NB. Coconut butter bought from a health food shop can be very expensive. It is quick and easy to make your own.
Put a packet of coconut flakes into a food processor or blender for 5-10 minutes until a runny butter forms. Scrape the sides of the bowl regularly. Store in a jar either at room temperature or in a fridge, depending on the season.
Mini Carrot cakes
Sesame soy salmon and vegetables with coconut rice.
Ingredients
Serves 2
- 2 tbsps. low-salt soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 large salmon fillets
- 150g brown rice
- 1 x 400ml can coconut milk
- 2 tbsps. desiccated coconut
- olive oil, for cooking
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 courgette, cut into thin ribbons
- handful baby spinach
Ingredients
Makes 20 mini cupcakes
For the cakes:
- 300g almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- a pinch of sea salt
- a pinch of vanilla powder or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 medium carrots, washed (unpeeled) and finely grated
- 2 medium eggs, whisked
- 1 x 300ml tin coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon coconut syrup
For the Icing
- 250g no-aroma coconut butter - remove from the fridge 10 minutes before using
- juice of 1 orange, zest of 2 oranges, with some kept aside for decoration
- a pinch of vanilla powder or teaspoon vanilla extract
Lunches
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a tray with 20 cupcake cases.
- Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl. Mix the carrots, eggs and coconut milk together in another.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures and spoon into the cases - you can fill them to the top, as these cakes don't rise very much.
- Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Then leave to cool.
- To make the icing, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth, reserving a little of the zest to sprinkle over the top.
- Spread the icing on top off each cooled cake with a knife. Put the cakes into the fridge for 10 minutes for the icing to firm up, then serve decorated with the reserved zest.
Desserts/treats
Method:
- Mix together 1 tbsp. soy sauce with the sesame oil and honey, and stir well to create a marinade. Pour over the salmon and leave to marinade for at least an hour, or overnight.
- Put the rice in a saucepan and cover with salted boiling water. Simmer over a medium heat until half cooked, about 10 minutes (check instructions on pack). Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer until soft and tender. You may need to add a little extra water. Add the desiccated coconut and stir well. Transfer to a warmed dish and set aside.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the salmon and its marinade and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning regularly
- Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a large pan or wok and add the garlic, onion, carrot and courgette. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add the spinach and remaining soy sauce, and cook for 1 minute. Once the salmon and vegetables are cooked, serve immediately with the coconut rice.
Bone Building Recipes.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- Olive oil, for cooking
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1tbsp honey
- 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
- flour, for dusting
- 1 large sheet ready-made puff pastry
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 large cooked beetroot, diced
- 150g goat's cheese, (or feta)
- 50g pine nuts
Dinners
Ingredients
Serves 1
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 100g feta cheese cubed
- small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
- sea salt and black pepper
Source: Spinach/feta scramble, Beetroot, red onion and goats cheese tart and Sesame soy salmon - The Medicinal Chef (Dale Pinnock.)
Mini Carrot cakes - Cook Nourish, Glow (Amelia Freer)
Breakfast and Brunch.
Beetroot, red onion and goat's cheese tart.
If I were going to eat cake, it would always be carrot cake. This is a slightly healthier twist on an old-fashioned version, made in miniature sizes so you don't overindulge.
Method:
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add the red onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the honey and thyme and continue to cook until the onion takes on a caramelized appearance.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out the pastry. Place a large plate on top and cut around it to make a 25cm diameter circle. With a sharp knife, score another smaller circle about 1.5cm inside the edge, without cutting all the way through, using a smaller plate as a template if you like.
- Prick with a fork, leaving the rim intact. Brush the rim with beaten egg.
- Put the pastry on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool slightly before pressing down gently on the inner circle to push it down and form a ridge around the edge.
- Fill the hole with the onions right up to the edge. Sprinkle the diced beetroot over the onion layer. Finally, crumble the cheese over the top, followed by the pine nuts.
- Return to the oven for around 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown around the edges.
- Serve immediately - it's great with a green salad.
Spinach and feta scramble
Method:
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the sinach and cok for 3-4 minutes, or until wilted
- Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and whick together.
- Pour them into the pan with the spinach and add the cubed feta. Stir gentlt over a medium-low heat until the eggs have scrambled.
- Sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve immediately.