Zucchini Banana Cake

I don’t often see zucchinis in Japan and when I do they’re imported and so super expensive. Though recently, my local farmer’s market/shop has starting selling 3/4 zuchinnis for the equivalent of $2 which I think is really cheap. I wished I had one of those zoodle machines (the ones that make noodles out of carrots, cucumbers and zuchinnis) to make a fancy salad with rice noodles and peanuts but it’s okay because I turned my zucchinis into the most delicious cake.

To make the recipe free of gluten, simply use GF oats and GF flour.

2 free-range eggs
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 ripe banana
3/4 cup oat flour (oats made into flour using a blender or food processor)
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
2 tbsp wholewheat flour
1 tbsp almond powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 zucchini grated
granola to top (optional)

Preheat oven to 180C.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients together.

Pour batter into a greased loaf tin.

Top with granola (optional)

Bake for 30 or so minutes.

Healthy okara banana cake

Okara or soy pulp is the left over stuff after pureed soybeans are filtered in the production of soy milk and/or tofu. It is generally white or yellowish in colour and is frequently used in Chinese, Korean and Japanese cooking. The supermarket in my village gives it away for free! Woo lucky me! Tonight, I made a super healthy banana loaf with it. Here’s the recipe:

2 free range eggs
2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
1 cup of okara
2 cups of flour (I used wholemeal but any GF alternative like rice flour will work)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/4 cup of crushed walnuts

Preheat oven to 180

Mix all ingredients together

Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake for about 30-40 min or until the fork comes out clean

Das it.

a simple maple and walnut loaf (completely wholewheat, dairy and sugar free)

Guess what? Turns out the Japanese diet isn’t that healthy after all! Well, the traditional Japanese diet is. Hence the crazy high longevity rates. However; recently, things have changed. With the introduction of dairy milk and “bread” (aka white sugary rubbish which is more cake than anything) the Japanese are struggling to keep their slim physique. Seriously, my workmates are eating massive “bread” buns everyday and questioning why they’re putting on weight. Anyways, long story short, I was craving something sweet, went to the supermarket and saw that everything absolutely everything was packed with sugar and white flour. So, I baked this instead. It’s definitely a healthier alternative of store-bought cake. In fact, it’s nutritious! 
2 cups all-purpose wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking soda (If you cant find all-purpose wholemeal flour, omit the baking soda and use 2 tsp of baking powder instead)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 free-range eggs
1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1/3 cup of coconut oil (or other oil if you can’t afford it)
3 tbsp almond milk (or other non-dairy alternative)

Preheat oven to 180C

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together in separate bowls.

Combine the two.

Pour batter into a greased loaf tin.

Bake for 25-30 min or until the fork comes out clean.

Enjoy with yoghurt and canned fruit for optimum YUMness.

sugar-free blueberry and lemon yogurt loaf

Gift-giving is huge in Japanese culture. Since day 1 of arriving here, I have been given countless gifts! Once it was horse jerky. Yes horse. But last week it was three bags full of fresh vegetables! I am so blessed. To return the favor, I made this yogurt loaf for my dear friend the rotating librarian who I hope is reading this via Google translate! Anyways, the yogurt in this loaf makes it super moist (gross, word I know…apparently there was a recent study as to why we find it so?). Made with entirely wholemeal flour and zero sugar, it’s rather healthy, too!
Cake for brekkie? Don’t mind if I do.

2 free range eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used coconut, melted)
1 cup unsweetened natural yogurt
3/4 cup of honey
zest of one lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 160C

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls (excluding the blueberries).

Then combine the dry ingredients into the wet.

Lastly, gently mix in the blueberries – take it easy here unless you want a purple loaf.

Pour batter into a greased oven-proof loaf dish and bake for about 45-60 minutes or until the fork comes out clean.

Let cool before removing from pan.

Keep refrigerated.

spiced orange and walnut loaf

3 weeks until my big move to Japan! I simply cannot wait! To celebrate;(the celebrations at the Kazemi household seem to be neverending – not sure if this is because family is happy for me or secretly/not-so-secretly relieved that I’m finally moving out) I baked this baby loaf. Actually not a baby, rather quite mature and decent sized. But, still my baby.

This recipe is naturally free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar. It’s also dangerously delicious. Like, very.

1 orange, washed, cut into quarters and seeded
2 1/2 cups ground almonds
4 free-range eggs
2 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup walnut pieces

Topping:
nuts/seeds/granola of choice for topping

Preheat oven to 160C

Place all ingredients (except walnuts) in a high speed food processor and whizz away until smooth.

Lastly, add the walnuts and pulse a few times (or mix through using a spoon) to combine.

Pour batter into a greased loaf tin

Top with desired toppings (I used my homemade granola which gave it a wonderful crunch)

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the fork comes out clean.

Let cool before removing from the tin.

Enjoy at any time of day as is as “healthy” as “healthy” can be. Seriously. I mean, only two tbsp of oil? And OLIVE oil at that? SHUT UP AND PASS THE WHOLE LOAF! Please.

Apricot, Almond and Sunflower Loaf

“I THOUGHT THIS WAS A FOOD BLOG”

Calm your farm dear follower and put your eating pants on cos this loaf is about to go down!

Cake:
4 free-range eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used So Good almond)
1/3 cup oil (I used coconut)
1 cup almond meal
1 cup oat bran
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

Topping:
5 fresh apricots (halved)
1/3 cup raw almonds (chopped)
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut flour (optional)

Preheat oven to 160 degrees

Mix all cake ingredients except sunflower seeds in a food processor until well combined.

Add the sunflower seeds then pulse 1, 2, 3 times to combine.

Pour batter into a greased loaf tin.

Top with apricot halves and chopped almonds.

Drizzle with some honayyyy.

Bake for 35-40 min or until the fork comes out clean.

Let cool completely before removing from tin otherwise cake will become one heck of an ugly mess.

To finish, dust with coconut flour – purely for the sake of a more aesthetic finish (seriously, serves no other function whatsoever).

Put your feet up, grab a trashy magazine and enjoy with a cuppa! AK

*gluten-free (if using GF oat bran)
*refined sugar-free
*dairy-free