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Coconut Pancakes with Berries & Coconut Cream

Apologies if you were trying to get onto the blog earlier today and couldn’t,.I’ve been having some server issues. It looks as though they’re resolved for now though. Fingers crossed!

This recipe has been a long time coming. I’ve always thought it a little odd that people ask me why my blog is called “Coconut and Berries”- I mean, obviously they’re my favourite foods! But taking a closer look at my archives I was horrified to see a serious lack of both coconut and berry recipes!

This needed rectifying pronto!

I decided my “signature” recipe ought to be pancakes since, besides coconut and berries, pancakes are up high on my list of favourite foods- you only have to follow me on instagram to know that.

It’s been a long, hard winter without fresh berries, but they’re finally coming back into season so I felt I could splurge a little and get myself a nice selection. I just can’t pick a favourite. These pancakes are lovely and moist so I decided to just top them with the fruit rather than mixing it into the batter which might make the pancakes a little wet.

Don’t they look pretty? But there was still something missing. To take these over the top, I added a dollop of slightly-sweetened coconut cream. More coconut is always better in my opinion.

Coconut Pancakes (Vegan & Gluten-free)

2014-05-12 13:47:02

Serves 2

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Ingredients

1 Tbsp Ground flax
1/2 Banana, mashed well (1/4 C mashed)
3/4 C Coconut milk (The carton kind OR the remainder of a can once cream has been removed)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Coconut nectar OR your preferred liquid sweetener (optional)
1/2 C Almond flour/ Ground almonds
1/2 C Oat flour (I grind my own)
2 Tbsp Brown rice flour
1/4 C Shredded coconut
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 1/2 tsp Arrowroot
Pinch of salt

To serve

Coconut Whipped Cream
Fresh Berries
Maple Syrup

Instructions

Prepare the coconut cream in advance and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground flax, mashed banana, coconut milk, vanilla and sweetener (if using).
In a large bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients- almond flour through to salt.
Add wet ingredients to dry and stir gently, just until combined. The mixture will be thick.
Heat a pan over medium heat, allowing it a few minutes to get evenly hot. Lightly oil with coconut oil then scoop batter in 1/4 C increments (I like to use an ice cream scoop for evenly shaped pancakes) and smooth with a spatula to flatten slightly.
Cook for approx 3 minutes on one side, flip carefully and cook for a further 2 minutes on the other side.
Repeat until batter is used up. You may need to add a little more milk to the batter if it thickens up a lot while you're cooking.
Serve warm with fresh berries and coconut cream!

Notes

It might look like a long list of ingredients but they're all there for a reason so please try to avoid substitutions!

Coconut and Berries http://www.coconutandberries.com/

I hope you give this recipe a try- these coconut pancakes are certainly my idea of a perfect breakfast.

What are your signature ingredients? A few more of mine are lentils, tahini, broccoli and chickpeas! All pretty basic but they find their way into so many of my meals.

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Review: Rebel Kitchen Coconut Milk Drinks

An exciting new product has hit the shelves here in England! Rebel Kitchen Coconut Milk Drinks!

Growing up I loved chocolate, banana and strawberry milk as a bedtime snack and I know my nephews and niece now do too. Looking at the stuff I used to drink I see it’s marketed as an “irresistibly delicious, extra nutritious drink”.

Hmmm, I’m not sure I’m convinced…it was essentially just sugar and flavourings you mixed into milk. Although I don’t consume dairy primarily for ethical reasons, I don’t think it’s healthy either.

It definitely was tasty though so it’s pretty cool to find an alternative that is not only yummy but actually healthy too!

Rebel Kitchen’s Coconut Milk Drinks have just a few ingredients, all of which are real foods- Water, Coconut Milk, Date Nectar and Cacao, with the addition of Crushed Banana in the “Banana Mylk” and Orange Oil in the “Orange-Choc Mylk”. Nothing to complain about there.

We all know I’m coconut crazy too so the fact they’re made from coconut milk is a big tick in my box.

And isn’t the packaging adorable? As a (nearly!) 24-year old, I love it so I can imagine kids must go crazy for the cute little characters.

I struggled to pick a favourite flavour. Yum all round. They’re not cloyingly sweet at all and the individual flavours really stand out from each other. I gather testing is in process to add new flavours to the line so stay tuned! I’m hoping for strawberry as that was a definite childhood favourite…

Rebel Kitchen is a very new company so their products aren’t all that widely available in stores just yet. You can find them in London Whole Foods Markets, Lomax gym in Chelsea, inSpiral Lounge in Camden and The Natural Kitchen in Marylebone at the moment. Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter for news on the latest stockists.

But, those outside London, do not fear! You can also order online. They sell 3, 12 and 24 packs in each of the flavours as well as taster packs containing one of each variety.

Definitely not just for kids!

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(Disclaimer: Rebel Kitchen provided me with sample products for review but, as always, all opinions are my own.)

Creamy Carob Chia Mousse

Stopping by with a little weekend treat for you and an update on how things are going with me. If you read my Lemon-Coconut Fudge Bites post you’ll know I’ve been dealing with some health issues and have been on a mission to get to the bottom of them

Well, I’m pleased to be able to say that some of the problems have completely cleared up! I don’t know if it’s the result of the herbal and supplements prescribed by my naturopath that I’ve been taking, the anti-candida diet (no sugar, fruit, gluten, yeast, fungi, etc. ) that I’ve been following for nearly a month, getting lots of rest, or a combination of everything. Whatever it is, I’m just happy to be feeling so much better! I do still have a lingering problem which hasn’t left me yet but I’m feeling much more optimistic.

Now that’s me out of the way we can move on to something more fun- dessert!

A few things have really helped me not feel deprived on this program, one of them being carob. It seems to have picked up a bad reputation as being a “health food” only eaten by those granola-munching hippie folk, or as an inferior substitute for chocolate. I want to encourage you to throw away those stereotypes and see it in its own right as just another tasty addition to your diet. I does bear some similarity to cocoa but it’s got a natural sweetness that cocoa doesn’t, it also doesn’t contain caffeine which is what makes it suitable for the anti-candida diet.

I guess I have been enjoying carob as a sort of replacement for my beloved dark chocolate. In the UK, Plamil Foods and Siesta both do unsweetened carob bars which are amazing! You can even get mint and orange flavoured ones! But, even if I COULD have chocolate right now I’d be eating carob too, along with this mousse!

I’ve been enjoying chia puddings for some time now but was introduced to the idea of a blended chia pudding by Dreena Burton. The smooth texture is much more pleasant to me and transforms the pudding into a fluffy, thick mousse! With my newfound love of carob I had to make a carob version. Turns out I wasn’t alone in thinking this was a good idea and Adrienne of Whole New Mom also has a recipe which I’ve adapted here.

I’ve mostly been eating savoury breakfasts at the moment but enjoyed this yummy carob chia mousse one morning for a real treat.

Creamy Carob Chia Mousse

Yield: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients

1 Can/ 1-1/2 C “light” Coconut milk
1/4 C Chia seeds
3 Tbsp (heaped) Carob powder
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
Pinch of Salt
2-3 Tbsp Liquid sweetener (Agave nectar, Maple Syrup, etc.) (I used 1T Yacon syrup + 10 Drops of Stevia as I’m still following the anti-candida diet)

Instructions

If you don’t have a high-powered blender grind the chia seeds to a fine meal in a coffee grinder first. Then add all the ingredients to your blender and blend until very smooth.
Pour into serving bowls and allow to sit in the fridge for at least an hour to thicken up before eating.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/01/10/creamy-carob-chia-mousse/

Do you like carob? Have you actually tried it?

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Vegan Crepes with Date & Orange Compote and Cinnamon Ice-Cream

So excited to be part of the Virtual Vegan Potluck this year! I’ve only ever been to one potluck in “real life” before, but had such a great time that I think I need to organize some myself.

I hope you’ve saved some room for dessert because I’ve got a real treat in store for you!

As this is a party I figured I’d go all out with something a little special- I put together a few things for a mighty feast- Vegan Crêpes filled with Date & Orange Compote and “supremed” oranges (as we’re feeling fancy…). All topped off with a creamy cinnamon ice cream.

There are a few components to this dessert but they’re not time-consuming or difficult. You don’t have to make them all either. The crêpes and compote would still be delicious with vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or just make the quick compote and serve with ice cream if you don’t fancy making crêpes. Lots of options!

I was pretty pleased with how the crêpes turned out. I haven’t had much success in the past but scouted around online and combined a few recipes to come up with this one.

As for the compote- just a couple of ingredients simmered in a pan for 10 minutes turn into something magical. If you’re a long-time reader you’ll know how much I like to use dates in desserts. I love their caramel flavour and natural sweetness.

You don’t even need an ice-cream maker for this ice-cream! I learnt a nifty technique (see below) from blogger and cookbook author Ricki Heller- a life-changer for sure! This recipe is minimally adapted from the “Chai Ice-Cream” in her wonderful new book, Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free.

Date & Orange Compote:

1 C (lightly packed)Dates, pitted and chopped
Juice of 1 Orange
Zest of 1/2 Orange
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 C Water

Combine all ingredients in a small pan and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened and dates have broken down (10-15 minutes). Set aside to cool.

Cinnamon Ice Cream:

1/2 C Cashews
1 C Canned Coconut Milk (full-fat)
1 C Non-dairy milk
1 Medium Banana
1/4 C Agave Nectar
10 Drops of Stevia, or to taste (optional)
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt

If using an ice-cream maker, set it up according to the manufacturer’s directions. Otherwise, set 6-8 silicone muffin cups, or 3 silicone ice-cube trays.

Add all ingredients to a high-power blender and blend until completely smooth. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups or ice-cube trays until firm; pop out of the cups or trays and into Ziploc bags. Store in the freezer until ready to use.

When ready to make the ice cream, remove 1 muffin-sized disk or 4 ice cubes per serving. Chop the muffin disk into pieces. Place in the food processor and process until it resembles breadcrumbs. Press down with a rubber spatula, then continue to process just until the mixture begins to come together in a ball. Use an ice-cream scoop, as usual, to serve.

Vegan Crêpes:

1/2 C All-Purpose Flour (Preferably Organic, Unbleached)
1 tsp Coconut Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
1/2 C + 2 Tbsp Non-dairy Milk
1 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Sift together flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, melted coconut oil and maple syrup and whisk to a smooth batter. Refrigerate the bowl for 30mins-1hr (depending on how impatient you are).

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with a little coconut oil. Add a few tablespoons batter to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Cook for 1-2 minutes and carefully flip it once it loosens from the pan’s surface (Don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t turn out, my first of a batch is almost always a failure). Cook on the other side for a further minute, or until speckled brown.

Remove to a plate covered with a piece of parchment paper and keep warm in a low-temperature oven until you’ve finished cooking.

Repeat the process with the rest of the batter. You should be able to make 4-6 crêpes, enough for 2 people.

Spread one side of the crêpes with the compote, tuck in a few slices of orange and fold over.

Serve topped with more oranges, another dollop of compote and a scoop of cinnamon ice-cream.

Serves 2 (with plenty of leftover compote and ice-cream)

Are you just jumping in to the Virtual Vegan Potluck? You can go to the very beginning by visiting our lovely host over at Vegan Bloggers Unite.

Visit the dish before mine by clicking the button below:

See what comes after my dish by clicking the button below:

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Thai Tempeh & Vegetable Red Curry

After 4 years of university when (fairly infrequent) classes and lectures were no more than 5 minutes away by bike, followed by a long summer break free of any commitments, you could say I’m used to having plenty of time for cooking and being able to do so when I want.

Now, however, things are a little different. I still do work a lot from home, but I have to travel to get to my classes and sometimes spend all day on campus and then have to face bus queues and the ride home. I certainly have a new found appreciation of what the real world is like! After a long day of work and arriving home hungry, the last thing I want to do is think about putting together an elaborate meal.

If, even I, the self-proclaimed cooking lover, feels like this, then what must the majority of the world’s population working 9-5 jobs feel like?!

Ruling out the easy option of packaged ready meals from the outset, which are typically unhealthy, expensive and, most importantly to me, just don’t taste good (!), I’ve been trying to come up with some quick meals which don’t require much effort, ideal for the aforementioned evenings.

This Thai Tempeh & Vegetable Red Curry ticked all the boxes- easy, speedy and nourishing! In fact, if it weren’t for the rice I served with it, this could be on the table in 15 minutes.

I even made sure there was minimal chopping involved!

Feel free to use whatever vegetables on hand- bell peppers, courgettes and aubergine would also be nice. Of course you’ve got more chopping involved with those choices though…

Thai Tempeh & Vegetable Red Curry

Yield: 2 Servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Coconut oil (divided)
1/2 8oz Pkg Tempeh, cut into triangles or cubes (I used a variety with sea vegetables, hence the black bits…)
1 1/2-2 Tbsp Red curry paste (check the label for shellfish!)
3/4 C/1/2 Can Coconut milk
1/2 Tbsp Tamari
1/2 Tbsp Coconut sugar
1 Tbsp Lime juice
100g/3.5oz/1 1/2 C Halved mushrooms
100g/3.5oz Sugar snap peas
100g/3.5oz Baby corn, halved lengthwise
Handful of Thai basil (you could also use fresh coriander but Thai basil is really really good!)

Instructions

If you’re cooking rice, make sure to get that going before you do anything else.
Sauté the tempeh in 1/2 Tbsp Coconut oil over medium-high heat, flipping to get it brown on all sides.
Heat the remaining 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil in a pot over medium heat and add the red curry paste. Stir for a minute just to toast the spices and bring the flavours out.
Stir through the coconut milk, tamari, coconut sugar and lime.
Add vegetables, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, just until vegetables are tender. Stir through the Thai basil leaves and the tempeh and simmer for another minute just to warm through the tempeh.
Serve with brown rice, rice noodles or another grain.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2013/10/21/thai-tempeh-vegetable-red-curry/

Preparation tends to be a big help in getting meals on the table speedily. Here are a few of my top tips:

-Cook a big batch of grains and beans at the weekend to use throughout the week.

-Make a dressing, and/or sauce, and a dip. Again, these will last you all week and mean you can jazz up a side salad to go with your meal or a simple bowl of grains, veggies and beans. If I’m starving when I get in I also like to munch on some carrot sticks and hummus (or other homemade dip) while I prep dinner.

-Have a well-stocked pantry. Although my preference is for cooking beans from scratch, sometimes I forget to soak them and it’s useful to have a few cans on hand. Along with dried beans, lentils, grains, pasta and noodles, dried fruit and nuts, other ingredients I stock are canned tomatoes, coconut milk and silken tofu (for noodle soups, sauces and desserts).

-Don’t forget the spices. Having a wide range of spices might seem unnecessary but it’s the way to go to add a lot of flavour to your dishes, without long simmering or roasting.

-Wash and chop your vegetables in advance. Supermarkets these days are doing a roaring trade in prepared vegetables, unsurprisingly as this is another time-zapper. These are always more expensive than the whole vegetables though and if you dedicate half an hour of time to chopping up vegetables in advance you’ll be amazed at how much quicker your meals come together. Most vegetables can be chopped in advance and stored in a covered container in the fridge. For vegetables I won’t be cooking and which I want to stay crunchy, I cover them in cold water and store them like that.

-Use your freezer. For when I really don’t want to cook I make use of my own freezer meals! Sometimes I cook enough for a few meals, and even if I don’t want to eat the same thing 3 days in a row, I store the leftovers in the freezer. Just get out whatever it is in the morning and let it defrost ready for you to simply re-heat and eat in the evening.

And of course….

-Meal-Plan. This makes life SO much easier. Knowing what you want to eat the week ahead means you’ll have all the ingredients you need on hand and not be left with a growling tummy staring blankly into an empty fridge come dinner time! Set aside an hour a week to go through those recipes you’ve saved online and/or your cookbooks, and pick a few you want to try that week. Write them down along with a list of anything you need to buy.

That’s all I can think of right now but please do share your own tips in the comments.

Do you have any super speedy, healthy meals to share?

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