Spinach Dal

Back at school and I already have a massive biology case study, english essay and art project... so sorry about the lack of posting... At least I have done my english essay, which leaves me about 2 - 3 weeks to focus on my biology coursework, so for three weeks I may only post occasionally. Since I'm rather busy, I better give you a good recipe! Well this one is one of my favourites; its warming, satisfying and healthy too, so great for those cold cosy evenings. In the photo I put more spinach than usual, about 200g which I found was too much so about 150g is good but just feel free to experiment with how much spinach you want! 

Spinach Dal

Serves 4

200g red split lentils

800ml water

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 shallots, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil 

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 whole dried red chillies

150g young spinach 

crushed chillies (optional, to serve)

1. Wash the lentils thoroughly, drain and place in a pan with the water. Bring to the boil and immediately reduce the heat. Skim of the white froth as it forms on the surface for the next couple of minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cover and simmer gently for 15 - 20 minutes until very soft.

2. Remove the lid, season with salt (about 1/2 tsp) and simmer for a few more minutes until thick and smooth.

3. While the lentils cook, heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the chillies. Stir fry for 30 seconds then add the shallots, garlic and cumin. Cook, stirring often for 10 - 15 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

4. Add the spinach to the lentils, stirring until wilted. Add the contents of the frying pan, stir and serve.

Sprinkle your serving liberally with the crushed chilli for added kick!

Serve on its own or with brown basmati rice, or steamed cauliflower.

With love,

Teenie Foodie

Apple and cinnamon chia seed pudding

I find that there is something very satisfying about popping a pudding/jelly out of its mould... It's like watching your time and effort flower in to a perfect mould of yumminess. I suppose this weird feeling comes from the fact that I used to LOVE jelly when I was younger as it was a treat at school and I loved making it at home. Well this recipe isn't jelly, but it can be made in a mould and looks pretty popped out on a plate. When I made this chia seed pudding, I had no idea if it would work in the mould, but surprisingly it maintained its shape perfectly. The gentle flavour and texture of the chia seeds works perfectly with the softened grated apple and touch of cinnamon. I had mine for breakfast but it would also make a pretty dessert. For a dessert try using a juicy grated pear with a teaspoon or so of carob powder.


Apple and cinnamon chia seed pudding - Vegan, gluten, grain, refined sugar free
Serves 1

1 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup coarsely grated apple (from about 1 very small peeled apple)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. In a small bowl combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Place chia mixture into a small pudding mould/ramekin, press down and smooth surface. Sprinkle the surface with a little more cinnamon.
3. Cover mould and chill overnight.
4. Once set, dip the mould in a bowl of hot water hot water to loosen the edges then turn out the chia pudding on to a plate.
5. Serve with some toasted almonds sprinkled on top and/or some fresh blueberries.


With love,
Teenie Foodie

Coconut cookies with a hint of nutmeg

Today, I looked outside of my window at the grey sky and wet pavement and could not wait for Winter to be over. It can be slightly discouraging when you have things to do outside and the clouds are grey and pouring down buckets of rain... Well today I was scheduled to make some carob cookies for my dad, but instead I decided to inject a bit of Summer into my cookies with coconut and make my family's day a little sunnier. Coconut always reminds me of my Summer holidays in the caribbean where I used to watch sunsets while drinking pineapple and coconut virgin coladas,  or when the locals would climb up coconut trees to bring us fresh coconut water. Well these aren't exactly made with fresh coconut but they are similar to my carob cookies but with some shredded coconut thrown in, and a hint of ground nutmeg which reminds me of when I used to lick nutmeg off the surface of my mum's pina colada when I was younger.

Coconut cookies with a hint of nutmeg - gluten, dairy and added sugar free
Makes about 15 cookies

1 1/4 cup ground almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded/dessicated coconut

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda

1/4 cup apple puree/sauce

1/4 cup raw honey

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Melt honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Combine this with the apple puree in a small bowl.

4. Mix wet mixture into dry mixture.

5. Take small balls of the dough about 1 tbsp volume and flatten into small discs. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 14 minutes until the cookies are golden. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.

What's great about these cookies, is that not only are they vegan, gluten, dairy and refined sugar free, but they also have no oil or grains! I try use as little 'sweetener' in my recipes as possible, and raw honey is great for this is it is subtly sweet and good for you too. For those with more of a sweet tooth, try adding some chopped unsweetened dried pineapple, for a kind of pina colada cookie!

With love,

Teenie Foodie

Chia seed pudding

Chia seeds... chia seeds... CHIA SEEDS! Yes, I am a little excited about chia seeds. I had known about them for a while, but had never seen them in my local health food stores... when the other day I was strolling around whole foods, and right in front of my eyes were CHIA SEEDS! These things are God's gift to earth... seriously. I soaked them the other day for breakfast and my parents and I loved them. They are quite bland so you can add whatever flavours you like to them, which makes them really versatile. Most importantly these little seeds are a superfood packed with nutrition. They are high antioxidants, omega 3 essential oils, fibre and have more calcium than milk by weight. When soaked they're gelling action keeps you full for longer, and make a great start to the day as they provide lots of energy and balance blood sugar levels. Wow! That's pretty incredible, isn't it? Anyway, here's a basic recipe on how to make chia seed 'pudding', which you can eat for breakfast or as a dessert.

Chia seed pudding - serves 2 - 3

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup almond milk/other non dairy milk

Optional additional flavours -
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
agave nectar to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and soak overnight in the refrigerator.
Serve with your choice of toppings, such as fruit, nuts or dried fruit.

I served it with blueberries, papaya, shredded coconut and toasted flaked almonds.

With love,

Teenie Foodie

Raw vegan zucchini cannelloni with piquillo peppers and nut 'ricotta'

In the days when I still ate gluten, dairy and sugar, I used to love going to Cafe Florian (like the one in Venice) in Harrods. They have the most delicious pastries, ice cream and desserts, my favourite being the tiramisu. They also have a light lunch menu, from which I always chose the zucchini cannelloni filled with creamy cheese and served with salad and a red pepper sauce. Today I decided I would create my own zucchini cannelloni... gluten and dairy free of course. I made the cheese filling out of nuts, and instead of a pepper sauce, I tucked in slices of piquillo peppers (partly because I was lazy and I happened to have an open jar of piquillo peppers). They make an elegant and easy starter or a light lunch with salad. Have fun making them!

Raw vegan and gluten free zucchini cannelloni with piquillo peppers and nut 'ricotta'

Serves 2

For the cannelloni - 

1 large courgette/zucchini

1 - 2 tbsp olive oil

2 - 3 piquillo peppers, drained from a jar

For the nut 'ricotta' - (recipe makes more than needed, but leftovers can be kept for 1-2 day in the fridge)

1/2 cup almonds/cashews

1/2 cup pine nuts

juice of 1/2 large lemon

1/2 small yellow bell pepper, pith and seeds removed

1 tsp dried basil

salt and pepper to season

1. Using a mandoline, slice the courgette lengthwise into thin strips and place on a tray. Brush both sides       with a little olive oil and leave to soften for a couple of minutes while you prepare the nut ricotta.

2. Blend all ingredients for the nut ricotta in a strong blender/food processor, adding a couple of tablespoons of water until you get a thick smooth paste. Set aside.

3. Cut each piquillo pepper in half lengthwise and again in half lengthwise to create four equal pieces per pepper. Place one piece of pepper on the bottom edge of courgette slice and drop about 1/2 tbsp of the nut ricotta on to the pepper. Carefully roll the courgette slice forward to create a roll. Repeat with the other slices of courgette. Arrange on a plate with some rocket leaves and serve.

The recipe for nut ricotta is also great to make as a dip for crudites, a spread for gluten free wraps or a topping for gluten free lasagna.

With love, 

Teenie Foodie

Stuffed Peppers

I love the tofu bolognese recipe, but I was a little bored of having it plain and I needed to finish the last few portions from the freezer so I decided to spruce it up a little... Stuffed peppers!

I used to hate peppers when I was younger but recently I have been developing a liking for them, especially red bell peppers. Not only are they sweet and delicious but they are full of nutrition too! Peppers are high in vitamins C and A and are good sources of vitamin B6, along with some manganese, folate and potassium.

Stuffed Peppers - Serves 2

2 red bell peppers/capsicums, washed

2 portions of tofu bolognese

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Slice the top of the pepper off like a lid so that you are left with a 'cup' and its lid. Scoop out the seeds and the pith and fill with the tofu bolognese until it is full. Replace the lid. Spread the remaining bolognese (if any) in a roasting tin, place the peppers on top and bake for about 35-40 minutes until the peppers have softened.

With Love,

Teenie Foodie

Tofu Bolognese

My family and I often make soups and stews which we freeze in portions for those lazy sunday dinners. This recipe for tofu Bolognese is one of my favourites meals. This recipe is not my original recipe, but from a gluten and dairy free cafe in Somerset called 'Love in a cup'. I tried the recipe there and loved it so much that my mum and I asked for it so that we could make it at home. You can serve it on its own or for a heartier meal, with gluten free pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. I've never actually eaten normal beef bolognese as I do not eat red meat so I have no idea if it tastes like traditional bolognese... but I can tell you that it's delicious.

Tofu Bolognese - Vegan, gluten, dairy free
Serves 4

1 block firm tofu
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 carrot, grated
1 courgette/zucchini grated
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp each dried oregano, tarragon, rosemary
Salt and pepper to season

Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the onion and garlic and saute until softened. Add bay leaves, herbs and grated vegetables. Stir through until the vegetables have softened.
In a separate bowl, crumble/mash the tofu and add this to the pan. Stir in and add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.
Season well and simmer for 20 minutes.

With love,

Teenie Foodie

Nut cream

This nut cream recipe is a regular for my Sunday morning breakfast. Today while my mum prepared an antioxidant packed fruit salad of papaya, rasberries and blueberries, I made the nut cream. It's so simple and quick to make, but tastes delicious. I make it in my vitamix blender which is so powerful that the nut cream turns out super smooth and fluffy, but I'm sure you could use any strong blender or a food processor. It's packed with protein from the nuts and is sweetened solely by the apple.

For a more filling breakfast, follow the quantities below, but for a light breakfast dilute it with water/almond milk and drizzle over fruit. Experiment with flavours: try using some shredded coconut instead of the spices and serve with tropical fruit.

Nut cream - Vegan, dairy, gluten, soy, added sugar free

1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped
Heaped 1/2 cup blanched whole almonds (fit as many almonds as you can!)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until you have a thick smooth cream.
Optional: Add more water/nuts to reach desired consistency.
Serve with fresh fruit.

Keep for no more than 2 days in the fridge.

With Love,

Teenie Foodie

Starting the new year with nutty apple, cinnamon and seed bars

Happy New Year!

I decided to make the first post of the year a healthy one to kick start everyones year. I came up with these snack squares the other day, a recipe that I plan to use often for a snack for school. I call them 'Nutty apple, cinnamon and seed bars', a little long but very accurate as they show how much nutrition is in them! They disappeared pretty fast as my dad took a bunch to work, although he found them a little too 'healthy'. If you are looking for a treat then these are not that; they are hardly sweet, only from the apple and cinnamon, and are packed with protein from the nuts and seed; but they also have a nice crumbly light texture. The ingredients list may seem long but they are mostly things that you probably have at hand.

Nutty Cinnamon apple and seed bars - gluten, dairy, egg, soy, added sugar free
makes about 16 squares

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup smooth white almond butter

1 cup millet flakes

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/2 chopped almonds

1/2 cups ground flaxseeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 small/medium apples, cored, peeled and grated

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

Combine the millet flakes, ground and chopped almonds, seeds, flaxseeds and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together all other ingredients. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and combine well. Transfer to a greased and lined 9-inch square baking pan, press down and baked for about 55 - 60 minutes or until firm and browned on top. Leave to cool in the pan, then cut into squares and serve.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

If you have a sweet tooth you could add some honey/maple syrup to the recipe and some raisins would also be delicious. This recipe can be altered to your taste and here are some ideas on how to serve it:

- Warmed, sliced in half and spread with honey

- Warmed sliced in half and topped with a fried egg

- Sliced in half, spread with nut butter and topped with banana slices

- Crumbled over stewed apples and warmed

- Crumbled and stirred into soy yoghurt, honey and berries.

With love,

Teenie Foodie