Recipe: Sugar free vegan peanut butter fudge

This recipe is one of those happy accidents, I was making sugar free white chocolate and used the wrong sweetener which split the cocoa. I decided to salvage the mess and this is the delicious result full of healthy fats. Cocoa butter is a new ingredient for me in my kitchen arsenal - it keeps high fat low carb desserts stable at room temperature and adds a creaminess without the use of dairy.

Your mileage may vary on low carb sweeteners and glycemic index. If you are keeping low carb be sensible about what works for you and switch out the erythritol for stevia or sucralose. Erythritol is the perfect sugar replacement for me when making confectionary, it has 0 impact on my blood sugar and has a pleasant cool mouth feel, you can even powder it to work like icing sugar.  Remember if you're not keeping low carb you can always use icing sugar or castor (baker's) sugar.

 

Sugar free vegan peanut butter fudge 

1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa butter
1 cup powdered erythritol (Swerve)
1 tspn vanilla essence

Method

• You can use either the stove or a microwave to make
• If using a stove add the fats to a pan and turn on low heat or use a double boiler to melt fats gently together

• If using a microwave place all fats in a glass bowl and microwave on medium for 90 seconds
• Add the erythritol and stir, heat for another 1-2 mins or until a spoon comes out of the mixture smooth with no visible grains 
• If using the stove remove the pan from the heat - then add the vanilla. Otherwise you risk the alcohol causing the mixture to boil rapidly.  Stir until the vanilla is evenly distributed

• Pour into a small tray or fudge tin and then refrigerate for 3 hours
• Cut with a hot knife, makes approximately 40 pieces
• 54 Calories, 6g fat, 4g carbs (net < 1g) per piece

Recipe: Okonomiyaki

It looks super fancy but okonomiyaki is a simple dish that's easy to make during the week. Okonomiyaki is "grilled as you like it" so get creative with the vegetables and toppings - use up leftovers and smother in delicious sauces for a sure fire winner.

Okonomiyaki

1/2 a head of cabbage
3 eggs
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup water
2 cups flour
1 serve of hon dashi (bonito stock)
2 tbspn sesame
2 tbspn soy sauce

Toppings:

1/2 cup diced spring onion (scallion)
1 bottle of squeezable mayonnaise
1 bottle okonomi or tonkatsu sauce
1 tbspn sesame seeds

Method

Dice the cabbage and scallions and set asside. If you are using leftover vegetables or meat in your dish now is the time to mix them in

Mix the flour and bonito stock together in a bowl. For a gluten free alternative use rice flour.

Bonito stock can be bought in powdered sachets at any good Asian supermarket. For a vegetarian alternative use Vegeta or add vegetable stock in place of water to the egg mixture.

Crack the liquid ingredients into a bown or jug - egg, soy milk, sesame oil, soy sauce and water. 

If using liquid stock add to this step. Whisk until well combined.

Mix the flour, vegetables and egg mixture into a loosely formed batter. You can add more water at this stage if you want a more pancake like consistency.

Oil a small non stick pan and fill 3/4 inch with vegetable batter. Fry until the vegetables are browned half way up the sides. 

Use a plate to flip the pancake and fry until golden brown.

Prepare your pancake for dressing. 

Drizzle okonomi or tonkatsu sauce on top of the pancake. 

Tonkatsu sauce is very similar to okonomi sauce but usually intended for fried pork, it is easier to find in the US. 

Drizzle mayonnaise in the same direction as the okonomi sauce using a small squeeze nozzle

Turn the plate and drag a chopstick across the sauces for a decorative touch.

Sprinkle with scallions

Top with sesame seeds and serve on its own or with your favourite grilled meat and Japanese croquettes.

Recipe: Hiyashi Chuka (Cold sesame ramen salad)

It's mid Summer here in San Francisco and the heat is turning everyone to cool salad dishes. One of my Seasonal favourites is this cold salad ramen dish. You can top it with just about any leftovers or vegetables you have in the fridge!

Hiyashi Chuka (Cold sesame ramen salad)

Noodle salad:

1 pack of fresh ramen noodles 

1 boiled egg

1/4 cup diced ham or chicken

1/4 cup julienne carrot

1/4 cup julienne cucumber

1/4 cup sweet corn

2 tbspn benishoga pickled red ginger

Dressing:

3 tbspn Japanese rice vinegar 

2 tbspn soy sauce 

2 tbspn sugar 

2 tspn sesame oil

Method

• Buy good quality fresh wheat ramen noodles at your local Asian supermarket like Sun noodles "instant ramen" style noodles will not do this justice
• Follow the instructions on the noodle packet - generally boiling in water for 2 mins until al dente is enough
• Pour your noodles into a strainer and rinse with cold water, this cools the noodles as well as removing the starch.

• You can prepare the noodles early and cool in the fridge but if you do this you should sprinkle with a half tbspn of sesame oil and then shake the oil through the noodles so they do not stick together. 
• In a small jar mix the dressing ingredients - vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. If you cannot find rice vinegar white vinegar  will work as a substitute

• Dice your salad vegetables and cold meat and slice your egg
• You can use whatever you have in the fridge - cold meat, vegetables and pickles. This combination of egg, meat, cucumber, corn, carrot and Japanese pickled ginger (benishoga) & eggplant (shibazuke) are classic.
• For a vegetarian / vegan adaptation omit the meat and egg and replace with firm silken tofu and more veges. 
• Lay the noodles into a shallow bowl and then arrange the salad ingredients on top - using contrasting colours adds to the effect
• Serve the dressing on the side so that the diners can add at the last minute - this ensures the noodles stay chewy and the salad ingredients crisp and fresh
• Serve with your favourite sushi and a cold drink!

Review: Blossom on Columbus, New York City

Too often Vegan restaurants cater only to the down home hippy market, failing to capture the dining dollar of the wealthier ethical diner. Luckily New York City is a bustling food market with a restaurant to cater for every possible variation. Blossom own multiple restaurants in Manhattan, but the venue on Columbus is a lovely formal dining affair within stone's throw of the Central park. The wonderful food and easy distance make this the perfect stop for a post Park or Museum outing. 

By being entirely free of animal products the menu at Blossom also caters easily to the allergen market - gluten free, dairy free, wheat free, nut free and low carb options appear throughout. 

Buffalo Risotto Croquettes $10USD

Spicy risotto is breaded and fried served with vegan "blue cheese"

Heirloom Tomato Salad $14USD

A vegan rendition of a classic Caprese salad with vegan mozzarella and cashew cream. 

Mushroom Ravioli $13USD

Hand made ravioli stuffed with mushroom with a vegan butter sauce.

Southern Style Seitan Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries $17USD

Seitan is a gluten based meat alternative which is not to my taste but was well enjoyed by my friend. Each of the Sandwiches could be served with a variety of sides 

Vegetable Lasagne Stack $20USD

As a low carb eater I always love to find pasta alternatives. This vegie stack included pasta sauce, vegan mozzarella interleaved between layers of eggplant and zucchini and topped with arugula.  

Fetuccine Alfredo $19USD

Vegan cheese and nut milks are used to prepare this animal free alfredo and served on fettucine with mushrooms, herbs and grape tomatoes.

For a group with very specific food needs this was a perfect choice, while some of the food may seem a little bland or strange to omnivores the chance to have an entire selection of Vegan dishes is rare. The restaurant is well decorated and the customer service immaculate, much recommended. 

Blossom on Columbus

http://blossomnyc.com/

507 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024
United States

Upscale Vegan formal dining

Review: Kamuela Provision Company, Waikoloa Hawaii

The last and quite special meal we had in Hawaii was a birthday dinner for a member of my team at Kamuela Provision Company at Hilton Waikaloa a tropical surf and turf restaurant full of traditional meals with a twist.

Kamuela Provision Company definitely felt like the premier dining destination at the resort and was filled with Honeymooning couples sharing champagne, seafood and fine land meats. Most of the team spent the day site seeing so sadly our reservation was too late to catch the sunset, but the restaurant overlooks the ocean at a seaside outcropping. The romance was definitely in the air... at least for those not travelling with coworkers. 

Bread included with the meal

I say it's always a good sign to come when the bread is high quality and served quickly. 

Prawn Cocktail $17USD

This is no limp shrimp dish but giant local prawns poached in Lemongrassa nd served with a chilled tomato horseradish sauce. The quality of the seafood was excellent and the cold sauce elevated this cocktail party classic. 

Ahi Tataki Style $18USD

Raw Ahi tuna is served with Hawaiian macadamia nut pesto and micro shiso greens; as with all the restaurants at Waikoloa they were sensitive to the gluten free needs of our diners and served this with a tamari sauce.

KPC Limu Poke $15USD

Ahi Tuna, kukui nut and avocado served with sesame lavosh. This is definitely an upscale version of the fresh poke - a raw fish salad similar to ceviche - served all over the island. I'm not going to lie I found the presentation a little call back to the 1990s but the dish itself was good. 

Surf and Turf special "Mauka Makai" $69USD

Fresh Lobster tail and a petit fillet; because if you're going to have a special meal then steak and lobster is hard to beat. The lobster was served simply with melted butter and lemon, the steak topped with crispy onions and fresh steamed asparagus. 

Roasted Chicken Breast $35USD

There's always one person that orders chicken right? This whole breast of chicken came served with corn polenta, roasted peppers and a balsamic cream accompanied by fresh prawns. 

Grilled Mahi Mahi $43USD

Sauteed rainbow chard is topped with a tropical fruit compete and green Thai curry butter. A classic sweet and savoury dish to highlight the fresh local seafood 

Rib Eye $59USD

Quality beef rubbed with locally sourced Sugar Cane and then grilled served with mushrooms and breaded onion rings. Good steak, prepared to order; unfortunately all their steak appears to be grain fed but that is the status quo in the US so not in anyway the fault of the restaurant. 

Kona Kampachi $45USD

Grilled Kampachi from Kona (only a stone's throw from the resort) served luxuriously on a bed of Lobster risotto with tomato fennel broth and pickled ginger tomato relish with a Thai Basil infused oil. I for one love the perfect harmony of East meets West of fusion cuisine in Hawaii and they get this tone right like no other region in the US. This was a balanced and well thought out dish exploring pan Asian flavours while still highlighting the seafood. 

Vegetable Medley $28USD

Being a vegetarian at a Steak and Seafood restaurant can sometimes be a little bit of a letdown - 900 variations of mushroom risotto appear on thoughtless menus. Kamuela instead offered our vegetarian diners this Asian style stir fry medley with rice and toasted sesame that was well received.

Birthday Cake! Prices on request

Another callout to the excellent service at the resort I was informed at the last minute that a member of the party was having a birthday. The resort prepared this cake and were able to turn around delivery at the right time and restaurant within 24 hours. They managed to keep the whole thing a surprise to the last minute and took extra care for our special guest. 

Coffee and Cognac

The coffee was what you might expect in a large resort restaurant, not great but not awful either. I was a little bewildered that a steak restaurant that offered a number of after dinner drinks didn't have brandy glasses or know what a reasonable serving was. On the other hand I ended up with a wine glass full of VSOP cognac for the price of a nip.

All of the Waikaoloa Hilton and in particular the Kamuela restaurant are designed for destination travel. Clear focus is given to quality ingredients and immaculate customer service. This comes at a cost and the prices of the dish are easily 50% higher than the equivalent dish would attract in California; the price gap to other US states would be even more significant. No one's in Hawaii to quibble over the bill though so if you're in the mood for a special meal after your destination wedding or conference then this is a great choice. 

Probably worth mention is that the casual island atmosphere leads to an interesting juxtaposition - formal steak and seafood dining where everyone is dressed in resort wear. Even the waiters were in Hawaiian shirts. Don't attend in your swimwear but respectful tropical clothing is more than acceptable. 

Kamuela Provision Company

http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com/dining/kamuela-provision-company 

69-425 Waikoloa Beach Drive

Waikoloa Village, HI 96738

United States

Steak and seafood in a romantic oceanfront setting, perfect for honeymooners

Recipe: Low Carb Pumpkin Pie

It's Autumn in the US (or Fall if you must) and that means one thing - Pumpkin Spice everything! Rather than miss out it was time to investigate my own low carb recipe. If you want you can add a ground nut and butter crust but I think this is just delicious on it's own with whipped cream.

Low Carb Pumpkin Pie

3 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tin of canned pumpkin or 2 cups mashed fresh pumpkin
1 cup Splenda granules or equivalent sweetener
1 tspn Vanilla essence
2 tspn Pumpkin Pie Spice OR
1/2 tspn each of Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ground Ginger & 1/4 tspn Ground Cloves

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180C (350F)
• In a bowl beat the eggs until fluffy and then add the vanilla and spices
• While on a medium speed add the sweetener and beat until blended
• Add the cream and beat until a stiff consistency is achieved
• Reduce the speed on your mixer, add the mashed pumpkin 1 tbspn at a time until the mixture achieves a consistent orange colour
• Spoon the mixture into a pie tin or 6 small moulds, in the picture I have used a mini bundt tin
• Leave room for the pie mixture to rise
• Bake for 30 mins, then turn the oven off and leave to cool in the oven
• Serve with whipped cream
• Macros below are for the whole recipe - serves 6 at 150 Calories, 11g Carbs (9 Net) per person

Keto friendly recipes: Low Carb Vegie Fritters

When you first start out on a low carb diet you think you can never get sick of bacon and eggs. A few months later and you find yourself dragging your feet towards the skillet! Here's my favourite brunch treat - Corn Fritters - made keto friendly.

Low Carb Vegie Fritters

1 capsicum (bell pepper)
1/2 onion
1 cup raw spinach
1/2 cup almond meal/flour
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying

Method

• Dice the onions and capsicum into small pieces, about 1cm (1/4 inch) in width
• Hold the spinach in a bunch with your hand and shred into small slivers
• Put in a mixing bowl then add the almond flour

Mix the almond flour through until the vegies are coated in the flour

Crack the eggs into a bowl, add salt and pepper and the almond milk and then beat until well mixed

• Add the liquid egg mix into the mixing bowl and stir well, the almond flour should thicken and cause a batter with the liquid
• If the consistency is wrong add another tbspn of almond flour

• Lightly oil a flat pan or skillet and heat on a medium flame
• Add a wooden spoon full of the vegetable batter to form each fritter
• Keep on a medium heat or the fritter will burn before the egg and vegetables cook through

• When the sides of the fritters begin to cook flip quickly with a spatula and fry on the other side until cooked through (should be 2-3 mins or less)

• Top with your favourite keto friendly toppings - here I have pictured Sour Cream and Tapatio Hot Sauce and Goat Cheese with Basil Pesto
• This recipe should make 6 fritters - 2 per person is a solid meal. 
• Nutritional info below is for the whole batch. Macros per person are 301 calories, 9 carbs (6 net), 25g fat.
• If you want to drop the calories and/or fat then omit the toppings and dust lightly with salt and pepper before serving

Recipe: Fresh Mexican Salsa

Fresh Mexican Salsa

1 red onion
1 ear of corn
1 red capsicum
1 large avocado
1 tomato
1 handful of coriander (cilantro)
1/2 a lemon
1/2 tspn chilli flakes

Method

• Dice the onion and capsicum and add to a bowl
• Cut the avocado roughly into cubes
• Cut the corn kernels from the cob and add to the bowl
• Dice the tomato and add to the bowl
• Dice the cilantro and add to the bowl with the chilli and lemon
• Mix thoroughly until the lemon juice coats the ingredients
• Serve with corn tortillas and refried beans for a complete vegan meal
• Great with my vegan chilli
• Serves 2