Well, the title says it all and it is true. This is perfect for breakfast on the go, when you just couldn’t get out of bed in time (like me today) to make yourself a proper breakfast. As usual, this recipe allows variation. For instance, the protein can be of any flavour and you can use any kind of milk instead of coconut water. Avocado is the key ingredient here – it adds texture and nutrition to the shake – the rest is customisable. The end result is a tasty shake full of healthy fats and amino acids – perfect way to start the day or as a post-workout drink.
Ingredients for 1 large or two regular shakes:
- 1 large ripe avocado
- One scoop/sachet of protein of your choice
- About 300ml of pure unsweetened coconut water
- Place roughly sliced avocado in blender together with protein and half of liquids. Process until smooth.
- Pour into shaker, add the rest of the liquids and shake well.
- Let it sit for a minute, then share it with someone or enjoy it all by yourself.
N.B. The amount of liquids depend on how thick you like your shake to be. 300ml used here makes for a relatively thick drink, so if you like it thinner add more liquids at the end. Also, add one teaspoon of honey for taste if using natural protein. See below.
A note on protein. In this recipe I used vegan chocolate protein from Sun Warrior. It is made from sprouted brown rice with added natural cocoa and sweetened with stevia. I highly recommend this protein for vegans as it is by far the best tasting and the cleanest plant protein that I have tried.
Otherwise, I would recommend to use natural whey protein in this shake. I am not a fan of sports proteins since they are full of sugar. There is only one that I have found so far that is clean – 100% Whey from Optimum Nutrition. I’ve used it in many recipes and it is, in my humble opinion, the best one on the market. At least until I find something better.
There is a very good natural and unsweetened whey powder available from Pulsin and The Good Whey Co. The latter company also does natural whey in different flavours and just like the above mentioned Optimum Nutrition they use sucralose instead of corn syrup or aspartame. So choose your protein wisely.
This recipe is suitable for those who are looking after their blood sugar levels as part of low carb diet. Suitable for vegans if using vegan protein, and for fitness related “clean” eating.
Buckwheat use in cooking dates back almost 6000 years, yet it is considered a novelty food in the west. I grew up on it in Russia. It was and still is a staple Eastern European side dish or breakfast porridge that was commonly served at peoples homes, at school and work cantinas – everywhere. It was always a sort of cheaper alternative to rice in Russia as rice was more expensive. It is ironic how the tide has turned and what used to be a “peasant food” now is a health food at a hefty cost comparing to other whole grains.
Although it ends with “wheat” it is in fact wheat-free as it is not a grain, but a seed. And yes – it is very healthy. I still cook with buckwheat often, not because I care much about my heritage, but because I care about my health. Buckwheat seeds and leaves are one of the richest source of Rutin – the antioxidant glucoside. It is one of the best nutrients for healthy blood vessels and capillary walls. It is also quite rich in protein for a seed and contains Lysine and Tryptophan among other amino-acids. This protein also binds cholesterol much better than the one in oats. Buckwheat is rich in Iron, Zinc, Selenium and vitamins B1, B2 and B3.
For novices, buckwheat can be a bit tricky to cook. It must never be mushy. If it is mushy – it is overcooked! It will be edible alright, but probably not so nutrient dense and not good looking. It must be grainy and fluffy when cooked, like rice. Traditionally we would always buy toasted buckwheat in Russia – it is tastier and cooks faster. The raw buckwheat should be toasted in dry frying pan until it pops prior to cooking. As soon as it is lightly golden and fragrant, transfer it to a pan, cover with double the amount of boiled water or stock (mushroom stock or watered gravy if you eat meat goes very well with it), salt it if required and mix gently. Now you can either let it simmer for about 20 minutes on the stove top or cover it and put in the oven for the same amount of time. It is ready when all the liquid has been absorbed and the buckwheat is light and fluffy. To make it perfect, you just have to practice and taste it as it cooks. Once its very soft but the seeds are still intact – it’s ready. Always wash it carefully before use and remove any bad grains.
Buckwheat flour and noodles has been used in Eastern Russia and Japan for many years. Traditional Russian buckwheat pancakes are made with buckwheat flour and are usually savoury with filling inside. The original Soba noodles are made of 100% buckwheat and so are buckwheat dumplings that are used in Japanese soups and stews.
Here is my recipe of buckwheat and spelt bread, where I use buckwheat flour. Japanese soba noodles recipe and a very good Russian recipe for you to try from my good friend Katrina of Russian Revels.
Some people may be allergic to Buckwheat but it is rare. Overall, buckwheat is virtually fat free, contains protein and is gluten free. It is tasty and perfect for a side dish or stuffing. Buckwheat flour is a healthy alternative to regular flour in baking, but due to the specific taste it works better in savoury rather than sweet recipes. So, give it a try – who knows, maybe you’ll discover a new favorite.
This was the first time I cooked low carb Dreamfields pasta and the result was wonderful! I prefer to stick to a low GI diet, so I used to buy wholegrain pasta before, but no matter what brand and price band I went for, the result was always the same – it was like chewing a cardboard. After a while I just switched to brown rice pasta with slightly higher GI, but you have to time it really well as it falls apart very fast and it is very expensive (I buy the one that is imported from Canada). This is the first time when the taste and the texture remains the same (or even better!) even though it is modified to contain less digestible carbs.
I prefer to make pesto myself, because, well there’s no excuse not to. It is much tastier, you use much less salt and oil, no preservatives and there’s always room for experimentation. This pesto is vegan and nut-free. I do use nutritional yeast flakes for cheesy flavour, but it is entirely optional. Fresh herbs will dominate the taste anyway. Feel free to experiment with various herbs, the combo below is my favorite, but a little bit of mint or chives might add to the flavour too. There’s usually way too much oil in store bought pesto. Here I only use 4 tbsp and the rest of the liquids are from cucumber. It adds nutrition and a little flavour, so cucumber is excellent to use instead of water. Capers are used instead of salt, so if you don’t like capers, substitute it with half a teaspoon of good quality salt.
Serves 2:
Required amount of low carb pasta.
- bunch of each: basil and parsley, washed
- about 35g of rocket (small bowl), washed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp capers
- ground pepper
- half a cucumber (about 10 cm)
- Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Usually about 10 minutes once the water is boiling.
- While pasta is cooking, place all the pesto ingredients in the food processor and process to desired consistency. If your food processor is small, mix the herbs with lemon juice, garlic and oil first, then add the rest of ingredients.
- Drain the pasta and mix it with pesto.
- Serve!
This recipe is suitable for those who are looking after their blood sugar levels as the GI of this pasta is low. It is also low fat, nut free, vegan and suitable for clean eating (bodybuilders will know what I’m talking about).
Contains: wheat, gluten.
This is not a recipe but rather an idea that I would like to share. I don’t have anything decent looking for serving soft desserts like puddings. My ramekins are too small and the rest of the wares are not pretty enough. So I’ve spotted this idea of serving a pudding in the orange skin in some magazine – I don’t remember which one, sorry – but I couldn’t find large enough oranges to make it. Well, here it is finally and I must say it looked fabulous!
You can make any chocolate or non-chocolate pudding of your choice and fill the oranges with it. I bet it would taste yummy and look fantastic with some lemon pudding or key lime cheesecake. The key is to buy very large oranges with not too thick skin, but just thick enough for it to hold while baking. Once your pudding base/dough is ready, wash your oranges thoroughly, then cut the top off. With a serrated knife, carve out most of pulp and membranes. It’s OK if you’ll have a bit left at the bottom as long as you remove most of it – the leftover pulp will give off juices while cooking and mix in with the flavour of your pudding. Reserve the pulp for juice or salad and fill the oranges with a dessert of your choice. Bake according to your cooking instructions.
I’ve made a dark chocolate and orange pudding with brandy. Yum!
I found the original recipe at myrecipes.com, but as usual, I had to change it to my requirements. I swapped canola oil for coconut oil, because I try not to use vegetable oils in my cooking as they are unstable and provide too much PUFAs. Coconut oil compliments spicy food very well, have higher heat tolerance and is a source of MCTs (medium chain triglycerides). I have also used brown rice flour instead of cornstarch. It does the job just as well, but the starch is healthier than the potato or corn one. Adding freshly squeezed orange juice and using fresh chili and garlic is also considerably better than using packaged sauces. I served the prawns with brown rice and green soy beans for extra protein and isoflavones.
Unfortunately, my pictures of this yummy mess was not quite as appealing as the one below, so you can click on the image to see the original recipe and credits.
 Please click the picture to see the original recipe.
Serves 2:
- 225g cooked king prawns, fresh or frozen. Defrost the frozen ones thoroughly before cooking.
- Brown rice flour for coating.
- Juice of one large orange. Don’t worry if you’ll have the bits in the sauce – it adds to the taste.
- 2 tbsp. Braggs liquid aminos or low-sodium soy sauce.
- 2 tbsp. natural honey or 1 tbsp. dark agave nectar.
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar. Try to use the one without gluten. I use Clearspring brown rice vinegar.
- 1 tbsp. raw coconut oil.
- 1 red chili, deseeded and chopped.
- Piece of 1.5 inch ginger, peeled and shopped.
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and squeezed.
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste.
- 3 tbsp. water plus extra, to thin the sauce if it gets too thick.
- 3-4 spring onions, sliced.
- Combine juice, aminos, agave and vinegar; set aside.
- Coat prawns in flour and set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, chili and tomato paste with water to pan; stir-fry until fragrant and coated in tomato paste.
- Mix in orange sauce and heat everything through, but do not allow it to boil.
- Add prawns and onions and cook until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. If it gets too thick, add a little water.
These delicious, soft, melt-in-your-mouth brownies are completely guilt free. Not only they are vegan, baking with ground almonds and agave nectar instead of sugar makes them low-GI, wheat and gluten-free – heavenly! You can substitute Agave nectar with Xylitol if trying to avoid fructose.
Yields 12 squares.
- 200ml rice milk
- 100g vegan (dairy-free) dark chocolate, broken to pieces. I used 85% one.
- 1 ts. vanilla extract
- 50ml dark agave nectar
- 50ml/50g pure coconut oil plus a little for greasing
- 200g ground almonds
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp 100% cocoa powder
- Grease the flameproof square dish with oil and preheat the oven to 180C
- Pour milk into a small pan, add chocolate pieces and vanilla extract and stir over a low heat until the chocolate has melted and incorporated into the milk. Do not let mixture to boil, very low heat is the key here.
- Remove from the heat, add coconut oil and agave nectar and stir until the oil has melted.
- Mix dry ingredients together, breaking any almond and clusters, then gradually pour the liquid mixture into the dry one, whisking it as you pour. The resulting mixture should be not too thick, smoothie-like consistency.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Let the cake cool completely before slicing it into squares. Enjoy!
This recipe suitable for low-GI, clean, vegan and free-from diet.
This smoothie is an adaptation of the one from Elana’s Pantry – one of my favorite recipe blogs. It is packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre, healthy fats and makes a perfect breakfast or post-exercise shake. Soy lecithin is optional, but I always like to add it to my drinks for its brain boosting, cholesterol lowering, and other health properties. You can substitute blueberries for any berry you like. I’ve tried it with raspberries, mixed berries and strawberries and all of them tasted nice. Blueberry is my favorite though. Make sure you buy a good quality frozen berries. My personal favorite is Waitrose’s frozen blueberries because they retain the taste of fresh ones. I have also tried to make it with peanut butter instead of almond and it tasted really good too.
For two tall glasses you will need:
- a good handful of berries (I never measured the quantity, but it would be roughly 200g)
- 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
- 1 tbsp/scoop soy lecithin granules (optional)
- 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- Pure coconut water, enough to cover all ingredients in blender. About 200 – 250 ml.
Place all ingredients in the blender, preferably in the order above, otherwise your protein powder and nut butter can stick to the bottom of the blender and won’t process properly. Blend until smooth, poor into glasses – enjoy!
This vegetarian smoothie is wheat and gluten-free and suitable for low fat and low-GI diet.
Chestnuts in various forms have become my favorite ingredient. Who would have thought that a simple nut can be so versatile and bring out wonderful flavours in dishes all year round, not only during Christmas. I particularly like desserts made with chestnuts and this is one definitely my favorite so far – I just keep thinking about it and crave more of it.
This “cheesecake” doesn’t actually have any cheese in it, but made out of chestnut puree and vegan soft cheese, which is mostly tofu, but don’t get alarmed, it tastes wonderful! This is not a vegan cake though, as it requires eggs. The ingredients listed will make for one, quite thin cake. If you want to feed more people and make it thicker (or just want more for yourself – and trust me, you would) – double the amount of cheese and chestnuts and increase the time slightly – you will have to keep an eye on it and check it every 30 minutes or so. Which brings me to another point – this is not a fast cake to make. Preparation doesn’t take long, but steaming it in the oven can take up to 2 hours, depending on the thickness of cake. You will need a roasting tin or other container that will fit your cake form inside, for water bath.
After all the cooking, the cake will come out very rich, creamy and luscious. Ginger and spices complement it nicely and will remind you of Christmas. I find it tastes gorgeous with fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of raw cocoa powder. OK, I think I’m going to drool now, so the ingredients are below.
Equipment: a round spring-form tin, blender or food processor, baking parchment, thick aluminium foil and a deep roasting pan for bain-marie.
For crust:
- 250g ginger oat biscuits. Nairn’s are quite good. If you can’t find oat biscuits, use regular ginger snaps. Both are quite sweet, so no extra sugar required
- 3 tbsp raw coconut oil, melted if necessary
- pinch of salt
For cheesecake:
- 225g vegan or dairy free soft cheese. I always use Tofutti original – it tastes like the real thing
- 80ml dark agave nectar
- 2-3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 400g chestnut puree. You can get the Merchant Gourmet one in any supermarket now
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp each ground nutmeg, ground allspice and salt
- Preheat the oven with the rack inside to 180C. Grease the sides and bottom of your cake tin with coconut oil and line with the parchment. Oil the parchment too.
- Combine all the crust ingredients in the food processor until it resembles moist and slightly sticky breadcrumbs. Turn them into the cake tin and, using gloves or a cling film around your hands, press it firmly and evenly into the tin. This will be your base.
- Bake the base for 10 minutes, then let it cool outside the oven. Once cooled, wrap the outside of the tin with foil to prepare it for bain-marie.
- While the base is cooling, make the filling. Decrease the oven temperature to 160c and boil a kettle of water.
- Beat the cream cheese and agave nectar with a mixer or mix it in food processor, then add eggs – one at a time, beating the batter after each egg. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it all until smooth. Blender or food processor would come very handy in this.
- Pour the batter into cooled and foil wrapped tin, and place the tin in a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with boiled water, carefully place it in the oven and bake for an hour. The cake should be set, but tremble like jelly after one hour.
- Reduce the heat to 120C and let it stand in the oven for another hour or so. Don’t let it burn, so check on it in 30 minutes. If necessary, turn the oven off and let it stand inside for another 30 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
- N0w you can either chill it, covered, for 8 hours or overnight, or remove it carefully from the tin and serve it straight away.
Just wanted to mention Munchy Seeds here, because it is so convenient and nice to snack on them. These seed packs are healthy, and actually quite tasty and addicting, because they are flavoured with spices or soy sauce. There is even a sweet variety. This is definitely a great idea, and an excellent way to eat more seeds, because we all know that seeds are healthy. One pack like this is also surprisingly filling, and it doesn’t raise blood sugar level. This means you can just pop it into your bag wherever you go and munch on them if you get hungry. It will prevent you from reaching out for that chocolate bar or a sandwich. I like seeds, but I always found them a bit boring. Well, not anymore. Munchy Seeds are available in most health food stores and some supermarkets.
I just wanted to share my latest food craze – vacuum packed Kimchi. I am well familiar with Korean cuisine, as I was growing up in the far east and I love Korean and Japanese food. However, it was quite difficult to find these foods here in London when I first moved here. I am very happy to see the Clearspring range of Japanese foods has grown over the past few years and was introduced to most major supermarkets, but Korean foods are still hard to find. However, most good health food stores are now selling this vacuum-packed Kimchi, which is amazing! I know it’s always good to make your own from scratch, but this one does not contain MSG, which is so common in prepacked Asian foods – even miso soups has it! All ingredients there are quite good. It is not vegetarian though, as it contains fermented anchovy sauce and salted shrimp sauce.
Kimchi tastes great and is very healthy. It contains naturally occurring probiotic bacteria, B-vitamins, vitamin C, carotene, Iron, lots of fibre, Glutamine and it is very low in calories and almost zero fat. I’m not going to bore you with the complete nutritional breakdown and you can read more about the history of Kimchi and its health benefits here. I’m just glad that it is widely available in stores now and I would recommend it to anyone. Try it, it’s really tasty. It goes very well with rice, mashed potatoes (mmmm….) or just with a slice of bread. You can also mix it with eggs and add it to soups.
|
|
