THEGAYUK

Tag: Iron

  • RECIPE: Beetroot Chocolate Cake

    Beetroot Chocolate Cake

    Healthier Cake / Gluten-free / Anti-Oxidant Rich

    I’m writing the intro for this as my cake sits cooking in the oven. Cakes or anything with precise measures tend to stress me out as I basically can’t be slap dash and have to be accurate. However the preparation from start to oven seems to have passed me by unnoticed. It’s an extremely easy recipe to follow. I’ve cut out wheat so this recipe is gluten-free (as long as the baking powder you buy is also gluten-free). Ground almonds act as the binding agent to bring together this beautifully rich, moist cake.

    If you are looking for a healthy alternative to your average cake, then with 300g beetroot packed into this flourless, no “added” sugar, gluten-free cake- I think we have a winner.

    This cake has many anti-oxidant properties gained from the ingredients within it. Beetroot, almonds, dark chocolate, and honey all have healthy heart benefits to them as well, so why not make this healthy cake for someone you love.

    BEETROOT– Beetroot are high in potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, B6, C, folic acid and anti-oxidants. (SOURCE http://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-eating/guide/beetroot-benefits ) The nitrates in beetroot help lower blood pressure and may help heart disease. Also, beets contain boron which is good for sexual stamina and all-round energy levels! (SOURCE http://www.undergroundhealth.com/12-healthiest-foods-on-earth/ )

    ALMONDS – Naturally low in saturated fats, and high in vitamin E, almonds make a great anti-oxidant. Clinical studies actually conducted that a handful of almonds a day alongside a healthy diet, helps to lower cholesterol and promote a healthy heart. (SOURCE: http://www.theguardian.com/california-almonds/introduction )

    DARK CHOCOLATE – Nutritious. Yes it is, in moderation. You wouldn’t want to eat it in one sitting obviously, but just to show you, based on 70-85% cocoa; 100g dark chocolate contains the following percentages of your recommended daily intake; 67% iron, 58% magnesium, 89% copper (great for immune system), 98% manganese, along with potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium. A sensible size slice of this cake along with a healthy diet could be helping you get all your essential minerals. Dark chocolate could also improve blood flow / lower blood pressure, and even improve risk factors for heart disease. (SOURCE; http://authoritynutrition.com/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate/ )

    HONEY – Honey contains flavanoids / anti- oxidants which help reduce the risk of certain cancers, and heart disease. Honey actually helps the body regulate its blood sugar levels too. (SOURCE; http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-health-benefits-of-honey.html?page=2 )

     

    Ingredient

    300g cooked beetroot in natural juices, pureed

    4 large free-range eggs

    4 tbsp honey

    4 tbsp olive oil

    1 tbsp cocoa powder, and a little extra for dusting

    1 tsp vanilla extract

    1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

    125g ground almonds

    125g dark chocolate (I used 85% cocoa)

     

    Instructions

    Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4

    1. Grease and line a round loose-bottomed cake tin, I used a 22cm.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the beetroot with the eggs, vanilla extract, honey, cocoa and baking powder. I do this by hand so I can justify a larger piece of cake at the end of it! You can of course use an electric whisker if you want.
    3. Once combined, fold in the ground almonds.
    4. Using a heatproof bowl, place on top of a small saucepan that has a little boiling water in it, and place the chocolate in the bowl. Make sure the bowl isn’t actually touching the boiling water beneath it.
    5. Once all the chocolate is melted you can stir in the olive oil.
    6. Add the chocolate now to the cake mix and stir slowly to combine.
    7. Tip the cake mix out into your cake tin, levelling out with a spatula, and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes. You will know the cake is ready when inserting a skewer into it’s centre and it comes out clean. Cake mix clinging to your skewer means it is not ready!
    8. Leave the cake to cool in its tin and then transfer to a wire rack.
    9. Dust with cocoa powder by tapping it through a sieve and serve. This cake does go rather well with a dollop of organic coconut Greek yoghurt, a healthier option than cream.

     

     

  • RECIPE: Crack Crispy Kale

    Crack Crispy Kale

    Serves 1, but could be shared through gritted teeth

    Prep 5 mins

    Cook 25 mins

    Uber addictive and really more-ish. If you like crispy seaweed from your local Chinese- then you’ll love this. I was feeling sloth-like when deciding to make these and opted for a pre-shredded bag of kale, as opposed to buying and preparing it myself. Sure, if I had prepared it myself I could have made larger style pieces- but I honestly don’t care as long as they can fit in my palm and shovelled to face.

    The absolute key to success with this dish is keeping the kale as dry as dry can be. You want to initially rinse your kale to rid of grit and dirt, but after, lay spread out on thick kitchen towel and then top and press down to absorb as much water as you can. I did this twice. Waiting for these to be ready is probably the most difficult part of this recipe.

    KALE – There are only 50 calories in 100g kale. Kale is really high in iron, per calorie more so than beef. (SOURCE: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4408/Top-10-Health-Benefits-of-Eating-Kale.html ) Rich in vitamins A, C, K, kale has been marked as a “superfood” for years now.

     

    Ingredients

    100g kale

    1 tbsp olive oil

    1 tsp salt

     

    Instructions

    Pre-heat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4

     

    1. Wash the kale in a colander and dry, dry, dry with kitchen towel. Remove any thick root like parts from the kale as these will not be crispy, but rather chewy!
    2. Line a large baking tray with foil, shiny side up.
    3. Put the kale on top of the foil and drizzle in the oil and salt. Rub all together and lay out in a thin even layer.
    4. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
    5. Rotate baking tray 180 degrees and place back in the oven for a further 15 minutes. You can then eat these straight away or leave to cool. I prefer them straight from the oven.

     

    Spice Tip!

    If you enjoy these, then why don’t you experiment by adding a teaspoon of different spices with each batch you make. Chilli ? Five spice? Cumin? Even oregano!

     

     

     

  • RECIPE | Black Quinoa with Beetroot & Pistachios

    Serves 2 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 15-20 mins

    Side Dish / Gluten Free / Iron Packed / Digestion Helper

    This is a recipe that manifested out of me suddenly realising I had forgotten an essential ingredient whilst at the shop for the original side dish I had planned! My forgetfulness and inability to stick to a list has often landed me in prime opportunities for a creative quickie in the kitchen. The crunchy quinoa and pistachios are tossed with silky earthy beetroot and fresh parsley. The natural flavours of this dish are essentially earthy & mellow, so this would be best suited with the main part of the meal having a sharp distinctive flavour. Why not try it with Lemon & Garlic Roasted Halloumi.

    BLACK QUINOA – Quinoa is a fantastic source of protein, especially for those that avoid eating meats. Quinoa is classed as a complete protein, meaning that it contains all 10 essential amino acids which you can normally only find within animal product. As well as providing a good supply of dietary fibre, (1 cup of) black quinoa will also supply 20% of your daily intake of folate (a B-vitamin essential for skin, liver, eyes, and hair), and 15% of Iron (red blood cells need this to carry oxygen around in the body). (SOURCE: http://www.livestrong.com/article/497045-benefits-of-black-quinoa/ )

    BEETROOT- Beetroot are high in potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, B6, C, folic acid and anti-oxidants. (SOURCE http://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-eating/guide/beetroot-benefits ) The nitrates in beetroot help lower blood pressure and may help heart disease. (SOURCE http://www.undergroundhealth.com/12-healthiest-foods-on-earth/ )

    PISTACHIOS – Rich in mono-unsaturated fats like oleic acid make the pistachio nut a good source of anti-oxidants. Pistachio nuts also contain carotenes, vitamin E, polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds which help remove free-radicals from the body. They are also rich in the essentials for boosting our immune system; copper, manganese, iron, zinc and selenium. (SOURCE: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pistachio.html )

    Pistachios also contain potassium which will work alongside the fibre in the quinoa to aid healthy digestion.

    PARSLEY – The vitamin C content is higher than oranges (53% of your recommended daily intake in 30g of fresh parsley). Within the same 30g you will get 553% of your daily intake for vitamin K (healthy bones). It’s packed full of antioxidants, vitamin A, folate, iron. and can help neutralize carcinogens. It’s also great at neutralizing garlic breath! (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=100 )

    Containing a high amount of enzymes, parsley benefits healthy digestive activity .

     

    Ingredients.

    150g black quinoa

    150g beetroot, cooked in natural juices, cubed

    30g pistachios, bashed

    Bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

    Olive oil

    Pinch of pepper

     

    Method.

     

    1. Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions in simmering water (15-20 mins).
    2. Drain the quinoa and rinse under the cold tap in a sieve.
    3. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl along with a tablespoon of olive oil. Serve.