Vegan 'salmon' cream cheese bagels

I saw this recipe on my friend Lisa's nutrition focussed Instagram account recently (well actually quite a few weeks ago now as it's taken me a little while to publish this post!)

It looked delicious and I was intrigued as to how she'd made it. When she said it was simply marinaded carrot ribbons I was hooked and invited her to share the recipe here on my blog. It's just the kind of quirky recipe creation I love :-)

You can keep it simple by using pre-made ingredients as suggested below. Or go all the way and make your own 'cashew cheese' or try a savoury version this cheese style spread I made using yoghurt and coconut flour. The bagels could also be homemade and gluten-free if needed. Or simply use lettuce cups for a light bite.

Now, take it away Lisa!

Recipe: vegan 'salmon' cream cheese bagels

Makes 2 bagels

Ingredients:

• Bagels – I bought classic bagels from The Natural Bagel company (found in Sainsbury's) – worth checking labels to ensure no milk these had soya only.
• Cream cheese – Again I went for convenience and bought the vegan original cream cheese from Sainsbury's free from range.  It’s a coconut base and a lot of my clients really like it as a dairy-free alternative. (There are also lots of recipes on-line for homemade cashew cheese or similar)
• Salad – one of my staples is a bag of mixed watercress, rocket and spinach as these bitter greens are AMAZING for your digestion.

For the ‘Smoked salmon’

• Liquid smoke (available on Ebay/Amazon and probably other places) quantity is personal preference but I put a good dessert spoonful in.
• Carrots – I used two wide carrots.  Peeled the skin first and discard and then keep peeling.  I found a wide head peeler works best.  Peel the carrot so that it forms long ribbons.
• Pink Himalayan sea salt
• Some recipes add apple cider vinegar and/or tamari but I like to keep it as simple as possible!

Method:

‘Peel’ the carrots into long ribbons into a bowl. Add a twist or two of the salt. Add the liquid smoke. Mix everything together (see note below for marinading).

Transfer to a foil-lined baking tray – you need to be able to fully cover the carrot mix with the foil and seal it.

Bake in the oven 200˚C for about 20mins. Remove from oven and allow to cool.  

Lisa's note: when I made these I couldn’t wait and basically toasted the bagels, slapped the cream cheese on and put the carrot on and garnished with the salad – and they tasted amazing.   I left the remainder of the carrot with my vegan pal and she reported that left overnight and chilled the flavours were even better!

Want to know more about Lisa?

Lisa is 'The Nutritional Realist and has a holistic method of working, looking at every aspect of you and how it impacts your goal. Ultimately it's all about you. She’s the resource to enable you to get to your health goals and stay there! She’ll coach you to throw the pebble that will create positive ripples throughout your life.

Find more about Lisa and her work via her website, her Facebook page or on Instagram.

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15 Carrot themed recipes in time for Easter!

I notice I have shared a few recipe round-ups recently. I promise I do have other new recipes waiting in the wings... I have just been busy with my coaching work and researching content for a new book I'm writing focussing on 'creativity' that I haven't had as much kitchen time for cooking and photography. 

I'm actually spending Easter in Vietnam with my mum, visiting my sister who lives overseas. In the meantime before I leave on Wednesday, I have Easter on my mind and the one food (other than chocolate) I associate with Easter is... carrots!

So here you have it, a few of the popular carrot themed recipes from my archives to tempt your creations over the holiday period and beyond!

There are plenty to choose from but if you are intrigued to know my personal favourites, they would be:

1) Carrot Cake Brownies

2) Carrot Apple and Ginger Cake

3) Carrot Burgers  (and oldie but goodie!!)

Enjoy... let me know if you make any of these recipes or come up with your own carrot themes Easter dish! Best place to catch me is Instagram

The healthiest ever... carrot, apricot & ginger cake!

It's been a while since I posted a new recipe... I've been busy working on the blog, but more behind the scenes- trying to sort my recipe index out (slow progress!) and also creating a book based on my mindset posts. I have also been coaching a lot more in recent months too and that hs been a priority.

That said I've missed creating sweet things and photography! Last weekend I was feeling in the mood to bake something... and put a post on my personal Facebook page asking what things people wanted 'healthanizing' ... billionaires shortbread got a mention (I'll try and get onto that before xmas) and so did carrot cake.

Well, it just so happens that a few weeks ago I did make a fantastic carrot cake, and the comment prompted me to get it up on the blog!  This is a blend of carrot, ginger and apricot for an indulgent twist on the classic.  It's super healthy- packed with fruit and veg, minimal processed ingredients and made with oats, I'm pretty sure it could be made entitely gluten free very easily. 

The carrot cake may not be particularly festive, but it's still great for a party of a gathering or bookmark it for a springtime treat :-)  If you love carrot cake BUT also love chocolate... you should definitely try this chocolate brownie carrot cake!

Final top tip before you go ahead and make it - this cake keeps well for a few days in the fridge, in fact I think it tastes even better the day after it's made- richer and cakier!

Recipe: Carrot, Apricot & Ginger Cake!!

Ingredients:

• 2tbs flax and 1/4 cup water- mixed

• 1/4 cup coconut oil- melted

• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk

• 1 medium apple- cored

• 1 tps baking soda

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Pinch salt

• 1 heaped tsp ginger powder

• 1 cup finely grated carrot

• 1 cup fine oatmeal

• 1/2 cup spelt flour (you could probably sub a GF flour blend)

• 1/2 cup ground almonds

• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Method:

Blend the flax mix with the melted coconut oil, non-dairy milk and the apple until fully pureed. In a sperate large bowl mix together the dry ingredients then add all wet ingredients plus any remaining ingredients to it, stir through until well mixed.

Spoon batter into two 8" cake pans- the layers will be fairly thin. Bake for approx 30 mins at 180C, loosely cover with foil if tops are browning too quickly. Allow to fully cool before frosting.

Meanwhile, make the frosting:

• 1/2 cup non-dairy yoghurt

• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

• 1 tbs mild syrup

Method: Mix together and then allow to thicken in the fridge.

To decorate (optional), make the balls on top:

• 1 medium carrot

• 1 cup dates

• 1 tbs ground ginger

• 1/2 cup almond or cashew butter

Method: Blitz together all ingredients in a food processor and then make into balls. If the mix is a little too wet, allow to chill in fridge to firm up before forming.

For some festive foodie vibes... I have a few treats planned for the coming weeks, feel free t leave me your ideas too!

In the meantime, I would love to share with you my top five festive recipes last year, I put them together in a mini book you can find here. 

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Chocolate, Carrot & Mushroom (yep!) Porridge... for World Porridge Day!

It's World Porridge Day today... and in order to celebrate, I am sharing a porridge recipe with a chocolatey theme for some extra celebratory indulgence!

What's World Porridge Day all about?

Taken from Mary's Meals website, "In Malawi and Liberia, where we have our largest school feeding programmes, the children receive vitamin-enriched maize porridge every school day. World Porridge Day celebrates the huge difference this daily mug of porridge makes to the lives of chronically hungry children." 

Head over to their website to find out how you can help support the project and share your #PorridgeSmiles (see my entry down below!)

I'm also sharing the love for RealFoodSource who have just launched a new range of amazing porridge blends full of chunky goodness and free from refined sugars. I was sent some samples last week for recipe testing and I am seriously so impressed, I will be sharing the results with you soon!

Back to my recipe! This ticks all my boxes- oats, veg and a 'booster' this time in the form of medicinal mushroom powder... my new best friend!

Adding medicinal mushrooms to anything chocolatey is great as it compliments the earthy flavour. It also works fantastically in a latte style drink with chai spices or of course a hot chocolate. I made a chocolate pudding with it here. 

I use a blend of organic chaga, reishi and cordyceps (I buy as separate small packs and mix them together in a tub ready to use as it was cheaper to do it that way) but any medicinal mushroom powder would work.

Porridge is not just perfect for breakfast, on this occasion I think it was lunch (or maybe brunch) whilst I was working (yep I went for the in-situ shot for a change) and I topped it with some dark choc chunks and a few small bliss balls I'd made that were left over from an event. 

In this recipe, I used finely grated carrot, but I could have used courgette or sweet potato for equally great results.

If that wasn't enough, for even more porridge recipes... click here for my porridge ebook (or scroll down and click the front cover pic) and for the rest of this month as a tribute to #Worldporridgeday grab yourself a 20% discount when you buy the book and quote PORRIDGEDAY20 at the checkout!

Enjoy getting all porridged up! :-)

 Recipe: Chocolate, Carrot & Mushroom Porridge

Serves 1 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup porridge oats

• 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice

• 1 small carrot- finely grated

• 1 heaped tsp medicinal mushroom powder

• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder/paste

• approx 1 tbs syrup of choice or coconut sugar to taste

• 2 tbs raw cacao

• for optional decoration- dark chocolate chunks, bliss balls, turmeric dusted coconut.

Method: 

Add all ingredients except the medicinal mushroom powder to a small pan on the stove. Simmer for about five minutes, until cooked. Take off the head and add a little extra liquid if desired to achieve desired texture and stir through the medicinal mushroom powder just before serving to retain the maximum nutritional benefit. Add any toppings of choice or a drizzle of extra sweetness and serve.

Grab my ebook here... for the rest of October I am offering 20% discount when you buy the book and quote PORRIDGEDAY20 at the checkout!

P.s do you like my carrot cake tabby cat I made for breakfast this morning for my Mary's Meals #PorridgeSmiles...

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Carrot Cake Brownies (in time for Easter!)

This cake is a wicked cross between my all-time favourite courgette brownie cake and a carrot cake… I swapped the courgette for carrot and changed up the spices a little. I figured this would make fabulous Easter treat… Or any time of year (or week) really where you want to celebrate a little! 

I have made variations of this cake (remember my PETA shortlisting!) so many times now and I know it works perfectly in a brownie pan, a round cake pan (this recipe is sized for an 8" pan), muffin trays or cupcake trays. You can leave the top plain or frost it. You can even add chopped nuts dried foods mixed through in the batter... so many possibilities!

This type of cake also freezes really well, some say brownies taste better once I've been frozen and defrosted- I'll let you be the decider of that. But I will say this is a great cake to always keep on standby in the freezer to satisfy a little chocolate craving when it strikes or if you have last minute unexpected company!

For other highly recommended easy Easter treats... have a look at these Easter nests I made for Real Food Source and also the Hot Cross cookies are a great non-chocolate option that I also love to make each year. Finally these 'cream eggs' from 4 year ago now (whaaaaat- 4 years!) are a little more fiddly- but fun ;-) 

What have you got planned for Easter treats?

Recipe: Carrot Cake Brownies

Makes 1 x 8” round or square cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed dates (soaked then drained for easier blending)

• approx 3 tbs coconut syrup (other other preferred syrup)

• ½ cup water or non dairy milk

• 1 cup finely grated carrot

• 2 tsp cinnamon and/or nutmeg

• 1/3 cup coconut oil- melted

• ¼ cup ground flax seed

• ¾ cup cocoa powder

• 1 cup oat flour (I ground some regular porridge oats)

• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 heaped tsp baking powder

• 1 heaped tsp baking soda

Method:

Blend all the wet ingredients with the flax seed to form a smooth fairly runny paste. Allow to stand for a couple of minutes. Stir through the gated carrot (save a little for the top).

Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add the wet. Mix lightly but well to form a thick soft batter. Add a little extra water if necessary. Taste test for sweetness and add a little extra syrup if necessary.

Spoon the batter into a lined/greased muffin pan or round cake tin (you could also make cupcakes) and smooth the top as best you can. Add the remaining sprinkles of grated carrot and press down lightly to reduce chance of burning.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for approx 30 minutes, after 10-15 minutes it is advisable to lightly cover the top of the pan with foil to prevent the top browning before the centre is cooked through.

Allow to cool before slicing.  Store in the fridge for up to 1 week…this cake tastes even better the next day!

Here are my Hot Cross Cookies.... a bit like like a bun but sooooo much easier to make!

Carrot cake Easter cupcakes...gluten free!

It's April...Easter time is creeping ever closer!  It also means that I want to start creating Easter treat recipes which is pretty tricky due to the candida diet :-(

But I can still drool over pretty Easter pictures on Foodgawker and Pinterest, right?

Often when I create recipes, I like to browse through the 'regular' recipe sections and baking websites to inspire me to create my own 'healthanized' spin-offs. Last weekend I was having exactly one of those days and was browsing through Baking Mad, Easter must have been on my mind as I ended up finding inspiration for some carrot cake themed cupcakes from their Easter recipe section. A few tweaks were needed to make the recipe my own and also to create a gluten free option. Im really pleased with how the recipe turned out, especially since I couldn't taste test as I went along. I enjoyed making them.... my mum enjoyed eating them!

This is one of the simplest gluten free recipes I have yet to create, the ground almonds work superbly to maintain a lovely moist crumb and the pre-blended flour just speeds up the process (I often grind my own).  The toppings are inspired by this magical cream topping (also noted below) and the 'eggs' are a few left over Squares I remoulded plus some chilled nut butter since I have so much of that on hand at the moment.

Have you made any Easter creations yet or are you planning to? I'd love to know what your favourite easter recipes are! 

Recipe: Carrot cake cupcake- gluten free!

Makes approx 8-10 small cupcakes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup ground almonds
• ½ cup GF flour blend of choice (I used Doves pre-mixed plain flour blend)
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup grated carrot
• 3 tbs agave (or other syrup of choice)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon 

Method:

Mix the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Add the remaining ingredients and stir through to mix evenly.

 Spoon the mixture into mini muffin cups or small cupcake trays. Bake for 15 mins at 180C or until golden and a toothpick poked in comes out clean

For the topping I used this frosting method. Basically I blended vegan yoghurt with fine coconut flour at a 3:1 ratio until thick and 'spreadable'.

The eggs a mixture of chilled vanilla almond butter (home made) and my Wholeplus squares moulded into egg shapes.  You could use any topping you like.

Cosy up with...pear carrot and ginger oatmeal

Just checking in with you all!

It's been ages since i've posted new recipe.... i've barely had time to experiment. My life has been consumed with website updates, Wholeplus production, coaching studies, book writing and seminar prep. I've barely ventured into the kitchen and smoothies and quick veg soups and stirfrys have pretty much been the norm for my meals of late.

I couldn't stay out of the kitchen any longer (maybe that's procrastination trying to drag me away from 'scary stuff') so today I made two things- two super simple things!!

One I have for you today and the other hopefully early next week (thought you'll have seen it on my Instagram feed earlier today!)

After a hardcore spin session at the gym this morning I fancied something pretty substantial and full of texture instead of a smoothie. Oatmeal bumped up with veggies and fresh ginger for the anti-inflammatory kick. I often add a grated apple to my porridge but since I had a delivery of pears in the veg box this week the pear-carrot-ginger combo was born.  It was delicious, more so than I expected considering the amount of carrot I added for a single serve.

Add a drizzle of syrup to sweeten if you fancy- I used a tiny drizzle of approx 1 tsp of maple syrup for good measure. I also added maca powder as I like to add a little boost to breakfast or a smoothie during the day but again this is optional.

Back to website update! Hopefully they'll go live later tonight.... please let me know what you think, i'm feeling really nervous about this for some reason. Kind of like i'm putting myself out there before i'm ready. Though sometimes you never feel ready for the 'big stuff'.... you just have to get out there are start making your difference in the world and tweak as you grow, tweak as you grow...

...practice makes perfect!

Hope you are having an amazing weekend, whatever you get up to (I hope it includes eating this oat bowl!)

Recipe: Pear carrot and ginger oatmeal

serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup porridge oats

• 1 cup light coconut milk (or other non dairy milk of choice)

• 1 medium carrot- grated

• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 1 pear- chopped

• sweetener- optional

• 1 tsp maca powder- optional for an extra boost

Method:

Add the oats, milk, ginger and carrot to a small pan on the stove. Simmer for 5 minutes  and then add the pear chunks, cook for a further few minutes until he carrot has softened and the oats have cooked, the pear should have also softened a little.

Remove from the heat and stir through the maca if using and serve immediately with a little drizzle of syrup if extra sweetness is desired.

Spicy Carrot Pickle

I want to start by saying I love this stuff!!

I've been eating it dolloped on top of soups..... mixed through a sty fry..... to jazz up a plain tomato sauce.... as a cracker topping with hummus....  the list really could go on and on!!

Before I go any further I give full credit for this recipe inspiration to Paul's Pickles as I originally bought a jar of his version from a craft market some weeks back and then when i ran out I went through the ingredients list and recreated my own, it tastes almost identical and so now i'm curious to go along the shelves of the supermarket checking out ingredients lists and making more of my own intriguing flavours :-)

Here is the original... if you are ever in the area and see Paul's stall he has loads of yummy things to offer- apparently this pickle in his best seller!

The pickle is packed full of strong flavours and Indian spices, it's powerful stuff eaten straight off the spoon, and tastes best mixed with another 'milder' flavour, veggies and sauces.  It also tastes better over time (three days onwards) so don't worry if the vinegar flavours stands out a little when freshly made as this mellows right back. I have used cider vinegar but you could use an alternative vinegar.

It's so so easy to make, once you've got the various ingredients to hand,  and would make the perfect gift by making a few jars in a batch... I originally made a coupe of jars but then made four more jars at the weekend. I am not too sure how long this stores for but since it's a pickle I would imagine a good few weeks minimum in the fridge. 

Let me know what you think of you do make it, and what your favourite way to serve it is!

A couple of my own serving suggestions are below.

Recipe: Spicy carrot pickle

Makes approx. two jars

Ingredients

• 4 medium grated carrots (use a coarse grater or mandolin slice or both)
• ¼ cup cider vinegar (or mild light coloured vinegar of choice)
• 2 tbs oil (I used olive)

Spices:

• ¼ cup fresh coriander- chopped
• 1 tbs crushed chilli flakes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp smoked garlic
• 2 tbs turmeric
• 1 tbs galangal paste (or grated ginger)
• 1 tbs garam masala
• 1 scant tsp salt
• 1 tbs mustard seeds
• 1 tbs fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbs cumin seeds

Method

Mix the top three ingredients together and then add the spices- you could add them directly to the carrot mix or mix them together first and then add- it doesn't matter as long as the resulting pickle is well mixed.

Pack into a jar or two, store in the fridge or a cool place.

Simple mixed through plain quinoa and endamame

Dolloped on top of soup....(recipe for soup to come!)

More quinoa.....