Daikon Ravioli with Sundried Tomato and Sunflower Seed Cheese

28 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment

by Lee Supercharged in All, Autumn, Candida Friendly, Gluten Free, Lunch, Nutrient Rich, Organic, Salads, Sauces, Seasonal, Spring, Sugar Free, Summer, Vegetarian, Wheat Free, Winter, Yeast Free Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Raw Ravioli

A stuffed ravioli that actually makes you lose weight? According to the wisdom of Chinese medicine, daikon, due to its astringent nature, aids the liver in the metabolism of fat and protein and helps to promote weight loss.

This eye catching dish is a modern take on traditional ravioli with no floury work surfaces in sight. Raw and crunchy it comes in three parts. The celebration of the cheesiness of the sunflower seeds, the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes with flecks of basil and the peppery delicateness of the daikon blend together well to create a beautifully balanced mouthful of yum.

Raw daikon is abundant in digestive enzymes diastase, amylase, and esterase, which are very similar to those found in the human digestive tract. Raw daikon is used throughout Japan to aid digestion.   It also contains vitamin C and folacin and is a cruciferous vegetable which has cancer-protecting potential.

Daikon is very versatile too, you can have it raw, cooked or even grated in a tea which is said to act as a decongestant and reduce fever.

Here’s how to create a daikon ravioli that even Nonna would be proud of…

Ingredients:

  • 1 large daikon sliced finely into circles
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
  • 2 cups warm filtered water

Place the lemon juice in a bowl of warm water add daikon, sprinkle with sea salt and soak for 20 minutes. When finished drain off the water and pat daikon dry on paper towels and set aside. Whilst you are waiting for the daikon you can make the cheese.

Sunflower Seed Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sunflower seeds (soaked overnight)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Place seeds in food processor and mix until a smooth paste is formed. For a creamier cheese add filtered water. Place in refrigerator to firm up and make the sauce.

Sundried Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBS nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, in olive oil undrained
  • handful fresh basil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 TBS olive oil to taste and for drizzling
  • Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper, freshly ground to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor  until it becomes a smooth texture you can add more olive oil until you find your desired consistency.

Now place your favourite salad leaves on a plate and top with daikon ravioli sandwiched with cheese.  Spoon sun-dried tomato sauce over the top and drizzle with olive oil.

Enjoy!

For more gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar-free recipes visit www.superchargedfood.com

Rainbow Salad with Tahini and Lemon Dressing

23 Jul 2011 2 Comments

by Lee Supercharged in All, Autumn, Candida Friendly, Dairy Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, Nutrient Rich, Organic, Salads, Sauces, Spring, Sugar Free, Summer, Vegetarian, Wheat Free, Winter, Yeast Free Tags: , , , , , , ,

Colourful Goodness

Move over blah blah salads. I have to share this salad with you.  For a healthy spin, combine any raw vegies in this kaleidoscopic feast for a completely balanced meal. It’s easy to throw together and deliciously super healthy.

If you’re wild about salads then abundant fresh vegies are the best for this dish so add as many colour combinations as you like for an energy boosting meal.

The  Tahini and lemon dressing tastes so much better than any other pre-packaged dressing you would buy in the grocery store and it literally takes a nano second to prepare. Once you’ve made your own dressings it’s really hard to go back to store-bought ones which more often than not contain sugar, citric acid, additives and preservatives and send you on an unnatural high!.

Tahini is produced from either hulled or unhulled sesame seeds.  For this dressing I used the hulled variety as it has a less intense and mellower flavour. Tahini has many added health benefits being high in vitamins E, F and T, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B15, biotin, and choline.  B Vitamins help to play an essential part in the functioning of the body as they promote healthy cell growth and division, including that of red blood cells, which will help prevent Anemia.

Tahini is a rich source of vitamin A and methionine and contains lecithin, which reduces the levels of fat in the blood and is an environmental toxin protector.

If you’re wondering what minerals tahini contains, it’s a fantastic source of copper,  magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, and phosphorus, and is an excellent source of calcium too. Copper has been reported as being very good for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers and helps reduce some of the symptoms of pain and swelling.

Tahini should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge but remember to bring it to room temperature before using.

Here’s how to make this delicious dish.  Add your own ingredients, the options are limitless. Enjoy.

Rainbow Salad with Tahini and Lemon Dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 1 small beetroot sliced thinly or spiralised
  • ½ cup purple cabbage shredded
  • 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
  • 1 carrot sliced thinly or spiralised
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 medium cucumber cut into chunks
  • 1 Avocado cubed
  • Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds
  • Handful of bean sprouts
  • 1 TBS sesame seeds to garnish
The How To:

Place all ingredients into a bowl and carefully mix together

Tahini and Lemon Dressing

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup tahini
  • 1 TBS lemon juice
  • ¼ cup filtered water
  • 5 drops liquid stevia
  • 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
The How To:

In a bowl blend all ingredients until it becomes a smooth paste.  Add more filtered water if required for desired consistency. Serve immediately. For a cheesier dressing add 2 TBS nutritional yeast flakes.

If you are a soy lover, this salad can be garnished with fresh organic tofu which has been cut into squares, marinated in wheat free tamari for 5 mins and fried in a small amount of coconut oil on all sides until crispy.

Rainbow Salad, yummy yummy.

For more gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar-free recipes visit www.supercharged food.com

The Stock Market

24 Oct 2010 2 Comments

by Lee Supercharged in All, Sauces, Spring Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s raining today, not heavily but the kind of rain where cascading droplets trickle slowly down the unshuttered window panes and collect in tiny pools along the weather beaten sills. It’s hard to imagine yesterday afternoon was spent lollygagging at the beach, sweltering under a stripy umbrella until the clouds turned black, and the wind came from around the corner, threatening to turn our umbrella inside out, pick it up and parachute it away.

Has Anyone Seen My Umbrella?

We spent the best part of the morning wandering around an authentic farmer’s market, located in an inner city renovated railway workshop.

Eveleigh Farmer's Market Produce

It was bustling with locals chatting to food artisans and farmers, herding around the profusion of springtime offerings proudly on display.

The market stalls looked so alive. Photogenic fruits and vegetables, gleaming, their vibrant colours catching the dappled morning sunlight.

Heaven Sent Tomatoes

The best tasting healthy food, quality grass fed meat from local farms, organic and free range eggs, herbs and spices filled the air as we crunched, munched,  nibbled and taste-tested our way through the myriad of merchants.  It’s such a fun way to shop, from the people who grow your food and share with you it’s history. And by the time we reached the end our basket was firmly ladened with spring season treasures.

I Need a Bigger Basket

On Sundays I like to make my own full flavoured stock, with some of the left over vegies I have in the fridge and a whole chicken. I let it simmer on the back burner while everything else is happening.  Once you’ve made your own stock you’ll never go back to the store bought packaged ones again. And you’ll be able to sniff out an additive filled stock cube from ten paces.  Real stock tastes so much richer and enhances everything. And it’s so easy to make…

Basic Chicken Stock

The Players
1 whole chicken
2 litres of filtered water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large onion chopped
3 celery sticks chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch rosemary
1 bunch thyme
2 bay leaves
Sea salt and pepper to taste

The How To
Place chicken in a large stainless steel pot with water, lemon juice and all vegetables and herbs
Bring to a boil, and remove foam that rises to the top
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 hours
Remove whole chicken with a slotted spoon
Remove chicken meat from the carcass and reserve
Strain the stock into a large bowl and refrigerate until fat rises to the top and congeals
Skim off fat and place stock in a jar or covered container in your refrigerator

Lee’s Jam Jar Dressing

09 Oct 2010 4 Comments

by Lee Supercharged in All, Autumn, Candida Friendly, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nutrient Rich, Salads, Sauces, Spring, Sugar Free, Summer, Vegetarian, Wheat Free, Yeast Free Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

My favourite spring salad dressing is the perfect accompaniment to any kind of healthy salad or mixed leaves; in fact I love it so much I use it on almost every meal; even when baking roasts as a marinade and drizzled over side-vegetables such as green beans.  I think if I could use it at breakfast time I would too, in fact it would taste great over my toasted morning spinach bread with avocado!

Here’s a speedy way to make it:

What You’ll Need

1 cup of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil

  1. 3 TBS of Apple Cider Vinegar
  2. 1 Garlic clove crushed
  3. 1 lemon juiced

Method

Place ingredients in a jam jar and shake!

I’ve been obsessed with Jamie Magazine lately www.jamiemagazine.com If you haven’t read it yet,  you must check it out it’s not only a great read but also aesthetically beautiful in its design and look and feel. Do you recognise his hand in the picture? Thank you Jamie Oliver for producing fabulous photos.

 

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