The Yummiest Blueberry Pancakes

What's a girl to do after an early morning weekend spin class and power yoga session? Why, make a yummy gluten free, vegan pancake brunch of course!

 I love, love, love pancakes, and these are so light & fluffy! They are sure to make you smile :)

Be warned, this recipe makes quite a large batch.... we like leftovers in our apartment! I always make more and wrap the extras up. Also if my lovely boyfriend comes over with his gorgeous new puppy, she always seems to get her tiny paws on a couple, so a few extra can come in very useful.  They taste so good cold or popped in the toaster the next day. Pancake & almond butter sandwich anyone?

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour (or groats processed into flour)
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup gluten free oat flour
• 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• 1 banana
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (to sweeten, agave nectar would work)
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond or soy milk
• 1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries
• extra blueberries, banana slices, & maple syrup to serve (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat a large non stick skillet over a medium heat.
2. In a a large bowl mix together the 3 flours and the baking powder until fully combined.
3. Pour the milk, vanilla, and syrup into the bowl, and whisk the batter until smooth and lump free.
4. Mash the banana with the applesauce, and then fold it into the pancake batter.
5. Lightly grease the skillet (I used Earth Balance Spread), and then ladle in a dollop of batter (about 3 1/2 inch diameter).
6. Sprinkle some blueberries on the top of the pancake. (I prefer adding the blueberries this way as it stops the pancakes turning overly purple, and it means you can make sure all the pancakes are loaded with blueberries. (A few months ago, I had a batch with one sad pancake containing only one lonely blueberry... my room mate wasn't too impressed, so she got some extra fake bacon to make up for it). 
7. Cook until bubbly on the top (slightly more bubbles than the pic), and then flip. Cooking the other side for a couple of mins, keeping peeking at it to check it's not browning too much. Golden brown is good, burnt is bad! These hold together surprisingly well for vegan, gluten free pancakes,but you still need to be gentle when flipping.
8. Repeat until the rest of the batter has been used.
9. Serve with extra blueberries & banana slices, and some warm male syrup drizzled on top. YUM :)

 

Feeling extra hungry, or wanting an extra special treat? Cook up a side of fake-bacon... it tates so yummy on top of the pancakes and all maple syrupy! Be sure to check the label though, quite alot of vegan meats contain wheat-gluten.

 

If you're looking for other brunch ideas, try my Berry French Toast. Can you believe french toast can be gluten free and vegan? It's yummy too (even if i do say so myself) ;)

 

 

Baked Oatmeal Raisin Bars

I always try to have a batch of these (somehow chewy & crunchy) oatmeal bars baked up, they are great for snacks, or on the go breakfasts if you're in a rush. They have no sugar either so they are so much healthier than store bought cereal or granola bars. Try them as an alternative to cookies with a glass of almond milk too!

Ingredients

• 3 cups gluten free oats
• 1//2 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup (some vegans don't eat honey)
• 1/2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a shallow square baking pan with baking parchment paper.
3. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl, and press firmly into the baking pan.
4. Bake for approximately 35 mins or until golden brown, turning the pan around halfway through.
5. Let cool for 5 mins, cut the bars to whatever size you fancy, and then let them completely cool before storing them in your cookie jar!

Why not try out your own flavor combinations? Pecan & maple syrup? Chocolate chip & cranberry? Peanut butter & banana? The chocolate chip one is so yummy served warm & gooey with vegan ice cream for a dessert. :)

Sweet Apple Kugel & '2 Broke Girls'

A good giggle is super good for you and I love the TV show '2 Broke Girls', (thank you CBS, you rock!) and even though I doubt Max and Caroline's cupcakes are vegan and gluten free... I still think they look delicious! (I just wouldn't be able to sample them).

 

 

But it wasn't their cupcakes and frosting that caught my attention one Monday night. It was the Kugel they were fed! It was the episode entitled...'And the Kosher Cupcakes', and Max was going nuts for the stuff! I have to admit I had never heard of it before this episode, well I'd heard of it, I just didn't know 100% what it was, and I have to say, it had me intrigued!

 

 

The Kugel didn't sound very vegan or gluten free, so, I got to work! After a few tries, some culinary magic happened. Cue my Sweet Apple Kugel.... (P.S. Thank you CBS for the '2 Broke Girls' pics)

 

Ingredients

• 12oz vegan gluten free pasta (check the label for egg!) I used noodles but any pasta would work. Why not try kugel lasagna?
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 15oz silken tofu
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened vanilla soy milk
• 2 cups raisins
• 4 medium apples (my favourites are pink ladies)
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (and extra to dust if you fancy)
• 3 tablespoons vegan dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and drain.
3. While the pasta is cooking peel and cut the apples into small cubes or slices.
4. In a food processor, blend together the silken tofu, soy milk, applesauce, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
5. Toss the pasta with the apple and raisins until evenly distributed. Place half of the noodle mix into a casserole dish or tray.
6. If your using choc chips, sprinkle them over the noodles, and then cover with the other half of the pasta mix. I sandwich the chocolate chips in the middle, because I think they make an oh-so-satisfying gooey melty surprise, plus it stops them burning if some end up near the top. But,  you could always toss them with the pasta, raisins, and apple if you want them distributed through  the dessert.
7. Pour the tofu batter evenly over the noodles making sure they are fully coated, and dust with extra cinnamon if you fancy.
8. Bake for 35-45 mins until golden and (I can't think of a better way to describe this, so I apologise in advance) 'not sloppy'.
9. Let cool slightly, and serve warm! YUM!

As I can't sample the regular Kugel to taste the difference, I took some to work with me for my Jewish colleague to taste test, and he said, "although it's not quite as good as [his] Bubby's [Grams], it is a close second". He said it didn't taste vegan or gluten free either. So, for a first attempt, I'd definitely call my Sweet Apple Kugel a success! It was so good, I snook some leftovers for breakfast the day after. I know what your thinking, noodles and choc for breakfast?!?! But please don't judge.. I was in a rush. And, there is some fruit in there too! :) xo

Hot Chocolate Banana Breakfast Quinoa

Chocolate for breakfast? Oh yes, yes, yes! This is a really yummy alternative to oatmeal in the mornings, it gives you a quick chocolate fix too... and if you're like me I need atleast 3 chocolatey hits a day!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup gluten free oats
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla soy/almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 banana
• 2 tbsps cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp raisins

Directions

1. Mash or puree the banana and set aside.
2. Put the quinoa, milk, and water in a saucepan, bring to boil, then turn down to a low heat and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Add the oats, and simmer for a further 10mins.
4. Stir in the raisins, cocoa powder and pureed banana until fully combined.
5. Spoon into a bowl, and serve warm. Yummy in your tummy!

This also tastes amazing with a tablespoon of almond or peanut butter stirred through... packs some extra protein in there aswell!  Perfect for a pre- or post- workout breakfast.

Berry French Toast

Continuing on my quest for yummy gluten free, vegan dishes for my favourite meal of the day.... breakfast/brunch! I really don't need to say much about my Berry French Toast, I'm going to let it do it's own talking. Enjoy :)

Ingredients
(serves 2)

• 4 slices of gluten free bread
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla soy or almond milk
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
• maple syrup (to serve)
• 2 handfuls fresh berries (to serve) - I like raspberries or blueberries for breakfast/brunch
• tiny bit of vegan spread, I used Earth Balance

Directions

1. Add the bananas, milk, almond butter, cinnamon, & vanilla extract together in a food processor, & pulse until fully combined. If the batter is too thick, you can add more milk. 
2. Pour the batter into a large dish & soak the slices of gluten free bread.
3. Heat a large non stick skillet, & add the vegan spread.
4. When the spread has melted, carefully (gluten free bread breaks up very easily) place the soaked bread in the skillet to cook.
5. When the bottom of the bread has turned a dark golden brown (not burnt, but the darker the bread is the less likely it will fall apart), flip it using a spatula.
6. Cook the 2nd side until just turning golden.
7. Plate up the french toast, drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle with berries and serve warm. YUM :)

Super Green Smoothie

Hey! I'm so sorry I've not posted in a while, but I've been so super busy with work I've not really been cooking much I could post about... let alone actually having the time to blog about it! I've been having a really exciting time recently... firstly, there was my work trip to New York, and then after just a couple of days back in my own bed on the west coast, I was back out on location working my make-up magic, and enjoying the delights 'craft services' had to offer. It feels like all I've been eating for a month is take-out food & fresh juices, very healthy takeout, but still, I'm looking forward to the idea of some good old home cookin' very soon!

One thing I did manage to make for myself (usually just before running out of the door at 5.30am) were smoothies. So here's my recipe for my super-quick, super-nutrient packed, super yummy, superfood, Super Green Smoothie. Your skin will glow, your step will be springy, and your smile... huge! Enjoy :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 tablespoon blueberries

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender, whizz up until smooth, pour, serve. It's that simple! (It's yummy too).

Blackberry Chia Jam

Continuing on my quest for healthy & delicious gluten free, vegan yumminess for my favourite meal of the day (breakfast, for those of you are wondering), I found this.... Chia Jam! It is so quick & easy to make, and crazy healthy compared to store bought jams & jellies. It's raw, contains no added sugar (just the natural stuff from the blackberries), plus it has the added nutrient packed extra of the new super seed, chia!

Ingredients

• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon water
• agave nectar or stevia to taste

Directions

• Mash the blackberries with a fork (if they are frozen, be sure to let them thaw first).
• Transfer the fruit into a jar, mix in the chia seeds & water.
• You may not need any but you could add a drizzle of agave nectar or a few drops liquid stevia, it just depends how sweet you want the jam.
• Refrigerate for about an hour.
• Toast a slice of your favourite gluten free bread, spread with your fresh homemade chia jam & serve. Delicious and oh so healthy!

If toast isn't your thing, you could have it on oatmeal, pancakes, vegan yogurt/ice cream,  or even on it's own as a snack. This also tastes amazing on one of my favourite brown bag/ picnic lunches... almond butter, grilled banana & jelly sandwich. Or as an extra treat, serve it warm & toasted, think grilled cheese meets pb & j, but a way way healthier and good for you version!

Buckwheat Breakfast Crumble

Breakfast is most definitely my favourite meal of the day! It's also probably the meal that has got most predictable for me since going gluten free. I seem to have fallen into a pattern of having pretty much the same thing most mornings. My go-to options have become gluten-free toast with almond or cashew butter, gluten-free oatmeal with blueberries or a fresh juice (preferably of the green variety). Not that there is anything wrong with any of these options, infact they all super yummy & chock- full of goodness.... I just fancied a bit of a change!

Cue, my Buckwheat breakfast crumble.

I'd not tried raw buckwheat groats before, but I'd heard very good things about them. They are full of fiber, minerals & protein don't you know?! I also wanted to try something a bit diffrent & innovative not just using the regular gluten- free subsitutes. It took me a couple of attempts to get the groats to the right consistency the first time I made it, but once I had perfected them, this quickly became my new favourite breakfast/brunch dish! So, here it is....

Ingredients
(this serves 1, but you could just as easily double or triple it & serve it 'family-style' in a bigger dish)

• 1/2 banana
• 2 tablespoons raspberries
• 3 tablespoons blueberries
• 4 or 5 chopped strawberries
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free oats
• 1 tablespoon raw buckwheat groats
• 1 tablespoon almonds
• 1 tablespoon raw organic honey
• 1 tablespoon raw almond butter

Directions

1. Rinse the raw buckwheat groats, then soak them in water over night.
2. Rinse them again, let them dry, and put them in a food processor.
3. Add the gluten-free oats, almonds, & honey to the food processor, pulse it until just combined, (you don't want the mixture processed too fine).
4. Slice the banana, and top with the berries in a bowl.
5. Spoon the almond butter ontop, (you can stir it into the fruit if you like too).
6. Sprinkle on the buckwheat/ oat mixture and serve.

I'm not on a strictly 'raw food' diet, however I do like experimenting with raw recipes every now and and then. This was one of those experiementations. But equally, it could be baked in the oven and served warm. I just make it like this for it's convinience because I'm always rushing around in the mornings to yoga or work, and don't always have time to bake something. It would also be so delicious served as a healthy dessert with my Coconut ice cream melting over it.

Let me know what you think in the comments below xo

Cheesy Tofu Scramble

I went out with some friends for brunch at the weekend, and had the most delicious tofu scramble... I was truly inspired, so I decided to create my own version.

Ingredients

• 1 block firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (other oil would work too, I just prefer coconut oil for the health benefits & taste)
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 5 mini tomatoes
• 1 handful chopped spinach
• 4 small mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons vegan cheddar cheese (I use 'Daiya' cheddar style shreds)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon crushed fresh garlic
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Press & drain the tofu between two plates to get most of the moisture out (it takes about 10 mins), crumble it into small cubes.
2. Melt the coconut oil in a skillet. Add the onion & mushrooms.
3. When they are a nice golden color (don't let them get too brown), add the garlic and reduce the heat.
4. Add the spinach & tomato to the skillet first, and then the crumbled tofu.
5. Sprinkle on the nutritional yeast and the freshly ground black pepper.
6. Stir fry for 3-4 mins until the scramble is cooked through, sprinkle on the cheese (keeping the scramble on the heat until it melts) and serve. At the cafe, it was served with fresh fruit on the side.
7. Enjoy foodies!

No-bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Who doesn't love milk & cookies? And (if I may say so myself) my gluten free, vegan nuggets of loveliness are delicious ones! Both chewy and crunchy, these taste even better dipped in a glass of almond milk, and the fact they are super healthy only make you love them more.

These are already no-bake but if you are following a 'raw' diet, they can be easily adapted. I made them for one of my friends, substituting the vegan chocolate chips for raisins. This version of my cookies works really well for breakfast when your in a bit of a rush too. You could also add a couple of tablespoons cocoa powder if you're wanting a much needed chocolate fix without the choc chips!

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten free oats
• 1/2 cup medjool dates
• 1/4 cup almonds roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (more or less depending on how chocolatey you like it)
• Glass of almond milk to serve

Directions

1. Food proccess or blend the medjool dates, add the almonds & repeat until mixed evenly through.
2. Add the gluten free oats honey, and cinnamon to the mixture and pulse until just combined.
3. Pour the cookie dough mix into a bowl, add the chocolate chips and combine (with a spoon if you don't like to get messy).
4. Shape the dough into bite-size balls or alternatively you can flatten them into patties, placing them on a lined baking sheet.
5. Refridgerate for about an hour, then.... enjoy!