Almond, Maca and Yacon Butter (& Banana Toast) // Kenkō Kitchen. Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenkō Kitchen).

This recipe is simple, I know, however it is a classic in my house. I make this nut butter monthly and keep it in my pantry ready to be spread on toast, used as a filler in dates as a snack or as a dip for apple slices. It's SO delicious, and packed with goodness. 

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Almond, Maca and Yacon Butter (& Banana Toast)

Serves 2-3
Prep time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the nut butter
2 cups almonds
2 tbs maca powder
2 tbs yacon syrup (or maple syrup if yacon syrup cannot be sourced)

For the banana toast
2 slices gluten free toast
1 banana
2-3 tbs almond, maca and yacon butter
pinch cinnamon
drizzle yacon syrup, raw honey or maple syrup

METHOD

1. Place almonds in your food processor or blender. Blend until a silky nut butter has formed (about 10-15 minutes)*. Add remaining ingredients and continue to blend until combined and smooth. Store in a jar in the pantry.

2. Serve nut butter on gluten-free toast. Top with banana, a pinch of cinnamon and a small drizzle of yacon syrup (as desired).

Note: For this recipe I used my Vitamix. I start on 10 to create a meal/flour with the nuts, then reduce to 2 until completely smooth. You will need to check on nut butter in intervals and use a spatula to bring the nuts down the side at various stages.

Instant Vegan Polenta / Photography by Elisa Watson

Polenta is one of those foods which can seem daunting to make at home, however, it’s literally one of the easiest freakin’ things you can slop on a plate. I like to think my love of polenta comes from my Croatian heritage but to be honest, the only polenta we ate in that household was in the form of a Lemon Polenta Cake, and that’s a story for another time. If you’re wondering what the heck Polenta is if you’ve been living under a rock or have never eaten it before, it’s cornmeal. So if you’re into popcorn, corn on the cob, baby corns or corn flakes - you’re probably gonna be into this too. It’s versatile, goes with lots of things and is ready IN ONE FLIPPIN’ MINUTE.

And now, before you say anything like “Kate it’s got parmesan on it! But you’re vegan!” It’s not parmesan, it’s macadamia nuts finely grated with a Microplane for no other reason other than IT LOOKS GOOD. By all means, if you’re not a vegan like me, sprinkle over real parmesan, I’m sure it will taste good but you know… think of the cows.

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1 Minute Vegan Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted tomatoes
2 punnets vine tomatoes
Garlic-infused olive oil (I use Cobram, religiously)
Salt flakes
Thyme

For the polenta
250g 1 minute polenta (I use this brand, it’s got a fun name)
500ml plant-based milk (I use Rebel Milk Extra Creamy)
500ml water
1 vegetable stock cube (I use Kallo brand)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Garlic olive oil, to drizzle

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Place cherry tomatoes onto a lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, salt flakes, and pepper. Pop into the oven to roast for 20 minutes.

2. Bring milk and water to the boil in a saucepan.

3. Serve.

Pesto Beans on Toast // Kenkō Kitchen. Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenkō Kitchen).

Despite my love of cooking, some nights I just CBF (cannot be fudged)! When those nights occur, I often find myself making something easy like this - Pesto Beans on Toast. A quick homemade pesto, cannellini beans, some good gluten-free toast and a drizzle of olive oil. It's incredibly simple but always satisfies! Any leftover pesto can be frozen and used for pasta later on, or frozen in an ice cube tray to flavour any future soups or sauces. 

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Pesto Beans on Toast

Serves 2-3
Prep time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the pesto
1 1/2 bunches basil
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice 1 small lemon
2-3 cloves garlic
Pinch salt

To serve
4 slices gluten free toast

METHOD

1. Place all pesto ingredients in your food processor or blender. Blend until they're combined and at your desired pesto texture (I like mine pretty smooth).

2. In a small saucepan, add in the beans and pesto. Place over a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes or until warmed through.

3. Serve warm on gluten-free toast. Easy as that!

Note: I spread Botanical Cuisine vegan cultured butter on my toast before slopping (who doesn't love a good slop) on the beans, however you can drizzle the toast with some olive oil or just leave it as is. 

It’s safe to say this is one of my favourite breakfasts – ever. Not only is this recipe super easy to make, it is so delicious, wholesome and you will be filled up for hours. No more super-rich stodgy French toast, leaving you feeling like a slug. This healthy version is light, fresh and will have your tummy feeling nourished and happy!

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French Toast Waffles with Berry Compote

Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Waffles

130 g (4 ½ oz/1 cup) buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon stevia
250 ml (8. fl oz/1 cup) plant-based milk
60 ml (2 fl oz/ ¼ cup) maple syrup

French toast mix

400 ml (13. fl oz) tin coconut cream
60 ml (2 fl oz/ ¼ cup) plant-based milk
60 ml (2 fl oz/ ¼ cup) maple syrup

Berry compote

155 g (5. oz/1 cup) mixed berries
3 teaspoons stevia

To serve

175 g (6 oz) Macadamia ‘ricotta’ cheese (see below)
1 lime (quartered)

Method

1. For the waffles, combine the buckwheat flour, baking powder and stevia in a bowl. Whisk in the milk and maple syrup.
2. Depending on the size of your waffle maker, place a quarter or an eighth of the mixture in the waffle iron. Cook until the outside is golden (around 3–5 minutes) and remove.
3. For the French toast mix, in a bowl combine the coconut cream, milk and maple syrup. Mix until combined.
4. Heat a medium frying pan over high heat until hot. Dunk each waffle into the French toast mix and then place in the pan, cooking the waffles one at a time, until golden on the outside.
5. For the compote, combine the berries, 60 ml (2 fl oz/ ¼ cup) water and the stevia in a saucepan over medium heat and let simmer until the liquid reduces and begins to thicken.
6. To serve, place 1–2 waffles on each plate, top with the berry compote and 1 tablespoon of the macadamia ‘ricotta’. Serve immediately with a lime wedge on each plate.

 

Macadamia ‘ricotta’ cheese

Makes about 250 g (9 oz/1 cup)
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus soaking time for nuts

Ingredients

320 g (11. oz/2 cups) raw macadamia nuts, soaked in water overnight, drained
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon savoury yeast flakes

Method

1. Place the macadamia nuts in a food processor with the coconut oil, 2 tablespoons water and the lemon juice and blitz until smooth.
2. Add the salt and savoury yeast flakes. Keep blending until the cheese is as smooth as you like.
3. Store it in a container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Bamya (Turkish Okra Stew). Photography by Elisa Watson, Styling by Kate Bradley & Elisa Watson. Kitchen Cloth in Washed Waffle Grey from Fog Linen. Bowl, fork and glass found in an op shop. // Kenkō Kitchen

We are currently in the midst of winter in Australia and to celebrate I thought I would share one of my favourite comforting recipes. This recipe hails from Turkey and is another recipe I have inherited from my boyfriends wonderful family. It is a dish in which you can serve hot or cold so you can make a big batch and have it for days on end (Turkish style), or you can pop any leftovers in the freezer for an easy meal. You can have it in a bowl on it's own or as a side with other Turkish dishes (like mücver - Turkish zucchini and dill fritters). It truly is delicious and is the perfect balance of comfort and nourishing. 

Bamya or Okra is a vegetable which is most often found in middle eastern stews and Indian, Sri Lankan curries. Okra is known for being quite a low calorie vegetable and it is a rich source if dietary fibre as well as containing many minerals and vitamins (such as vitamin A, C, K and B-6). It's absolutely delicious when cooked right and can be found to purchase fresh in Asian groceries and can be found frozen in Indian supermarkets. You could use either fresh or frozen for this dish, it really depends on what you can get your hands on!

Like many Turkish recipes this one is incredibly simple and easy to make. When both Yaprak and Suna (my boyfriends aunty and grandma) made this dish for me my heart just sang. It is such a delicious dish which you can just easily keep going back for more. It's a very common dish in Turkey and is definitely worth trying at home.

Happy cooking! xx

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Serves 5
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
1 lemon juice
500g okra
2 onions (diced)
3 tbsp rice bran or olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 green capsicum (diced)
4 large tomatoes (diced)
1 tsp salt
1 400g tin chickpeas
1/2 tsp black pepper

Method
Peel the tips of the okra, wash and set aside. Place over the juice of 1 lemon and place into a fry pan with the diced onion and oil. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until onions begin to go translucent in colour. Slice and add in the garlic cloves, the diced capsicum and tomatoes. Add in the salt and then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and allow to simmer. Add in the chickpeas and cook until okra and tomatoes have completely softened.

Add in the pepper right before serving and enjoy hot!

It is that simple!

Spinach Gnocchi with Basil Pesto // Kenkō Kitchen. Image taken from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook. Cookbook out now through Hardie Grant/Rizzoli. Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenkō Kitchen) and Sally Bradley.

Last week the team at I Quit Sugar were ever so kind as to feature three of the Italian recipes from my Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook on their website. It was such a thrill to be featured on a website which was one of the first tools I utilised when I myself was giving up refined sugars. You can find the full post on the IQS website here.

When I first learnt to cook Italian food was one of the cuisines I wanted to master the most. I would recreate my grandmothers Spaghetti Bolognaise - whilst not very traditional in it's ingredients, it definitely was traditional country Australian bolognaise! Then I moved on to changing this up to be lentil bolognaise adapting it to include more vegetables and different herbs. I would try and make different lasagnes, I would make pestos of different flavours, gourmet pizzas and kept challenging myself with the basics. Whilst these might seem pretty simple for most, for a 13-14 year old I was pretty impressed with myself!

Italian food has always had such a huge influence on my cooking style and when I first gave up gluten it was one of the first things I feared. I loved Italian food! How could I go without it!? Luckily in todays day and age we have so many amazing gluten free options available. Especially in Australia, USA and the UK. I know that Europe is also very strong in its gluten free products with a lot being imported into Australia. But for those who prefer to make it from scratch I share with you today the recipe for my very simple gluten free Spinach Gnocchi with Basil Pesto taken from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook. You can substitute the buckwheat flour for all-purpose gluten free flour, you can substitute the potatoes for sweet potato and you can add in extra nuts into the pesto as desired (my favourite nut in pesto is almond!). 

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please have a go and see how easy it is to make delicious light gnocchi at home!
 

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Spinach Gnocchi 

Serves: 5 | Prep time: 10 minutes, plus drying | Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups baby spinach or chopped english spinach
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buckwheat flour 

Method
To make the gnocchi, start by steaming
the potatoes until soft, around 15 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl with the spinach and mash until smooth. Add the salt and flour and, using your hands, gently work the mixture to make a dough.

Sprinkle a work surface with flour and roll the dough into 2.5 × 1 cm (1 × 1⁄2 in) cylinders and chop into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces. Gently flatten the top of each gnocchi with a fork and set aside to dry for about 20 minutes.

For the pesto, combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth but still chunky (or to your desired pesto consistency).

To cook the gnocchi, place them in boiling hot water and when they rise to the top, remove them.

Basil pesto

Serves: 5 | Prep time: 5 minutes 

Ingredients

2 cups fresh green basil
olive oil
2 garlic cloves
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons cashews
1/4 cup almonds

Method

Place all the ingredients with enough olive oil to make into a paste in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth but still chunky (or to your desired pesto consistency).

TO SERVE simply toss the gnocchi in the pesto and serve with micro basil leaves on top.

Spinach Gnocchi with Basil Pesto // Kenkō Kitchen. Image taken from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook. Cookbook out now through Hardie Grant/Rizzoli. Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenkō Kitchen) and Sally Bradley.

Rainbow Thai Stir Fry  // Kenkō Kitchen. Image taken from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook. Australian edition out now through Hardie Grant, out March/April through Hardie Grant UK and Rizzoli USA. Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenkō Kitchen) and Sally Bradley.

As a part of Coeliac Awareness Week I am posting two of my favourite recipes from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook. On Wednesday I posted the recipe for my Homemade Pizzas alongside the story of how I came to be diagnosed with Coeliac and some resources. Like all recipes from the cookbook the recipe I am sharing with you today, and the Homemade Pizzas I posted on Wednesday are completely gluten free, vegan and refined sugar free. 

After being diagnosed with Coeliac disease this January I have had to become very strict with my  eating, ensuring that everything I eat is completely gluten free! My mum and I went through the kitchen and collected everything that contained gluten - if you do have Coeliac it's important to read the labels of packaged foods as gluten can be hidden in everything and anything! I took all this food - flours, pastas, sauces, seasonings and packaged foods to my partners house for himself and his dad to eat (no wastage here!). Whilst I felt comfortable cooking at home for myself I was very scared with eating out! I knew there were some places I could eat but it was still an overwhelming feeling knowing when and if I went out with friends I would have to be very careful. 

I quickly got over this and started to go out for meals, life is too short to be scared! I soon found that a lot of restaurants are incredibly accommodating for those who need gluten free, and I have found even when there aren't things on the menu I have been able to ask and have something specially made. It's important to speak to the waiters to let them know you are coeliac so they can pass it onto the chefs! I'm not going to lie, there have already had a few instances where I have eaten out and I have been able to tell something has slipped into my food, causing me to have migraines and intense nausea later that night and the following day. Whilst this has been annoying, I know it is something which is going to happen and I just have to be prepared on how to deal with it when it happens! Which brings me to todays topic of how I manage when eating out with Coeliac and some tips if a slip up happens!

Some measures which I have already gotten into the habit of doing after having a meal are:

• Having a drink of water with 1 tsp Bentonite Clay and 1 tsp of Activated Charcoal. This is said to help bind toxins and reduce gas and bloating. 
• I ensure I have a lot of water (especially if I am having the clay/charcoal drink!) and add in 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar into a glass of water to also help with my digestion.
• It is also recommended for people with Coeliac to carry around Digestive Enzymes (you can pick these up from your local health food store - they are normally in the fridge section with the probiotics) in your bag to have with your meal - it's all about getting that food through! 
• Ginger and turmeric are also great to add into water as they are both anti-inflammatories which is essential to heal your gut. 
• Kombucha, probiotic tablets and kefirs are also wonders to bring in that good bacteria back to your stomach. 
• Aside from this, allowing yourself to rest is also very important as your body needs to recover and heal!

These are just some options which have helped me, but I would also love to hear what tips and tricks other Coeliacs use to help them feel better after being glutened! These little remedies will be different for every person, so like I say for everything, it's important to listen to your own body and see what works for you!!

We are lucky that we do live in an age where gluten free food is becoming more available and we have access to some amazing gluten free recipes to make sticking to a gluten free diet incredibly easy! If you think you may have Coeliac check out my first post for Coeliac Awareness Week here which has resources and links for more information on symptoms, how to get tested and what happens next!

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This is another recipe from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook for my Rainbow Thai Stir Fry. If I am ever tired and don’t know what to make when I come home from work, this is usually what I end up cooking. It’s mind-numbingly easy. It’s also so colourful that it will turn any miserable day into a happy one, and there will be no need to call the local Thai takeaway ever again. I cannot over-emphasise the vibrant flavours in this dish – think pad Thai, but so, so, so much better!

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins

INGREDIENTS

SAUCE

1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 lemongrass stem
2 garlic cloves
5 cm piece fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tamari
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons almond oil or coconut oil

STIR-FRY

1/2 red onion, diced
1 carrot, julienned
1/8 purple cabbage, thinly sliced
2 red chillies, sliced
100g whole oyster mushrooms
or 100g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
50g enoki mushrooms
1 teaspoon ground kelp
125g flat brown rice noodles
1 bunch broccolini, stalks cut into thirds

GARNISH

1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
2 limes, quartered
40g peanuts, crushed
2 spring onions, chopped

METHOD

Place all the sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth. Set aside.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium heat and add the sauce and onion. Cook for 2–3 minutes then add the carrot, cabbage, chillies, mushrooms and kelp and cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the noodles for 5 minutes in a pan of boiling water. Remove from the heat, drain and run under cool water.

Add the broccolini to the wok along with the noodles and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Serve in bowls and top with coriander, lime wedges, the peanuts and spring onions.

Enjoy!

Homemade Pizzas  // Kenkō Kitchen. Image taken from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook. Australian edition out now through Hardie Grant, out March/April through Hardie Grant UK and Rizzoli USA. Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenkō Kitchen) and Sally Bradley.

It's currently Coeliac Awareness Week in Australia and this is a topic which is now very close to my heart. About 4 or 5 years ago I was first tested for Coeliac Disease after I had been experiencing intense daily migraines, chronic tiredness, depression, nausea, constant gastrointestinal issues, I would bruise super easily and kept gaining weight no matter what I tried. It was easy to say that I didn't feel my age, and certainly didn't feel at my healthiest or fittest like I should have been. In my last few years of high school I had tried everything. I tried every diet, would exercise daily, would go to the gym, at one stage I was running 10km every day and would just try anything I could to try and be healthy and fit like the other girls at my school. Instead of looking like the girls at school I looked the opposite, I was as pale as a ghost (always aneamic), overweight, tired and just felt horrible! After my GP referred me to the gastroenterologist specialist I was immediately booked in to get tested for Coeliac but after having a colonoscopy their results were inconclusive. I was told I could have possibly been lactose and fructose intolerant but it didn't look like I had coeliac. 

Years went on and despite my diet and exercise regime getting better and better I was still feeling lethargic, getting migraines and couldn't shift my weight. Even when I first started this blog, although I had stopped eating gluten as much as I could, I was still unaware of my coeliac and was under the impression I didn't have it, so I still had it every now and then, and I wouldn't be phased if I thought something would be contaminated by gluten.

It wasn't until after I returned from my recent trip to Japan that I got extremely sick. My last few days in Japan were spent with my boyfriend propping me up as we (tried) walking around, sitting on any bench we could find as I couldn't see through my migraine and dizziness and I was suffering extreme nausea. It was the sickest I had been and felt in a long, long time and it didn't add up! After two days of being home in Melbourne I was taken to hospital as my migraines had not dispersed, I was vomiting everything and anything that was in me, had bowel issues and was suffering extreme tiredness and dizziness. We thought I must have picked up some sort of bug in my travels and thought I would be out of hospital in a night, maximum two but instead found myself getting sicker and in the end was in hospital for a full week.

I was lucky that because of my stomach issues the doctor looking after me in the hospital was a gastroenterologist and he was by far the best doctor I have ever encountered. He ordered a CT scan on my brain for the migraines I had been suffering since high school which had become worse and worse, they did blood tests, ultrasounds and in the end after finding nothing conclusive did a colonoscopy and biopsy. A week after being released from hospital I went to see the gastroenterologist who confirmed that I did in fact have coeliac disease which had depleted my immune system and had caused me to be very sick! 

My doctor asked me if I had any experience with gluten free eating to which I said "my first cookbook is actually just about to be released!" and I felt so lucky that I had made this gluten free cookbook, unknowingly that I was actually coeliac when writing it! I just wanted to create a book that would be accessible to as many people as possible showing them they did have options which were healthy and still delicious that could fit in with their diet and lifestyle choices. I didn't think I would be writing a book that would in turn get used daily in my own household out of necessity!

In Australia the figure currently stands that around 1 in 70 people have Coeliac disease, and out of these only 1 in 5 are actually diagnosed. Leaving the others undiagnosed and suffering! Coeliac is a disease in which the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats) causing small bowel damage. This results in the bowel becoming inflamed and leads to malabsorption of nutrients. The symptoms of Coeliac vary from headaches and migraines, gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, iron deficiency, bone and joint pains, mouth ulcers, altered mental alertness, skin rashes, easy bruising of the skin, unexplained weight loss or weight gain. By sticking to a strict gluten free diet you can lead to small bowel healing and reduces the risk of the long term complications such as  auto immune diseases, infertility, liver disease, early onset osteoporosis and more. 

Getting tested for Coeliac now is easy, but it is crucial that you get tested if you do think you have Coeliac. Coeliac is a serious disease with lifelong implications so the earlier you can get onto it, the better! If you think you could have Coeliac go and see your regular GP. They can arrange a gene test and blood test but the best option is to get them to refer you to a gastroenterologist specialist you can organise a colonoscopy and small bowel biopsy. The only downside of getting tested is that you have to eat gluten regularly for at least 6 weeks prior to the testing (at least 4 slices of bread for adults and 2 for children), otherwise the results will be unclear and inconclusive. For those already following a gluten free diet this may be a challenge (it is said there are over half a million Australians currently sticking to a gluten free diet) but it is worth it to get the definitive results before you completely cut it out! Although the removal of gluten and wheat products from your diet may make you feel better, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are Coeliac - you may just have a Non-Coeliac Sensitivity so it is definitely worth getting tested!! 

Lucky being Coeliac in Australia, the UK and USA now days is quite easy. Most restaurants and cafes provide gluten free options (just be sure to let them know you do have Coeliac before you order) and the range of gluten free products are taking over supermarket shelves. There are many cookbooks and online resources for gluten free cooking making it easy to enjoy all your favourite foods at home. My cookbook, the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook is completely gluten free with over 93 recipes to keep your tummy happy and healthy and it is now available from all good bookstores and department stores across Australia as well as online across the USA and will be released this April in the UK.

I will do another post on Friday for Coeliac Awareness Week, so if you have any queries or questions or suggestions send them through! 

Here are a list of very helpful resources and links to read up more information on Coeliac disease:

Coeliac Australia -  http://www.coeliac.org.au
Gastroenterologist Society of Australia - http://www.gesa.org.au/consumer.asp?id=45
Bupa - https://www.bupa.com.au/health-and-wellness/health-information/az-health-information/coeliac-disease
Shepherd Works - http://shepherdworks.com.au/disease-information/coeliac-disease
Better Health - http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/coeliac_disease_and_gluten_sensitivity
Celiac.com - http://www.celiac.com
Celiac Disease Foundation - http://celiac.org

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Now it's onto the food! To celebrate Coeliac Awareness Week I am providing one of my favourite gluten free recipes from my cookbook. Pizzas are a must in a person’s life – not greasy fat-laden pizzas, though! This recipe is for delicious and simple vegan pizzas. You can top them with more or less ingredients depending on what you fancy. The dough is easy to make and the whole thing is so flavoursome. This dish is sure to please the family!

Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 mins (plus rising time)
Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients

PIZZA DOUGH

260g buckwheat flour
200g brown rice flour
7g dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoons plant-based oil

TOMATO SAUCE FOR BASE

375g cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons plant-based oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper

TOPPING

75g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground kelp
1 red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon plant-based oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 bunch basil leaves

YOU CAN ALSO ADD:

mushrooms, sliced
capsicum, sliced
artichoke hearts
cashew "goats" cheese

METHOD

To make the pizza dough, begin by combining the flours, yeast, salt and sugar in an electric mixer with the bread hook attachment. Add 250 ml water and the plant-based oil and mix until a nice smooth dough has formed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently knead for 5–10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl in a warm place for 35–45 minutes or until risen.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

While the dough is proving, make the tomato sauce. In a small oven dish place the tomatoes, garlic, oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 15–20 minutes until nice and roasted (see note). Remove and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blitz into a sauce.

Knead the dough again, before pushing it into 2 flat bases on 2 baking or pizza trays. You can make the bases any shape you like – round, square or rectangular, it’s up to you! You do want to get the bases quite thin (about 5 mm) and, then, once in the desired shape, prick them with a fork to stop them from rising too much in the cooking process.

Bake the bases in the oven for 5–10 minutes then remove.

Spread the sauce onto the bases and top with the tomatoes, zucchini, salt, pepper and kelp. In a small frying pan, fry the onion in the oil and maple syrup for 5–10 minutes. Add this to the top of the pizza.

Cook for 15–20 minutes until the base and vegetables are nice and cooked. Remove from the oven, slice, top with fresh basil and enjoy!

NOTE:

When I have a lot of time, I prefer to slow-roast the vegetables for the sauce over a couple of hours. But when we are making a speedy pizza, the quick roast works fine!

Chocolate, Mocha & Coffee Layer Cake // Kenkō Kitchen. Image taken from the Kenkō Kitchen Cookbook. Australian edition out now through Hardie Grant, out March/April through Hardie Grant UK and Rizzoli USA. Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenkō Kitchen) and Sally Bradley.

Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenko Kitchen) for Nourish Magazine July/August 2014.

After 8 weeks, this is the last of my Korean recipes that I present you with and I saved the best until last! Bulgogi Tofu Korean Bao! These steamed buns, for those who have not consumed a 'bao' before, are absolutely soft, pillowy bites of deliciousness. Paired with the sweet and saltiness of the bulgogi tofu and you have a match made in Korean heaven! These are great to serve up to guests as an entree, party snack or just something to really wow the family or a friend! They are simple to make (I promise) and are so fun to put together! You can mix and match ingredients - adding in more salad or flavours as you see fit!

If you don't like the steamed buns, you can simply just make the Bulgogi Tofu on it's own and serve it with some brown rice and vegetables, or enjoy it with some salad! It is an absolute treat and if you're yet to taste the Bulgogi flavour before I urge you to give this recipe a try!

I hope you have enjoyed this little taste of Korea on Kenkō. I will continue to bring you new recipes from countries around the globe each week and the next country to be featured is Jamaica, so be sure to get stocked up on some pineapple and coconut!

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 Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

For the bulgogi tofu
250g tofu block
5 spring onions
1/2 brown onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1” knob ginger (grated)
1/3 cup grated nashi pear
2 tbsp apple sauce
3/4 cup tamari
4 tbsp sesame oil
6 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp chill flakes
1 tsp sriracha
5 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp rice vinegar

For the bao buns
4 1/2 cups good quality bakers flour or white spelt flour
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white coconut sugar or xylitol
2 tbsp rice bran oil
8g yeast
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tbsp sesame oil

To serve
1/2 cucumber
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp mirin

Method
To begin, chop the tofu into 1/2cm thick pieces and place into a dish. Slice the spring onions into 1cm pieces and place on top. Cut up the brown onion into slices and also place on top.

Place all other remaining bulgogi tofu ingredients into a bowl and then pour over the tofu/spring onion/onion. Place a lit onto the dish and place in the fridge over night or at least 4 hours.

To make the bao, begin by placing the yeast into the warm water in a bowl. Add in 1 cup of the flour and mix in. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for an hour.

Dissolve the sugar and oil into 1/2 cup boiling water. Stir and then let cool.

Add in the remaining flour into the boa mix alongside the cooled sugar water. Knead the bread until smooth and place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea town and let rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled.

Divide into 12-15 balls and knead each ball.

Flatten into a oval, place a chopstick in the middle and fold over. to create your “bun”. Remove chopstick, and place bun onto a small sheet of baking paper and place into the steamer. Let sit in the steamer  to rise further for 10-15 minutes. Brush each bun with sesame oil and then let steam for 10 minutes in a tightly sealed steamer.

To cook the bulgogi tofu simply place into a fry pan and cook for 15 minutes or until nice and caramalized. Remove from heat.

To serve, place some tofu into a fresh boa bun, add in some cucumber, a splash of mirin and sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately.

Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenko Kitchen) for Nourish Magazine July/August 2014.

My love affair with Korean food continues, and this week I am sharing the recipe for one of my all time favourites - Bibimbap! Bibimbap is packed with flavour and has so many individual elements which when put together create a taste explosion in your mouth! With the perfect balance of raw and cooked foods its hard to go wrong with this balanced dish.

The bibimbap is easily made vegan just by excluding the egg. So for those who are vegan or who may be allergic to eggs, this recipe is still for you and is still just as tasty without!

Alongside Bibimbap, I love Kimchi - the fermented Korean cabbage/vegetable dish. I love to make this and have it in my fridge, ready for me to eat at any time. Fermented foods do wonders for our gut bacteria and I always like to include a little bit everyday in my diet. It keeps my gut happy, and my taste buds happy!

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Bibimbap with Kochujang Sauce

Serves 1

Ingredients

For the bibimbap bowl
1/4 cup brown rice
1/2 carrot
1/4 cup kimchi (see Kimchi recipe)
100g tofu
1/2 cup mushrooms (shiitake, enoki or button)
1 tsp rice bran oil or sesame oil
1/4 tsp kelp flakes
1/2 small cucumber
1 cup spinach
1/4 cup bean shoots
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 egg

For the kochujang sauce
2 tbsp minced chilli
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp tamari
1/2 tsp srichacha
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sesame toasted sesame seeds
1 spring onion
2 tbsp coconut sugar

Method
To begin, cook the brown rice and then place into the centre of a bowl. Julienne the carrot and place in one corner. Put in some kimchi into another corner.

Cut the tofu into small triangles and place into another corner.

For the mushrooms, simply cook in 1 tsp of oil and the kelp flakes then place into another corner of the bowl. Cut up the cucumber into half moons and place.

For the spinach simply whilt by steaming or in a non stick pan and place into a bowl with the bean shoots in the remaining corner.

Next sprinkle the rice with the white sesame, and the tofu with the black sesame seeds.

For the sauce, simply place all ingredients into a small food processor and blitz into a sauce.

Fry the egg in a non stick saucepan and place on top. Drizzle with the sauce and enjoy.
 

Easy Kimchi

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

1/2 chinese cabbage
2 tbsp pink lake salt
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp minced chilli paste
1 red chilli (sliced) optional
1 tbsp korean chilli powder or chilli flakes
1 tsp minced garlic
1” knob ginger (grated)
3 spring onions
1/2 tsp kelp flakes
1/4 tsp tamari

Method
Remove the core of the cabbage and slice into rough 1-2” pieces. Toss the cabbage in the salt and place into a colander. Put a plate on top of the colander and leave for 24 hours.

Rinse some of the salt of the cabbage and drain - squeezing any excess liquid from the cabbage.

In a bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Add in the cabbage and place into a jar.

Leave the jar on the bench for 24-48 hours before placing into the fridge. For a better tasting kimchi leave in the fridge for a few days to ferment before eating.

Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenko Kitchen) for Nourish Magazine July/August 2014.

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 Serves 4-5

Ingredients

For the noodles
200g sweet potato noodles (glass noodles)
75g shiitake mushrooms
1 carrot
1 brown onion
1 1/2 cup chopped Chinese cabbage
125g tofu
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp mirin
2 cups spinach

For the sauce
1/2 cup tamari
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tbsp rice malt syrup
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp kelp flakes

To serve
2 spring onions

Method
Begin by preparing your glass noodles and setting them aside. Simply add noodles into a bowl of boiling water and let sit for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain liquid and set aside.

In a large frypan or medium saucepan add in the sliced shiitake mushrooms, the carrot (julienned), the onoon (diced) and the chinese cabbage. Add in the tofu (cut into cubes), garlic, sesame oil, tamari, coconut sugar and miring and let cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened and onions are translucent. Add in the spinach and toss all ingredients through the glass noodles.

In a small bowl mix the sauce ingredients; tamari, coconut sugar, rice malt syrup, garlic (crushed), sesame oil and kelp flakes. Mix together and pour over the noodles. Combine everything together and serve with chopped spring onions.

Best enjoyed immediately.

Photography by Elisa Watson, styling by Kate Bradley (Kenko Kitchen) for Nourish Magazine July/August 2014.

This hot pot is an absolute winner for winter weather, it's warming and it's got the perfect amount of spice. The first time I made this soup I couldn't believe how delicious it was. It has such a great balance of flavours and is packed with plant based proteins and super foods. Serve this up to your family on it's own, or accompany it with rice for a great vegan meal.

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Serves: 4-5

Ingredients
1 brown onion
1 tbsp rice bran oil
100g shiitake mushrooms
100g enoki mushrooms
5 spring onions
3 cups vegetable or faux chicken stock
1 1/2 tbsp tamari
1 tsp kelp flakes
2 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp coconut sugar
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cups spinach
300g silken or firm tofu (organic!)

Method
Begin by dicing the brown onion. Place  the diced onion into a saucepan along with the rice bran oil and let gently cook over a medium heat. Once onion becomes translucent, add in the sliced mushrooms and let cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Slice the spring onions and add in 3 (leaving the extra chopped spring onions for garnishing). Add in the vegetable stock and let simmer.

In a small bowl, mix in the tamari, kelp flakes, chilli, coconut sugar, garlic and sesame oil. Add into the saucepan (If using firm tofu, cube and add into the saucepan at this stage) and continue to let cook for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reducing and becoming thicker.

Right before serving, add in the spinach to quickly wilt in the stew (if using silken tofu, cube and add into the saucepan with the spinach).

If using silken tofu, be careful not to stir the hot pot/stew once the tofu is added or else it will split.

Serve in a bowl with brown rice, noodles or on it’s own.

Garnish with the extra spring onions and enjoy.