Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Muffins

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This weekend I am running my first cooking class at The Cooks Workshop in Dural

Teaching how to cook healthy gluten free food

In my clinics I see many newly diagnosed Coeliac (pronounced seal-e-ac) clients

Who find this diagnosis completely overwhelming

So I like to show them how to make easy swaps

And delicious baked goods like these muffins…

Unfortunately many pre-prepared gluten free baked goods are made with very refined, high GI flours

They often contain preservatives and other additives as well to extend their shelf life

But not these…

Buckwheat is my favourite gluten free flour substitute

And you’ll have to come to Dural to find out why!

But if you can’t make it to the class

At least I hope you make and enjoy these muffins

Enjoy 🙂

Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Muffins
 
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Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup ground linseeds
  • ¾ cup milk of choice (I used soy milk)
  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons psyllium husks
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon bicarb soda
  • ⅓ cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
  • 3 medium over-ripe bananas, mashed
  • ⅓ cup (70g) macadamia or extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup (50g) brown sugar (I used rapadura)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
  1. Mix the ground linseeds with the milk and set aside for a few minutes
  2. Heat oven to 170 degrees and line a 16 hole muffin tray with papers
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and cocoa powder into a large bowl.
  4. In another bowl, mash the bananas. then add oil, sugar and vanilla and whisk together.
  5. Pour the banana mix and linseeds into the flour mix and stir until just combined.
  6. Spoon out tablespoons of mix into muffin cases.
  7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
  8. To check if the muffins is done, either press lightly on the surface, if it is done it should spring back. Or use a skewer and poke it into the middle of one of the muffins, if it comes out clean it is done.
  9. Allow to cool for 5 mins before devouring
For a non-vegan version, you can replace the ground linseeds and milk with 3 eggs, beaten

For a non gluten free version, simply replace buckwheat flour with 1 1/4 cups plain wheat flour (I would use 3/4 cup wholemeal + 1/2 cup white) and omit the psyllium husks

* * *

BTW don’t be concerned that there is sugar in these muffins

Sugar is perfectly fine to consume in small amounts

If you are making the majority of your food, you will know exactly how much sugar you are consuming and how often

And if you think that sugar is causing everyone in Australia to gain weight, think again

Have you heard of “The Australian Paradox” – the fact that sugar consumption has actually DECREASED during the past 30+ years while Australians have been gaining weight

“The Australian Paradox: A Substantial Decline in Sugars Intake over the Same Time frame that Overweight and Obesity Have Increased”

“The findings confirm an “Australian Paradox”–a substantial decline in refined sugars intake over the same time frame that obesity has increased.”

Sugar can most certainly be a contributing factor to fat gain (and is a contributing factor in many obesity epidemics around the world).

However the causes of fat gain go way beyond just “sugar is making people fat.”

Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257688/

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Cha Ca Two Ways

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Cha ca in a bowl

Five years ago we had a lovely three week long holiday in Vietnam where we ate and learned how to cook some amazing food

Cha ca stood out as one of our favourite meals there

Cha ca is a Hanoi special. In fact you must go to Cha Ca La Vong in the Old Quarter where that is all they serve

Cha ca comprises fish marinaded in turmeric, ginger, garlic and fish sauce

fish marinading in a lovely tasty paste

The fish is then fried and placed on top of a bowl of noodles, veggies and fresh herbs – usually dill

However I couldn’t get any dill today, so I’m serving mine with mint, coriander, Thai basil and Vietnamese mint – YUM

ready to top with fish – use whatever herbs you like…

However I also like to put all the components into rice paper rolls to make a big fat juicy roll

Place all ingredients in the centre of your rice paper

top with fish, drizzle with sauce and roll up

Cha ca rice paper roll…yum

Cha ca is the perfect meal to cook during summer as it requires minimal cooking and is lovely and light

It’s relatively quick to prepare as well, especially if you have a mandolin to help you chop the veggies

Plus it showcases all of summer’s beautiful fresh herbs and veggies

So if you can’t get to Vietnam, bring Vietnam to you and make this gorgeous dish

Either way – in a bowl or a roll – you get to choose

You are sure to love it

Cha Ca Two Ways
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 spring onions, white and green parts separated
  • 3 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 600 g skinless snapper or ling or other firm white-fleshed fillets fish fillets, cut into 4 cm pieces
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 100 grams dry vermicelli noodles or 50 grams vermicelli noodles and 8-12 rice paper rolls
  • 2 carrots, finely sliced
  • 1 medium cucumber, finely sliced
  • ½ cup peanuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 4 cups lightly packed of herbs like mint, coriander, Thai basil, Vietnamese mint
  • Other veggies – shredded red cabbage, sliced radishes, spinach leaves, blanched green beans
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
  1. Finely chop the white part of the spring onions and combine with ginger, garlic, turmeric and fish sauce in a food processor or mortar and pestle until it forms a coarse paste.
  2. Place fish in a large bowl, tip paste on top, add pepper, then stir to coat fish evenly. Cover and set aside in the fridge to marinade for at least 1 hour.
  3. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine well.
  4. Put the vermicelli noodles in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes. Drain.
  5. Heat some oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat.
  6. Chop green part of the spring onion into 4 cm lengths and add the the pan. Cook, tossing often, for 2-3 minutes or until the spring onion is lightly browned. Remove and place in a bowl.
  7. Reduce the heat to medium and add a little more oil to the pan.
  8. Add half of the fish, or as much as will comfortably fit in your pan and cook, turning once, for 5–6 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
  9. When cooked, remove from pan and place on top of the spring onions, then repeat with remaining fish.
  10. Noodle Bowls:
  11. Divide the noodles among bowls, top with veggies, herbs, peanuts, then fish and spring onions.
  12. Drizzle with sauce and eat
  13. Rice Paper rolls:
  14. Place rice paper in water for about 6 seconds. Remove and place on large plate.
  15. Top with veggies, noodles, herbs, peanuts, fish and spring onions. Drizzle with sauce then roll up but tucking the end closest to you in first, then fold in each side, then roll up to make a sausage shape. Eat and repeat!

one big fat juicy cha ca roll….mmmmm

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Gazpacho

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When its too hot to cook…

Don’t!

this gorgeous gazpacho needs no cooking!

We are experiencing a lovely hot summer in Sydney right now

Only problem is that it’s too hot to cook. But you don’t need to

There are so many wonderful meals you can prepare without needing to put the oven or stove or even bbq on

For example…

Rice paper rolls (recipe in my cookbook veggie-licious)

rice paper rolls – you can find this recipe in my veggie-licious cookbook

Beetroot, Lentil, Feta and Walnut Salad

Greek Salad with Avocado and Chickpeas (recipe in veggie-licious)

Click here for even more recipes that need minimal or no cooking

And now you can add to your list of no-need-to-cook meals this gorgeous gazpacho

Gazpacho simply topped with fresh herbs…

I’m a huge fan of cooking and eating seasonally

And this gazpacho ticks both of those boxes

It makes the most of Summer’s beautiful tomatoes

Along with red capsicums, cucumbers and fresh herbs

And what sets your gazpacho apart is the olive oil you use

I love to use a locally produced fruity style olive oil – it makes all the difference

stick whatever you want on top of me…

Quick and easy to make

And can be topped with anything really other than just croutons which is what we did

For example to make this a more substantial meal you could add cooked prawns, feta or Parmesan cheese, chopped nuts like toasted almonds or you could use seeds

There’s loads of options….

I hope you give this gorgeous gazpacho a go

Gazpacho
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 red onion, peeled
  • 1 small Lebanese cucumber
  • 1 kg roma tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 red capsicums
  • 2 slices Bills organic bread, crusts removed
  • 150 ml tomato juice
  • 1 teaspoon sherry or balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • croutons, olive oil, fresh coriander, fresh basil or chives to serve
  • and if you fancy add some cooked prawns, feta or Parmesan cheese, nuts or seeds
Instructions
  1. Roughly chop the onion, cucumber and tomatoes.
  2. Place onion, cucumber, tomato, garlic, capsicum and bread in blender.
  3. Add tomato juice, vinegar, oil, sugar and salt and blend thoroughly.
  4. You may need to do this in two lots depending on the size of your blender.
  5. Serve garnished with a sprinkle of croutons, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs.
 

go on….give it a go
Trust me, cold soup can taste a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

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  • my veggie-licious cookbook (hardcopy)

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    I’m Caroline, an accredited practising dietitian, nutritionist and author. I love food and love to cook.

    Welcome to my virtual cafe where I will show you how easy and delicious it is to eat healthily.

    I also run fabulous cooking classes in the Inner West in Sydney, Australia

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