Juices - Mid morning Winter boost

Lately I have been reading a lot about the Vegan diet and its benefits, for our health and also environmentally.
Most people might think it's very complicated and think almost impossible, but really, if you look carefully, you might already be eating a few vegan meals without even realising.
I am really into my juices, specially in Winter when I feel more rundown and need an energy boost.

Here's two recipes I have been drinking for the past week and have been doing wonders.
Enjoy!

3 medium carrots

knob of ginger

1 orange

handful of kale

1/2 lemon

2 cups of kale

1/2 red grapefruit

1 orange

knob of ginger

1 medium carrot

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Gluten free

It's freezing outside and I am inside working on my research about food, and recipes and cookbooks... food food food... The vegan curry I made for lunch was absolutely delicious and very filling, but that was at 1 pm and it's 6pm and I am ravenous!
Since it's the weekend, and I am a very nice girl, I figured chocolate chip cookies wouldn't do any harm - you're with me, right?
Here's the recipe ( and I am still licking my fingers).


150 gr softened butter
2 eggs, cold from the fridge and separate yolks from whites
125 light muscavado sugar
100 gr caster sugar
300 gr rice flour
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
1 tsp xantham gum
2 tsp vanilla extract (the best quality you can afford)
200 gr good quality dark chocolate ( I used 70%) - break into chunks

Essentially, I made a mistake mixing the ingredients the first time I made this recipe, but since it worked out so well I am keeping it that way.

Pre-heat the oven 170 C and line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Weigh in all dried ingredients in one bowl and set aside. Separate the eggs - whites in a small bowl, yolks in the main mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and vanilla extract to the egg yolks and beat for a minute, then add all dried ingredients at once except for the chocolate chunks. Add the egg whites last and the chocolate chunks.

Roll the dough into roughly 22 balls and bake for 15 minutes. I have a small baking tray so I baked 9 cookies at a time. You can also keep the cookie dough in the fridge for 5 days and bake fresh. The baked cookies last 5 days.
Enjoy!

Winter kick - carrot, apple, ginger and lemon juice

I first started drinking "healthy" juices when I started having sciatica problems. I read ginger was great for sciatica problems as it's anti inflammatory, and along with my physiotherapy, I can tell you, I haven't had any major sciatica crisis in 2 years! Bear in mind I work with children and often carry a baby on a sling for hours, and no sciatica in sight!
I have a few key juices I make for different needs. This week for instance, I spent a lot of time outside with the kids and started feeling extremely exhausted, dry skin and generally feeling like a reck. I ate a lot of nuts (specially almonds), pulses, packed my meals with healing spices like cinnamon and turmeric. Even though I felt a lot better and kept me going, I had to add more to my juices.
I am drinking it as I am writing this post and I can already feel it kicking in - I am energised!
Try it too, it's amazing!

3 medium carrots
1/2 lemon
Generous knob of ginger - about 2 cm
1 juicy red apple

Enjoy!

Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa

I went a little overboard last week at Books for Cooks and got myself 6 new cookbooks. They are all huge with hundreds of recipes each.
I am aching to start trying these recipes but wasn't sure what would be the best to start... so I decided to do one book per month.
For this month I chose one of my favourite American cooks, Ina Garten, also known as the Barefoot Contessa. I find her recipes easy to make, and flawless. She uses everyday ingredients in such a sophisticated manner, I am a huge fan. I got the book "Make aAhead" which has lots of tips on how to prepare dinner parties ahead and how to store and keep your meals, as well as if you want to make to freeze.

You can have a look at Ina's website here if you fancy trying some of her recipes.

Ps - the beautiful table runner was handmade by my sister Luisa Martins

Books for cooks - Notting Hill

If you love cooking books - like I do - this is the shop for you - "Books for Cooks" in Notting Hill-London.

They have a great selection of cook books from all over the world!

I would love to be able to travel the world and tgo on a food adventure but until that happens, I got myself books on Japanese food, mexican, american, israeli food, healing with food and of course, gluten free baking!

I'll be sharing some of my experiences with you all very very soon!

For more information about this Books for Cooks click here.

Chocolate and beetroot cake- gluten free

This is probably one of my favourite cakes for various reasons. Mainly the look on people's faces when I tell them it's made with beetroot! A lot of people don't like the earthiness of this wonderful root vegetable. Beetroots are full of vitamins, and an amazing source of iron. Also, beetroots are fun too. If you have children you can play with it too! For the more gory kids you can pretend it's blood or the more fashionable ones you can  pretend it's lipstick. So, all and all, a very versitile vegetable!

I make this cake to have for tea during the week but it also works great as a birthday cake if you add a simple chocolate ganache.

3 eggs
300gr light brown sugar
1 1/2 bicarb of soda
7 tsp good quality coco powder
220 ml vegetable oil or hazelnut oil
225 gr rice flour
250 gr cooked beetroot ( pureed)
1/2 tsp Xantham gum
1tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven on 170 FAN or gas mark 4 and butter a medium square tin.

Measure all dried ingredients and set aside. Mix all wet ingredients together and beat for a couple of minutes until homogenic.
Now add the dried ingredients and mix together until well blended.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

For a simple ganache, melt 150 gr of good quality dark chocolate  on a very low heat. When most of the chocolate has melted take off the hob on to a cold surface and continue stirring. Add 170 ml of double cream and stir until you have a smooth ganache. Spread and decorate as you wish!

Enjoy!

Lemon and berry polenta cake-Gluten Free

This is a great winter cake as it has lots of Vitamin C and if you're on a diet, it's a great treat as it's not too bad on the calories.
This recipe has been adapted from "St Clements polenta cake with blueberries" from the River Cottage book " Light and Easy". It takes a little time to make but i'll let you know, it's worth it!

Ingredients:

2 medium lemons
1 juicy orange
A little olive oil to oil the tin and parchment paper
150gr fine polenta or cornmeal
100gr gluten free plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
250 gr caster sugar
100gr blackberries
100gr blueberries
1/2 almond extract

In a small pan, simmer the lemons and orange for 45 minutes on a low heat or until the fruit starts falling appart. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool down.
Preheat the oven on 170 C/ Gas mark 3 and prepare the baking tin.
Chop the lemons and orange and and remove pips. Blend all on a food processor. Now, mix all ingredients together except from the berries.
Scrape the batter into the tin and add the berries.
Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Enjoy!