Healthy Gluten Free Snack Recipes

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awakenedfood

Healthy

snack recipes

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These savoury treats are easy to make and easy to carry around. Keep them on hand so you have a healthy, nutrient-packed weapon to fend off the sugary snack attacks that usually launch their offensive mid morning and mid afternoon.

MARCH - APRIL 2015

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CURRIED LENTIL MUFFINS These gluten-free and sugar-free savoury muffins make a great healthy snack or lunchbox filler.

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils ½ cup water ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 clove garlic ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped ¼ cup coriander, finely chopped 1 Tablespoon coconut oil

SUPER SEED CRACKERS

These vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free crispy crackers are made entirely out of seeds so they’re rich in Omega 3s, minerals and fibre. The seasonings can be changed and varied to your liking.

Ingredients:

½ cup sunflower seeds ½ cup pumpkin seeds ¼ cup sesame seeds ¼ cup chia seeds ¼ cup flax seeds 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning ½ teaspoon sea salt ¾ cup water

Directions:

Soak lentils in a large bowl of water for 4-6 hours. Soaking helps release anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors making them more digestible and reducing the cooking time.

Wash and rinse the soaked lentils and transfer them to a food processor.

Add the cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper, garlic and half cup of water to the lentils and pulse for 30 seconds. The processed lentils should start to look like a thick cake batter. Add in the baking powder. If the batter is too thick add an additional spoon or two of water, and blitz for another 30 seconds.

Stir in the sundried tomatoes and chopped coriander to the lentils.

Grease a muffin pan with coconut oil, pour the batter about three quarters full in each cup. Bake in a 175 C degree preheated oven for 25-28 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 175C degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix all the seeds together, then stir in the seasoning and salt.

Slowly pour the water to the seed mixture, stir and let it stand for 15 minutes. The chia and flax seeds will start to gel-up and this helps to bind the crackers together.

Spread the batter onto a baking tray lined with parchment using the back of a spoon. The spread should be less than quarter inch thick.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and slice into crackers using a knife or pizza wheel. Carefully turn the crackers on to the other side before transferring back to the oven for an additional 25-30 minutes.

Allow to cool completely in the pan before eating. The crackers must be stored in an air-tight container and it will keep for up to a week.

Yield: 8 medium muffins

Yield: 20 large crackers

Directions:

cont. overleaf

MARCH - APRIL 2015

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awakenedfood cont. from pg45

MINI QUINOA VEGETABLE FRITTATAS

A frittata made into a mini version, feel free to change up the vegetables and use your favourite. The quinoa adds in another dimension of texture and extra protein. The frittatas can be made in advance and are best served warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 cup broccoli, chopped ¾ cup red bell pepper, diced 1 cup cooked quinoa 5 large eggs, beaten ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon mixed herbs ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 175C degrees. Grease a muffin tin with one tablespoon coconut oil and set aside.

In a skillet, heat the one tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat. Add the broccoli and peppers, sauté for 2 minutes until the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy. Season with salt, pepper and mixed herbs and remove from heat.

Transfer vegetables to a bowl mix in the cooked quinoa. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Add the beaten eggs to the quinoa and vegetable mixture, stir gently to incorporate. Spoon the mixture until three quarters full in the prepared muffin tin and bake for about 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan. The muffins can be served warm or at room temperature. Store extras in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Yield: 8 medium or 12 small muffins

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AVOCADO HUMMUS

A twist on the usual hummus or guacamole, avocados are rich in healthy fats, potassium and has anti-inflammatory benefits. The hummus is great with crudités, crackers or as a sandwich spread.

Ingredients:

2 medium sized ripe avocados, peeled and chopped 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a food processor, puree the avocados with the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini and garlic. Pulse until smooth, about two minutes. Add olive oil salt and pepper and process for another 30 seconds.

Transfer the dip to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve with crudités, bread or crackers.

Yield: 2 ½ cups

NEHA JAMANI A therapeutic and holistic chef, Neha is founder of Dubai-based The Sacred Kitchen. A graduate of Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in California, Neha aims to raise awareness about the importance of food choices and reconnect people with their bodies and the food they eat. www.thesacredkitchen.org

MARCH - APRIL 2015