Food - Family - Wellness

24/12/2021

When you’re vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free there are still so many delicious options available for you. I’ve made it one of my life’s purposes to create and find as many as I can 😁

This “burger” is dreamy - the crunchy flavour-packed pakora, creamy coriander chutney, lettuce, and tangy tamarind chutney sandwiched between two idli “buns” is a combination that works and is a must try 😋

For the recipe for the Pakora patty, coriander chutney, and tamarind chutney check out the link https://www.foodfamilywellness.com/pakora-burger

06/12/2021

These Stuffed Spiced Potato Cutlets and Raw Coriander Chutney are perfect for the Holidays.

They are vegan, oil-free and gluten-free and absolutely delicious 😋

Be sure to check out the recipe video by following the link https://youtu.be/qxjskJeoGtQ

and for the written recipe click here:
https://www.foodfamilywellness.com/stuffed-spiced-potato-cutlet

12/11/2021

My kids are in love with these tiny pancakes! They’re super simple to make, are gluten-free, made without sugar, oil and best of all whole food plant-based!

Link to written recipe: https://www.foodfamilywellness.com/miniblueberrypancakes

Link to recipe video: https://youtu.be/J62AEp0W4-Q

Thank you so much for watching! Here is the link to the written recipe: https://www.foodfamilywellness.com/miniblueberrypancakesAll of our recipes are vegan,...

17/10/2021

The kids and I had a blast testing recipes in the kitchen. This is one of our creations 'gluten-free, oil-free sugar-free vegan baby pancakes' If you would like a recipe video let me know in the comments section and tag someone who would love to try it out.

This didn't last very long, I had to be quick to get a photo before they got polished off 😆

pancakes food

07/10/2021

Sushi Sandwich (Onigirazu)

Recipe makes 3-4

Ingredients:

Sushi rice:
Sushi Rice: 1 cup (1 cup water to cook rice)
Turmeric: ¼ teaspoon
Rice wine vinegar: 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Water: 1 cup (the ratio of sushi rice to water is 1:1)

Tofu:
Firm tofu: 300 grams/10 ounces
Sweet Paprika: 2 tablespoons
Maple Syrup: 2 tablespoons
Garlic: 2-3 cloves (chopped/crushed)
Salt to taste
Water: 5 tablespoons to create the paste

Pickled Carrot:
Carrot: 1
Rice wine vinegar: 2 tablespoon
Maple syrup: 1 tablespoon

Other fillings/ingredients:
Roast Red Capsicum/Bell Pepper
Avocado: sliced lengthwise
Dijon Mustard: quantity based on your preference
Nori (seaweed sheets) for sushi 3-4 sheets

Method:

The first step is to marinate the tofu. Add the sweet paprika, maple syrup, garlic, salt and water to a bowl and mix to create a paste. Cut your firm tofu into 1 inch-sized pieces, coat the tofu in the mix and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours (overnight is preferable).

The next step is to prepare and cook the sushi rice. We will need to wash the rice - in the recipe video I washed my rice 5 times and this removed a reasonable amount of the excess starch. There is still some cloudiness remaining however you will see in the finished product that washing the rice does make a significant difference in the texture - the rice is perfectly sticky and not gloopy. When adding salt to your rice remember that the water and any ingredients added to the water will be fully absorbed into the rice so ensure you don’t over-salt your rice.

Add your washed rice, turmeric powder, salt and water to a pot then bring to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, place it on the lowest heat setting on your stove and allow to cook for a further 10 minutes. Once cooked add the rice wine vinegar and stir gently to coat the rice.

For the roasted red capsicum/bell pepper: Simply slice down the centre, remove the seeds and place cut-side-down on non-stick baking paper.

For the full recipe check out our website: https://www.foodfamilywellness.com/snacks-light-meals

Check out the recipe video on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/f7Hhi_l3TuM sa

23/09/2021

Today I got the opportunity to demonstrate my gluten-free, oil-free Crispy Samosa recipe on the Chef AJ live show.

Chef Aj has personally taught me so much and it was a humbling experience to be able to share one of my recipes with her.

Just a few highlights from Chef AJ’s impressive experience:
She has been devoted to a plant-exclusive diet for over 44 years.
Is the host of the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ airing on Foody TV.
Is a chef, culinary instructor, and professional speaker, she is the author of Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight and the best-selling books The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss: A Revolutionary Approach to Conquer Cravings, Overcome Food Addiction and Lose Weight Without Going Hungry and Own Your Health.
Chef AJ was the executive pastry chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles where she was famous for her sugar-, oil-, salt- and gluten-free desserts.

To see the episode check out Chef Aj’s YouTube channel. I’ve also released the recipe video on my YouTube channel https://youtu.be/Rw4eKpfW7dI

21/09/2021

Smoothie bowls are a great way to start the day, they’re packed full of vitamins and nutrients, and just taste great 😋.

You can be as creative as you like. This trio of smoothie bowls was made with a base of frozen, ripe bananas and dates as well as:

- Fresh kale and frozen blueberries.
- Pomegranate and fresh raspberries.
- Mango and passionfruit

05/09/2021

Black-Eyed Bean Curry

This recipe is simple, it's humble, satisfying and good honest cooking, something I would get served at my grandmother's house in Fiji. Served with fresh roti, it's my idea of a perfect meal.

The recipe serves 12-14 adults. I use this recipe when I’m doing batch cooking to store in the freezer. If you would like to make enough for 6-7 people, halve the measurement provided below. As an accompaniment, especially if you’re gluten-free, check out my recipe for Red Rice Roti’s on my youtube channel and website.

Ingredients:
Dried Black-Eyed Beans, 1 kg (2.2 pounds)
Cumin powder, 1.5 tablespoons
Coriander powder, 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder, 1.5 tablespoons
Chilli flakes, 1 tsp (mild) add according to your taste
Red onion, large
Ginger (fresh - 2-inch piece with skin removed
Garlic, 10 small/medium-sized cloves
Curry leaves - 12 fresh leaves/15 dried leaves
Salt to taste
Water - a total of 2.6 litres (5.5 pints), 1.1 litres(2.3 pints) to soak the beans and the further 1.5 litres(3.2 pints) to cook the beans in your pressure cooker.

Method:

Soak your dried black-eyed beans in 1.1 litres (2.3 pints) of water - It’s best to soak your beans, preferably overnight - this helps the beans to cook faster and have a more consistent texture.

Rinse your soaked beans in water, this removes any grit and impurities that may be present from the harvesting and packing process.

Roughly chop your onions and grate your garlic and ginger into a paste. Drain your beans and add to your pressure cooker, along with all your other ingredients, mix well to coat the beans then add your water.

If using a Crock-Pot Express cook on the Beans/Chilli option add an additional 10 minutes for a more tender result. Otherwise use the cooking device based on the instructions provided.

Serve with roti or rice and enjoy 😊

29/08/2021

Link to recipe video: https://youtu.be/-V105AThrec

Shepherds Pie:
7 medium/large potatoes suitable for mashing (e.g. Bintje, Russets or Yukon Golds)
Firm tofu - 450 grams (16 ounces)
Turmeric - ½ tsp
Black salt - ½ tsp
Red onion - ½
Carrot(large) - 1
Red Pepper/Capsicum - 1
Balsamic Vinegar - 1 tbl
Baked Beans (Organic, Oil-free) x 2 cans (420gm/15 ounces - total of 840gm/30 ounces)
Garlic Powder - 1 tbl
Water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Potato Skin Bacon:
Peeled skins from the 7 potatoes used for the shepherd’s pie topping
Liquid smoke - 2 tsp
Sweet Paprika - 2 tablespoons
Garlic powder - 2 tablespoons
Salt and Pepper to taste

First, you will need to marinate your tofu - Start by crumbling your firm tofu. Add your turmeric, black salt and pepper, mix thoroughly and set aside.

Then prepare your mashed potato. Peel the potatoes, ensuring that you keep the peelings so that you can make your potato skin bacon. Chop into small, even-sized pieces so they cook at the same time, then boil until soft. Once cooked, drain, add salt, pepper and mash until smooth, or to your desired consistency.

In a bowl, add your potato peelings, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, salt and liquid smoke. Mix well until the skins are evenly coated in the spices. Then set aside to marinate.

Roughly dice your onion, carrot and red pepper/capsicum. Place your non-stick pan on medium heat, once hot add your onion, carrots and red pepper/capsicum. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir then place the lid on and allow to cook until slightly soft. Move your vegetables to one side of the pan then add the balsamic vinegar, allow to bubble and reduce slightly - this direct heat not only caramelizes the balsamic vinegar but also removes some of the sharpness.

Add your tofu and garlic powder and mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan. Add the baked beans and mix well.

Pre-heat oven to 180°C/ 355°F

Spoon and evenly distribute your filling into a baking dish. Then top with the mashed potato.
Scatter the marinated potato skins on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake the Shepherd’s pie for 15-17 minutes and the potato skin bacon for about 12-15 minutes.

14/08/2021

Both our kids, Alia and Darian turned 4 and 1 on the 19 of July. It still amazes me that my little Darian decided to come 3 weeks early and share his birthday with our Alia. They have an incredibly close bond - at times they share similar moods and even similar sleep patterns, often finding that if one is awake, the other is just as awake even though they sleep in different rooms.

They have, and continue to fill our lives with teachings and blessings beyond our wildest dreams. I’ve learned so much since having kids, mostly about myself. I’ve become more aware of how they sense, energetically, EVERYTHING - if you’re feeling on cloud nine, then often, so are they! If something is not quite right with you, they know this too.

It’s not that we have to be happy all the time - contrast is important. It provides the perspective we need so we can consciously shift back to a desired emotional state. It’s also important for your child to see that experiencing a range of emotions is normal. To a child, we are role modeling, how we process and manage these emotions. They file away these teachings in their subconscious and use them when presented with their own experience of a similar emotion in the future.

It’s a matter of observing our own reactions, if they’re not quite what we want them to be - be kind to yourself, and remember it’s a process. Just be mindful to take a deep breath before you react in the future - breathing before you react to any situation will give your mind an opportunity to respond in a more rational way, rather than to simply have a knee jerk reaction. Also, raising kids, although rewarding, is hard and can test you in so many ways so, remember to celebrate your wins. A few weeks ago I broke something in the house and it was messy - Alia, at 3 years old came over and said “It’s ok mummy, everyone makes mistakes and gave me a hug”.

I would love to hear about a parenting win you’ve had 🙂

10/08/2021

Link to recipe video: https://youtu.be/eKYrIM3KB6Q

Masala Tofu Savoury Tart

Recipe makes 14-18 tarts

Tart crust:
2 cups sifted chickpea flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp sesame seeds
1 heaped tsp tahini
½ cup water
Optional ingredient: salt to taste

Simple masala scramble filling:
1 onion
1 tomato
1 tsp cumin seeds
350 grams silken tofu
¾ black salt
1 cup button mushrooms
1 zucchini
1 small red capsicum
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Feel free to add additional ingredients such as garlic, ginger, chilli’s, lemon, mustard seeds and other spices according to your palate and preferences.

Method: Sift the chickpea flour. Add the baking powder, sesame seeds, garlic powder, and tahini. Gradually add the warm water and continue to mix until the dough forms. If you accidentally add too much water, don’t worry simply add more dry, sifted chickpea flour until it returns to the desired consistency. Then knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Allow your dough to rest for an hour.

For the filling, start by dicing your onion, then dice the zucchini, capsicum, tomato and halve your button mushrooms. Place your non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Toast your cumin seeds until they become fragrant. Add all of your vegetables, then the coriander powder, freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Cook all of the ingredients for a further 10 minutes, tasting and adjusting seasoning if required.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius (355 degrees fahrenheit)

Dust your work surface with sifted chickpea flour and add a dusting on top of your pastry if it’s slightly sticky.

Tip for when you’re slotting the rounds inside your muffin tray - gently place them in ensuring you don’t push in the corners too much, so that it’s slightly above the corners. The reason for this is that because we’re not using oil, taking this approach will ensure the tart shells come out easily once cooked.

Bake your tart shells for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and the crust has bubbled slightly. The slight bubbling makes the tart lighter.
Spoon in your filling and bake on 150 degrees celsius(300 degrees fahrenheit) for 5-7 minutes.

30/01/2021

These cookies are so so easy to make and both kids and adults love them :)

Ingredients:
All-purpose self-raising gluten-free flour - 1 ½ cups
Almond meal - 1 ½ cups
Baking soda - ½ teaspoon
Peanut butter - 1 teaspoon
Soft brown sugar - ¾ cup
Vanilla essence/extra - teaspoon
Ground Ginger - ½ teaspoon
Water - ½ cup (+1-2 tablespoons depending on the gluten-free flour used)

For the full recipe check out the link in my Bio, or DM me.