Lentil Bolognese with Zucchini spaghetti

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 zucchinis 

approx 8 mushrooms, finely chopped

3/4 cup of uncooked brown lentils 

1/2 cup of red lentils

800ml of tinned chopped tomatoes

300ml of vegetable stock

4 tablespoons of tomato paste

mixed herbs

splash of balsamic vinegar

Fresh basil

Method

Fry onion and garlic and fry until softened.

Add the mushroomsand fry for a further 5 mins. Add a little of the stock to prevent sticking if needed.

Add the lentils and mix well.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, mixed herbs and splash of balsamic vinegar.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for a couple of hours, the slow cooking really softens the lentils and allows the flavours to develop. (It would be great done in a slow cooker too.)

Check it a couple of times through cooking time, just incase it looks like too much liquid has been absorbed ,as you may need to add a little more stock/water.

For the spaghetti 

Peel zucchini and put through a spiralizer or contintune to peel I to strips.

Lightly fry until tender

Season with salt and pepper.

Cauliflower pizza

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups cauliflower, grated (about 1/2 a large head)

1 large egg, lightly beaten/ 1/3 cup of oil

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Mozzarella/substitute 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup tomato sauce

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Fresh basil leaves, optional

Misc toppings

DIRECTIONS

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat oven to 425ºF.

Grate the cauliflower using a box grater until you have two cups of cauliflower crumbles. 

Place in a large bowl and microwave for seven to eight minutes, or until soft. 

Remove from the microwave and let cool.

Mix in the egg/oil, parmesan cheese, garlic and salt and pepper. Once combined, pat into a 10-inch round on the prepared pizza pan. 

Spray lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

Top the pizza with the sauce, mozzarella,red pepper flakes and other misc toppings.

Bake in the oven until melted and bubbly, another 10 minutes. 

Top with basil before serving.

Gluten free, Sugar free (VEGAN!) Banana Balls

These should be boring and disgusting, because honestly who wants cake without sugar and gluten? I made these into balls because I've already posted a regular banana bread and the banana bites but as with most bread and cake recipes this can be loaded into whatever pan you like and baked into whatever shape and size you desire. 

I would advice against using these as cake pops though, they aren't dense enough and just slide down the cake pop stick this ruining the illusion that you're clever enough to make successful cake pops.

Ingredients: 

- 4 ripe bananas (the blacker the banana the sweeter they will be) 

- 1/4 cup of oil (I used olive oil but you can also use coconut oil or butter) 

- 1 1/2 cups of almond flour

- 3/4 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 cup almond milk 

- 3/4 tsp cinammon 

- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 tsp real salt 

Method: 

- Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celcius.

- In one bowl mash the peeled bananas and mix in the oil. 

- sift together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

- Fold in flour mixture, salt and vanilla extract to the oil and banana.

- mix  slowly add in the milk (you may not use all of it depending on the consistency of the batter)

- Bake in a greased cake pop pan for 20 minutes, before checking (approximately).

 - Allow to cool a little before eating..

Banana Bread Bites

I make so many different variations of banana bread that its ridiculous. Gluten free, vegan, bread, loaf, muffins, with walnuts, without walnuts... You name it i make it, and I make it on a regular basis.

Normally I opt for a gluten free, vegan version. I suppose that's something stemming from my anorexia. If I'm going to eat something like this then it should be as clean and healthy as possible. 

One day I'll post that recipe, but not today. Today is a day to break away from clean eating (you need those days every now and again). Plus I've promised a friend banana bread and almond flour is off the menu. 

- 285g/10oz plain flour

- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

- ½ tsp salt

- 110g/4oz butter, plus extra for greasing

- 225g/8oz caster sugar

- 2 free-range eggs

- 4 ripe bananas, mashed

- 85ml/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture.

5. Grease a 20cm x 20cm square cake tin and pour the mixture in evenly.

6. Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour, or until well-risen and golden-brown.

7. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bite sizes portions and serving.