Breakfast Muffins

January 17, 2016November 26, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

In just a couple of short weeks school will be going back. Back to early rising, back to strict bedtimes and (almost) military style routines, back to a mad rush to leave the house with all 4 children fed, washed, clothed, packed and ready by 8am. Gosh, I love holidays!!!

Almost always porridge is the go for breakfast at our place. They all enjoy it and I can make up a big saucepan-full and everyone is happy. But for some reason, on some mornings, the getting ready process just doesn’t work well and we run late (please tell me that this happens to everyone!!).

To help on those occasions, I like to have these muffins in the freezer so I can give them a decent breakfast that they can eat while we’re walking to school. Most muffins are pretty well cakes in disguise but these guys have fruit sugars and lots of fibre and wholegrains to keep their little bodies going.

See below the recipe for a coeliac friendly option

2 medium overripe bananas (I keep some frozen)
4 Gluten-free Weetbix
50g rolled oats
6 large medjool dates, pitted
80g melted tasteless coconut oil, or other light tasting oil
235g milk of choice (we mostly use oat milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
200g spelt flour (I do half wholemeal)
2 tsp GF baking powder
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup frozen blueberries or 2 tbsp Chocolate Drinking mix

Place the oats in the food processor and blitz until fine (Speed 6, 10 seconds).

Add in the weet-bix, flour and baking powder and process well (Speed 5, 10 seconds). Tip out and set aside.

Place the banana, milk and oil in the bowl and begin processing, adding the dates one at a time through the chute at the top. Process until the dates are finely chopped and evenly distributed. (Speed 4 whilst adding the dates, and then up to speed 7 for 10 seconds). This also works really well in a blender or nutribullet.

Add dry mix to wet and process until combined (Speed 4, 12 seconds). I think this is has a lighter result if you fold through by hand though.

I normally separate the mix into 2 at this point as I have 1 child who doesn’t like blueberries (weird!). Fold the blueberries through the mix you do want them in and then scoop mix into a lined muffin tin.

Place into a preheated moderate oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and skewer comes out clean.

Makes 14 muffins. They freeze well and are especially yummy served slightly warm.

To make these coeliac friendly: Use 1 extra weet-bix and 1 tbsp rolled quinoa to replace the oats. To replace the spelt, use 200g GF flour mix. Increase the milk up to 240mls.

If you don’t have or enjoy dates then you could use a few tbsp of maple syrup or even coconut sugar in their place.

They are also particularly yummy if you replace the dates and berries with 2 tablespoons of my chocolate drinking mix (gives them a great nutritional boost too!)

Sometimes I make these and remove the oats and weet-bix with 1 tbsp each of Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds, plus 25g raw almond, 1 tbsp psyllium and 30g rolled quinoa. Milled down and stirred through the flour – this gives an especially good result when you’re using a gluten free flour.

Enjoy 🙂

Light Lemon Cheesecake

January 14, 2016January 14, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

Recently we had our traditional, school holidays Girls Lunch. And for the first time my lovely almost sister in-law was able to come. Man can she cook … with the beautiful cheesecake she brought along, she seriously raised the standard for dessert!

Since it was school holidays my bigger boys were there and my biggest boy, Will, was particularly enamoured with this cake. When we saw fresh raspberries on sale in the shops the following day he begged me to make him one ‘like Aunty Michelle made’. How could I resist?

Trouble was, that there was almost no safe ingredients in it for us – so we set about experimenting. For the first time I tried something really cool …. replacing pouring cream with whipped aquafaba. Yep, allergy friendly and it just about halved the calories for the dessert – win!! Hope that you enjoy it as much as we did!

350g soy cream cheese (we use Tofutti)
6 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid drained from a can of chick peas), slightly warmer than room temp
pinch of cream of tartar
1/3 cup icing sugar (increase to half a cup if you like sweeter, less tart desserts)
zest 1 lemon, finely grated
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp powdered gelatine
60 mls warm water
350g GF/DF/EF gingernut biscuits (we use the Leda brand)
110g Nuttelex or other vegan butter
200g fresh raspberries
fresh mint to garnish

In your food processor place the gingernuts and process until they are a fine crumb (Speed 6, 8 seconds).

Add in the Nuttelex and pulse multiple time until you have a crumb that resembles wet sand.

Grease your dish and tip the crumb into it. Press down firmly into the tin, making sure that you press the mixture a little way up the side of the dish too. Place in fridge.

Mix together the gelatine and warm water and whisk with a fork until dissolved. Set aside. Then work quickly so the gelatine isn’t sitting for too long.

In the small bowl of your stand mixer, place the aquafaba and the cream of tartar and beat on very high speed until soft peaks form (about 5 minutes). Set aside.

In the large bowl of your mixer place the soy cheese, lemon juice and zest, sugar and beat until smooth, soft and creamy. Add in the gelatine mix and beat again until well incorporated. (Use the blunt blade for 20 seconds on speed 4, the add gelatine and use speed 4 for for a further 8 seconds).

Pour in the beaten aquafaba and fold through until evenly distribute. (Attach butterfly/mixing tool and use speed 3 for about 20 seconds).

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the biscuit base, top with fruit and place in the fridge to set for 2 hours.

Garnish with mint and serve.

Makes about 12 slices.

To make this a vegan dish you just need to replace the gelatine with agar agar, probably 2 tsp … but I haven’t experimented with the liquid quantity required yet (as you need to bring the powder and liquid to the boil and then simmer for a few minutes before using the gel it forms). Please let me know if you do!

Enjoy 🙂

Beef Burritos

January 13, 2016January 21, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ 1 Comment

So, it’s already established that we are a Mexican food loving family, this is another great simple meal that we’ve added to our Mexican list. I’m not sure how authentic they are but they are definitely yummy and well received by all in our house – and even our guest tonight.

For the tortillas, you can buy those that you enjoy in store, but we use my Masa Tortillas

700-800g gravy beef
2 tbsp Mexican Seasoning (also my husbands wants it spicier so I’ll use 3 next time!)
Salsa (I make this recipe and use 1/3 of it for this meal)
2 x 400g tin corn kernels, drained and rinsed
400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin re-fried beans
400g tin black beans

Place the beef in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle over the seasoning.

Add the salsa to the top and ensure even coverage, then place lid on and cook on low for 4 hours.

Remove lid and add corn and beans. Stir well so that the re-fried beans are evenly distributed. Return lid and cook on low for another 3-4 hours.

Remove lid and using a fork, gently pull apart the beef so that the meat is now shredded. Mix well and allow to cook for a further half hour on low.

Make or warm your tortillas.

To serve we use a couple of chopped ripe avocados seasoned with pink salt, ground black pepper, a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of fresh chopped coriander. Add grated cheese of choice too if you wish (We use Bio Cheese for Ellie).

Place spoonfulls of meat in the middle of the tortilla, add avocado mix and cheese to the top then fold into a burrito and eat immediately.

This quantity of meat makes enough for our family of 6 for 2 dinners plus a couple of lunches. It freezes well.

For a lighter option I also use a large lettuce leaf in place of a tortilla … Delish and so fresh and crunchy!

Enjoy 🙂

Pumpkin Scones

January 3, 2016June 9, 2024 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

One of my lasting memories of church as a little one was heading out to morning tea after the service, dearly hoping that Rilda was on roster, and devouring her amazing pumpkin scones.

Rilda has gone to be with God now, but we still remember her fondly – I hope this recipe might go some way towards doing justice to her scones 🙂

When I served them up to my husband and kids this morning they were certainly devoured! 2 enthusiastic thumbs up from everyone. I had to hide 4 of the 16 away before there were only crumbs remaining!

1/2 cup cooked and mashed pumpkin (roughly 135g)**
1/2 cup milk of choice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
50g butter/plant based butter
60g sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas) or 1 egg
2 1/2 cup plain flour (or 2 cups GF flour and 1/2 cup almond meal)
2 1/2 tsp GF baking powder.

Place the milk and vinegar in a bowl and whisk together vigorously until it is quite frothy (Speed 4, 20 seconds). Then set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a stand mixer (Speed 4, 20 seconds, scrape down)

Add in the egg/aquafaba and mix well (speed 3, 6 seconds).

Add in the pumpkin and stir through until combined (Speed 4, 8 seconds)

Whilst mixing, gently add in the frothy milk mix (Speed 3)

Add in the spices and baking powder and mix briefly, then add in the flour (and almond meal if using) and mix to bring together. (Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat).

Tip on to floured surface and bring together – dough is quite sticky.

20160103_100648 — Spelt dough on left and GF on right

Roughly roll out to about 2cm thick and use scone cutter to cut out.

Place on a lined baking tray and put into preheated 200C oven (190C if fan forced) for 12-14 minutes.

20160103_101317 — Spelt on left and GF on right – oops, I rolled the GF ones a little too thin this time!

Scones should rise, be golden brown and sound hollow when sharply tapped on the bottom.

Serve warm or cool with vegan butter.

Spelt

Makes about 18

Enjoy 🙂

**P.S I have taken to making extra when I do roast pumpkin for dinner and I keep aside the 135g I need to make scones for the next day. I think the roasted veg gives an even better flavour!

Chocolate Rice Cereal (Cocoa Pops)

December 31, 2015September 24, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ 4 Comments

When we were growing up, my brother and I, used to hang out for school holidays and the much coveted ‘1 box of holiday cereal’!

It was always either Froot Loops or Cocoa Pops – stuff that was never otherwise allowed in our home! We would be up at the crack of dawn the first day to make sure that one of us didn’t get a bigger serve than the other 😀

Now the ‘special cereal’ tradition has been passed on to my kids … but there is just no way I could put that stuff in my trolley … even if it wasn’t for the allergies! Freedom Foods makes a pretty decent chocolate cereal that is fairly low in sugar and has extra fibre from chic peas and psyllium but it is a little box and with 4 excited kids – it makes it a very expensive treat that disappears after only 2 days!

So, I’ve had a go at making my own version of Cocoa Pops, inspired by my Sweet and Salty Puffed Corn. They are yummo – Even I have been tempted by a bowl 😉

170g puffed brown rice
2 tbsp tasteless coconut oil
1 tbsp sunflower seed butter (or nut butter)
3 tbsp rice malt syrup
3 heaped tsp cocoa powder (or 2 of cacao)
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

In a saucepan, place the oil, seed butter syrup, salt and vanilla. Cook over a gentle heat until all melted (90C, speed 2, approx 90 seconds).

Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa until you have a smooth but runny chocolate syrup.

Pour in puffed rice and mix until well coated. Initially it wont seem like enough mixture, but keep mixing, it will cover it all. I find this easier to do either in a very large saucepan or my big roasting tray – the thermal cookers aren’t quite big enough for this quantity, but do half at a time if you’d prefer to do it in one. Use the blunt blade (or reverse function in the TMX) and a very low speed.

Spread out on 2 lined baking trays (so it’s not too thick a layer) and place in a pre-heated 160C oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring once about half way through.

Allow to cool completely so they go crispy. Store in an airtight container in the cupboard, and serve as you would any cereal.

My kids have enjoyed it with cold milk and also just eating it as a snack!

Enjoy 🙂

Apricot Chicken

December 30, 2015September 13, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

In the 1970’s in Australia, Apricot Chicken was all the rage. And consequently, a lot of kids who grew up in the 80’s (like me) were raised on it as a family dinner standard.

There does seem to be 2 camps of people – those who love it and those who really dislike it – I have always loved it, and was disappointed when it had to be scrapped from our menu because of the allergens in the dried soup mix that is standard for the meal. But since I’ve been making my own French Onion Soup Dry Mix, it is back on the menu! Yay!

Please see below the recipe for a few additional recipe variations.

2kg chicken drumsticks
400ml apricot nectar
1 cup hot chicken stock (I use Massel)
2 x 400g tins chic peas (drained and rinsed)
200g dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 tbsp plain GF flour
2 tbsp Fench Onion Soup Mix
3 tbsp coconut aminos

Place half of the chicken into a double layer plastic bag.

Add to the bag half of the flour and half of the soup mix.

Shake the bag well to coat the chicken.

Place in the bottom of the slow cooker, and repeat with the remaining chicken and dry ingredients.

Add in the chic peas and apricots to the top of the chicken.

Pour in the nectar, stock and aminos then return the lid and set on high for 5 hours.

It will initially look like there isn’t enough water, but the chicken produces liquid and after a few hours there will be plenty.

After 3 hours, stir the mix and ensure that the chicken is covered with liquid, them return lid.

Serve with brown rice and steamed greens.

This makes a large quantity – about 8 adult serves. Freezes and thaws well.

A few notes:

You could also use chicken thighs if you don’t like the messiness of the drumsticks, about 1.2-1.4kg.

If you are like my husband and prefer a sweeter meal, swap out some of the chicken stock for equal quantities more of apricot nectar.

Depending on what I have on hand, I sometimes do half chick peas and half brown lentils.

If you want a less sweet meal (or need to avoid the sulphites in the dried fruit), I also swap out the nectar and the dried apricot for about 600g of tinned apricots in natural juice.

Enjoy 🙂

French Onion Soup – Dry Mix

December 29, 2015December 29, 2015 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

French Onion Soup as a dry mix is such a tasty addition to casseroles, potatoes and dips etc. But sadly the store-bought variety have gluten in them, sometimes milk, soy and lots of additives and preservatives and as such, it has been off the menu for us for quite some time. So I have been experimenting and have come up with a great substitute.

You can use it in exactly the same way as you’d use a packet of the dry soup mix. About 30g is the equivalent of 1 packet.

4 heaped tbsp Onion flakes
1 heaped tbsp Garlic flakes
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 heaped tbsp beef style stock powder (I use Massel as it is vegan too)
3/4 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried paprika

Mix all ingredients together and mill until peppercorns are fine.

You could use ground pepper if you don’t have access to a machine that mills, then just blitz all together in a food processor/blender etc.

Store in an airtight container and this will last many months (if you don’t use it first!)

Enjoy 🙂

Fruit Mince Pies

December 23, 2015January 14, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

These little bites are a regular feature at Christmas time in Australia … in fact, I’m pretty sure that they start appearing in shops about September … so hard to resist them!

I have posted previously a healthier version but I had a request from my biggest boy to ‘please just make them normal, like with the pastry from the shops’. Ok. I know when I’m beat!

I was lucky enough to be given a jar of my mum’s amazing fruit mince so I still haven’t gotten around to making my own … one day 😉

So you’ll need a fruit mince filling as well as the pastry.

1 1/4 cup plain GF flour (or 1 1/3 cups spelt)
1/2 tsp psyllium OR 1 heaped tsp almond meal (omit this if you use spelt/wheat)
1/3 tsp GF baking powder
1/4 cup pure cornflour
1/4 cup custard powder (Well and Good make a good allergy safe mix)
1/2 cup pure icing sugar
125g Nuttelex, or other vegan butter, cold
1 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas)
1 tbsp port or sherry

Place all dry ingredients into food processor and pulse briefly to combine.

Add in Nuttelex and pulse several times, until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Mix together the aquafaba and port and add it into the mix whilst processing (Speed 3 on a themal cooker). Add a little more flour if dough is too wet.

Tip mixture on to a floured surface and knead gently (Speed 1, 20 seconds).

Bring into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 1-2 hours).

Roll pastry out on a floured surface to about 3mm thick.

Cut into circles, large enough to cover the base and sides of your tart shells. I used my mini muffin tin, so a small round scone cutter was a good size.

Grease the muffin tins, place the pastry base inside, then fill lined tart shells with about a teaspoon of the fruit mince.

Roll out rest of the pastry and cut out in the shape of stars, place them on top of the pies.

Bake in 180 C pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until golden.

Allow to cool completely before dusting with pure icing sugar and eating. Makes about 14 and they’ll last for about a week in an airtight container.

Wishing you a joyous and peaceful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

Looking forward to sharing more with you in the New Year!

Wacky Cake

December 16, 2015March 1, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

This cake is based on one that 2 special friends have given me over the years (Hi Elena and Mary!). One of them lived in India, the other in Nepal, and at times, both struggled to get ‘normal’ cake ingredients, like butter and eggs, so it is made from super simple pantry staples.

There are a lot of versions around. I’ve seen them called Wacky cake, 3 Hole Cake or Depression Cake (as in, from the era of the Great Depression …. eating it will not make you feel sad!). This is my version.

See below the recipe for cupcake details and also a vanilla version.

1 1/3 cups plain GF flour (250g)
1 tsp psyllium OR 1 heaped tbsp almond/seed meal (20g)
1/2-1 cup coconut sugar (depending on your sweet tooth – I do 1/2)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp white vinegar
5 tbsp rice bran oil (or tasteless coconut oil/vegan butter melted, works too)
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
275ml cool water

(if you want to use regular wheat flour or spelt, omit the GF flour and psyllium/almond meal and replace with 1 1/2 cups plain wheat flour)

In a large baking dish, place all of the dry ingredients and use a whisk to combine evenly. (or speed 4, 6 seconds – then pour into a greased baking dish/tin)

Then make 3 holes in the mix and into each hole, add 1 of the following; vinegar, oil & vanilla. (Add in all wet ingredients together, including water, then, speed 4 for 15 seconds)

Pour water over the top and mix well (you skip this step if you are using a Thermal cooker, since you have already added the water above)

Cook in a pre-heated, moderate oven for about 30-35 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Rich Chocolate Icing

1 tbsp Nuttelex
1/2 cup dark choc chip of choice
3 tbsp milk of choice
approx 1 cup GF icing sugar (more if required)

In a saucepan, gently melt the Nuttelex, choc chips and milk. (Speed 2, 100C, approx 2 mins)

Add the icing sugar and whisk until well combined and smooth. (Speed 4, 15 seconds at a time, scraping down in between)

Allow the cake to cool before icing.

We also make this cake into cup cakes – makes about 12 and they take about 17-20 minutes to bake.

We also make a vanilla version of this cake by omitting the cocoa, then adding 2 extra tbsp of flour and 1 tbsp more of almond meal, plus 1 more tsp of vanilla bean paste. If you want them to be whiter cupcakes, use white sugar instead of the coconut sugar, as it gives a caramel colour.

I have even seen recipes for this kind of cake made without cocoa and some oil removed, added mashed banana and half of the water replaced with coffee, but I’m yet to give that one a go!

Maybe it could even be turned into carrot cake with lemon icing?! Let me know if you come up with any other varieties 😀

Enjoy!

Chocolate Tarts

December 15, 2015December 15, 2015 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

My precious girls turns 4 this week.

That tiny, fragile bundle that arrived into such a boisterous house has had massive impact on our lives. Despite her size (which she will quite happily stamp her foot and tell you is ‘just the right size for me!’) she is strong, feisty, fiercely determined and independent as well as being funny, clever and kind. She is an absolute delight and the way that she deals with all of the challenges life has thrown at her is admirable to say the least!

She requested a High Tea for her Birthday … so an Ellie Safe High Tea it was. Watching her be able to serve herself and hearing her squeal ‘I can eat EVERYTHING!’ was worth every second of baking!

We had Chocolate Truffles, Mini Doughnut Muffins, Blueberry friands, Sweet and Salty Puffed corn, Chevup Sausage rolls, Gingerbread muffins, Chocolate tarts, Cucumber and soy cream cheese rye sandwiches (crust off of course!) and wholegrain rice crackers piped with hummus.

Don't think she could be any happier! — Don’t think she could be any happier!

The chocolate tarts were new to us and they were very tasty!

I used the vegan version of my Sweet Shortcrust Pasty. Half the quantity in the recipe makes 12 mini tart cases.

Use a large scone cutter to make circles of pasty, then press into a lined muffin tin and bake in a preheated moderate oven for about 12-15 minute.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from patty pan.

While the cases cool, make the chocolate custard.

I made the chocolate version of my Thick Custard, but I used chocolate almond milk this time for a bit more flavour. Reduce the cornflour to 25g. (The 12 tart cases use only half the quantity of custard made by this recipe).

As soon as custard is ready, pour it into the cooled tart cases and place in the fridge for 2 hours to set.