Vegetarian Lettuce Leaf Tacos

31 Mar 2012 5 Comments

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

Vegetarian Tacos

I have fallen stupendously head over heels for this garden fresh and tasty take on the traditional taco. It has just the right amount of spice and lime-zing whilst still being incredibly flavoursome.

Who needs an El Paso seasoning mix loaded with hard to digest ingredients like sugar, dehydrated vegetables, hydrolysed soy protein, table salt, artificial flavourings, yeast extract, spices, acidity regulators sodium acetate, citric acid and colours such as caramel when you can easily opt for a more natural Mexican inspired dish.

If you’re worried about making everything from scratch in one go, you can create all of the fillings the day before and refrigerate. When its taco time all you need to do is layer the fillings into a crispy cos lettuce leaf, scooping in some salsa and adding a dollop of sunflower seed cheese.

Recipe:

Serves 4

Taco Salsa

  • 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 bunch basil, chopped
  • Small handful mint, chopped
  • 7 tomatoes, diced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 yellow pepper, finely diced
  • 1 red chilli, chopped finely

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and fry the onion over a medium heat until lightly brown, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and fry until it starts to change colour. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

Add the salt, basil, mint, tomatoes, lime juice and yellow pepper.  Let sit for an hour or so to enhance the flavours before using.

Taco Filling

  • 2 cups pre-soaked raw walnuts
  • 2 TBS wheat free tamari
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix to a crumbly consistency. (Don’t process for too long as it can turn into nut butter)

Sunflower Seed Cheese

  • 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. For a creamier cheese add filtered water. Place in refrigerator to firm up.

To serve

  • 4 Cos lettuce leaves washed and drained
  • 1 TBS nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 avocado chopped (optional)
  • lime wedges (optional)

Place taco filling, salsa, avocado and cheese layered inside lettuce leaves and sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes, sea salt and black pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

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

Zucchini Pasta with Basil Pesto

26 Apr 2011 1 Comment

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

Zucchini Pasta with Basil Pesto

There’s no need to miss out on spaghetti with the family if you’re eating gluten free. This dish has slurpability down to a tee. Using zucchini makes it a wonderfully light, healthy meal and a great alternative to traditional pasta for those on an alternative diet. No like zucchini? This dish will change your mind.

The humble zucchini has a myriad of uses and can be pickled, baked, stir fried, mashed, stewed and frittered and included in a range of recipes from savoury appetizers to nutritious breads and fragrantly light cakes and desserts. The heavenly garden fresh flowers can also be eaten and stuffed with delicious fillings.

No longer just another layer in vegetarian lasagne or a fill-in for chunky ratatouille, zucchini has its own unique style and health benefits. Beautifully tender, and delicately fresh, zucchinis are part of the cucurbit family, closely related to cucumbers, watermelon and gherkins. Or pickles as they are known in the antipodes.

Fibre and vitamin rich, zucchinis are an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, K and beta-carotene, manganese, folate, potassium and copper and as they have a high water content, can be a great way to stay trim.

When shopping for zucchinis be on the lookout for the smaller varieties which have abundantly more flavour. They should be firm to the touch and heavy with a salon fresh shiny skin and no blemishes. You can keep store bought zuccas in the vegie crisper part of the fridge for up to 5 days and freshly-harvested zucchini may last for up to two weeks. Remember to wash the squash just before you use it and cut off the ends.

Now lets get down to business.

Serves 2

Pasta Ingredients

  • 4 small zucchini
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • ½ lemon squeezed
  • pinch celtic sea salt

Dressing Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup cashew nuts
  • 2 oven roasted garlic cloves
  • ¼ avocado
  • 2 TBS nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1/4 cup freshly picked basil leaves plus extra for garnish
  • 1 lemon freshly squeezed
  • 4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 TBS filtered water
  • ½ small tomato
  • ½ tsp celtic sea salt
  • freshly grinded black pepper to taste

The How To:

  • Chop celery and set aside
  • Wash zucchinis and using a vegetable spiralizer, spiralize zucchini into bowl

  • Vegetable Spiralizer

  • Pour over freshly squeezed lemon juice and add a pinch of salt then add celery and set aside
  • Place all dressing ingredients in a food processor and mix until combined.  For a  lighter dressing more water can be added and for a creamier dressing, more avocado can be used
  • In wide mouthed bowls place pasta, then drizzle dressing over the top
  • Garnish with freshly picked basil leaves

Coconut and Almond Bliss Balls

24 Dec 2010 6 Comments

by Lee Supercharged in All, Candida Friendly, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Snacks, Spring, Sugar Free, Summer, Vegetarian, Wheat Free, Winter, Yeast Free Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Blissed Out Balls

I love these healthy bliss balls anytime of the year, but they are particularly good rolled out at Christmas time, dusted in coconut and looking like they’ve spent a night in a snow dome. Whipped up on the fly, these guys are super easy to pull together, you literally just lump everything in the processor and voila… blissed out in no time. Plus they’re a wonderful snack-happy treat for kids to be Santa’s little helpers,  getting the ball rolling and exercising their play dough making skills to create bundles of natural goodness for the whole family to enjoy.

There’s a bit of trial and error with the consistency of the mixture, it should be slightly gooey and moist, not too runny or rock hard so that the ingredients crumble in your hands.  The nut butter and tahini are perfect for allowing the mixture to hold which makes an easy rolling experience.  Wheel them through  sesame seeds or coconut to get the full afffect, then refrigerate and enjoy these mouth-watering munchies.

Coconut and Almond Bliss Balls

Makes 12 medium sized Bliss Balls

½ cup almond meal
5 TBS almond nut butter
½ cup tahini
8 drops liquid stevia
1 cup chopped nuts, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts
½ cup coconut flakes
¼ cup sesame seeds plus extra for coating

Place almond meal, coconut and nuts into food processor and mix
Add stevia, almond nut butter and tahini and continue to mix until combined
Remove and roll into balls on a flat tray
Place extra sesame seeds in a bowl and roll balls to coat the surface
Refrigerate and enjoy

I’m Think I’m Turning Japanese…

14 Nov 2010 2 Comments

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

Japanese Daikon Paper Rolls

I’m turning up I’m turning down I’m turning in I’m turning out… I  love these Japanese Vegetarian Daikon Rolls. I really think so.

This is the ultimate Japanese dish for rookies with no conveyor belt, high chair or colour coded plate in sight.

If you’re bored with inside-out-rolls or  criss-cross mayo filled bento boxes with hot-to-make-you-trot wasabi and wheat-ladened soy sauce, why not bring the outside in with this alternative gate to plate, raw vegetable kick-starter.

It’s a wonderful get-real party starter and all round healthy alternative to traditional deep fried spring roll temptations that follow you round endlessly on a platter  at a social gathering or event begging for attention.

When you’re dealing with fresh herbs and vegetables you can’t go wrong…

The Party Guests

  • 1 large daikon radish
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 2 long spring onions sliced lengthways
  • Warm water for soaking daikon papers
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
  • 1 knob ginger, peeled and julienned
  • 1 long yellow capsicum
  • 1 long red capsicum
  • 1 TBS wheat free tamari (optional)
  • 3 TBS apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup snow pea shoots
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
  • 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1 lime juiced

How to Get the Party Started…

Hard at Work

Peel daikon. Using a mandolin or peeler, slice thinly into 5cm x 7cm rolls.

I Could Have Done With a Bigger Peeler or a Mandolin

Soak daikon paper rolls in a bowl of lemon juice and warm water for 20 mins.

How Do you Say Julienne in Japanese?

In the meantime place julienned cucumber, capsicum, spring onion, ginger, snow pea shoots, ACV, sesame oil, coriander, mint, and lime in a bowl to marinade for 10 mins.

I've got it! ジュリエンヌ

Remove daikon rolls from water and pat dry on paper towel.

Minty Freshness

Take one roll and place a small amount of filling at the bottom of the roll.

It's Just How I Roll

Roll up with your hands to firmly enclose filling.

Crunchy Goodness

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,290 other followers