Spanish Meatballs

Ingredients

• 500g organic lean minced beef

• 1 large organic or free range egg

• 2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 2 organic gluten free beef stock cubes

• 1 litre of boiling water

• selection of dried mixed herbs
• 1 white onion, finely sliced
 ( or equivalent in spring onions)
• 1 garlic clove, finely sliced,
• extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil,
• salt and ground black pepper 

Method

1.  Mix the mince with the egg and half the onion chopped. Season with 1 stock cube and black pepper.
2. Roll the mixture with your hands into ping pong sized balls and fry in oil until almost cooked (the meatballs can still be slightly pink in middle as they are going to simmer in the sauce).
3. 
   
   
4. Be sure to turn them around now and again so they cook evenly.
5. Take the meatballs out and put them on a plate to rest.
6. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, retaining the bits of meat that are left in the bottom of the pan.
7. Add the rest of the chopped onion and some finally chopped 
garlic and sauté for a further 2 minutes until golden.
8. Add the 2 tins of chopped tomatoes and a good sprinkling of 
mixed herbs.
9. Add in the water and crumble in the final stock cube.
10. Season 
with salt and pepper if required.
11. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens a little.
12. Add the meatballs and mix them well with the tomato sauce.
13. 
    
    
14. Let 
them cook for another couple of minutes.

Serve with steamed green vegetables

Stir Fried Crispy Beef

 Ingredients

(Serves 2)

• 300g of beef - cut into strips (i used sirloin steak)
• 2 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 4 Tbsp coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• For the sauce
• 4 Tbsp Franks sauce
• 3 Tbsp greek yogurt 

Method

1. Mix the coconut flour, sea salt and gluten free baking powder in a bowl.
2. 
   
   
3. Cut the beef into thin strips.
4. Coat the beef in the egg whites.
5. Next coat the beef in the coconut flour mix.
6. 
   
   
7. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan.
8. Cook the beef on a high heat to seal and crisp up the coating. 
9. Lower heat and cover and cook until cooked through.
10. Add the franks sauce and yogurt. 
11. 
    
    
12. Cook until combined,
13. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. 

Serve with side of greens, i used broccoli and asparagus. 

Almond Truffles

Well it's been a while since i posted, so getting back into the swing of things with a nice paleo treat to set you up for a little clean indulgence :-)

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup Melted coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp Raw Honey
• 2 Tbsp Almond Butter
• 1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

Topping
75g dark chocolate

Method

1. Add all the filling ingredients into a bowl and combine.
2. 

   
   
   
   
3. When combined add them to a blender and mix them to break down the coconut and you get a paste. 
4. Using a teaspoon take some of the filling and shape into balls/domes. 
5. Place them on parchment paper on lined sheet/plate.
6. Continue this step until all the mixture is used. 
7. 
   
   
8. Put the plate of truffles into the fridge to set. 
9. While that is setting melt some dark chocolate in a bowl over hot water. 
10. Remove truffles from the fridge.
11. Dip and cover each one in chocolate placing back on the parchment paper each time.
12. 
    
    
13. Place them back in the fridge to set. 

These can be stored in the fridge or freezer :)

Porridge Bread

So are you missing bread on a gluten free lifestyle? Well this is a quick one to try. If you'd like to have some bread with an egg on breakfast or even as an open sandwich with chicken?

Ingredients 

• 1 500g Tub of Greek Style Yogurt
• 2 tubs of gluten free porridge oats
• 2 teaspoons of gluten free baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil

Optional Addins

• Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
• Handful of raisins

Method

1. Place baking powder, oil and yogurt in the mixing bowl.
2. Using the same yogurt tub measure two tubs of the oats and add to the bowl
3. Add you favourite seeds at this point too and stir thoroughly.
4. 
   
   
5. Place in a lined loaf tin.
6. 
   
   
7. Cook at 180degC or a little higher first time and then lower half way through.
8. Cook for approximately 45 minutes.
9. 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the bread from the tin, turn upside down and cook for remaining 10 minutes.
10. Leave to cook on a wire tray , wrapped in a clean tea towel.

Coconut Banana Cookies

This one is another quick and easy one :-)

Ingredients

• 1 banana mashed
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170-180deg C.
2. In a food processor mix the two ingredients until well combined.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
4. Take about a tablespoon of the mixture and flatten it into a disc shape.
5. Place on the parchment paper.
6. Repeat for the remaining of the mixture.
7. 
   
   
8. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Marinated Cajun Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 2 Tablspoons Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Cajun Spice
• 1/2 Tablespoon Tumeric

Method

1. Place the chicken breasts in a bowl.
2. Add the two tablespoons of greek yogurt and ensure that the chicken breasts are covered completely. 
3. Add the spices and mix thoroughly.
4. Leave in the fridge to marinade for a few hours or overnight. 
5. Take out of fridge and place on a baking tray.
6. Preheat the oven to 210 degC.
7. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with Salad or Greens :-) 

Avocado Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen rasperries
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1/2 scooop vanilla protein powder

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Blitz up and serve.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 2-3 Chicken Breasts
• 1 avocado - diced
• 2-3 spring onions finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp basil - chopped 
• juice 1/2 lime
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Grill chicken breasts until cooked through.
2. Remove, allow to cool and chop up/slice.
3. Mix together with avocado, spring onion, basil, lime and salt/pepper.

Grilled Cajun Salmon with Avocado and Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 large salmon darnes , skin on (1/2 lb or 220g)
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp olive oil

Avocado Tomato Salsa

• ½ medium ripe avocado
• 4-5 baby plum tomatoes sliced in half
• 1/2 tbsp coriander finely chopped
• 1 small spring onion finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon or lime juice
• Pinch of chili flakes or fresh finely chopped chili (optional)
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

M

Method 

1. Rub olive oil over the flesh of the fish, rub with spices and set aside for an hour in the fridge or overnight
2. Preheat grill.
3. Cook fish skin side up for 3 minutes, flip and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the fish easily flakes.
4. Mix together all salsa ingredients.
5. Serve Salsa with Salmon and additional green vegetables. 

Grilled Asian Chicken Breasts with Avocado and Green Salad

This one is thanks to Pat Divilly Fitness

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch thick piece of fresh ginger peeled
• zest of two limes
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Red chilli, chopped
• 1 tsp wheat free soy sauce
• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Place all ingredients except chicken into a blender and pulse to a rough paste. 
2. Coat chicken with paste and place in a hot oven for 25 minutes. 
3. Serve with a green salad including baby leaf, spinach, avocado and watercress. 

Sea Bass and Sweet Potato Mash with Spinach

This recipe serves 2 

Ingredients

• 4 seabass fillets
• 2 medium sweet potatoes 
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 finely chopped red chilli
• Ground cinnamon
• Coconut oil

Method 

1. Coat 2 sea bass fillets with garlic, chili and coconut oil and place in oven for 20 - 30 minutes at 200-210 degC.
2. Peel and Steam and mash the sweet potato then add chilies and a dash of cinnamon.
3. Serve with a bed of fresh raw spinach.

Mini Sweet Potato Breads

My friend is a personal trainer and nutritional therapist and has some fabulous tasty gluten free recipes. Here is one i have used on many occasions and it's great. It can be stored in the fridge or frozen.  As an easy on the go snack. I also have these for breakfast with boiled or poached eggs. Really nice :-)

Ingredients

• 2 x medium sweet potatoes ( about 2 cups of steamed/mashed sweet potato
• 100g gluten-free oats or buckwheat flakes
• Four scoops vanilla protein (alternatively you can use chocolate protein powder which will give a sweeter bread, more like cake texture)
• 1 tsp baking powder – gluten free
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (not essence)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees for 15/20 minutes.
2. Cook sweet potato (preferably steam) and then mash it.
3. Put all the ingredients into a food processor, blend all of the ingredients until smooth
4. Hand roll the mixture into 16 small balls and place on a large lined baking tray, or grease a bread tin and pour mixture into this to make a bread.
5. 
   
   
6. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked.

Salmon and Sweet Potato Fish Cakes

I have had it in my mind for a few weeks to try out some paleo friendly fish cakes. Came across a recipe on Every Day Maven and modified it slightly - these were amazing. Especially the second day, so i would highly recommend preparing them the day before cooking/eating them.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (about 1 and 1/4 cups), steamed and mashed
• ⅔ (two/thirds) cup ground almonds
• ⅓ cup packed finely chopped parsley
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped spring onion
• 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ to 1 Tablespoon Franks hot sauce
• ½ Tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 and 1/2 Salmon darnes, cooked and cooled
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil for cooking
• 
  
  
  
• 
  

Method

1. Steam the sweet potato and mash it and allow it to cool.
2. Bake the salmon in the oven in a little lemon juice for about 25 minutes.
3. Remove salmon and cut up and allow to cool.
4. In a bowl mix the sweet potato, ground almonds, parsley, spring onion, lemon juice, hot sauce salt, cumin, paprika, pepper and eggs ( ensure the sweet potato has cooled ) .
5. Stir all ingredients together until combined.
6. Add in the cooled mashed salmon and stir again to ensure all ingredients combined well.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper ( a size that will fit into your fridge).
8. Using a 1/3 measuring cup scoop out mixture and flatten into equally sized salmon cakes. 
9. Chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or all day or overnight for best binding/results.
10. Heat a large frying pan with some coconut oil on a medium heat and wait till oil melted completely. 
11. Place the cakes in the pan and fry on a low/medium heat till browned on that side ( 4-6 minutes ).
12. Flip and cook the opposite side. 
13. Serve hot and Enjoy.

Overnight Oats in a Jar - Almond and Raspberry

This recipe is much like the chia seed pudding recipe... .if you can call it a recipe. :-) .. in this case you use oats instead of chia seeds.

The variations on this one like the chia one is endless. I have made it with banana , walnuts and cinnamon .... With raspberries, flaked almonds and coconut. Many more.. mix and match ingredients such as blueberries, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts.. I've seen  few recipes with cocoa and coffee.. the cocoa being off plan for now.

Here's a list of the ingredients and method that i've used.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup gluten free oats
• 1/2-1/3 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Almond Butter
• (optional for protein - 1/2-1 scoop of protein powder)
• Handful of frozen or fresh raspberries
• Handful of flaked almonds 

Method

1. In a jar add all the ingredients.
2. Put the lid on the jar and shake it up to ensure all the ingredients are mixed up.
3. Place in fridge overnight to soak.
4. In morning remove from fridge and eat :-) EASY PEASY

If you prefer it hot you can heat it up in the morning.

As i mentioned the options are endless and fun to play around with. If you're pushed for time you can make a batch of these on a sunday night and keep them in fridge for the week, taking out one at a time for breakfasts.

Get the kids involved to make up their own jars to  be left overnight :)