Yay for the real foodies out there!

Thank goodness there are ‘real’ foodies out there who are creative and innovative in the kitchen! Otherwise honestly what would I have to blog about 🙂  My forte, I feel,  is in adaptations of recipes and in passing along good ideas so this week I intend to do just that.  This is a substitute for tomato paste/sauce which contains no deadly nightshades and which the awesome Hungry Cub blog has brought to my attention.

Simmering the carrots and beetroot.

I ventured to make this up today ready for tea tonight (still deciding between pasta, nachos or pizza ….. so definitely in an easy dinner mood) and found it very easy to make. Mine did turn out quite sweet though even with the apple cider vinegar added in so I did add a bit of Worcestershire Sauce and tamarind puree to give it more of a tomato paste taste.  Seems my thinking was not entirely new however as I found a similar ‘Nomato Sauce’ recipe over on ‘Enjoying this Journey’.

Anyway here is the recipe with adaptations that I made and if you wish to see the two original recipes then please hit the links above 🙂

Nightshade Free Sauce (makes 750ml)

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 brown onion, roughly diced
3 garlic cloves, roughly diced
2 cups peeled & cubed beetroot (1 large or 2 medium)
2 cups peeled & cubed carrot (approx 2 carrots)
Dried herbs – basil and thyme
1 cup veg stock  (sadly I just use some veg bouillon and then add water)
a few good grinds of salt
2 Tbsp Tamarind puree and some Worcestershire sauce if desired.
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
8 pitted black kalamata olives

• Cook the onion and garlic in the oil until they are translucent and softened.
• Add beetroot and carrot and cook for 5 mins before adding the herbs and stock.
• Cover and simmer until the veggies are soft – around 30 mins. You may need to add a bit more water for cooking (which I did) which will effect how much sauce you end up with.
• Remove from heat and cool before blending smooth.
• Add the AVC, olives, tamarind paste and some Worcestershire sauce to taste and blend again.
• Transfer into a container.  Hungry cub says to use within the week or freeze 🙂

Hope this finds you enjoying life and the food in it.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

 

GF, DF, RSF Anzac Biscuits

So the Hungry Cub blog has done it again!  Yet another yummy recipe without a hint of dairy, gluten or refined sugar in sight 🙂  Her blog is great, with loads of simple, good, healthy food so if you are into getting more recipes then I’d recommend following Hungry Cub so you can get them coming straight to your inbox 🙂

Ready to pop in the oven!

Anyway even though we are in the midst of the last of the apple harvest and busy stewing up apples along with starting Apple Cider vinegar (details and results in a few weeks) her Anzac Biscuit recipe looked so simple, yummy and healthy that I couldn’t resist making it and sharing!  You can find Hungry Cub’s  original Anzac recipe here and keep reading for my version which, only through laziness to actually check the recipe, is slightly less blended and chunkier 🙂

GF, DF, Refined Sugar Free (RSF) Anzac Biscuits

Makes 20 small biscuits

• 1/2 Cup of dates soaked for at least 3 hrs
• 3 Tbs cashew Butter (Pics is Awesome without other oil added)
• 1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds (I used a 70gm packet which was just over 1/2 cup)
• 1 Cup of desiccated coconut

-Drain dates (liquid not needed) and blend with cashew butter until smooth.

-Add other ingredients and mix until blended well

-Roll into small balls and place on a baking tray. Then flatten slightly with a fork

-Bake at 180 C for 10 mins or until golden.

-Enjoy 🙂

Hope this finds you happy, healthy and giving a thought for those who have gone before us.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

 

GF, dairy, refined sugar free and paleo delight

Just had to share this one, a triple layer chocolate caramel slice which is gluten, dairy and refined sugar free as well as Paleo!!

My second batch which had a double thickness base.

Yes you read correctly…. a delicious triple layer chocolate caramel slice which is gluten, dairy and refined sugar free as well as Paleo. This recipe is so easy and the thing I love most about it is that apart from an avocado I had everything in the cupboards.  My kind of recipe!

I will share the recipe link soon, I just wanted to add a few comments about my batches.

– Firstly the recipe says 2 avocados which I used first time around and yielded so much chocolaty goodness that we ended up just eating some as the layer was so, so thick already.  Second attempt I used one medium sized one and still had a good cover – see photo above.

– Secondly the thinner the base layer the better.  I had a bigger tin that the recipe (mine was 17 x 20 cm) and so the first batch seemed to have too thin a base however when I doubled the recipe for the base it was too thick to cut easily or to bite into. Thinner is better for this one 🙂

– Thirdly if you are not a nut lover (that is having them sprinkled on top) then you’ll be glad to know that this recipe is just as yummy without them on.

– Lastly, a big warning!!  Once you make this you will be making it again and scoffing it a lot as it is so so delicious!! Even wheat, dairy, grain and sugar loving himself couldn’t get enough 🙂

Thanks so much to Hungry Cub for sharing it.

Hope this finds you enjoying the simple pleasures in life.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz