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Sesame & Cashew Nut Stir-Fry


Print Recipe
 Sesame & Cashew Nut Stir-Fry
You will need: chopping board & knife; blender; stainless steel wok or flying pan; ceramic/glass mixing bowl; ceramic/glass container or jar w/ lid for storing.
Course Meals - Asian Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 15 - 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Stir-fry Sauce Thickener
Your choice of Stir-Fry Veg
Toppings
Course Meals - Asian Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 15 - 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Stir-fry Sauce Thickener
Your choice of Stir-Fry Veg
Toppings
Instructions
  1. Grate Ginger and finely chop Garlic and Chillies and then combine with the Coconut Aminos / Tamari (Soy Sauce alternative), Vinegar, and Rice Malt Syrup. Blend until smooth. Pour into a sealable glass jar and set aside.
  2. Mix the Veggie Stock and Potato Starch together and set aside.
  3. Chop the Cashew Nuts, then slightly dry toast half of the Sesame Seeds & Cashew Nuts in a pan. Allow to cool before adding back in with the un-toasted nuts. Set aside.
  4. Chop the Spring Onions and Red Onion and add half the Sesame Seeds & Cashew Nuts mix in a pan, and cook together for 2-3 minutes with a little Grapeseed Oil until onions are slightly browned. Set aside.
  5. Chop the remainder of the stir-fry veggies of your choice and combine/mix up together in a large mixing bowl.
  6. Stir-fry Sauce portion per person - mix 2 tbsp of the Stir-Fry sauce together with 1 tbsp of Veggie Stock (with Potato Flour/Starch).
  7. Cooking - If you don’t have a large wok, for best results, I prefer to cook each person’s dish separately in a stainless steel pan to cook veg quick while still keeping them crispy.
Add a little oil to the wok/pan on high heat and wait until it heats up (1-2 min). Then quickly add Stir-fry Veg, cooked Onion and Stir-fry Sauce, stirring/flipping in the pan often. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat before veg starts to get soft.
  8. Serve and drizzle with Sesame Seed Oil and top with the remaining Seed & Nut mix. Top with your choice of toppings.
Recipe Notes

* I make big batches of the Stir-fry sauce at a time. It keeps well for weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. Basically you can use any veggies, and cook with the sauce to quickly whip up an easy Stir Fry dinner on those busy weekdays. 

*Soy Sauce alternatives - soy is best avoided for many reasons. Most soy is GMO. Even organic soy can cause issues. Also, many soy products have wheat/gluten which adds to the list of reasons to avoid it if you can. 1st best choice is Coconut Aminos if you can get it. 2nd best choice would be Liquid Aminos or Tamari which are wheat-free/gluten-free soy sauces.

*Sesame Seed Oil - buy good quality oil and store in the fridge. It is a fragile oil and can rancid quite quickly. For this reason it is best never to cook with fragile oils like Sesame Seed Oil as the heat quickly produces free-radicals and reduces the benefits of the oil. Use it as a topping just before serving to give a lovely subtle Sesame flavour to your stir-fry.

Clean Eating Tips to remember:
*Stainless Steel and Ceramic or Glass Cookware are the safest materials to cook in with the least amount of leaching into food when heat is applied. A high quality set of cookware is essential and will last a lifetime - and a longer lifetime at that because of it. 

*Stainless Steel, Food-grade Silicon or Wooden Cooking Utensils are the safest materials to cook with with the least amount of leaching into food when heat is applied. 

*My ½ Toasted / ½ Raw Philosophy for Nuts & Seeds:
Toasted - for flavour
Raw - for nutritional value

*Olive Oil - it’s best not to cook with Olive Oil, always consume raw. Best to drizzle Olive Oil over food just before serving. It’s better to avoid cooking with Olive Oil as it is a delicate oil and is damaged and becomes harmful to ingest when heated.

*Better oils for cooking with have a higher smoke point/less free radical forming when heated— Coconut Oil, Macadamia Oil and Grapeseed Oil

Thai Basil & Chilli Veg Stir-Fry


Print Recipe
 Thai Basil & Chilli Veg Stir-Fry
You will need: chopping board & knife; blender; stainless steel wok or flying pan; ceramic/glass mixing bowl; ceramic/glass container or jar w/ lid for storing.
Course Meals - Asian Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 15 - 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Stir-fry Sauce Thickener
Your choice of Stir-Fry Veg
Toppings
Course Meals - Asian Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 15 - 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Stir-fry Sauce Thickener
Your choice of Stir-Fry Veg
Toppings
Instructions
  1. Grate Ginger and finely chop Garlic and Chillies and then combine with the Coconut Aminos / Tamari (Soy Sauce alternative), Oil and Coconut Sugar. Blend until smooth. Pour into a sealable glass jar and set aside. [Keep the fresh Thai Basil separate from sauce]
  2. Mix the Veggie Stock and Potato Starch together and set aside.
  3. Chop the Cashew Nuts and slightly dry toast half of the Nuts in a pan. Allow to cool before adding back in with the un-toasted nuts. Set aside.
  4. Chop the Spring Onions and Red Onion and add half the Cashew Nuts in a pan, and cook together for 2-3 minutes with a little Grapeseed Oil until onions are slightly browned. Set aside.
  5. Chop the remainder of the stir-fry veggies of your choice and combine/mix up together in a large mixing bowl.
  6. Stir-fry Sauce portion per person - mix 2 tbsp of the Stir-Fry sauce together with 1 tbsp of Veggie Stock (with Potato Flour/Starch). Plus, ¼ portion of the fresh chopped Thai Basil leaves.
  7. Cooking - If you don’t have a large wok, for best results, I prefer to cook each person’s dish separately in a stainless steel pan to cook veg quick while still keeping them crispy.
Add a little Grapeseed or Coconut Oil to the wok/pan on high heat and wait until it heats up (1-2 min). Then quickly add Stir-fry Veg, cooked Onion and Stir-fry Sauce portion, stirring/flipping in the pan often. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat before veg starts to get soft
  8. Serve and drizzle with the remaining Nuts and top with your choice of toppings.
Recipe Notes

* I make big batches of the Stir-fry sauce at a time. It keeps well for weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. Basically you can use any veggies, and cook with the sauce to quickly whip up an easy Stir Fry dinner on those busy weekdays. 

*Soy Sauce alternatives - soy is best avoided for many reasons. Most soy is GMO. Even organic soy can cause issues. Also, many soy products have wheat/gluten which adds to the list of reasons to avoid it if you can. 1st best choice is Coconut Aminos if you can get it. 2nd best choice would be Liquid Aminos or Tamari which are wheat-free/gluten-free soy sauces.

Clean Eating Tips to remember:
*Stainless Steel and Ceramic or Glass Cookware are the safest materials to cook in with the least amount of leaching into food when heat is applied. A high quality set of cookware is essential and will last a lifetime - and a longer lifetime at that because of it. 

*Stainless Steel, Food-grade Silicon or Wooden Cooking Utensils are the safest materials to cook with with the least amount of leaching into food when heat is applied. 

*My ½ Toasted / ½ Raw Philosophy for Nuts & Seeds:
Toasted - for flavour
Raw - for nutritional value

*Olive Oil - it’s best not to cook with Olive Oil, always consume raw. Best to drizzle Olive Oil over food just before serving. It’s better to avoid cooking with Olive Oil as it is a delicate oil and is damaged and becomes harmful to ingest when heated.

*Better oils for cooking with have a higher smoke point/less free radical forming when heated— Coconut Oil, Macadamia Oil and Grapeseed Oil

Falafel Salad Plate

This is one of those awesome make-in-bulk-and-freeze kinda recipes. This is something I make big batches of, portion and then store sealed in smaller containers in the freezer for those all too familiar week day evenings when you are stretched for time or don’t feel like preparing something from scratch. There are so many ways to enjoy this Falafel mix. Make into balls or smaller ‘bites’ and serve with a dip or sauce for lunch boxes, social get togethers, or as a healthy filling little snack in between meals. You can create burger size patties and serve with salad or on toasted Clean Multiseed Bread. Perhaps you prefer to serve them between lettuce leaves instead of a burger bun. Or in between sliced and toasted Coconut Buckwheat Flatbreads, (or your choice of locally sourced gluten-free buns).

This recipe is: Gluten-free (GF), Wheat-free (WF), Dairy-free (DF), refined Sugar-free (SF), Plant-based/Vegan (PB), Vegetarian (V)

Print Recipe
 Falafel Salad Plate
You will need: food processor or blender NOTE: You can pre-make this mixture a day or few hours before using, for flavours and dough to 'develop' - this is not necessary though of course. If making homemade Hummus, this recipe will take 15 minutes longer to make.
Course Meals - Middle Eastern Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10-15 minutes
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Falafel Mix
Creamy Hummus
Salad (per person portion)
Course Meals - Middle Eastern Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10-15 minutes
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Falafel Mix
Creamy Hummus
Salad (per person portion)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. You can skip this and cook on stove top in a pan.
  2. Falafel Patties: Combine everything except Chickpea Flour and Baking Powder in a food processor.
  3. Falafel Patties: Pulse to create a rough, but well combined mixture - don't pulse/blend for too long or else you will make a puree/paste.
  4. Falafel Patties: Pulse in the Baking Powder and half the Chickpea Flour. Only add enough flour to make dough slightly firm to press into shapes.
  5. Falafel Patties: Line a baking tray (or cooking pan) with non-toxic parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
  6. Falafel Patties: Shape the mixture into your choice of either bites, balls or patties and space them out onto the baking tray (or cooking pan).
  7. Falafel Patties: Bake for 10-15 minutes on one side, turn over and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. If cooking with a pan, cook on low heat for the same amount of time.
  8. Falafel Patties: Optional - You can brown the patties up in a little heated Coconut Oil in the pan to finish them off.
  9. Creamy Hummus: Blend Tahini and Lemon Juice together until smooth, fluffy and creamy - continually scrape sides using a spatula to combine well.
  10. Creamy Hummus: Add Garlic, Cumin, Salt, Olive Oil. Blend well.
  11. Creamy Hummus: Slowly add Chickpeas to the mix, blending in between.
  12. Creamy Hummus: Only add Water if need be to reach desired consistency.
  13. Combine your choice of Salad Ingredients on a plate, add 2-3 tablespoons of Hummus and add the patties to the Salad plate.
Recipe Notes

*Avoid baking/cooking on aluminium and non-stick surfaces - they will bake/leach toxic substances into your food. Cook with stainless steel and ceramic where possible. Or use bleach-free, non-toxic baking paper and food-grade silicon mats to line baking trays or pots and pans when baking, and cooking on stove top. Use a little Coconut Oil in a stainless steel pan if you prefer not to bake.

*As mentioned, this recipe can be made in bulk, portioned into smaller containers, sealed and stored in the fridge or freezer.

*If you can, choose organic Chickpeas canned in BPA-free cans. I use an organic brand called Eden (available in Australia & USA). Haven't yet found a brand in South Africa - please share in our Fresh Life Community Facebook page if you do find one.

*See Creamy Hummus Dip recipe to see how to activate and prepare Chickpeas from scratch.

Serving suggestions:

* Make Falafel burgers, by putting them between two sides of a toasted Coconut Buckwheat Flatbread, served with Hummus and salad ingredients.

* Made into balls they are great for lunch boxes or served with a dip as a pre-dinner snack

Mexican Tomato Salsa

Wheat-free; Gluten-free; Dairy-free; refined Sugar-free; Vegetarian; Vegan; Paleo/Banting 

Print Recipe
 Mexican Tomato Salsa
You will need: chopping board & knife; glass/ceramic bowls; glass jars w/ lid for storing;
Course Healthy Snacking - Dips
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 10 - 15 minutes
Cook Time 0
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Healthy Snacking - Dips
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 10 - 15 minutes
Cook Time 0
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Chop Baby Tomatoes and Red Onion into desired size chunks.
  2. Finely chop/mash Garlic, Chillie and Coriander and mix in.
  3. Add Lemon / Lime juice, Salt & Sugar and stir.
  4. Extra Tip: Set aside for 5 - 10 minutes to allow flavour to develop before serving.
Recipe Notes

*Serve as a dip alongside Guacamole with either Organic Corn Chips (organic because most corn is GMO) or Gluten-free/wheat-free Crackers. Also good with veggie dippers like Carrot and Cucumber pieces.

*For a fresh fruity salsa, replace the Tomatoes for Mango to make a Mango Salsa.

*Tomatoes are on the EWG - Environmental Working Group’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ list which makes them highly sprayed with pesticides. Use organic/spray-free Tomatoes or if you really can’t find any, give the Tomatoes a bath in White Vinegar water (¼ cup White Vinegar mixed with 2-3 cups of water) to help remove as much pesticide residue as possible.

Gaucamole Dip

Wheat-free; Gluten-free; Dairy-free; refined Sugar-free; Vegetarian; Vegan; Paleo/Banting

Print Recipe
 Gaucamole Dip
You will need: chopping board & knife; fork and low rimmed ceramic/glass bowl to mash avo; larger ceramic/glass bowl for mixing; ceramic/glass container or jar w/ lid for storing;
Course Healthy Snacking - Dips
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 10-15 minutes
Cook Time 0
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Healthy Snacking - Dips
Cuisine Clean Eating
Prep Time 10-15 minutes
Cook Time 0
Passive Time 0
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Mash Avocados and add the juice of the Lemons / Limes and mix through.
  2. Chop Tomatoes, Red Onion, Chillies, Coriander and finely chopped Garlic and mix together.
  3. Add Sea Salt and Lemons / Limes juice to taste (add more if needed).
Recipe Notes

*Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Eat within 1-2 days.

*You can use a few regular tomatoes instead of baby tomatoes - I just love the sweetness of baby tomatoes. The redder the tomatoes, the better they taste.

Falafel Balls & Patties

This is one of those awesome make-in-bulk-and-freeze kinda recipes. This is something I make big batches of, portion and then store sealed in smaller containers in the freezer for those all too familiar week day evenings when you are stretched for time or don’t feel like preparing something from scratch. There are so many ways to enjoy this Falafel mix. Make into balls or smaller ‘bites’ and serve with a dip or sauce for lunch boxes, social get togethers, or as a healthy filling little snack in between meals. You can create burger size patties and serve with salad or on toasted Clean Multiseed Bread. Perhaps you prefer to serve them between lettuce leaves instead of a burger bun. Or in between sliced and toasted Coconut Buckwheat Flatbreads, or your choice of locally sourced gluten-free buns).

This recipe is: Gluten-free (GF), Wheat-free (WF), Dairy-free (DF), refined Sugar-free (SF), Plant-based/Vegan (PB), Vegetarian (V)

Print Recipe
 Falafel Balls & Patties
You will need: food processor or blender If you have the time: You can pre-make this mixture a day or few hours before using, for flavours and dough to 'develop' - this is not necessary though of course.
Course Meals - Middle Eastern Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Servings
balls (or half that number for patties)
Ingredients
Course Meals - Middle Eastern Flavours
Cuisine Clean Eating
Servings
balls (or half that number for patties)
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. You can skip this and cook on stove top in a pan.
  2. Combine everything except Chickpea Flour and Baking Powder in a food processor.
  3. Pulse to create a rough, but well combined mixture - don't pulse/blend for too long or else you will make a puree/paste.
  4. Pulse in the Baking Powder and half the Chickpea Flour. Only add enough flour to make dough slightly firm to press into shapes.
  5. Line a baking tray (or cooking pan) with non-toxic parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
  6. Shape the mixture into your choice of either bites, balls or patties and space them out onto the baking tray (or cooking pan).
  7. Bake for 10-15 minutes on one side, turn over and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. If cooking with a pan, cook on low heat for the same amount of time.
  8. Optional - You can brown the patties up in a little heated Coconut Oil in the pan to finish them off.
Recipe Notes
  • Avoid baking/cooking on aluminium and non-stick surfaces - they will bake/leach toxic substances into your food. Use bleach-free, non-toxic baking paper and food-grade silicon mats when baking, and cooking on stove top or use a little Coconut Oil in a stainless steel pan to cook with.
  • As mentioned, this recipe can be made in bulk, portioned into smaller containers, sealed and stored in the fridge or freezer.
  • Serving suggestions:
    * Make Falafel burgers, by putting them between two sides of a toasted Coconut Buckwheat Flatbread, served with Hummus and salad ingredients.
    * Serve as a side with an interesting salad, or baked potato (or both!)
    * Made into balls they are great for lunch boxes or served with a dip as a pre-dinner snack.