Monthly Archives: January 2013

Jan27

* Kefir Bananarama Shake à la Fabulous Fermentation Week *

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I’m so into bananarama shakes right now. I simply must have at least one per day, usually straight after work or on weekend afternoons before heading to the Botanics for some frisbee extravaganza action. I usually make my bananaramas with almond milk, but my dear friend and fellow food blogger Kauia Moriaty who writes the wunderbar eat it blog, informed me of the ladies who are spreading the joys of fermenting to the masses. Elenore Bendel Zahn who writes the Earthsprout blog and Sarah Britton from My New Roots are pioneering this fermentastic revolution and provide thorough and informed expositions on the benefits of fermenting fabulously.

I’m fairly new to fermenting, in fact, I’d only ever fermented kefir using cow’s milk and the result was seriously tart – so tart, it was undrinkable. The Fabulous Fermentation Week inspired me to try again and reap the nutritional rewards of these (dare I say) seriously strange grains.

Kefir is fermented milk made with kefir grains, which is a symbiotic culture of yeasts and good bacteria. It’s believed to have originated in the Caucasus mountains and is increasing in popularity as people are waking up to its incredible health benefits. Kefir is highly nutritious, full of gut-aiding probiotics and has a good dose of B12, which is good news for vegans and vegetarians whose diets are usually lacking in this integral vitamin. It also contains vitamins B1, B6, D, as well as folic acid, iodine, calcium and iron. Kefir can also be made from various types of milk, including coconut, almond, rice, seed, soy or dairy and can also ferment fruit juice and coconut water.

I purchased whole milk kefir from the organic store and sat it on the bench for a couple of days until the cauliflower-esque grains appeared and the kefir had started to form. As I wanted to make an almond milk kefir, I strained the kefir and washed the wee grains thoroughly and started the kefir process again, by putting the kefir grains and a good dose of almond milk in a jar, popping the lid on and allowing it to sit for a day or two.

If you find it really hard to stomach uber-tart food or beverages, disguising kefir is the key. Bananas are a great way to disguise the tartiest of tart flavours and coconut milk provides a creamy hit to balance the shake. LSA (Linseed, Sunflower, Almond mix) fortified with buckwheat, quinoa and chia provide an extra nutrient hit and the honey (or agave, maple syrup) gives the bananarama shake a nectarous finish.

Kefir Bananarama Shake à la Fabulous Fermentation Week                                                                                                                                                                

A cup of kefir, any which way you please

A cup of coconut milk

2 very ripe bananas

2 tablespoons of LSA

A tablespoon of raw honey, agave or maple syrup

A few cubes of ice

Put all of the ingredients into a blender and whizzz. Serve on the deck in the sun with your dearest or if you’re in the cooler climes, watching the snow and dreaming of summery pastures new.

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Jan12

* Cherry and Almond Clafoutis with Lemony Coconut Whipped Cream *

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Cherry and Almond Clafoutis with Lemony Coconut Whipped Cream

To me, there is nothing more quintessentially French than clafoutis. The wunderkind of French desserts, clafoutis (kla-foo-tee) lies somewhere between a frangapine tart and a baked custard. Clafoutis hails from the Limousin region of France and is traditionally baked with the pits of the cherries still in tact, in order to ‘saveur le flavour’. To protect your precious pearly whites, my recipe requires the pits to be laboriously removed. This initial slaving over the stove is short-lived, as the simplicity of this dessert is its saving grace. A spread, a splash, a whisk, a sprinkle and viola! Pop it in the oven and await the sweet cherry almond scent to permeate the house.

Cherries are aplenty right now. The cream of the crop are grown in Central Otago, just a few hours away from where we live in Dunedin (New Zealand). These cherries are renowned for being the sweetest, juiciest, shiniest you’ve ever had the pleasure of laying your mitts on. Cherries are however not just a pretty face – they are one of Mother Earth’s most powerful anti-inflammatory sources due to the presence of anthocyanins, which research has unveiled prevents free radical damage and improves memory. Cherries also contain melatonin, a hormone which assists in regulating sleep cycles.

I’ve made this dessert with almond milk which works superbly, but clafoutis also works well with other milks especially cow’s milk. I’ve adapted the recipe from the Australian Taste website and given their clafoutis recipe a Super Foodie makeover, ensuring the recipe is dairy-free (if you prefer), gluten-free and using a minimally refined sugar. I’ve used coconut palm sugar, but you can use any sugar you like, as long as it’s not the over-processed, bleached and filtered white variety. Coconut palm sugar is made from coconut tree nectar and has a naturally low glycemic index compared to other sugars. It also has a higher nutrient content and is a source of potassium, zinc, iron and magnesium. When choosing coconut palm sugar, ensure it is the purest you can find in the organic section, as some brands can be mixed with cane sugar.

This photo was taken by my delightfully Hilarious Sidekick Rachael Lawrence Lodge, who provided the creative direction for the shoot. Before we demolished the clafoutis, naturally. Dankeschön, Liebling!

Cherry and Almond Clafoutis 

Coconut oil for greasing the dish

500 grams of fresh cherries, pitted

2/3 of a cup of ground almonds

1/2 a cup of coconut palm sugar or coconut sugar

A tablespoon of honey

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups of almond milk (or cows milk if you prefer)

A vanilla pod, deseeded or a teaspoon of vanilla essence or paste

The zest of a lemon

Lemony Coconut Whipped Cream

A can of refrigerated coconut cream

A vanilla pod, deseeded or a teaspoon of vanilla essence or paste

The zest of a lemon

A teaspoon of honey

1/3 of a cup of sliced almonds

A sprinkling of fruit, a sprig of fresh mint or lemon zest for garnishing

Heat the oven to 180 degrees. In a frying pan, toast the almonds until golden brown and allow to cool. Grease a large dish with coconut oil. Pit the cherries and place evenly in the greased dish. In a bowl, mix the ground almonds and sugar together and form a well.

In a jug, whisk the eggs and add the almond milk, vanilla and the zest of one of the lemons. Gently pour the liquid into the sugar and almond well and combine. Pour into the dish and sprinkle with toasted almond flakes.

Cook for 30 minutes or until the middle is springy. Allow to cool until slightly warm.

Separate the creamiest part of the coconut cream by gently spooning it out of the refrigerated can (use the  surplus liquid for smoothies or Banana, Date and Coconut Baked Porridge).

Add the vanilla, zest of the second lemon and honey and whisk to form peaks. Transfer into a serving bowl and refrigerate. Garnish with whatever you please and serve with the warm clafoutis. Bon Appetit!

Jan2

* Flaxseed and Chia Crackers with Beetroot and Horseradish Creme *

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Entertaining season is upon us. The garden is delightfully fragrant and heaving with life as summertime has graced us with its glorious presence. Christmas and New Years are done and dusted – it’s the perfect time to catch up with your nearest and dearest, free from the pressure that can come with Christmas celebrations.

In our house, we love to entertain. A typical soiree may include mojitos on the deck in the sun, followed by a casual dinner, often piping hot from the barbeque, then an all-night, killer karaoke session (well, past midnight anyhoo.) Yes, we do have the luxury of not having neighbours, in case you were wondering.

When entertaining, it is absolutely imperative that you can whip something up quick smart and more importantly, with the greatest of ease after a couple of mojitos in the bright, bright sun. Or else, impress your guests with those famously endearing cooking show words “here’s something I prepared earlier”. Which is by far the simplest method, in my opinion. And let the boys sort out the barbeque menu, which we all know they love to do.

I’m an absolute cracker fiend, with an addiction to Vita-Weat 9 Grain crackers. I’ve been wanting to make my own crackers and as a keen observer of all things foodie, I’ve come across a few recipes for flax seed or linseed crackers. My New Roots is a very inspiring blog, which provides incredibly healthy, innovative recipes. These crackers are inspired by Sarah Britton’s Savory Flax Crackers recipe. These crackers are pure goodness – no refined flour, just a serious dose of flax, chia, sesame and sunflower seeds. Flax seeds provide omega-3 essential fatty acids, which is great for both your heart and skin. Lignans are also present- a group of chemical compounds which are estrogen-type chemicals that also act like antioxidants in the body to counteract free radical damage. Additionally, by making your own crackers, the preservatives and additives which are usually present in the store-bought varieties are avoided.

A New Year’s resolution of mine is to have beetroot every day. I usually have beetroot, carrot and ginger juice most days, but I’m going to step it up a few notches. Beetroot is one of the best foods to cleanse your body and after an epic Christmas and New Years, I think many will be in need of a mighty good dose of this super food. The wonderful detoxifying effect that beetroot has on the liver is really quite amazing. Beetroot is also high in iron and will kick start the digestive system, which probably needs to be awoken after Christmas indulgence. By serving this winning combination at your partay, you’ll be doing yourself and your guests a favour by detoxing whilst you’re retoxing, hopefully counteracting the effects of one mojito too many.

Flax seed and Chia Crackers

A cup of flax seeds

A cup of water

1/4 of a cup of sesame seeds

2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons of chia seeds

A tablespoon of sesame oil

A tablespoon of olive oil

A teaspoon of Himalayan rock salt

1/2 a teaspoon of pepper

Pulse the flax seeds in a blender until fine. In a bowl, soak the flax seeds in water and allow to sit for about 20 minutes.

Toast the sesame and sunflower seeds in a pan until aromatic and golden. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix in the remaining ingredients and spread evenly onto a grease proof paper-lined tray.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Cut into any shape you wish whilst the cracker sheet is still warm. Allow to cool.

Beetroot and Horseradish Creme

500 grams of beetroot

1/2 a cup of sunflower seeds or cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours, rinsed well and drained

2 tablespoons of horseradish or horseradish creme*

The juice of a lemon

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 a cup of freshly-pressed beetroot juice

A tablespoon of olive oil

Himalayan rock salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 180°c or time it with the crackers coming out of the oven. Boil the beetroot with the skin on for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool for a while and peel the skin off using your fingers. Cut into wedges and bake in the oven for 30 minutes with a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of Himalayan rock salt. Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely.

In a food processor, pulse the activated cashews or sunflower seeds until a smooth consistency is reached. Add the beetroot and pulse again until smooth. Add the horseradish, lemon juice, garlic, beetroot juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whiz and transfer into a bowl. Garnish with fresh herbs  and serve with the flax seed and chia crackers.

* Some horseradish products that I’ve seen contain clarified butter. If you are vegan, please check the label.