Category Archives: Recipe

Recipe: Banana Coconut Bread (gluten free)

Posted on April 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

Banana bread is a food that some little people in my life really love to eat. I’ve tried many different recipes and this one is a current favourite. This banana coconut bread is really easy to prepare, delivers great banana flavour, and the extra nutrition of coconut flour (fibre, iron, healthy fat).

3-4 very ripe bananas

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

3 large eggs

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mash banana until fairly smooth in consistency. Whisk in coconut oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Mix in coconut flour, baking powder and salt with a wooden spoon. Stir until well combined, mixture will be thick. Pat batter into mini silicone loaf pans (consistency is best with mini loaf pans). Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until the slightly brown around the edges. Slice and enjoy warm or store in a airtight container, refrigerated for up to 3 days.

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, Healthy snack, Recipe, Vivian Law

Tagged ,

Recipe: Coconut Black Rice

Posted on April 5, 2013 | Leave a comment

Black rice is something I have tasted sporadically over the years in various forms of Asian  fusion cuisine. Earlier this year, I had coconut black rice served with fish in Kauai and then as coconut black rice pudding at Foxley.  Both were delicious and I had to learn how to make it. Black rice contains fiber and antioxidants in addition to its interesting taste and texture. Here is my recipe for coconut black rice, a dessert I have served topped with mango and strawberry to delighted guests. The rice also makes a nice alternative breakfast topped with fruit and nuts. The grated fresh coconut is a nice touch and dry shredded coconut works as well. Omit the sugar and cook for less time if you wish to serve it as more of a savoury side dish.

1 cup black rice, soaked overnight or a few hours in water and rinsed

2 cups water

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons of organic sugar

1/4 cup grated fresh coconut or shredded unsweetened coconut

Bring rice, water and coconut milk to a boil in a pot. Remove the lid and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed or rice is desired tenderness, about 45 minutes. Stir periodically, check for doneness, and add more water if necessary. Stir in sugar and coconut before serving. Serve warm, topped with fresh mango and/or strawberries if desired. Enjoy!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, healthy treat, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Vivian Law

Tagged , , ,

Recipe: Sweet Potato, Pineapple and Pork Stew

Posted on April 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

This sweet potato, pineapple and pork stew is a great blend of sweet and sour flavour. The recipe is inspired by one I came across many years ago in Eating Well magazine. Essentially, it has become my healthier version of sweet and sour pork:

1-2 shallots, minced

1 small piece of ginger, minced

1 pound of lean pork stew cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups of strained tomatoes

2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1/4 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

chopped cilantro and green onion for garnish

In a large saucepan or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Lightly brown shallots and ginger for a minute. Add pork, season with salt and pepper, and brown all over. Add strained tomatoes to the pot, then cumin, sweet potatoes and pineapple. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro and green onion. Enjoy over brown rice if desired.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in healthy recipe, Recipe, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , ,

Recipe: Sauteed Kale with Apple

Posted on March 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

Here is a recipe that I have used for a few years inspired by Eating Well magazine and Feeding the Whole Family cookbook. I generally like organic black kale best for the milder flavour and texture. The mix of butter, brown sugar, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar brings the flavours of kale and apple together very nicely. This is a veggie side dish that is finished up quickly!

1 bunch organic black kale

1-2 royal gala apples, cored and sliced thin

1 tablespoon of salted butter

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat, saute apple slices and sprinkle with brown sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add kale and saute until kale is bright green and desired tenderness, 2-3 minutes. Stir in dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar.  Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Sauteed Kale with Apple

Sauteed Kale with Apple

 

Leave a comment

Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, plant food, Recipe, Veggies, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , , ,

Recipe: Fennel, Blood Orange and Avocado Salad

Posted on March 4, 2013 | 1 comment

This recipe is adapted from Bi Rite Market’s Eat Good Food. The combination of crunchy fennel, sweet and tart blood orange is offset by the creaminess of the avocado. If you have access to dungeness crab, this salad reaches another level of delicious topped with crab.

1 medium fennel, sliced thinly (fronds removed and reserved for soup)

2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise

1 small shallot finely minced

fresh juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss sliced fennel with dressing. Add avocado on top and salt lightly. Top with blood orange slices. Enjoy at room temperature.

 

1 Comment

Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, plant food, Recipe, Veggies

Tagged , , , ,

Recipe: Pineapple Avocado Salsa

Posted on February 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

This is a recipe I came across years ago in Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine and have adapted to add a bit more zip. This tasty salsa is great with corn chips, as a condiment for grilled pork, chicken, shrimp or rice. The avocado is a healthy fat and the pineapple contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties.

1 ripe avocado, mashed

1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple

1 green onion chopped

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper (optional)

salt to taste

In a medium bowl, scoop out avocado and mash until it is a smooth consistency. Season avocado with salt to taste. Stir in pineapple and green onion evenly. Stir in cilantro and jalapeno. Enjoy!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, Healthy snack, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , ,

Recipe: Sweet Potato and Rapini Mash

Posted on February 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

This is a nutrient packed vegan dish I first tried in the fall of 2012 at Mela Cafe. I was told it was yummy, which it absolutely was with the sweet potato balancing the slight bitterness of the rapini in a addition to a topping of homemade tomato sauce. The delicious combination of sweet potato and rapini is a super dose of beta carotene, vitamin C, folic acid, lutein and vitamin K. Here is my simple version:

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 bunch rapini, chopped

Homemade tomato sauce

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the sweet potato until soft. Drain potatoes and put back into the pot. Using an immersion blender, mash sweet potato to desired consistency. Stir in coconut oil, bring back to medium heat and stir in the chopped rapini. Cover and heat until rapini is bright green and cooked through.

Heat desired quantity of homemade tomato sauce in a saucepan. Serve the sweet potato and rapini mash topped with the tomato sauce.-Enjoy!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , , , ,

Recipe: Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Posted on February 13, 2013 | Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day is the birthday of a special person in my life and I will need to make a cake. Chocolate with chocolate chips is the request. This recipe for a rich, hand mixed chocolate cake is adapted from BiRite Market’s Eat Good Food-wonderful in celebration of Valentine’s Day in addition to any other occasion.

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips

For Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup high quality cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Position rack in the center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-12 cup Bundt pan, set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, salt and water. Melt together over medium heat, stir to combine and remove from heat when all is just melted. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl until blended. Add half of the melted butter mixture and whisk until completely blended (mixture will be very thick). Add the remaining butter mixture and whisk. Add eggs one at a time, and whisk each to blend completely before adding the next. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes and before inverting to a plate to serve and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Recipe

Tagged , , ,

Recipe: Cucumber and Sea Asparagus Salad

Posted on January 28, 2013 | Leave a comment

This is a recipe I put together over the holidays in Hawaii. Sea asparagus or samphire is a veggie (or succulent herb) that grows between salt water and fresh water. It has a natural saltiness and crunch that lends itself well to a simple salad like this one. Sea asparagus is an excellent natural source of iodine. Sea asparagus in available seasonally, when harvested wild in Canada and Europe. Fresh sea asparagus is cultivated year round on the north shore of Oahu http://www.olakaihawaii.com/index.htm and is available at farmers markets throughout the island and at Foodland.

Fresh sea asparagus grown on the north shore of oahu

Fresh sea asparagus grown on the north shore of oahu-the best sea asparagus for taste and texture

1 japanese cucumber, chopped

1 cup fresh sea asparagus, rinsed and roughly chopped

1/4 maui onion, finely chopped

1 small tomato, chopped

fresh lime juice to taste

1 tablespoon Pele’s Fire chili infused macadamia oil (or any other oil you like, spice is adds great flavour to the salad)

chopped fresh cilantro to taste, or chopped shiso for those that don’t like cilantro (thank you Sharon S.)

In a bowl, toss together cucumber, sea asparagus, onion, tomato, and chili oil. Season with lime juice to taste. Top with chopped cilantro or shiso. Enjoy any time with breakfast, lunch or dinner.

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, plant food, product review, Recipe, Recommendation, Vegan

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Recipe: Coconut Rice

Posted on January 22, 2013 | Leave a comment

Coconut rice is a side dish that I have always enjoyed. Sticky coconut rice is even more fun with it’s chewy texture and almost dessert like sweetness. I noticed coconut rice served as a side to a menu item at Hawker Bar www.hawkerbar.com in Toronto last summer. We ordered some and it was outstanding, in addition to the chili tofu, wings and greens. I was inspired to try and make coconut rice at home. Here is my easy version, using creamed coconut and coconut oil for the rich taste and nutritional value of medium chain fatty acids.

1 cup Thai jasmine rice

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon creamed coconut (available at health food stores)

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil

Rinse rice in a strainer under cold water. Place rice into a medium saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Stir in coconut coconut oil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid and allow rice to continue cooking for 15 minutes or so. Remove from heat, let stand for another 10 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork and enjoy. This rice is great with sauteed callaloo and spicy shrimp or fish. Also great with curries.

Leave a comment

Posted in healthy recipe, Recipe, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , , , ,