Blueberry Muffins

These are the yummiest little muffins going around my kitchen lately, and I found it very difficult to stop at one.. 
So i've decided to lay off the processed sugars for a while and concentrate more on the natural versions that don't effect the blood sugar levels as much. In doing this I came across the amazing Agave Syrup, produced from the mexican Agave. It has a low Glycemic Index of around 30 and is naturally sweeter than honey. 
What could be better really.. Then there really isn't any reason to stop at one!!

What you need:

1 1/2 cups GF self raising flour

3/4 cup GF Brown rice flour

1/4 cup flax seed 

1 tsp bi carb soda

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

2 ripe bananas

1 cup blueberries

1 tsp Vanilla essence 

1/2 cup Agave syrup

2 eggs

8 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup rice milk

What to do:

Pre heat oven to 170 degrees cel and line a muffin tray with baking cups. 

Sift both flours into a large bowl, then add the flax seed, bi carb soda, baking powder and xanthan gum. Mix well. 

In another bowl, mash the bananas with with the vanilla essence and then add to the dry ingredients. 

In the same bowl, gently beat the two eggs and then add to the mix, followed by the agave syrup, oil, rice milk and blueberries. 

Mix well and then evenly distribute into muffin cups and cook for around 20 minutes. Check regularly.

EGG NET

So I was very spoilt last night.. I came home to my favorite meal placed in front of me. I haven't the slightest idea how my darling man did it but it was AMAZING!
Just wanted to share a few snaps of it with you all, as it tasted just as good as it looks..

The egg net salad with pork and prawn is a special dish that I always order at one of our favorite restaurants, Longrain.... the most amazing thai in Melbourne. 
So thank you Andy... future Masterchef of the house.

Fish cakes

These little gems, or should i say large gems are so tasty that even my man of the house begs me to make them when i can. 
The traditional approach to an old fashioned fish cake, was the belief of using all your leftovers to create a quick and easy meal. While my mother is a huge advocate of no waste, i can't imagine too many of us these days using old smelly fish and rotten eggs to whip us a tasty sunday dinner!
I do however love a can... who doesn't have about 10 ten cans of tuna, sardines and salmon in their pantry? So, when I need an easy meal without the hassle of fresh ingredients, I turn to the good old sweet potato and a large can of tuna.... yummo! 


Fish Cakes

What you need:

2 large sweet potatos

400 grams, canned tuna

1 onion

2 garlic gloves

1 fresh chili

1tbs chopped coriander

2 eggs

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup GF bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Chop and boil the sweet potatos in a large saucepan. Once soft, transfer to a large mixing bowl. 

Finely chop the onion, garlic, chili and add to the potato. mix well and then mix in the tuna, coriander and a quarter of the brown rice flour. 

Using a bar mix or electric beaters, blend all ingredients together to form a nice soft paste. 

In a small bowl, mix the eggs together with a fork, then put the flour and breadcrumbs on two separate plates. 

Gently put some of the tuna potato mixture onto the palm of your hands and roll into large balls then flatten from the top. 

Place in the egg mixture to coat, followed with the flour and then the breadcrumbs. place to the side.

Continue until all mixture is gone. 

Heat up a large frying pan with lots of oil and gently add a few fish cakes at a time. Cook for a few minutes on each side until a nice crusty shell has formed.  

Serve with some grilled vegetables or a light salad. 

Serves 4

Banana Cake

Sometimes it's nice to indulge and this banana cake is surely one of those times.. It's extremely rich but completely addictive... 
I went to stay with my mum for a week over the New year and this recipe is one of her long standing fail proof delights. So I decided to make it GF and dairy free, or as I call it "Soph friendly"
With so many friends and family wandering in and out of the house all day long and me placing the cake strategically on the kitchen table, it was little wonder the entire thing was gone in about 2 hours!


One tip though: Your bananas need to be extremely ripe, so ripe that you can hardly spot an inch of yellow... You want them black and very soft!!! 
In other words, don't throw out your old bananas... 


Banana Cake 

What you need:
1 cup raw sugar
125 grams Nuttelex
1 1/2 cups plain GF flour
1 egg
3 (very ripe) bananas 
1tsp vanilla essence 
1tsp bi carb soda
2tbs soy milk
11/2tsp baking powder


What to do:
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees cel and grease and line a cake tin with baking paper. 
Beat the sugar and Nuttelex in a large mixing bowl, until pale and creamy. Then beat in the egg. 
In another bowl mash bananas with a fork and add vanilla essence. Transfer to the beaten mixture. 
Add the flour and baking powder. stir through
In a small cup mix the milk and bi carb soda together, then add to mixture. Blend together.
Transfer to cake tin and cook for around 40 minutes. Time may vary depending on your oven.

Pumpkin Soup

Ok, so it's been a little while in between posts but I can rest you assured that I have still been cooking and cooking A LOT. 


I made this delicious Pumpkin Soup the other day and wow it was a hit! Quote form own sisters mouth "This may even be better than mums!" Sorry mum... Thanks Em.... 
The thing about it is the gentle mix of spice, it just lifts the flavor adding a more ethnic vibe. 


Pumpkin Soup
Adaption from Taste.com   

What you need:

1.2Kg Kent Pumpkin

1 onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

2 stands spring onion, chopped

3 garlic gloves, finely chopped

3 cups vegetable stock

100ml coconut milk

1/4 cup loosely chopped coriander 

1tsp paprika

1tsp ground cumin

1/2tsp nutmeg

1/2tsp turmeric

4tbs olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do: 

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees cel. Cut Pumpkin into quarters, remove skin and pips, then place on a lined baking tray with a little oil. Roast for around 40 minutes, or until soft. 

Heat left over oil in a large saucepan, add onion, garlic, spring onion, carrots and coriander. Cook for around 5 min until softened. 

Add pumpkin, stock, 1 cup water and spices, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and then let simmer for around 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then blend in batches. Return to pan and stir through coconut milk.  

Serve drizzled with any extra coconut milk and coriander. 

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.