Tag: lunchbox

Paleo Waffles | Easy recipe only 4 Ingredients

These delicious paleo waffles only require 4 healthy ingredients and are so quick and simple to whip up. Thick, fluffy and perfect for weekend brunch! They freeze great and can be pulled on out busy mornings to reheat in the toaster. Also great to make ahead for lunchboxes too.

All you need is bananas, peanut butter, eggs and a smidge of coconut flour. That simple!

This makes about 3 – 4 waffles – depending on the size of your waffle iron, how much you spill from overfill and how many children you had helping to throw ingredients all over the bench (the struggle is real!).

Can you make them nut free?

Yes. You can omit the peanut butter and the waffles still turn out nice.

How do you grease a waffle iron without using non-stick oil spray?

Most non stick oil sprays contain hugely refined and processed vegetable oils. We try to avoid these types of oils as they are not good for our health. Though that sometimes comes at the cost of convenience! If you are looking for a way to grease a waffle iron with out non-stick spray you can use whatever healthy oil you like (olive oil, melted coconut oil, butter) melt it in a little ramekin and use a silicone pastry brush to brush the oil on.

We love these paleo waffles, but due to increasing food restrictions of my family, I had to develop another recipe too. If you are after a nut free, gluten free, dairy free, and egg free waffle, I totally have you covered on that, you can find that recipe here.

If you make any of my recipes don’t forget to tag me on Facebook or Instagram. And if you have any questions about the recipe, or anything else don’t hesitate to ask!

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Easy 4 Ingredient Paleo Waffles

These delicious paleo waffles only require 4 healthy ingredients and are so quick and simple to whip up. They freeze great and can then be pulled on out busy mornings to reheat in the toaster. Great for making ahead to go in lunchboxes too.
Prep Time10 mins
Course: Breakfast, celebration, Dessert, Main Course, Snack, treats
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coconut free, dairy free, easy recipe, gluten free, grain free, paleo, quick, soy free, waffle, waffles
Servings: 4 Waffles

Equipment

  • Waffle iron

Ingredients

  • 2 medium bananas
  • 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • 3 Tablespoons coconut flour
  • 3 Eggs

Instructions

  • Preheat your waffle iron following the manufacterers instructions.
  • Combine all the ingredients in your blender, and blend.
  • Let sit for 5 – 10 minutes to let the coconut flour do its thing.
  • Grease your waffle iron. Carefully pour into your waffle iron making sure not to overfill it.
  • Cook until waffles are golden brown and crisp. Top with your choice of toppings, our favourites are chia berry jam, berries (fresh or frozen) and whipped coconut cream.

Kayla

Hummus |The Best Easy Homemade Hummus

This hummus recipe is not only fast and easy, it’s creamy and delicious. Its gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free, and an all round allergy friendly dip.

Hummus from the supermarkets often have added sugar, vegetable oils and preservatives. Not to mention the homemade version tastes way better, and avoids any cross contamination issues with wheat or nuts.

This hummus goes perfectly in wraps and with crackers . You can add flavours to suit whatever occasion or taste you are making it for, or eat it plain – which is just as delicious. I often whip up hummus to serve on shared platters, as a quick, allergy-free and budget friendly snack to serve when we have guests coming over, and for the kids birthday parties, again for all the reasons listed above!

Here are some flavours you can add to this hummus recipe:

  • Roasted Kumara – add 1/2 cup roasted kumara when blending. 
  • Roasted pumpkin – add 1/2 cup roasted kumara when blending.
  • Roasted carrot – this combination is lovely and sweet – add 1/2 cup when blending.  
  • Beetroot – add 1/2 cup cooked beetroot when blending
  • Sundried tomatoes – dice 1/3 of a cup of sun-dried tomatoes and add when blending. 
  • Mexican twist – add 1/2 teaspoon of each cumin, paprika and chilli.
  • Red pepper – add 1/2 cup roasted red pepper (capsicum) and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. 

Hummus Tip

If the hummus is a little thick or still has chunks in it, add a little water – 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it can run freely through the blades (who doesn’t want to run free, right!?) , which will allow it to blend up super smooth.

If you make any of my recipes don’t forget to tag me on Facebook or Instagram. And if you have any questions about the recipe, or anything else don’t hesitate to ask!

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Easy Homemade Hummus

This hummus recipe is not only fast and easy, it's creamy and delicious. Its gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free, and an all round allergy friendly dip.

Ingredients

  • 1 400g can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (I prefer the garlic cooked – you can pan fry or roast it first)
  • 1 Tablespoon tahini (you can omit this to make it sesame free, or if you dont have any, or are avoiding seeds)

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients together and blend! Add some water if it's too thick, 1 Tablespoon at a time until it's the consistency you like.
  • Once you have made this as a base you can add different flavours, see the notes below for ideas.

Notes

Some of our favourite hummus flavours are:
Roasted Kumara – add 1/2 cup roasted kumara when blending.
Roasted pumpkin – add 1/2 cup roasted kumara when blending.
Roasted carrot – this combination is lovely and sweet – add 1/2 cup when blending.  beetroot – add 1/2 cup cooked beetroot when blending
Sundried tomatoes – dice 1/3 of a cup of sun-dried tomatoes and add when blending.
Mexican twist – add 1/2 teaspoon of each cumin, paprika and chilli.
Red pepper – add 1/2 cup roasted red pepper (capsicum) and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. 

 

 

 

Kayla

Chocolate Avocado Mousse |Egg free, Dairy Free

This smooth and creamy chocolate avocado mousse is a great healthy, allergy friendly dessert. It’s gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, coconut free, and probably paleo!

I get asked quite a few questions about this recipe so I will do my best to answer them here!

Can you taste the avocado?

No you cannot taste the avocado! And I am fussy about this – I dont like the taste of avocado in my cooking and baking! Once I could taste it and it was because my avocados were way too overripe, and I tried to salvage them by making them into mousse – sadly, the best place for them was the compost! So if you hate food waste like me, make sure your avocados are actually edible first!

Can you make this banana free?

Yes! I only added the banana for some natural sweetness, as one of my kids doesn’t do well on sweeteners, whether they are refined sugar free or not. So I try and stick to whole foods for sweetness where I can. You can completely omit the banana, and you may or may not have to adjust the sweetener, depending on your preferences.

Does this HAVE to chill first?

Yes AND no …

Yes it does need to be cold before you eat it, just like any good mousse it is best enjoyed after some setting time to let it chill. HOWEVER, patience not being my virtue, I came up with a hack – and that was to add 1/2 cup (or up to 1 cup) of frozen berries to the blender with the other ingredients. This will make you instant, chilled chocolate avocado mousse! You can just taste the berries and they make a lovely edition to the mousse.

If you make this don’t forget the tag me on Facebook and Instagram, and use the hashtag #chefashtonnz

If you are keen on other raw avocado desserts I have the most delicious Chocolate Peanut butter cheesecake in my Easter Treats Ebook.

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Avocado Chocolate Mousse

This smooth and creamy chocolate avocado mousse is a great healthy, allergy friendly dessert. It's gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free and coconut free!
Prep Time5 mins
Course: Dessert, lunchbox, Snack, treats
Keyword: avocado, chocolate, chocolate avocado mousse, chocolate mousse, coconut free, dairy free, egg free, gluten free, grain free, mousse, no bake, nut free, treats
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 large avocados
  • ½ banana (if you cannot have banana or are looking for low carb option, omit the banana)
  • 2 Tablespoons raw cacao
  • 2 – 4 Tablespoons maple syrup (or sweetner of your choice)
  • 1/2 c milk of your choice (almond, coconut, hemp, rice milk etc)

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients together in your blender or food processor.
  • Blitz until well combined, smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape the sides down a couple of times to incorperate everything. ½
  • Chill in the fridge for an hour or so before serving. (unless adding frozen berries*)

Notes

*To make instant cold mousse that doesn’t need to be chilled first, add 1/2 to 1 cup of frozen berries. If using a blender, put them in first, against the blades, then layer the other ingredients on top. 
 

Kayla

Grain Free Banana Pancakes | 3 Ingredient

These grain free banana pancakes are so easy to make, and only have 3 ingredients. You can add more if you like, but they get by just fine with the 3! You can make them nut free, by replacing the peanut butter with a flour of your choice, or a Protien powder. Obviously the flour you use will depend on whether they remain grain free or not!

Nut free

Replace the nut butter with a flour of your choice:

Wheat flour, almond flour, spelt, gluten free flour, buckwheat, coconut flour, oat flour and tapioca would all work. Or use a protien powder of your choice (we use this one).

Nut Free and Grain Free

Use either coconut flour, almond meal or tapioca. Make sure you add the baking powder (or 1/3 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp vinegar if your store brought baking powder isn’t grain free) when you use these flours as it helps to add lift with the addition of the flours and keep the pancakes fluffy!

My kids love these grain free banana pancakes for afternoon tea, or a quick, easy breakfast. Sometimes I pour the mix into my muffin tray and bake them … I guess that would make them ‘Puffins’? ‘Mancakes’? ‘Muffcakes’? Haha – you decide, just know that whatever you call them, you need to be comfortable with the level of awkwardness that results if your child might name them to their neighbour, or the supermarket checkout operator … In any case if you’d like to bake them, pour into muffin tray and bake at 180℃ for about 10 minutes or until they are cooked in the centre. (They will puff right up in the middle, then ‘deflate’ when taken out of the oven).

Options:

So you can also add the following to the pancakes which would then not make them ‘3 ingredient pancakes’ but would still make them super quick, easy and versatile!

  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon protien powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (I highly recommend adding this, it helps to keep them light and fluffy)
  • A handful of frozen berries

I have been known to include ALL of the above at once!

You can also cook these in the waffle iron – they come out delish and are also great for lunchboxes!

If you make these don’t forget to let me know, leave a comment, and share them by tagging Chef Ashton on Facebook and Instagram.

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3 Ingredient Banana Pancakes

These Banana pancakes are so quick and easy to throw together. They are naturally gluten and dairy free, and there are several variations you can use to suit your preferances and dietary requirements.
Prep Time10 mins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, lunch, lunchbox, Snack
Cuisine: Gluten free, Grain free
Keyword: coconut free, dairy free, gluten free, grain free, nut free, pancakes, treats
Author: Kayla

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 banana
  • 1 Tablespoon peanut butter (or any nut butter)

Instructions

  • Either mash the banana and add the eggs and peanut butter, stir to combine or whizz the whole lot up in the blender, or with a handheld blender.
  • Fry with some coconut oil, or other neutral tasting oil, on low – med heat until bubbles begin to form and pop. Then flip and brown on the other side.
  • We enjoy these with coconut yoghurt and berries

Notes

To make these nut free replace the nut butter with a flour of your choice, wheat flour, buckwheat flour, gluten free flour, spelt flour and coconut flour would all work. You can also use a Protien powder of your choice instead of nut butter or flour as well. 
If you have some extra time, you can add 1 tsp baking powder to the mix, it helps them to rise and adds a bit of fluffiness. 
 
 

Kayla

Seed Crackers – Gluten and Dairy Free

These homemade, gluten free and dairy free seed crackers are so easy to make, and much cheaper than store brought varieties. Great for dipping in hummus, nut butters and more!

They make a great addition to any birthday party spread, or shared snack plates. They go especially well with some homemade hummus.

Made with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed (linseed) and sesame seeds – and not much else! Just some water for soaking and a tiny bit of flour to bind. Then seasonings if you wish. I have listed salt as a must, but you can also add pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chilli, nutritional yeast, or whatever other seasonings you might enjoy.

You need to be a little bit organised to soak the seeds the night before making (or soak in the morning and make in the afternoon). You could probably soak for half an hour to an hour and they’d still turn out great. But I like to soak them for longer to sprout the seeds first.

Why spouted seeds?

Because, sprouting can increase nutrient levels in the grain, legume, vegetable, nut or seed being sprouted. Sprouts also contain lower levels of antinutrients, making it easier for your body to absorb all the nutrients they contain.

What flour to use? 

We like using tapioca or buckwheat flour – it’s only a small amount so you can basically use whatever flour you have handy. Wholemeal, wheat flour, spelt flour, gluten free flour blend, tapioca, rice flour and buckwheat are all suitable for this binding job. 

These are my favourite gluten, and dairy free crackers by far, I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does! 

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Seed Crackers – gluten and dairy free

These homemade, gluten free seed crackers are so easy to make, and much cheaper than store brought varieties. Great for dipping in hummus, nut butters and more!
Prep Time10 mins
Plus time to soak the seeds before making1 d
Course: lunch, lunchbox, Snack
Keyword: coconut free, cracker, crackers, egg free, gluten free, grain free, nut free, paleo, seed crackers, seeds, soy free
Author: Kayla

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Sunflower seeds
  • ½ cup Pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup Sesame seeds
  • ½ cup Linseeds (flaxseed)
  • ⅓ teaspoon Salt
  • sesame seeds to sprinkle on top
  • 1 teaspoon flour (heaped) (your choice of flour: wholemeal, gluten free, buckwheat, tapioca)

Instructions

  • Put all the seeds in a bowl togther. Cover them with water. Soak the seeds overnight.
  • Next day: Preheat oven to 180°c. Drain the seeds, the linseeds would have 'gelled' overnight and will be slimy and coated in the water (this is what helps to hold the crackers together) just drain off any excess water as best you can.
  • Put the seeds in the food processor and process until it becomes a light paste but still has some visible chunks of seed.
  • Mix in the flour and salt.
  • Oil two baking sheets the size of your baking tray. Place half of the mixture on each sheet. Oil two more sheets and place on top of the dough.
  • Roll out between the two baking sheets to about 2-4mm thin. I often just use my hands to gently press them down and spread them out. Carefully, slowly peel off the top sheet.
  • Scour cut marks into the dough so they easily break into squares when they are done.
  • Sprinkle with some more salt and sesame seeds. Bake for about 20 mins.
  • Sometimes the edges are done first, but the middle isn’t crisp yet, if this is the case, break the crackers into squares then put the middle pieces back in to crisp for a further 5 – 10 minutes.
  • Let them cool on the baking paper, then try not to eat them all at once! If you happen to have any left over, they store in an airtight container for about a week.

If you make any of my recipes don’t forget to tag me on Facebook or Instagram. And if you have any questions about the recipe, or anything else don’t hesitate to ask!

A stack of gluten and dairy free seed crackers scattered with sunflower and sesame seeds

Kayla