Anti-inflammatory Turmeric Bomb
A few people have been asking me for this amazing anti-inflammatory recipe lately, so here it is! Be sure to use organic ingredients TURMERIC BOMB 1L virgin coconut oil4 tablespoons turmeric powder (or 200gm fresh turmeric root, blitzed or grated)2 tablespoons cracked black pepper1 tablespoon cinnamon powder1 tablespoon nutmeg powder1 spare jar (additional to the one your coconut oil is in) Melt coconut oil in a saucepan a low heat, stovetop.Once melted, turn heat off.Add all ingredients and combine well.Return to jars and refrigerate. Have one tablespoon daily to help combat inflammation.
Zucchini Cannelloni
Ingredients 5 large zucchinis (may be substituted with eggplant) 1 small onion, finely diced 250g baby spinach, roughly chopped 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 500g cottage cheese 1 handful basil, finely chopped 1 handful continental parsley, finely chopped 1 ½ cups grated cheese Pinch sea salt Crack of pepper 1 ½ – 2 cups passata (tomato puree) Method 1. Thinly slice zucchinis lengthways, approximately ½ cm thick. 2. Place olive oil in a pan on medium heat, then cook zucchini slices on each side until lightly browned. Remove zucchini from pan and set aside on a plate for later. 3. Brown off the onion and garlic in the pan. 4. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted. 5. In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, herbs, garlic, onion, baby spinach, salt and pepper. 6. On a plate or chopping board lay out 2-3 slices of zucchini so they are slightly overlapping. 7. Place a spoonful of the mixture across the zucchini slices, then roll. Ensure that mixture is completely wrapped in zucchini. Repeat until all mixture has been used. 8. Place in an olive oil lined baking dish. 9. Pour passata over the top of zucchini rolls and top with grated cheese. 10. Bake in a moderate oven for 20-35 minutes or until golden.
Guilt free ice-cream
I dont normally eat a lot of fruit because of the sugar, but sometimes i just really feel like a sweet treat (hence the small amount of fruit). Im a big believer in good quality fats too, so came up with this little creation to satisfy the moments my taste buds are seeking something naughty. 6 strawberries, topped6 raspberries1 kiwifruit, peeled1 tablespoon turmeric powder1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder2 cups cream Combine all in a food processor until mixed well. Place a raspberry in the bottom of each popsicle mould, spoon mixture in and tap mould on counter several times to help mixture settle. Freeze until solid. Notes: If you dont have popsicle moulds, this is just as good in takeaway containers. I try to avoid adding sweeteners, but if this mixture isnt to your taste, try adding a teaspoon of stevia. This would also be delicious with cinnamon and nutmeg. Peace, love and health, Mandah xo
Simple Butter
Butter This one is great for using up any left over cream, as you can make as much or as little as you wish. Don’t worry if it’s started to turn slightly, this is quite desirable and is great for making cultured butter. It not only adds to the flavour, but is full of lovely probiotics! I sometimes leave my cream out over night before making butter. Pop your cream into your food processor or blender, turn it on and allow it to churn for about 5-7 minutes. You will notice that the cream starts to turn yellow and will separate from the buttermilk. Turn the food processor off and pour the contents out into a sieve with a bowl or jug under it. (Or place the sieve on top of a funnel, which sits over a glass bottle.) Keep the buttermilk for other recipes (such as buckwheat pancakes). Once you have removed the buttermilk, press down on the butter with a spoon to push out any remaining liquid. Return the butter to the food processor and add a small amount of ice cold water (use about half the amount of water as your original amount of cream). It must be cold water, but cannot be actual ice. Turn food processor on and allow it to blitz for 30-60 seconds. Pour out water, ensuring it is thoroughly drained. This processor will harden up the butter, but is also essential for rinsing off the remainder of the buttermilk, therefore extending the shelf life of the butter. Add sea salt to taste, mix thoroughly. Place in the fridge and enjoy on everything Peace, love and health, Mandah xo
Coconut Yoghurt
Ingredients 3 cans of coconut cream (I chose Ayam as it has very few nasties and makes nice thick yoghurt. Brands with thickeners and gum should be avoided). 1 tablespoon of raw sugar (this is for the bacteria to feed off. It should be noted that honey is not suitable for this recipe). 2 probiotic capsules – this is your starter culture. (I use Metagenics Ultra Flora Immune because it has the right strains of bacteria, but products such as Inner Health Plus work equally well for this). Method Stir sugar into room temperature coconut cream until dissolved. Remove a small amount of the cream and slowly mix in probiotic powder from the capsules. Ensure its well blended before adding back into the rest of the cream. Stir well. Place in a yoghurt maker* and allow to ferment for 24 hours at 38°C. It will still be runny at this stage, but don’t stress, it will thicken up – place in fridge to cool and set. The bacteria eats the sugar, so your yoghurt should now be tangy like acidophilus yoghurt. Leave it as is for savoury cooking or sweeten with a small amount of maple syrup or honey and add your choice of fruit and nuts. My personal favourite is raspberries, toasted coconut and activated almonds. *If you don’t have a yoghurt maker, thats ok, you can still make yoghurt! There are a few different options, such as using the oven at a very low temperature (or utilising the residual heat after you’ve been cooking), a dehydrator or even on your bench top in summer. Peace, love and health, Mandah xo
Wild Fermentation – A how to guide
YOU WILL NEED 6-8 medium sized carrots (or vegetables of your choice), topped and tailed then cut into sticks1-2 tablespoons fresh herbs (dill and coriander are my favourites for this)4 cloves of peeled Australian garlic2 tablespoons himalayan/sea salt (please note that you cannot use table salt for this)1 litre filtered water1L glass jar with lid METHOD 1. Mix sea salt with filtered water and stir until dissolved. 2. Place half the herbs and garlic in the bottom of the jar and add the carrot sticks. 3. Pour salt water over the carrots and ensure they are completely submerged. 4. Add remaining garlic and herbs. 5. Leave in a warm place away from direct sunlight, on top of a cloth or paper towel to absorb any spillage. 6. The fermentation process takes 3-5 days, depending on the temperature. The warmer the weather, the sooner they’re ready. The best way to tell if they’re ready is by tasting them, don’t be scared! Ferment them until they taste good to you. If you see bubbling, great! This means your veggies are happily fermenting. 7. Once they’re ready, store in the refrigerator indefinitely. NOTES Carrots are best kept crunchy (the longer you ferment them, the softer they will become). I use this method for many different vegetables, including cucumber (which will become like gherkins), eggplant, beetroot, garlic and cauliflower. During the fermentation process there will be a build up of gas in the jars. To avoid an explosion, it is important to “burp” the jars by opening the lid every few days to release the gases. Peace, love and health, Mandah xo
Nourishing Vegetable Curry
Sometimes when we are busy we can forget to take care of ourselves because it’s easier to opt for the convenience option. Well, for those of you with a slower cooker, this one’s for you! I love to do a big cook up and set myself up for the week. Storing them in portions helps prevent over eating and also means you have a convenient option that’s great for when you’re on the go. This recipe also freezes beautifully. This is what I popped in mine, though the options are limitless. What a great way to use up your odds and ends of veggies too! Chop all veggies roughly (I like mine chunky). For non vegans, melt the chunk of butter in once you’ve turned the cooker off. 2 cans of organic coconut cream (cream rather than milk because we want all the lovely fats)2 tablespoons homemade vegetable stock paste (or 1 cups liquid stock)250g diced tomatoes3 medium carrots1 medium eggplant1/2 cauliflower head2 medium zucchinis6-8 large cup mushrooms1 brown onion2 cups baby spinach leaves1 beetroot1 sweet potato1 large Birdseye chilli, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, crushed1 tablespoon turmeric powder2 teaspoons sweet paprika1 tablespoon curry powderAdd filtered water to top1 large chunk of butter (optional, to be added at end).This is also lovely with chickpeas. Peace, love and health, Mandah xo
Gooey Caramel Brownie Cakes
Gooey Caramel Brownie Cakes Cake 2 cups blanched almond meal 1/2 cup cacao powder 1/4 cup coconut sugar 2 vanilla pods, scraped 1 tsp baking powder 3 eggs, separated 1/3 cup coconut oil 3/4 cup almond milk Gooey caramel 1/2 cup medjool dates 1/3 cup almond or cashew butter 1 tbsp mesquite powder 1/4 cup coconut cream Generous pinch of Himalayan salt Method 1. Preheat oven to 180 2. In a large bowl, combine dry cake ingredients. 3. Add almond milk, coconut oil and egg yolks. 4. Whisk egg whites until firm and gently mix into cake batter. 5. In a separate bowl, combine all caramel ingredients and combine until smooth. This may require a food processor or blender set on high. 6. Grease and flour (with almond meal) 6 ramekins. 7. Spoon in some cake batter, then caramel and top with more cake batter. 8. Pop into oven and cook for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy warm
Handmade Gifts
Thanks to my housemate for the inspiration, I knocked these little gifts up last night.Peppermint sugar scrub is super easy to make and is a great way to give a thoughtful gift without breaking the bank. You’ll need:Jars – I used 250ml jars, but it’s up to you.Ribbon 1L coconut oil 1-1.5kg sugar (raw or caster sugar)Natural food colouring Peppermint essential oil Ensuring the coconut oil is soft, place it in a bowl and combine with the sugar. Mix well. You may want to add more sugar to the mix to give it more texture. Add 2 drops of colouring, being careful not too use too much, or your jars will end up looking like the grinch! Add 10 drops of peppermint oil. Ensure you don’t use too much, as the purpose is to invigorate, not burn. Mix thoroughly and spoon into jars, then decorate however you wish. I also used the same recipe with lemon oil and salt instead of sugar. Delish! Peace, love and health, Mandah xo
Vegan Gut Broth
In the process of making a beautiful vegetable broth for gut health. This one has: red cabbage, Spanish onion, kale, leek, dried shiitake mushrooms, nutritional yeast, coconut aminos, wakame seaweed, turmeric powder, garlic, ginger (tip for this is to store it in the freezer to make it easier to grate), Murray River salt and ghee, though you could replace this with coconut oil for a vegan version.I’ve used all organic ingredients, local and fair trade where possible. I have a tendency to cook by feel, so haven’t measured this one out. Lots of wakame, kale and dried mushrooms make this an incredibly hearty dish. Peace, love and wellness, Mandah xo