Green Eggs and Ham

It's been a while since my last post, I have been in a triathlon / work / social whirlwind having finished Ironman 70.3 Durban Yay yay... and the race nerves are over... until the next one.. I can get back into some blogging.

Lately I have been struggling with breakfast, every morning hungry from training and the night time fast, ready for something delicious but trying to cut out sugar, bread and always dairy doesn't leave many options and end up not being very filling. I made this dish the other day and it was delicious, may be made with dairy or lactose free and on toast if you like.

Green Eggs and Ham

Serves 2

4 slices Gypsy ham ( full round slice, not too thick)

4 eggs

4tbsp soya milk or any other milk, almond, rice, oat..

20ml pesto princess lactose free pesto

20ml napolitana sauce (or a tomato chutney or relish)

1 leaf of spinach, chiffonade finely.

salt and pepper

spray and cook

Method:

Heat your oven to about 170 degrees Celsius.

Spray 4 dariole molds or muffin cups with spray and cook.

Lay one piece of ham in each cup, place a bit of spinach and the tomato relish in the bottom.

Crack an egg in each cup, teaspoon of pesto and a bit of salt and pepper, pour over the milk.

Bake for about 6-8 minutes unless you want well done eggs then it will be about 10 minutes.

Serve with toast or a gluten free bread, may be eaten as a lunch with a salad.

Recipe and pictures copyright by Tamsyn Wells

Ultimate seed mix recipes continued

I was worried when I bought the packet of these seeds thinking how long it will take me to eat all these, I now find I put it in almost everything. Since cutting most bread from my diet, I like that the seeds are still adding the necessary fibre and it adds a nutty flavour to my food plus I am finding new uses for them!

Ultimate Porridge
Makes 1 bowl

2 tbsp blended ultimate seed mix (to a dust) (or equal parts pumpkin seed, sunflower seed and flaxseed)
130ml coconut milk
piece of vanilla pod
5ml raw honey
fresh and dried fruit of your choice (I used fig, dry cranberry, sliced banana and fresh berries)
toasted almonds
toasted coconut flakes

Cook the blended seeds with the coconut milk, dash of water and vanilla pod for 10 minutes.
Add the other ingredients and eat as a hot porridge.

Ultimate Hummus
Makes 350ml

1 tin (400g) chickpeas, rinsed

1/2 garlic clove

2 tbsp tahini paste

2 tbsp ultimate seed mix blended to a dust

80ml extra virgin olive oil

30ml water

10ml lemon juice

salt and pepper

pinch of chilli powder

pinch of smoked paprika

Place all ingredients into a liquidiser and blend until smooth, add a little more water or oil if its too thick to blend, adjust the seasoning.

Eat with anything, my favorite is brown rice crackers.

Ultimate souffle'

Makes 1 

3 tbsp blended ultimate seed mix

130ml coconut milk

35ml honey

1 egg

Cinnamon

Cook the coconut milk, honey and seed mix until thickened. 

Separate the eggs and add the yolk to the cooked seed mix off the heat.

Whip the egg white until thick and fluffy, fold into the seed mix.

Grease a ramekin with coconut oil. Place the mix in the dish.

Bake on 190 degrees Celsius for 10-12 minutes. Dust with cinnamon.

Ultimate Omelet's

makes 2 small or 1 bigger

130ml coconut milk

30ml ultimate seed mix blended

30 ml coconut flour

15ml psyllium husk

2 eggs

pinch of salt

1 small banana mashed with a fork

3ml baking powder

coconut oil

Mix all ingredients except the coconut oil and allow to stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

Spray and cook a non stick pan and place a little coconut oil in. Once the pan is hot pout the omelet mix in and cook until golden, place under a grill and grill the top until it is set.

Place on your plate and fill with fillings of your choice, I used peanut butter, banana and fig, drizzled with raw honey.

Recipes and pictures Copyright by Tamsyn Wells

Broccoli Orecchiette

I have made this dish many times using the bought version of the pasta always wanting to try make them myself, easier than I thought and as always freshly made totally outshone the bought variety.

Orecchiette meaning small ears are flat rounds of pasta with a slight curve to cup the sauce/filling you are going to  serve with it, the recipe uses no egg which is why I was worried it would possibly come out tough but these were of the lightest I have ever tasted, almost dumpling in texture.

The most traditional topping is this broccoli and anchovy version I made but they would be really amazing with tiny meatballs and ragu or a basic tomato sauce.

My Home Made Orecchiette
Step By Step Recipe

Pasta:
1.5 cups cake flour
warm water to form a dough
Pinch of salt

Filling:
1/3 pk of broccoli
1 garlic
1/2 red chili
5 anchovy fillets
lemon juice
olive oil
Parmesan
salt and pepper

Place the flour in the centre of a wooden board and make a well, add the warm water slowly stirring in the centre, incorporating the flour as you stir.

Once you have all the flour incorporated and the dough is not sticky, knead until it is smooth for about 5 minutes. If you added too much water just add extra flour.

Cut the dough into 2 or 3 pieces and roll into a log about the thickness of your thumb then cut discs 0.5cm max. Using your thumb and flour if necessary, squash each disc as flat as you can with your thumb and then peel it off allowing it to curve.

Spread them out on the board, you may now allow them to dry out if you wish or use them immediately. Prepare the filling by putting a pot of water on to boil. Using about 1/3 of a pack of broccoli, place it in the boiling water for 3-5 minutes. While its blanching get a clove of garlic and cut into chunks that you can remove later unless you want strong garlic then chop it. 1/2 chili chopped, 5 anchovy fillets and a squeeze of lemon.

Remove the broccoli from the boiling water and place in ice water to keep the green colour then finely chop it up with the stalks. Add your Orecchiette to the pot of water with some salt and boil for 5-6 minutes, they will rise to the surface, then strain.

Place the pot back on the heat with a little oil and fry the garlic, chili and anchovy fillets. Remove the garlic now if you wish.

Add the finely chopped broccoli, allow to heat through, add the pasta, some salt, pepper, lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Eat and enjoy topped with parmesan shavings.

Recipe and pictures copyright by Tamsyn Wells

South African style curried chicken wraps

I am so excited to be able to cook with Bulgarian yogurt again, being lactose intolerant its one of the things I missed most , now since the Woolworth's lactose free Bulgarian I can add smoothies, tzatziki, yogurt marinades and dips back into my diet. This is also right on time for all my triathlon training,  as I have learnt, dairy is a great post workout food for used for recovery. Dairy contains carbohydrates which aid the muscle glycogen recovery and repair the muscles with much needed amino acids especially necessary for people like me doing multi sports training and need quick recovery to do the next sport the following day or even the same day. 

My very South African wraps are made using our local Mrs Balls chutney, Malay curry spices and of course the yogurt pictured above. It is a healthier, lighter alternative to the traditional Salome which you get on the streets of Cape Town, a roti with a curry filling loaded with butter and oil.

Quick and easy to make they are low fat and dairy free but contain wheat, either buy wheat free wraps made of corn or just wrap the filling in lettuce leaves for a paleo friendly version / wheat free.

South African style curried chicken wraps

Serves 1

Chicken:

1 chicken breast, flattened

30ml cape flour

2ml local curry powder

1 ml paprika

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of garam masala

salt and pepper

Squeeze of lemon

olive oil blend

Tzatziki:

1/4 cucumber, grated but throw the pip part away

2tbsp Bulgarian yogurt, can be lactose free

1/4 garlic clove, grated

pinch of chopped parsley

salt and pepper

squeeze of lemon

Chutney vegetables:

1 carrot, peeled and julienne

1 baby marrow, julienne

1tbsp Mrs Balls chutney

fresh chopped coriander

pinch of salt

1 wrap, I used Woolworth's multi seed

20g bunch of rocket leaves

Chicken:Heat the oil in a pan, mix the spices into the flour and seasoning.

Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour and fry in a little oil until golden and crisp on both sides.

Tzatziki: just mix all ingredients and season to taste.

Chutney vegetables: just mix.

Heat a dry pan and lightly warm the wrap on both sides, fill with prepared fillings, rocket, sliced chicken, chutney vegetables and tzatziki. Roll up tightly and toast the outside again.

Serve with more sauce and if you feel like some tomato salsa or even avocado.

Recipe and pictures copyright by Tamsyn Wells