JULIA AND LIBBY MATTHEWS are sisters who love everything that nourishes the body, mind and soul. Five years ago they decided to make a change. Feeling tired and rundown, they ditched highly-processed, sugar-laden products and turned to wholefoods – foods that are closest to their natural state. Now in their first cookbook they share their favourite recipes and tips for how to keep healthy and feel great.
HERB-CRUSTED SALMON ON GREEN RICE
With salmon being a staple in our household, we wanted to create a different way to enjoy it. Chopped walnuts and herbs are a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and complement the salmon beautifully.
SALMON:
- 1 organic egg
- ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 1 cup almond meal
- ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to garnish
- 1 cup finely chopped dill
- zest of 1 lemon
- 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted but cool
- salt and pepper, to season
- 500g sustainably sourced salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
GREEN RICE:
- ½ head cauliflower
- ½ head broccoli
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- salt, pepper and nutmeg, to season
- squeeze of lemon juice
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan-bake.
- In a small bowl, combine egg, walnuts, almond meal, parsley, dill, lemon zest, coconut oil, and salt and pepper.
- Cover the tops of the salmon fillets with this mixture.
- Place salmon fillets on an oven tray and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is lightly golden.
- Meanwhile, cut cauliflower and broccoli into chunks. Place in a food processor and gently pulse until broken down into small granules. Set aside in a bowl. If you do not have a food processor, you can grate the cauliflower and broccoli.
- Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add coconut oil, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes, then mix straight away with raw broccoli and cauliflower mixture in a large bowl.
- Serve salmon fillets on a bed of green rice, garnished with chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
GF// DF// WF
BERRY CHEESECAKE SLICE
With the texture of ice cream minus the refined sugars and dairy, this slice will melt in your mouth! A beautiful summertime treat that will have you going back for more.
BASE:
- 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup almonds
FILLING:
- 3 cups raw cashews
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ cup rice malt syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries)
- Cover cashews for the filling with water and leave to soak, either overnight or for a few hours before you need them. This makes them easier to blend later on.
- Cover dates for the base in warm water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Line a 23cm x 13cm slice tin with baking paper.
- Drain dates and place in a food processor with almonds, and process until combined. Press into the base of the tin and place in the freezer to set.
- Drain and rinse cashews. Place all filling ingredients except berries into the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more lemon juice if you prefer the mixture to be tart.
- Layer half the filling over the base, pressing a few berries into the mixture. Cover and place in the freezer to chill.
- Add remaining berries to the filling left in the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Layer this over the first layer, cover and place back in the freezer to firm up. The cheesecake will be set in a few hours. When ready to serve, cut into pieces.
Can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Remove about half an hour before serving to allow it to soften a little.
GF// DF// WF// V
Extracted from Julia & Libby’s Wholefood Kitchen by Julia and Libby Matthews, published by Penguin NZ, RRP: $50.00. Photography by Lottie Hedley.
