Gluten free oat flour and ricotta pancakes

As I have switched my diet and I don’t use any more wheat and their products, there are many new ways that I have to go around to substitute food that I am used to….I still do Pancake Sundays and I have been experimenting a lot with all different pancake types and flours, such as almond, coconut, soya and so on. I think finally I found my recipe for perfect pancake texture that is really fluffy and light and definitely hard to make difference from traditional pancakes. You can also add berries, apples and whatever you want to the batter and it still would be good….the original recipe goes with buckwheat, but I don’t have it and it is still wheat family, so I just stick to oat flour that is super healthy and tasty.

So, here goes the recipe:

1 cup oat flour 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sea salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup ricotta
1 large egg
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil (or butter)

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, combine the milk, ricotta, egg and maple syrup together with the melted coconut oil. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat up your skillet, grease it lightly with butter or coconut oil and drop batter onto the pan. When bubbles form on top and the slides look almost set, flip for 30 seconds. Remove and repeat.

Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Spice Muffins

I started following pale diet, so from now on probably you won’t see here that much of pasta, rice and baked flour recipes. However, I came up with really nice recipes that I enjoy a lot and can eat guilt free.

4 (4 block) servings

Dry ingredients:
1 1/3 cups oat flour (measure, then sift)
4 (1 ounce) scoops chocolate whey protein (amount providing 84 grams protein), scant 1 cup
1 tablespoon non-aluminum baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons apple or pumpkin pie spice
3 cups grated zucchini
1 tablespoon grated orange rind (optional)

Wet ingredients:
2 whole eggs + 4 egg whites
5 1/3 teaspoons unrefined canola oil
8 teaspoons fructose powder or syrup
2/3 cup apple sauce

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 12 muffin tins with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. Sift dry ingredients into a 1 1/2-quart mixing bowl, adding orange rind if desired. Top with grated zucchini and set aside.
3. Combine wet ingredients in blender. Cover and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until evenly mixed, scraping bottom of bowl to incorporate flour and remove lumps. Do not over-mix.
4. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups, evenly distributing it.
5. Bake in preheated oven until firm to the touch, golden on top and around the edges, and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about for 20 to 24 minutes. Allow to cool; then run a knife around edges to release muffins. Cover and refrigerate. Use within 1 week or freeze.

Variation:
* Divide batter between 16 muffin tins, filling any empty tins with water. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until muffins test done. Each muffin will contain 1 protein, 1 carb, and 1 fat block — perfect for snacks.

Italian baked Eggs

This is great and light breakfast recipe that provides good intake of protein.

• 1 small zucchini ( or 6 white mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red or green sweet pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 6 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 tbsp of shredded fresh basil (used dried)
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1 oz)
• chopped tomato
• black pepper and salt to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In medium skillet cook zucchini, onion, sweet pepper and garlic in hot oil until onion is tender. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl stir together the egg whites, egg, milk and basil. Stir in zucchini mixture. add salt and pepper. Pour into 4 individual quiche dishes or shallow casseroles. (I simply used one dish and just cut afterwards in 4 peaces).
4. Bake in the oven for 15-20mins. or until set. Sprinkle each serving with mozzarella cheese. Let stand 5 mins. before serving so that cheese on the top would melt.

Related articles

• Zucchini Fries (ihaveiwant.wordpress.com)
• Oven Baked Zucchini Sticks with Sweet Onion Dip (thecocinamonologues.com)
• Stuffed Zucchini Boats (staceyarcher.wordpress.com)
• Feta Zucchini Pancakes (thedailymeal.com)
• Cucumber and Zucchini Panzanella (thedailymeal.com)

Oatmeal chocolate chocolate chips muffins

I love having a dessert, but I don’t like paying too much for it in calories, so I always try to find out ways to make things lighter but the same tasty. I came up with this recipe because recently I got a chocolate muffin from Tim Hortons and when I checked in my food journal how much calories it has, it was 410 kcal!!! That would be 1/3 of my daily calorie intake if I don’t work out. It is not that I am crazy about calories and watch everything that I eat scrupulously, but I want to loose weight without torture 🙂 I think that this is too big price to pay for something that would not bring that much pleasure. So, I decided to make muffins and to know what I am eating and feel good about it.

I came found in my food cabinet oatmeal muffin mix that required just adding water and one muffin was worth 150 kcal. I just pimp it up a bit and then I got delicious muffins that I can enjoy guilt free. for 7 muffins I needed:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups muffin mix (225g. yelds for 6 muffins)

3/4 cups of water

50g chocolate chips

1 tbsp pure cocoa.

1tsp of sweet spices mix (optional)

 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly coat muffin tin with cooking spray. Put muffin mix, spices, cocoa and half of chocolate chips in to the bowl, breaking up any lumps. Add water. Blend with wooden spoon, just until moistened. Divide batter evenly into 7 muffin tin holes. Sprinkle the rest of chocolate chips on the top of muffins. Bake for around 25 mins. They came out really delicious and for the first time I was glad using pre-made mix even though I am usually very sceptical about it.

One muffin has 165 kcal., 3.3g of fat, 31.3g. of carbs and 2.4g. of protein.

 

Homemade gnocchi & tomato bake

I love gnocchi. I love them since I was 18 and went to Italy for the first time. I had them with homemade pesto and freshly shaved parmesan for a dinner with an italian family in Genoa. Since then I am in love with gnocchi, pesto and italian food. Couple days ago I went to supermarket and bought some gnocchi, but as I was thinking what to make for a dinner tonight, I decided why not to search for a recipe to learn how to make gnocchi from scratch and use the bought ones for the occasion when we don’t have time to make dinner or feel very lazy to do it 🙂 So, I stick with this video that I found on internet from http://www.videojug.com 🙂

Then, I was searching for recipe that I would like gnocchi to have with, because even though I am in love with pesto, my husband does not share the same passion, so I have to make a compromise. Therefore we have this recipe that is quite light and not too heavy. I also added spinach to it and used simple mozzarella cheese rather than fresh one….

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 1 red pepper , deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 500g gnocchi
• handful basil leaves, torn (I used dried one)
• half a 125g ball mozzarella , torn into chunks

1. Heat grill to high. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then soften the onion and pepper for 5 mins. Stir in the garlic, fry for 1 min, tip in the tomatoes and gnocchi, then bring to a simmer. Bubble for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is soft and the sauce has thickened. Season, stir through the basil, then transfer to a large ovenproof dish.
2. Scatter with the mozzarella, then grill for 5-6 mins until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

BON APPETIT!!!!

Blueberry pancakes

Every Sunday we have friends coming over for our pancake sunday and I have made great variety of pancakes and crepes for those Sundays. Today I chose to make blueberry pancakes as they are so delicious 🙂

 

Ingredients

• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 300ml milk
• knob butter
• 150g pack blueberries
• sunflower oil or a little butter for cooking
• golden or maple syrup

Method:

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Beat the egg with the milk, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and whisk in the milk to make a thick smooth batter. Beat in the melted butter, and gently stir in half the blueberries.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil or small knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Drop a large tablespoonful of the batter per pancake into the pan to make pancakes about 7.5cm across. Make three or four pancakes at a time. Cook for about 3 minutes over a medium heat until small bubbles appear on the surface of each pancake, then turn and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden. Cover with kitchen paper to keep warm while you use up the rest of the batter. Serve with golden syrup and the rest of the blueberries.

Related articles

• Paleo Pancakes (sleepeatgymrepeat.com)
• Berry Buttermilk Pancakes (handmplanninginthekitchen.wordpress.com)
• Sweet Potato Pancakes on the Food Network (whatsyourdiet.wordpress.com)
• National Blueberry Pancake Day (budgetcouponcooking.wordpress.com)
• It’s National Blueberry Pancake Day – 16 Blueberry pancake recipes to flip for! (examiner.com)
• Blueberry Pancakes (thethreadaffect.com)
• Blueberry Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce {Sunday Brunch} (letlooselittell.wordpress.com)
• Creating Traditions (followmyself.wordpress.com)
• Easy Blueberry Oat Pancakes (dietgirl.org)
• Lemon Blueberry Pancakes (cozycakescottage.com)

Tia Maria Cheesecake

Last weekend was birthday of my husband, so I decided to make a cheesecake. It took quite a long time to choose which one to make and having in mind the unpredictable amount of people I decided to make a big one, so that there would be enough for everyone. And sure it was…I am only glad that I used light cream cheese instead of the full fat one that the recipe called for, as the cheesecake is really really filling. I think I would add maybe some sugar to the topping, because I am not big fan of sour cream taste as such or maybe would just mix a little bit of cream cheese with Tia Maria. Other than that the recipe is really great and definitely worth making 🙂

 

 

Ingredients

For the Biscuit Crust

• 85g hot melted butter , plus extra butter for greasing
• 14 plain chocolate digestive biscuits , finely crushed

For the Cheesecake

• 3 x 300g packs Philadelphia cheese
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp Tia Maria ( I used 4 tbsp of Irish cream coffee creamer) 
• 3 large eggs
• 285ml carton soured cream

For the Topping

• 142ml carton soured cream
• 2 tbsp Tia Maria ( I used 4 tbsp of Irish cream coffee creamer)
• cocoa , for dusting
• 8 Ferrero Rocher chocolates, unwrapped

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the base of a 25cm springform tin with baking parchment. Blend butter and biscuit crumbs. Press onto the base of the tin, bake for 10 mins, then cool.
2. Increase the oven temperature to 240C/fan 200C/gas 9. Beat the cheese and sugar with an electric whisk until smooth, then whisk in the flour, vanilla, 2 tbsp Tia Maria, eggs and 285ml soured cream.
3. Grease sides of the cake tin with butter. Pour in the mixture and smooth. Bake for 10 mins, then turn oven down to 110C/fan 90C/ gas ¼ for 25 mins. Turn off the oven, then open the door and leave to cool inside the oven for 2 hrs. Don’t worry if it cracks a little.
4. Mix 142ml soured cream and Tia Maria, then smooth on top of the cheesecake. Chill.
5. Remove from the tin and slide onto a plate. Dust with the cocoa through a tea strainer until the top is covered. Lightly mark the cheesecake into portions with a knife, then place a chocolate on every other portion.

Cheesy garlic bread

This is great recipe that is fairly easy to make and can last quite a long time. Instead of swiss roll tin I simply used cookie sheet so my bread was much more flat, however I prefer like that because then you get more of the garlic taste and it is also more fun to dip in while eating chilli soup 🙂

• 500g strong white bread flour (I used all purpose flour). In US metric system it would be 4 1/2 cups of flour.
• 7g sachet/1.5 tsp fast-actionyeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• 25g soft butter
• 100g mature cheddar , grated
• handful thyme leaves (used dried thyme and pizza herbs)

1. Measure the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl. Mix 300ml hand-hot water with the oil and honey in a jug, then pour into the dry mix, stirring all the time to make a soft dough.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then knead for 5 mins until the dough no longer feels sticky, sprinkling with a little more flour as you need it. Now stretch it to fit the Swiss roll tin.
3. Mix the garlic with the butter, then dot over the dough. Sprinkle over the cheese and snip over the thyme. Cover the bread with lightly oiled cling film, then leave in a warm place to rise for 40 mins.
4. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Remove the cling film, then bake the bread for 30 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then cut into 12 pieces and serve.

Scrambled Egg Stir-Fry

I decided to buy the other day bean sprouts and to make some recipe from it as I have used them before in my cooking and I like trying out new things :)))

So, I consulted all mighty internet and stick as always to BBC Good Food website. I know it might look as if I am promoting this website that is not true, but I just like the variety of the simple recipes that they have and I always find something worth making there. So, this time I decided to make Scrambled Egg Stir-Fry recipe which is super fast and easy to make and makes a great light lunch or dinner. I used though twice more prawns and added garlic to the oil 🙂

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 100g cooked prawns , defrosted if frozen
• thumb sized knob of ginger (no need to peel)
• large handful fresh beansprouts
• 4 spring onions , sliced
• 4 eggs , beaten
• 1 tbsp soy sauce , plus extra to taste

1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and stir-fry the prawns on a high heat for 30 secs until they start to take on a little colour. Tip in the ginger, bean sprouts and half of the spring onions and stir-fry for another 30 secs, then turn down the heat and pour in the eggs.
2. Leave to set for a few seconds, then move the loosely-set egg around the pan with a spatula to scramble. When all of the egg has set, tip in the soy sauce and let it sizzle for a few seconds. Serve sprinkled with the rest of the shredded spring onion and season with more soy sauce to taste.

Make it veggie

Stir-fry chunks of tofu instead of prawns, or add extra veg such as water chestnuts or shredded bok choi.

 

Herb pull apart rolls

I have done these Herb Pull Apart Rolls to the family where I work as a nanny 3 days apart and they are really great snack and kids love them. I usually put any spices that I have, so it might be italian herbs, provence herbs or any other herbs….The recipe is easy to make and you can definitely make it with kids….

Herb Pull-Apart Rolls

1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup melted butter

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon thyme 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon dill

In a mixer bowl add yeast, warm water and sugar until bubbles start to form around the edges. To the bowl add melted butter,  sugar, salt, thyme, oregano and dill mix everything good, so that the sugar and salt would dissolve. Add flour and work through the doughuntil the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover it. Place the bowl in a warm place and let it rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size. Now punch the dough down. Make sure you flour your work surface and rolling pin, and roll the dough into a small disk. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and divide each piece again into 6 equal pieces and roll those pieces into 36 small balls.Put three balls into each greased muffin pan and cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.