Bye bye cravings, you’ve just been satisfied. A bonus – it only took me 6 minutes from start to finish.
This cake is moist, high in fiber and protein and guilt-free. Now that’s the kind of cake I could eat everyday…plus my waist line would thank me

Instant Chocolate Blueberry Cake for One

Ingredients

For cake
2 Tbsp oat flour
1 Tbsp chia seed
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds, I grind my own)
2 tsp raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
1-2 tsp coconut palm sugar or granulated sweetener to taste or pinch of pure stevia extract
small pinch of sea salt
dash of ground cinnamon, optional
1/4 tsp baking powder
10-12 blueberries (cherries or raspberries would probably work well here too)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg white, beaten
2 Tbsp non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

For protein glaze topping 
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 Tbsp vanilla whey protein powder

For garnish
chocolate shavings, chocolate chips or cacao nibs
additional blueberries

Directions

For cake
1. Grease a ramekin with coconut oil/butter/ghee and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix all dry ingredients (flours through baking powder). Add in remaining ingredients and stir just until moistened.
3. Spread evenly into prepared ramekin and microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds (may need more or less time depending on microwave, always start with less and add time if needed. Let sit for 3-4 minutes while preparing glaze, then remove from ramekin or serve directly from dish.

For protein glaze
1. In a small dish, combine yogurt and protein powder and stir. Let sit for one minute and stir again until smooth (the lumps should even out after sitting). Spoon over cake and garnish with extra berries and cacao nibs/chocolate chips and serve!

*You could probably bake this at 350 F for about 25 minutes or so until cooked through but I haven’t tried this. If you do, please let me know how it turns out!

I am back again with another one-pan meal! Swiss chard, lemon, mushrooms and chicken make up this rustic skillet dish that is packed with nutrition.

We ate this alone for a lighter meal but feel free to serve your favorite cooked grain alongside for a bit more bulk…cooked gluten free pasta would also be delicious tossed in along with the lemon juice and fresh herbs!

Lemony Chard and Chicken Skillet

Ingredients

4 tsp brown rice flour
2 (6 oz) chicken breasts, cut in strips or cubes (could probably turkey tenderloin)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 Tbsp refined coconut oil, olive oil, butter or ghee
1/2 cup chicken broth or homemade stock
1 bunch of green swiss chard, de-stemmed and roughly chopped (or kale)
3 garlic cloves
4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
3 shakes of crushed red pepper
Juice from 1/2 lemon (+ 2 tsp lemon zest for more lemon flavor, optional)
3-4 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp shredded sharp cheese (parmesan, romano, asiago) – can omit for dairy free if needed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Toss chicken and onions with brown rice flour and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil/butter over medium-high heat. Saute chicken and onions for 7-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in chicken broth and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add mushrooms, greens and crushed red pepper. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until greens are wilted.
5. Stir in lemon juice, zest and fresh parsley and remove from heat. Transfer to serving dishes and top with 1 1/2 Tbsp of shredded cheese per plate. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Serves 2

I thought I’d post a recipe today that with flavors my mom enjoys…coffee and chocolate! I’ve never been one to consume much caffeine or coffee on a regular basis but I do enjoy mocha and coffee flavored drinks and desserts. When opting for a hot drink, I would much rather have a cup of tea as opposed to coffee but I’ve also come to appreciate a little caffeine boost during the start of our new yogurt store :)

Here’s a mocha-inspired protein smoothie that is a delicious snack, after-workout drink or on-the-go breakfast!

Java Chip Smoothie 

Ingredients

1 cup non-dairy milk (almond, rice, coconut, soy, hemp)
2-3 dashes of ground cinnamon
1 scoop of protein powder (use soy,rice or hemp for vegan)
1-2 medjool dates
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder (regular cocoa powder could be subbed)
2 tsp instant coffee granules (regular or decaf)
4-5 ice cubes
1 tsp cacao nibs or chocolate chips for serving

Directions

1. Add non-daory milk through ice cubes to a blender and combine until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a glass and sprinkle with cacao bins (or chocolate chips) and enjoy!

Goat cheese on eggs, crackers, sandwiches, pasta, sauteed vegetables and chicken – it all sounds appealing and deeeelish!

It’s been awhile since I posted an egg recipe so I am back again with an easy breakfast scramble! Creamy goat cheese, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach combine for a veggie-packed breakfast that is both satisfying and filling. I served this scramble with leftover refried beans topped with crumbled goat cheese; I know it doesn’t match the cuisine but adding fiber-packed ingredients to my meals helps keep me full longer.

Mediterranean Scramble with Goat Cheese

Ingredients

4 eggs, whisked
2 tsp coconut oil (butter, ghee or other oil could be used)
4-5 button mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Roma tomato, diced
3 cups of fresh baby spinach
2-3 Tbsp goat cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil or butter in a medium skillet. Add mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes. Toss in garlic and seasoning and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
2. Add spinach and tomato and stir for 30 seconds then move putting veggies to the side of the pan. Add whisked eggs to the other side of the skillet and let cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked through. Stir veggies and eggs together and season with salt and pepper.
3. Top with crumbled goat cheese and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Serves 2 (can be cut in half for a single serving)

]]> http://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/bw-hazelnut-donuts/ Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:30:20 +0000 naturalnoshing http://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/bw-hazelnut-donuts/ Are you sick of donuts? I hope not!

For my birthday, my step-mother-in-law bought me a bunch of fun baking ingredients from King Arthur Flour. One ingredient included was called “black cocoa” and it is exactly that. It’s basically dutch processed extra dark cocoa powder and creates extra chocolately goodies with a rich and deep dark color. Mmmm, I love dark chocolate

Another item in my birthday baking pack was hazelnut flour! I actually baked these donuts on my birthday (yes, even after the vanilla cake I’d baked) just because I couldn’t wait to try out my new goodies! Plus, I was compelled to make sweet donuts because I’ve had a few people request them  since I posted two savory versions (here and here).

Since the glaze was so dark, I deemed these “black and white” donuts. They have a hint of hazelnut from the flour used but if you wanted the flavor to be more prominent, you could add a small amount of hazelnut extract. If you didn’t want to make the glaze, I bet these would be lovely topped with a smear of chocolate hazelnut spread!

Black and White Hazelnut Donuts

Ingredients

For Donuts
1 1/3 cups GF all purpose blend*
1/3 cup hazelnut flour (can use almond flour or other nut meal if needed for a different flavor variation)
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar or other granulated sweetener (or 1/3 cup palm sugar + pinch of pure stevia)
1 Tbsp chia meal (ground chia seeds) or flaxseed meal
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 Tbsp melted coconut oil (or melted butter/ghee or Earth Balance for vegan)
1 egg or 1 flax egg for vegan (3 Tbsp water + 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal)
1/3 cup non-dairy milk + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) – combine and let sit for 5 minutes
2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

For glaze
2 Tbsp unsweetened black cocoa or extra dark cocoa powder (you can use regular cocoa/cacao or carob powder as well, will be lighter in color)
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil (could use melted butter or earth balance)
2 tbsp powdered sucanat (could use powdered xylitol for sugar free) – use 2-3 more Tbsp to taste for a thicker and sweeter topping
1 tsp non-dairy milk or water
pinch of salt, optional

Directions

For Donuts
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease your donut pan well with coconut oil/butter/Earth Balance (it will stick if not)
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flours through cinnamon) until well combined. In a separate small bowl, whisk remaining wet ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients slowly and stir until batter is moistened. Divide and spoon batter evenly into prepared greased pan and bake for 15 to 19 minutes or until cooked through (mine cooked for 15 minutes).
4. Remove from oven and let cool. Turn pan over and pop donuts out onto a wire rack or baking sheet, if needed you can run your knife around the outsides to loosen the edges carefully.

For glaze
1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until smooth. Dip tops of donuts carefully into glaze; will harden after refrigerating. (Photos were taken right after dipping, still delicious but messy!)

*For the gluten free flour blend, I used King Arthur’s all purpose blend that contains starches that help with the texture of the cake. My first batch I tried these donuts with 1 cup of the Ancient Grains Blend from King Arthur and 1/4 cup tapioca starch but the quinoa flavor was too prominent for my taste. Use your favorite flour blend, but I would recommend including at least 1/4 cup of either tapioca/arrowroot/potato starch for texture.

Makes 6 donuts

Recipe Notes: if you do not have a donut pan, you can make these in cupcake/muffin form (would make about 5) but you might need to cook a bit longer. Keep an eye on them so they do not dry out!

For those of you who are not familiar with the Secret Recipe Club, it’s a great way to learn about other blogs, connect with other bloggers and share recipes. Each month you are “assigned” a participating food blogger to make a recipe from. It’s a secret, you cannot tell them you are making something from their blog! You simply choose any recipe from the blog you are assigned, make or bake it, and blog about it on the date specified.

For February and my first assignment, I was given Nicole’s blog I am a Honey Bee. Looking through her recipe archive I was really excited, and I many several recipes that I wanted to try – Green Tomato Bread was among my picks. I searched for green tomatoes and they were no where to be found in Helena (I’ll have to save this one for another day and de-glutenize it!) so Chris and I voted for my second delicious option – Light Cheddar-Broccoli Soup. Not only had I eaten a creamy broccoli soup several weeks before that I was still thinking about, this was perfect dish when the -2F weather hit and I wanted something warm and comforting!

I put my spin on Nicole’s yummy soup using brown rice flour for the whole wheat, subbed whole grain brown rice milk for the cow’s milk, cut back on the cheese and added some nutritional yeast, used olive oil in place of butter/ghee (I was out of ghee) and added a couple shakes of cayenne pepper. I prefer my soup on the thick and chunky side so I decreased the amount of broth slightly and blended half of the soup. I will definitely be making this again!

Lightened up Broccoli-Cheddar Soup (Vegan Option) (adapted from I am a Honey Bee)

Ingredients

2 heads of broccoli with stems, chopped fine or very fine (depending on what texture you prefer your soup)
3 cups unsweetened plain rice milk (I used Good Karma Whole Grain Brown Rice)
1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter, ghee, olive oil or Earth Balance (use oil or earth balance for vegan)
1/4 cup brown rice flour
2 – 3 cups chicken broth or homemade stock or vegetable broth (use vegetable broth for vegan/vegetarian)
2 shakes of cayenne pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese. shredded (or use non-dairy Daiya cheddar shreds for vegan or dairy free)
2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Finely chop 2 heads of broccoli, including stems. In a large pot, combine the rice milk and broccoli, then bring to a simmer until broccoli is tender (mine took about 7 minutes).
2. In a skillet, saute the onions with butter/oil/Earth Balance. Once the onions are translucent, sprinkle the flour in the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour has evenly coated the onions.
3. Add the broth slowly and mix until all lumps of flour are broken down. (For a thicker soup, use 2 cups and for a thinner soup use 3 cups of broth).
4. Add the onion-broth mixture to the broccoli-milk mixture in the large pot. Blend or puree part of all of the soup to your desired texture (I used a stick blender and partial blended the soup to maintain some texture). Then add the shredded cheese, cayenne pepper and nutritional yeast and season with salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and completely incorporated. Serve immediately, enjoy!

This is a must more attractive looking use of cranberries– a creamy sweet tart smoothie made with frozen banana and frozen cranberries. I added a scoop of protein powder for a hint of vanilla and extra staying power. You could sweeten this drink up with a drizzle of your favorite liquid sweetener if preferred but I enjoyed this a little on the tart side. I used coconut milk as my non-dairy milk but apple juice or orange juice could be substituted for a sweeter smoothie and a different flavor.

Cran-Nana Sweet-Tart Smoothie

Ingredients

1/3 cup frozen (or fresh) unsweetened cranberries
1 large frozen ripe banana, cut into chunks (you could use fresh and add ice cubes but will not be as creamy)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp chia seed (or flaxseed meal), optional
3/4 cup non-dairy vanilla milk (coconut, almond, soy) OR (could use no-sugar-added apple or orange juice for different flavor or a combo)
drizzle of agave or honey for sweeter, optional (I omitted this but just in case you want a slightly sweeter drink)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Serves 1

I thought I would give cheesecake another shot but with my twist on it. Since I eat a large majority of the things I create/make, it’s gotta be healthy or the waistline would suffer much more. I had great results with agar agar powder when making my coconut milk panna cotta so I thought I would give it a try with a no-bake cheesecake. This worked beautifully!!!

I made a no-cream cheese cheesecake with peanut butter, cottage cheese, almond milk and a no-bake chocolate crust and it has a rich and creamy texture and no fuss with a cracked top either! I’ve attempted a baked cottage cheesecake a couple times in the past with okay results – but it was nothing to write home about, this however is!

I served this cheesecake “plain” with chopped peanuts and another slice with a sour cherry compote – oh boy, this contrast is lovely! It’s the old-time favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwich all dressed up in dessert form. The sweetness of the cheesecake, the saltiness of the peanut butter and the tartness of the cherry compote made me giggle with excitement. Strawberry or raspberries could also be subbed in place of the cherries for a yummy combo too.

Peanut Butter No-Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients

For chocolate crust (makes one 6 inch crust, can be doubled)
1/4 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 cup raw almonds, peanuts
2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (or your favorite GF flour)
2 Tbsp cocoa or cacao powder (or carob powder for caffeine free)
4 medjool dates (soaked if really dry)
dash of sea salt

For filling
1/4 cup of powdered coconut/palm sugar (I pulsed mine in my magic bullet)
1 cup of non-dairy milk, divided (I used unsweetened almond)
1 1/4 tsp agar agar powder (not flakes, will need 3x as much)
2 cups of 2% cottage cheese (if really watery, strain for 15 minutes – mine was really thick)
1/3 to 1/2 cup unsalted, natural creamy peanut butter (I used 1/2 cup) – can substitute sunbutter for peanut free
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of stevia extract or liquid stevia to taste

For garnish
chopped raw or roasted unsalted peanuts

For sour cherry compote (inspired by my orange scented cranberry sauce)
1 1/4 cup frozen tart red cherries, chopped (could use fresh pitted cherries)
1 1/4 cup  fresh cranberries (you could use frozen too)
3-5 Tbsp coconut palm sugar, honey, agave OR 7-110 medjool dates OR a combo (adjust sweetness to taste)
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup apple juice

Directions

For the crust:
1. In the bowl of a food processor, add all ingredients and pulse until combined. A ball should form and stick together. If too wet, add more oats, nuts or flaxseed meal and if too dry add a tiny drizzle of oil, milk or water and pulse again.
2. Press into a 6 inch springform pan (no need to grease) and set aside while you prepare the filling.

For the filling**: 
1. In a small saucepan, combine agar powder, 3/4 cup of milk and powdered palm sugar and stir. Let side for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender or Vitamix, combine cottage cheese, peanut butter,  vanilla, pinch of stevia and remaining 1/4 cup of milk. Blend until smooth and well incorporated (1-2 minutes)
3. Heat the agar, milk and palm sugar over medium heat until simmering and bubbles start to form. Stir constantly for one to two minutes until sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture starts to thicken.
4. Remove from heat and add to blender. Blend immediately for one minute or until well combined.
5. Pour over prepared crust and let chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours up to overnight (or until set). Remove sides from spring form pan carefully, garnish with chopped nuts and serve with compote if desired. Enjoy!

For cherry compote (you will have extra after using for cheesecake, could use as a sauce for pancakes, breads, garnish etc):

1. In a medium saucepan, add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to bring to a simmer  on medium-low and let cook for about 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Halfway through cooking (5-6 minutes) use a fork or a spoon to mash berries and cherries and release more of their juices. Let cook for another 5 minutes, occassionally stirring and mashing until thick. (sauce will thicken more as it cools)
3. Serve immediately warm or refrigerate until ready to serve for a chilled sauce. Heat on low to reheat if preferred warm and enjoy!

*If using dates for your sweetener for the compote, soak them until soft and puree them along with the juice before cooking

**Recipe Notes: I used one 6 in springform pan for the peanut butter cheesecake with the crust and poured the remaining filling into two glass serving dishes for a crustless cheesecake for kicks. This is an easy alternative if you don’t want to make the crust! You could pour it into cocktail glasses and serve with a compote or crushed gluten free graham crackers You could even make individual cheesecakes and divide and press the crust to the bottom of individual ramekins or glasses for easy serving.

While I love being creative and combining various ingredients, most of recent “creative” meals have been out of necessity. You see, the last few times I’ve made it to the grocery store, I’ve gone without a list…leaving me with random items and unplanned meals. When faced with the question of ‘whats for dinner’, I grabbed items in the fridge that needed to be used up – cooked black beans, cooked green beans, one lonely squash, the remainder for hummus and an uncooked turkey burger patty. Random, yes but delicious and filling, it sure was!

You could make this a vegetarian/vegan friendly meal but using your favorite cooked grain instead of the meat. Use your favorite flavor of hummus as this drives the main flavoring of the dish. Hummus sauce is versatile and is scrumptious over any cooked vegetables, grains or meat. If you don’t have all of these ingredients on hand and you are a hummus fan, still try this “sauce” – I am in love

Clean Out the Fridge Saute with Hummus Sauce

Ingredients

1/3 lb ground meat (I used turkey) for vegetarian, could sub 1-2 cups cooked brown rice, millet, sorghum or quinoa
2-3 tsp coconut oil, butter, ghee or olive oil (use oil for vegetarian)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 cup cooked green beans
2/3 cup cooked black beans (white beans or chickpeas would work too)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup prepared hummus (or homemade) - I used original but use your favorite flavor
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice + water to thin

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil/butter over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir or whisk together hummus, lemon juice and a few tablespoons of water until makes a sauce with a drizzle consistency. Set aside.
2. Add meat and onions to the pan and saute until meat is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes and stirring occasionally.
3. Add garlic and squash and saute for 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Toss in cooked green beans and black beans and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dishes and drizzle with prepared hummus sauce and enjoy!

Serves 2

This meal would be complete served with my hummus bread!

Instead of letting it sit there “looking pretty”, I decided to make two dishes: the first being a vegetarian skillet hash and the other was a soup  substituting butternut for the squash in my spicy kabocha coconut soup recipe !

This hash combines butternut squash with sweet raisins, sauteed mushrooms and creamy tangy goat cheese for a simple but flavor-packed vegetarian meal. I have noted substitutions for a vegan dish and other ingredients for different flavor variations – this is one of those flexible meals so use what you like!

Butternut Squash Skillet Hash

Ingredients

4 cups butternut squash cut in small cubes (1/2 in) or 3 1/2 cups shredded butternut squash (sweet potatoes would also be delicious)
1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, olive oil, butter, ghee or Earth Balance (use oil or Earth Balance for vegan)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder (I was out of onion and had to use a back-up – could sub 1/2 cup diced onion and add while cooking the squash)
dash of crushed red pepper (omit if you don’t like heat)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (I bet red bell pepper would be good too if mushrooms aren’t your favorite)
1/4 cup raisins (cranberries or golden raisins could be subbed)
2 handfuls of baby greens, optional but a variety of color (I used baby spinach, about 2 cups)
3-4 Tbsp goat cheese (or feta) (could use nutritional yeast for vegan for different flavor)
3 Tbsp chopped nuts or seeds (I forgot to add before taking photos, optional but good – I used a combo of walnuts and hemp seeds)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil/butter over medium heat. Add squash and season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 9-10 minutes until softened and cooked through, stirring occasionally.
2. Add garlic, onion powder, red pepper and mushrooms and saute for another 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are cooked. Toss in the raisins and greens and cook until greens are wilted, a minute or so.
3. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper if needed and toss with cheese and nuts/seeds.  Serve while warm and enjoy!

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side dish (or one really hungry person)

I can always come up with good reasons why I should and must consume more chocolate

I am really enjoying the “black cocoa” I received for my birthday. The end result truly does come out to be an incredibly deep black color that screams “DARK CHOCOLATE”.

Healthy, no-cook fudge was a must-make. A quick and easy chocolate recipe in chewy, gooey form – yes please!

Midnight Fudge (adapted from my Make-it-your-own-Chocolate Bark)

Ingredients

1 cup nut butter (I used half almond butter, half peanut butter before, all cashew butter and all almond butter – all good!)
5-6 Tbsp black cocoa powder (or you could use 1/2 cup regular cocoa or cacao powder)
2 Tbsp coconut oil (use refined for no coconut taste, use unrefined for a slight coconut taste)
5-6 medjool dates (soaked for 30 minutes in water if too dry)
2-3 Tbsp honey, agave, maple syrup or brown rice syrup OR 3 more dates (or more to taste if you like a sweeter fudge)
pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or other add-in, optional)

Directions

1. In a bowl of a food processor, add all ingredients except for walnuts. Pulse until well combined. 
2. Stir in walnuts or other add-ins and stir until well combined (use your muscles!).
3. Press fudge mixture into a small loaf pan lined with plastic wrap or wax paper and let chill in freezer for a couples hour or refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Cut into small bars and enjoy!

Store bars in fridge or freezer.

Thank goodness my guest was not picky at all; that makes for a stress-free and fun-filled evening. I had my eye on Lindsay’s Kickin’ Cashew Chicken at Pinch of Yum so Indian food was on the menu I increased the tomato paste along with a few of the spices, added a serrano for a kick and tossed in some fresh veggies to bulk up the meal. Winner! Both my food-loving guest and the hostess were delighted with the results!

Classic — the original recipe called for the cashews to be blended into the sauce. I got to talking (and of course, not paying attention) and wound up adding them in with the golden raisins toward the end of cooking. This was fine by me since I love texture in my dishes – another happy accident

Kickin’ Cashew Chicken (adapted from Pinch of Yum)

Ingredients

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
6 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup cashews (I bought raw and toasted them but already roasted is fine too)
1 1/2 Tbsp garam masala
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili powder (I used mild)
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
2 Tbsp plain yogurt (I used Greek)
1 serrano chili pepper, deseeded and deveined (omit for mild dish)
1 Tbsp coconut oil (grapeseed, canola, ghee or butter can be used)
3/4 to 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
1 1/2 cups fresh mushroom slices
1 small red bell pepper, diced
2 handfuls of fresh spinach (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup water

For serving: cooked rice, quinoa, millet etc (I used brown rice)

Directions

1. In a food processor, process the onion pieces for about 1 minute or until a smooth puree forms. Add the next 9 ingredients (paste through serrano) to the onion mixture and process for another 1-2 minutes. If you want a chunkier sauce, pulse until desired texture is reached.
2. In a heavy pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Pour the spice mixture from the food processor into the pan and saute for 2 minutes. The lightly cooked spices will start to give off a nice aroma.
3. Add the cubed chicken breast, veggies, half of the cilantro, and the golden raisins. Stir-fry for another minute or so.
4. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice and garnish with remaining cilantro and/or cashew pieces. Enjoy!

Chris and I enjoyed this for dinner one night and I hid the leftovers. I wanted them all to myself so I shoved the container in the back of the fridge behind tofu (the husband won’t touch that!) so it was “out of sight, out of mind”. Thank goodness I did too because this dish was even more flavorful the day after!

There was no real inspiration for this meal; I was in the mood for chickpeas and I needed to use up the last of paneer cheese I had in the fridge. I added in some vegetables for variety of color and texture along with garlic and spices and I was set! The paneer cheese lends a nice subtle cheese flavor to the dish that I really, really enjoyed but you could substitute tofu for vegan if needed and possibly add some nutritional yeast to mimic the cheese flavor.

I enjoyed this dish both served alone and served over cooked millet, though any cooked grain would be work here (rice, quinoa, sorghum) for an even heartier meal.

Chickpea and Paneer Stew 

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, butter, ghee, or other oil (use oil for vegan)
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced or or small diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp garam masala (Indian spice mix)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 to 1 tsp paprika, smoked or regular
1 cup of paneer cheese (could sub cubed firm tofu for vegan and different flavor)
3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 cans, rinsed and drained)
1 15-oz can of no salt added diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 cups of vegetable broth (you can add more if you like more liquid, I prefer mine really thick)
5 cups of fresh baby spinach or other leafy green
1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium soup pot, heat oil/butter over medium heat. Add onions and carrots, saute for 7-8 minutes until cooked through and onions are slightly golden brown (this helps deepen the flavor), stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in garlic cloves and spices (garam masala through paprika) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
3.  Add paneer cheese and saute for 1 minute then add chickpeas, tomato and broth and let simmer for 5 minutes or so. Add remaining ingredients and cook until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

If everything goes according to plan, The Frozen Moose yogurt store should be open today (keep your fingers crossed for me!). I wrote this quick post ahead of time in anticipation that I wouldn’t have time to sleep or breathe anything but frozen yogurt but I still wanted to share a festive post. I couldn’t stay away from you all!

Chocolate + Wine sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Continuing on with my love for donut pan, I was set on coming up with a recipe that used wine and chocolate for Valentines’ day. I am not a wine drinker myself but I sure enjoyed this combination in these cake donuts. I tried multiple batches of these vegan donuts for Fork and Beans Valentine’s Day bake-off with many failures (ie. coming out completely flat and gummy).

Although they aren’t perfect, these donuts are moist, chocolately and easy to pull together. They could be a little bit lighter in texture and height (maybe add an egg or use egg replacer for vegan?) but I still enjoyed them very much…what’s not to like when something is covered in chocolate?

Chocolate Kissed Red Wine Donuts

Ingredients

For donuts
1/4 cup oat flour (millet, brown rice or sorghum could be subbed)
1/4 cup buckwheat flour (millet, brown rice, or sorghum could be subbed)
1/4 cup flax meal
1 Tbsp coconut flour (or could use 2 more Tbsp of oat or buckwheat flour)
3-4 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup coconut palm sugar or sucanat
1/4 cup Earth balance, or refined coconut oil (no coconut taste), melted (room temp)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (room temperature)

For chocolate glaze
1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate bar, chopped or chocolate chips (I used Endangered Species 72% bar)
2 tsp refined coconut oil (no taste) or all-vegetable shortening

Optional toppings
chocolate shavings or cacao nibs
2 Tbsp fruit-sweetened strawberry or raspberry preserves (mixed with 1/2 Tbsp powdered sucanat and slightly thinned with 1 tsp of red wine, only add this prior to serving)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease donut pan and set aside.
2. Add all dry ingredients (flours through sugar) into a medium mixing and stir to combine. Add wet ingredients (earth balance/oil through wine) bowl and stir together gently.
3. Spoon batter into prepared donut pan and smooth with spatula or press down gently. Bake donuts at 350 F for about 15-16 minutes (should be moist but also cooked through).
4. Let cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before gently removing.
5. To prepare glaze, add chocolate and oil/shortening in a double broiler, stir often until chocolate is melted. Carefully dip tops of donuts into the melted chocolate, sprinkle/drizzle with other toppings if desired and enjoy!

Makes 6 donuts

*If you don’t have a donut pan, you could still make these in mini cake form. Just use greased ramekins or cupcake/muffin liners – will probably make 4-5 so cooking time will most likely increase by a few minutes.

]]> http://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/mounds-pancakes/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:30:18 +0000 naturalnoshing http://naturalnoshing.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/mounds-pancakes/ Do you like those chocolate covered coconut “Mounds” or “Almond Joy” candy bars? If so, you are in for a healthy breakfast treat!

Who says you can’t have chocolate for breakfast? I say go ahead because these easy and delicious pancakes are packed with fiber, protein and healthy fats

A couple years ago, I couldn’t stand coconut but now, I love it in all forms. Coconut milk, coconut butter, flakes, flour, oil – it’s all delicious in my mind. I used a combination of coconut ingredients and cacao powder for a Mounds-inspired pancakes. Topping these off with almond butter makes them more like Almond Joy pancakes, so either way you have a delicious, decadent AND healthy breakfast!

I adapted this recipe from my grain-free pumpkin pancakes that were a hit. Don’t be alarmed by the beans in these pancakes, you can’t taste them and they make the cakes really moist!

Almond Joy Brownie Pancakes

Ingredients

2 eggs
3 Tbsp coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)
3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp cacao powder (or cocoa, or carob for different flavor) – I used extra dark
2 Tbsp coconut flour
1/2 cup cooked black beans (white beans or chickpeas could work here too)
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp honey, agave or brown rice syrup
pinch of powdered stevia or 5-6 drops of liquid stevia (or to taste)
1 Tbsp coconut oil, butter or ghee + more for pan (use unrefined coconut oil for more coconut taste)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt

For serving

Coconut butter (homemade version here)
coconut flakes
cacao nibs or chocolate chips or shavings
almond butter (for almond joy pancakes)

Directions

1. Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and grease with coconut oil (or butter/ghee but would not be dairy free).
2. Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth. I liked these thick and fluffy but for thinner pancakes, add more milk.
3. Add several spoonfuls of batter to the pan and spread with the back of the spoon to 3-4 inches each, cooking three pancakes at a time. Cook until ready to flip (mine took about 2-3  minutes depending on thickness). Flip over until cooked through.
4.  Top with coconut butter, cacao nibs and almond butter (or honey/agave/maple syrup) and serve!

Without any avocados in the house to experiment with, I was determined to find a healthy pudding that was reminiscent of butterscotch. I found this recipe online that inspired my health-ified version. I whipped up (or blended up) this pudding made from carrots, dates and nuts with a hint of maple and almond. I was quite surprised at how yummy it turned out!

Confession, I don’t actually remember what true butterscotch tastes like but this pudding has caramel-ish undertones from the dates and has a bit of buttery notes from the almond butter. Also, I used my Magic Bullet blender when I should have used my food processor or Vitamix to make the pudding ultra smooth – what can I say, I was lazy and didn’t want to wash more dishes that I had to

“Butterscotch” Pudding (adapted from BeStrixed)

Ingredients

2 cups of diced carrots
drizzle of maple syrup (to taste)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2-4 Medjool dates, pits removed and roughly chopped (soak for 2 hours beforehand if really dry)
2 Tbsp raw cashews (I recommend soaking them for a few hours to help process)
2-3 Tbsp roasted (or raw) almond butter (or pecan butter)
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or more if needed)
pinch of salt

Directions

1. In a medium pot or steamer, steam carrots until cooked through (mine took about 5 minutes?) and drain.
2. While carrots are still hot, ladle carrots into a food processor or blender with the maple syrup and vanilla and blend for a minute. (Be sure to put the lid on, but leave off the cap to allow air to escape; hold a cloth over it to avoid sputtering and getting burnt.)
3. Add dates, and blend again, adding milk.
4. Add in almond butter, cashews and a pinch of salt and blend until smooth and creamy. If too thick, add a drizzle more of milk to your desired consistency (it will stiffen up after chilling).

This pudding is ready to eat, warm, if you like; but it’s better after it sits a while and flavors marry. It tastes better the next day, and will also set up to a more pudding density after being chilled.

Serves 2

This smoothie recipe seriously tastes like an apple pie cheesecake in liquid form. I was dancing around my kitchen doing a fist pump as I was trying to sip this smoothie and savor all it’s deliciousness. After several near-spills, I quieted down and drank my smoothie with a giant smile on my face instead of a full-out dance

This is a must try smoothie recipe if you are a fan of apple pie and/or cheesecake. It’s thick, creamy and decadent – it might just be my favorite smoothie yet. Though I used cottage cheese, you might be able to make this vegan/dairy free by using silken tofu and adding a bit of nutritional yeast for the cheese factor, I’d like to try it for myself!

Apple Pie Cheesecake Smoothie (adapted from The Healthy Foodie)

Ingredients

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup raw red apple, diced (I used Gala OR 2 more Tbsp applesauce)
1/2 cup cottage cheese (vegan might be able to sub 1/2 cup  silken tofu & add 2 tsp nutritional yeast)
1/2 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder, optional
1 Tbsp roasted or raw almond butter
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (or chia seed)
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I use the latter)
one shake of ground cloves (small pinch)
splash of pure vanilla extract

chopped or sliced almonds + cinnamon for optional garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients except for garnish in a blender or a Magic Bullet and process until very smooth and well incorporated (about one minute). Pour into a glass, top with almonds and a shake of ground cinnamon. Enjoy!

Serves 1

Did I have a reason? I guess you could say I did Yesterday was my 27th birthday and I baked myself a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting – my all-time favorite combination.

Smiles all around on my end, I am a happy girl.

This cake is moist and springy and not overly sweet. I adore the combination of oat and coconut flours and the addition of the arrowroot results in a lighter and less dense cake It’s also nut-free for those of you have a nut allergy. I am not sure how to make this vegan…I’ll have to work on that.

Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

½ cup gluten free oat flour
½ cup arrowroot flour (or I assume you could sub tapioca starch)
¼ cup coconut flour
6 Tbsp coconut/palm sugar (you may be able to use a liquid sweetener if you cut the milk back to 1/4 or 1/3 cup, cake may be more dense)
1/4 tsp pure stevia extract (or 3-5 more Tbsp more palm sugar)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, butter, ghee or Earth Balance
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup coconut milk (other non-dairy milk would also probably work here too)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Optional garnish
cacao nibs, chocolate shavings, chopped or sliced nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two 6 inch round cake pans with coconut oil/butter and line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flours through salt). In a separate bowl, blend or whisk together remaining ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir until incorporated and well combined.
4. Divide batter among the two prepared pans and tap on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake is cooked through and toothpick inserted comes out dry. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove cakes from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack
5. Prepare frosting below. Assemble cake by frosting the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate. Top with remaining cake layer and finish with frosting.

*Cake is best eaten within several days of baking. Refrigerate leftovers due to the avocado in the frosting.

Chocolate-Avocado Frosting

Ingredients

2 large avocado, ripe (not overripe) or 3 small-medium
3-5 Tbsp honey or agave or to taste if desired (I sided with the lesser amount since I was going for a slightly sweet frosting, up to you though!)
couple pinches of pure stevia extract (or more sweetener if desired)
2 tsp pure vanilla
pinch of sea salt
2 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, liquified (refined for no coconut taste, unrefined for coconut taste)
6-8 Tbsp raw cacao powder or cocoa powder

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Let sit in the refrigerator for several minutes to harden slightly (coconut oil will cool down) and frost cake.

Savory pizza donuts…oh yes I did. The donut craze continues.
For more of this yummy and cheesy but dairy free deliciousness, check out my guest post over at my friend Cara’s Fork and Beans blog today!

For cooking sorghum – stove method

For cooking sorghum – rice cooker method (this is what I use) 

For pilaf

Hot cooked oats with high-fiber flax, sweet cinnamon and maple syrup combine for a hearty and energy-packed breakfast. For those of you who aren’t much into early morning meals, this dish could also be served as a mid-morning or pre-workout snack.

You’ll have to excuse the smaller bowl/portion that is photographed…I was hungry after my morning workout and I proceeded to eat about 1/3 of this dish prior to taking photos. My rubbling stomach got the best of me

Hot Maple Oat Bran

Ingredients

1/2 cup oat bran (or half gluten free rolled oats and half oat bran)
1 cup water
pinch of salt
1/2 to 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, optional for protein boost
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (chia seeds or hemp seeds would also be delicious)
1 tsp coconut oil, butter, ghee or earth balance (can omit for lower fat but I like the richness)
1 to 3 tsp maple syrup to taste (agave or honey could be subbed)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
5-6 pecan halves, chopped (other nuts/seeds can be subbed)
fresh berries

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine oat bran, salt and water over the stove on high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and stir until desired consistency is reached, stirring often (mine cooks for about 2 minutes).
2. Remove from heat and stir in protein powder, coconut oil/butter, maple syrup, flax meal, cinnamon and half of pecans.
3. Top with berries and remaining pecans and enjoy!

Serves one (can be doubled or tripled)

For flavor variations: use a different sweetener like honey or agave, top with almond butter, pecan butter, cashew butter, coconut butter, shredded coconut, bananas, non-dairy milk, yogurt and/or dried fruit

Smoked paprika, green lentils, diced tomatoes, celery and bell pepper and chicken stock make up the base of this recipe. I threw in two sliced links of chicken sausage (andouille would have been delicious but I didn’t have that on hand) and shrimp for added protein and bulk. I am picky about rice in soups but the addition of 1 to 2 cups of cooked brown rice could also be added or served on the side for an even heartier meal.

Smokey Tomato and Shrimp Stew

Ingredients

3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp oil, butter, ghee (butter/ghee lends a richer flavor)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup cooked green lentils
2 links of cooked chicken sausage, sliced
26 oz boxed diced tomatoes (I used Pomi brand), canned works too
2 cups chicken broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
20- 24 cooked shrimp (50-70 count)
1 1/2 Tbsp Bragg’s liquid aminos, tamari or gluten free soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven or a large soup pot, heat oil/butter over medium heat. Add celery, onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.
2. Add garlic and seasonings and saute about 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add lentils, sausage and tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in broth and let cook for 10 minutes until heated through.
5. Lastly, stir in the shrimp and Braggs until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Recipe Notes: Leftovers were delicious after the flavors had more time to marry. Enjoy

Example of one day might look like this:

Breakfast – hummus and avocado over gluten free toast
Snack – Rice crackers and carrots with hummus
Lunch – Open-faced turkey sandwich on hummus bread
Snack – 3-ingredient deviled eggs (made with hummus)
Dinner – Grilled chicken or grilled portabella mushrooms (for vegetarian), rice/millet/quinoa and sauteed greens served with a big dollop of hummus

Too much for you? Maybe that’s a little overboard. I am not advocating an all-hummus diet, I’m just sayin’ I love that creamy spread/dip.

I’ve baked with garbanzo beans and other cooked beans in breads and desserts before, so why not add a bean spread into a bread recipe for added moisture? I was curious if this would turn out…I am happy to report that it did!

I present to you an egg-free, yeast-free, gluten-free bread baked with prepared hummus. It’s similar to a flatbread, a bit dense from the lack of starch and eggs but it has a nice depth of flavor and was delicious warm out of the pan! I meant to sprinkle a tablespoon of sesame seeds on the bread prior to baking for adding texture and presentation, but I forgot I’ll put that on my list next time around!

Hummus Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup oat flour (I grind my own gluten-free oats)
1/2 cup garbanzo bean/chickpea flour (or other bean flour)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 Tbsp coconut flour (or you can substitute 1/4 cup 3-4 Tbsp brown rice, teff, sorghum, buckwheat or other gluten free flour)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp paprika, optional
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp olive oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, refined coconut oil or butter/ghee/Earth balance
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp prepared hummus (any flavor, I used original hummus from the deli)
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir until moistened. Batter should be thick.
4. Spread and press into the loaf pan evenly. Bake for 18-21 minutes until cooked through and no longer gooey (mine cooked for 18 1/2 in my toaster oven). Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes and cut into bars. Enjoy!

Though I love peanut butter and chocolate together, I opted for a caffeine free and nut free version, just for kicks I admit, these bars are quite addicting and were the perfect pre and/or post workout snack when I was needed something quick. They taste SO, SO yummy that these squares were enjoyed for dessert on several nights as well. Next time (umm, this week), I will triple the batch because I went through these so fast!

Sonia wanted to up the protein a bit in her bars; for 8 bars mine came in around 12 grams of protein per serving, plus its low in sugar, contains healthy fats, fiber, potassium and calcium! I rarely ever calculate the nutritional information for recipes, but was curious how mine stacked up…

If you wanted to increase the protein content by several grams, substitute half of the coconut butter for almond or peanut butter and use almond meal/flour for the coconut flour if preferred. If you want a lower calorie bar, cut them smaller into 10 or 12 servings – it’s up to you!

Carob Covered Coconut Protein Bars/Energy Squares (inspired from The Healthy Foodie)

Ingredients

Bottom Layer
1/2 cup coconut butter, melted (I used homemade coconut butter)
2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp honey, agave or brown rice syrup
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/4 tsp almond extract (or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla)
100 grams all-natural vanilla protein powder (I tested this with Jay robb’s whey protein, was 3 scoops)
3 Tbsp flaxseed meal
2 Tbsp oat flour or oat bran
2 Tbsp coconut flour (could sub your favorite flour but would need to increase amount by a 1-2 Tbsp)
pinch of sea salt

Top Layer 
2  1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted (I used unrefined for more coconut flavor)
2 – 3 Tbsp carob powder (or cocoa or cacao powder)
1 Tbsp honey, agave or brown rice syrup
pinch of sea salt, optional but enhances the flavor

For garnish, optional
Chopped nuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas or shredded coconut

Directions

For the bottom layer
1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine coconut butter, applesauce, sweetener and extracts. Process until smooth.
3. Add in protein powder through sea salt and pulse until combined and well incorporated. If the mixture looks too wet, add a bit more flour (the bottom layer will firm up when refrigerated though). Spoon and spread into the loaf pan and refrigerate until firm (I left the bars overnight, but you also freeze the bars for an hour or so before finishing them with top layer).

For the top layer
1. Combine all of the topping ingredients and stir with a spoon or fork until well combined.  Pour/spread over the chilled bottom layer and sprinkle with chopped nuts/seeds/coconut.
2. Place bars back in the refrigerator or freezer until firm (several hours). Cut into bars and enjoy!

I stored these bars in the freezer (these tasted fantastic cold) but refrigerated works well too.

I don’t do well on overload of sugar so the ginger helped alleviate the sourness in my stomach (ginger is good for nausea too) and the crunchy bok choy was light and flavorful. This dish is an easy side or a light lunch served with cooked grains like whole-grain brown rice or quinoa. I made my easy baked tofu and served this bok choy alongside cooked quinoa for a healthy no-fuss meal.

Ginger-Garlic Baby Bok Choy (inspired by this dish at Epicurious)

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce, Tamari or Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 Tbsp vegetable or chicken broth (or you could probably use water if you don’t have either on hand)
heaping 1/2 tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
sea salt
1 Tbsp refined coconut oil (no coconut taste), grapeseed oil, peanut oil or olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or very thinly sliced
1/2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
dash of crushed red pepper flakes (I used two shakes)
7-8 baby bok choy, washed thoroughly and cut in half
1 tsp sesame seed oil
sesame seeds (black, white or a combo), I eyeballed it about 1/2 to 1 tsp

Directions

1. Stir together broth, soy sauce, tapioca starch, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt until the tapioca has dissolved. Set aside.
2. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat side.
3. Add garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes stir-fry until pale golden, 5 to 10 seconds. Add half of bok choy and stir-fry until leaves wilt, about 2 minutes, then add remaining bok choy and stir-fry until all leaves are bright green and limp, 2 minutes total.
4. Stir broth mixture, then pour into wok and stir-fry 15 seconds. Cover with lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sesame oil and sesame seeds, then transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!