Ozich - My petite kitchen cookbook : simple wholefood recipes

My Petite Kitchen Cookbook is a complete menu of more than 100 simple, wholefood, gluten-free recipes that feed body and soul.

Eleanor Ozich has first-hand experience of the health benefits of clean, whole food the recipes in this book were created as part of her familys road to simple eating, adopted as a means of curing her four-year-old daughters severe eczema.

Replacing sugar and grains with natural, unprocessed alternatives, Eleanors recipes show how easy it is to prepare healthy food that is bursting with flavour and goodness. And her stunning photography is a feast for the eyes, capturing the essence of her food fresh, vibrant, for sharing.

From Caramelised shallot and thyme frittata, Apple and sage pork cassoulet and Slow-cooked zucchini with basil and lemon, to Decadent raspberry and coconut chocolate torte and Lemon and coconut truffles, My Petite Kitchen Cookbook includes breakfasts, lunches, drinks, dinners and desserts and everything in between.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Simple is a word not often honoured in todays busy lives. However, it was this very word that inspired me to start writing a daily recipe blog. Petite Kitchen was created purely to share my passion and vision for wholesome, nourishing food. Every recipe in this book encapsulates my experiences of personal research, trial and testing, resulting in each recipe being created as nature intended it to be simple!

The road to simple eating began when our daughter, Izabella, developed a severe skin condition. Despite countless visits to doctors and specialists, nobody could shine light on her condition, or explain the impact it had on her behaviour. In despair, we visited a naturopath, who explained Izabella was suffering from an imbalance of bad gut bacteria, causing toxins that were resulting in her skin condition, among other issues. This revelation made complete sense to me.

We decided to embark on an exciting new journey, to heal and nourish our bodies, not only for our daughter, but also for ourselves. We removed gluten and almost all grains, all refined sugar, additives and preservatives from our diets, and adopted a simple and clean way of eating that our generation seems to have lost sight of.

This beautiful, natural diet has helped our little girl in ways I cant even explain. The impact it has had on my husband, my one-year-old son and of course myself has been almost unbelievable. Energy, positivity and a new lease of life now grace our home.

My Petite Kitchen Cookbook is the lovingly nurtured result of this transformation. It is inspiring that food the very item that is causing obesity, depression and health epidemics of unfathomable proportions is also the very thing that can be used to cure, cleanse and help our bodies and minds.

The recipes in this book work wonderfully in all seasons and for all occasions, and can be enjoyed by the whole family. Each and every recipe is lovingly selected, and contains whole, natural and unprocessed ingredients, so that you can enjoy lifes delicious pleasures, while also nourishing your body.

I believe food truly brings people together. It is something so special and beautiful to be shared with others, and should be made with plenty of love and care.

Enjoy, look and ask, but most of all, I invite you to taste. Get lost for an afternoon in your kitchen. This is the essence of my mission to provide others with the joy and happiness that has graced our little family.

Eleanor Ozich

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

I have annotated each recipe, indicating whether it is gluten-free, dairy-free, suitable for vegetarians, or for vegans, or a combination of these. When a recipe is not gluten-free, I have suggested an alternative ingredient to make it so.

The recipes are coded as follows:

GF: Gluten-free

DF: Dairy-free

VEG: Suitable for vegetarians

V: Suitable for vegans

BREAKFAST

Breakfast is a cherished time in our family. Sitting around the breakfast bar and enjoying a meal together is the perfect way to prepare for the day ahead.

The recipes gathered here vary from those that can be prepared the night before, such as Coconut bircher muesli and Chia seed breakfast pudding, to comforting staples such as Apple, nutmeg and buckwheat porridge, and my personal favourites, Shallot and thyme frittata and a wonderful Mushroom souffl omelette perfect for enjoying on a lazy weekend morning.

I love adding new textures and flavours to classic breakfast recipes, so feel free to add a scattering of your own favourite dried fruits, shredded coconut, crushed nuts or seeds to your creations. Whatever your morning breakfast style, Im sure youll find a wholesome recipe or two here to tickle your fancy.

EGG POTS WITH NUTMEG CRME FRACHE

These insanely delicious egg pots are super simple to make. Theyre almost like a toasted sandwich, but in muffin form, with a delicious runny poached egg inside. Our kids absolutely love them.

This version is vegetarian, but it is also divine with some prosciutto or cooked bacon added.

SERVES 6 GF, VEG

125 g (4 oz/ cup) crme frache, or 125 ml (4 fl oz/ cup) thin (pouring) cream

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

6 slices of gluten-free bread

3 tablespoons melted ghee, butter or olive oil

6 free-range eggs

1 small handful of thyme leaves or chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4).

Put the crme frache, mustard and nutmeg in a small bowl with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Beat well with a whisk, then set aside.

Flatten each slice of bread with a rolling pin, then brush each side with the melted ghee. Line six standard muffin holes with the bread, pressing them in carefully with your hands so they dont tear.

Carefully crack an egg into each bread case, then spoon about 2 tablespoons of the crme frache mixture over each. Sprinkle with the herbs.

Bake for 1520 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs cooked. Serve immediately.

CHEDDAR AND QUINOA MUFFINS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL

Full of wholesome goodness, these warm, savoury quinoa muffins are deliciously cheesy, enriched with the sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes. I like to make a large batch for breakfast, saving some for an afternoon snack. The muffins are also a brilliant addition to a summer picnic.