Poppy Seed Torte - Czech Makovec

Variations of the poppy seed torte are found through Central and Eastern Europe. 

This recipe is a simple version of Makovec from Czech Republic. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
• 1 cup poppy seeds (ground; you can use an electric coffee grinder)
• 2-3 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/2 cup oil (or melted unsalted organic butter)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease or oil your baking pan.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. 
3. Add the milk, eggs and oil and mix with a hand mixer on medium till the dough is smooth. 
4. Pour the batter into the baking pan. 
5. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until a probe or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Serve warm or at a room temperature with a cup of warm tea, coffee or a glass of milk. 

Before serving you can sprinkle the torte with organic powdered sugar or top with a lemon glaze. 

Can also be served with freshly whipped cream. 

Nutella

     

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hazelnut butter (you can make your own in a powerful blender; I recommend Vitamix)
• 1-2 tablespoons organic unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-2 tablespoons organic honey or organic maple syrup (if you prefer sugar, use organic sugar instead)
• 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil (if needed)
  

Directions:

1. Place the hazelnut butter, cocoa powder and honey into a bowl. Mix well with fork. Taste and adjust the ingredients as desired. 
2. If needed add the hazelnut oil (or either coconut oil/walnut oil). 

Enjoy on a fresh toast. Store in the fridge.

Strawberry Coconut Milk Delight

       

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb fresh organic strawberries + a few more for decoration
• 2 cups unsweetened canned organic coconut milk (this is the one I use)
• 14 tablespoons organic honey
• 3 tablespoons gelatin (this is the one I use)
  

Directions:

1. Place cleaned strawberries in your powerful blender, add 1 cup of coconut milk and 10 tablespoons of honey. Blend on high speed till the mix is liquid. 
2. Place the mix in a small pot and warm over medium heat but do not boil.
3. When hot, turn the stove off, add 3 tablespoons of gelatin and mix well till the gelatin dissolves. 
4. Pour the mix into paper cups, filling them 1/3 or 1/5.  You can also use ice cube trays. (I used both, the bottom part is from paper cups and the flower is from an ice cube tray.)
5. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until hard, but do not freeze. 
6. Stir 4 (or as desired) tablespoons of honey into the 1 cup of organic coconut milk.
7. Take the jelly snack out of the paper cups (tear the cup on the side) and place on a plate. Pour the cold coconut milk over the jelly and decorate with the strawberries. 

Enjoy as a delicious, nutritious summer dessert.

Fresh Zucchini Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchinis, small 
• 1 big green apple
• 1 large cooked potato
• 1/2 red onion
• 2-3 spoons of Vegenaise (or whole milk plain yogurt) 
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• Himalayan salt, pepper (you can add any other seasoning that you like) 
• fresh thyme
• 1 hard boiled egg (optional) 

Directions:

1. Peel the zucchinis and the apple. Shred them using a grater on the coarse side.  Place them into a large bowl.
2. Chop the onion into small pieces and add it to the bowl.
3. Cut the potatoes into small cubes and add them to the bowl.
4. Add the Vegenaise and lemon juice, then mix all ingredients.
5. Add the spices and thyme, then mix again thoroughly.
6. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes and serve chilled.

Breakfast Coconut Muffins

        

Makes 6 regular size cupcakes.
You will need a hand mixer, a muffin pan and unbleached baking cups. 

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons organic raw sugar 
• 2 tablespoons organic coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or any other oil) 
• 3 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 cup blueberry for topping, fresh or frozen, optional
  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and place the baking cups into a muffin pan.
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks into separate bowls.
3. Using a fork, whisk together the egg yolks with the sugar. Add the coconut oil, water, coconut flour and baking powder.  Mix thoroughly.
4. Using the mixer, mix the egg whites to produce a solid egg snow.
5. Gently add the dough mix to the egg snow and using low speed, mix one more time all together.
6. Place the dough into a muffin pan. 
7. Top with blueberries (optional).
8. Bake for about 20 minutes.
9. Enjoy as a delicious and nutritious breakfast or as a healthy afternoon dessert with your favorite hot drink. 

Serving suggestions coming soon.

Red Bell Pepper Hummus

    

Ingredients:

• 30 oz. cooked chickpeas (garbanzos)
• 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
• 1 garlic clove, peeled 
• sea salt 
  

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients, except the salt, into a food processor or a powerful blender (Vitamix) in the order listed.
2. Turn machine on and increase speed to high.  Add water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
3. Blend for one minute or until it reaches a smooth texture.
4. Season to taste with sea salt. 
5. Serve chilled with vegetables, gluten-free pita bread or crackers. 

Date & Nut Snack Bar

 

Ingredients:

• 7 oz / 200 g shelled almonds
• 7 oz / 200 g hazelnuts 
• 15 dates, dried and pitted
• 2 eggs 
• Optional:  60 g dark chocolate or 2 tablespoons shredded almonds 

Directions:

1. Preheat the owen to 350 °F / 175 °C.
2. Mix almonds and hazelnuts in the food processor or a blender into a fine flour. 
3. Chop the dates into small pieces either by hand or the food processor. 
4. Beat the eggs and mix together with nut flour and dates. 
5. Shape the dough into a long tube.
6. Slice into pieces and shape into bars.
7. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. 
8. If desired, top with shredded almonds. Press the almonds gently into the bars.
9. Bake for approximately 20 min.
10. Place the bars on a cooling rack. 

Directions for chocolate-covered bars:

1. Use a double-boiler to make sure you don't burn the chocolate. If you don't have one, you can make one by filling a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water. Then rest a smaller saucepan or a heat-proof bowl inside, in which you place the chocolate.
2. Turn the stove on low heat, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is nearly all melted, turn off the stove. 
3. Using a wooden spoon, stir the last few pieces to melt them. 
4. Take a single bar and dip one side of it into the melted chocolate.
5. Place it onto a cookie sheet to cool. 
6. Repeat with the remaining bars. 
7. You can place the cookie sheet with the nut bars into the fridge for the chocolate to harden faster.

Green Pea Pesto

Ingredients:

• 3.5 oz / 100 g shelled almonds
• 1 cup / 200 ml frozen peas
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (optional)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 - 1 cup olive oil
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Place almonds, frozen peas, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor or a powerful blender (e.g., Vitamix) and mix till creamy. 
2. Pour the olive oil into the mixture and continue mixing until it has even consistency. 
3. Add salt and pepper according to taste.
4. Place into a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Buckwheat Sweet Bread

  

Preparation time: about 30 minutes

Baking time: about 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 250g soft butter 
• 200g organic raw cane sugar
• 6 eggs
• 250g buckwheat flour
• 250g ground hazelnuts (can be substituted with almonds, pecans or walnuts) 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 400g of your favorite berry jam 
• organic powdered sugar for decoration (optional) 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Separate the egg whites and yolks. Mix butter and sugar thoroughly then add the egg yolks. 
3. Combine buckwheat flour with the ground hazelnuts and baking powder. Add the egg and butter mix. 
4. Using the mixer, mix the eggs till it makes a solid egg snow. Mix the egg snow into the dough. 
   
5. Cut the baking paper into the shape of the springform and place it in the bottom --  or grease the baking form with butter, margarine or coconut oil.
6. Bake for about 50 minutes.  Using a long toothpick or wood skewer, poke the bread and withdraw.  If it comes out clean, the bread is ready; if the dough sticks to it, continue baking a few more minutes.
7. Open the springform, then very gently flip the cake base onto the cooling rack. Carefully remove the baking paper from the cake and leave it to cool.
8. Cut the sweet bread evenly into half, spread the jam and put the other half back on the top. 
   
9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar as desired. 
10. Serve warm or at room temperature with a cup of dairy-free milk (e.g., almond milk, rice milk or flax seed milk) or a cup of tea. 

When served as a dessert, serve with freshly whipped cream. 

Orange Jelly Candies - all natural

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tablespoons unflavored all natural gelatin
• 2/3 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed and strained 
• 8 tablespoons organic agave 
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract, optional 

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan on low heat until gelatin has completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth. 
2. Pour into silicon ice cube trays. 
3. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 
4. Remove the tray, pop out the jellies from the form and enjoy these delicious gummy candies. 

Keep in an air-tight container and use within a day or store in the refrigerator for a couple days. Can be also kept frozen for later use.

Coconut Ice Cream

Yields 6 ZOKU pops

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (7oc) coconut milk, unsweetened, not light
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) regular almond or coconut milk unsweetened 
• 3 Tbsp water
• 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp organic raw cane sugar 
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 

Directions:

1. Whisk together all the ingredients until sugar has dissolved.
2. Insert sticks into the pop maker molds and pour the coconut base until you reach the fill line. 
3. Let freeze completely, then remove the pops as directed by ZOKU.
4. Repeat with remaining pops and enjoy :) 

Morning Glory

You will need a powerful blender; I use and recommend using a Vitamix. 

Preparation: 3 minutes

Processing: 1 minute

Yield: 3 - 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, medium size, peeled and chopped
• 1 peach, chopped
• 1 tablespoon wheatgrass juice, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup of ice

Instructions: 

1. Place the orange, peach and wheatgrass juice into the blender and secure the lid.
2. Turn on at the lowest speed and quickly increase to the maximum.
3. Blend for a few seconds until the fruit is well blended into a juice.
4. Add the ice and bland on the maximum till all the ice is crashed and the texture smooth.

Serve immediately and enjoy :)