Mouth-watering Mains:

CHICKPEA AND VEGETABLES STEW   
Ingredients:
Chickpeas, soaked overnight (throw out water)
1 teaspoon grated Ginger
1 stick Kombu (releases the gas in the beans, making them easier to digest)
Mix of seasonal vegies, eg. Carrots
                                          Celery
                                          Pumpkin
                                          Green beans
                                          Cauliflower
                                          Broccoli
Tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
Sunflower Seeds
Sea Salt (Himalayan or Celtic are best!)
Brown Rice or Quinoa, optional.

Method:
Cover chickpeas with fresh water, add kombu and cook until soft. Wash vegetables and cut into different shapes. Sauté ginger and vegetables, add some water and stew until vegetables are soft. Combine with chickpeas, sunflower seeds and tamari. Once cooked, season with sea salt and serve with brown rice or quinoa for a hearty and nutritious meal, or on its own for a grain free option.

BASIL PESTO
Ingredients:
1 Cup Basil
½ Cup Pine Nuts
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan (or a sprinkle of sea salt for a vegan option)
2 cloves of Garlic

Method:
Blend all ingredients in food processor. Adjust ingredients to taste by adding extra oil, garlic or salt. Serve mixed through pasta of your choice. Or try a creamy option by mixing it through a cheesy white sauce first. Great hot or cold!

GRAIN FREE PIZZA BASES:
Ingredients:

390g of Flour Mix (suggestion below but try anything)

- 150 g / 1 cup besan flour
- 150 g / 1 cup lupin (or buckwheat)
- 40 g / 1/4 cup potato flour
- 50 g / 1/4 cup tapioca/arrowroot flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp guar gum

5 tsp baking powder

500ml warm water - IMPORTANT - Sometimes you will need all of this water, sometimes you won't. It depends on humidity, altitude and moisture content of flour, which changes from batch to batch. see "TIPS ON THE FLOUR MIX" below for more information and detailed notes in the method.

40 ml oil

Method:

Lightly grease and line a couple of pizza trays with baking paper.

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. In a separate jug combine 500ml of warm water with the oil.

Add most of it to the dry ingredients and beat with a wooden spoon well combined. Stir it really well. Then stir it a bit more. It is important that the ingredients are really really well mixed.

Spoon mixture into your prepared pizza tray and smooth out the top. You need to spread it quite thinly so use a knife or spatula to get a smooth even spread. The thicker you spread the thicker your base, remember it will rise about 1/3 to 1/2 at least. Depending on the size of your pizza tray, you should get at least two large pizza's or 3 - 4 medium pizza's

Bake for 20 minutes until base nice and brown. Remove from oven.

Add your toppings then bake another for 10-15 minutes.

TIPS ON THE FLOUR MIX - Different flour combinations all can work well with this bread but all flours will absorb liquid differently. If you change the flour combinations take note of the following:

Using lighter flours like more potato or tapioca starch will mean you will need less water. Add it a bit at a time until you get the right sticky falling slowly off the spoon consistency. Using heavier flours like more buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth etc will mean you may need more water. Add it a bit at a time until you get the right sticky falling slowly off the spoon consistency.

Don't use too much tapioca flour - or if you do you need to beat your mix for about 4 minutes. Otherwise it will seem like it hasn't cooked no matter how long you bake it.

NOTE: You are looking for a sticky SLOW fall off the spoon consistency. If you need to shake the spoon for the dough to fall, its too dry, add more water. If it falls off the spoon quickly your moisture is too wet, add more flour. How much water you add is down to experience, it may take you a couple of goes to get this right.

Scrumptious Sides:

TOFU AND QUINOA SALAD
Ingredients:
1 small pk of Tofu, cut into cubes
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
1 cup cooked Quinoa (about ½ cup dry grain)
1 small Red Onion, finely sliced
1 clove of Garlic, crushed
1 Cucumber, diced
1 Tomato, diced
½ cup of fresh Mint, roughly chopped
½ cup of fresh Parsley, roughly chopped
1/3 cup Hazelnut, lightly toasted
2 tbsp of Sesame or Olive Oil
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Lemon, juice and rind
2 tsp sea salt
Rice Noodles, optional

Method:
Toss the tofu in a hot wok with the sesame oil and tamari, until golden brown. Drain and cool on a paper towel. In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together. Adjust to taste, with more tamari, oil or salt, if necessary. Mix with rice noodles, for a fuller main meal.

Sweet Treats:

CHRISTMAS (or Fruit) CAKE – Grain Free!!!

Ingredients:

2 Small Oranges (or 1 really big) - (Organic is best)

3 Large Eggs

¼ Cup Agave Syrup

½ Tsp Almond Essence

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence

2 Cups Almond Meal, Blanched

¼ Tsp Salt (Himalayan or Celtic is best)

1 Tsp Sodium Bicarbonate (Bicarb Soda, Baking Soda)

1 Tsp Cinnamon

½ Tsp Nutmeg

¾ Cup Walnuts, chopped

5 Dried Figs, chopped

1/3 Cup Dried Cranberries

250g Mixed Dried Fruit (Eg. Sultanas, Currants, Raisins, Apricots)

Method:

Boil the Orange/s (peel and all) for 1 ½ hours, or until soft. Preheat the oven to 170’C. Place the Oranges (peel and all) in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the eggs, agave, almond essence, vanilla essence, almond meal, salt, sodium bicarbonate, cinnamon and nutmeg to the orange mixture and blend until well combined. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in all the dried fruits and nuts. Pour into greased, lined 22cm pan. Bake for about 1 hour, checking and rotating every 15 minutes until a knife stuck in the centre comes out clean. If the cake begins to over-brown then cover with foil and continue baking. Cool in pan for at least 2 hours. Store in the fridge for up to a month.

CHOC CHIP COOKIES - Grain Free!!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Butter, softened

1/4 cup Coconut Oil, softened

1/8 cup Maple Syrup

1/8 cup Coconut Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

1 Egg, beaten

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate)

2 1/2 cups Blanched Almond Meal

1/2 cup Choc Chips (dark)

1/4 cup Walnuts or Pecans (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180'C and line a tray with baking paper.

Combine all wet ingredients and mix well.

In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients and then add to the wet. Stir until well combined.

Mix in the choc chips and nuts.

Spoon teaspoonfuls onto prepared tray about 5cm apart.

Bake for 10-15mins or until golden brown. Cool on tray.

COCONUT BREAD - Grain Free!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Coconut Flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp Shredded Coconut

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

3 Eggs, beaten

1/4 cup Maple Syrup

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

Method:

Preheat oven to 180'C and line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in tin for 5 mins.

NOTE - This is a fairly sweet 'banana bread' type recipe. It only makes a small loaf but ingredients can easily be doubled.

BANANA MUFFINS
Ingredients:
1¾ Cup of flour (spelt for wheat free or brown rice for gluten free!)
1 tablespoon of Rapadura Sugar (crushed sugar cane)
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped (or any nut of your choice!)
2 eggs (½ cup apple sauce for egg free!)
4 over ripe bananas
¾ cup milk (soy or rice for dairy free!)
3 tsp baking powder

Method:
Combine the flour, sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Combine the eggs, bananas and milk, then add to the flour mixture. Mix well. Scoop even amounts into pre greased muffin trays. Sprinkle some extra nuts on top if you want. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180’C for about 25 minutes, or until muffins have risen and browned nicely. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy while still warm.

BREAKFAST DELIGHTS:

GRAIN FREE PANCAKES

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 Cup Almond Meal (Natural or Blanched)

1/4 Tsp Sodium Bicarbonate (Bicarb Soda, Baking Soda)

2 Tsp Sweetener (Sugar, Honey, Maple or Agave Syrup)

Pinch Salt (Himalayan or Celtic is best)

1/4 Cup Milk (Dairy or Non-Dairy)

2 Big Tsp Melted Butter (or Oil)

2 Eggs, Separated

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon and/or Vanilla Essence (Optional)

Method:

Place everything EXCEPT the Egg Whites in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff and then gently fold into the rest of the mixture. Cook on low heat with lots of oil or butter. Serve hot with maple syrup and fruit (banana, mango, raspberries or apple compote work well!)

VARIATION: Try leaving out the sweetener and using a mashed ripe banana instead (use a little less milk too).