Brining Vegetables

As well as showing us how to brine olives, my friend showed us how to brine vegetables. This is what she told us: Different sites online have varying recipes & methods for brining vegetables. My mother-in-law made a salt and water solution only. Brine excess garden produce such as carrots, celery, cabbage, lebanese cucumbers, capsicums, beans. Boil a 2% salt/water solution and allow to cool. Link to brine calculators here. Pour boiling water over a […]

Brining Olives

I never knew this, but olives straight off the tree are too bitter to eat. But some clever folk, back in the day, discovered that they can be cured by being soaked in salty water. Probably in sea water back then. Maybe in sea water in some places still today. After 10-12 days, they become delicious. A friend in our area has three olive trees, and she invited some of us over to show us […]

Ginger Carrot Cashew spread

This recipe is my adaptation of one I came across on Steemit. The original recipe is raw and vegan, and you can see it here. I encourage you to check it out. My version is no longer raw, which I think is more suitable for a GAPSster or anyone with digestion issues. I also tweaked amounts of some of the flavourings, including increasing the extra virgin olive oil for added GAPSy goodness. Ingredients (makes about 2 […]

Warming Soup for Fall (Autumn) or Winter

A good way to utilise the bounty of warming vegetables from your late summer garden. If you’re doing any dietary protocol that encourages bone broths, here is a tasty way to have your daily soup. This recipe is compatible with any whole food diet including Paleo, GAPS, SCD, and is gluten, grain and dairy free. It’s not vegetarian, as the nourishment of the bone broth is one of the important healing benefits of it. But […]

Paleo Cottage Pie (low carb, nightshade free)

This is made without nightshades, and is low carb. There are vegetarian, dairy free and other options below. You may have seen recipes using cauliflower for pizza bases, or for faux “rice”, now here’s a recipe using it for mashed potato, or as some say “faux-tato”. This recipe was developed for a person who reacts to nightshades, so has no potato, tomato or peppers (bell peppers, capsicum, chilli peppers, cayenne, paprika). Meat layer • 400-500gms ground […]

Watermelon “slushy” (Serves 2)

This takes a bit of forward preparation but the actual making is close to instant. Chop and deseed your water melon. Even if pips don’t usually bother you, take the time to get rid of them for this recipe. Freeze 2 cups at a time. When you’re feeling hot and in need of cold refreshment, take a container out of the freezer, zizz it up and serve straight away. Optional, add a sprig of mint, […]

Spinach Roulade

Serves 4 as an entree, or 2 as a light meal with salad or cooked veges A spinach roulade is a classic dish that can be varied by using different fillings. The mozzarella and tomato version, which is good either hot or cold, comes from Rose Elliot’s Vegetarian Kitchen. A couple of other variations have been included. The variations with tomato look very festive and would make a nice Xmas entrée or side dish. The […]

Irish Soda Bread

1 cup brown rice flour 1 cup whole spelt flour 1 1/2 cups rye flour 1/4 cup ground flaxseed 1/3 cup raw sugar 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda 2 cups whey, or rice milk Mix dry ingredients together. Mix in milk. Pour into greased or lined loaf pan. Bake at 200C for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until skewer comes out clean. This is moist & quite sweet.

Mayonnaise

Basic recipe from Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon Mix together in food processor till well blended : 1 whole egg, at room temperature 1 egg yolk, at room temperature 1 Tbs whey (optional) 1 ½ Tbs lemon juice generous pinch of sea salt 1 tsp Dijon style mustard With the motor running, add one drop at a time: ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil Once about a 1/3 of the oil has been added, you’ll […]

Mushroom Nut Roast

A few years ago I went in search of a nut roast recipe, and was interested to find they were all so different. So I made up my own composite, picking all the tastiest sounding ingredients. And I was surprised how delicious it was. It keeps well in the fridge, and can also be frozen. This is a handy recipe if you have vegetarians in the family. For Xmas Day, they’re festive made in star shaped tins, […]

Potato or kumera (sweet potato) chippies (crisps)

You can do these either peeled or unpeeled. Peel potatoes or kumera, or scrub them well. Cut into slices about ¼ inch or ½ cm thick. Rinse and dry with paper towels. Brush with melted butter mixed with olive oil, or melted coconut oil, or lard. Toss with some sea salt. Lay on an oven tray in a single layer Bake at 175C (350F) for about 45 minutes till crunchy but not too brown. Every […]

Fruit crumble

For each serving: A small ovenproof bowl A sliced apple, pear or peach; a handful of frozen berries; or other fruit of your choice 3 Tbs crispy nuts, finely ground (almonds or macadamias are best as they‘re a mild flavour) ½ Tbs butter or coconut oil 1 tsp rapadura, maple syrup or honey Pinch of spice such as cinnamon, ginger or allspice Put the fruit in the bottom of the bowl. Blend together the nuts, […]

Dairy-free Coconut Custard

1 ½ cups coconut cream 3 egg yolks pinch Celtic sea salt 1 Tbs honey ¾ tsp vanilla essence This makes a hot, runny custard. Heat up the coconut cream to just short of boiling. Meanwhile, if you have a double boiler, beat the egg yolks and salt together in the top part. Otherwise, find a bowl that will sit on top of a pan of boiling water, and use that. Pour the hot coconut […]

Coconut quinoa pudding

For those people who long for rice pudding, but can’t have dairy or can’t have rice. 400ml can (1 ½ cups) coconut cream 1 cup cooked quinoa (Or other cooked grains. Or for grain-free, use dessicated coconut) ½ to ¾ cup sultanas or raisins (or other chopped, dried fruit) ½ cup shredded coconut or coconut chips 1 tsp vanilla essence (extract) ½ tsp mixed spice or cinnamon Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a […]

No bake apple walnut tart (Serves 6)

Crust: 1 ¼ cups crispy walnuts ½ cup desiccated coconut 3 oz coconut oil 2 oz (4 Tbs) raw honey ½ teaspoon vanilla essence ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt Filling: 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled*, cored & chopped roughly (*optional, unpeeled is fine too) 1 red apple, peeled*, cored & chopped roughly 2 Tbs raw honey ¼ tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp cinnamon 2 fresh medjool dates, pitted (or used dried dates, soaked for […]

Strawberry Fool (Serves 4 people)

A traditional fool is made from fresh or stewed soft fruit (eg. berries, poached stone fruit or stewed rhubarb or gooseberries) folded into whipped cream. This version also adds a thick Greek or European style yoghurt. 250ml (1 cup) cream 250ml (1 cup) plain, unsweetened yoghurt (preferably thick, like Cyclops) 200g strawberries natural sweetener of your choice, to taste grated chocolate (optional) Beat the cream till thick (if your cream is raw, see here for […]

Fudgy coconut date pudding

This is a variation of the strawberry fool recipe. It doesn’t need extra sweetener, as the dates give a nice flavour plus sweetness. 4 fresh dates, chopped 250ml (1 cup) coconut cream 1-2 Tbs creamed coconut (optional) 250ml (1 cup) plain, unsweetened yoghurt (preferably thick) – if you want this to be dairy free, use coconut yoghurt Chill the coconut cream for a couple of hours. Beat till it starts to get thick, then add […]

Pavlova

The quintessential Kiwi dessert, but can we convert it to whole foods? It’s a tricky one, and this is my best shot. Most whole food sweeteners don’t work for pav, as they have too high a liquid content, and also go very brown. The pav is likely to be rather sticky and chewy. But if you can find palm sugar, made from coconut, you get a better result. Not as melt in your mouth as […]

Soaked Yeasted Bread

Makes three 9-inch by 5-inch loaves or one 9-inch by 5-inch loaf, two 8-inch pizza crusts and 8 rolls or hamburger buns 3 cups sponge 1 cup water or 3-4 eggs plus enough water to make 1 cup 2 teaspoons baker’s yeast ½ cup honey ¼ cup warm water ½ cup softened butter 1 1/3 tablespoons sea salt 6 cups plus 4-6 tablespoons whole wheat flour, preferably freshly ground Mix 2 teaspoons yeast into ¼ […]

Twice Baked Pumpkin

Ya know, I’ve never been that fussed on pumpkin. I love butternut pumpkin in soup, but the usual big grey pumpkin leaves me cold. But there are 4 ways that I actually quite like it – which is good, cos it’s such a handy GAPS vegetable. The first is in bread or cake – I’ve already posted recipes for Cashew Bread and Coconut Almond bread, which both have pumpkin as an optional ingredient. The other 3 are “Twice baked pumpkin”. […]

Whole grain, gluten free bread

1 1/2 cups whole grain, GF flour (eg. Amaranth, buckwheat, brown rice or a combination) 1 ½ cups kefir –OR- 1 cup yoghurt PLUS ½ cup water –OR- 3 Tbs whey or lemon juice PLUS enough warm water to make total liquid = 1 1/2 cups 3 eggs* 125gms (4.5 oz) melted butter or palm or coconut oil or ½ cup (7.5 Tbs) extra virgin olive oil pinch of fine sea salt 200gm packet (1 […]

Gluten free white bread

This recipe from the Native Nutrition list was developed from one in Bette Hagman’s “The Gluten Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Healthy”. I’ve made some slight changes to the process. If you’re just starting to change over to a whole food diet, and especially if you’re going gluten free, this may get you through some tight spots during the transition. It isn’t a whole grain recipe, and it is quite high carb, but sometimes you […]

Coconut almond loaf 

To get a starch free bread, you need to use some kind of nut flour. A good quantity of eggs are required to give it some lift, and some fat is also helpful. There are a variety of starch free bread recipes available, and you may want to try some of them: Breaking the Vicious Cycle, by Elaine Gottschall (the SCD) has a nice almond bread Eat Well, Feel Well, by Kendrall Conrad has a […]

Gluten free white pizza base

Once again, not a nutrient dense recipe, but a good compromise if the kids object to a sour dough type base. How many pizzas this makes depends on how thick you like your crust. I like a thin crust and it made a med round pizza, a rectangular pizza made in a swiss roll tin, and 3 hamburger buns. Make the Gluten Free White Bread dough. Line the pizza trays with baking paper, and after […]

Grain free Pizza base

Note that although hulled sesame seeds don’t have much in the way of phytates or oxalates (which are mostly in the hull), they do still have enzyme inhibitors. So things made with unsoaked sesame seeds are a treat, not an everyday meal. Two different size variations are given. ¾ cup [1 ¼ cups] freshly ground sesame meal (takes about ½ the amount of sesame seeds ie 3/8 cup) ¼ cup [6 Tbs] freshly ground flaxseed […]