Mighty pasta sauce (aka Cheesey ‘mato pasta)

April 25, 2017May 5, 2025 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

I feel like I’m giving away family secrets here …. Sorry Mum!

When my brother and I were little, if Mum and Dad were going out and we were having a babysitter come over (which wasn’t often I should add!) we’d always have an ‘easy meal’ … read; Fish fingers or Cheesey tomato pasta.

Cheesey Tomato pasta was my favourite …. a bowl of spaghetti with a tin of condensed tomato soup stirred through it and a handful of cheese sprinkled over the top so that it would melt as you stirred it …. kid heaven!

Well, these days, our family diet doesn’t look much like that but there are (many!) still times when an ‘easy meal’ is required …. “cheesey ‘mato pasta” as it has become known in our house, is a hands down winner. Inhaled every time. Full tummies and a happy, easy dinner time – there’s a lot to be said for that!!

Check out the end of the recipe for a modification to also use this as a great pizza sauce!

1 small butternut pumpkin (roughly 800g before peeling and seeding)
1 400g tin kidney beans or butter beans, drained
100ml coconut cream (we use the Aayam brand)
1 cup tomato passata
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
Optional: 1 small zucchini
Pasta of choice

*You could swap out the coconut cream for creamed cheese or even regular dairy cream if your diet allows

Set a big pot of lightly salted water to boil for your pasta of choice (we use a GF variety). A legume based or a high protein pasta is a great addition here if you’re serving this as a meal on its own.

Peel and dice the pumpkin, then steam until soft – usually a few minutes in the microwave when this kind of dinner is required. If you have extra time (or some left over!), roasting the pumpkin adds a delicious depth of flavour too.

If you are adding a zucchini, dice and steam the it in the last couple of minutes with the pumpkin (you can peel it first if your little people are detectives for any green ‘bits’!)

Place the steamed veg and beans, with the tomato passata, into your blender/processor/bullet/thermal cooker together and blend until quite smooth (Start on speed 4 and work up to speed 6, for 10 seconds, then scrape down and repeat). Be very careful to follow safety instructions for blending hot ingredients. Add in the tomato paste, coconut cream, salt and nutritional yeast and blend again (speed 6, 10-15 seconds and repeat if necessary).

**If you are new to adding veg into your sauces, you could start out using less pumpkin and use more of your regular pasata or pasta sauce.

Cook and drain your pasta, then return to the saucepan and pour over the sauce.

Top with a little addition cheese of choice if you like.

Top with some crispy bacon if you wish – or fried mushrooms to keep it vegan.

This makes enough sauce for about 3 dinners, just freeze the leftovers.

You can use this for the sauce in pasta bakes or even double it for shared suppers (and Sunday School dinners in our case!). Add in extra veggies if you like, or throw in some left over bbq chook or sausages.

Enjoy 🙂

P.S. For a terrific and nutritious pizza sauce simply omit the coconut cream and passata (and don’t add the zucchini).

Almost ANZAC biscuits

April 23, 2017April 24, 2020 ~ desertcook ~ 1 Comment

This week in Australia we remember ANZAC day.

It marks the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli of the Australian and New Zealand troops during WW1. It is a time when Australians give thanks for the sacrifices that our service men and women (including both of my beloved Granddads) have made for our country. We remember with the Dawn Service, the March and ANZAC biscuits.

The biscuits were originally sent in care packages to troops far off because they were cheap to make, didn’t contain any eggs and they kept well for a long time – after the end of the war they were sold as a fundraiser and today they are the only commercial good allowed to carry the name of ‘ANZAC’. They are delicious and thankfully, very easy to make into an allergy friendly version – plus, you can be very flexible with them based on what you have in your pantry.

See below the recipe for a *coeliac friendly version.

1 cups rolled oats
1 cup plain flour (GF flour, spelt, wheat – all work)
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup of almond meal (or seed meal)**
5 tbsp coconut sugar (or other sugar)
125g melted butter or oil (coconut oil, olive oil and melted vegan butter all work well, as does a nut oil if it suits you)
50g golden syrup/honey/maple syrup
1 tsp bicarb soda
2 tbsp boiling water.

*For a Coeliac friendly version: you can replace the oats with a mix of rolled quinoa and puffed rice.

**to omit the almond/seed meal, replace it with an extra 1/4 cup coconut.

Mix together the dry ingredients, except the bicarb soda, in a large bowl. (Speed 4, 10 seconds). Then set aside.

In a medium sized saucepan (or microwave), melt together the oi/butter and syrup. (Speed 2, 100C for approx 2 mins)

In a separate bowl, mix together the bicarb and boiling water and then add to the butter/syrup mix. It will froth up to about double the volume.

Add the wet mix to the dry mix and combine well (Speed 4, 8 seconds, scrape down and repeat).

On a greased baking tray place heaped teaspoon-fulls of the mixture and flatten down slightly. They need to have quite a bit of space in between.

Cook in a preheated oven at 170C for about 15-20 mins or until golden brown.

When you remove them from the oven they will be quite soft. They will harden as they cool. Leave them on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

20200415_104919 — These have extra oats replacing the coconut and almond meal – based on what was in my pantry!

20190726_115017 — These ones have puffed rice replacing the coconut.

Makes about 18 biscuits and they keep well in an air tight container for a couple of weeks … but they never last that long in my house!

A double batch of these bikkies is a great solution for Church suppers or bulking up for lunchboxes.

Enjoy

‘Coleslaw’

April 19, 2017April 19, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

As well as the common allergies we have in our home, we also have a few more unusual ones. Raw cabbage is one of those.

Last time my biggest boy came across raw cabbage it took 4 days for the swelling in his lips and face to go down. So …. add in the usual dressings and that’s coleslaw out for us then!!

This is our delicious alternative – loaded with veggies, has all the lovely fresh crunch of standard coleslaw and an awesome creamy, yet healthy dressing!

Hope you enjoy!

1 raw beetroot
2 medium carrots
1/2 head broccoli
4 tbsp creamy avocado dressing
OPTIONAL: a good handful of toasted pine nuts/walnuts

Peel the beetroot and then grate it and the carrots – food processor is easiest. Or you can do them julienne style with a mandolin.

Chop the broccoli into bite sized pieces.

Place all of the veg into a large bowl, add in the avocado dressing and toss through until well coated.

Top with a sprinkling of pine nuts or walnuts if you are able (toast them on a baking tray under the grill for just a few minutes – watch them carefully and toss part way through to get even browning).

Serve as a side salad at a bbq, with the protein at your main meal, or even top it with a tin of salmon as a delicious lunch.

Enjoy!

Oat Milk

April 6, 2017June 15, 2021 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

My little miss loves her oat milk. We have found a great brand that is unsweetened and free from weird additives …. my only problem is the price. $3/L or more …. eek!!!!! Works out to over $430 a year!

Not helpful for this tight budget. So, for this month we are leaving those 12L on the shelf and making them ourselves.

So easy and so cheap!! You do need a good high powered processor and a nut milk bag or a cheese cloth for straining.

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup boiling water
4 cups water (boiled and cooled)

Optional extras:

pinch pink salt
1 tsp vanilla beans paste
1 tsp maple syrup OR date paste

Place oats in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Allow to sit for about 15 mins before draining and rinsing gently. ** You can skip this step if you are in a hurry, but you might find that your milk is a little slimy in texture.

Place soaked and drained oats and all remaining ingredients into your blender/processor and blend on high speed until very smooth. (Start on speed 5, working up to speed 7 for about 20 seconds).

Strain the mix through the milk bag into your milk bottle/container and use your hands to squeeze out any excess.

You can discard the remaining pulp, or to get the very most of your money and your food, spread it out on an oven tray and dry it out on a low heat in the oven then use it in baking (works like almond meal).

Just like the life of the store bought milk, this will store in the fridge for 3-4 days – shake well before use.

lIt is creamier and thicker than the store bought variety so you may want to thin it out by adding a little extra water if that suits your taste preference.

This makes 1L.

Enjoy 🙂

Choc Banana Breakfast Bars

April 6, 2017July 9, 2021 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

Well, breakfast, or any time you need a filling snack to fuel you well!

These are a twist on my Banana Oat Biscuits. Super easy to make from stuff I always have in my pantry and quick enough that you can have a batch knocked up for breakfast in 5 minutes!

The fibre, great fats and protein help to boost your energy levels and keep you full for a while and the cinnamon in the mixed spice is useful for stabilising blood sugar levels … what’s not to love?!

See below the recipe for a Coeliac version and a few extras.

2 large bananas, very ripe
3 cups rolled oats
1 tsp mixed spice
1 heaped tbsp sunflower seed butter (or other nut butter)
1tbsp cocoa
1tbsp honey/maple syrup
2tbsp almond meal
3 tbsp milk of choice (unsweetened almond is great here)
3 tbsp aquafaba OR 1 whole egg
Pinch salt flakes

In your blender/processor/bullet/thermal cooker add the bananas, milk, aquafaba, honey and seed butter until smooth. (Speed 3 working up to speed 5 for 15 seconds).

In a large bowl use a whisk to mix together the remaining dry ingredients.

Pour the wet mix into the dry and fold together until well combined.

If using your blender or thermal cooker or processor to combine the two mixes use a low speed, so that you don’t shred the oats.

Place into a lined baking dish (mine is 25cm x 18cm), smooth and press down firmly.

Place into a preheated moderate oven for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool before slicing. Makes about 12 bars.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge or even in the freezer.

Extra Options:

To make these coeliac friendly use 2 cups puffed rice and 1 cup rolled quinoa in place of the oats.

For nut free use a seed meal OR replace with 2 tbsp of wholemeal flour

For a sweeter option you could mix through some chopped dried fruit (dates or sultanas are my favourite but cranberries or apple work too)

20170405_081134-1 — This little dude takes aaaages to get going in the morning so breakfast is often ‘on the go’ for him – these are perfect!

Enjoy

Honey Biscuits

April 3, 2017September 20, 2020 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

These ones are a little twist on my Tiny Teds.

They’ve had a bit of a nutritional boost but they still passed the taste test from my very perceptive and discerning Harry 😉

No-one messes with his favourite bikkies and gets away with it …. or do they?! He has happily eaten many of these and literally jumped up and down in the kitchen when he has seen that there were more stashed away in the pantry!!

See below the recipe for a Coeliac friendly version and a ginger snap option too.

These are super delicious and quick to make – and everyone loves home made bikkies!

30g plant based Butter
30g Sunflower seed butter (or other nut butter that suits)
140g honey/maple syrup/golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
220g plain flour of choice (I use spelt and do half wholemeal)
50g almond meal OR 60g hemp seeds
3/4 tsp bicarb soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a saucepan, over a medium heat, melt together the butter, honey and vanilla (100C, speed 2 for 2 11/2 mins or until completely melted). Remove from stove.

Use a whisk to mix the bicarb, almond meal, cinnamon and flour together and then add to the wet mix (Speed 4 for 8 seconds with the bicarb, then add flour and speed 5 for 15 seconds). If your mix feels too wet, add in 1 tsp more of flour at a time and pulse to combine).

Mix gently until combined.

Tip out on to a silicone mat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 2-3mm thick (much thicker and you get a softer biscuit rather than a crunchy one).

Use a shaped cutter to cut our your desired shapes (today we went with farm animals) and lay on a lined baking tray.

Place in a preheated moderate oven for about 8-9 minutes, or until golden brown. They will be soft when you remove them from the oven.

Leave on tray to harden and cool. Store in an airtight container for about a week.

Makes about 40-50, depending on the sized cutter you use … and how much dough your 3 year old helper eats in the process 😉

*Some tips

If this dough cools too much it can become a little stiff and crumbly, a couple of seconds in the microwave will soften it and make it more workable.
If you don’t have time to cut out the whole batch (it happens!), you can save half of this dough, tightly wrapped in the fridge for several days, before bringing it back to room temperature and gently warming it.

Enjoy!

For a Coeliac friendly option: switch to a gluten free flour mix, and use only 190g and add 1 tsp of psyllium husk.

To make a ginger snap version of these bikkies: Replace the honey with equal weight of maple syrup and replace the vanilla with 1.5 tsp ground ginger and an 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. These are a much quicker to make than traditional gingerbread but very similar in taste.

Cheesey Sprinkles (vegan Parmesan cheese substitute)

April 2, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ 12 Comments

Cheese replacements are tricky for us. The 3 boys eat dairy cheese now, but I don’t eat much dairy and Ellie can’t tolerate any.

All of the delicious creamy nut based cheeses are out for us and we try not to eat much soy. Hm.

Little miss has adapted beautifully to eat Bio-Cheese …. but …. for those of us who have actually eaten cheese in the past, it is really not that palatable an option. So if we are all eating the same dinner, we don’t use bio-cheese, instead, often making a cheesey tasting sauce with nutritional yeast flakes.

Then I was on a recipe sharing FB page and I saw one of the ladies mention that she made a dairy free Parmesan with Cashews and nutritional yeast and salt. I was so intrigued and started tinkering with a version that was safe for us.

And here it is! Such a cheesey flavour and aroma, and SO simple!

1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup roasted almonds OR roasted sunflower seeds
2tbsp, heaped, nutritional yeast flakes
1tsp pink salt flakes
Few grinds black pepper
1/2 tsp Italian herbs

Place all ingredients into your processor/bullet/thermal cooker and pulse until you get a nice crumbly consistency.

Store in an airtight glass jar. Leave it in the fridge if you’ll use it up within a week or so. We don’t so I pop it in the freezer to avoid the oils from seeds or nuts going off.

Sprinkle it on to your Lasagne or your Bolognese. I found that its cheesey flavour together with the creaminess of my avocado dressing was a real winner on our pizza too!

I’ll be using it as a topping for some savoury crackers next!

Enjoy 🙂

Chocolate protein hotcakes

March 26, 2017April 6, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

Hotcakes are a very popular weekend breakfast in our house. I love that they can be loaded with goodies to make them nutritious and filling. This version is a twist on my Vanilla Almond hotcakes.

They got absolutely demolished …. 4 very full little people at the end of breakfast!!

1 1/2 cups, wholemeal spelt flour OR 1 1/3 cups plain GF flour mix
1/2 cup of my chocolate protein drink mix*
2 tsp GF baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk of choice – I like unsweetened vanilla almond milk (add an extra splash if you use GF flour)
1 small overripe banana
1 heaped tbsp sunflower seed butter (or other nut butter that your diet allows)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas) OR 1 whole egg
vegan butter/butter/nut butter to serve

*If you haven’t made the Choc Protein Drink – then you can roughly replicate it with 1 tbsp cocoa, 1 tbsp coconut sugar and 2 tbsp almond or seed meal.

For a nut free/lunchbox safe version make sure you follow the nut free version of the Protein Drink mix

For a more chocolately version, replace the sunflower seed butter with some of my chocolate seed spread or choc hazelnut paste!

In a large bowl whisk together all of your dry ingredients (Speed 4, 10 seconds). Then set aside.

In a blender/food processor/bullet/thermal cooker, place the banana, milk, sunflower seed butter, vanilla, aquafaba/egg and blend until well combined (Speed 6, 10 seconds)

Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and whisk well to combine. (Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat).

Pour the batter into a hot, lightly greased frying pan, wait until bubbles appear on the surface, then flip and cook until both sides are a deep golden brown.

Top with butter of choice and serve warm.

They freeze well too – I make double batches and freeze sandwich style with a filling in between for an easy, filling, low mess snack.

Enjoy 🙂

Date and carrot loaf (or muffins)

March 25, 2017March 25, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

We have busy afternoons after school most days. Filled with activities for very boisterous, active kids! The parents at these activities are forever digging into their bags for goodies to fend off the cries of “I’m huuuuuungryyyyyy”. A while ago, a friend had date loaf for her kids to keep them going at Jujitsu (Hi Kylie!).

It inspired me to have a go at my own. I’d grown up with my Mum’s version, but these days I’m after less oil, sugar and refined ingredients …. and look for any excuse to hide bonus goodies. So these ones were created. Hope you enjoy them – they’re are like a cross between traditional date loaf and a carrot cake!

10 medjool dates
1 tsp bicarb soda
1tsp instant coffee (optional)
1 cup boiling water
2 medium carrots
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce*
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 1/4 cup wholemeal spelt/ rye flour
1/2 cup rolled oats/quinoa/desiccated coconut
1 rounded tsp GF baking powder
Pinch pink salt flakes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts OR 1/4 cup each roasted sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

* To make my apple sauce I just core my apples and cut them into quarters (don’t peel – keep the benefit of the skin’s nutrients!) and steam them until soft with a little bit of water and a pinch of cinnamon and then blend or process until you reach the consistency you like. (Speed 2, Steam Temp for about 10-12 minutes, then turn off temperature and increase speed gradually up to 6). I make it in bulk and store it in reusable squeezy pouches in the freezer.

Remove and discard the seeds from the dates, then place them in a bowl, sprinkle over the coffee (if using) and bicarb soda and then pour over the boiling water. Set aside.

Use your processor to blitz the oats into a flour (Speed 6, 8 seconds) then set aside

Grate or process the carrot until fine (drop onto blades spinning on speed 5, then up to speed 6 for 8 seconds).

Add the apple sauce, vanilla and all of the date mixture to the processor and process until smooth and well combined (start on speed 4 then gradually work up to speed 6 for 15 seconds).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, flour, baking powder, salt and seeds/nuts. If you haven’t used the coffee, an added teaspoon of cinnamon here.

Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and fold together until combined.

Spoon into a lined loaf tin or muffin holes. Place into a pre heated moderate oven, until well risen and golden. Takes about 25 minutes for the muffins or 50 minutes for the loaf.

Allow to cool. Makes about 14 muffins.

20170325_095356-1 — Toddler tick of approval – My cheeky boy as he pinches his 3rd one!!

If you want a sweeter more desserty kind of treat, you can top them with an icing made from whipped cream cheese (dairy or soy), sweetened with maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon. A scattering of extra nuts or seeds on top is yummy too.

Enjoy 🙂

I haven’t made a coeliac friendly version of this one yet. I’d try 1 cup of a GF flour mix, and maybe have another tablespoon of flour to add in if it looks too thin. Let me know if you try!

Veggie loaded sausage rolls

March 22, 2017April 8, 2021 ~ desertcook ~ 5 Comments

Sausage rolls are a massive favourite with my kids … and husband!

They are easy to make and they are perfect for hiding lots of veggies, so it is nice to know that they are a slightly healthier option for my family I have changed and modified my mix over time and this is the mix that I have found gives the best flavour and binds the best without egg.

I use Chevup sausages in my mix. They are a skinless, gluten free, Aussie beef sausage with about half the saturated fat of normal sausages – I feel much happier about using them than the sausage mince that is commercially available. You can find more details about them here.

The sausages I use also have a lovely flavour, so if you are using regular beef mince, there is a note below the main ingredients for a couple of extra things for you to add.

Gluten, egg, dairy, nut and soy free pastry is the next issue. There are many GF pastries out there but they are often really disappointing. Obviously use the one that suits your diet and that you enjoy.

I have used this pastry from the Gluten Free Bakery:

And it does a pretty good job. But ….

if you live in WA you really, REALLY have to check out Busy Bees Gluten Free pastry (I buy from Weigh n Pay in Woodvale)! It is amazing! It comes in a long roll and it handles just like wheat based pastry. It is soft and easy to work with and even non GF people have been happy to eat it!

8 Chevup sausages
250g beef mince
1/2 tsp onion flakes
1 medium zucchini
8-10 button mushrooms
Handful spinach
Fist sized piece pumpkin
200g tinned chick peas (drained)
1/2-1 cup GF bread crumbs (you can blitz rolled oats or quinoa to use here instead)
4 sheets of puff pastry (1 used 3 regular and 1 ‘everything free’)

If you are not using the Chevup sausages, use

700g beef mince, plus
1/4 tsp mild paprika
1/4 tsp garlic flakes
2 tbsp GF bbq sauce

Finely grate the zucchini and pumpkin. (Speed 6 for 8 seconds, scrape down and repeat). Then add in the mushrooms, spinach and chick peas and process until the mix is fine (Speed 6, 10 seconds, scrape and repeat).

Add the additional flavourings, if using and process again (Speed 5, 8 seconds)

Add the sausages and mince, to the processor and process until it is quite smooth (Speed 6, 15 seconds at a time, scrape down in between).

Add the breadcrumbs. Start with 1/4 a cup and gradually add more if the mix is too wet. (Speed 6 for 10 seconds at a time) I used about 2/3 cup last time. The mixture should stick together quite well.

Cut the pastry sheets in half and divide the mixture up between the sheets.

I find it is best to place it in a thin line down the middle of the pasty.

Roll the pastry over the top of the mix to form long cylinders.

Lay on a greased baking tray with the join side facing down (helps the join to hold together as it puffs).

Cook in a preheated 210C oven until meat is cooked and pastry is puffed and golden brown. (use a short burst under the grill to get them extra golden and flaky). Takes about 35-40 mins in my oven.

Makes quite a lot of sausages rolls (about 45 party sized ones) … so I did have to convince my kids that they couldn’t just keep eating them because they were there.

They freeze well – just reheat in an oven, not a microwave otherwise you get soggy pastry.

Enjoy 🙂

P.S. If you wish you could enjoy sausage rolls but are after a vegan version – have a go of my Roasted Pumpkin Pastry rolls