Sunday, February 26, 2012

Gluten Free Pizza Crust



INGREDIENTS
  • 2/3 cup warm low-fat (1 percent) milk (about 105°F to 115°F on an instant-read thermometer)
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons potato starch
  • 3 tablespoons sorghum flour
  • 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for coating the parchment paper and brushing on the crust
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • White rice flour, for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the bottom third. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and generously coat the paper with olive oil; set aside.
  2. Place the warm milk in a small bowl and sprinkle in the yeast and sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Place the yeast mixture, potato starch, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, measured oil, vinegar, xanthan gum, and salt in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until a sticky mass forms around the blade, about 30 seconds.
  4. Scrape the dough out into the center of the prepared baking sheet. Dust the top of the dough liberally with the rice flour. Dusting your hands with rice flour as needed to prevent sticking, gently push the dough into an even 12-inch circle that is slightly thicker at the edges.
  5. Bake until lightly browned on the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the top all over with olive oil, then flip the crust over. It is now ready to be topped and baked, or you can cool it completely and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  6. When you’re ready to make your pizza, heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Add your desired sauce, cheese, and toppings to the pizza crust and bake until the cheese is brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes.

Super Low Calorie Banana (No Sugar Added) Muffin Recipe

Super Low Calorie Banana (No Sugar Added) Muffin Recipe! 

Makes 30 "Mini" Muffins at 19 calories apiece OR 10 "Larger' Muffins at 57 Calories apiece 

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup skim milk 
1 egg white 
2 ripe bananas 
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (75 grams) 
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1/4 tsp baking powder (I used sodium free) 

Directions: Preheat Oven to 400 degrees 
1. Peel and mash the two bananas in a large bowl. 
2. Add in the milk and egg white and combine slightly with a fork. 
3. Using an electric beater/mixer, beat the liquid mixture for 1 to 2 minutes until foamy. 
4. Measure out the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl. Sift together with a fork. 
5. Fold in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine until it creates a creamy batter (don't overmix) 
*** The mix might dilapidate a little bit from mixing, but that's okay 
6. Spray mini or regular sized muffins pans. 
7. Measure in a slightly overfilled spoon full of muffin batter into mini muffin pans, or 3 spoonfuls into regular muffin pans (mine are shorter than normal however, so you might want to use 4) 
8. Place the muffin pans in the oven and bake for 10 to 25 minutes or until golden brown (depending on size and oven temperatures). Mine were done in about 15 minutes. 
9. Take the muffins out, let cool and transfer to a baking rack. ENJOY! 

Calories per spoonful: 19 
Calories per "mini" muffin: 19 
Calories per "larger" muffin: 57 

Nutrition Facts for Entire Recipe: 

Total: 
Calories- 560 
Carbohydrates- 123
Fat- 3 
Protein- 16

Per Serving: 
Calories- 19 
Carbohydrates- 4 
Fat- 0 
Protein- 1 

Honey Banana Muffins


Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 6 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Combine the eggs, banana, applesauce and honey; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the raisins.
  2. Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; fill two-thirds full with batter. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Footnotes

  • Nutritional Analysis: One muffin equals 119 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 142 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit.

Granola Muffins



Granola muffins
Adapted from the New York Times
Makes 12

Ingredients
  • 90g granola
  • 120ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 115g whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
  • 2 large eggs
  • 60ml agave nectar
  • 120ml low fat yogurt (I used vanilla) 
  • 60ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/375F. Line a muffin tin with paper cases or grease it well.
  2. Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
  3. Beat together the eggs, agave nectar, yogurt, oil and vanilla.
  4. Add the dry ingredients and fold until just combined.
  5. Finally fold in the granola mixture.
  6. Fill baking cases 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
  7. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Zucchini Muffins



Zucchini Muffins (12 Muffins or 24 Mini Muffins)
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs, whisked
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/3 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
2/3 Cup Agave Nectar
1 1/2 Cups Zucchini, shredded (about 2 small zucchini)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Place the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined.
5. Pour the zucchini mixture into large or small muffins cups (I like to use a small ice cream scooper to make spooning into the muffin cups easier).
6. Bake 15 minutes for small muffins and 20 minutes for large ones.
7. Cool and serve.

Purslane and chicken meatball salad

Purslane and chicken meatball salad

Chicken meatballs (serves 3-4)
- 1/2 zucchini, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 600g chicken fillet, diced
- 1 tbsp paprika powder
- black pepper
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp thyme

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, chop the zucchini, onion and garlic.
3. Add spices, egg, almond flour and chicken and process until a smooth paste forms.
4. Drop tablespoon sized balls on the prepared baking tray, and bake for approx. 30 minutes until browned.

Purslane salad (serves 2)
- 1 kohlrabi, peeled and grated
- 2 cups purslane, washed and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup red cabbage, chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp salad herbs of your choice

1. In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice and salad herbs, let them soak for a while.
2. Divide vegetables over 2 plates and mix with your hands. Drizzle with the prepared dressing and hussle with 2 spoons (or your hands).

Serve the salad with some chicken meatballs on top, and enjoy!

Baked Banana w/Cinnamon & Honey



Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. 1
    Pre-heat the oven to 200c (or get your BBQ nice and ready if you're BBQing).
  2. 2
    Either slice the banana up into bite-sized pieces or cut it in half lengthways if you're looking for a smarter presentation or are having an ice cream banana split.
  3. 3
    Place the banana on an over-sized square of tin foil and sprinkle with cinnamon (to taste).
  4. 4
    Drizzle 2tsp of honey evenly over the banana and gather up the corners of the foil to create a little banana parcel.
  5. 5
    Place the parcel in the oven (or on the barbie) and bake for approximately 15mins.
  6. 6
    NB. Baking time depends on how you prefer your bananas - the more you bake, the more soft and gooey they get and the more the honey caramelises onto them. Personally I don't like mine too over-baked as I prefer the banana to still be a bit hard and the honey to be liquid.