I Quit Sugar for Life (18 page)
Read I Quit Sugar for Life Online
Authors: Sarah Wilson
MAKES
LOAF
This simple loaf sees the outside sandwich toppers embedded in the bread. A meal-in-one in every slice.
1½ cups (150 g) almond meal
¾ cup (100 g) arrowroot
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
5 eggs
1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
⅓cup (50 g) pitted olives, halved
¾ cup (125 g) grated courgettes
⅓ cup (50 g) finely diced ham
½ cup (50 g) finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
Preheat the oven to 160°C (gas 3) and line a loaf tin with baking paper. In a large bowl, mix together the almond meal, arrowroot, salt and bicarbonate of soda. In a
separate bowl and using a fork, whisk the eggs lightly with the apple cider vinegar. Add the parsley, olives, courgettes, ham and cheese and whisk well, then add the egg mix to the dry ingredients.
Mix well to combine, then pour the dough into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds.
Bake the bread for 30–35 minutes or until the top starts to turn golden and a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool for
5 minutes before slicing. Freeze leftover slices between sheets of baking paper in a zip-lock bag.
Pimped Variation:
Dip both sides of 2 slices in a mixture of 1 beaten egg and a dash of milk. Heat a little olive or coconut oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the egged bread for
about 2 minutes on each side or until nicely browned. Serve with guacamole.
MAKES
I like to make these with chokos because, well, when they’re in season they’re dirt cheap. They’re also very low in fructose.
Otherwise, use apples, or peaches, which contain about a quarter the fructose of apples.
2½ (250 g) cups almond meal
¼ cup (30 g) arrowroot
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 large choko, peeled and diced, or 2 peaches or green apples, diced
4 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup (250 ml) water
½ cup (125 ml) rice malt syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup (120 g) pecans, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas 4) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cases. In a large bowl, mix together the almond meal, arrowroot, baking powder, cinnamon and diced
choko, peach or apple until the pieces are coated in the mixture. In another bowl or a measuring jug, mix the chia seeds with the water, ⅓ cup (75 ml) of the syrup and the vinegar until well
combined.
Pour the chia mixture into the dry ingredients and fold through until just incorporated – do not over-mix or the muffins will lose their fluffiness – then spoon the
batter into the prepared paper cases. Mix the chopped pecans with the remaining syrup and spoon on top of the batter.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the tops are starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
NOTE:
For an extra-indulgent way of serving these for dessert, try drizzling the muffins with Gooey Caramel Sauce (see
here
) and cream.
NEVER EATEN A CHOKO?
Also known as chayote or christophene, this squash-like vegetable may be found in some markets and West Indian shops. Simply peel it, steam it and eat the slippery little
sucker with butter, pepper and salt, and serve as you would butternut squash.
SERVES
I was reminded of my love of this porridgy Indian staple when I was in London and ate the British Raj version of the dish (mostly called
‘kedgeree’) at The Wolseley. The original kitcheri (‘mish-mash’ in Hindi!) is an immensely healing Ayurvedic recipe said to be the most purifying and balancing dish
conceivable. Based on basmati rice (the healthiest of the rices: low GI, densely nutritious and easiest to digest) and yellow split peas, or mung dal (huskless, therefore less phytic acid),
it’s a great source of protein, while the spices fire up digestion, removing toxins, particularly (say the Indian healers) pesticides and pollutants.