Category Archives: Breakfast

Blueberry Pancakes

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Rating: Yummy, yummy, yum, yum, yum!MaashaaAllaah!

I was a little skeptical when I saw this recipe online a few days ago, mostly because it involved ground almonds. I know pretty much every recipe I find or use involves ground almonds but that wasn’t what I expected when I had initially started at looking at GF and paleo options. I thought most people used coconut flour a lot and though I have it, it is rarely utilised! Anyway, I’m not complaining, the result is always something tasty alhamdulillaah!

I know it’s common for us Brits to have thin pancakes or crêpes but I’ve had the Ameircan type before and they’re quite nice too. However, you do have to be in a particular mood for them and they do become sickly after just one small one! These on the other hand aren’t so sickly and I genuinely prefer the taste over these over the gluten versions.

I have to admit, these pancakes turned into a little bit of comfort food for me. I was a little under the weather since my body was messed around by potatoes (I think) and I was a little put off food as I started over-analysing where I could have gone wrong or if I was accidentally glutened or dairy-ed. Did I mention I was going totally potato free for the next two months? Well, I am and I’ll eat them after that and see if it has any undesirable affects on my body. You see, I was a little naughty with these home made, over baked potato crisps I made and I reckon they messed me up. It’s the only food I had that I shouldn’t be allowed to have really so it’s my main suspect. Serves me right for having them! A part of me is interested in if potatoes are the culprit but another part of me might just go into shock after the next 2-3 months if my conjecture turns out to be a fact. No more spuds for life… like, properly!

In other news, it’s term holidays which means I get to hang out with my family for the next few days when they come over. We’ve prepared for large family meals, fun and desserts by stocking up on…?! Ah yes, gluten filled food! I opened the fridge this morning and I’m pretty sure my eyes almost jumped out their sockets. I can’t believe I used to eat that stuff. But I’m also confused as to why all my luscious fruit and veg have been buried under things that cause me harm. I don’t stress about cross contamination and thank God it’s all packaged gluten but it is a little off putting. And mean. Today I’m just eating a whole bunch of fruit, I daren’t take out any proper food to cook, not that I can find it in that mess!

Anyway, back to the pancakes, the reason you’re here:

Ingredients

2 eggs, I always use large eggs
1 cup of ground almonds
1 tspn vanilla extract/vanilla beans/paste/powder
1 tbpsn raw honey
pinch of salt
pinch of GF baking powder
pinch of cinnamon (optional but I think it enhances the flavour)
generous amount of blueberries (yum!)

Method

I just pop it all into a small measuring jug (it makes a total of 250ml in case you’re wondering) and whisk with a fork. Really simple. Do NOT add the blueberries at this stage…! Once your batter is ready, pour a bit into a non stick pan with a bit of butter, you need the butter. Spread the pancake batter out a little and drop on a scattering of bluberries (I add loads, they’re so luscious when they’re warmed through in this manner).
Gently lift one side of the pancake and it should have a nice golden colour, that’s when it’s read to flip. It should take no more than a minute and a half on both sides. If your pancake is too thick it will be a little raw and soggy in the middle so make sure you spread it out a little but not like a crêpe!

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I add more blueberries than this after tasting the finished product!

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Careful when you flip it, the raw side seems to splatter out a little so it’s not longer a round shape

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Started off as a circle, honest!

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Add a smidge of butter and drizzle of honey to keep them moist. I don’t really use maple syrup, not sure if it’s entirely paleo? *confused look*

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Serve with sliced bananas (with blueberries it’s uber yum!) and I added some seeds… any seeds, whatever you have, just a sprinkle. You don’t have to but I thought it gave it a nice crunch

Lemony Prawns

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I love prawns. And lemon. And corriander. This is a really quick recipe and it’s so tasty! It’s good as a light lunch, snack, part of breakast. I like to savour the taste of these prawns and the more lemon I add, the better! Chilli and lemon is a wonderful combination, I need to use it more.

Ingredients
salt
Pepper
Crushed Red chilli flakes
Fresh Lemon
Fresh Corriander
Prawns
Tiny bit of butter or ghee
You could also add a little crushed or minced garlic.

Method
See the images and captions below lol.
As good as coconut oil is, I would never use it on prawns. They have such a light delicate flavour and I think coconut oil would overpower them too much. But that’s just me… Hmm, soeaking of coconut oil, I’ve kinda abandoned it lately… oops?

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Mix prawns with spices, some corriander and lemon in a small bowl

Fry the prawns for a couple of minutes just to warm them through really...

Fry the prawns with a bit of butter/ghee for a couple of minutes just to warm them through really…

The prawns curl up and get some 'colour' when they're cooked enough. Make sure you leave some sauce because it's uber tasty and tangy, just how I love it! Dry prawns are not cool.

The prawns curl up and get some ‘colour’ when they’re cooked enough. Make sure you leave some sauce because it’s uber tasty and tangy, just how I love it! Dry prawns are not cool.

Serve with pan-fried/roasted mediterranean vegetables and Tomato salsa. Add more lemon to the prawns after cooking if desired... it's good for you!

Serve with pan-fried/roasted mediterranean vegetables and Tomato salsa. Add more lemon to the prawns after cooking if desired… it’s good for you!

The juices from the salsa and prawns mixed together is scrumdiddlyuptious!

Ezme Salatasi recipe.
Pan-fried or roasted Mediterranean vegetables.

Egg spring (or pancake) rolls

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I love this for it’s simplicity and the goodness you can get from this light meal or breakfast option.

The idea is simple: I love spring rolls and this is healthy alternative.

Ingredients
1 or 2 eggs
sliced mixed vegetables/left over stir fry/bean sprouts etc
Salt & Pepper

Depending on the size of the pan you fry your eggs in, you will need one or two eggs. the frying pan I used was small so one egg was a enough. Whisk the egg and fry like a pancake. Lightly fry your vegetables  with some S&P or use some left over stir fry as the filling. Place a couple of tablespoons worth into the centre of the egg pancake and then fold the right and left sides over and roll away from you into a sausage-ish shape. Cut in half and serve!

Totally Paleo Pizza

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Allaahu Akbar! Alhamdulillaah for simple pleasures. It’s funny because I wasn’t a huge pizza eater before going GF/Paleo but since almost everything is off-limits, I want them even more. I have to say, this pizza is brilliant and it’s so quick and easy to make. Better than our regular home made pizza and certainly better than a take away! The best bit? It was a veg pizza (almost) and I’m not a fan of veg pizzas. And I didn’t add much cheese (I know, I shouldn’t have cheese but it was just a tiny bit and I decided that it wasn’t needed so next time I’m leaving it out inshaaAllaah).

Crust:
2 cups almond meal
2 eggs
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp garlic powder (I used garlic granules because I didn’t have powder)
1 ½ tbsp fresh rosemary chopped (I’m not a fan of rosemary so I used dried basil, it was all we had plus I thought it’d be nicer)

After making this recipe I thought the base could done with a pinch of salt and crushed chillies (I really will put chilli in anything!) I would also like to point out that left over paleo pizza eaten the next day, cold, is just as good as, if not better, than having take away pizza for brekkie the next day. Hence why I’m lumping this in the Breakfast category

I didn’t take a picture of the sticky dough as I wasn’t sure it would work but next time I make it I’ll upload a piccie inshaaAllaah. It was weird and needed ‘splatting’ on the tray with the palm of my hand. Don’t use your fingers to pat it out, it’s too sticky and leads to wastage. This dough recipe is enough for a 12ish” round pizza tray. Make sure it’s not too thick.

I used left over bolognese as my tomato sauce because we happened to have a bit of left overs in the fridge. GENIUS idea! I wanted a veg pizza but the little bit of eat that was on here really enhanced the flavour of the veg. Next time I make a bolognese I’ll be freezing small batches for pizza, you need to try this!

For the veg I just pan fried Mediterranean vegetables. I know, not your usual method but I was cooking for one and wanted to do this meal quickly (it was ready from start to finish in less than an hour!). Besides, putting the oven on for a few veg is a little pointless, time-consuming and wasteful, but that’s just my opinion. Experiment with toppings and have fun.

Mediterranean veg recipe will be posted separately inshaaAllaah.