Tangerine & Kefir Cake

 

4 tangerines

60g butter

60g brown sugar

50g sliced almonds

Cream the butter and sugar together and spread evenly over the bottom of a parchment paper lined cake pan.  Sprinkle with almonds and place the tangerine slices of the butter sugar mixture and set aside.

120g butter

250ml milk kefir (or buttermilk)

3 eggs

250g flour

120g sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

Beat the sugar with butter and add eggs one by one. Add kefir and vanilla and mix in the flour and baking powder, alternating with the remaining kefir.  Pour batter over the tangerines and back at 180C for about 30 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean.

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Bolo de Tangerinas e Kefir

4 Tangerinas

60g manteiga

60g açúcar amarelo

50g amêndoas rapadas

Bater a manteiga com o açúcar ate ficar cremoso e colocar na base de uma forma de bolo, coberta com papel vegetal. Polvilhar com as amêndoas rapadas e colocar as tangerinas em rodelas por cima da manteiga com açúcar.

 

120g manteiga

250ml kefir (ou buttermilk)

3 Ovos

250g farinha

120g açúcar

1 Colher de chá de extracto de baunilha

1 Colher de chá de fermento em pó

 

Bater o açúcar com a manteiga e adicionar os ovos um a um. Adicionar kefir e a baunilha e a farinha já misturada com o fermento em pó, e alternar com kefir. Colocar a mistura sobre as tangerinas na forma e levar ao forno a 180C por cerca de 30 minutos ou ate o teste do palito sair limpo.

Falafel, the Legume-less way

If you have sensitivity to legumes but can’t depart from this tasty fast food, this is the better way to enjoy falafel, without the chickpeas or fava beans which they are traditionally made of. Almonds give it a special crunch and with all the regular spices, you wouldn’t even know this is a faux falafel.  This recipe makes about 7 – 8 falafel.

1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup flax meal
1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup whole almonds
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
Small bunch of cilantro
Salt
     
Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until combined and almonds are in small chunks.  Roll into balls and deep fry.  Serve with toasted sesame seeds, hummus, or tahini.

Coconut & Prune Muffins

I was testing in the kitchen today and came up with this recipe. I find almond extract does a very good job masking the taste of stevia, for those who like a little sweetness but not a stevia after taste, and the prunes add flavour and sweetness as well. I didn’t weigh anything as I had my measuring cups out. So here goes…

1 cup greek yogourt
6 pitted dry prunes
¼ cup coconut oil
4 eggs
½ cup oat flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 dropper stevia
Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients except the coconut flour and shredded coconut in a blender until smooth. Remove mix from blender and pour in a bowl. Fold in half the shredded coconut and the coconut flour.

Divide into paper lined muffin tins and sprinkle with remaining shredded coconut. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350F for about 40 minutes. Makes 8 muffins and the house smells like a vacation from the toasted coconut on top!

Spicy Cheese & Speck Muffins

As a chef, I get inspired by some recipes I see but always start working in my head how I can change it to make it even better, for my taste buds at least :) It seems coconut flour breads allow me to maintain my weight, while wheat bloats me right up to a blimp form. Here is my take from a simple cheese and ham muffin recipe to a spicy muffin with speck and Swiss cheese. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.


3 eggs
30g speck, chopped
60g Swiss cheese, grated
30g coconut flour
2tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp dry thyme
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt and pepper

Beat eggs with oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Add the flour and baking powder and mix until there are no lumps. Fold in the cheese, jalapeno and speck. Bake for 20 minutes in pre-heated oven at 200C (400F). This recipe makes 6 muffins.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffin Tops

Sometimes I make mistakes in the kitchen, but when those mistakes turn out, I couldn’t be happier. I just attempted to make “diet” cookies, but it turns out I made something even better! The cookies came out a little too soft to be a "cookie" so it's more like a muffin top. Who doesn't like muffin tops? They are the best part of a muffin, don't you agree? These are chocolate peanut butter zucchini muffin tops, and boy are they ever good!

3 eggs
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
30-40 drops liquid stevia
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
4 tbsp coconut flour
1 cup zucchini, grated
1 tbsp almond chocolate spread
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup milk
¼ cayenne pepper
pinch of salt

Beat the eggs along with the butter, greek yogurt, vanilla, stevia, peanut butter and milk. Add the cocoa followed by all of the dry ingredients except the coconut flour. Once it is all mixed well add the flour. Stir it in just until there are no lumps. Pour spoons full of dough on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12 minutes in preheated oven at 175C (350F). Remove from oven and allow to cool. Makes 20 muffin tops.

Guiltless Coconut Pancake

Sunday breakfast never tasted this healthy! Try this filling recipe for a gluten free breakfast treat you will want to repeat even on Monday!


2 eggs
50 ml milk
½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp coconut flour
a few drops liquid stevia
pinch of salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients together except the flour. Once it is all well beaten, mix in the coconut flour. Cook on heated crepe pan greased with a little coconut oil. Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Serve topped with Greek yogurt and berries.

Coconut Kefir Bread

Being on a diet most of my life, (and failed many times) I have finally learned what is good for weight maintenance and what is not. I can’t teach you what to eat or not, but I can tell you what works for me. Wheat makes me gain weight like a blimp, but having the “carb” cravings all the time doesn’t help. So I turn to an alternative bread made with coconut flour, coconut oil and other good stuff. It doesn’t mean you can eat the whole loaf, but you may eat a slice and maintain your weight. This is also great for those who have gluten intolerance. It’s tasty and easy to make.


150g milk kefir
60g coconut flour
60g flax flour
30g hemp seeds
4 eggs
3 tbsp coconut oil
6g baking powder
3g baking soda
pinch of salt

Use 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil to grease a loaf pan and half of the hemp seeds to coat the inside of the pan. Beat the eggs and kefir together. Add the remaining coconut oil, flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Wisk just until incorporated. Pour batter into loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining hemp seeds over the batter. Bake in pre-heated oven at 175C for 40 minutes. Serve with Chocolate Almond Spread.


*If you are interested and starting to make your own kefir, please let me know. I will gladly send you some dehydrated grains by mail.