nana: March 2014

Monday, March 31, 2014

Vegan Gluten Free Matcha Protein Bars

Protein bars are a delicious and convenient way to enjoy a high protein snack. There is no need to buy protein bars when it's far cheaper and more nutritious to make your own. These wholesome protein bars, adapted from desserts with benefits, are made with quality hemp and rice protein, antioxidant-rich green tea powder with nutritious oat and healthy fats.


85 g Homemade roasted almond butter 240 ml Unsweetened vanilla soya milk 0,2 g Pure stevia extract 100 g Hemp protein powder 60 g Rice protein powder 60 g Oat flour 1 tbsp Organic matcha powder 100 g White chocolate, melted

Line a 20x12-cm plastic box with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Whisk together the almond butter, soya milk, and stevia extract until combined in a mixing bowl.
In another bowl, mix together the hemp protein powder, rice protein powder, oat flour and matcha powder. Slowly add this dry mixture to the almond butter mixture. Mix until the mixture is even, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. It should have a texture like cookie dough.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared box and flatten the surface with a rubber spatula or pastry roller. Cover the box with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, slice the protein bars and drizzle them liberally with melted white chocolate. Store the rest in a plastic box with a lid in the fridge.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Sugar Free Vegan Emmer Banana Bread

This refined sugar-free banana bread is very simple, quick, yet delicious, nutritious, and makes a wonderful breakfast or snack for the family. While most banana bread recipes contain sugar, dairy and eggs, this vegan variation uses none of them, but is still moist and delicious. Feel free to substitute wholewheat flour for emmer flour and almond milk for soya milk.

290 g Emmer grain, ground into flour
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon powder
1 tbsp Chia seeds
50 g Walnuts
6 Pitted dates, roughly chopped
250 ml Soya milk
70 g Maple syrup
30 g Macadamia oil
3 Overripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together the ground emmer flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and chia seeds in a mixing bowl. Pulse walnuts and pitted dates until you have small pieces. Add to the flour mixture.
In another bowl, mix soya milk, maple syrup, and macadamia oil until well combined. Add in mashed bananas and mix well.
Pour the liquid to the dry mixture, stir until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle rack of hot oven for about 1 hour.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

No Bake Amaranth Bars (Vegan, Gluten-free)

These gluten-free vegan no-bake bars, adapted from Rapunzel, are filled with homemade popped amaranth, almonds, cocoa powder, a combination of cocoa and coconut butter, and sweetened with maple syrup and dried cranberries. They are great on the go, super healthy getting your daily fiber and protein.

No Bake Amaranth Bars (Vegan, Gluten-free)

adapted from Rapunzel

85 g Coconut butter, melted
90 g Cocoa butter, melted
150 g Maple syrup
200 g Almond butter
150 g Amaranth, puffed
100 g Dried cranberries
125 g Roasted almonds, ground
2 tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp Bourbon Vanilla powder
Pinch of salt

Line a 9-inch rectangular pan with parchment paper. Place the coconut butter and cocoa butter in a saucepan. Melt over the low heat.
Mix the melted coconut and cocoa butter together with the rest of ingredients. Spread and press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Slice into bars. Store the rest in the airtighter container in the fridge.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

A hearty, healthy black bean soup with the full flavour of garlic, onion, tamari, cumin and chilli that will keep you warm and fill you up. I love topping the soup with a large dollop of low fat yogurt and more chilli threads for extra kick. Leave out the yogurt or use soya yogurt if you want to veganize the recipe.

Black Bean Soup

adapted from drhyman

1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Garlic
1 Small onion, diced
1/2 tbsp Cumin
1/2 tbsp Chilli threads
500 g Cooked black beans, canned or homemade
500 ml Vegetable stock
1 Bay leaf
1 tbsp Wheat-free tamari sauce
1 tbsp Lime juice
Plain yogurt
Chilli threads

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the garlic and onions, and cook until onions are translucent.
Add cooked black beans including their liquid, water or stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the cumin, chilli threads, and sauté a few more minutes. Add tamari sauce and lime juice and simmer one minute more. Serve the soup garnished with a dollop of yogurt and chilli threads.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Seeded Sourdough Emmer Soda Bread

The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Other ingredients can be added such as butter/oil, egg, raisins or seeds/nuts.

I am so excited to give this recipe a try, a sourdough take on the traditional soda bread recipe found on King Arthur Flour site, especially with St. Patrick's Day just around the corner.

This is a quick rising soda bread with flavour and texture twists by replacing buttermilk with rye sourdough starter, olive oil instead of butter, molasses instead of honey, and using a mix of wholegrain emmer and white spelt flour (modern wholewheat and all-purpose flour are great alternatives here), hemp and poppy seeds (or sunflower and sesame seeds). While not an authentic Irish soda bread, it tastes absolutely delicious and full of flavours.

260 g Emmer grain (farro dicocco), ground into flour
150 g Refined white spelt flour
50 g Hemp seeds
25 g Poppy seeds
1 tsp Baking soda
3/4 tsp Salt
245 g Rye sourdough starter, 100% hydration
55 g Olive oil
64 g Molasses
180 g Milk

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the ground emmer flour, white spelt flour, seeds, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the rye starter, olive oil, molasses, and milk. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add another tablespoon or two milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.
Knead the dough a couple of times to make sure it's holding together, divide it in half, and shape each half into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly, and place them on the prepared baking sheet. 1^Dust generously with flour. Mark a deep cross in it with a sharp, serrated knife, cutting about two-thirds of the way through the loaf. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until they're golden brown or sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Chickpea and Feta Patties

High in fiber, low in fat and calories, and yet loaded with protein, chickpeas are by far one of the best sources of protein for vegetarians. But their wonderfully nutty flavours means that even the non-vegetarians will love them.

Served with some seasonal salad, tucked into a pocket bread, sandwiched between sliced bread or simply on their own, these patties make a delicious vegetarian meal. They are easily veganized by substituting the egg for egg replacement, and utilizing tofu instead of feta.


400 g Can chickpeas, rinsed, drained 20 g Onion fritters 2 Garlic cloves, crushed 1 Small carrot, peeled, coarsely grated 80 g Feta, crumbled 1 Egg Salt and pepper 70 g Spelt breadcrumbs 30 ml Olive oil

In a food processor add in chickpeas, onion fritters, crushed garlic, grated carrot, feta and egg, and process until combined.
Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumbs and mix until combined. Season well with salt and pepper. Press into 6 patties. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 4-5 minutes each side until nicely golden brown.