Shakela’s Turmeric Quinoa

Shakela’s Turmeric Quinoa

gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan  (Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash)

This beautiful golden spice is gaining widespread popularity for its amazing health benefits that include powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. 

As well as being a staple ingredient in so many curry dishes it can be added to warm milk for a ‘turmeric latte’, mixed with hot water, ginger, raw honey and lemon for a soothing cold-fighting brew or simply blended in with other herbs and spices in casseroles and soups.turmeric_Ggle

Shakela Shan from www.nutrishan.com is a Nutritional Therapist with a special interest in weight management.  Her passion for creating new recipes really shines through and she has kindly shared this one for you!

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

1.5 cup water

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder

Salt and black pepper to taste

Dried cranberries

Chopped fresh coriander

Flaked almonds

Olive oil

Method:

1. In a pan add quinoa, water, salt, turmeric and black pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on the pan. Turn the heat off and allow to stand for a further 10-15 minutes.

2. Finally add the cranberries, coriander, flaked almonds and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir in all the ingredients with a fork.

Serve with chicken / fish / lentils, and a colourful salad for a nutrient-packed meal!

Liz’s Carrot Crunch Breakfast

gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, vegan

This bright nourishing breakfast dish was shared with me by my friend Liz who has a wealth of naturopathic knowledge.  It is a tasty, filling alternative to the usual breakfast cereals and you can add many different nuts and seeds to the basic recipe of carrot and raisins.

Soak a tablespoon of raisins and a tablespoon of any type of nut or seed (ground or whole) in a milk of your choice for at least 30mins (or overnight).  Add grated carrot and extra milk or yoghurt if desired, mix well and enjoy!

Stir fried tofu with chop suey & rice

gluten free, dairy free

Swap takeaway for this tasty stir fry & chop suey from Rebecca Richardson’s book “Candida Can Be Fun”

Serves 4

225g (8oz) of brown basmati and wild rice

200g (7oz) of fresh tofu (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

2 teaspoons of Bragg Liquid Aminos

2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil

2 large cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped)

3 heaped teaspoons of freshly chopped root ginger

1 small red onion (peeled and sliced)

1 red or yellow pepper (cored, deseeded and cut into rings)

3 pak choi (trimmed and chopped)

175g of fresh bean sprouts

100g (3½oz) each of fresh baby corn and mange tout

3 tablespoons of Bragg Liquid Aminos

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

In a large pan which has a lid, pour in about 1½ pints of boiling water and a small drop of oil.

In a sieve, add the rice and rinse well with cold water then add the rice to the pan.

Cover and simmer on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 25 – 30 minutes until cooked.

In a colander, drain the cooked rice then rinse well with boiling water until the water runs clear.

Set the rice aside for now.

Prepare the tofu by draining off the excess water and then cutting it into bite-sized cubes or strips.

Put the tofu pieces into a bowl and mix in 2 teaspoons of Bragg Liquid Aminos.  Stir well.

In a frying pan, stir-fry the tofu in a little oil for about 10 minutes until brown and crispy on the outside.

In a wok, heat the oil on a medium heat and stir-fry the garlic, ginger and onion for about 2 – 3 minutes.

Put in the pepper and pak choi and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the bean sprouts and 3 tablespoons of Bragg Liquid Aminos.  Stir-fry for 2 more minutes.

Turn off the heat.

In a steamer, steam the baby corn and mange tout for about 2 – 3 minutes, so they have bite to them.

Put some of the rice in a small cup and press it down until it reaches the top.

Then put your serving plate over the top and tip them both upside down, so the rice is a little mound.

Serve with the chop suey and side vegetables and then sprinkle the tofu pieces over the top.

Tabbouleh

gluten free option, dairy free, vegan

Another delightful recipe from Rebecca Richardson’s book “Candida Can Be Fun” this variation uses quinoa instead of bulghar wheat

Serves 3 – 4

200g (7oz) of quinoa

1 yeast-free vegetable stock cube

15 cherry tomatoes (chopped)

½ cucumber (chopped)

3 – 4 spring onions (trimmed and chopped)

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1 small clove of garlic (peeled and chopped finely)

½ teaspoon of ground cumin

½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped mint

3 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

In a sieve, rinse the quinoa with cold water and drain.

In a wok, toast the quinoa on a low heat for a minute.

In a jug, make up the stock cube with 1 pint of boiling water.  Add the stock to the quinoa and stir well.

Cover with a lid and simmer on a low heat for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

Stir the quinoa regularly to prevent it burning.

(NB – The grain will turn from white to transparent and the spiral-like tail will appear when it is cooked).

When the quinoa is ready, transfer it to a large salad bowl to cool.

Chop the tomatoes and cucumber into bite-sized chunks.  Thinly slice the spring onions.

Finely chop the parsley and mint.

In a measuring jug, mix the oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices for the dressing. Add more oil, if needed.

Add the vegetables and herbs to the quinoa.  Stir thoroughly.

Pour over the salad dressing (you do not have to use all the dressing if you do not want to).

Refrigerate for 30 minutes for the flavours to infuse.

Eat on its own, or serve as a side salad to some meat or fish.

 

 

 

Flaxseed Flatbread

Flaxseed Flatbread

It’s a tasty, gluten-free alternative to your regular loaf

gluten-free, vegan option, dairy-free option

Ground flaxseeds are a wonder-food for perimenopause and menopause. Packed with fibre, phytoestrogens, protein, and healthy fats, they’re an essential food for hormone balancing.

Try this flatbread as an alternative to regular bread to accompany soup, salads, or a platter of dips.

Ingredients

2 cups ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons Agave syrup (or Xylitol sugar alternative)

5 beaten eggs (or Egg Replacer or 50ml soya milk if avoiding eggs)

½ cup water

1/3 cup olive oil

How to make flaxseed flatbread

Preheat oven to 200*C, and prepare a 10” X 15” baking pan with oiled greaseproof paper.

Mix the dry ingredients together well. 

Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. 

Let it set for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly then pour into the pan.  The bread will rise slightly in the centre so spread out more towards the sides to allow for this. 

Bake for 20 minutes until it springs back when you touch the top and/or is visibly browning. 

Allow to cool then cut into slices.

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