SpinaChicken patties

New week, new Phase 1; as I have few leftovers from the three days in Phase 3 and in an attempt not to waste food while remaining in the correct FMD Phase, I came up with this recipe.

• 1 Kg /2.20 lbs fresh spinach (packed)
• 340 gr/ 12 oz chicken breast
• ½ onion
• 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ cup cooked sweet potato
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ Tbsp chilli (optional)

In a blender reduce the spinach into a puree, add the sweet potato, the onion and season; pulse until all blended.

Add the chicken and set the blender at full blast.

Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven at 180’C / 360’F

Line an oven tray with wet parchment paper (it will stick better to the tray), spray with PAM (not FMD, thus optional).

Using a pastry ring  and an ice-cream scooper,  place two scoops of the mixture into the ring to model hamburger size patties

Carefully remove the ring and prepare the next patty; continue with the rest of the mix.

Bake for 25 Minutes, flip the patties and bake for another 10 minutes or until browned.

100% Vegan Pizza

 

 

For the crust*

• ¾ cup quinoa, covered by 2.50 cm of water and soak overnight (alternatively, use 1 can pre-cooked quinoa)
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

Soak the quinoa in water overnight, covering it by at least 2.50 cm(1″).
Alternatively, use 1 can pre-cooked quinoa

Preheat oven to 220’C / 425′ F. Line a 9″ cake pan with parchment paper.

Thoroughly rinse quinoa, then add to a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend on high until smooth and creamy. This should resemble a thick pancake batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, flip and return to oven baking for another 10 – 15 minutes until browned and edges are crispy.

Top with sauce, vegan mozzarella below and any other toppings you’d like (allowed in your FMD Phase)  and bake for 12 – 15 minutes until vegan mozzarella  has started to brown.

Remove, let cool for a few minutes in the pan, transfer cutting board and slice.

Garnish with herbs, pepper flakes, and serve immediately!

For the vegan mozzarella**

• ¼ cup raw cashews
• 1 cup water
• 3 Tbsp + 2 tsp tapioca flour
• 1 Tbsp of nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp Lime or lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder

 

Boil in water and bring to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes until tender.

Drain the cashews , add all the above ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth. It will be very watery.

Pour into a small sauce pan and heat over medium high heat, while whisking. As you whisk it will start forming clumps, and then all of a sudden it will become a cheesy gooey mass. This takes about 5 minutes. Continue to cook and whisk  for 2 more minutes to make sure it has firmed up completely.

*This recipe is adapted from Simply Quinoa

**This recipe is adapted from Somer McCowan’s Fresh Moxarella Cheese.

Zoodles with Turkey ragout

This is a Phase 3 suggested lunch – serves 1

For the “Pasta”:

• 2 large courgettes (a.k.a. zucchini), spiralized
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

For the Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• ½ cup minced onion
• 6 oz. turkey mince
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp herbs de provence
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup water

 

While on FMD you cannot have real pasta, and in any case if you need a healthier, grain-free alternative to standard pasta, you can use Zoodles or Zucchini noodles.

These noodles are simple to make and taste great.

Here’s what you need to do to prepare them

Spiralize your courgettes, I use the following spiralizer,  and set aside on paper towels so that any excess water is soaked up.

In a skillet, on high heat, put the coconut oil, toss the minced turkey and brown it.

Add the herbs de provence, the bay leaf and season.

When the meat turns “brown” add the tomato sauce, the water, mix throughly, reduce the heat and let it go; as the water evaporates the sauce will thicken, check from time to time to prevent burning it.

Drizzle 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat then add the zoodles, cooking for about 1 to 2 minutes until tender.

Add zoodles to a large bowl and toss with sauce.

Season with nutritional yeast (in lieu of parmesan) cracked pepper; serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Oatmeal treat

This is a Phase3 #FMD breakfast suggestion – Serves 1

• ¾ cup cooked oatmeal
• 2 Tbs. pumpkin purée
• 1 Tbs. organic coconut oil
• 1 ½ cup blackberries
• pinch of salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Cook oatmeal as per instructions on packet.

In bowl, place ¾ cup cooked, piping hot, oatmeal, add 1 Tbs organic coconut oil, mix until well absorbed. Add the pumpkin, mix thoroughly.

Add salt and cinnamon, give it a good stir.

Top with blackberries, the heat of the oatmeal will thaw them if used frozen.

P3 calls for more good fats than above, thus you may want to add 3 ½ extra Tbs from other sources.

Garden Lettuce Salad with Skirt Steak and Avocado

This is a Phase3 #FMD dinner suggestion – Serves 1

• 1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice; more as needed
• Kosher salt
• ½ onion, thinly sliced
• 6 oz. skirt steak
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ ripe avocado
• 4 large handfuls assorted mild garden lettuces, about 8 ounces total, washed and dried
• Aleppo pepper, for sprinkling (optional)

 Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the pits, and slice ¾ of the flesh diagonally into about 1⁄4-inch slices. Slice ½ onion thinly. Set aside.

Cut the skirt steak into about 6-inch lengths and return it to the refrigerator until shortly before you are ready to cook it. (Because skirt steak is so thin, you want the beef cold to prevent it from overcooking before it browns.)

Season the beef with salt. Warm a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot.

Cook until the beef is nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the opposite side until medium rare, 1 to 2 minutes more; time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat.

 Transfer to a plate and let rest for about 5 minutes.

Thinly slice the meat against the grain. Arrange the skirt steak on  the salad. Arrange the onion slices and top with the avocado.

Drizzle lime juice on and around the salad, focusing on the avocado and beef. Sprinkle the Aleppo pepper (if using).

Serve immediately.

Fruit on Toast

This is a Phase1 suggested breakfast

Phase One (Monday-Tuesday): Lots of carbs and fruits

yields 2 toasts – serves 2

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes

We all live in a frenetic world and often this is an excuse to skip breakfast. We all know that’s a no-no, especially when dieting, still the idea of early morning cooking puts most people off their meal plan; to top it all I am an early bird <grin> and as FMD calls for something in your stomach within 30 minutes of waking, you see that I HAD to come up with solutions.

• 2 slices sprouted-grain bread, toasted
• 1 medium apple
• 2 small kiwi
• ½ cup frozen blackberries
• 2 tsp xylitol
• ⅓ cup water

 

Peel and core the apple and kiwis,transfer to a pan and sauté with water, until tender (the kiwi will have lost its green colour), about 5 minutes.

Add the frozen blackberries and let it go for five more minutes. Meanwhile toast two slices of sprouted-grain bread.

 

Transfer to a plate, spoon the softened fruits and any syrup that collects in the pan over the toast; sprinkle one tsp of  xylitol on each toast and serve.

PS: as you cannot have coffee on FMD, I have brewed Rooibos tea for breakfast

Sprouted Grain Flour

If you find it difficult to obtain SPROUTED GRAIN FLOUR in your area, I have found this blog with step-by-step instructions to make your own.

It’s a bit lengthy and you definitely need all the tools below, still I will give it a go:

• Slowcooker:  I use this Crock-Pot.
• Fine-mesh Sieve
• Dehydrator: I use this 5 layers dehydrator
• Grain Grinder: I use Kitchen Aid grain mill

How to Sprout Grains (and make sprouted grain flour)