ORANGE & POPPYSEED PANCAKES

I love using citrus zest in place of sugar to add flavour to otherwise bland ingredients. Take these Orange & Poppyseed pancakes. Without the orange rind and poppy seeds, this recipe is are dangerously close to producing standard, run of the mill pancakes. Add some orange zest & juice with a sprinkling of poppy seeds and enter the flavour. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup self-raising flour (or gluten-free self-raising flour if intolerant)
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon natural maple syrup (not 'flavoured' maple syrup)
• 1 cup reduced-fat cows milk (or lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond or oat milk if intolerant to dairy)
• a dash of vanilla essence 
• 1 free range egg, lightly beaten
• the zest and juice of a medium orange 
• extra virgin olive oil spray or 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 

COOKING 

1. Combine the flour and poppy seeds into a large bowl. Make a well or hole in the centre. Pour the syrup, milk, vanilla, egg and orange zest & juice in a medium bowl into the well and stir well to combine. 

2. Heat a pancake pan or medium non-stick frying pan on medium-low heat and add cooking oil spray or 1 teaspoon olive oil. Using a 1/4 cup as a measurement, spoon the mixture into the pan in droplets and create circles. (However big you want to make the pancakes is up to you- I find that it is easier to cook them if they are slightly bigger than pikelets but smaller than pancake size). Turn each pancake over when bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Keep the pan on medium-low heat. Cover to keep warm and repeat until all batter has been used. 

These pancakes have enough flavour so there is no need to serve with any syrup! You can reserve some of the orange zest and poppy seeds and serve with these sprinkled on top, if desired. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation & Cooking time / around 15 minutes 

x Emily 

DATE, OAT & ORANGE GRANOLA

There's usually not much variety in my breakfasts, as I rush out of the house most mornings at 4:45am and need to grab something really quickly from my kitchen. I've been experimenting with making my own granola and muesli recently on Sundays and here is my latest creation. I am what some would call seriously obsessed with Medjool dates and have recently been using them in most sweet creations. If you keep the quantity of fresh dates that you use low, you will keep the calorie count and the sugar content minimal. I love added quinoa flakes to granola & muesli, as well as buckwheat (which has no traces of wheat in it), chopped nuts and oats (which you can buy gluten-free if you have an intolerance). The orange zest and orange juice adds a beautiful flavour to this simple granola. Serve with a generous dollop of natural yoghurt or with 1/4- 1/3 cup of the milk of your choice. 

Ingredients

• 150g fresh Medjool dates, pitted & roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (225g)
• 45g raw buckwheat
• 50g quinoa flakes
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 15g chia seeds
• 50g cashews, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons orange zest, finely grated 
• the juice of 1 medium orange (around 70ml)

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-force oven to 150 degrees celsius, then line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, stirring well. 

3. Spread the granola in a single layer on the prepared tray. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven, then remove and stir well, returning the granola to a single layer. Continue to bake for around 20 minutes, or until the granola is a light golden brown, repeating this stirring process every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely. 

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Serve topped with 1/4-1/3 cup almond, rice, oat milk. 

Makes / 8 servings
Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 30 minutes plus cooling time 
Approx calories / 263 per serving 

x Emily 

MILLET, ORANGE & LEMON MUFFINS

Whilst this photo is crystal clear (no filter on instagram required) I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to import the original photo onto my computer. So I have to be satisfied with an instagram one. 

Moving on...these muffins are adapted from another Heidi Swanson specialty and are incredible for a gluten and dairy free treat. They are fluffy, bright and the zest of the orange and lemon is very prominent in the flavour. You almost feel as if you are eating a fruity cornbread when treating yourself to one of these muffins. It’s also a great way to consume some millet, which is an ancient seed (often mistaken for a grain) that can be cooked similarly to how quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal and farro is cooked. Millet’s popularity has risen in recent years due to the fact that it is gluten free and due to its nutritional benefits. This little seed contains ample amounts of magnesium (which assists in lowering blood pressure, decreases the risk of heart disease and eases muscle cramps and tightness), is full of fibre which slows down digestion and leaves you feeling fuller for longer, is high in alkaline (which helps our body pH to stay balanced) and is easy to digest.

INGREDIENTS

• coconut oil, to grease muffin tin 
• 1 heaped cup gluten-free plain flour
• 1 heaped cup gluten-free self raising flour
• 1/3 cup raw millet
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda / bi-carb of soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup lactose-free yoghurt
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup almost melted nutalex 
• 1/2 cup organic honey
• the grated zest of 1 medium lemon and 1/2 a large orange
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon orange juice 

BAKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to just above 200 degrees celsius and place a rack in the top third of the oven. Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tin with coconut oil (using baking paper to grease creates the least amount of mess). 

2. Stir together the flours, millet, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. 

3. In another large bowl, whisk the yoghurt, eggs, nutalex, honey and lemon & orange zest and juice until well combined. 

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl and stir gently until the flours are just stirred through. 

5. Divide the batter into the 12 prepared muffin holes, filling the batter to the rim or just below. To ensure that the muffins rise evenly, wet a tablespoon with water and run the spoon along the tops of the batter in each hole to even the muffin tops. 

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the muffin tops are golden and you can just start to see cracks forming on the top of the muffins. Leave in the tin for five minutes, then transfer the muffins onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 

Makes  / 12

Total Preparation time / 15 - 20 minutes 

Total Baking time / 20 - 22 minutes 

x Emily 

DATE & ORANGE COOKIES

If you ever seen a professional cook or chef being interviewed they will frequently talk about ‘failures’ they have experienced in the kitchen. I’ve had many, which I will happily share; once I left rice boiling on the stove for not one but TWO hours (needless to say my pan was almost incinerated), another time I served hard as a rock spaghetti (how you screw pasta up I don’t even know) and on a few occasions I have made cookies for my fiancée only to burn them to an absolute crisp. All these failures have been imperative to my cooking journey, however, as I have learnt vital lessons, such as which ingredients never ever go together and that you should always watch the stove and not walk away and get absorbed in another task. All invaluable experiences and not always common sense to all.

 The reason why I bring up this topic is that these Date & Orange cookies were my third attempt at making gluten-free, dairy-free cookies from scratch. First I tried a chia & poppy seed combination which was basically tasteless (although my gorgeous fiancée ate them all). Secondly I baked a cacao orange dough which was extremely dry and inedible (again they were consumed in a few days by Chris). Lastly came the date & orange mixture. I hope you enjoy it. 

And most importantly; don't sweat the failures in the kitchen. My beautiful friend Dani assured me after my second failed cookie attempt that the next batch would be a hit and it was. Keep experimenting with recipes and flavours - you will constantly be rewarded with new knowledge if not always edible dishes;)

INGREDIENTS

•  2 cups almond meal (150g)
• 100g dried dates, processed finely
• 2 eggs, preferably free-range, lightly beaten 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, in liquid form
• 1 heaped teaspoon of finely grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice 

BAKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 160 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Combine the almond meal and dates in a large bowl and mix well. Create a well in the middle of the bowl and pour in the remaining ingredients (the eggs, syrup, baking powder, oil, orange zest and juice) and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. 

3. With wet hands handle about 2 tablespoons of the cookie mixture and roll into a ball. Place the ball onto the tray and then gently press your palm into the ball so that the dough becomes a circle. Continue this until no dough remains, making sure to place the cookies a few centimetres apart on the tray. Place the tray in the oven for around 25 minutes or until the outsides of the cookies are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack before eating. 

Makes / around 15 

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 

Total Baking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

ORANGE, CINNAMON & CHIA SEED BALLS

Another balls recipe! My ‘Vegan Date Ball’ recipe in January was my very first hand at trying to make this sweet natural snack that is swiftly popping up everywhere. The second time around I wanted a moister mixture with a little more flavouring, hence the orange juice and orange zest. Once again, a good friend gave me this idea when she suggested I add some citrus into the date mixture – lemon juice and zest or even lime would also go nicely. A small amount of juice and zest goes a long way and whilst you can taste the citrus hints it is by no way overpowering. Chia seeds are my flavour of the month- they are going on my muesli, salads and sweets. If you haven’t heard about them have a look at the January ‘Antipasto Salad with Buffalo Mozzarella’ which lists some huge benefits of consuming these little seeds.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 300g dates
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons almond meal, plus extra to cover balls
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 heaped tablespoon chia seeds 
• 40g macadamia nuts, finely chopped

PREPARATION 

1. Process the dates in a food processor until minced. You may need to add water if the date mixture is too thick, however only add a dash of water at a time. Add cinnamon and almond meal and gently process until just combined. Mix the chia seeds, orange juice, orange zest and macadamia nuts into the date mixture by stirring. Roll the mixture into even shaped balls and have a separate plate ready to roll balls in almond meal. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours until set. Store in the refrigerator. 

Makes / 15-16 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

x Emily 

LEMON & ORANGE POLENTA CAKE

It’s not an easy feat to make a gluten, dairy and wheat free cake taste delicious. Throw in the fact that you want a cake to be reasonably healthy and low in fat as well and its damn near impossible. I stress that this cake is for a special occasion, due to the plentiful amount of margarine in the recipe. A word to the wise; do not reduce the amount of margarine or you will be left with an inedible dry cake (my first attempt!). The polenta and ground almonds in the cake are a much healthy alternative to brown or white sugar and flour. The orange & lemon zest really gives a fruity tang to the cake that lifts the otherwise mild taste of polenta. I wish I could say that I had come up with this recipe myself, however the substance of the recipe came from ‘The Best Gluten-free, Wheat-free & Dairy-Free Recipes’ by Grace Cheetham.

INGREDIENTS

• 250g dairy-free margarine (such as Nutalex), plus extra to grease
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4-5 tablespoons honey
• 200g polenta
• 100g almond meal (ground almonds)
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• zest of 1/2 a large orange 
• zest of 1 lemon and the juice of 1 lemon

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Lightly grease a cake tin with margarine. 

2. Using an electric mixer or hand-held electric whisk beat the margarine until it becomes light and fluffy (this should take a few minutes). Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time and then the honey. 

3. Using a large metal spoon, gently stir in the polenta, almond meal and baking powder. Add the orange & lemon zest and mix well. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and firm to touch. Remove from the oven and leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before placing it on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Dust extra almond meal and lemon/orange zest on top of the cake if you wish. 

Serves / 8-10

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes

Total Cooking time / 35-40 (not including cooling time)

x E

GLUTEN-FREE DAIRY-FREE CARROT CAKE

I have spent the last 3-5 meals at my mother’s house and therefore have had no new meals for my lovely blog! Whilst my mother cooks amazing food, I was feeling the pull to get back into my kitchen and cook, bake, sauté, chop and grate. Whilst I work on new recipes today, I have a carrot cake recipe I tried out last week that deserves to be blogged around. Now, just to be clear, this carrot cake is not for anyone that loves sugar and sweet cakes, as there is barely any sugar in it. Instead this cake tastes strongly of orange and cinnamon, which is actually an alluring autumn pair. This cake is gluten-free, dairy-free and preservative-free. To make it nut-free, replace the walnuts & almonds for chopped pieces of dried apricot or remove without substituting. A flavorsome cake that tastes even better a few days after baking.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup brown or raw sugar 
• 1/4 cup grape seed or sunflower oil, plus a little extra to grease
• 1/4 cup light agave syrup
• 2 cups freshly grated orange carrot
• a pinch of ground nutmeg 
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons silvered or chopped almonds
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white 
• 1 cup buckwheat flour

COOKING 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius fan-forced. Lightly grease a long narrow baking tin with oil. 

2. Combine the sugar and oil in a large bowl. Beat in the 2 whole eggs. Continue by stirring in the orange zest, nutmeg and cinnamon. Softly stir in the flour, walnuts, almonds & carrot. 

3. In a smaller bowl, beat the 1 egg white until very stiff and peaks begin to form. (This should take around 3- 4 minutes of intense beating/whisking). When complete gently fold the egg white into the cake batter. 

4. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for around 25-30 minutes or until cake is golden and a skewer is able to come out clean from the centre of the cake. Remove cake from oven and sit for at least 10 minutes to cool, before transferring to a wire rack. 

Serves / 8 

Adapted from Carrot Cake from cookbook 'Cut out the Crap' by Collette White 

x E

AUTUMN FRUIT SALAD

Fruit salad is such a simple, yet delicious breakfast that I am surprised I have never made it before. After a long, albeit leisurely walk with my puppy this morning, I was feeling extra fresh and wanted to nourish my body with natural food. The very best thing about this salad is the beautiful, vibrant colours. Whilst I used whatever I had in the fridge/freezer, you could mix up the ingredients and add blueberries, figs, apricots, nectarines, fresh mint etc. As we are in the season of autumn at the moment, I opted for mostly fresh fruit (the exception being the raspberries- I am waiting for the day when I am able to afford to spend $10 a punnet on them). If you use lots of fresh orange juice, you may find that you only require a small amount of honey. If you pre-cut the apples or peaches, place them in a lemon water solution (the juice of one lemon and around 5 cups of water) as this will prevent them from browning. Before serving drain the pre soaked fruit well. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 handfuls of fresh or frozen raspberries (if frozen, thaw first)
• 1/2 a small rock melon, cut into cubes and skin & seeds removed 
• 2 small apples, cut into cubes and core removed
• 1 large peach, cut into cubes and core removed 
• the juice of 1/2 an orange
• a generous drizzle of honey 

COOKING 

1. Combine the raspberries, rock melon, apples, and peach in a medium serving bowl. Drizzle the orange juice and honey on top and serve immediately. 

Serves / 2 

x E