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Recipe: Rigatoni a la huancaina
Rigatoni a la huancaina is a cheap Peruvian-inspired meal that can be served as a main or as a side dish. Huancaina is a Peruvian sauce made with aji amarillo (yellow chilli) that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes. Somewhere in time, perhaps around the 80s or 90s, huancaina found its way away from the humble potato and became a dip for yuquitas fritas (cassava chips), Peruvian corn skewered in toothpicks and other finger food (as can be seen in the photo of my recipe for simple huancaina sauce. Around that time, huancaina also became a pasta sauce, typically for spaghetti. It is most often served with some protein such…
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Product review: Macro rigatoni with hemp
Macro rigatoni with hemp is a version of this short tubular pasta made with rice and hemp flour, making it higher in protein and gluten-free. Macro rigatoni with hemp This is part of the pasta range made by Macro, Woolworths’ brand of organic products. The pasta is vegan and gluten-free and comes in 200g packages with 2 serves per pack. Rigatoni are small tubes larger in diameter but shorter in length than penne. They have ridges and straight edges. This type of pasta works well with chunky sauces as the bits and pieces can stick to the ridges and get into the tubes. It is also good for cheesy baked…
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Recipe: Budin de pan (Peruvian bread and butter pudding)
Budin de pan is the Peruvian version of bread and butter pudding. It’s an economical dessert commonly made in bakeries with leftover bread. This is not a light dessert by any stretch of imagination. It’s energy dense and hearty and falls in the “comfort food” category for many people, including me. I used natural sweetener (stevia) instead of sugar to make it a little lighter and less sweet than the original version. I used Woolworths Free From gluten-free sliced white bread but any bread (stale or not) will do. You can use bread rolls but be mindful that there will be more crust-to-crumb ratio in the final product. To soak…
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Recipe: Spiced lamb
This spiced lamb is a Middle-Eastern inspired protein source that pairs well with cauliflower hummus or regular hummus. If hummus is not your thing, you can eat this lamb with vegetables and/or rice, quinoa or other grains. This recipe is gluten-free, high in protein and low-carb. If you don’t like lamb, you can use beef mince instead. You can use a plant-based substitute but check ingredients as some of them are highly processed. You can also use lentils or other legumes instead of the mince with the same aromatics and spices.
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Recipe: Cauliflower hummus
Cauliflower is popular in paleo, gluten-free, keto and low-carb circles thanks to its ability to substitute starchier or gluten-containing foods. Besides rice, mash and pizza you can also use this cruciferous vegetable to make cauliflower hummus. This recipe is gluten-free, vegan and low-carb. Unfortunately, it’s high in FODMAPs so if you avoid legumes to prevent bloating this recipe might not be much of an improvement. You can eat enjoy cauliflower hummus as a dip but in the Middle East is eaten as a meal with optional toppings (there’s a list of suggestions below). This recipe is lower in protein than the traditional chickpea-based version, so make sure you are eating…
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Recipe: Roasted fennel and lentil salad with radishes and citrusy dressing
Roasted fennel and lentil salad with radishes and citrusy dressing is a great dish for lunch or dinner. Its protein and fibre content will satisfy your appetite without packing on too much energy. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free and can be made vegan by omitting the eggs. Just make sure you are having enough protein in your day. This salad is also a great source of fibre. Lentils contain haem (plant-based) iron, which is less bioavailable than haem (animal-based) iron. Its absorption is enhanced if you have vitamin C or haem iron in the same meal, hence the lemon juice in the dressing. Other citrus options such as orange…
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Recipe: Zenzai (adzuki bean dessert soup)
Zenzai is a simple and comforting Japanese dessert made with adzuki beans, sugar and glutinous rice cakes (mochi). It can be described as a sweet bean soup great for the colder months of the year. Even though I grew up eating many variations of sweet beans such as “frejol colado” (black bean paste) eaten as dessert and as a filling in Chinese pastries, the adzuki bean paste in mochi, and my aunties’ treat made with canario beans (white beans similar to canellini) and sugar. During our trip to Japan last year we learned you can buy warm cans of sweet adzuki bean soup in many vending machines. We also came…
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Product review: Kooee! meat sticks
Kooee meat sticks are the better quality answer to cabanossi. Made with great quality Australian free-range meat and natural ingredients, these are great portable snacks for when you are on the go. Kooee! meat sticks Kooee! is a Tasmanian-based company that sells meat snacks such as jerky and meat sticks. Their products are made with Cape Grim free-range and grass-fed beef and free-range pork. Kooee! meat sticks are low in sugar and gluten-free and have a decent amount in protein. The sticks come in 5g packs that can be bought in 20-pack boxes or in 10-stick sample packs. Ingredients Free-range pork stick (classic): Australian free-range pork (95%), sea salt, black…
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Recipe: Tacu tacu (Peruvian rice and beans)
Every developing country has a traditional rice and beans dish. In Perú we call it “tacu tacu” and it involves a little more than just rice plus beans on a plate. If eaten by itself, tacu tacu is gluten-free and vegan. However, tacu tacu is normally eaten as a side dish or with some add-on toppings. Common toppings include a fried egg, a fried egg + fried plantains (“a lo pobre” or poor style), a fried egg + fried plantains + steak, grilled or fried fish, seafood sauce, etc. I prefer to serve it with some protein and a salad and have included a list of traditional topping ideas in…
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Product review: Zero Food
Zero Food is an Australian company from Victoria that sells black and red rice-based pizza crust and toasties, in addition to black, red and brown rice. Zero Food Zero Food products include toasties (black rice and red rice protein, pizza crusts (black rice and red rice protein) and rice (black, red and brown). All Zero Food products are certified organic and GMO free. They are also vegan, gluten-free, low FODMAP, high in fibre, low in fat and salt and do not contain added sugars. As their name implies, the red rice protein toasties and pizza crusts are also high in plant-based protein. Red and black rice are great alternatives to…
