INTRODUCTION

‘Simple’ is a word not often honoured in today’s 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 can’t 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 life’s 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 soufflé 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, I’m sure you’ll find a wholesome recipe or two here to tickle your fancy.

EGG POTS WITH NUTMEG CRÈME FRAÎCHE

These insanely delicious egg pots are super simple to make. They’re 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 (4½ oz/½ cup) crème fraîche, or 125 ml (4 fl oz/ ½ cup) thin (pouring) cream

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

½ 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 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

Put the crème fraîche, 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 don’t tear.

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

Bake for 15–20 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.

MAKES 6 MEDIUM OR 12 MINI MUFFINS GF, VEG

540 g (1 lb 3 oz/2 cups) cooked quinoa (see Note)

4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten

100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) grated cheddar cheese

2 large handfuls of basil leaves, roughly chopped

40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

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

Line the holes of a muffin tin with baking paper. If making six medium muffins, line six holes of a standard 12-hole muffin tin. Alternatively, line 12 holes of a mini muffin tin.

Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add a large
pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix well until combined.

Divide the mixture among the muffin holes and bake for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

NOTE

If you don’t have any left-over cooked quinoa, place 150 g (5½ oz/¾ cup) rinsed quinoa in a saucepan with 375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes, or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir the grains using a fork or spoon, then cover and leave to sit for 10 minutes. You should now have the right amount of cooked quinoa for these muffins.

PARMESAN-TOPPED MUSHROOM SOUFFLÉ OMELETTE

This light, fluffy omelette puffs up to twice its size while baking in the oven, giving off the most delicious smell.

I like to serve it with crispy bacon and a lovely green salad for weekend brunch.

SERVES 3–4 GF, VEG

6 free-range eggs, separated

2 tablespoons ghee, butter or olive oil

180 g (6 oz/2 cups) thinly sliced portobello mushrooms

1 large handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, roughly chopped

1 large handful of grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

extra virgin olive oil, to serve

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

Place the egg whites in a clean bowl with a pinch of salt. Using an electric mixer, beat until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk for a minute or so, until lighter in colour.

Fold half the beaten egg white into the egg yolk until evenly incorporated. Now fold the remaining egg white through, being careful not to overmix.

Melt the ghee in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, along with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are nicely browned and softened.

Pour in the egg mixture, then scatter the parsley and half the parmesan on top. Place the frying pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until the omelette has doubled in height.

Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and the lemon juice, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

HERBED BREAKFAST HASH WITH SWEDE, PANCETTA AND PARMESAN

This is one of my favourite brunch recipes, and is an excellent way to use up left-over vegetables. I’ve used roast swede in this recipe, but any left-over roasted root vegetable would work well. You can use other dark leafy greens instead of spinach, and omit the parmesan for a dairy-free version.

SERVES 2–4 GF

420 g (15 oz/2 cups) finely chopped left-over roast swede (rutabaga)

6–8 strips of pancetta or prosciutto

2 large handfuls of chopped English spinach leaves

4 free-range eggs

1 handful of fresh herbs, such as basil, flat-leaf (Italian) parsley and chives

50 g (1¾ oz/½ cup) finely grated parmesan cheese

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

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

Heat a large ovenproof frying pan until warmed through. Evenly assemble the swede, pancetta and spinach in the warm pan.

Make four small wells in the mixture, then carefully crack an egg into each hole. Sprinkle the herbs and parmesan on top, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake for 15–20 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs cooked. Serve hot.

THE BEST BAKED BEANS

What I love about these deliciously tasty baked beans is that they can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and are a total winner with the kids. I swear, once you try these, you’ll never buy the tinned version again. Feel free to add your favourite herbs and spices for an extra flavour kick.

I like to make a double batch of these baked beans, and reserve some for when I don’t feel like cooking.

SERVES 4 GF, DF (if no ghee or butter used), VEG (if using vegetable stock), V (if no ghee, butter or chicken stock used)

2 tablespoons ghee, butter or olive oil

1 leek, white part only, cut in half lengthways, then finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 handful of thyme leaves, roughly chopped

1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) organic chicken or vegetable stock

125 g (4½ oz/½ cup) tomato paste (concentrated purée)

400 g (14 oz) tin white beans, such as haricot (navy) beans, butterbeans or cannellini beans

Melt the ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes, until soft and slightly browned.

Add the thyme, stock, tomato paste and beans and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 35–45 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half — the sauce should be thick and pulpy.

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The beans will keep for 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.

CARAMELISED SHALLOT AND THYME FRITTATA WITH BUFFALO MOZZARELLA

Honeyed thyme shallots add a subtle sweet and aromatic depth to this tasty frittata. Topped with creamy buffalo mozzarella, it is an absolute pleasure to eat. It is lovely on its own, or add a green salad and call it brunch. It is equally good cold, as a picnic dish.

SERVES 2 GF, VEG

4 tablespoons ghee, butter or olive oil

10 French shallots, roughly chopped

2 handfuls of thyme leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra sprigs to garnish

2 tablespoons honey, or maple or agave syrup

4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten

150 g (5½ oz) fresh buffalo mozzarella, roughly torn

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6).

Melt the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat, until sizzling. Add the shallot, thyme and a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 10–12 minutes, until the shallot is soft and slightly browned.

Turn the heat to low and drizzle the honey on top. Continue to cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the shallot is lovely and caramelised. You can add a little water if the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the mixture to a small pie dish, about 375 ml (13 fl oz/ 1½ cups) in capacity, and spread it out evenly. Pour the beaten eggs over, then top with the mozzarella and extra thyme sprigs.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the egg is cooked through and slightly golden on top. Serve hot or cold.

RAW SHREDDED COCONUT, CHIA AND ALMOND CEREAL

This is a lovely coconutty, crunchy, sweet and chewy breakfast cereal. Serve it with milk of your choice, and if you’re feeling fancy, an extra dollop of yoghurt, a drizzle of honey and some fresh fruit.You can easily double or triple the quantities if you wish to make more.

SERVES 6–8 GF, DF, VEG, V

65 g (2¼ oz/1 cup) shredded coconut

75 g (2½ oz/½ cup) dried cranberries (or other dried fruit of your choice)

40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

2 tablespoons chia seeds (poppy seeds also work well)

65 g (2¼ oz/½ cup) sliced almonds

70 g (2½ oz/½ cup) ground seeds or nuts of your choice

40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) sunflower seeds

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, then transfer to an airtight glass jar.

The cereal will keep in a cool dark place for up to 6 months.

THE BEST BAKED BANANAS

The perfect guilt-free breakfast, dessert or even midday treat, these sticky baked bananas are drizzled with honey and lemon juice and spiced with cinnamon. These simple flavours work beautifully together; every mouthful gives an incredible burst of sweet, spicy, syrupy goodness.

Serve the bananas topped with a sprinkling of mixed seeds, chopped dried fruit and a dollop of plain yoghurt if desired.

SERVES 3–4 GF, DF, VEG, V (if no honey used)

4 unpeeled bananas, sliced in half lengthways

115 g (4 oz/¹/₃ cup) honey, or 80 ml (2½ oz/¹/₃ cup) maple or agave syrup

juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

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

Lay the bananas, skin side down, on a large baking tray. Drizzle with the honey and lemon juice, then sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until nicely golden and caramelised. Serve warm.

NUT BUTTER DATE BREAD

This deliciously moist, light and fluffy date bread is made entirely from nutrient-rich, wholesome ingredients, with the nut butter giving it an incredible texture.

The bread slices excellently and is wonderful with a large smear of butter and jam.

MAKES 10–12 SLICES GF, DF, VEG

160 g (5½ oz/1 cup) pitted medjool dates, soaked in water overnight, then drained well

375 g (13 oz/1½ cups) nut butter

4 free-range eggs

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 handful of slivered almonds, for decorating (optional)

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2). Line a 22 x 12 cm (8½ x 4½inch) loaf (bar) tin with baking paper.

Put the dates, nut butter, eggs, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar in a large bowl. Using a potato masher, mash all the ingredients well and mix together until the mixture resembles a smooth paste. (You can also use a food processor to do this, if you prefer.)

Spoon the batter into the tin. If decorating with the almonds, scatter them evenly on top.

Pop into the oven and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin before inverting onto a wire rack.

The loaf will keep for 3–4 days in an airtight container, and can be frozen for up to 2 months wrapped in foil or plastic wrap.