Oct
2018

Cooking Invention Week: The Amazing Tiger Nut! (4/7)

categories: Eating In, Food Allergy Tips, Gluten-Free Products, International, Recipes

Hello My People!

Today I’d like to share with you an amazing new discovery I made: the superfood Tigernut! Tigernut or Earth Almond (English) or Chufa (Spanish) or Erdmandel (German) is very high in fiber, good fats, and magnesium, and therefore very healthy! More importantly, it’s got a slightly sweet taste, kind of like the cashew, so it’s delicious to eat!

You can read more about its benefits in this Forbes (yes, Forbes!) article.

One can use it instead of oatmeal or flour in a pie base or crumble. One can even make it into “milk,” just as one would do with cashew milk or almond milk. It’s a fantastic switch-up for the usual grains or nuts you use in your cooking.

The Tiger Nut!
The Tiger Nut! In Germany, one common brand of ground tigernut is Govinda. 
Use it as a base for pies or crumbles... or instead of regular oatmeal!
Use it as a base for pies or crumbles… or instead of regular oatmeal!

So this week’s recipe idea is just that: a tigernut base apple crumble!

Ingredients for Filling

  • 3-4 large apples (please buy organic), chopped up or sliced
  • 5 tablespoons of apple sauce (or any fruit puree really, but please go for “no sugar added” versions)
  • Optional: bananas or frozen berries (for texture and flavour)
  • Optional: Nuts and/or raisin

Ingredients for Crust/Base

  • 2 cups of tigernut meal (you can mix it with oatmeal – final quantity should be the same, i.e. 2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of water (or any nut milk)

Method

1. Mix the tigernuts with the olive oil and water. You don’t need to over-mix it – just ensure that the liquid is more or less equally spread out over the grains.

2. If you’re using it as a base, spread it on the botton of your 21cm x 15cm pan. If you’re using it as a crumble topping, sprinkle on top of the filling when you’re done assembling the filling.

3. Mix the chopped apples with the other ingredients and spread in your pan.

4. If you’re making a crumble, spread the mixture on top. If you just really like tigernuts or oats, make two batches and have both a base and a crumble top! This is all about you, babe! 🙂

Enjoy a sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan. super-delicious dessert! No added sugar at all, unless of course, you’re gonna eat this with some yummy vegan ice-cream!

Peace,

Daisy


Oct
2018

Cooking Invention Week: Twirls Two Ways (2/7)

categories: Eating In, Food Allergy Tips, Recipes, Uncategorized

Hello Fellow Chefs and Chefs-in-Spirit!

Welcome to the second installation of my Cook-at-Home series! Today we’ll do Twirly Whirly Pasta two ways! I like to use pastas that are made from beans or lentils – an easy way to get one’s plant-based protein! You’ll want to experiment with different brands, though, because not all of the gluten-free ones (yes, make sure you get CERTIFIED gluten-free pasta) is also well textured. Some of them tend to be sticky or gummy or flaky. So if on the first try you don’t succeed, try another brand! And while you’re at it, choose brands that package responsibly (e.g. low in plastic), buy in bulk, or better yet… go to a Zero Waste store in your area!

Today’s recipes are going to be a) saucy, and b) not-so-saucy! Thankfully, the distinguishing ingredient is the pasta sauce that you’ll need for a). 🙂

Saucy: Spiral lentil pasta with marinara sauce...
Saucy: Spiral lentil pasta with marinara sauce…
Unsaucy: Sun-dried tomatoes and coriander, lightly stir-fried in olive oil...
Unsaucy: Sun-dried tomatoes and coriander, lightly stir-fried in olive oil…

Ingredients

  • A good kind of spiral pasta (try the ones made from lentils or beans!) – 250g or so
  • 1 large leek
  • Sundried tomatoes – about 10 pieces
  • Half a medium-sized broccoli (use the stems too!)
  • 1 bottle of tomato sauce – 250g (or you can use tomato paste too!)
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • Coriander and pine nuts for garnish

Method

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add salt. Add pasta. Follow instructions for how long to cook (usually 8-10 minutes).

2. Drain, and set aside.

3. In the same pot, add a little olive oil and the leeks. Add salt directly to the leeks – bring out their flavour!

4. Now, add your veggies in the order of how long they take to cook. Start with the broccoli stems, and then the sundried tomatoes, broccoli heads, etc. The veggies suggested above are merely suggestions – use whatever you have on hand! I usually keep the carrots for last – add them in only after I have taken the dish off the stove. That’s more than enough heat for carrots – the crunch is worth skipping the fire for!

5. If you’re using sauce, add it now.

6. Then add your drained pasta.

7. Garnish for fresh, chopped coriander and pine nuts!

I love these singular pot nutritious meals! Bon appetit!

Peace,

Daisy