Berry slice

Berries are just the sweetest little things! Just one single blueberry can create such a huge burst of flavor, then have you reaching for another within seconds.. 
I use them all the time, most often with breakfast, smoothies or with dessert. They are a wonderful addition to the fridge and make any sweet treat that little bit more colorful. 
However, it's sometimes nice to cook with them too. Warm berries are very yummy!


Berry slice
This slice I adapted a women's weekly cookbook. 

What you need:

1 cup caster sugar

2 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

90 grams Nuttelex

3/4 cup plain GF flour

1/4 cup GF self raising flour

1 egg

For the topping:

1 1/2 cup flaked almonds

1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup caster sugar 

2 eggs lightly beaten

What to do:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees cel

Grease a 8 by 12 inch baking slice tin. line with baking paper. 

In a large saucepan, combine half of the berries with half sugar. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside and cool for 10 minutes and then mix in the left over berries. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg, butter and remaining sugar with an electric mixer. Stir in sifted flours and then spread dough into pan, followed by the berries. 

To make the topping, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and then spread over the berry mixture. 

Bake for about 1 hour. Cool in the pan and then cut into small slices. 

Chocolate hazelnut christmas cake

What a beautiful time of the year! 2 weeks until Santa visits and big family feasts.... But most importantly, the sun is shining on this side of the globe and the humid air is pleasantly detoxifying.. 


So everyone loves a picnic and with such a big park just waiting outside our front door, it was a very easy decision, one which of course involved a lot of baking!!

Chocolate hazelnut christmas cake

Adaption from women's weekly chocolate cake 

What you need.. 

155 grams nuttelex (dairy free butter)

155 grams gluten and lactose free dark chocolate - chopped

5 eggs - separated 

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 cups almond meal

1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts - chopped 

4 large cherrys 

Chocolate icing

1/3 cup lactose free cream

100 grams dark gluten and lactose free chocolate 

Pre heat oven to 160 degrees cel - Grease large round cake tin and line base and sides with baking paper. 

Combine butter and chocolate in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until smooth. set aside.

Beat egg yokes and sugar in a large bowl until thick and pale. Then beat in chocolate mix. 

Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. 

Fold almond meal into chocolate mixture and the then slowly fold in the egg whites. 

Spoon into cake tin and then bake for about 1 1/2 hours. 

Cool on a wire rack and then dress with chocolate icing. 

To make chocolate icing 

In a small saucepan bring the cream to boil over a low heat. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and then stir until smooth. let sit for 5 minutes and then spread on cake. cover with cherrys and hazelnuts.    

lemon tart

There is just something about the texture of a tart that is irresistible.
As a child my ultimate dessert was apple pie. The soft pasty against the warm apple...
Now, anything to do with pastry, combined with something sweet, my taste buds turn into overdrive.
Which brings me to the reason for this lemon tart..


Before I get a little ahead of myself here, this particular recipe is going to have to wait as I have a few minor adjustments to make... being the perfectionist that i am.
Sometimes baking gluten and lactose free can be a tad on the harder side, especially when pasty is involved. 

But rest assured, I will master the art of this lemon tart....

Cookies!!!!

I just adore cookies.. so easy to whip up and so many different varieties to satisfy any taste pallet... 


So today I went about making some super yummy 'chocolate crumble cookie' and some semi refreshing 'orange and poppy seed cookie cakes' -I must admit here, I added a little too much bi carb soda and the little gems seemed to grow a little more than anticipated. They are extremely tasty though, hence why i just couldn't resist putting them up!


Chocolate crumble cookies... 

what you need......

3 large tablespoon nuttelex (dairy free butter)
2 large tablespoon agave syrup 
100 grams dark cooking chocolate
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup plain GF flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon bi carb soda


Pre heat oven to 180 degrees cel
Melt the nuttelex, agave and half chocolate in a pot and gently stir. Once dissolved, remove from heat and put aside. 
In a large mixing bowl combined the flour, sugar, cocoa and bi carb soda. finely chop the extra chocolate and add to the dry ingredients. 
Whisk the egg in a separate bowl and add to the dry mix, along with the melted chocolate. Add oil and combined well. 
Scoop 1 tablespoon of mixture on to the palm of your hand and gently role to create small balls. 
Place on large baking tray lined with baking paper and gently press down on the middle of each one. 
Sprinkle with icing sugar and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. 



Orange and poppy seed cookie cakes

What you need...

I cup plain GF flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut 
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 teaspoon bi carb soda (optional)
2 teaspoons poppyseed
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoon nuttelex
The rind from 1 orange

Preheat oven to 180 degrees cel
Melt nuttelx and honey in a pot. set aside. 
Combined flour, coconut, almond meal, brown sugar, cinnamon, bi carb soda, poppyseeds and orange in a large mixing bowl. 
Whisk eggs and add to dry ingredients along with honey and oil. Combined well.
Line a large baking tray with baking paper and gently scoop out tablespoons of mixture to form small discs. 
Place in oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with icing sugar. 
Serve. 

Grilled beef with lemon and mint

If you're anything like me then red meat is a rare occasion. Don't ask me why but over the years it has become one food that I never seem to miss that much. However, when i do have it, I try to make it as special as I can... And yes, I haven't forgotten the beneficial aspects of red meat and iron. 


This dish is very tasty and one that seems to work both as a summer dish or a comfort food in the colder months. You can create your own dressing by adding extra herbs or chili. 

Grilled beef with lemon and mint
This is an adaption of Jamie Oliver's 'dressing the board beef' 

What you need...

2 pieces of lean round beef

olive oil (for cooking)

1/2 lemon

1/2 cup chopped mint

2 garlic cloves

rosemary

salt and pepper

Chop one garlic clove into small slices and set aside. Then with one or two pieces of rosemary, do the same.

Using a sharp knife poke around 6 holes into each steak. Stuff garlic and rosemary into holes and then garnish with salt and pepper. 

On a bread board chop remaining garlic and mint together, add lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Heat oil on a hot frying pan and add beef. cook for around 5 minutes (med/rare), or until done to your liking, making sure to turn regularly. 

Remove from heat and place on bead board making sure to cover each side of steak with dressing. Using a sharp knife, gently slice and serve.

  

Blanched sardines with green beans and cherry tomato

This is one of my good friend Lou's little recipes.. very easy to add to any basic meat or fish dish or delicious to have on it's on. 

What you need...

1 tub cherry tomato

2 handfuls green beans

1/2 tin sardines (oil drained)

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 180 degrees c

Soften beans in boiling water for a few minutes, remove and drain well. On a large baking try, scatter beans, cherry tomatos and cover with small shreds of sardines. Garnish with salt and pepper and then bake for around 5 minutes, or until tomato has softened.  

Carrot and walnut cake

I love carrot cake... 

It's nice to relax on a saturday afternoon with tea and cake in the sunshine. 

I always find the weekends are the worst for my little sugar cravings and also very difficult to ignore. 

So given the spare few hours I have on a saturday morning and also the fact that I do very much enjoy baking, I never say no.... 

I found this recipe from one of my favorite websites Taste.com 

What you need.. 

2/3 cups walnuts

4 eggs, separated 

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups almond meal

1 teaspoon mixed spices

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon bi carb soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup corn flour

1/3 cup rice flour

1/2 cup icing sugar

2 table spoon nuterlex (dairy free butter)

1 large lemon

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees c

Sift flour, bi carb soda, baking powder, spices and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Add the almond meal, sugar, carrot, egg yolks and walnuts, mix together. 

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, fold gently into carrot mix. 

Bake for around 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and then transfer to a platter. 

For Icing:

Heat 1/2 icing sugar on a low heat with all of the lemon juice. Add to a mixing bowl with nutterlex and the rest of the icing sugar, beat to a smooth consistency, adding more icing sugar if needed. 

Transfer to cake using a spatular. 

Soup and Salad!

Healthy times.... 


There is not a better dish when you are sick and in need of some serious Vitamins... This soup and Salad combo is an absolute must! The only thing that may be missing is some crushed garlic on some warm grilled bread... 
mmm... mouth is currently watering, even after just consuming all of this!!! 


Vegetable soup and sweet potato salad

what you need...


Soup:
8 large mushrooms - sliced
2 celery sticks - chopped 
2 large carrots - sliced
handful of beans green beans - chopped in half
1 red chili - finely chopped
3 garlic cloves - finely chopped
1 large onion - finely chopped
Vegetable stock - gluten free (around 700 ml)
add spices to your liking - coriander, paprika, cumin, lemon myrtle, salt


In a large stock pot, heat oil, add onion, garlic and chili. Stir for 2 minutes, add spices and then all the vegetables. Stir for another few minutes, or until mushrooms start to soften.
Add stock, bring to the boil, cover with lid (leaving a small opening for steam at end) and cook for 20 minutes to 1/2 hour. 


Salad:
1 large sweet potato - chopped 
2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves
1 large cucumber - diced
3/4 cup roasted walnuts
1 ripe avocado - sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
Olive oil
1 lemon


Pre heat oven to 180 degrees c
In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons oil, sugar and chopped sweet potato. Mix together and then pour over a small tray covered with baking paper. Cook in fan forced oven for 35 to 40 mins, remembering to turn over half way. 
Meanwhile, brown the walnuts over a medium heat for a few minutes. Put aside to cool.  
In a large salad bowl mix together spinach, cucumber, avocado and walnuts.
Remove sweet potato from the oven and set aside. Once cooled add to salad and then mix all ingredients together. 

Slice lemon in half and squeeze over salad, accompanied by a little olive oil...

Banana Muffins

BANANA MUFFINS 


Who can resist banana muffins?? apart from the "I HATE BANANA GANG" i cant imagine anyone. 
I make these all the time... great snacks to take when you're on the road or having a late breakfast. You can heat them up and add a little honey or just have them on their own.

As we no longer have the traditional muffin men ( street walking muffin dealers ) we now either have to drive, walk, or cab to the nearest and don't forget 'Gluten/dairy free' muffin house. As these seem to be quite the uncommon, that muffin craving usually becomes somewhat frustrating!

Which brings me back to these goodies.... Why not just make your own!!

What you need...
3 very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essences 
8 tablespoons light olive oil
1/4 cup soy milk
3 cups SR Flour (gluten free)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
2 teaspoons bi carb soda
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon Xanthan gum 


Walnuts or almonds optional 


Pre heat oven to 180 degress c 
Mix Flour, sugar, cinnamon, bi carb soda, baking powder and xanthan gum together in a large bowl.
Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and gently stir in oil and vanilla essences. pour into the dry mix. 
Mash the 3 bananas separately and then also add to mix. 
Using a large wooden spoon gently fold all ingredients together adding milk gradually. 
Distribute mix evenly into two muffin trays, making sure to use muffin cases and cook for 20 mins or until golden brown. 

Zucchini and Mushroom Risotto

I just couldn't resist putting up this delicious risotto I made for dinner.


For many... It's been a long day, it's cold, you're hungry and the last thing you feel like doing is shaking hands with a wooden spoon for an hour! With most risottos this would be the only option but with this tasty dish all you need is an oven... 

Olive oil (as much as you desire)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large chili, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
11/2 cups vegetable stock
1 can Roma chopped tomatoes 
2 Zucchinis, halved and chopped
8 medium mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper, for seasoning
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley


Preheat oven to 180 degrees c
Heat a large ovenproof dish, with lid, over a medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, chili and mushrooms. Stir for 5 minutes. 
Add the rice to the dish and stir in thoroughly. Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmering point. Stir in the Zucchini, salt and pepper. 
Cover the dish and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stir once. 
Once served, scatter parsley over the top. 

Chocolate brownies

FLOUR-less CHOCOLATE BROWNIES









300 grams chocolate (non dairy and gluten free)
150 grams nuttelex (dairy free butter)
50 grams coca
200 grams caster sugar
4 eggs


Pre heat oven to 180 degrees. 
Melt chocolate and butter on a low heat, remove and stir in coca powder. 
Beat eggs with whisk and slowly add sugar, whisk until eggs have doubled in volume.
Gently fold in the chocolate and pour into a greased baking tin. 
Cook for 20-30 mins, or until edges are firm and middle is soft to touch. 
Remove from oven and let cool, the middle should sink. 
Cool in Fridge, then cut with a hot knife. 





                                                                         

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