Gluten free quinoa sesame chocolate biscuits

I love homemade biscuits and cookies.
Because I am avoiding gluten and it is quite hard to find some tasty ones out there, 

I am always trying to make some home. 

This way I know for sure what I am eating and that it is 100% healthy and natural and safe to eat!

Today, I want to share this super easy recipe with you.

Ingredients needed (for 20 biscuits):

1/2 cup cacao powder

1 and 1/2 cup of gluten free plain flour

2 tsp gluten free baking powder

1 cup quinoa flakes

1/2 cup white sesame seeds

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk of your choice (I used coconut one)

1 cup xylitol (or any other sweetener)

100g melted coconut oil

1 egg white (lightly beaten)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 170°C. 

Line your baking tray with a baking paper.

Sift cacao, flour and baking powder into a large bowl. 

Add quinoa flakes, chocolate chips and sugar. Stir to combine.

Add melted coconut oil, egg white and milk. Stir again.

With a big spoon create a small cookies, flatten them a bit. 

Bake for about 12-15mins. Let them cool down for a while a then serve.

Enjoy x  

DF/GF/SF/WF/V

Gluten free marble cake with cherries

One of our favourite ones from a childhood...a marble cake!

Simple & Tasty

Goes well with any kind of tea, coffee or milk

This time I added a handful of cherries. As per my bf's wish :-)

Ingredients needed:

230gr gluten free flour (I used self raising)

4 eggs

200gr sugar (I used mix of xylitol and coconut sugar)

125ml plant milk (I used rice one)

125ml olive oil (or coconut oil)

1tsp soda bicarbonate

1tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

handful cherries

Instructions:

Mix eggs and sugar with a hand blender until a foam is created. 

Slowly add milk and oil. 

Later on flour (which you sifted before together 

with soda bicarbonate and baking powder in a separate bowl).

Fill up your cake mould (which you greased a bit with oil 

and coated with a flour beforehead). 

Bake at 200°C for about 40min.

Once done, remove cake from mould straight after you take it out from oven, 

let it cool down and then cut.

Enjoy x

GF/DF/WF/V

Gluten free/Vegan banana blueberry almond mini cakes/muffins

Light breakfast or a mini cake/muffin snack

with bananas, blueberries, chocolate chips, almond meal and oat flour.

Gluten free, optionally vegan, 

slightly nutty and sweet and so deliciously healthy.

Ingredients needed (for 10 muffins)

2 flax eggs (or 2 small eggs)

2 ripe bananas

3 tbsp agave nectar, coconut sirup, maple sirup or honey (if not vegan)

1/4 cup plant milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup almond meal (ground almonds)

1/2 cup oat meal (ground oats)

*blueberries (optional)

*chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 170 °C. 

In the large bowl prepare flax eggs by mixing flaxseed and water and rest it for few minutes.

Mash bananas. 

Add sweetener, baking powder, vanilla, milk and stir.

Add almond and oat flours and stir once more. 

Add blueberries and chocolate chips if you decide to give it a go.

Fill up your moulds and bake for about 15-20mins. 

Let it cool down for 1-2 minutes and then remove from moulds.

Store in an airtight container or covered with a plastic wrap for several days. 

Freeze for longer storage.

Enjoy x

GF/SF/WF/V/V+

Cauliflower quinoa spinach vegan meatballs

These vegan meatballs are very versatile and easy to make.

They can be served with noodles (as I did), wrap, rice, pasta or just eaten on their own.

Delicious warm also cold.

Ingredients needed (for 22-24 balls)

1 cup uncooked quinoa (I used mix of white and red one)

1 cauliflower

handful of spinach leaves

2 flax-eggs (2 tbsp of flaxseed + 6 tbsp water, mix, set aside for 5 mins)

2 garlic gloves

3/4 cup gluten free breadcrumbs

2 tbsp flour (I used brown rice one)

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 tbsp italian seasoning

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 170°C.

Cook quinoa and cauliflower in separate tops.  

Once quinoa is done, set it aside.

Once cauliflower is done, put it in a food processor with garlic and handful of spinach leaves

 and blend for a while 

(you can also use hand blender).

Remove mixture and place in large bowl. 

Stir in the quinoa and flax-eggs.

Add breadcrumbs, flour and all herbs and stir by hand. 

Place bowl in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, allowing mixture to cool off and harden a bit.

Then create small balls using your hands and place on a baking paper 

(greased a little bit with olive oil).

Bake for about 15mins.

Enjoy x 

GF/V/V+/WF

Vegan gluten free banana cake

I can honestly say, this is so far the BEST banana cake I made. 

And this time is vegan!!!

And as usual gluten free. 

What are you waiting for then?

Let's bake it.

Ingredients needed:

225g gluten free flour (I used 200g white gluten free self rising flour + 25g brown rice flour)

2 flax eggs

2 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp xylitol (or any other preferred sweetener)

3 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp all spice

2-3 ripe bananas

75g melted coconut oil (or olive oil)

handful dried fruits and nuts (I used raisins, cranberries, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds)

* chocolate chips (optional)

* apple pure (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare flax eggs: 1 tbsp of flaxseed + 3 tbsp of water. (= 1 egg). 

Mix and let sit in fridge for 15mins.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Smash bananas and add an apple pure. Mix well. 

Add wet ingredients into dry ones, add your flax eggs and mix again.

Grease your baking pan (of any shape) with a bit of coconut oil and fill up with the mixture.

Bake for 25-30mins.

Enjoy x

DF/V/V+/GF/SF/WF

Banana coconut burgers

I am a huge fans of bananas and coconut 

and I absolutely enjoy every single recipe made out of them.

This is one of them. 

Simple and tasty sweet burgers.

They are super quick, moist and they go perfectly with tea or coffee.

Ingredients needed (for 20 pieces):

dry ingredients:

2 cups oats

1 cup ground almonds

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup mixed nuts (whole, cut or ground)

pinch of salt

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

*cacao nibs (optional)

* raisins (will add them next time!!!)

wet ingredients:

3 ripe bananas (mashed)

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)

1/2 cup coconut jam (or agave, date, maple sirup)

1 tsp almond essence

Instructions:

Preheat the to oven to190ºC. 

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Melt coconut oil, add jam/sirup and almond essence.

Combine dry mix with the wet one.

Shape the mix into small balls (flatten them if wanted) 

and then pop them into a baking tray 

(make sure you rub the tray with coconut oil to prevent sticking).

Bake for approximately 10-15min max (depending on oven) 

until browned on the outside.

Enjoy x

DF/GF/SF/WF/V/V+

Sweet potatoe-courgette quiche

Like having a quiche for lunch or dinner?

Great, so lets make your own one with ingredients you know and you prefer.

Ingredients needed:

2 sweet potatoes

2 courgettes

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

2 eggs

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup buckwheat flour

salt

pepper

herbs

*salad to serve

Instructions:

Coarsely grate sweet potatoes and courgettes.

Chop onion and garlic. 

Mix it all with the rest of the ingredients, taste with seasonings as you wish.

Bake on 180°C for about 40mins.

Best to serve warm, but it is tasty yummy also cold.

You can also use just courgettes or combine them it with carrots :)

Enjoy x 

GF/SF/WF/V

Beetroot stuffed pan-cake

This recipe is for everyone who loves pancakes and especially BEETROOT! 

This veggie is not only super healthy, but makes an amazing colour for your food too, wherever you use it.

I made this savoury version for today's lunch, but pancakes can be eaten also in sweet version. 

Please send me your sweet ideas or share with others :-)

Ingredients needed for about 25 medium pancakes:

3 roasted organic beetroots (roast in oven at 200°C for 15-20mins)

2 eggs

1 cup of gluten free flour (I used buckwheat one)

1/4 cup olive oil (or melted coconut oil)

1/2 cup milk (I used oats one)

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

black pepper

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

coconut oil for making pancakes

Ingredients needed for a filling:

fresh spinach leaves

fresh fennel

green olives

cottage cheese 

Instructions:

Mix all pancake's ingredients together and start to make pancakes :-) 

I am sure you all know how to make them. 

In meantime prepare your filling: blend all ingredients together.

And now serve.

Enjoy x 

GF/SF/WF/V

Healthy Apple Pie

Remember that juicy tasty grandma's apple pie you used to enjoy every time you visited her for holiday? Or mom's one she used to make every Sunday after lunch? This is it!!! 

Now, in healthier gluten free vegan version ready for you to get addicted to. 

As I did after my first bite...

Ingredients:

150gr oats

150gr buckwheat flour (or any of your choice)

80gr coconut sugar

180gr melted coconut oil

5-6 juice sweet apples (or 3 apples and 3 pears, up to you)

cinnamon

1tsp vanilla powder (or drops)

pinch of salt

Instructions:

Grate coarsely apples. 

Have 2 bowls ready to make a "dough".

Mix oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt together and divide the mixture in half. 

Or, if this is easier for you, prepare identical 2 mixtures 

(each 75gr oats, 75gr flour, 40r sugar, cinnamon, salt together) in 2 separate bowls.

Preheat your oven to 180°C and line your baking tray (20x20cm) with a baking paper. 

Pour 1 mixture on the bottom (don't press too much!),  then add all grated apples (again, don't press too much!) and pour the other half of mixture on the top. 

Now pour all the melted coconut oil on the top of the cake.

Bake for about 30-40minutes until golden and leave to cool down completely before serving. 

But I am telling you it will be hard to wait :-)

Enjoy x 

PS: Inspiration taken from FITNESS GURU. Slightly altered to even healthier (gluten free) version.

GF/WF/V/V+

Cashew ginger granola

Here I am with another granola combination for you to try.

Granola is great as you always mix just ingredients you fancy or have available and you have a great breakfast or snack ready in few minutes.

This time I decided to make one with a hint of ginger and quinoa.

Ingredients needed:

2 cups oats

1 cup soaked and drained quinoa

1 cup cashew nuts (coarsely cut)

handful dried apricots (cut in small pieces)

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup maple sirup (or date sirup)

sesame seeds

ground ginger

bit of fresh grated ginger (as I didnt have caramelized one)

cinnamon

salt

Instructions:

Mix oats, quinoa, sesame seeds and cashew together.

In a small bowl mix remaining ingredients together (a part from apricots) and pour over the dry ones. 

Mix well and spread equally on the baking paper sheet on the pan. 

Bake at 150°C for about 20-30mins until fragrant and light brown. 
Its necessary to mix it time to time so you prevent it from burning!!!  

Leave to cool down, add apricots and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Enjoy x

DF/GF/SF/V/V+

 

Buckwheat salad with salmon and mango lime dressing

My improvisation of today's lunch/dinner made my man very happy and full:). And myself too.

It was really tasty. The mango lime dressing goes very well with the fish, so I can only highly recommend this combination.

Ingredients needed for salad:

1 cup buckwheat

green beans

yellow pepper

green olives

1 shallot

coconut oil

organic salmon (or any other fish, fillet or even chicken)

Ingredients needed for dressing:

1 ripe mango

1/2 cucumber

1 lime (juice)

1 garlic clove

handful cashew nuts

black pepper

salt

vinegar

Instructions:

You can either make this salad totally raw or half raw, the way I did it. 

Cook 1 cup of buckwheat. Melt some coconut oil on pan, add cut shallot, green beans and pepper.
Steam for a while. Set aside. Prepare your fish.

Now make your dressing mixing all ingredients together in blender for about 3mins.

All ready. 

Enjoy x 

DF/GF/SF/WF

Almond quinoa nut bowl

Gluten free and nutritional breakfast

Overnight soaked quinoa, 

cooked in almond milk in the morning.

Add bit of coconut sugar,

top with chestnut flakes, chopped walnuts and hazelnuts, some bananas, 

dip in and enjoy x 

Doesn't it taste great? :)

GF/SF/WF/V/V+

The healing properties of clove essential oil

The therapeutic properties of clove are endless. It is a stimulant and has stomachic, expectorant, sedative, carminative, antispasmodic and digestive qualities. It helps flatulence, stimulates digestion and restores appetite, so is good for convalescence. It is a general tonic for both physical and intellectual weakness; and for those suffering from frigidity.

Its principal therapeutic value, though, is antiseptic because of the high proportion of eugenol. 

This is used for intestinal parasites, and for prevention of virus infections. It is good for the immune system, and particularly effective in mouth and tooth infections.

Below are only few areas in which you can find clove very helpful:

- Dentistry

- Skin cancer

- Diabetes 

- Menstrual pain

- Depression

- Parasitic infections

- Lung damage

...and much more

If you are curious how is it produced, how it grows, how and where to use it, how to even make your homemade clove soup, carry on reading on below links:

original source

slovak translation

Orange chocolate vegan cookies

Fancy some healthy vegan gluten free wheat free cookies?

Here they are - made with chickpeas and almonds

Super moist thanks to coconut butter

Ingredients needed:

1 tin of chickpeas ( 400g, approximately 240g drained)

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup coconut butter (melted)

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 fresh orange

1 tsp baking powder

*dash of almond essence (optional)

*handful goji berries (optional)

Instructions:

Mix everything in blender. Create "cookies" using a table spoon on your baking sheet.

Bake at 180°C for 10mins.

Enjoy x

DF/SF/GF/WF/V/V+

 

Cacao & Goji super quick crispy bars

You literally need 10min to make this snack.

NO COOKING - NO BAKING REQUIRED

While these bars still contain sugar they are free from the refined white stuff, gluten free and full of antioxidants from raw cacao and goji berries.  

Ingredients needed:

2 cups puffed rice

1/2 cup goji berries (I also used bit of mulberries and raisins)

2 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)

4 tbsp maple sirup (I used agave)

4 tbsp raw cacao powder

zest of half orange

Instructions:

   Place a pan on to a low heat and melt your coconut oil. Remove from the heat. 

  Add your tahini, cacao, maple syrup & orange zest to your melted coconut oil and mix until smooth and well combined.

In a bowl combine your puffed rice, cacao mix and goji berries and mix well.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and pour in your mix.

Place a second piece of greaseproof paper over the top and with palm press down the mix so it is tighty packed in to the tray.

Place in the fridge and allow cooling and set. Once set slice into squares.

Enjoy x

DF/GF/SF/WF/V/V+

 

 

Tangy redcurrant coconut muffins

To be honest. I can make and eat muffins all the time. Will never have enough of them.

This time I didnt even need to go to shop and buy ingredients, as I had all of them home already.

GLUTEN FREE - SUGAR FREE - DAIRY FREE - WHEAT FREE

Ingredients needed:

1/2 cup sifted coconut flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup agave/coconut sugar 

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup oat milk/any other plant one

3 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

few drops of vanilla extract

1 cup fresh redcurrants 

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together, fill up your muffin moulds and bake at 180°C for 15mins.

Enjoy x

DF/GF/SF/V/WF

Lemon coconut squares

So refreshing, zesty and tasty, 

you wouldnt be able to put them down!

This batch makes around 30 small squares

Ingredients needed:

for a crust

5 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp maple sirup (I used agave nectar)

2 cups (480ml/200gr) shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cup almond flour

pinch of sea salt

2 egg whites (save the yolks for the lemon curd)

for filling:

3 eggs + 2 egg yolks

6 tbsp maple sirup (or agave)

1/3 cup (80ml) lemon juice + 1 tbsp zest (around 2 lemons)

1/3 cup (80ml/35gr) almond flour

Dust with 3 tbsp of coconut flour

Instructions:

Set the oven to 175ºC.

Melt coconut oil in a sauce pan on low heat. Add maple sirup (or agave), shredded coconut, almond flour and salt. Stir around until everything is combined. Remove from the heat. Crack 2 eggs, save the egg yolks for later and add whites to the sauce pan while stirring. Keep stirring for about 1 minute. The mixture should be quite sticky. Line a baking dish with baking paper and pour the coconut mixture into it. Use your hands, a spatula or the backside of a spoon to flatten it out. Press it down firmly so it becomes quite compact. Bake for 10-12mins. Meanwhile start to preparing the filling.

In large bowl, beat eggs + 2 egg yolks with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the rest of the ingredients. Beat for 2 more minutes. Pour the mixture over the baked crust in the baking dish. Bake for about 15 mins or until edges are light brown and the centre is set. Let cool for at least 15min before slicing up the squares. At the end dust with coconut flour.

Enjoy x  

DF/SF/GF/WF/V

Beetroot falafels

This time I decided to try to make falafels without chickpeas.

I did use a chickpea flour instead :)

They turned up very well.

Love their strong beetroot taste!

Ingredients needed:

3 beetroot heads (roasted in oven for 15mins)

1 can of cooked red kidney beans (or cook them yourself)

1 cup of organic chickpea flour

2 garlic cloves

1 tsbp tahini

1 egg

lemon juice

fresh coriander

ground black pepper

apple cider vinegar

olive oil

salt  

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients together. Create small balls (or flat shaped balls).

Bake them at 180°C for 20mins.

Best to serve with salad. 

Enjoy x  

DG/GF/SF/V/WF

Beetroot chocolate protein balls

Roll and eat!
Full of flavours, full of proteins :)

Ingredients needed (for cca 12-15 balls):
2 cups rolled oats (a bit blended)
2 small cooked beetroots
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp oat milk (or other plant one)
1 tbsp protein powder (of your choice)

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together.
Create a thick "dough" (make sure all ingredients stick well together), make balls and rolled them in below ingredients:
*shredded coconut
*raw cacao powder
*milled linseeds
or anything you fancy :)
After being rolled, put in fridge for couple of minutes. And then, eat them, of course :-)

Enjoy x

 

 

DF/GF/SF/WF/V/V+

Almond chia bread

gluten free - wheat free - guilt free

To be honest with you, I didnt know what to expect from this bread. 

Especially when I saw the "dough" (below)  ready to be baked.

BUT. I liked the result very much.

Try it yourself and agree with me.

Ingredients needed (for a small loaf):

1 cup almond meal/flour

2 tbsp chia seeds 

30 ml of water

3/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour (remember to sift it to remove any lumps)

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)

3 eggs

pinch of salt

Instructions:

Soak chia seeds in water, make sure they completely soaked in water. 

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl using the whisk to mix it properly. 

Sift arrowroot, bicarbonate soda and baking powder in another bowl. 

Add almond flour and salt and mix well. 

Add eggs, soaked chia seeds and apple cider vinegar. 

Combine everything well until there are no lumps.

Dont be tempted to add any liquid (the mix is meant to be thick). 

Pour mix into baking tin lined with a non-stick baking paper or a silicon bread mold lightly oiled with olive oil. Bake for 25 mins until the bread is firm to the touch and the top has a golden colour. 

Adjust cooking time to 45-50mins if making a double mix (larger loaf).Enjoy x

DF/GF/SF/O/V/WF