Whole Promise

On My Plate....................

2012-03-07T03:20:00.000-08:00

Chia Seed and Almond Meal Bread

By Tania Hubbard from Husk and Honey

1 cup almond meal

2 Tbs chia seeds

30 mls water

3/4 cup arrowroot, sifted

1 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)

2 tbs apple cider vinegar

3 eggs, preferably organic pastured

a good pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius

Mix the chia seed with the water, stirring occasionally to mix evenly

Sift arrowroot and bicarb into a bowl

Add the almond meal and salt, mix well

Using a whisk combine the dry ingredients to evenly mix together

Add the eggs, soaked chia seeds and apple cider vinegar

Mix well until there are no lumps

(expect a mix that is quite thick)

Pour into a prepared baking tin (spring form pan or loaf tin) lined with baking paper

Bake for 25 mins until bread is firm to the touch and bounces back when lightly pressed

Remove the bread from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack

Soothing and refreshing plus a bit of fat to take you through to lunch. Nice to nibble on after the morning rush is over.

Hearty and satisfying is how i would describe these. They take time but will serve you for a number of days. A good thing to prepare on the weekend in preparation for the week ahead.

Real Baked Beans

Adapted from Three Bean Espresso Cafe

Serves 6

350gms dried white beans, soaked in water overnight

2 Tbs cold press olive oil

1 brown onions, finely chopped

1 large red capsicum, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 tbs ground coriander

11/2 tbs sweet paprika

10 thyme sprigs, plus extra to garnish

3 x 400gms can whole peeled tomatoes

1/4 cup honey

a good dollop of butter (optional)

salt and pepper to season

Wash the pre soaked beans well and allow to drain in colander

Heat oil in pan over a medium - high heat

Add the onion and cook for 5 mins

Add the capsicum, bay leaves, coriander, paprika and thyme and cook, stirring regularly until the capsicum softens

Reduce the heat to medium low and add the tomatoes, squashing them down with a spoon

cook slowly for approx 1 hour

Meanwhile place the drained beans in a pot

Cover with water and bring to a slow simmer for approx 1 hour or until beans are tender

Add the honey and butter to the tomato based sauce and season with salt and pepper to your taste

Stir in the beans and cook for a further 20 - 25 mins to allow the flavours to develop

Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt or sour cream.

Gluten Free Cranberry Drops

Makes approx 12 biscuits

1/4 cup coconut sugar

100gms organic unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius

Beat the sugar and butter together in a stand mixer until fluffy

Add the egg and continue beating until well combined

1/4 cup quinoa flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/3 cup dried cranberries + extra for toping biscuits

Combine the above dry ingredients in a bowl and use a hand whisk to mix evenly

Then add to the wet mix

Combine in the stand mixer or with a spatula

Scoop up dough pieces about the size of a twenty cent piece and roll into little balls

Place on a flat baking tray lined with glad bake

Top each ball of dough with a dried cranberry pushing it into the centre to slightly flatten

Bake in a preheated oven for 10 - 12 mins

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool

A bag of carrots, leftover quinoa, two hungry boys, one hungry mum and some pantry staples = Carrot and Chia patties. I think this recipe could do with some tweaking but it got me over the line with filling up some hungry tummies fast. They went nicely alongside some a green salad and made for an easy lunch the following day. Experiment with these and make it your own.

Carrot and Chia Patties

Makes approx 8 - 10 patties

200gm carrot, grated

75gms quinoa, cooked

40gms parmesan cheese, grated

2 - 4 T fresh coriander, chopped finely ( i like more)

2 Tbs dried cranberries, roughly chopped

1 heaped Tbs wholegrain mustard

1 tspn chia seeds

lime zest or caviar of 1 finger lime (optional)

salt and pepper to season

Place all of the above ingredients into a bowl and mix lightly to combine

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Add the eggs and mix well

Allow to sit for 10 mins

Preheat a frypan over medium heat

Add a dollop of ghee or choice of oil if needed

Drop spoonfuls of mix into the frypan and cover for 5 - 6 mins before flipping and cooking the other side

Remove and place on a plate

Cover with foil to keep warm

Repeat with remaining mixture

Serve warm with a side salad

Macadamia Cinnamon Crumble

2012-02-23T22:14:00.000-08:00

I have taken to having lots of fruit for breakfast lately as I simply can't pass up all the glorious offerings that adorn the market stalls at my local market. Figs, dragonfruit and stone fruit are in abundance yet I know their time is limited as summer draws to a close. As a breakfast food I find fruit generally doesn't sustain me so I have taken to adding some fat in the way of macadamia nuts for an extra boost which is perfect as they are grown in my local region. I really don't have any excuse to not use them do I? I have paired them with cinnamon here for a sweet touch which is delightful as I am sure you will think so as well. I think this crumble could be quite versatile in the way of desserts so keep it in mind as just another option.

Macadamia & Cinnamon Crumble

Serves 4

1/3 cup macadamia nuts, shelled

1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon ( I like cinnamon a lot)

1 tsp maple syrup (to your liking)

Place all the ingredients in a hand blender and whiz a couple of times to chop up the nuts

Give the mix a good stir to combine cinnamon and syrup evenly and serve over fruit of your choice.

Roasted Vegetable Salad + Tahini Dressing

2012-02-18T02:15:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm! This dressing served me very well over the course of a busy week. Mixed up and ready in the fridge it was fabulous drizzled over all sorts of things from the pictured selection of vegetables to a quick salad for dinner. It also meant I didn't have to look far for something easy and tasty to eat when walking through the door in the afternoons wanting to eat the leg off a chair and that meant not making any rash decisions out of hunger that I would regret. Try it, you won't be disappointed. If anything it is truly convenient.

For Vegetables

Prepare whatever vegetables you have on hand ( i had carrot, broccoli and zucchini) I tend to crank up the griller section of my oven and put a selection of vegetables cut into smallish size pieces under that along with a coating of coconut oil. Keep your eye on them however as they do burn quickly if left unattended.

I would think that steamed vegetables would also be tasty with this dressing

For Dressing

Adapted from Daily Raw

I like my dressings quite sharp so I have changed the original recipe to use only half the suggested amount of sesame oil. Original recipe calls for 4 T Sesame Oil so if you prefer it a little more mellow then add in an additional 2 Tbs.

2 Tbs Tahini

4 Tbs Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

2 T Sesame Oil

2 Tbs Sesame Seeds

1 tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine

Add desired amount to roast vegetables and enjoy!

Boys Snacking On................

2012-02-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

After three helpings of baked oatmeal things got messy!!!!

Another versions of our baked oatmeal. This time using a combination of blueberries and boysenberries. Don't assume oatmeal as a breakfast thing only. Consider it perfect for anytime of the day to fill those little tummies.

Portable and delicious these mini quiches are great for lunch boxes or taking with for a snack. They are easily varied but the boys tend to like asparagus and sweet corn as pictured. On this occasion they came in handy after a visit to the local fire station before our next stop - the park. These are made with our favourite gluten free pastry (millet, amaranth, and brown rice) but if you don't have a need for gluten free by all means check out the spelt pastry below as an alternative.

Millet, Amaranth and Brown Rice Crust
La Tartine Gourmande

Makes four small tartlets ( 4 1/2 inch) or 1 24cm tart tin

2/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup amaranth flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
7 Tbs (100g) unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1 small egg
3 Tbs cold water, or more as needed

Place all fours, xanthan gum and sea salt into the bowl of a stand mixer
Add the butter and mix on medium until a fine crumb forms
Add the egg and continue beating until well incorporated
Gradually add the water whilst beating until the dough detaches from the bowl and forms a ball.
Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a min of 1 hr before using
Remove from the fridge 30 mins before rolling out (see instructions below)

or

Spelt Pastry
Jude Blereau

3/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour
3/4 cup white spelt flour
100g chilled unsalted butter, chopped
80 - 100ml ice cold water
1/2 tsp sea salt

Place flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse once or twice until fine crumbs form
Add sea salt and pulse once again before gradually adding the water, being careful not to overwork the dough.
Once the mixture looks evenly moist, remove from the bowl and bring it to a ball on the bench being sure not to overwork it to much
Flatten slightly, then cover with plastic wrap before refrigerating for approx 20 - 30 mins

To Roll Out Pastry

Sprinkle a little flour onto the sheet of baking paper
Place the flattened ball of dough onto the sheet of baking paper before covering with another piece
Using a good sized rolling pin, place the pastry between two sheets of baking paper
Working quickly with a good sized rolling pin, roll the pastry once or twice before turning the pastry over (attached to the sheets of baking paper) and rolling again
until you have a rough circle for one large pie or if using smaller tart tines then cut pastry to size
Grease the tart tin/s with a butter or oil
Peel back the baking paper from the pastry and gently lower the pastry into the prepared tart tin/s
moulding it to the shape of the tin as you go
Trim any excess pastry overlapping the top of the tin by using a sharp knife
Place the pastry in the fridge for 20 - 30 mins
Pre heat your oven whilst you wait to 200 degrees celcius or 400 Fahrenheit
Place a baking tray in the oven to preheat as well so you can use it when blind baking the tart shell (see below)

Blind Baking

Remove the pastry from the fridge
Place an appropriate sized sheet of baking paper over each pastry lined tart tin
Fill with dried beans or pastry weights and place in a hot oven, on a preheated baking tray for 10 mins
Then remove the beans or pastry weights and reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees celcius/ 350 Fahrenheit before baking the tart shells for another 9 - 10 mins
Leave oven going whilst you prepare the filling

Filling

1 small bunch of asparagus, chopped
corn kernels cut from 1 cob of corn
one cherry tomato for each small tart
4 pastured eggs
1/4 cup full fat organic milk
2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to season

Put the eggs and cream in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk well and set aside
Arrange the asparagus, corn kernels around the perimeter of the tart shell leaving a little hollow in the centre to place the cherry tomatoes
Then carefully pour the egg mixture into each tart shell, filling till just below the top
Sprinkle the top of each tart with grated cheese
Place in the oven and bake for approximately 25 - 30 mins or until set

Our summer break is now just a distant memory. With the school year already started we are reminiscing our past adventures. Our most favourite adventure of the break was the visit we made to the local fire station. It proved a wonderful afternoon out and today the boys still talk about it. A big thank you to the firemen who so kindly gave their time to take the boys for a ride around the station in the fire truck and for allowing them to hold and squirt some water around the place. We very much appreciate all the work you do for the community.

Strawberry Coconut Smoothie

Serves 2

1 x 250gm punnet of strawberries (well washed)

1 banana (we like ladyfinger)

1 cup fresh pressed apple juice (store bought if you must)

To Garnish:

mint leaves

1 T shredded coconut

Press the juice from 2 – 3 granny smith apples using a juicer

Blend the strawberries, banana and fresh apple juice in a blender

Garnish with mint leaves and shredded coconut

Seeking Comfort in Baking - Quinoa Banana & Ginger Bread (Gluten Free)

2012-02-04T03:50:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have days where you just want to hold your family really tight? Yesterday my 2.5 year old ran straight out into a busy carpark despite my cries of “NO” and “STOP", then he laughed at me when I explained or should I say yelled the potential consequences of his actions (the joys of a toddler). The "what ifs" of the moment stick with me. I barely slept last night for thinking about it.

It can take a moment as such to make you appreciate what you have. It makes those days where you struggle with motherhood seem so irrelevant. It makes me want to hold my two boys really tight. When things seem a little topsy turvy I seek solace in my kitchen. It may sound silly but I potter, ponder and bake sometimes into the wee hours of the morning as a release from what is shading me. Last evening I baked this Quinoa Banana and Ginger Bread and this morning we shared a slice for morning tea whilst making paper cut outs of gingerbread men. It was simple and peaceful family time together.

The inspiration for this bread comes from La Tartine Gourmande. The pictures on her website always make me happy as does her food. Beware this bread is moorish. Its texture is soft and its crumb moist. So perfect for when one needs some comfort.

Quinoa Banana and Ginger Bread (Gluten Free)

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup quinoa flakes

2/3 cup quinoa flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1/2 cup coconut sugar

4 Tbs coconut oil

1 pear, grated
2 bananas, mashed with a fork
2 Tbs glace ginger

Preheat oven to 165 degrees Celsius (fan forced) or 325 Fahrenheit

Grease and line a loaf pan (or a tin of your choice)

Combine the dry ingredients (first six) in a bowl and briefly hand whisk to evenly combine

In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients (next 3 ingredients) and whisk to combine before adding the grated pear, mashed banana and glace ginger

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until just mixed

Pour the batter into the prepared tin (loaf pan)

Bake for approximately 20 - 25mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean

Hazelnut Cacao Balls

2012-01-26T20:46:00.000-08:00

After our break away the pantry was bare of all its usual homemade snacks so, with two hungry kids at my feet I had to work quickly to create something yummy and satisfying for them. I was under pressure but thankfully I had stocked up on hazelnut meal before we left so i was confident I could create something tasty out of that and here is what I came up with - tasty little morsels that didn't really last very long but did fill the little holes in those two growing boys tummies. For a little while anyway.

Hazelnut Cacao Balls

Makes approximately 16

5 fresh dates, seeds removed and roughly chopped

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup hazelnut meal

1/3 cup almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 T cacao nibs

pinch of sea salt

Place the fresh dates and desiccated coconut into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times

Then add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the mixture comes together

Using a spoon roll approximately 3/4 tbs amount of mixture into small balls

Repeat with the remaining mixture before placing in the fridge to firm up

On Hiatus in Yamba

2012-01-19T21:26:00.000-08:00

Currently we are enjoying some precious family time in the picturesque and laid back Yamba. No time for cooking this week, rather we are being waited on and sampling the local seafood and produce this region has to offer. Not to mention the salty stuff - water that is. The boys are in heaven!!!

Baked Peach & Hazelnut Oatmeal

2012-01-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

This is take 2 on this post. I am not quite sure what happened with the last post but something went pear shaped. Thanks to those who alerted me.

There is something quite comforting about Oats. Perhaps it is a childhood thing? - who knows, but something about eating them makes me feel cosy and satisfied. As a great way to start the day whether young or old, it is nice to add some variation to mix it up a little in comparison to the regular dish up as per this combination. We have been making the most of all the luscious stone fruit such as peaches, apricots & nectarines before they disappear. The peached found their way into this oatmeal and paired very nicely with the hazelnut meal. The kids went nuts over it eating it not only for breakfast but morning tea as well so I guess this one will be on the cards again sometime soon. I highly recommend soaking the oats before making this. It is not hard at all (see below) The reason why and in short is that soaking oats or any grain for that matter is important so that phytic acid is removed which can block the absorption of valuable vitamins and minerals. For further information please refer to the extract below from Nourishing Traditions Otherwise I hope you enjoy making this and getting creative with your own variations if you dare. I would love to hear about what you come up with.

All grains contain phytic acid (an organic acid in which phosphorous is bound) in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron especially zinc in the intestinal track and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains may led to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome and, in the long term, many other adverse effects. Soaking allows enzyme, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid. As little as seven hours of soaking in warm acidulated water will neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. The simple practice of soaking cracked or rolled cereal grains overnight will vastly improve their nutritional benefits.

Baked Peach & Hazelnut Oatmeal

Serves 6 - 8

250 gms rolled oats, soaked overnight (see below)

1 Tbs Natural Yoghurt + a pinch of salt

The Night Before:

Place the oats in a glass bowl along with 1 Tbs natural yoghurt + a pinch of salt

Add enough filtered water to completely cover the oats then cover with a lid or wrap and leave to soak on your bench overnight.

½ cup hazelnut meal + extra (approx 2 Tbs) to sprinkle on top

¼ cup honey

1 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup cream

1 large egg

2 Tbs shredded coconut

250 gms blueberries

3 medium size peaches sliced (approximately 8 slices per peach)

The Next Morning:

Prehaeat oven to 185 degrees celcius or 325 fahre

Prepare your chosen baking dish by greasing it if necessary

The following place the oats briely in a colander to drain any excess water away

Mix the drained oats with the hazelnut meal, honey, baking powder, cinnamon and salt

In another bowl whisk together the milk, cream and egg and then add to the oat mix

Mix well to combine

Arrange half of the peach slices in a single layer in the bottom of your chosen baking dish

Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the peaches along with the shredded coconut

Gently pour the oat mix over the top of the peaches & blueberries

Sea Salt Spelt Grissini

2012-01-02T02:28:00.000-08:00

Crisp, crunchy and addictable. For the life of me I am trying to work out why I haven't made these for the boys earlier. Thing is I tend to avoid store bought (unless desperate) as they are mostly manufactured using highly refined white flours whereas my own creation uses freshly ground organic whole spelt flour and packs a whole lot more nutritional substance than their store bought counterparts. Although fiddly to some extent I quite enjoyed the process and the boys gave a helping hand when it came to rolling out with plenty going in their gobs as well. What is it with kids and raw dough/batters anyway? We are heading on a picnic tomorrow with our little cousins visiting from Melbourne and some of these will be packed to snack on although, I have a sneaking suspicion the seagulls may be snacking on them as well.

Spelt Grissini with Sea Salt

Makes Approx 30

Adapted from Wildyeast & Baking Illustrated

310 gms whole spelt flour

200 gms water at room temperature

1 tsp instant yeast

¾ tsp fine sea salt

1 T cold pressed olive oil

toppings for your grissini – ie. sea salt, black sesame seeds, rosemary as per my choices however use whatever your wish

Combine the flour, yeast and sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached and mix gently to combine

Mix the water and olive oil together and slowly add to the dry ingredients in the stand mixer whilst the motor is running.

(be mindful that you may not need all of the water so add gradually)

Continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and elastic – approx 2 mins

Lightly oil a bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside and cover with a wet cloth or cling wrap

Leave the dough to ferment for 1.5 – 2 hrs or until doubled in size.

When the fermentation is over, preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit

Line a baking sheet (you may need two) with baking paper

Divide the dough into four equal pieces (keep pieces you are not working with covered to prevent drying out)

(Repeat this for each of the four pieces of dough)

Lightly flour the bench and roll each piece of dough into a rectangle shape as best you can

Using a sharp knife cut long skinny strips of equal width - approx 3cm wide

Roll up each piece into a snail shell before rolling into a thin skinny stick (see picture below)

Place each stick onto the prepared baking sheets

Spray or lightly brush each stick with olive oil and sprinkle with your choice of toppings rolling them around a little to lightly cover them (see picture below)

Pop in the pre heated oven for 25 – 30 mins or until lightly golden in colour

Cool on a wire rack

Thankyou Santa Claus & A Raw Start to the Day

2011-12-28T03:39:00.000-08:00

Hope you have all had a great xmas with your loved ones. I have personally been enjoying the break and the company of my sister and her family who arrived from Melbourne last week. I have also been enjoying my new chairs which I have Santa to thank for. As part of a collection of items passed on from my late grandmother I decided for xmas to have two of her chairs recovered in textiles by Clothfabric - have you heard of them? If not, they are a small independent company based in Sydney, Australia who like doing things the old fashioned way. They screenprint by hand and use an array of natural fibres such as hemp, organic cotton and linen which is naturally stylish. Click here to find out more. I only have one deliberation - should I keep the arms of the chairs the original colour as I have considered changing them? Anyone got any thoughts????? The fabric here is banksia. I was instantly drawn to this print as I love this native plant for the same reason cloth do - its strength and resilience... two amazing qualities that I respect and desire. I think the end result was worth every penny and even more special is their individual status which I so openly love and admire.

Continuing on the natural theme is our breakfast in recent days. Raw Buckwheat! Initially I was skeptical due to thoughts of a gritty palate but I was surprised to discover, not so. The boys eat their serving with natural yoghurt + a drizzle of maple syrup and I prefer mine with almond milk, cinnamon & coconut. Add to it whatever you like to make it taste your way and consider this an easy way to add some raw goodness into your day and keep your tummy happy. Click here for other ways with buckwheat if this one doesn't take your fancy.

Raw Buckwheat with Almonds & Berries

Serves 2

1/2 cups buckwheat, soaked overnight

1 Tbs Pumpkin Seeds, soaked overnight

1 Tbs Sunflower Seeds, soaked overnight

2 Tbs Almonds, soaked overnight

(click here for why you should soak)

Serve with:

1/2 - 2/3 cups blueberries, washed (or your choice of fruit)

Splash of almond milk or a dollop of yoghurt

Sprinkle of shredded coconut and cinnamon

Add a drizzle of maple syrup if you like it a bit sweeter

Place the buckwheat, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds in separate bowls and fill each

with filtered water (up to three times as much as the ingredients)

Leave to soak overnight

The following morning combine the buckwheat, pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a sieve and rinse

under a running tap (use your fingers to move it around and remove any sticky residue) then put aside to drain

Rinse the almonds in the same manner then chop roughly before adding to the rest of the mix

Spoon into bowls and add a splash of almond milk, your choice of fruit and a sprinkle of shredded

coconut and cinnamon

A Dandechino & Merry Xmas To All & A Happy New Year Of Course

2011-12-24T04:44:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. I am looking forward to taking some time out to enjoy the company of my loved ones and those very special little people who make xmas so magical again. Xmas always inspires my inner creative soul to explode and we have loved wrapping and creating some little extra pieces around the house whilst sipping on my newest thing - the dandechino.

Have you heard of dandelion root tea? This herbal infusion can be bought from most health food stores and is made from roasted dandelion root. Crazy thing is it has a very similar appearance and taste to coffee. You see a good cup of coffee is my one vice in life. It became so after I had children. Stuck at home day in day out I felt like going out for a coffee made me feel like a part of the world that existed beyond the perimeter of my house and and unfortunately it has now become a pure habit. I have known about dandelion root tea for a while now however just hadn't bothered to try but I know that caffeine wreaks havoc on my blood sugar levels and as a sufferer of PCOS this is not helpful at all. So with an
indulgent couple of days ahead this little fella is going to be by my side. Who knows I may even convert some family members. I can only try right!! You can find out loads more about dandelion root tea here and also find some lovely variations here that I am certainly going to try when I stop cooking for xmas but essentially all you need to make a dandechino is:

1) brew some dandelion tea*,
2) froth your choice of milk
3) add a sprinkle of unsweetened chocolate powder and voila!!!

* Roasted dandelion filters bags can be purchased from most health food stores. A word of advice - read the label to ensure there isn't any preservative or added flavours and check they haven't been genetically modified as well.

Giving, Sharing and Saying Thanks with Honey Ginger Cantuccini

2011-12-12T19:04:00.000-08:00

Can somebody please tell me where the last 12 months have gone? As the year draws to a close it is time to say thanks and be gracious for all the year has given us. As my husband and i look toward the start of school for our eldest son next year we can't help but feel our lives and his are moving way to quickly. Over the course of last week we baked many batches of biscuits to share and say thanks to the teachers and carers that have helped shape our sons growth and development over the years whilst in care and, of our many batches these "little nooks" as the Tuscans would refer were our favourite by far.

We also took part in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap and shared the honey almond cantuccini above with Amanda from Easy Peasy Organic, Steph from Bondville and Yasmeen from Wandering Spice which was great fun especially when parcels of cookies started arriving by mail instead of bills.... I love that and so did my two prize taste testers!!! To make these simply omit the glace ginger in the recipe below and replace with finely chopped almonds instead.

Honey & Ginger Cantuccini

(inspired by Maria Speck)

Makes approx 44 small biscuits

1 3/4 cups spelt four

1 cup lightly packed almond meal

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 cup finely chopped glace ginger

1/2 cup cold press olive oil

1/2 cup raw honey

2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chocolate for topping if desired.....

Whisk together the flour, almond meal and salt in a large bowl

Then scatter in the ginger

Make a well in the centre of the dry mix

In another bowl whisk the olive oil, honey and vanilla until thick and syrup like

Add the wet mix to the centre of the dry ingredients and combine using a rubber spatula just until a soft dough forms

Do not over mix

Then cover with a clean cloth and let sit at room temp for 30 mins

Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 150 C or 300 F

Line a baking sheet with baking paper

Lightly sprinkle the bench with almond meal

Cut the dough in the bowl into four equal pieces

It will be soft and sticky so briefly knead each piece to smooth and form into a log shape that is about

7 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide

Add more almond meal if needed

Repeat with the remaining dough then place the logs onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving approx 2 inches between

Bake the logs until small cracks show in the top and they are just starting to brown approx 25 - 30 mins

Remove from the oven and carefully slide off the baking sheet onto a wire rack to cool for roughly15 mins

Leave the oven going

Once cooled place the logs on a cutting board and then take a sharp serrated edged knife and cut each log diagonally in 1/2 inch thick pieces.

Place the slices upright on the same baking sheet you used previously and return to the oven

Bake the cantuccini until it feels dry to touch at the cut sides and the edges just start to brown approx 15 mins

Transfer the cantuccini to a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling with dark melted chocolate if you wish

We made cards that said"thankyou for making me shine"

gift wrapped our biscuits in some pretty boxes for safe transport

and nibbled on some of our creations of course........

Socca and a Fresh Bean & Brocolli Salad

2011-12-06T03:44:00.000-08:00

I first came across Socca in a cafe years ago and then was pleased to rediscover it after this post over at My New Roots a little while ago. It is my most favourite thing at the moment because I can pile whatever on top and it tastes good no matter. Granted it does pay to soak the batter overnight or during the day for the benefit of your digestion but seriously that is nothing to be concerned about. I have seen a number of recipes for this all of which are similar. Feel free to add some herbs or spices to the batter for something a bit extra. I would recommend making the salad before the socca to allow the dressing to mingle with the other ingredients.

Socca

As per My New Roots

Makes approx 3 x 7 inch soccas

1 cup chickpea or besan flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 1/4 cup lukewarm water

3 Tbsp cold pressed olive oil

Ghee or coconut oil for pan

In a large bowl, sift the chickpea flour, salt and pepper (sometimes I just dump it in and use a whisk to combine all the ingredients)

Whisk in the warm water and olive oil then let sit with a cover overnight or all day if you can otherwise aim for min 30 minutes.

Preheat a suitable frypan in the oven at 225 degrees celcius or 450 F

Remove the frypan from the oven and add a knob of your chosen oil

Pour a steady stream of the batter into the pan to your preferred size

Bake for 8 - 10 mins or until the pancake is firm and the edges are set

When done, flip the socca over and continue to cook for a few more minutes under your grill or until it have browned nicely.

Remove from pan and place on a plate

Spread with a layer of hummus and top with Bean and Brocolli Salad as per below.

Add few shavings of parmesan reggiano and soaked pepitas.

** I have made these successfully by cooking as you would a normal pancake in frypan on the stove top. I find this the quickest approach when cooking for a couple of people.

Bean and Brocolli Salad

Serves 4 as a side

150 grams brocolli, grilled (spray with a little olive oil and pop under a pre heated grill and cook until florets are looking a little charred approx 5 mins)

1/2 cup berlotti beans, ( i used canned on this occasion for convenience but soaking and cooking your own is superior)

1/2 dozen cherry tomatoes, chopped into quarters

1/4 buch each of mint and italian flat leaf parsley

4 x green olives, sliced

2 T lemon juice

1 T cold pressed olive oil

salt and pepper for seasoning

2 Tbs pepitas (preferably soaked)

Hummus and Parmesan to serve

Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar and shake to combine

Then place the first five ingredients in to a bowl before pouring over the dressing

Stir to combine and allow the flavours to mingle whilst you cook the Socca.

Add a Litte Colour to Your Plate

2011-11-30T03:55:00.000-08:00

Ramp up the colour on your plate and get more fruit & veg into your day as a result !!

Start the day with a fruit salad

Lunch on Sourdough with Hummus, Roasted Sweet Potato and Watercress

Snack on Strawberries and Date Paste - one of my boys favourites.

Date Paste

1/2 cup almonds, soaked overnight in filtered water then washed and drained

1 cup fresh dates, pit removed

1/2 cup cocnunt water

1/4 cup carob powder

1 cup young thai coconut meat

Dine on Roasted Cauliflower with Apple and Cranberries. Recipe here

And don't forget to add a side of greens. Can you ever get enough.

Others Ways to Slip a Bit of Colour in Your Day

Beef up casseroles, soups and stews with extra vegetables

Swap out dessert for a piece of fruit

Add a side salad of greens, tomatoes and avocado to your pizza

Consider fruit smoothies for breakfast or if you're game go green as per here or here

Stuff your sandwiches sky high with greens and bright salad such as carrot, grated beetroot, alfalfa sprouts, red onion, tomato or avocado.

Little Pumpkin Semolina Bites

2011-11-24T15:22:00.000-08:00

These were gobbled up as an afternoon snack and then served well in the lunch box the next day. Don't feel limited to making little mini ones as I would happily serve these for dinner or lunch alongside guacamole, cherry tomatoes or homemade tomato sauce, natural yoghurt and a salad. Another option I would happily enjoy would be grilled vegetables piled on top of a larger pancake seasoned with salt, pepper, herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice. Just go with whatever you have on hand. Feel free to add herbs to the mixture although my boys aren't into herbs so I generally omit them or do some plain and some with herbs for my husband and I.

Little Pumpkin Bites

Inspired by Vegetarian - its not all bean and tofu

Makes approximately 30 small

2 cups (250 gms) coarsely grated pumpkin

1/4 cup milk (60 ml)

1/2 cup semolina

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup grated cheese

(your choice of herbs finely chopped if you wish)

Place the pumpkin and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat

Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook stirring occasionally for 6 - 7 minutes or until soft

Remove from the heat and mash the pumpkin with a fork

Set aside to cool to room temperature

Sift the semolina and baking powder into a separate bowl

In another bowl, combine the cooled pumpkin mixture with the eggs and whisk into the flour to make a smooth batter (should be the consistency of smooth cream)

Stir in the grated cheese and your choice of herbs if using

If necessary add a little extra milk, a tablespoon at a time and season to taste

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat

Lightly grease the pan with your choice of oil (i use ghee)

Place heaped teaspoonfuls of the batter into the frying pan to make pancakes about 4cm (1 1/2 inches) in diameter

Cook on each side for two minutes or until golden brown

Repeat with the remaining mixture, oiling the pan in between each batch

Cook pancakes on a plate and serve with mashed avocado and tomatoes

Oaty Pear & Millet Muffins

2011-11-21T18:12:00.000-08:00

Oaty Pear and Millet Muffins

Makes 12

Adapted from La Tartine Gourmande

2 large eggs

1/4 cup rapadurra sugar

2 T almond butter

3 1/2 T unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup millet flour

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

1/2 cup rolled oats, plus more for topping

Pinch of sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup of grated pear

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius (350 fahrenheit)

Line a muffin or cupcake pan with paper liners

Using a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until well mixed and increased in size

Add the almond butter, melted butter and vanilla, mixing well to combine

In another bowl combine the millet flour, quinoa flakes, rolled oats, pinch of sea salt, baking powder and baking soda

Add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix thoroughly ensuring not to overmix

Gently stir in the grated pear

Divide the mixture among the set out paper liners, topping each with some additional oats

Bake the muffins for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean

Allow to cool on a wire rack and then eat!

Roasted Cumin Cauliflower & Charmoula

2011-11-14T15:21:00.000-08:00

The cauliflower is possibly underrated in many ways despite its offerings of versatility and taste. As an excellent source of Vitamins C and K, a good source of vitamin B6, folate, fibre, manganese and omega 3 fatty acids the cauliflower is possibly a "must get into more" food. To make the most of cauliflowers vitamin C content consider adding raw florets to salads or as a side to dips however, if lightly steamed is your preference then pureed cauliflower makes a nice substitute for mashed potatoes. My personal preference is lightly roasted as above with a splash of olive oil and seasoning.

Roasted Cumin Cauliflower & Charmoula

Serves 4 or 6 as a side

1 cauliflower, separated into small florets

3 Tbs Cold Pressed Olive Oil

1 ½ tsp cumin seeds

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius

Separate the cauliflower into small florets

Place in a large bowl along with the cumin seeds and garlic

Add olive oil and work through with hands to evenly coat the cauliflower

Place in a large roasting dish and place in oven

Cook for 15 – 20 mins or until slightly tender

Turn oven setting to grill

Continue to cook the cauliflower until a nice golden brown colour is achieved (approx 5 mins)

Charmoula Dressing

Makes 1 jar

Adapted from Alice Hart - Vegetarian

1 small bunch coriander (leaves only)

1 small bunch basil (leaves only)

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

75ml cold pressed olive oil

½ tsp sea salt

2 small garlic cloves crushed

½ tps paprika

1 tsp ras el hanout

1/2 T honey

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped

Add more olive oil if appears to thick and season with cracked black pepper

Keep covered in the fridge for up to one week

Be Better By Choice- Quinoa & Berries for Breakfast

2011-11-11T22:08:00.000-08:00

The idea for this post was inspired by a client of mine. We have shared a very fun and interactive relationship in the kitchen. Our work together has focussed on "being better" and has included the preparation of nourishing, quick and easy meals that will give her body what it needs to prepare for conception and grow another human being.

We started with her first meal of the day - Breakfast. We swapped out the processed breakfast cereal and its nutritional claims for that matter and opted for a nutrient boosting breakfast consisting of - quinoa, organic natural yoghurt, blueberries, goji berries, walnuts and shredded coconut. After a quick lesson in "how to prepare quinoa" - see here, a natural and more satisfying breakfast is now her break of day staple and an overall better choice.

From a fertility perspective this breakfast offers an array of vitamins and minerals both necessary for and valuable to conception, hormone regulation, sperm production, quality and quantity. Overall however, eating a wholesome, nutrient rich and unrefined breakfast as such will give the body nourishment to do great things with no matter what stage of life you are at.

So Be Better by Choice! Make better choices toward better health gradually and find a routine that works for you. If you require any assistance with this then click here or if you have any ways to share on how you have made your start to the day better I wold love hear from you.

On My Plate....................

2011-11-03T22:26:00.000-07:00

Did you know that whilst you are sleeping your metabolic rate slows by 5 percent

and that eating breakfast literally breaks the fast to kickstart the metabolism to its normal being???

Well I say any excuse to eat but thankfully it's true so consider breakfast a great thing to do every day. The green smoothie is everywhere so if you haven't had a try yet then start here for a dose of raw goodness.

Green Smoothie
Serves 2

1/2 buch organic kale, washed (leaves only)

1 mango

1 large banana

1 heaped tsp crunchy peanut butter

3/4 cup filtered water (add more for a thinner consistency)

1/2 cup ice ( i like mine cold!!!!!)

Place all the ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth.

Don't be frightened away by a green smoothie with thoughts of "yuck" The mango and banana in this green smoothie make it very tame and far from hard core . The peanut butter also rounds out the flavour of the greens so I encourage you to give it a go and suck up all those valuable vitamins and minerals in their raw state. I figure if the kids drink it it can't be to bad. Chill factor is a must for me so don't forget to cool things down by adding ice to the mix especially now that the weather is heating up in the Southern Hemisphere (well in some places at least)

Poached eggs are a no brainer for breakfast. They are an excellent source of protein, vitamins and iron. Choose organic pastured eggs if you can find them for the reason that pastured eggs come from chickens that are free to roam and forage for insects meaning happier and healthier chickens and therefore eggs. Any readers on the Sunshine Coast can get pastured eggs from Rawganix Farm who attend the Kawana Farmers Markets every Saturday morning from 7am - 1pm

If you are into your toast then consider adding a slice of wholegrain sourdough toast for some slow release carbs on the side.

P.S - for all my friends out there planning for pregnancy take note that eggs are rich in choline ( a chemical similar to B vitamins) that is essentially important for women and their reproductive system. Overall everyone can gain numerous benefits from the humble egg that offers an abundance of benefits that see it back in favour all over again as a fabulous nutritional storehouse.

We've had a run of eating raw lately and this zucchini bread served us well in many ways right from breakfast through to dinner. My favourite way to enjoy this is with some sweet cherry tomatoes atop some lush green avocado along with a twist of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. It's easy to prepare but a dehydrator is required however I would think a low temp oven would suffice and give a similar result albeit not raw. The flaxseeds give this bread an earthy subtle nutty edge and offer their services as an excellent source of fibre, protein and magnesium in addition to being a good source of vitamin B6, folate, calcium, iron, zinc and selenium. More so, flaxseeds are rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids in particular alpha lineolic acid (ALA). Needless to say flaxseed in any form is great for the skin, relief of constipation, blood glucose stabilisation and has been studied extensively for it protective effects on women's health. You can purchase flaxseeds both whole and ground from most supermarkets and health food stores. Whole seeds are best stored in an airtight container in a cool place for several months whereas ground seeds do need to be kept in the fridge.

Some other ways to get the benefits of flaxseeds include

these spelt pikelets

Sprinkled over the top of natural yoghurt, vegetables or as an addition to your favourite smoothie in the mornings.

Find the recipe for raw zucchini bread here

I do have a tendency to refer to my slow cooker as a best friend for good reason. The convenience of being able to prepare a large quantity of healthy food for freezing comforts and reassures me that we are not going to starve in busy times. So convenient and so cheap!! I must add not to be shy here so throw in whatever needs using up if you wish. Personally I think a smidge of cream or natural yoghurt would go nicely with this dish as well. Also I tend to go a bit heavier on the ground spices as I find that store bought and pre ground means they tend to be less intense.

Chickpea and Vegetable Curry

Adapted from Slow Cooking - Anthony Thompson

Serves 4 - 6

2 large onions, roughly chopped

1 T grated fresh ginger

4 T cold pressed olive oil

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

400gm fresh or canned tomatoes chopped

2 crushed green cardamon pods

6 cloves

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp toasted cumin seeds

200g sweet potato, chopped roughly into chunks

3 carrots halved lengthways

400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 broccoli broken into small florets

2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander

250g bag baby spinach, washed

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to season

Blend half the onion and the ginger to a smooth paste in a mini food processor and set aside

In a large frypan, cook the remaining onion in your choice of oil with the garlic and cinnamon over medium heat for 8 mins, until onions have softened but not coloured

Spoon the mix into the slow cooker and add all the remaining ingredients except the fresh herbs and spinach

Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours until the root vegetables are tender

Turn the heat to high, fold in the coriander and spinach and serve

For the flatbread follow this recipe here and adapt by omitting the sesame seeds and thyme and add a 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander and 1 -2 fresh red chilli's finely diced. It's always nice to have something to dip with.

Blueberries are considered to be one of the top anti ageing foods so add a cup a day to keep your mind young, improve short term memory and protect against mental decline. Now that summer is approaching blueberries are everywhere so stock in and reap the benefits from this low sugar snack. I think blueberries are good any time of the day as are cherry tomatoes with a smidge of cheese that will help keep blood sugar levels on par and assist with the assimilation of important vitamins and minerals also.

Pumpkin & Corainder Falafels

2011-10-30T01:51:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from my most favourite cookbook at the moment - Vegetarian by Alice Hart. Just when you think you have every cookbook you could possibly need along comes another one to add to the collection. With these I have made a few adaptations merely because i had a bunch of dill I wanted to use up and no parsley on hand as the original recipe calls for. I have made these three times now and on each occasion there has been variation - so get creative. They are wonderful in the lunchbox, when friends gather as part of a platter or as breakfast alongside some alfalfa sprouts and avocado. On this occasion I have paired them with some heirloom tomatoes, natural yoghurt and chilli flakes.

This is my type of food!

Pumpkin and Coriander Falafel

Inspired by Alice Hart

Makes about 16

500g pumpkin, deseeded and cubed

2 T cold pressed olive oil

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained well

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

½ tsp bicarb of soda

1 small bunch coriander, leaves only chopped

1 small bunch Italian flat leaf parsley (I used dill)

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

Juice half lemon

Salt and peeper to season

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius (400 Fahrenheit)

Toss the pumkin with 1 T olive oil and season well

Spread out on a baking tray and roast for approx 35 mins until soft and carmelised

Set aside to cool.

Place the well-drained chickpeas in a food processor with the garlic, bicarb, herbs and gound cumin and coriander

Pulse the machine, stopping every now and then to scrape down the sides with a spatula

Continue until a rough pasted is formed.

Tip into a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper

Crush the roasted pumpkin with a fork until very roughly mashed and add to the chickpeas.

Fold everything together

Chill for 30 mins if you have time

Scoop dessertspoonfuls onto a baking sheet line with non stick baking paper and space out well.

Spray or lightly brush, drizzle remaining olive oil and bake for 15 – 20 mins or until golden underneath.

If not browned on top turn oven to grill for a short period and brown but keep any eye on them as they could burn quickly.

Kids are Snacking On............

2011-10-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

Sneak sneaky with the greens but they are none the wiser and the added natural peanut butter tends to round out any unusual flavours. Kids brains and nervous systems are built on fat so there is no shying away from good fats in our household. Almond milk is a good base for smoothies and pairs well with many fruits. Check out another favourite combination here and for homemade almond milk venture to this recent post for how to instructions. You can buy almond milk at most health food stores however they tend to be more water than almonds and may also contain synthetic vitamins. Organic full fat cows milk is just as good here as a substitute. For anyone living on the Sunshine Coast I should add that Nude Food Organics at Kawana grind natural peanut butter on site with no extra additives. The above green smoothie serves 1 - 2 depending. Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

When it comes to berries any type will do. When we eat good raspberries I daydream of owing a farm with acres and acres filled with berry bushes. Red berries contain the phytochemicals: lycopene and anthocyanins. Lycopene is a very potent antioxidant and helps protect against skin damage from sunlight [1] Berries get a good wrap for their association toward reducing the risk of cancer, improving circulation and contribution toward helping reduce elevated cholesterol. Be mindful of strawberries however as they make the dirty dozen list for one of most contaminated foods. It is very important to therefore wash non organic strawberries thoroughly. I generally do this by adding a spoon of cider vinegar or bicarb of soda to a tub of water. There are of course commercial washes available on the market as well if you prefer.

Two litte piggies sharing some berry love!

What about some good quality full fat dairy. Growing children need yoghurt and I don't mean the cartoon packaged variety, I mean good whole milk organic yoghurt that you have to spoon out of a big tub. Barambah offer a lovely creamy natural yoghurt that is easy to eat and not overly tart. Organic full fat dairy products are a must on my shopping list. Most commercial low fat and skim milk products are highly processed and can be difficult to digest which is largely due to milk solids that give a reduced fat milk product body [2]

The boys favourite three ways to enjoy yoghurt at home and in their lunchbox:

Fresh date shredded (as pictured)

Goji berries and sultanas

Blueberries (or any berry) with shredded coconut and a splash of pure vanilla extract

Spelt flour tends to be my preferred choice as a baking flour. From my own observations, it behaves in a similar manner to wheat flour and tends to be easier to digest as well. These days spelt flour is widely available in most supermarkets in either a whole or white spelt preparation. We like to make pikelets regularly around here and i do like to add ground flaxseed to the mix for some added nutritional benefits. Where ever I think I can sneak it in i do and to date I have had no complaints. The above recipe makes approx one dozen.

To prepare the mix:

Combine all the dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients

Mix with a hand held mixer and let the batter stand for 30 mins if you have time

Heat a medium size heavy based frypan and brush with some ghee

Drop tablespoons of mixture into the pan and wait for bubbles to appear on the surface then flip and cook other side for half a minute or until browned

Repeat with remaining mixture

Place cooked pikelets on a plate covered with foil to keep warm

Top with natural yoghurt mixed with some vanilla extract and your fruit of choice.

[1] Koch, M (2011), Laugh With Health, Renaissance Publishing, Australia
[2] Blereau, J (2010), Wholefood for Children, Murdoch Books, Australia

Raw Buckwheat Crispies

2011-10-24T04:38:00.000-07:00

I like to make a big batch of these and store them for future use. They are easy, versatile and store well for long periods of time. They add a wonderful crunch to biscuits and are just as good ground to flour for use in pancakes. Me personally, I like them as pictured alongside some poached pears whereas the boys think they are pretty neat sprinkled over some homemade beet ice cream with orange. I should also mention they aren't bad with almond milk either. If you don't have a dehydrator don't worry, simply set your oven to its lowest temp possible and cook until dried and crunchy bearing in mind that cooking time will be less than in a dehydrator due to temperature variations.

Buckwheat Crispies

By Ani Phyo

Makes approximately 2 cups

2 cups buckwheat groats

Soak the groats in a large bowl with three times the amount of water added overnight

Rinse well the following morning by placing the soaked buckwheat in a strainer and rinsing under cold water then drain

Spread evenly on a dehydrator tray and dry at 40 degrees celcius (104 degrees farhenheit) for 3 – 5 hours or until completely dry

Mix them around every now and again to ensure even drying

If using your oven set it to its lowest temperature possible and bear in mind that drying time will be shorter and they will not be considered raw due to the likelihood that the oven will be a higher temp

Store the buckwheat crispies in an airtight glass jar for several months

To Poach Pears (my quick way)

Serves 2

1 pear, sliced evenly, seeds and core removed

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

Place pear slices into a small heavy based saucepan with about a 1/4 - 1/2 cup water

Add the cinnamon stick and star anise and gently cook over a low to medium heat until soft approximately 10 mins

remove the cinnamon stick and star anise and spoon the pears over buckwheat crispies, oats or yoghurt

i like to reserve the poaching liquid for use in cakes and muffins for added flavour

To serve:

Spoon a layer of yoghurt into a glass followed by a layer of buckwheat crispies, then poached pears and repeat before topping with coconut, chopped walnuts and a drizzle of poaching liquid or maple syrup

Nut Pulp Pate on a Raw Platter and in Wraps

2011-10-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Nut Pulp Pate

2 cups nut pulp (leftover from making nut milk)

1/2 cup coriander leaves

3 Tbs Nutritional Yeast Flakes

1 T Cold Pressed Olive Oil (or other cold pressed oil)

1 tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well chopped and a pate consistency.

Serve as part of a raw platter or wrap in lettuce, kale, or cabbage leaves.

To mold the pate for a platter, line a ramekin with glad wrap and pack as much pate into the lined ramekin until firm and full to top rim. Then gently pull on the glad wrap to remove the pate from the ramekin and serve alongside your choice of accompaniments. Below I have raw kale chipotle chips, tamari almonds, raw zucchini bread and linseed crackers of which i shall post details for in the coming weeks.

For wraps add your choice of mixed salad such as chopped olives, tomatoes, carrot, zuchinni and avocado along with a portion of pate. Add a sprinkle of Mexican seasoning if you want extra flavour and wrap.

The Beauty of Almonds & How to Maximise the Benefits

2011-10-20T00:34:00.000-07:00

Almonds - what isn't there to love about these little bundles of energy. Today thanks to a better understanding of the complex relationships between food, health and nutrition we now know that eating the right type of fats in moderation doesn't actually make us fat in fact, research has shown the opposite effect with numerous studies finding the right fats can be beneficial toward aiding weight loss and cholesterol levels just for starters.

When it comes to almonds they are a great provider of those good fats, especially the monounsaturated kind. They are versatile, tasty and a complete source of protein that gives animal protein a run for its money in terms of nutritional value and economy. To gain the greatest advantage from these great providers do as Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions suggests and soak almonds overnight in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt before drying gently in a warm oven or dehydrator. By doing this, enzyme inhibitors that can prevent the absorption of valuable vitamins and minerals are removed or reduced. The traditional practice of soaking and drying nuts as the Aztecs once did, can improve the digestibility of nuts, seed and grains and as an added bonus this practice facilitates an extended storage life and a lesser concern for rancidity. It is thought that skinless almonds are easier to digest and make for better use in recipes however I prefer to leave the skin on mine.

Crispy Almonds

Sally Fallon

4 cups almonds

1 T sea salt

filtered water to cover a couple inches about as they will swell overnight

Mix almonds with salt and water and leave in a warm place for a minimum of 7 hours or overnight

Drain in a colander or sieve

Spread on a baking sheet and place in a warm oven (40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit) or dehydrator (same temp) for 12 - 14 hours, stirring occasionally until completely dried.

Store in an airtight container.

Further on from this the calcium content of almonds is excellent and makes a great alternative to regular cow's milk. Nut milk is easy to make and keeps in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. Please see below for further instructions on how to do this. Almond milk is enjoyable on its own, in smoothies or as I prefer, with oats in the mornings (see below). Homemade almond milk is superior to store bought which unfortunately tends to be more water than almonds and I believe it can also contain synthetic vitamins.

Homemade Almond Milk

1 cup of almonds soaked overnight

3 cups filtered water

1 fresh date, seed removed

Soak one cup of almonds in water overnight, or for at least 8 hours

Place the almonds in a sieve and rinse under a tap of running water

Place the rinsed almonds in a blender and add 3 cups of filtered water and one fresh date (stone removed)

Blend on high speed until smooth and looks like milk

Line a sieve with a muslin cloth and set over a bowl

Slowly pour the nut milk into the lined sieve to filter out the remaining nuts

When the majority of liquid has been filtered through gather up the muslin and squeeze to extract the final amounts of liquid

Reserve the pulp for another use (will be posting a use for this shortly)

Almond Milk and Date Porridge
inspired by Alice Hart

Serves 4

200g rolled oats
500 ml fresh, homemade almond milk (as per above)
4 fresh dates, pitted and sliced
50 gms pre soaked almonds, sliced thinly
2 medium size bananas, thinly sliced
shredded coconut to serve
a drizzle of maple syrup

Soak the oats in half the almond milk overnight in the refrigerator
The next morning, place the soaked oats into a medium size saucepan along with the remaining almond milk
Heat gently, stirring constantly for a few minutes until the porridge turns thick and creamy
Remove from stovetop and divide into four servings
Top with chopped dates, banana and shredded coconut

Koch, M, (2011), Laugh With Health, Renaissance Publishing, Australia

Fallon, S, (2001), Nourishing Traditions, New Trends Publishing, Washington

A Spinach Pie with A Brown Rice Crust

2011-10-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes leftovers are wonderful things. This spinach pie is a product of just that.

Brown Rice Crust
(Adapted from Vitamix)

2 cups (390gms) of cooked brown rice, cooled
1 egg
salt and pepper

Spinach & Ricotta Filling

2/ 3 cup (100gms) french shallots or 1 medium brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bunch silverbeet/spinach, white stem removed and roughly chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
400gms ricotta
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup dill chopped roughly
½ cup mint
salt and pepper to season

For Crust:

Preheat an oven to 185 degrees celcius
Lightly grease a 23cm (9 inch) pie pan with olive oil
Mix cooked brown rice, eggs and salt and pepper together in a medium size bowl
Press into the prepared pan
Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven
Remove from the oven and let rest until filling is ready

For Filling:

Heat a large non stick frypan over a medium heat
Cook the shallots until caramelised (browned)
Add the crushed garlic and stir well
Reduce the heat slightly and add the chopped spinach
Place a piece of foil over the pan to help the spinach sweat down (approx 10 mins)
Meanwhile mix the ricotta, cheese, dill, mint and eggs together in a medium size bowl
When the spinach has wilted, allow to cool slightly before adding to the ricotta mix
Stir well to incorporate
Season with salt and pepper and spoon the mixture into the prepared brown rice crust
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 30 mins or until set and top is nicely browned.

Bountiful Roasted Strawberries and Some Frozen Yoghurt

2011-10-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

We are very fortunate to live quite close to a number of “pick you own” strawberry farms and with the season in full swing we have made it part of our weekly routine to venture there. When it comes to berries any type is welcome in our house. Blueberries are a regular performer in our morning smoothies, raspberries in muffins or for snacks and strawberries – what can I say, they are great for anything in my eyes.

Then along came the Roasted Strawberries from Heidi Swansons book Super Natural Everyday. An occasional recipe to say the least but I have had the page ear marked for months now. As i recently flicked I got the urge and felt there was no time like the present to be giving these a go and they are now a new favourite recipe for special occasions. On a whim I added some to the base of plain frozen yoghurt and they were also delicious spooned over a mildly sweet quark cheesecake (will post shortly) I had made the day before. They would be equally as enjoyable with meusli in the morning or spooned over some fresh whole milk ricotta for a quick dessert. You could quite easily double the recipe for a larger quantity.

Roasted Strawberries:
Adapted from Super Natural Everyday

250gms strawberries, hulled
2 tbs maple syrup
½ tbs olive oil (cold pressed)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract
a few drops of balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius
Prepare a baking tray with sides by lining it with a sheet of baking paper
Cut strawberries in half (quarter them if they are big)
Add the berries to a mixing bowl
In a separate bowl whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, sea salt, vanilla extract and balsamic vinegar
Pour over the strawberries and very carefully toss to coat
Arrange the berries in a single layer in the baking tray
Roast for 40 mins, or until the juices thicken
Remove from oven and whilst warm scrape the berries into a bowl for immediate use or for later

Frozen Yoghurt:

100gms cream cheese
300 gms plain greek yoghurt
¼ tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup rapadurra sugar finely ground or sifted
pinch of fine sea salt

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment attach combine the cream cheese, yoghurt and vanilla on low speed
Add the finely ground rapadurra sugar and sea salt
Mix again on low speed until well combined
Remove the bowl from mixer and spoon the mixture into a pouring jug
Place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour
Remove and stir briefly
Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and mix according to manufacture instructions
When mixed to your desired consistency spoon the mixture into a tray or bowl
Freeze for approximately 2 hrs
Remove from freezer before serving to soften slightly

A Little Slice of Raw - Zucchini Bread & Pumpkin Seed Cheeze

2011-10-03T03:30:00.000-07:00

This raw zucchini bread was enjoyed by the whole family. The boys preferred it topped with peanut butter and honey whilst my own preference was for a little salad, avocado and some very delicious pumpkin seed cheez. Even my husband didn't mind it and, now that things are warming up on this side of the world tasty lunches like this are certain to be more abundant.

If you don't have a dehydrator don't despair. Cook it in you oven at the lowest temp possible on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Zuchinni Bread
Make 9 Servings
By Ani Phyo

2 cups zucchini chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup almond meal
1 cup flax meal

Place the zuchinni, oil and salt in a food processor and process into a puree.
Add the almond meal and flax meal and process into a batter.
Spread the batter evenly on either a lined dehydrator tray (or lined baking sheet if doing in the oven)
Dehydrate at 104 degrees farenheit or 40 degrees celcius for 6 - 8 hours then flip over onto a mesh tray peeling away the teflex sheet and dehydrate for another 4 - 6 hours
Note that the bread will remain moist and flexible
Cut into your desired shape and serve with your chosen toppings

(if you are doing it in the oven then bake at the lowest temp possible but bear in mind you may need to adjust baking time in the case where your oven doesn't go as low as 40 degrees celcius)

Pumpkin Seed Cheeze
Makes approx 2 cups

1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups of pumpkin seeds (preferably soaked for min 2 hours)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup water, as needed

Place the garlic and salt in a food processor and process into small pieces
Add the pumpkin seeds and process into small pieces
Add the lemon juice and water then process to mix well

Will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days
Add more or less water to reach your desired consistency

A Snack in Flight - Amaranth Biscuits with Orange Blossom & Ginger

2011-09-21T02:15:00.000-07:00

I am heading to Melbourne tomorrow to attend a course in Advanced Natural Fertility Education with snack in hand and luggage in tow. I am looking forward to indulging in these not so sweet biscuits in flight whilst reading a magazine without interruption. Ahhhhhh, i can hardly wait.

These cookies were inspired by Maria Speck whose cookbook Ancient Grains for Modern Meals never disappoints me. Every time i pick up her book i find i love wholegrains more and more. Her style is enviable. Feel free to omit the outer coating of Amaranth in these cookies as they can be a little crunchy for some.

Amaranth Cookies with Orange Blossom and Ginger
Makes 12

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground ginger

7 T almond butter
1 large egg
2 T orange blossom water
1/4 cup honey

Walnuts for top of biscuits
1/4 cup Amaranth for rolling (optional)

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius
Line a flat baking sheet with baking paper

Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl
Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together briefly

Add the remaining ingredients and mix together with a spoon to form a dough
Using a spoon scoop a piece of dough the size of an apricot and dollop onto baking sheet
(this dough is a little sticky so you will need to use you finger to slide of the spoon)

Repeat with the rest of the mixture
Feel free to shape the cookie dough into round little coin shapes with your fingers if you wish

Add a walnut to the top of each cookie and sprinkle with amaranth whole grains if you desire
Bake in oven for 10 - 12 mins or until slightly golden around the edges

A Quick & Easy Rustic Loaf of Bread - Perfect for Lunch!

2011-09-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

We ate this straight out of the oven topped with a smear of gympie cheese butter!

A Quick and Easy Rustic Loaf
(Adapted from Maria Speck)

3 cups wholewheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 ¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp rapadurra sugar
2 tsp Italian dried herbs
2 tbs sage, roughly chopped
1/3 cup pepitas/pumpkin seeds
½ cup roasted artichokes (in oil but drained), roughly chopped
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 ½ cups organic milk (any type)

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius
Place the first six ingredients in a bowl and whisk together disperse ingredients and remove any lumps
Make a well in the centre and add the milk
Use a wooden spoon to gradually incorporate ingredients
Mix until ingredients come together and a moist dough is formed
Rest the dough for 5 – 10 mins
Line a flat baking tray of a pizza stone with glad bake
Then turn out the shaggy dough onto lined tray and use a spoon to shape it into a loaf shape
Using a sharp knife cut 3 diagonal slits across the top about ½ inch deep
Cover the loaf with a clean tea towel and let sit for another 10 mins
Place loaf in the oven on the bottom shelf and bake until well risen, crusty and nicely browned (about 45 – 50 mins)
Cool on a wire rack and cut with a serrated edge knife
Best served warm straight out of the oven or at room temperature the same day

Homemade Ice Cream to Die For?

2011-09-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

My husband recently flew home from work via Los Angeles and on his arrival back into the land of Oz he presented me with a collection of the latest food magazines. I cannot tell you how excited I was!!! It was in the edition of Saveur that I discovered Jenni Bauer - Artisan Ice Cream Maker and her fantastic Ice Cream Recipes. What I love about her base recipe is that it doesn't include eggs (see below). Don't get me wrong, I love everything about eggs I just don't like them in ice-cream. What i choose to modify from her recipe is the use of corn syrup with my preference for a substitute being honey. I am not sure if this will work as I am yet to try it out. I chose to make two of her recipes that didn't include corn syrup (see below) but if anyone has any thoughts or other substitute suggestions I would love to hear from you. My other substitution thought was for arrowroot powder instead of the cornstarch????? I used rapadura sugar in each of these recipes as opposed to white sugar and where possible all ingredients used were organic. Please note - the use of rapadura sugar will result in the end product being a caramel colour which is fine for the two flavours I made. You may want to reconsider its use if you want to make vanilla for example. Rapadura sugar is widely available nowadays and can found in most health stores.

The thing I love most about making my own ice cream is that I can control the ingredient list and the kids love being a part of the process especially when we start mixing it in the ice cream maker. They also love having fun with flavour suggestions with the most recent being - "scrambled snake" and "grufallo crumble" - needles to say they are still in the recipe development phase....

Bauer's techniques for Ice Cream Making are innovative and in the article "Heres the Scoop" she explains that "you have to see ice cream as chemistry - a delicate dance between proteins, sugars, butterfat, air, and a few unsexy components". Her scientific logic behind her technique is a great read and you can get her Ice Cream 101 tips for rich and creamy ice cream here

To date we have made two of her recipes - Blackstrap Praline and The Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream in the World which both turned out great. They were scoopable, non icy and creamy. I chose these two because they didn't include the corn syrup and I had all ingredients on hand. If you don't have an ice cream maker then don't despair check out this article for alternative ways to churn some yourself. You will want to go to the extra effort after taking a peek at this article over at Natural News that poses the question - Is Ice Cream A Treat or Threat?

Jenni's Ice Cream Base:
Courtesy of Saveur Magazine

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (approx 1/2 litre)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups milk
4 tsp. cornstarch (? arrowroot powder)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar (i used rapadura sugar here)
2 tbsp. light corn syrup (? honey)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl, stir together 1/4 cup milk and the cornstarch; set slurry aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together remaining milk and the cream, sugar, syrup, and salt
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook for 4 minutes; stir in slurry.
Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes
Place cream cheese in a bowl and pour in 1/4 cup hot milk mixture; whisk until smooth
Then whisk in remaining milk mixture
Pour mixture into a plastic bag; seal, and submerge in a bowl of ice water until chilled.
Pour mixture into an ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions
Transfer ice cream to a storage container and freeze until set.

Seriously Good - Raw Walnut Macaroons

2011-09-09T03:59:00.000-07:00

Next time your in need of something to satisfy your sweet tooth consider these as an alternative. The natural and whole ingredients are satisfying and nourishing in comparison to the refined and processed options on the market. Pop them in the lunchbox or take them along for morning tea at the office for some sweet goodness. Just make sure you don't eat the lot of them on your own....

Raw Walnut Macaroons
Makes approx 10 - 12 small macaroons

!/2 cup walnuts
1 cup organic shredded coconut
6 organic Medjool Dates
1/2 medium size banana

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender
Pulse until ingredients are combined, but not pureed
Remove mixture from food processor
Using your hands shape into your desired shape (rounds balls, flat discs) and place on a tray
Refrigerate for 30 mins or until firm and eat...........

How Incredible are Walnuts and A Quick Vegetarian Roll For Dinner

2011-09-06T03:06:00.000-07:00

Fresh Walnuts from Tasmania were the inspiration behind this post. I jumped out of my skin when I spied a bag full at Farmer Bills market stall at the Caloundra Country Markets last weekend. "I'll take a bag full thanks", I advised the stall holder. Home I came and prised one, two, three (lost count after that) open before chopping and sprinkling them on my oats I had soaked before heading to the market. One of my favourite ways to enjoy walnuts is on a piece of roasted sweet potato spread lightly with honey and sprinkled with walnuts. I often eat this for morning or afternoon tea and the word on the street is that eating a handful of walnuts (approx six halves) before eating a meal not only gives you a dose of good fat but also assists with slowing down the emptying of the stomach meaning you feel full for longer and supposedly want to eat less. Lets hope, but if that doesn't work feel satisfied to know that your skin will benefit instead....

In the coming days I will have a walnut based raw treat that comes together in minutes and makes a great snack for the kids, lunchbox addition or healthy treat for morning tea at the office. But for now take a peek at the Vegetarian Rolls below for some more walnut inspiration.

Walnut Vegetarian Rolls
Serves 4

1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
50 gms walnuts

60 gms cooked sweet potato
Corn from one cobb
1/2 cup tasty cheese
1/4 cup cooked quinoa (could use uncooked oats instead)
1 T wholegrain mustard
2 eggs
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh coriander
Salt and Pepper to season

2 sheets puff pastry (Borgs Organic)
1 egg lightly beaten to wash

Preheat over to 185 degrees celcius
Line a tray with baking paper and then take the pastry out of the freezer to thaw
Place the carrots and walnuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
Add the remaining ingredients and mix until you reach a consistency you like (I like to leave a few chunks in mine rather than pureeing until smooth)
Divide the mixture into two portions

Take a sheet of pasty and spoon one portion of the mix onto the pastry approximately 5 cm from the edge
Shape the mixture into a sausage shape using your hands or a spoon.
Peel the pastry away from the plastic backing and fold the bottom edge over the mixture rolling it to seal like a sausage roll. (you can keep rolling until all the pastry is used or roll and seal then cut the remaining pastry off)
Repeat with the remaining mixture

Brush the rolls with egg wash and then using a sharp knife make little slits in the top of the pastry straight across or crossways approximately 5 cm apart
Place rolls on prepared trays ensuring they are apart and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until pastry is puffy and golden and the mixture is cooked through.

Honey Pecan & Fresh Mint Biscuits (dairy & gluten free)

2011-08-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

It was an old rainy and dreary day when I made these. The boys were driving me crazy with being inside all day as they love being outdoors climbing, running and playing what they call “construction sites”. Not so on this day so the kitchen tools came out instead. They are good helpers but have a habit of eating the uncooked product more than the cooked - crazy things that they are.

Well as they cooked away in the oven they sure smelt good but I have to admit I was curious to see the end product as the original version over at Yum Universe sure looked superb although it does use almond meal as opposed to my choice of pecans meal. My preference for pecans is because I can get fresh ones from my local farmers markets and can then to a meal using my Vitamix. Also I find almond meal in my local area is supplied from China (no offense), which I would prefer not to use especially if I get a substitute from an Australian producer that is fresh. If you do live on the Sunshine Coast the Organic Supermarket at Forest Glen sells pecan meal at around $8.00 a kilo, which is much cheaper than Almond Meal as well. So check it out if you get a chance. Also, like anything I feature here I encourage you to use whatever flavours you have in your pantry or fridge. I would love to hear of your specific flavour combinations if you do.

Honey Pecan & Fresh Mint Biscuits (Gluten & Dairy Free)
Inspired by Yum Universe

¾ cup pecan meal (or almond meal)
2 T fresh mint, finely chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped
½ - 1 T cold pressed olive oil or coconut oil
1 T raw honey
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius (365 farenheit)
Place the nut meal in a medium size glass bowl
Add the chopped mint, cranberries and pecans
Give it a good stir with a fork to mix together (this will also remove any lumps in the nut meal as well)
Add oil, sea salt and honey
Mix well with the fork until it begins to clump together and forms a dough

(You can expect that this dough will be relatively fragile and will not behave as a regular biscuit dough would. Have a feel and make a judgment at this point as to whether you need to add any more moisture. If you do then add a smidge of water at a time mixing well in between to ensure you don't add to much)

Remove the dough from the bowl and place between two sheets of baking paper
Using a rolling pin gently roll out to a thickness of approximately 2 - 4 cms (this will depend on how many lumpy things there are)
Remove the top piece of baking paper and trim the dough into a rectangular shape before using a sharp knife to cut even shaped biscuits in a grid pattern (if the dough breaks just squish it back together with your fingers)
Slide the baking paper with the biscuits on, onto a baking sheet tray and cook in the oven for approx 10 – 12 mins (no longer)
Remove from oven and allow to cool, if you can resist and serve

A Simple Stack of Veges....

2011-08-24T04:04:00.000-07:00

Is there anything more simple, easy and delicious than a stack of veges grilled and piled high on a plate with layers of salty haloumi and a drizzle of pesto? Mmmmmmm! - I could eat this every day.

Before you go out and buy any specific ingredients take a look in your pantry and see what veges you already have as it really is the type of dish that you can mix and match with. I have added mushrooms, red onions and brocolli into the mix before and have also used roasted sweet potato instead of pumpkin. Get creative with it and make your own version. Add some lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt and pepper to the cooked eggplant and zuchinni whilst warm for some extra zing. Sprinkle the pumpkin with some chilli flakes for a bit of bite. You really can't go wrong if you keep it simple and I have listed some suggestions below so you can use up any leftover vegetables you might have as well which are not quite as yummy but none the less tasty and health promoting. Enjoy!

A Simple Vegetable Stack
Serves 2 – 4

Pumpkin – ½ medium cut into slices approx 3cm thick, roasted at 185 degrees ceclius for approx 20 mins or until tender. Brush or spray lightly with olive oil prior to roasting

Red Capsicum – 2 medium roasted. Take a look at these guidelines then slice each capsicum into strips

Eggplant – 1 large cut into discs approx 2cm (½ inch) thick, lightly sprayed with olive oil and grilled for approx 3 – 4 mins or until tender

Zucchini – 3 medium cut lenthways approx 2 cm (1/2 inch) thick, lightly sprayed with olive oil and grilled for approx 3 – 4 mins or until tender

Haloumi – 1 block cut into 2 cm (1/2 inch) thick slices and grilled until brown and gently crisp

To Prepare:

Grill the vegetables as above. Start with the pumpkin, capsicum then grill the eggplant and zuchinni. If you have a bbq grill the eggplant and zucchini can be done on there all at one time.

Keep the cooked veges warm by placing them on a tray covered with foil until ready to serve.

Lastly, cook the haloumi just before serving as it takes no time at all in a pre heated pan over a medium heat.

To assemble, place layers of pumpkin, eggplant, zucchini and strips of capsicum on top of one another, then add a layer of haloumi and repeat if not to high adding another layer of haloumi on top alongside some greens and a drizzle of pesto.

There are no rules other than ensuring there is a good base to support the layering. I often fold the layers of zuchinni and eggplant over on the ends to keep it looking neat.

Use Goats cheese instead of haloumi if you prefer.
Add a splash of balsamic if you wish.

I never worry if I have leftover vegetables either. If you do then you can use them in the following ways:

Warm them for breakfast the next morning and top with a poached egg

Use them in a sandwich alongside some seasoned ricotta or creamed cheese

As a snack with hummus or guacamole

In a salad , stirfry or mixed them through some cooked quinoa with lemon juice, salt, pepper, fetta and a couple good handfuls of fresh herbs.

Filling Little Boys With Hollow Legs............My Top 5 Ways at the Moment

2011-08-15T04:55:00.000-07:00

I am certain my boys have hollow legs. In fact I feel like I have no sooner put something in their tummies and they are back for a second round. Keeping up with their appetites is sometimes a challenge as is keeping up with them. They never seem to stop moving.

Like any mum I am always on the hunt for something quick, an option I can prepare the evening before or something i can pop in the oven whilst I am attending to other tasks. I am sure you can never have enough ideas up your sleeve so If anyone else out there has any suggestions to share then I am all ears and would love to hear them.

Cherry Tomatoes, Pitted Kalamata Olives and Mozarella

Pop it on a plate and you are done. Nothing like a little Mediterranean spread for the afternoon or lunchbox. I don't mind this one as a snack for myself.

Banana/Berry Smoothie

Serves 2

2 cups milk (almond, cows, rice are all good)
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 fresh dates (seeds removed)
2 heaped tsp peanut butter

Place all the ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth.

This is a great way to start the day. When i am working and have to start my shift at 7.30am I whiz this up for the boys and put it in a spill free drink bottle so they can drink it in the car on the way making the morning stress free - from a food point of view anyway. I know bananas in Australia are expensive at the moment but I have seen them reasonably priced when they are getting to the over ripe stage at the farmers markets and little fruit shops. Grab them if you see them and place them in the freezer in a container with the peel off and wrapped individually in glad bake/greaseproof paper. When it comes to banana prices at the moment I look at it like this - if i were to take the kids to a cafe and buy them a pre made biscuit loaded up with refined sugar and carbs to eat it would cost me more than a banana and not offer anywhere near the same nourishment. Fingers crossed that the prices in Australia are going to come down soon.

Roasted Organic Kipfler Potatoes

Easy to prepare. Give them a really good wash, cut them up and splash them with a bit of olive oil. Great for the lunch box with a side of hummus or tomato salsa. I usually bake these in a preheated oven 185 degrees celcius (365 degrees fahrenheit) for about 30 mins. The smaller you cut them the quicker they will cook so judge the size you cut them based on your time. These are something that I often serve with an evening meal ensuring that I bake extras at that time with view to add them to the lunch box the next day. When it comes to potatoes they are on my regular list of items that I buy organically.

My Quick as a Flash, No Bake Oat Bar with Goji Berries

This is a favourite slice to whip up when the kids are after something with a sweet touch. It does benefit from some time in the fridge to firm up and for the oats to soften. Mind you that doesn't always stop the boys from starting on it. When they are super hungry and want to eat it there and then I hasn't set properly I put a dollop on top of natural yoghurt and let them go for it. If I am organised enough I do this in the mornings or before going to bed at night to give it some time to set and be lunchbox ready.

Makes approximately 10 pieces

1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup peanut butter (1/2 cup if you don't have any tahini)
1/4 cup goji berries
1/4 cup sultanas
3 Tbs honey

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well to combine
Press using your fingers into a square tin (approx 20cm x 20cm) or baking dish
Place in the fridge until firm
Add some coconut to serve

Sweet Potato Chips and Guacamole

We are all big avocado fans in our house. There is nothing fancy about this guacamole. Just cut it up and mix. If it were me I would add fresh herbs but the boys just aren't into them so we keep it plain and simple. They like the activity of dipping and scooping. I think they like the activity of making a mess. None the less most of it seems to go into their tummies.

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius (365 degrees fahrenheit)
Cut a medium size sweet potato into wedges or chips (skin on or off - just make sure you wash it well if skin is on)
Add a splash of olive oil and mix with your hands to evenly cover
Place on a try and bake in an oven for approx 20 mins or until cooked but still firm

Guacamole

1/2 avocado diced or mashed
4 cherry tomatoes deseeded and chopped roughly
squeeze of lime or lemon juice
a little salt and pepper to taste

The Deceptive Black Bean in the Form of a Brownie

2011-08-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

"Beans, you mean beans as in beans a colleague said" I made this batch of black bean bean brownies and took them to work for morning tea and whilst I did get some funny looks regarding the main ingredient most seemed eager to try even if they were biting their lip in anticipation of their first bite. By the end of the day there wasn't any left so it can't have been to bad and could quite easily be regarded as deceptively delicious.

Canned beans can be used if you have them on hand or are pressed for time but if you do have some extra time spare then soak and prepare dried beans if you can. * I have given instructions on cooking the beans below and also some meal suggestions in the event you have some leftovers beans to use up.

Blackbean Brownies
Makes 24 Brownies

100gms dark chocolate, melted
2 cups black beans, pre cooked
1 cup fresh dates, seeds removed
100gms avocado
½ tspn sea salt
½ tspn baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 heaped tablespoon raw honey
½ cup pecan meal
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped

Cocoa Powder for Dusting

Preheat oven to 185 degress ceclius
Line a 20 x 30 cm slice tray with baking paper and lightly spray with oil
Melt the chocolate by placing it in a bowl over a pot of boiling water
Place the black beans, dates and avocado in a food processor and whiz until smooth and combined
Spoon the mixture into a separate bowl and add melted chocolate, sea salt and baking soda
Fold in the eggs, honey, vanilla, pecan meal and 1/2 cup of pecans
Mix thoroughly to combine
Spoon or pour the batter into the prepared tin
Place in oven and bake for 25 – 30 mins
Remove from oven and cool before dusting with cocoa powder

Black beans are available from most supermarkets and health food stores in the form of canned or dried. If you choose to buy the canned version you will need to rinse them well before serving althernatively if you plan to use dried beans then follow the instructions below:

They do require a minimum soaking time of four hours prior to cooking. Place the black beans in a bowl and fill with water to about 2 cm above the black beans. When soaking time has elapsed rinse the beans well by placing them in a strainer and running water from the tap over them. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the beans and allow to simmer away for approximately 1 hour or until the beans are soft. Cool then use.

Other Ways With Beans:

1. Green Wraps - Spoon some beans, avocado and whatever other veges you have into lettuce leaves, add some relish or pesto and wrap for a quick bite that is healthy and quick. Easy for lunch and a great way to use up leftovers.

2. Black Bean Burritos - I have also made something similar to these for the kids before using mountain bread wraps instead or regular tortillas. I also topped them with tomato sauce and a sprinkle of ricotta instead of the cheese. They proved popular and were great for lunch the next day and this quick salad is a winning way to use up leftover beans as well.

Manuka Honey Roasted Buckwheat Muesli for Breakfast

2011-08-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

I love the crunch and the subtle sweetness of this muesli. It is a lovely way to start the day and pairs nicely with natural yoghurt alone or with a little fresh fruit added. It is very easy, stores well and is gluten free. I was recently given a bottle of Manuka Honey that I used however any type of honey would be fine. You could also substitute whatever dried fruit or nuts you have on hand to make your own version. The options really are endless.

Please note: This is addictive. Between the kids and i we nibbled on this all day. So much so that I ended up making a second batch. It will be a great addition to the boys lunch boxes this week.

To Prepare Buckwheat:

1/2 cup raw buckwheat, rinsed
3/4 cups water

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan over the stop top
Rinse the buckwheat kernels by placing them in a sieve and running tap water over them for 30 seconds
When water is boiling add the buckwheat to the water and reduce immediately to a simmer
Place the lid on the saucepan and cook down for 15 mins

Grains benefit greatly from being allowed to steam in their pot after cooking. To do this remove them from the stove top after cooking and leave to rest for approximately 10 mins with the lid in place. Then fluff and serve or use as you wish.

Manuka Honey Buckwheat Muesli
Makes approximately 2 cups

1 1/2 cups cooked buckwheat
2 Tbs Manuka Honey
1/2 cup whole pecans
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 cup goji berries
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 140 degrees celcius
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine
Spread the mixture over a flat baking tray lined with glad bake
Cook for 50 mins turning regularly to ensure even toasting
Allow to cool then store in an air tight container for up to a week

Lemon Pea Crostini on Sprouted Bread

2011-07-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

Fresh peas from the pod take me back to my childhood as I recall being perched in the middle of a patch on my families farm picking and eating as I went. I'd lever the pod open to reveal the little green balls of sweetness inside, scoop them out and pop them in my mouth before moving onto the next, leaving a trail of pods as I went.

We were delighted to see them available at the farmers markets recently. We bought two bags and managed to crunch our way through one bag in a matter of hours. The boys love snacking on them and also love the challenge of getting the pod open. Making the mix for this recipe proved challenging as the peas kept disappearing into the mouths of two cheeky boys. Their little hands would sneak over the top of the kitchen bench, reach into the bowl and then run away dropping many as they went however I shan't complain about that!

I have used sprouted bread here. The thing about sprouting grains is that it activates food enzymes, increases the available vitamin content and neutralises anti nutrients like phytic acid that can bind up minerals preventing your body from absorbing them. You can read more about the benefits here. I really enjoy sprouted bread but appreciate it many not be for everyone. It has a nutty flavour that I like, but be aware it is very dense and heavy. A little goes a long way. You could easily use a good grainy sourdough in its place. Adjust the amount of lemon to your liking and season well. My preferred herb to use here would be dill but i had some basil in need of using so that found its way in there instead. Same applies to the lentils. Play around and use what you have on hand.

Smashed Lemon Pea Crostini on Sprouted Bread
Adapted from The Modern Vegetarian
Serves 2

1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons fresh basil
Pinch sea salt
150 g fresh peas (podded weight)
roughly 2 tablespoons cold pressed olive oil
100g feta cheese, crumbled
25g freshly grated paremesan
¼ cup green lentils, cooked (optional)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Ground black pepper

4 slices of Essene Sprouted Bread by Pure Living Bakery
Rocket to garnish

Place the garlic and basil in a pestle and mortar along with a pinch of salt
Pound until crushed and transfer to a bowl
Working in batches, smash the peas in the pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil until a rough paste is formed
Mix with the garlic and basil, feta and parmesan and dress with the lemon juice and another drizzle of olive oil

Slice 4 pieces of the bread and toast.
Top the bread with the smash pea and garnish with rocket
Season with ground black pepper if you wish

Exploring Buckwheat, Patties & Porridge

2011-07-19T03:09:00.000-07:00

Exploring Buckwheat

It was a Saturday afternoon when I made these patties and I think in the back of my mind I was yearning for a casual Saturday evening meal like a burger. I had purchased some gorgeous field mushrooms from “get fresh” in cotton tree earlier that morning with no intention attached until i peered into the fridge that same afternoon. "I know I thought, I'll use the field mushrooms with the patties to substitute the roll". Its not like it hasn't been done before. I was happy with the outcome. The kids on the other hand weren't so sure. The mushrooms were a good medium size and whilst I could have eaten two (piggy I know) I resisted and opted for some black bean brownie instead of which I shall post soon.

As for patties, generally speaking all kinds feature regularly in our house. They are a great way to use up leftovers and the kids can handle them easily without to much mess. You just have to make sure you use enough ingredients to bind them together such as egg, breadcrumbs, rice, quinoa otherwise they fall apart and make mess, mess and more mess. I am always amazed by how much mess little people can make. Thinking ahead, patties work well in the lunchbox, as a snack or as an extra on the dinner plate.

About Buckwheat

For those unfamiliar with buckwheat please be aware that, despite its name, it is not related to wheat. Equally, it is not a grain but rather a pseudocereal and thus gluten free. Interestingly, it is related to the rhubarb and sorrel family. When shopping for buckwheat you have two options in the form of roasted buckwheat (kasha) or raw buckwheat groats which tend to be milder in their flavour. They are a great starting point. Buckwheat is versatile. For instance, I made three cups of cooked buckwheat when preparing for these patties with the intention in mind to make buckwheat porridge the following morning (1/2 cup cooked buckwheat, warmed rice milk, fruit and nuts, shredded coconut and a drizzle of maple syrup) and then for lunch at work the following day I used the remaining 1/2 cup as a base for roasted brocolli, hummus and tempeh. The cooked groats store well in the fridge and can also be frozen for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Cooking Buckwheat Is Easy:

1 cup buckwheat groats (yeilds approximately 3 cups cooked)
1 3/4 cups water

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan over the stop top
Rinse the buckwheat kernels by placing them in a sieve and running tap water over them for 30 seconds
When water is boiling add the buckwheat to the water and reduce to a simmer
Place the lid on the saucepan and cook down for 15 mins

Grains benefit greatly from being allowed to steam in their pot after cooking. To do this remove them from the stove top after cooking and leave to rest for approximately 10 mins with the lid in place. Then fluff and serve or use as you wish.

I would recommend using cooled buckwheat for the patties but freshly cooked and steamed is delightful for porridge.

Buckwheat Burgers
Makes 12 medium sized patties

2 cups of buckwheat, cooked
½ cup almond meal
½ cup roasted sweet potato, diced
2 organic eggs, lightly beaten
2 generous tablespoons pesto (I used basil)
¼ cup parmesan, grated
¼ cup sage finely chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well to combine
Take tablespoons full of mixture and shape into patties
Preheat a fry pan to a medium heat and lightly spray with oil
Cook the patties for about 8 mins on one side
Place a lid on the fry pan or a piece of foil over the top
Flip and cook the other side in the same way
Serve as you wish

To prepare the mushrooms:

Preheat a griddle pan to a med – hot setting
Remove the stem from the mushroom and brush both sides with olive oil
Place on the preheated pan and allow them to soften (approx 10 mins)
Cut thin slices of pear and brush with lemon juice
Place on the griddle pan and cook until caramelised

To assemble:

Place one field mushroon on a plate and top with buckwheat pattie, grilled pear and smoky tomato relish is you have it otherwise get creative with whatever you have on hand - maybe some honey wholegrain mustard or another dollop of pesto, hummus or natural yoghurt seasoned with salt and pepper. The options are endless. Add some greens as a side salad if you wish.

Gluten Free Heirloom Tomato Tart

2011-07-13T03:06:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to discover some heirloom tomatoes at the Noosa Farmers Market when I recently visited. I purposely put them in the back of my car for the trip home to avoid eating them all. They were sweet and full of flavour. Once home, they were turned into a quick easy tart. Super easy and great for a late breakfast or light lunch. For a non gluten free version you could use 1-½ cups of plain wholemeal flour in place of the gluten free flours and omit the xantham gum.

Gluten Free Tart with Heirloom Tomatoes
Serves 4

For Pastry:
By La Tartine Gourmande

1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1.5 teaspoons xantham gum
0.5 teaspoon sea salt
7 tablespoons (100 g) cold butter, diced
1 egg
4 (or more as needed) tablespoons cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flours, xantham gum and salt
Add the butter and use the pulse option to work this mixture into crumbles
Add the egg and continue to pulse
Add the water, one tablespoon at a time and work until the dough detaches from the bowl
Transfer to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Before rolling out allow the pastry to come back to room temperature

For Tart:

¾ cup ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to season
heirloom tomatoes (approximately dozen) sliced and let to rest of paper towel to absorb juices
greens to garnish
30 gms sheeps milk feta crumbled
egg beaten (for washing)

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius
Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to a round shape approximately 30 cm in diameter
Gently lift the rustic pastry circle to the baking tray using the sheet of baking paper underneath
Season ricotta with salt and pepper to your liking
Spread fresh ricotta over the pastry base
Do not spread the ricotta right to the edge of the pastry instead leave approximately 5cm clear from the pastry edge
Place the slices of tomato over the ricotta overlapping them slightly as you go
Sprinkle crumbled sheep’s milk feta over the tart
Fold the edges of the pasty circle in to create a rustic looking free form pie
Season with freshly ground black pepper
Brush the folded over pasty edges with beaten egg
Place in oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until the base of tart is cooked through.
Serve with green salad

Making Fresh Ricotta and Besan Crackers for a Snack

2011-07-10T04:51:00.000-07:00

When I stumbled across this post recently on smitten kitchen I can honestly say I had a little flutter in my chest. Crazy I know but ricotta is a staple in our household. The boys love it and we cook with it regularly. It never goes to waste. Our local deli sells the most delicious, smooth and creamy ricotta and it sells out quickly. Luckily I am up with the delivery date and time so I generally don’t miss out – Phew!

To date I have had a couple of attempts at making ricotta and on both occasions have been left largely disappointed by the dry balls of cheese that looked at me. They tasted okay but they just lacked the creamy consistency i love.

Thankfully smitten kitchen was smart enough to come up with the thought to add some cream to the mix and voila! Creamy spreadable ricotta ready to go that is economical and tasty on freshly made besan (chickpea flour) crackers.

Fresh Homemade Ricotta:
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

About 1 cup of Ricotta

3 cups whole milk
1 cup crème fraiche or cream
½ tsp sea salt
3 Tbs lemon juice

Place the milk, crème fraiche and salt into a medium size saucepan
Attach a milk or candy thermometer to the saucepan
Heat the milk to approximately 85 – 90 degrees Celsius (just before boiling)
Stir regularly to prevent scorching the bottom of the pan.
Take the pan off the heat and add the lemon juice
Stir very gently a couple of times before letting stand undisturbed for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile line a colander with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl so the whey can drain away from the cheese
By this time your saucepan should have curds and whey in it that you can gently pour into the colander
Leave to strain for 1 hour then place in a glass jar in the fridge ready for use

Don’t dispose of your whey. Add to breakfast smoothies or you can actually make ricotta from the whey (my next mission). Alternatively skip on over to here for more ideas to consider.

Besan Crackers
Makes approx 12 crackers

½ cup besan flour
½ cup almond flour
3 tbs LSA
1 tbs cold press olive oil
¼ cup water
pinch salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius
Mix flours and LSA together (use a whisk to get rid of any lumps)
Add the oil and then gradually add the water
Mix until a dough forms (knead it on a bench if that makes it easier)
Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll until thin
Cut cracker in squares with a knife or use a cookie cutter if you wish
Place on a tray line with baking paper
Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 mins or until lightly browned

On the Light Side + Aiming for Balance

2011-07-08T03:12:00.000-07:00

A really light lunch today consisting of asparagus, grilled pear, toasted hazelnuts and fresh turmeric. Quite appropriate after an indulgent evening out with the girls inclusive of dessert, wine and lots of laughter. I still feel good thinking about it now. To bulk this up a little I suggest the addition of some protein such as a poached egg, feta or even cottage cheese however in sticking with the lighter option I went for a dollop of creme fraiche, a splash of lemon juice and a grind or two of cracked black pepper plus a herbal tea for comfort.

So are you thinking what is with the turmeric? Well I picked some up at the farmers markets last weekend and have been grating it over many things throughout the duration of the week. It has an unusual peppery type of flavour and stains your fingers and anything else it comes into contact with, but i like it. It possibly is not for everyone but I mostly love it for its medicinal properties which you can read about here if your wish.

My Light Asparagus Salad
Serves 1

1 bunch of fresh asparagus (woody ends trimmed)
1/2 pear sliced thinly
Juice 1/2 lemon
5 hazelnuts toasted or plain roughly chopped
1 tsp grated turmeric

Dollop of natural yoghurt or creme fraiche
Ground black pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to the boil
Blanch the asparagus by putting it in the boiling water for 1 min then
remove from the boiling water and place in a bowl of iced water
Preheat a griddle pan to medium and grill the slices of pear until caramelised
Remove the asparagus from the iced water to drain
Chop the hazelnuts roughly
Grate the turmeric and assemble salad
Spoon leftover lemon juice over the salad and ground black pepper

Quinoa, Grape and Roasted Garlic Salad

2011-07-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed every mere morsel on this plate. When i eat amazing fresh food like this i realise just why i love food so much!

Quinoa and Grape Salad with Roasted Garlic
Adapted from Sunday Suppers

Serves 4 – 6 as a side

1 head of garlic
3 cups seedless red grapes (some whole & some on vine)
½ cup fresh mint
100gms sheeps milk feta crumbled
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 cups rocket or other your choice of salad leaves
salt and pepper to season

1 cup of cooked quinoa (to prepare see below)

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees celcius.
Slice the top of the garlic and spray/brush with olive oil
Place on baking sheet and roast until soft (approximately 20 – 30mins)
When done reduce the heat of the oven to 140 degrees celcius and arrange grapes on a baking sheet in a single layer
Bake until about half their size (about an hour and half)
Cool and begin to prepare the quinoa.

Quinoa:

Rinse ½ cup uncooked quinoa under the tap for 30 seconds
Bring 3/4 cup water to the boil
Add the rinsed quinoa to the boiling water
Reduce to a simmer and place the lid on the saucepan
Cook down for 10 - 12 mins or until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy
Turn the heat off and remove from the stovetop
Leave the lid in place until ready to use.

To assemble the salad:

Combine the quinoa, olive oil, vinegar, feta, smashed garlic cloves, mint leaves, loose grapes and rocket
Toss to combine and season to taste
Top salad with whole grapes on vine and serve

Gravlax, Lemon Zuchinni and "Buckwheat Bread for One"

2011-06-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

I am currently delving in a grain free way of eating and whilst i am not planning on adopting this way of eating wholeheartedly I am really enjoying getting creative with it none the less and improving my knowledge whilst doing so.

When i first came across grain free eating a couple of years ago my first thought was - What! The next thought was - what do you eat then? My what now feels like an uneducated reaction, was probably driven by the fact that I love bread and not having bread in my life is a thought I don't care to have after all I have done countless artisan bread making courses and i do believe there is nothing more beautiful on a Sunday morning for breakfast than a couple of slices of crusty freshly baked grainy sourdough lathered in something? Anyone else out there with me?

Well for the purpose of my own personal growth and development I am putting my love affair with grains aside for the time being and focussing on choosing and making more grain free choices and less of the latter and guess what - I am really enjoying it and can now probably say that I could live without wholewheat bread if i had to. The thing that i am enjoying most is that i feel "clean" after i eat a grain free meal. Make sense to anyone else out there?

I have also been doing some additional research and I have great hope that this way of eating could really benefit my fertility patients who deal with infertility as a consequence of their auto immune disease. Lets hope!!!

The following recipe Buckwheat Bread for One is adapted from Grain Free Living. Venture on over to check out more grain free recipes when you get a chance. I found it to be a wonderful resource full of practical information.

Gravalax, Lemon Zucchini and Buckwheat Bread
Serves 1

Lemon Zuchinni:

1 large zuchinni or 2 small
Juice of half lemon
Splash of olive oil
salt and peper

Slice 1 large zuchinni into strips using a vegetable peeler
Place in a bowl and add the juice of half a lemon, splash of olive oil, salt and pepper
Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Buckwheat Bread
Adapted from Grain Free Living

1 heaped Tbs buckwheat flour
1 heaped Tbs potato flour/starch
1 heaped Tbs besan (chickpea) flour
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tspn vinegar (apple cider) or lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
Approx 1/4 cup of almond milk or enough to make a thick creamy batter

Whisk the flours, salt and baking soda together to remove any lumps
Whisk in the almond milk to make a fairly thick mixture (something that resembles thick pourable cream)
Add the vinegar and olive oil, combine well (the mixture will thicken and get bubbles)
Heat a frying pan over medium heat
Lightly spray pan with oil or melt some ghee if you have it
Pour all the mixture into the pan to make one medium sized pancake
Cook until bubbles appear and the pancake is nicely browned
Flip and cook the other side.

To assemble:

2 - 3 slices of Gravlax (Smoked Salmon)
1/4 avocado sliced into wedges
Small amount of greens if desired such as your choice of herbs or micro-greens

Place the pancake bread on a plate
Top with zucchini salad, slices of gravlax and choice of greens
Add wedges of avocado (if you wish)
Spoon lemon juice that remains in the bowl from the zucchini over the top
Season with cracked black pepper

A Big Thumbs Up for Avocado

2011-06-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

Cooking is pretty much a part of my everyday existence. I never tire of it and I am always on the look out for ways to improve and diversify my skills. Like many others I am also on a mission to make things healthier so you can imagine my delight when the most recent Oldways Newsletter made it to my inbox.

Oldways is an internationally-respected non-profit, changing the way people eat through practical and positive programs grounded in science, traditions, and delicious foods and drinks. It is best known for developing consumer-friendly health-promotion tools, including the Whole Grain Stamp and the well-known Mediterranean Diet Pyramid.

The latest newsletter was titled "Butter Up - Baking with Avocados" Yes, that's right! Not only were they confirming avocados greatness in salads and guacamole Oldways they were also suggesting avocado to be a wonderful baking ingredient as well. I scratched my head and thought, well why not?

So i set to thinking about two contrasting ways i could use avocado in my baking to test this out. The first one I came up with was my regular meusli slice i make for the kids. It's nothing exciting but it is a great grab and go snack that could be made healthier with avocado and the other I came up with was pastry. Who doesn't want a healthier option for pastry?

Something else worth noting is that avocado fat is predominantly unsaturated fat making it a perfect substitute for saturated fat products such as butter. When using avocado in your cooking the recommendation is 1 : 1 - easy peasy! The other great thing is that when comparing avocado to a product such as butter, calories are far less. In fact two tablespoons of avocado has 50 calories whereas two tablespoons of butter has 204 calories. Could this possibly get any better?

Well yes, because when i tasted my two test dishes I was an instant convert. I tasted, I chewed, I analysed and yes from a textural and visual point of view I could tell the difference but from a taste point of view I was very pleasantly suprised. Sure my pastry lacked the buttery flavour that makes it so luscious but I can live without that. The other bonus - the kids were none the wiser. So in conclusion, we are giving avo's the big thumbs up! Try it for yourself and see what you think. Let me know how you go. I would love from you about your own avocado baking experiences.

Test Case One:

Meusli Slice

Makes 10 - 12 slices

60 g spelt or wholemeal flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
115g Rolled Oats
1/3 cup Rapadura Sugar
60g dried cranberries (or whatever dried fruit you have on hand)
60 g shredded coconut
50g organic dark chocolate cut into chunks
85g very well mashed or pureed avocado
1/4 cup ricotta or natural yoghurt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Line a square baking tin (20 x 20cm) with baking paper

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl
Stir in the oats, sugar, cranberries, chocolate and coconut
In a separate bowl lighlty mix the avocado, ricotta, egg and vanilla
Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix together until combined (don't over mix)
Transfer to the prepared baking tin and level the surface with the back of spoon

Bake for about 25 mins or until slightly risen, golden and just firm to touch
Allow to cool
Cut as desired and enjoy!

* i have also made this slice with buckwheat flour in place of the spelt. When doing so I added in 2 tspn of baking powder to the dry mix. It comes out moist and delicious. I also find that when i use ricotta it tends to be heavier than when I use natural yoghurt.

Test Case Two:

Avocado Spelt Pastry

Enough for 1 family pie or approximately 12 mini pies

3/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour
3/4 cup white spelt flour
100g diced avocado
2 tbs LSA
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
50 mls chilled water (use only if needed)

Place the flour, diced avocado, LSA, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Slowly whilst the motor is running gradually add a little water at a time until the pastry comes together. (as soon as it starts to come together stop the machine)
Remove the pastry from the bowl and knead lightly on a lightly floured bench and form into a ball
Put in a glass bowl with a lid and let the pastry rest for 30mins in the fridge to rest.

This pastry can be used for any savoury tart or pie you wish. The boys requested mini beef pies so i have outlined my recipe for that below if you are interested. I haven’t ventured as far to make my own puff pastry as yet so I used **Borgs Organic Puff Pastry that is available from most supermarkets for the top.

Organic Beef Party Pies

Makes approx 12 mini pies

500gms organic minced beef
1 dozen cherry tomatoes chopped in half
1/2 vegetable stock cube
1/2 cup water
6 sage leaves roughly chopped
1 medium size potato diced
1/2 carrot diced finely
1 heaped tbs tomato chutney
1 egg lightly beaten

** Puff Pastry for Top

Preheat a pan over medium heat and brown the mince
Add the chopped tomatoes, potato, carrot, vege stock cube, water and red wine if you wish
Allow to simmer gently for about 15 mins or until the veges have softened
Stir every now and again to ensure even cooking
Add the sage leaves and tomato chutney
Sir well and remove the mixture from the heat to cool.

Pre heat over to 185 degrees celcius and prepare trays by lightly spraying with oil
Remove the pastry from the fridge and flatten into a disc shape
Using as little flour as possible, roll the pastry once or twice then use a pasty knife to lift and rotate clockwise before rolling again
Repeat this until you have reached a diameter of approximately 25cm
Using a tea cup, cut the pastry into 12 circles
Lift each pastry circle and press into little tins or trays
Using a tea cup, cut the puff pastry into 12 circles
Divide the meat mixture between the pie bases and top with puff pastry circles (don't overfill)
Trim the edges of the pie by taking a knife and working it around the perimeter
Use a fork to press the edges of the pie together
Brush the top with a lightly beaten egg
Place in a preheated oven and cook for 30 - 35 mins or unit the pastry is golden brown

Zucchini and Hazelnut Salad with a Lemon Caper Dressing

2011-06-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

This recipe is super easy and fast. The most difficult part is putting some hazelnuts into the oven to roast and toasting some breadcrumbs. I have outlined how to do this below.

With regards to the zucchini, I bought a nifty little gadget from my local House Shop and the boys think it is spaghetti – you have got to love that. We also use it for carrot spirals although that usually results in the boys draping them over their ears pretending to be girls with curls. The vegetable spaghetti makes a fun addition to the boy’s lunchboxes alongside some pasta or sourdough bread and some protein such as fish or eggs. In the photos below my eldest son was pretending to be Walrus with the zucchini spirals. Anything to get them to eat fresh food I say.

A Handy Tip

In my opinion only, I believe that nothing beats breadcrumbs made from leftover wholegrain sourdough bread. It is a great way to minimise waste and all you need to do is place the stale pieces of bread into a food processor or blender and whiz rather than placing them into the bin. Get hold of your old bread before it becomes mouldy and whiz them. You can freeze them for later use and they will come in handy for all types of things such as crumbing fish, risotto cakes or topping pasta bakes.

The roasted hazelnuts give this salad a nice crunch. It is important to ensure that when roasting hazelnuts the outer skin is removed, as it can be bitter and when it comes to toasting the breadcrumbs I recommend not leaving them in the pan to cool and they will keep cooking and may burn.

I would recommend dressing this salad just prior to serving. Any leftover dressing can of course be refrigerated and use for a later time.

So enjoy and Bon Appétit! (see recipe below)

Zucchini & Hazelnut Salad with Lemon Caper Dressing

For the Salad (Serves 4 - 6 as a side)

3 zucchinis sliced with a mandolin or vegetable spiraler
¼ cup roasted hazelnuts chopped roughly
¼ cup sourdough bread crumbs toasted
½ lemon shredded (seeds removed)
100gms sheeps milk feta crumbled
1 cup chickweed and water cress (you could also use rocket)

Roasting Hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius
Spread the whole hazelnuts, in a single layer, evenly over a baking tray.
Place in the oven and roast for approx 10 mins or until the hazelnuts are aromatic and lightly toasted. By this stage their skins should have started to come apart.
Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and whilst still warm remove the outer skins by placing them in a tea towel and gently rub together. This will help to remove the outer layer

Toasting Breadcrumbs

Place the breadcrumbs into a pan set over medium heat that has been lightly sprayed with oil
Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the crumbs become golden (approx 5 mins)
Remove the crumbs from the pan and allow to cool

For the Dressing

¼ cup Lemon Juice
¼ cup Cold Pressed Olive Oil
¼ cup Capers
1 Tbs Wholegrain Mustard
1/2 - 1 Tbs Raw Honey (adjust to your liking)
Salt and Pepper to Season

Combine all ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well to combine

Assembling the Salad:

Slice the zucchini into spirals with a spiraler or mandolin
Add the breadcrumbs, shredded lemon, feta, chickweed and watercress
Toss gently to combine
Roughly chop the cooled hazelnuts and scatter over the top of the salad
Spoon your desired amount of dressing over the salad to lightly coat and season as you wish.
(store unused dressing in the refrigerator)

A Day at the Show and Some Pineapple Pear Muffins

2011-06-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

So we ventured to the local show on Friday. My first time ever! The kids loved every second of it. They fought their need for sleep through tired eyes. They eyed each animal up and down and hesitantly touched them. It was wonderful to watch. We shared the day with my parents, sister, her husband, their two children and of course my own little family. We snacked on muffins that had been made fresh that morning and basked in the beautiful sunshine that the day offered. It was a lovely day but we were glad to get home and put those weary heads to bed.

These muffins are superb! They are soft and moist and you could substitute the fruit for whatever you have on hand. I had an over ripe pineapple and some half eaten pears in the fridge (kids) that i blended and turned into puree the froze the rest for future use. I have also made these muffins with mashed banana as well and they were gooooooood!

Pineapple Pear Muffins
Makes 10 small muffins

1 1/4 cups spelt or wholemeal flour
1/2 cup pecan or almond meal
2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup pineapple/pear puree or your choice of fruit
1 egg lightly beaten
1/4 cup rice milk or cows milk

Preheat the oven to 185 degrees celcius
Combine flour, pecan meal, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl
Combine olive oil, egg, pureed fruit and milk in another bowl
Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until just combined
Spoon mixture into patty papers and bake in the oven for 20 minutes

Choc Chunk Tahini Cookies and A Morning At The Beach

2011-06-15T02:31:00.000-07:00

The boys are obsessed with any type of heavy machinery these days. We actually stalk work sites and do worksite drives by’s in search of machinery working – what has my life come to? The morning we made these cookies it just so happened that a digger and bulldozer were working at our local beach pushing sand to and fro. It was there that we sat for the next couple of hours watching, mimicking, gasping and eating these freshly baked cookies in the perfect winter morning sunshine.

Choc Chunk Tahini Cookies
Makes 8 - 10

½ cup puffed millet
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup spelt flour or wholewheat flour
½ cup pecan meal (could substitute almond meal here)
½ tsp bicarb soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup rapadura sugar
4 Tbs unsalted butter
¼ cup tahini
1 egg lightly beaten
½ cup dark organic chocolate chopped into chunks

Preheat an oven to 185 degrees celcius
Melt the unsalted butter over a low heat. Remove and allow the mixture to slightly cool
Place the dry ingredients in a bowl – millet, oats, flour, pecan meal, bicarb, salt and sugar
Lightly mix together the slightly cooled butter, tahini and egg before adding them to the dry ingredients
Mix well to combine and then add the dark organic chocolate mixing well once again
Line a baking sheet with baking paper and drop a tablespoon of the mixture onto the tray
Repeat with the remaining mixture
Bake in a pre heated oven for 12 – 15 mins
Remove and cool on a wire rack before serving.

Carrot & Kaffir Lime Pancakes with Hummus and a Chickweed and Watercress Slad

2011-06-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

These made for a lovely light lunch after a morning at the Farmers Markets

Carrot and Kaffir Lime Pancakes with Hummus and a Chickweed and Watercress Salad
Inspired by The Modern Vegetarian
Makes approx 8 pancakes
Serves 4

150g grated carrot
4 kaffir lime leaves finely chopped (you could substitute the zest of a lime)
½ cup of packed coriander chopped roughly
100 gms chickpea/besan flour
¼ cup quinoa flakes
1 tspn baking powder (gluten free)
2 egg yolks lightly whisked
½ cup milk
1 Tbs tomato chutney (gluten free)
salt and pepper to season

To Serve

Small bunch of watercress and chickweed
Hummus (homemade or store bought)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined and a thick batter forms
Allow the mixture to stand for approximately 30 mins
Heat a non stick frying pan over a medium heat
Spoon a generous tablespoon of the mixture in the frypan to make a pattie shape and fry on both sides until golden.
Repeat with the remaining mixture.

(to keep pancakes warm until serving place in a slow oven)

To assemble

Place two pancakes on a plate and top with a generous dollop of hummus before adding a serving of salad to the top of the hummus

Polenta Chips

2011-06-09T03:24:00.000-07:00

These Polenta Chips are fantastic as a snack when friends gather on a Saturday afternoon or as a side to fish for something different at the dinner table. Going one step further they even went nicely in the boys lunch box the following day.

Polenta Chips
Inspired by the Modern Vegetarian
Serves 2 - 4

125gm quick cook polenta
750 ml water
100gm pumpkin, finely diced
1 vegetable stock cube (reduced salt)
1 heaped tspn dijon mustard
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Bring the water and stock cubes to the boil
Add the finely diced pumpkin and stir gently to disperse the stock cube
Reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer for 5 mins

Remove from the heat and using a hand held blender whiz the mixture until smooth
Return the pot to the stove top and set to a medium heat
Slowly whisk in the polenta and cook for approximately 5 mins, stirring gently until thickened

Remove from the heat and stir in the dijon mustard and parmesan cheese
Season with pepper if desired

Pour the polenta mixture into a 20 x 30cm tray that is lined with grease proof paper
Place in the fridge until cold and firm (about 1 hour is ideal)

Holding onto the edges of the greaseproof paper gently lift the set polenta out onto a chopping board and cut into small rectangles that resemble a chip about 8 x 2 cm and place onto a tray that is lined with foil and well greased

Pre heat a grill to 180 degrees celcius

Lightly spray the chips with oil and place under the grill until golden brown (about 10mins)

(if things are a little slow then increase the grill to 200 but make sure you are able to watch the chips as they will burn very quickly if left unattended)

Remove the tray and gently turn the chips over to grill the other side (i used a butter knife for this. The chips may lose their shape a little whilst under the grill but you can easily reform them using the edge of the knife)

Return to the grill and brown the opposite side.

Remove from the grill and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Healthy Lead - Chlorella, Chilli Roasted Pumpkin and Fresh Strawberries on Ricotta

2011-06-07T02:44:00.000-07:00

This week we took a healthy lead from Sarah over at My New Roots. For anyone out there that hasn't come across this blog you should as it is an amazing resource for anyone interested in health and nutrition. I often pass it onto my fertility patients as a resource given the extent of wonderful nutritional knowledge they could benefit from.

Sarah's last post "Green Dream Chlorella Cream" struck a chord with me and I admit my curiosity got the better of me. So much so I hot footed it to the health food store and purchased a bottle of the named Chlorella.

Why?

Well as I mentioned, Sarah gives an amazingly detailed post over on her site that I totally recommend reading for the ins and outs but essentially - Chlorella is a green alga or pond scum as Sarah light heartedly refers that offers a comprehensive list of health promoting benefits for just about every body system and every person which is pretty cool!

We tried it and we liked it (boys included). It certainly helps that it is mixed with honey and tahini as per Sarah's suggestion (see recipe here). To date we have prepared it in two ways - firstly as a snack on chilli roasted pumpkin and secondly for breakfast drizzled over fruit toast, ricotta and fresh strawberries.

I believe for some people it can be a little hard on the digestive system so the recommendation is to go slow at the outset and work your way toward using more. Who knows you may even like it like it.

Pecan and Strawberry Friands, Quinoa Patties and Some Wallpaper

2011-06-04T03:44:00.000-07:00

Can I just say that these were the most decadent and devine tasting "things" ever. A special occasion prompted their creation and i think they were enjoyed by all based on the “these are goooooooood” comments that kept coming. I like that, especially when I know they came from my kitchen!

And with the leftover egg yolks quinoa patties were created with inspiration from Heidi Swanson. I haven’t purchased her new book yet but I have seen them recreated on other blogs to know that they look good. They were actually fabulous and included sweet potato, cranberries, some leftover basil pesto – whatever I could find in the fridge to use up really. They stuck together beautifully and the kids could handle them easily without to much mess. I am definitely going to recreate them for a later post as they would be extremely versatile and practical for the lunchbox.

And don’t you just love parents? Mine have recently sold our family home of 40 years. Sad I know but I have been so lucky to score a few treats such as the likes of this wallpaper and a collection of different linen and napery just to name a few. Very Happy!!!

Pecan and Strawberry Friands
Adapted from Canelle et Vanille

Makes 8

110 grams unsalted butter
4 egg whites
½ cup palm sugar or rapadura
1 cup pecan meal
2 Tbs cacao powder
110 grams strawberries

Melt butter over a medium heat in a saucepan until brown solids start to form on the bottom of the pan.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool
Meanwhile in another bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, pecan meal and cacao powder
Add the cooled butter and whisk until well combined and refrigerate the mixture for a couple of hours
Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius when ready to bake
Line a muffin pan with baking papers
Spoon the mixture into the baking papers, filling about half way.
Press the strawberries into the mixture.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes

Walnut Spelt Bread with Sunflower and Sesame Seeds

2011-06-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

My weekly shop at the organic grocer this week left me so excited. Why? Spelt grains were back in stock. They had been unavailable due to the floods early in the year. I filled my bag and put them in my basket with a little smile and carried on.

I love to grind my own grains. There is nothing better than freshly ground flour to make bread or any baked product for that matter. In my opinion it is totally superior. I had been getting frustrated by pre ground spelt flour from the shop as I was finding the mixtures of my baked goods to be bitter and possibly an indication that the flour could possibly be rancid. Has anyone else had this problem?

It was frustrating me so much that I emailed Jude Blereau (wholefood guru) and she felt it may be a possibility. Speaking of Jude Blereau I would so desperately love to be a part of her natural chef training program. It looks wonderful and I sigh each time i lurk around her site just day dreaming about it. Daydream is about all I can do at this stage of my life so with that being said I shall continue to grow and develop my own education about wholegrains as best possible until maybe one day i can take up the opportunity.

Walnut Spelt Bread with Sunflower and Sesame Seeds
(Inspired by Galton Blackistons “Summertime”)

Makes 1 x 900g Loaf

For the bread

450 g whole or white spelt flour
pinch of salt
25 g butter, softened
20 g honey
20 g dry yeast
1 large organic egg, lightly beaten
225ml milk

1 cup walnuts roughly chopped

For the topping

1 large organic egg, beaten with 2 T milk to make an egg wash
1 T each of Sunflower (soaked for at least an hour before if you can), white and black sesame seeds, mixed together

1 x 900g loaf tin, greased and lined with greaseproof paper

Place the flour, salt and softened butter in the bowl of a food mixer and, using the dough hook, mix thoroughly.

Combine the honey and yeast in a bowl.
Mix as best you can before adding the egg and mix
Mix together thoroughly

With the food mixer running, slowly add this mixture to the flour mixture (you may not need to use all of this mixture)
Allow the machine to knead the dough for 5 – 8 mins, or until it comes away from the sides of the bowl and does not stick to your fingers

Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover the dough with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in volume.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well with the palm of your hand until smooth and pliable. Work the roughly chopped walnuts into the dough at this stage.
Place the dough in the loaf tin and pat down gently. Set aside somewhere warm to prove again or until the dough has risen well above the top of the tin (this should take about 45 mins)

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius/ 400 degrees farenheit

When the dough has risen again, brush the top of the loaf with egg wash and scatter over the mixed seeds.
Bake in the centre of the pre heated oven for 20 – 25 mins – the loaf should sound hollow when you tap your knuckle on the top and bottom.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Handy Hubby and Some Very Yummy Almond Butter

2011-05-30T23:17:00.000-07:00

My handy hubby is such a gem. For a while now I have wanted a blackboard in our kitchen and finally it has come to fruition and can I say that it has been a blessing with helping to occupy the boys when trying to get dinner on the table in the evening.

Almond Butter was requested today by my eldest. He loves it as a snack alongside crunchy apple slices and it is so simple to make yourself. Then as a little adaptation to the nut butter i had a thought and ended up scooping half the batch of freshly made almond butter into a separate jar and flavoured it with some orange juice and vanilla. To my suprise it was really GOOD! Now my mind has been working overtime with regards to other flavour considerations.

Basic Almond Butter
(makes approx 3/4 cups)

1 cup roast almonds
1/4 tspn sea salt (optional)

Roast almonds in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees celcius for 10 - 15 mins
Allow to cool slightly and add to a food processor or high speed blender
Process until you reached your desired consistency ( i like a bit of texture still in mine)
Add salt (if you desire) and stir to combine

Orange Sesame and Vanilla Almond Butter

1/2 cup almond butter
2 tbs orange juice
1 tbs tahini
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbs honey

Place almond butter in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients
Stir well to combine
Adjust flavours to your liking and enjoy!

Also i stumbled across the blog "heather eats almond butter" the other evening and i liked her suggestion for quick almond milk. Check it out here. Great for when you are pressed for time.

Protein Bars and an Adventure Race

2011-05-29T00:27:00.000-07:00

My husband ventured out last evening to do a trial run for his up coming adventure race. He left late yesterday afternoon and arrived home at around 8am this morning looking about 10 years older then when he left. It was tough going,the rain was coming down but they managed to trek approximately 60km through some pretty rugged terrain. The blisters and swollen achilles tendon representing the extent of the physical challenge. Given the physical endurance necessary for these type of events i have always questioned the benefits of store bought protein bars. I mean how could a product that has a list of ingredients that are unable to be pronounced be good for an athlete and their performance. It's got me totally beat! A quick dash to the organic supermarket yesterday morning fixed all that and my homemade version appeared which might i say were pretty tasty and could quite easily double as a snack for afternoon tea. If anyone is interested, more recipes for protein bars can be found over at the green groats. blog.

In other news I was pretty happy to learn that a collection of my recipes had been included in the "100 recipes for a healthy summer" guide collated by Integrative Nutrition. I have recently started studying with the college and am enjoying the course considerably with the hope that it will be a nice adjunct to my role as a Fertility and Women's Health Nurse. Time will tell but so far so good.

Protein Bars (inspred by green groats blog)
Makes approx 8 bars

2 Tbs whey protein
2/3 cup LSA
½ cup oats
2 Tbs honey
4 Tbs peanut butter
¼ cup sultanas
¼ cup shredded coconut
1 Tbs cacoa nibs
2 Tbs cacao powder

Comine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture forms a dough
Scoop mix out of the food processor and press it into a lined slice tray (20 x 30cm) ensuring not to press it down to much (it will only cover about ½ the tray)
Place in the fridge to firm up before cutting into bar shaped slices
Wrap each individual bar in glad wrap before storing in the fridge until ready to use.

Millet Bars

2011-05-26T03:11:00.000-07:00

I had one of those days in the kitchen where I used up bits and pieces of things that needed using up and these Millet Bars are an outcome of that. We enjoyed them as an afternoon snack under a picture perfect blue sky and just like the brazil nut balls we made recently these could be adapted in so many ways. I would love to hear any suggestions for other flavour combinations?

Millet Bars
(makes approx 12)

1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 tbs unsulphured black strap molasses
2 tbs orange juice
2 cups puffed millet
1/2 cup goji berries
zest of one orange
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbs cacao nibs

Place the first three ingredients in a saucepan over a lowish heat until runny and combined
Add the 2 tbs orange juice to this mix
Place the remaining ingredients in another bowl
When the peanut butter mixture is runny and combined add this to the remaining ingredients
Mix until we combined
Spoon the mixture into a 20 x 30cm tray and press down with the back of a spoon or your fingers until flat
Place in the fridge to firm up
Cut into your desired shape bar and serve as you wish.

Roasted Cauliflower with Cranberries and Apple

2011-05-24T04:20:00.000-07:00

My latest thing is cauliflower. Big fresh heads of cauliflower have been popping up at the farmers markets over the last couple of weeks and I am loving it. I came across this recipe in a book call "The Herbal Kitchen". I have adapted it slightly to my own taste and to what I had on hand and i was more than happy with the outcome. It proved to be a delicious lunch had by all - kids included and they asked for more - gee i love that!

Roasted Cauliflower with Cranberries and Apple

(Serves 4)

1 cauliflower (core removed and cut into florets)
1/2 large spanish (red) onion
1 large unpeeled green apple, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 tspn sea salt
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped sage
2 tablespoons olive oil

(parmesan to serve)

Preheat oven to 185 degrees celcius
Toss the cauliflower, onion, apple, olive oil together in a bowl
Transfer to a baking dish ensuring that the ingredients are spread over a single layer
Bake until some of the cauliflower florets begin to brown (approx 20 - 30 mins)
Stir in the cranberries and bake for an additional 10 mins or until most of the edges of the cauliflower are browned.
Serve with a sprinkling of good quality parmesan cheese if you desire

Brazil Nut Balls

2011-05-19T02:12:00.000-07:00

My boys love these and I have to admit so do i. They are a great snack, easy to make, adaptable to what you have in the cupboard and are perfect to take on a day out. They travel well and are easy to eat without to much mess. Usually the consumption of one is followed by a request for another. Would love to hear of any other flavour combinations to try?

Brazil Nut Balls

Makes approx 6 - 8 balls

1/2 cup brazil nuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (soaked for an hour or two)
4 Medjool dates
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sultanas
3 tbspns carob powder
1 tbspn cacao nibs
zest of one orange
juice of 1/2 small orange

Place all the ingredients except the orange juice into a food processor or vitamix.
Process until the mixture resembles big breadcrumbs
Whilst processing gradually add the orange juice until the mixture comes together and firms up.
(it should be firm and sticky)
Using a tablespoon take a heaped portion of the mixture and roll into a ball
Repeat with the remaining mixture
Place in the fridge to firm up (if you can wait that long)

Sesame and Thyme Pancakes

2011-05-14T02:39:00.000-07:00

These pancakes are easy and are great to serve with dips, as a wrap or as a base for scrambled egg, avocado, marinated artichokes and cherry tomatoes as we did this evening for a quick dinner (yes dinner). When making these my preference is to keep them a little thicker when rolling out. I think it makes for a nicer end result especially when serving with dips.

Sesame and Thyme Pancakes
Makes approx 20

250g white spelt flour
200 - 250ml boiling water
1/4 tspn salt
2 tblspns sesame oil
black sesame seeds
bunch of thyme (leaves removed from sprig)

Sift the flour into a bowl and gradually mix in the water until a smooth dough forms
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured bench and knead for 2 - 3 mins
Return the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 mins
Divide the dough into roughly 20 portions and roll into balls
Roll 2 balls out a little and brush one lightly with sesame oil
Sprinkle thyme and black sesame seeds onto the oiled pancake
Top with the other flattened pancake
Roll the double pancake out to a 12 - 15 cm round (depends on your preference of thickness)
Repeat with the remaining balls

Heat a frying pan over medium heat
Cook the pancakes one at a time for 1 - 2 mins on each side until firm and some colouring is visible
Stack the cooked pancakes on a plate, covering them with foil whilst you cook the remaining
Keep warm in a low oven or keep in an airtight container until ready to use.
Reheat before serving.

Chicken and Quinoa San Choi Bow

2011-05-09T02:50:00.000-07:00

My boys are big fans of rice paper rolls. Whatever I put in them, they eat so they feature regularly. This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat. It is delicious, versatile and so easy.

1 cup quinoa
1/2 tblspn ghee
500g organic chicken mince (tofu could also be substituted)
1 medium large knob of ginger
375g water chestnuts,drained and finely chopped
1 cup mushrooms (used swiss browns)
1/2 carrot cut into thin strips
1/4 large red capsicum cut into thin strips
1/2 cup (100ml) tamari
1/4 cup (50ml) maple syrup
1 tblspn sesame oil
5 sprigs of coriander

15 iceberg lettuce cups or rice paper rolls as we did

Rinse the quinoa well and cook using absorption method, using 1 cup quinoa to 1 3/4 cups water by bringing to the boil then reducing to a medium heat to simmer for approximately 12 mins.

Check out this fabulous post if you have never cooked quinoa before.

Heat ghee in a wok over medium heat
Add the chicken mince and ginger, stirring to break up any lumps
Add the mushrooms, carrot, and red capsicum
Add the cooked quinoa, drained chestnuts, tamri and maple syrup, stirring well until combined
Cook until well mixed and vegetables have slightly softened
Drizzle the sesame oil over the mix and stir
Add the chopped coriander

Fill into washed lettuce cups and serve with a wedge of lime or fill a rice paper sheet as follows:

Wet one sheet of rice paper with warm water
When soft and pliable spread out on the benchtop
Place a piece of lettuce on the bottom of the sheet closest to you and top with a couple of tablespoons san choi bow mix
Fold the bottom edge over the fillings, then fold in both sides before rolling away from you
Complete until all ingredients are finished.

Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-07T04:25:00.000-07:00

Just when you have no idea where to start:

A little something flutters your heart:

Happy Mothers Day to each and every mum. You are so deserved of a special day that is just about you.

Spelt Fillo Pastry

2011-05-05T03:12:00.000-07:00

I attempted to make my own Fillo Pastry by following the advice of Theo Kalogeracos. I was given his book sometime ago and i have made reference to it a few times to date. On this occasion it was for his version of Fillo Pastry and whilst I don't think I got it to standard of Theo in terms of thinness I think I did ok for my first ever attempt. It was challenging to get it paper thin without question and I was tempted to put it through the pasta maker but i resisted however I think you could do so quite easily and get a good result. Keeping it the right shape was challenging as a result. Theo does clearly acknowledge this in his instructions - "it takes a lot of practice and its not as simple as rolling ordinary pastry" In other words he says "you don't become Super Yaya overnight!" Ain't that the truth. None the less I can say I have attempted it and will do so again as it was enjoyed immensely in the form of Spanakopita and also with the knowledge that it was made from spelt flour. Would do it all over again for sure.

Fillo Pastry
adapted from Theo Kalogeracos
approx 6 sheets

500g spelt four (white or wholemeal)
25ml white wine vinegar
50ml cold pressed virgin olive oil
1 tspn fine sea salt
300ml cold water
1 tblspn butter
1 - 2 cups extra flour for dusting

Combine all the ingredients (except the dusting flour) in a bowl and mix until it comes together
Knead for 10mins or until a smooth dough ball is formed
Roll the dough ball in extra flour, place in a clean bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour
Remove the dough from the fridge and cut in six even pieces
Knead each piece into a ball
Sprinkle dusting flour over the bench and start rolling one ball at a time using a rolling pin
Roll the dough out one way and, when it is thin, turn it clockwise and roll it the other way
Repeat rolling until the dough is as thin as paper
Place each sheet to one side to air dry and lightly dust both sides with extra flour

Note:
I am generally not very good at sticking to a recipe and the above spanakopita is just another example. Whilst I used the Food Safari recipe as a guide I amped up the nutmeg to my liking and cooked off the spinach mix beforehand to save the risk of a soggy wet spanakopita. I also added some roasted artichokes for something to try. In addition to this I didn't brush my sheets of fillo with butter rather preferring to use egg as a wash to ensure a golden finish.

Spelt Pasta Making

2011-05-05T02:53:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a cooking class at the Buderim Ginger Cooking School My participation in this course has certainly not turned me into an italian masterchef but I did gain something really practical and valuable cooking advice by doing so. The thing I love about pasta is the minimal number of ingredients needed to create something delicious. My boys love getting involved in the process as well (even if it is as dough eaters). This is my first attempt at using spelt flour and I was happy with the outcome indeed. I made lasagne sheets however you could create any type pasta type you like based on this recipe and your pasta machine applications.

Pasta (Adapted from the Buderim Ginger Cooking School)

500 grams white spelt flour
4 eggs

To make:

To make the pasta, mound the four on a work surface or in a large bowl
Make a well in the centre
Break the eggs into the well and whisk with your fingers (you can used a fork if you want to)
incorporating the flour as you do so
You may need to add a little chilled water (1/4 tpsn at a time to make a loosely massed dough
When the flour and eggs are thoroughly combined, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (the dough should be pliable and dry to touch)
Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 20 mins
Cut the dough into manageable pieces and work the dough through the rollers of a pasta machine, making the settings smaller each time until the dough is smooth and elastic and slightly glossy in appearance and not to thick.

* one thing i did learn is to use cornflour to dust the prepared pasta rather than your regular flour. This will avoid a gluggy mess when cooking it and ensure that the cooking water will remain relatively clean as a result.

Pure Delight

2011-05-03T03:02:00.000-07:00

I wrestled with a young coconut and a hacksaw yesterday to reveal the pure delight from within. The milk was clean and crisp with a subtle flavour and the flesh was as white as snow. Just how they say they should be. The boys drank most of the milk from within and as for the flesh, well the word "more" was constant. Needless to say my plans for the coconut milk and meat were abandoned so i guess I will just have to buy another coconut and get the hacksaw out again. There has to be an easier way?

Asparagus, Sundried Tomato and Goats Cheese Pizza on Spelt

2011-05-01T03:44:00.000-07:00

In our household Friday night is all about Pizza. So casual and easy to share on the back patio as the birds fly home to their nests and the sun goes down on another day and another working week.

A little tip - pizza bases can be made in advance, they can be frozen and thawed when ready to use if that is more convenient.

Asparagus, Sundried Tomato and Goats Cheese Pizza
Serves 4

Basic Spelt Pizza Base

375g white or wholemeal spelt flour (i have used half and half before)
1 tspn honey
1 tspn dried yeast
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbspn olive oil
225 ml very warm water

Place half the flour, honey, yeast and salt in bowl of a stand mixer and set aside
Comine olive oil and warm water
With the paddle attachment, slowly stir the water and oil mixture into the flour until well combined
Mix in the remaining flour

Change to the dough hook attachment and knead on low for 4 - 5 mins, until the dough comes together as a ball and is smooth and elastic.
If not using a stand mixer, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 10mins

Place the dough into a lightly oiled blow and cover with clean cloth
Set aside in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size

Once dough has rise, use a sharp knife to divide into 3 portions
Shape each into a ball and flatten into a disc
Using your fingers or a rolling pin if you wish, stretch out each disc to a size that suits you.

Topping

Tomato sauce for base -

(you can mix up a quick one by reducing down a handful of roughly chopped tomatoes with a couple of garlic cloves, any herbs you may have that need to be used up in the fridge, splash of white wine, salt and pepper for seasoning)

1 bunch of asparagus with woody ends removed
large scoop of sun dried tomatoes
45g goats cheese
1 large ball buffalo mozarella

Preheat your pizza stone in an oven to 225 - 250 degrees celcius
After rolling out pizza base spread tomato sauce evenly over the top
Place the asparagus on top of the base and crumble the goats cheese over
Carefully place the pizza on the pre heated pizza stone and pop into the oven for 10 mins -

(i like to prepare my pizza on a piece of glad bake and also bake the pizza on the glad bake on the stone. It makes it easy to transfer the pizza to the stone and is safer as well)

After 10 mins has elapsed add the sundried tomatoes and continue to cook for another 5 mins or until the base is crispy and some colouring is visible

(i add the tomato's after otherwise they burn to a crisp)

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with shredded buffalo mozarella
Serve with a side of salad