Detox Salad

This is my version of the popular "Detox Salad".  I make this all the time and it lends well with any meal or eaten alone.  Today i had it with tasty black bean soft corn tacos, covered in homemade tomato salsa.  Other times i have subbed it for couscous to serve with falafel and used it as a super-tabouleh (just add some chopped tomato).  It is simply Delicious with grilled salmon or BBQ prawns. You can dress this salad or leave it naked, some recipes add sea kelp or shredded nori.

A raw vegan super powered detox salad that is both tasty and nutritious. With a soft fluffy texture you'll be convinced you are eating couscous.  The Almonds and sunflower seeds add a nutty crunch, a touch of kale and parsley for a kick of energy and sweet juicy carrots, simply delicious!  I dress mine with a simple cleansing apple cider vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette

Detox Salad

Serves 4-6 as a side or 2-4 as a main

2 Cups of loosely packed kale or spinach

1 Cup of loosely packed parsley

1 Small head of broccoli, florets removed

1/2 Small head of cauliflower florets removed

3 Carrots, peeled and grated

1/2 Cup of sunflower seeds

1/2 Cup of natural almonds

Sea salt and pepper to Season

To serve:

Slivered almonds

Coriander leaves
Sunflower seeds

In a food processor pulse the almonds and seeds until finely chopped.  Set aside in a large serving bowl.

Add cauliflower and pulse until it resembles couscous (this is also known as cauliflower rice), place in serving bowl. Do the same with the broccoli, and then the kale and parsley together.  Then pulse the grated carrots until finely diced and add to the salad.

Stir, folding to mix lightly.Top with slivered almonds, coriander leaves and sunflower seeds.

Season and dress with the vinaigrette just before serving.

To make the olive oil  apple-cider vinaigrette -whisk together 3 parts oil to one part vinegar; I also add a little honey to taste.

-The undressed salad keeps well covered in the fridge for a couple of days-

Pineapple Mint Green Smoothie

A Kale and Spinach green smoothie with a refreshing twist, adding pineapple, mint and a squeeze of lime! Add Chai seeds for a boost of Omega 3's and Maca powder for an energy boost!

Pineapple Mint Green Smoothie

2 cups of loosely packed Spinach/Kale
1 Large Banana
1/4 Mint loosely Packed
1 cup of Water (you can sub this for coconut water or apple juice)
1 cup of diced pineapple
2 tsp of Chai seeds (optional)
1 tsp Maca powder (optional)
Squeeze of fresh lime

Blend on high until smooth.
You can add more liquid to suit your liking.
Serves 2

GF Oaty Quinoa Anzac Biscuits

It was Anzac day the other day and for the first time i made Anzac biscuits on the day (it's only polite!).  I made some a week or so ago from a simple Donna Hay recipe from her Classics 2 book, i liked them but i thought they were really missing a punch of something and i wanted to play around with them to make them gluten free!

Oaty Quinoa Anzac Biscuits

1 cup of rolled oats (gluten free)

1/2 cup of quinoa flakes

1 cup of plain gluten free flour (i use Bakels)

1/2 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons golden syrup

125g butter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon hot water

Preheat your oven to 160. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Put oats, quinoa, flour, and coconut into a bowl.  Place the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat, melt stirring occasionally. Mix the baking soda with the hot water and add to the melted mixture (that's the fun bit, fizzy)

Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix together well.

Place tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared trays minding you leave enough space for them to spread a little; flatten slightly with a fork.

Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden, then cool on wire racks.  

Makes about 12 

Try your best not to eat them all, especially when warm, chewy, crunchy and so delicious.

You can find Quinoa flakes at health food stores or at good supermarkets (i get mine at New World)

White bean dip, yes please!

This dip is super easy and you can play around with the recipe to suit your tastes and your pantry's temperament. You can switch the beans for a tin of chickpeas or use half chickpeas, half beans.  Use tinned beans for a quick result or use dry beans if you prefer.

White Bean & Roasted Garlic Dip:

- 400g of white beans (i used Cannelloni Beans)
- 1 large bulb of garlic, roasted

- 2-3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

- 1 tbsp of tahini
- generous squeeze of lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- sea salt and black pepper to taste

- a handful of walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- a little smoked paprika to serve (optional)
- fresh coriander and parsley to garnish

Roasted Garlic:
- Cut the top off a large bulb of garlic, place on a piece of tinfoil large enough to wrap around the garlic.
- Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top with a sprinkle or salt. (i also like to add a sprig of Thyme)
- Cover with the tinfoil and place in the oven at 180 for about 20mins or until soft and smelling sweet!
Put the beans, roasted garlic, oil, tahini, lemon juice, and ground coriander in the food processor and whiz till combined. I like to leave the texture a little coarse or you can keep whizzing till you get a smooth paste or add a touch more oil. Taste and season with salt, pepper and adjust lemon if needed.
Scrape out into serving bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with walnuts, paprika and the fresh herbs.

Serve with warmed pita, vege sticks, crackers or as a spread in a sandwich! YUMMO!
This dip keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge, press gladwrap onto the dip to avoid a crust.
Little hands will love to dip carrots into this protein rich snack....fingers work well too!

When things fall apart, it's time to put yourself together!

I was watching tonight's episode of MKR's, a contestant was having serious performance anxiety.  She felt her dessert hadn't worked out and didn't look like she had hoped it would.  In short she felt it wasn't perfect and had let everyone down.  She started to cry....ugly cry.  Host Manu walked in, consoled her and proclaimed "Put yourself together!".  It made me think of Mrs Potato Head, and how we all can feel like everything is falling apart, when really its just time to put ourselves together!

Hello & welcome!

Welcome, thanks for visiting!

My name is Becky. Mamma of two little babies, Archie aged almost two and  brand spanking new baby Daisy, 4 months.  I live in a 1940's ex-state home in Auckland, New Zealand, with an original kitsch kitchen where I cook for my husband, babies and friends. I get excited about healthy, delicious food, about baking and anything edible that has a superpower!   

I hope to share with you recipe successes, beautiful things I like and a few baby notes along the way.