the liquid in a bowl

Boil the beans lightly for 10 minutes until very soft

Drain and mash by hand or puree with a hand held mixer (use some of the reserved liquid if beans are too dry)

Add coconut oil or some organic butter, a pinch of salt and some black pepper

Or raw garlic, olive oil, oregano, thyme and a pinch of chilli

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Warm puy lentil salad

500g dried puy lentils

1 red onion

1 clove garlic

olive oil

No need to soak there tiny black jewels. Just empty the packet into a sieve and wash under some running warm water. Place in a large pan of water and boil (no salt) for about 30 minutes, until soft but not totally squashed. In the meantime finely chop a large red onion and lightly fry with a crushed clove of garlic. Carefully drain all the water and place the pulses in a bowl. Add the fried onions and garlic and then add a good amount of virgin olive oil. Salt and black pepper to taste. Eat warm and keep left over’s for lunch the next day.

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Christina’s Lentil biscuits/balls

A totally inspired recipe for high protein, no sugar, biscuits that a patient of mine made for her daughter as a snack to have during the day.

Red lentils approx 300g

3-4 carrots, grated

1 onion

1 stick of celery

a handful of raisins

1 tbsp of ground linseed

2-5 tbsp of semolina flour (depending on consistency)

1 egg

a handful of chopped parsley

Sautee the onion and finely chopped celery in olive oil, then add the lentils and raisins and cover with water (or stock) and simmer for approx 15-20 minutes, add the grated carrot a few minutes before the lentils are soft and have finished cooking. (I do this in an attempt not to kill the vitamin c content of carrots) Stir in the parsley at the end and leave to settle/cool for a while.

Depending on the consistency of the lentils I add a tablespoon at a time of the semolina flour (plus the linseeds) until the mixture becomes like a cake mixture, and stir in the beaten egg. Using desert spoons I make balls for adults and flatten these balls for baby biscuits, and roll them in the flour and put on a baking tray. Then brush with olive oil. Cook in the oven at 180-200 degrees for approx 20-25 minutes for the biscuits and a bit longer for the balls.

Biscuits – I added a teaspoon of black strap molasses to the biscuits which made a definite sweet version.

Lentil balls – I serve the lentil balls with a tomato sauce (like for pasta) made with grated carrot and grated courgette. 

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Lentil biscuits (my version)

1 cup red lentils

½ cup organic butter

½ cup melted coconut oil or just 1 cup melted coconut oil and no butter

1 cup coconut palm sugar or 1 cup sweet freedom

1 cup wholemeal spelt flour

1 cup organic oats

1 cup almonds slivers (dry roasted)

1 cup of mixed seeds (dry roasted)

1 cup of cranberries & raisins OR 85% chocolate pieces

1 cup desiccated coconut (optional)

1 organic free range large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Place red lentils in a saucepan with some water and simmer until the lentils are totally soft. In the meantime dry fry the almonds slivers, and seeds until just lightly brown, transfer onto a plate to thoroughly cool. Once the lentils are thoroughly cooked lentils into a mixer and whiz until a puree. Add the coconut oil, butter and coconut palm sugar. Whiz until well combined. Add egg, whiz. Add spelt flour & vanilla essence. Whiz. Then by hand mix in the oats, mixed nuts & seeds, coconut and raisins/chocolate pieces.

Using a tablespoon, place plum sized balls onto a tray with a non-stick baking liner and squash flat with the back of the spoon. Do this until the tray is full and place in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Allow to cool on a tray and enjoy.

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Savoury Lentil biscuits

1 cup red lentils

1 cup melted coconut oil

1 cup wholemeal spelt flour

1 cup almonds slivers (dry roasted)

1 cup of mixed seeds (dry roasted with tamari)

1 cup of salted dried edamame beans

1 organic free range large egg

Place red lentils in a saucepan with some water and simmer until the lentils are totally soft. In the meantime dry fry the almonds slivers, and seeds until just lightly brown, cover with some tamari / soya sauce and fry until sauce has evaporated. Transfer onto a plate to thoroughly cool. Once the lentils are thoroughly cooked lentils into a mixer and whiz until a puree. Add the coconut oil, whiz until well combined. Add egg, whiz. Add spelt flour, whiz. Then by hand mix in the mixed nuts & seeds, and edamame beans.

Using a tablespoon, place plum sized balls onto a tray with a non-stick baking liner and squash flat with the back of the spoon. Do this until the tray is full and place in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Allow to cool on a tray and enjoy.

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Chickpea and Almond snack

Just dry fry (no oil needed), ideally in a caste iron frying pan, some whole almonds (or any nut/ seed you like ), and some ready roasted chickpeas, which you can buy in good Turkish shops. The roasting adds a full flavour to both the nuts and the chickpeas which makes a delicious snack with a piece of fruit. 

Breads

Delicious Spelt Carrot and Walnut Soda bread(perfect if you are following an anti candida diet)

250g organic self-raising white flour or white spelt flour

250g organic wholemeal spelt / wheat flour

1 teaspoon of fine maldon sea salt

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

Buttermilk (I use organic natural yogurt thinned with a small amount of goat’s milk)

300g finely grated carrot

100g chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 190 c

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large a mixing bowl

Add carrots and walnuts

Pour in half the buttermilk and mix with your hands,

keep adding the buttermilk until you form dough (it should be soft but not too wet or sticky)

Shape into ball, sprinkle with spelt flour and cut a deep cross into top of loaf

Bake for approx 1 hour or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on base

 

Courgette and mixed seeds Soda bread 

250g organic self-raising white flour

250g organic wholemeal spelt / wheat flour

1 teaspoon of fine maldon sea salt

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

Buttermilk (I use organic natural yogurt thinned with a small amount of goat’s milk)

300g finely grated courgette

100g mixed seeds (I sometimes gently roast them beforehand)

 

Preheat oven to 190 c

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large a mixing bowl

Add courgette and mixed seeds

Pour in half the buttermilk and mix with your hands,

keep adding the buttermilk until you form dough (it should be soft but not too wet or sticky)

Shape into ball, sprinkle with spelt flour and cut a deep cross into top of loaf

Bake for approx 1 hour or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on base

 

Slightly sweet soda bread with grated apples, raisins and pecans

250g organic self-raising white flour

250g organic plain spelt / wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon of fine maldon sea salt

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Buttermilk (I use organic natural yogurt thinned with a small amount of goat’s milk)

2 finely grated apples

a handful of raisins / dried cranberries

100g pecans

for a real treat, add a squirt of sweet freedom 

Preheat oven to 190 c

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large a mixing bowl

Add grated apple, dried fruit and pecans

Pour in half the buttermilk and mix with your hands,

keep adding the buttermilk until you form dough (it should be soft but not too wet or sticky)

Shape into ball, sprinkle with spelt flour and cut a deep cross into top of loaf

Bake for approx 1 hour or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on base

Cakes

This recipe uses American measuring cups

My famous Scones

3 cups of organic wholemeal self raising flour

1 cup of organic white self raising flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup sultanas or raisins or cranberries

60g unsalted organic butter

2 cups of a 50/50 mixture of goats (or cows) milk and water

I organic egg 

Sift both types of flour and the cinnamon into a large bowl

Add the dried fruit

Combine the milk, water & beaten egg in a jug/ bowl

Pour half this liquid into the middle of the bowl of flour and keep adding until you form a nice dough (too much liquid and the dough becomes sticky)

Start to mix the dry and wet ingredients with as little needing a possible (over needing makes the scones heavy)

Gently pat the dough down onto a lightly floured surface and using a round fluted cutter cut out the scones from the dough

you may need to do this twice to use up all the dough

TIP – always use a metal scone cutter and try to press down on the dough firmly and straight down, as this helps the scones to rise well

Place the raw scones onto a baking liner on a baking tray and place in an oven at 150 for about 10 to 15 minutes

Remove from oven as the tops start to brown

Allow to cool on a baking grill

Cut in half and eat with cream and sugar free jam (Dalfour / Sunwheel)

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Healthy Loaf Cake

1 cup wholemeal self raising or spelt flour

1 cup self raising white flour

1 cup oats

1/2 cup coconut palm sugar / sweet freedom

1 teaspoon baking powder

125g organic unsalted butter

2 organic medium size eggs

1/2 cup half fat creme fraiche

3/4 cup goats milk/other milk

1 cup chopped dried prunes/dates/apricots

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup mixed seeds 

1/4 cup dried cranberries/ sultanas/ raisins (if you want a bit more sweetness)

Preheat oven to 180c

In a largish sized mixing bowl sift flours, baking powder & sugar, then add oats

Add butter and rub into the dried mixture with fingertips to resemble breadcrumbs

In a pouring jug, whisk the eggs with a fork, then add the creme fraiche and milk

Pour this mixture into the centre of the mixing bowel of dried ingredients

Add the dried fruits, nuts and seeds then mix together to form a stiff but moist mix

Spoon into a 1lb loaf tin lined with a nonstick liner

Bake for approx 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean

Leave to cool and then enjoy

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Delicious Healthy Carrot Cake

This recipe is for a 23cm round cake

150g brown spelt flour

150g self raising organic white flour

2 tsp baking powder

140g xylitol or coconut palm sugar

4 medium size free range organic eggs at room temperature

200ml organic sunflower oil

250g organic finely grated carrot

100g desiccated coconut

100g pecans

100g sultanas or raisins

40g goji berries

2tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 180c

Place a ready bought 20cm cake liner (I just stretch the liner a bit to accomodate the larger tin) in a 23cm tin

In a large bowl mix together both flours, baking powder, xylitol/coconut palm sugar, desiccated coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped pecans

In a jug beat the eggs and sunflower oil together

Add the liquid from the jug into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until well combined

Add the carrots, sultanas and goji berries

Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and place in the oven for 1 to 1 hour 10 minutes

Make sure the top of the cake feels springy and a skewer come out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake

If the top gets too dark the cover loosely with foil or baking paper

Cool on a wire rack for ten minutes, turn out and allow to fully cool before cutting up

This cake keeps really well for at least five days in a cake tin

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An adaptation of Nigella’s Banana Bread

This makes one loaf cake

100g sultanas

175g organic self raising flour

or 175g organic plain flour  (I generally use Dove’s farm organic white spelt) 

plus 2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp malden salt

100g organic unsalted butter

2 organic free range eggs

4-5 very ripe bananas

100g chopped walnuts

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

(you can add 100- 150g of Xylitol or coconut palm sugar but try and keep the sugar content as low as possible)

Soak the sultanas in some water straight from the kettle for 1/2 hour

Preheat oven to 170

Melt butter

Combine the flour, baking powder if you are using any, and salt in a medium sized bowl

In a large bowl mix melted butter and xylitol or coconut palm sugar, then add the eggs one at a time

Beat thoroughly and then add the mashed bananas

Stir in the walnuts, drained sultanas and vanilla extract

Now add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, stirring well in between each addition

Scrape the mixture into the loaf tin, place in the middle of the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours

The delicious smell will let you know it is ready, but as always, insert a skewer to ensure

it is cooked throughout the entire cake

Leave in the tin to cool and then enjoy

 

Fish pie (adapted from Jamie Oliver)

 

Serves 8 people

1kg salmon

3-4 pieces of peppered smoked mackerel

4 organic leeks

1 bunch flat leafed parsley

2 kg of organic potatoes

1 bunch raw asparagus

Small tub half fat creme fraiche

Nob organic butter 

1/2 lemon

Pre-heat oven to 175

Wash potatoes, chop into small pieces leaving their skins on and bring to the boil

Chop Salmon into approx 4 cm pieces and remove any skin or bones

Remove skin from mackerel and tear into chunks

Wash leeks thoroughly and cut into pieces

Chop parsley including stalks

Break asparagus into largish pieces

Place all the above in a large caste iron/ pyrex oven dish

Mix in 200ml of half fat creme fraiche (minus 2 tablespoons) and squeeze lemon juice over the contents

Once the potatoes are nicely soft, drain and mash with the nob of butter & 2 tbs of creme fraiche

Cover the fish and vegetable combination with the mash potato and bake for about 30 minutes

Enjoy with a large green salad or sliced tomato salad

Soups

Celeriac Soup

This recipe makes enough for 4 to 6 people

I will often double it, so there is enough for lunch the next day

1 ideally organic celeriac, peeled and cubed

1 organic potato peeled and cubed

1 organic white onion,peeled and cubes

1 clove of garlic

50g organic butter

1 litre of stock (home-made or kallo)

Green pesto to serve

Melt the butter slowly in a large heavy-based saucepan

Add the cubed celeriac, potato, onion and garlic

Sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes

Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes until the celeriac is completely soft

Liquidise until smooth, and if the soup is still hot serve immediately with a

drizzle of pesto and season if needed. Alternatively return to original pan and

re-heat, then add the pesto

Salads

 Greenslaw

1/2 white cabbage

1/2 green pointed cabbage

1/2 chinese cabbage

1/2 bunch parsley

radishes

poppy seed or black sesame seed

organic natural yogurt

mayonnaise

1/2 lemon

Slice very finely all three types of cabbage and place in a bowl

Roughly chop the parsley (stalks included)

Make the sauce using about 2 tbs of natural yogurt plus 2 tbs of mayonnaise plus the juice of 1/2 lemon

Pour over the cut cabbage and finally add the seeds

Stews

(Recipes to be added soon)