Fillet Beef & Black Pepper Stir-fry on a bed of garlic & ginger bok choy

Fillet-Beef-Black-Pepper-Stir-Fry

Fillet Beef & Black Pepper Stir Fry

Feeds 4 hungry people

Ingredients:

2 black angus fillet steaks (cut into thin strips against the grain)
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1 medium red pepper (chopped into large bite-size pieces)
1 carrot thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 box mushrooms cut into quarters
4-6 cloves of garlic or 2 tsp of crushed garlic (reserving .5 tsp for the bok choy)
1 small thumb size piece of fresh ginger (minced) (reserving .5 tsp for the bok choy)
1/2 bunch of spring onions (sliced into strips about an inch wide)
1-3 heads of bok choy (Roughly chopped)
10 drops of Light soy sauce *Gluten-Free alternative for soy sauce
20 drops dark soy sauce *Gluten-Free alternative for soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
Rapeseed oil & a tiny splash of sesame seed oil
1 Knor beef stock pot *gluten-free
A few drops of worcestershire

1 heaped tbsp cornflour and 1 flat teasp of baking soda

Boyne Valley Honey & juice of half a lime

Spices:
1/2 tsp crushed chilli flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
Pinch of pink himalayan salt

Preparation is everything!

Marinade:

Add cornflour and baking soda scattered over the raw slices of beef and gently coat using your hands to evenly distribute, leave sitting while you prepare your veggies and sauce.  The baking soda will tenderize the beef and the cornflour will not only help thicken the sauce it will also help to give it a lovely golden brown colour.

Sauce:

Add your soy sauce, oyster sauce and stock pot to a jug then fill with boiling water to it makes 1/2 pint – stir & set aside.

To Make:

Heat your pan with a swirl of rapeseed oil.  Brown the fillet beef in a large pan making sure you drop them in one by one letting them brown on one side for 1 min and then stiring them about for 1 minute until they are still slightly pink, then take out and leave in a large flat bowl.  Then it is time to stir-fry the veggies starting with a little rapeseed oil, add the mushrooms and peppers first, then the remaining veg, stir for a minute until the mushrooms have colour, then add your ginger and garlic and keep stiring.  Now it’s time to add your spices!  and keep mixing until the veg is slightly softened but still has bite.  Then add the sauce you prepared earlier, bring to the boil and mix for one minute, the sauce should reduce and thicken.  Add a swirl of honey and a squeeze of lime.  Then add the cooked fillet steak and your dish is complete.

Note:If you like your sauce a little thicker you can take your pan off the heat mix one tsp of cornflower with a little water making sure to take out any lumps and add to the pan mixing for one minute 1 min and put back on heat for 30 seconds.

Serve on it’s own, with some stir fry garlic & ginger bok choy or add brown rice, pilau rice,  jasmine rice or quinoa for a really healthy meal.

For a Keto-friendly meal (p.s. don’t add the honey! But if your dirty Keto go for it!! YOLO)

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Peanut Butter & Cacao ‘Fatbombs’

peanut-butter-cacao-fatbombs

Peanut butter & Cacao Fatbombs

Fatbombs are Keto heaven, learn how to make them with only 5 ingredients!

Fat bombs contain lots of fat, but on a ketogenic diet (just like on a Paleo diet), eating healthy fats is highly important to lower inflammation in your body. So, most ketogenic fat bombs contain coconut oil or coconut butter as an ingredient.  Just be aware that although peanut butter is delicious and nutritious and is allowed in limited amounts on a ketogenic diet it is also a legume not a nut as you might think. It is in fact inflammatory so you might want to substitute with cashew butter or almond butter, if you prefer. One per day is recommended.

Bottom layer:
3 tbsp organic crunchy peanut butter* with no added sugar or palm oil
2 tbsp raw organic cold pressed coconut oil
1 teasp Xylatol

Top Layer:
3 tbsp Organic smooth peanut butter* with no added sugar or palm oil
2 tbsp raw organic cold pressed coconut oil
3 tbsp raw organic cacao
5 teasp Xylatol
1 vanilla pod or 1 teasp of vanilla extract

To make:
Have 2 small pots, in one put 3 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in one, warm the mixture until well combined (No need to cook).  Put the mixture into a tiny silicone muffin tray only halfway up, then leave the bottom layer to cool in the freezer for approx 30 mins until set. You can use whatever shape you want, round square or heart shaped silicone trays.  I had none for this recipe so I used two large flat deep dishes instead and cut them into 16 slices .

For the top layer put the same ingredients with the addition of 3 tablespoons of cacao and 6 teaspoons of Xylatol and 1 organic vanilla pod in the second pot and warm up and mix well until smooth (I usually use smooth peanut butter for the choco layer. Allow to cool to room temperature. Then take the tray out of the freezer and pour the cooled choco layer on top of the peanut layer. Put back in the freezer until set.

To Store:
Put them in the fridge in an airtight container and they will be fresh for about 1-2 weeks.

Enjoy the deliciousness with a cup of black coffee for a Keto heavenly moment of yummyness….mmmmmmm

Gaelic Moussaka

This dish is a legend! Creamy, juicy and absolutely delicious!

greek-mussaka

Greek Mussaka

Ingredients:
1.5 Lb of Irish grass fed round steak minced
1 jar of Bunalun Organic Passata*contains no added sugar
1 full head of garlic crushed
10 mushrooms diced
1 onion diced
1 red pepper diced
1 green pepper diced
1 red chilli finely diced
1 green chilli finely diced
1 teasp paprika
1/2 teasp cumin
1 teasp turmeric
1 teasp chilli powder
1/2 teasp of mixed herbs
1 handful of fresh parsley chopped
crushed black pepper to taste
1 tube of Organic Bunalun Tomato Paste*contains no added sugar
1 Knorr Beef Stockpot

Ingredients for the cheese sauce:
250ml full-fat Avonmore double cream
1 cup of parmesan cheese
1/2 chicken stock pot
1 cup grated Arla lactose-free mild cheddar cheese

Layers:
Fresh aubergine x 2 sliced about 8cm thick

To Prepare the meat sauce:
Brown the steak mince in a large pot. Add the chopped veg,  onion, garlic and chilli first then stir for 1 minute before adding the remaining veg until they are partly cooked. Stir in the spices and then add the tomato passata and herbs. Simmer on a low heat for about 30-40 minutes with the lid on. Then add the full tube of tomato paste.

To make the cheese sauce:
Warm the cream slowly and then add the grated parmesan and 1/2 a chicken stock pot (no water) simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces to a thicker consistency. Add a small bit of the cheddar if you like it or a knob of butter if you like it less cheesy.

Prepare the aubergine:
Some people call it ‘eggplant’ but we will stick with aubergine since we are in Ireland and we grow shamrocks and other cool stuff like that!  So this is something that my friend graciously unearthed to me and I have never forgotten… by slicing your aubergine into 8cm thick slices and laying them onto a plate with 2 layers of kitchen paper and dusting with salt and covering with another 2 layers of kitchen paper. You will absorb all the moisture from the aubergine within about 5 minutes and they will be ready to dry fry.  We do this on a skillet for a couple of minutes on each side until them are golden, this will prevent it from going soggy and they will taste unreal.  If you have some rapeseed oil that you would like to lightly spray the pan with before you fry that is also acceptable and will help to brown them better. *(do not douce them in oil it makes them taste gross)

Assemble:
In a large oven proof dish start to layer, meat, then aubergine, then cheese sauce and repeat. Then top with the remaining cheddar cheese and cook in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 200C or until the top is golden.

To Serve:
Accompany with home-made chips by cutting a few potatoes into chips and then coating in 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil, salt and a dusting of paprika and cook for about 25 minutes in a really hot oven 225C until crispy.

Make it Keto:
It’s already gluten-free & keto so all you have to do is serve it with cauliflower & green veg for a really satisfying keto-friendly dish!

It gave me about 8 portions once its cooled down it was perfect to store in the fridge until the next day and also to freeze for up to 3 months.  For all you meal preppers out there.. I find it defrosts and reheats really well in the microwave.

Chicken & Cashew nut Stir-fry

chicken-cashew-nut-stir-fry

Chicken & Cashew Nut Stir Fry

Feeds 4 hungry people

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts 9 (cubed)
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1/4 cup asparagus (chopped into bite-size pieces)
1/4 cup zucchini (chopped into bite-size pieces)
10 mushrooms cut into quarters
4 cloves of garlic
1 small thumb size piece of fresh ginger (minced)
1 shallot (cut into strips)
1 red chilli (finely diced)
1 mini red pepper
1 mini yellow pepper (cut into small strips)
1 tbsp tamari *Gluten-Free alternative for soy sauce
1 tbsp raw virgin coconut oil (melted) or 1 tbsp rapeseed oil & a splash of sesame seed oil
1 Knor chicken stock pot *gluten-free
1 handful of cashew nuts (optional)

Spices:
1 teasp turmeric
1 teasp paprika
1 teasp onion salt
1 teasp garlic salt
handful of fresh parsley

Preparation is everything!

chicken-cashew-stir-fry-preparation

Chicken & Cashew stir-fry preparation

To Make:

Brown the chicken in a skillet pan with the coconut oil for about 8 minutes, then add the onions, garlic, chilli, ginger, mushrooms and the remaining vegetables until slightly softened this should take about 3 minutes.  Then add the tamari and the stock pot with a tablespoon of water and cook for 1 min.  Add the cashew nuts at the very end.

Serve on it’s own for a Keto-friendly meal or add brown rice, pilau rice,  jasmin rice or quinoa for a really healthy meal.

Hazelnut & Almond Milk Oat Bread

hazelnut-almond-milk-oat-bread

Hazelnut & Almond Milk Oat Bread

Ingredients:

3 Ripe bananas*
2 Eggs
500ml Almond Milk
50g Hazelnuts
600g Flahavan’s oats
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp milled chia
1/2 Teasp salt
1 Heaped teasp baking soda
1 Heaped tbsp raw virgin coconut oil (melted)

To Make:

Blitz the bananas, eggs almond milk and hazelnuts in a blender or Nutri-bullet for a couple of seconds. Put the oats, sunflower seeds, chia, salt and baking powder in a bowl and mix. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry. Put into 2 loaf tins that have been sprayed with Frylight Coconut.

Bake in the oven at 180C for 35 mins.

*For those people like myself that find the banana a little bit too banannaeeey and can tolerate spelt flour I recommend replacing the banana with 100gms Wholemeal spelt & 100g White spelt, 2 teaspoons sugar and 200mls buttermilk/and reduce the Almond milk to 300mls. The rest of the ingredients are the same. I find this texture much more like real soda bread and has a better nom factor!

If you can’t tolerate spelt flour you could use self raising gluten-free flour instead.

Happy baking!

Red Lentil & Coconut Chicken Curry

re-lentil-coconut-chicken-curry

Red Lentil & Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 Large free range chicken
2 Chicken stock cubes
2 Red onions finely sliced
3 Peppers (red, green, orange) diced
3 Large flat cap mushrooms diced
4-6 Garlic cloves crushed
1 Red chilli & 1 green chilli finely diced
1 Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
2 Tablespoons rapeseed oil
6 Medium beef tomatoes
2 Teasp salt
500g Mix red Lentils, green puy lentils, yellow split peas, chickpeas
1 x 400ml Tin of coconut milk
3 Tablespoons tamari
1 Lime, juice only
1 Tablespoon medium curry powder
2 Teaspoons ground cumin
2 Teaspoons ground coriander
1 Teaspoon ground turmeric
1 Teaspoon paprika
1 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1.5 Liters water
100g Baby spinach
1 tube of tomato paste

Cooked brown rice, to serve

To Prepare:

1. Soak the lentils overnight in separate bowls. Boil the lentils and chickpeas for 30 mins until cooked through. The red lentils will not require prior cooking and will be added directly to the curry.

2. Immerse the chicken in a extra large pot of water,add the stock cubes and bring to the boil. Drop the heat down to a slow simmer and cook for a further 45 mins to 1 hr until the chicken is falling off the bone. Remove the chicken from the water and set aside. Strain the stock that the chicken was in and set aside. (This will make up the 1.5 liters of stock)

3. To skin your tomatoes slit each with a cross just piercing the skin and soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes until the skin can be removed easily. Chop tomatoes in large chunks and set aside.

4. Prepare all the veg and set aside your spices on a small plate.

Ready to cook:

1. Saute the onions, garlic, chilli and ginger, peppers and mushrooms in the oil in extra large pot on a high heat for 5 minutes. When the onions are soft, add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover the pot and cook gently over a low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the Lentils and chickpeas, coconut milk, tamari, lime juice and all the spices and remaining teaspoon of salt and 1.5 liters of stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low heat and simmer for about 25 minutes until the lentils are cooked through and soft. Stir regularly.

3. While the pot is simmering away you have time to prepare your chicken, remove all the flesh from the bones and set aside.

4. When the lentils are cooked add the tomato paste to thicken. Turn off the heat and stir through the baby spinach until it wilts.

5. Add the prepared chicken and your delicious curry is complete.

Serve on a bed of brown rice.

Coconut & sweet potato brownies

coconut- sweet- potato-brownies

Coconut & sweet potato brownies

A twist on the classic, this is a healthier brownie that uses sweet potatoes, they add slow release energy and have a great texture without overpowering the taste. Not so naughty but really really nice!

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten to a froth
1 medium sweet potato, peeled & grated
120ml melted coconut oil
115ml honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp Xylitol
40g raw cacao powder, sifted, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tbsp coconut flour

Greek yogurt & honey to serve

To prepare:

Line a small square tin 25cm x 25cm with parchment paper or a loaf tin.

Combine the eggs, grated sweet potato, melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and stir together until they are well mixed. Add the Cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda & Xylitol and stir. Finally fold in the coconut flour until combined. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin.

To cook:

180°C for 25 to 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and dry. Cool on a wire rack.

To serve:

Cut into 6 even sized squares. Dust with a little cacao powder or melt some dark chocolate and drizzle over the top. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt. I like to mix the Greek yogurt with a little honey.

Sweet potato pita with smashed avocado, prosciutto & cherry tomato

sweet potato-pita-smashed-avocado-prosciutto-cherry tomato

Sweet Potato Pita with smashed avocado, prosciutto & cherry tomato

This recipe is one of my favorite lunch time treats, it takes no time at all and uses only natural ingredients including spelt flour.

Spelt is wonderfully nutritious and ancient grain with a deep, nutlike flavour. It is a cousin to wheat and has recently received renewed recognition for many of its benefits which comes from its broad spectrum of nutrients. Spelt can be used in many of the ways wheat is used, including pasta and bread making. Spelt is high in protein and fibre and is perfect for those who are wheat intolerant, however spelt does indeed contain gluten and should not be eaten by anyone who is gluten-sensitive or has celiac disease, but the presence of gluten does not make spelt wheat. The gluten in spelt behaves differently than the gluten in wheat in cooking. It is possible that the greater solubility of spelt protein makes it easier to digest than wheat.

Undoubtedly, most people have had much less prior exposure to spelt than to wheat resulting in less opportunity to become allergic to spelt. Whatever the reason, there are many people who suffer allergic reactions after eating wheat but do not react to spelt. I am one of those lucky ones! To read more about what the FDA have to say on the subject read  here .  Both Doves Organic Wholemeal and Odlums Wholemeal spelt are among those I have tried which are now widely available in our Irish stores so you can get baking!

Ingredients:

1 Medium sweet potato grated
1 Natural or greek yogurt 125g (yoplait or glenilen farm)
1 Yogurt tub rapeseed oil or 125ml
2 Yogurt tubs full of organic wholemeal spelt flour(extra for rolling) or approx 250gm (Doves or Odlums)
1/2 to 1 teasp paprika
Pinch Salt
Fresh parsley small handful chopped
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 teasp baking soda

Depending on the size of your sweet potato it will determine how much flour you will need, the consistency you are looking for is that of pastry, if it is too wet add a little more spelt flour.

To prepare:

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well, flour & baking soda last. When the mixture comes together it is ready to knead only slightly (don’t overwork), then divide into approx 3 balls, then press down on a floured board and roll into a round shape. Remember these will not rise much so the depth you make them will be what you get, too thin and they will crumble and too thick and they will not cook well and will be too heavy. To give you an idea 5mm is about right. Place onto a flat baking tray which has been sprayed lightly with rapeseed oil which will help avoid sticking.

To Cook:

Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins
preheat oven 180 C

sweet-potato-pita-wild-red-salmon-salad

Sweet potato pita with wild red salmon & salad

For the filling:

Open the ripe avocado and smash it to your liking in a bowl.  Cut some ripe cherry tomatoes and dust with a tiny sprinkling of salt.  Set aside on a board with your prosciutto ready for filling.  When cooled slightly cut along the side of the pita and fill as desired.  You can eat straight away  but you can also save them till the next day. I like to wrap them up when cooled in parchment paper and tin foil to keep them fresh and when just pop them in the toaster the next day and they taste freshly baked again 🙂

I have also tried wild red salmon mixed with a little mayo and some spinach, tomato and spring onion which is handy when your avocado decides it is not ready to be eaten yet.. which often happens me!

Another classic I love is prosciutto with brie and salad or Tuna with sweetcorn and mayo…the possibilities are endless.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do 🙂

Smoked Haddock, Cod & Salmon Chowder with white wine, shallot & turmeric cream

smoked-haddock-cod-salmon-spinich-shallot-white-wine-tumeric-cream

Fish Chowder

Ingredients:

200g Smoked Haddock
200g Salmon
200g Cod
2/3 Large potatoes
2 Carrots
2 Large shallots
Large handfull of fresh baby spinach
400ml Chicken Stock (1/2 cube)
100ml White wine
200ml Fresh cream
5 tsp Oyster Sauce
1/2 tsp Turmeric
small handful of freshly chopped parsley
drizzle of rapeseed oil
Kerrygold butter 2 knobs
Pinch salt & black pepper

To Prepare:

Having everything chopped in advance is the key to a good chowder! So get chopping. Potatoes should be pealed and diced into large cubes, carrots diced fine and shallots diced into tiny cubes. Prepare the fish by making sure there are no bones and all skin is removed. Dice into large pieces. The reason they should all be about the same size is so they will cook evenly. Ok, boil the kettle and you are ready to go!

Diced Fish

Smoked Haddock, Cod & Salmon

To Cook:

Get a large stainless steal pot and heat the oil and one knob of butter leaving the other until the end of cooking and slowly sweat the shallot for about a minute, then add the carrot and potato. Mix with a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes. Add the stock and boil for about 5 minutes with the lid on until the vegetables are al dente, ensuring they are not completely cooked through. Then add Fish and the remaining ingredients and leave to simmer on a low heat for the further 4-6 minutes making sure you cover with a lid. If you have muscles or uncooked fresh prawns these would be an ideal addition. Add some salt and pepper to taste and you are ready to eat!

fish-chowder

Fish Chowder

I recommend serving with fresh Irish brown soda bread and Kerrygold butter for a really satisfying winter meal that will serve 2-4 people depending on how hungry your family are…mmm mine are piglets!

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Quinoa Salad with Lentils & Butternut Squash

There’s a reason quinoa, pronounced “keen-wa”, has been making headlines and leading healthy-eating trends. Related to swiss chard and beets, quinoa is a fantastic food to add to your diet for many reasons. With power foods like quinoa and lentils in one dish, just one serving of this salad gives you plenty of protein, fibre, folate and Iron. Just another reason to enjoy your delicious lunch…

quinoa-salad-with-lentils

Quinoa Salad with Lentils

Ingredients:
170g quinoa
100g green lentils (soaked in water for 30 minutes, drain and boil for 20-30 minutes)
100g red lentils (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
1/2 large butternut squash
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
small bunch of freshly chopped coriander
small bunch of freshly chopped parsley
1 large carrot
1/2 orange bell pepper
1 stick celery
2 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp. rapeseed oil
dash black ground pepper
1/2 pint stock (chicken stock works best for flavour/ for vegans or vegetarians use vegetable stock)
handful of spinach

To prepare:
Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve, drain and boil in a medium pot for approx 12 minutes and add a pinch of salt (similar cooking instructions to rice). Boil the green lentils for about 20-30 minutes until soft, then drain them in a colander. The red lentils only need draining as these will cook much quicker and don’t require prior boiling. Peal and chop the butternut squash into 1 cm square cubes and boil for 10-15 minutes until soft but still retaining their shape (par boil), drain in a colander. Dice the carrots, celery and orange bell pepper.. Finely dice the shallots and garlic.

lentil-butternut-squash

Lentil & butternut squash

To cook:
In a large non-stick pan heat the rapeseed oil and sweat the shallots and garlic for 1 minute, then add the carrots, celery and pepper. Add the cooked butternut squash, green lentils, red lentils and then the coriander, cumin and ground black pepper. Gently stir all ingredients for 1 minute before adding the stock. Add the fresh herbs. Simmer on a medium heat with the lid on for a further 5 minutes or until the lentils have absorbed all the liquid.

To serve:
Serve on a bed of washed spinach, place the quinoa on top of the spinach and then top with the lentil salad.

Enjoy!

Learn more about quinoa…

organic-quinoa

Organic Quinoa

Many people think that quinoa is a grain – like wheat or rice. But really it’s a vegetable seed. For vegetarians and vegans, quinoa is an excellent source of protein that contains the nine essential amino-acids your body needs to function optimally. Quinoa contains around 20 percent protein, which is higher than rice, millet or wheat. Adding quinoa to meals in the form of salads, sides or main courses can ensure that your body receives adequate protein to build and rebuild tissue. It is packed full of Riboflavin (B2) and Magnesium which is shown to help increase energy and reduce the occurrence of migraines, as well as helping cells function optimally.

Meanwhile, magnesium helps to prevent hypertension by relaxing the muscles around your blood cells. It is low calorie, gluten free, low GI and high in fiber to keep you fuller for longer as well as lowering cholesterol. It is also a good source of Iron, lysine and Manganese. Having the proper balance of iron in your diet helps your muscles function properly to supply oxygen to the brain as well as regulate body temperature and enzymes. By ensuring an adequate intake of lysine, your body can repair tissues quickly. And the anti-oxidant manganese helps to protect mitochondria and red blood cells from damage.

For me the best reason to eat quinoa is for it’s anti-inflammatory properties. Consumption of quinoa has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in animal studies – including a reduction in obesity by lowering levels of fat tissue. By including quinoa in your diet you are also promoting healthy growth of bones by assisting the absorption of calcium and the development of collagen.

Quinoa can be used in bars, to replace oatmeal for breakfast, in salads or granola, in soups, or even in homemade veggie burgers and can also be found in flour form for pancakes, baking and other treats. The possibilities are endless and best of all, it tastes really good!