Creamy Cauliflower Soup

March 24, 2018April 24, 2019 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

As the cooler weather rolls around I am SO looking forward to soups featuring weekly on our dinner menu again.

I love soups for so many reasons; they are inexpensive, fast to make, you can make them in serious bulk for quick and filling lunches during the week, you can absolutely pack them with veggies, they can help you avoid food waste by using up your veg that might be otherwise past its best and they are easy to adapt for food allergies (I have even seen vegan, low FODMAP stock powders recently!)

This is one of our favourites … With a few little tricks it is a creamy, velvety comfort soup …. With none of your normal creamy ingredients 😉 as well as its serve of fabulous dietary fibre, it’s also got some decent fat and protein to keep you going.

1 1/2 large heads cauliflower (approx 1.2kg), chopped
2 tbsp garlic olive oil
1 medium brown onion, diced
6 medium stalks celery, chopped
1 400g tin butter beans, drained
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
Pinch pink salt flakes
few grinds black pepper
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
100g sunflower seed butter
8 cups hot veggie stock (Massel for store bought)
Optional: fist sized piece of sweet potato, peeled and diced

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add in the onion and celery.

Fry, stirring regularly until onion is golden.

Add beans, cauliflower and herbs. Sweat down for about 3-4 mins. Add sweet potato at this point if you’re using it.

Add stock and bring to simmer, roughly 15-20 mins (until you can slide a fork easily into the veg)

Add salt, pepper, yeast and seed butter then use an immersion blender until the soup is perfectly smooth.

Makes about 10 serves. Delicious on its own or serve with fresh crusty bread of choice.

This one tendss to separate a little if you freeze and thaw but comes back together with a good stir.

Enjoy 🙂

Carrot Cake Pikelets

March 7, 2018March 21, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

You might have already guessed …. but we are quite partial to pikelets here.

Pikelets, hotcakes, mini pancakes – whatever you like to call them, they are very popular with most kids and they are a terrific way to pack in a heap of goodies to make for a nutritious and filling snack – or breakfast! They freeze well, are portable and they are easy for little fingers to hold on to when they are learning to feed themselves.

We are enjoying these ones for afternoon tea today. They are a particularly terrific serve of long lasting fibre, with their mild sweetness coming from whole fruits. Hopefully we’ll have some left for lunchboxes!

1 1/4 cup spelt flour (half wholemeal) OR 1 cup GF flour mix plus 1/2 tsp psyllium
1/4 cup rolled oats OR shredded coconut
1.5 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup milk of choice
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 small over ripe pear (it needs to be soft to the touch) OR 1/4 cup pear puree
1/2 medium overripe banana
4 medjool dates
1 heaped tsp Sunflower seed butter OR other nut butter

In your blender/processor/bullet/thermal cooker blitz the oats or coconut until they are a fine flour (Speed 9, 8 seconds, repeat if required)

In a large bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients, including the blitzed oats, with a whisk then set aside. (Speed 4, 8 seconds)

In your blender/processor/bullet/thermal cooker place; the carrot, banana, pear, dates, seed butter, vanilla and milk and blitz until very smooth (Speed 4 initially, then build up to speed 7 for 8 seconds, scrape down and use speed 9 for a further 8 seconds, scrape and repeat if required.

Add the wet mix and the dry together and whisk or process until well combined and smooth.

Place a tbsp of the mix into a hot, lightly greased frying pan. It is quite a thick mix, so you’ll need to spread it out with the back of the soon a little bit. Flip over when bubbles appear and cook until both sides are golden brown.

Delicious served warm, on their own, with a little butter of choice or even some more seed/nut butter.

These work well sandwiched together with a little butter as a filling lunchbox snack.

Makes about 15

Enjoy 🙂

Strawberry ice dream

February 23, 2018February 25, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

This delicious dessert is like a cross between ice cream and sorbet.

It’s very refreshing and simple to make, no need for any churning, but you do need to make it several hours in advance.

We used up the last of the strawberries that we had frozen after a very over zealous ‘pick your own’ session at a local farm.

3 cups frozen strawberries
270ml coconut cream (Ayam)
2 tbsp rice malt syrup*
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 over ripe large bananas

*You can of course use honey or maple syrup if you’d prefer – I choose the rice malt here not because of any mythical ‘sugar free’ properties, but because of its more neutral taste.

In your processor or thermal cooker place the strawberries. Blitz them until they are very finely chopped (almost like crushed ice) speed 4, working up to speed 8 for 10 secs, scrape down and repeat.

Add in the coconut cream, followed by the syrup and vanilla whilst processing (on speed 4), then scrape down and process again.

Add in bananas, one at a time and process until very smooth. (Use speed 6).

Pour into a dish, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours, or over night.

Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before serving so that it is scoopable.

If you’re after an extra special treat you can add some chocolate! We make ours by melting 4 squares of chopped dark chocolate together with 1/2 tsp of tasteless coconut oil, then just drizzle away!

This makes enough for 8-10 serves.

Enjoy 🙂

Carrot and zucchini chocolate cake

February 19, 2018January 4, 2024 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

Chocolate cake is always welcome in our house, and it is especially welcome in muffin form for lunchboxes. I always try to add some extra goodies in to boost their nutritional value.

The carrots and zucchinis were really cheap at the markets so I decided to have a go at something different to my normal beetroot version.

These are quite a bit lighter in texture and they are very happily scoffed by all of the kids and even the biggest sweet tooth.

Small zucchini (approx 200g), chopped
Medium carrot (approx 80g), chopped
Medium banana, very ripe OR 1 large egg
100g light tasting oil (melted coconut oil/nuttelex or butter works too)
100ml milk of choice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
250g plain flour (half wholemeal)* OR 230g GF flour plus 1tsp psyllium
2 tsp gf baking powder
120g sugar
40g cocoa powder
3/4 tsp mixed spice
Optional: 2 heaped tbsp hemp seeds

*When these ones aren’t going to school, I remove 50g of flour and replace it with 50g of almond meal

In to your bullet/blender/processor/thermal cooker place the veggies, banana, oil, vanilla, vinegar and milk. Then blitz until it is very smooth. (Start on speed 4 then build up to speed 10 for 8 seconds. Scrape down and use speed 10 for 10 seconds).

Add in the dry ingredients and mix gently until evenly combined (speed 4, 8 secs, then scraps down and repeat if required). If you’re mixing this by hand, whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, pour in the blended wet mix and then fold together.

Spoon into lined muffin tins and place into a pre heated moderate oven for about 16 minutes, or until well risen and the muffins spring back to gentle touch.

Makes about 14-16 and they freeze and defrost well.

Enjoy 🙂

Creamy tropical icy poles

February 12, 2018February 8, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

I’ve seen the lovely looking pre-made creamy icy poles in the shop … The ones you buy and freeze at home. But my goodness they’re pricey!

I would have needed to buy 2 packets for the tribe this afternoon so instead I got to work using the delicious goodies we already had at home.

Some cheap mangoes I bought from the markets ($1 each!), the over ripe banana in my fruit bowl and some of the slightly bruised apricots from our tree that we had frozen 2 months ago, plus the left overs of a can of coconut cream that was in the fridge and we had such a winner! Hope you like them too.

250g ripe mango (cheeks of 2 medium)
200g ripe apricots
1 large ripe banana
100g coconut cream
1tbsp honey/maple syrup

Blend, blend, blend until it is a very smooth mix.

Pour into moulds …. My advice is to use a funnel!

Freeze for 6 hours or until solid.

Makes 8

Enjoy 🙂

Black Bean Chilli

February 9, 2018March 22, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

We have made a conscious effort to reduce our meat consumption recently. And for us that has meant a boost in our bean intake … Good thing we love beans!

This recipe hits all the right marks for us. It is delicious, nutritious, budget friendly, fast and easy to make, fits all of our allergies and it is very filling and satisfying… Even for the biggest carnivore 😉

It is even one of those meals, made from regular pantry staples, that you can throw together in the morning and the flavors get even better when you reheat it in the evening. Wins all ’round!

2 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
350-400g gold sweet potato, small dice
2 tbsp olive oil
medium brown onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced chilli
1 rounded tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
2 cups (500g) pasata
1 cup hot veggie stock

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy based pan.

Add in onion and fry until golden.

Add in the garlic and chilli and fry for a further minutes before adding in dry spices.

Fry for about 2 mins, mixing well, before adding in the sweet potato. Mix well to cover in spice mix and fry for a couple of minutes.

Add black beans, pasata and stock, mix well and bring to a simmer.

Simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

We serve this one over either brown rice or roasted cauliflower and top it with slices of ripe avocado, drizzled with a squeeze of lime juice. Yum!

Cheesey popcorn

February 2, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

My baby started school yesterday. It just feels unbelievable to me, but he loved it!

I missed him so much, so today we had a special day doing his favourite things. We did blocks, trampoline tricks and cars and I surprised him with tickets to a kids movie. Of course he immediately requested that we make popcorn together …. How could I refuse?!

He is not such a sweet tooth, so he asked for ‘the cheesey ones’. As you wish my precious dude!

50g popcorn kernels
2 tsp vegan butter/coconut oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp pink salt
1/2 tsp onion flakes
1/4 tsp garlic flakes
1/4 tsp paprika

Air pop the popcorn then lay in a baking dish.

Melt the butter/oil and drizzle all over the popcorn. Mix well for an even coating.

Place all the dry ingredients together in a blender/bullet/mortar and pestle and blitz until fine. You can also do it in your thermal cooker if you make bulk batches.

Sprinkle the dry mix over the popcorn then mix well to give an even cover.

Place in a preheated 200 C oven for about 10 minutes.

Allow to cool … Or not 😉

Enjoy!

Sweet potato, quinoa and cranberry salad

January 19, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ 4 Comments

Being that it is the school holidays, it must be time for our traditional family ladies lunch! I am so thankful for wonderful women in my family and being able to meet with them still 🙂

This was the delicious salad we shared …. Just quietly, I may have made extras so there would be dinner leftovers 😉

1 medium gold sweet potato
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pepitas
1 packed cups spinach
1 cup quinoa (which ever colour you prefer)
2L hot water plus 1 tsp stock powder
1/2 large ripe avocado
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pink salt flakes
Ground black pepper
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas)*

*replace the aquafaba with water for legume free, the dressing will just not be quite as ‘fluffy’.

Soak the quinoa in a pot of water for 1 hour then drain and rinse it really well.

While the quinoa is soaking, heat the oven to 200C.

Peel the potato and dice it in to roughly 3-4cm cubes. Place them in a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in pre heated oven and roast for about 45 minutes or until golden.

Remove the potato from the oven, add in the seeds, and toss to coat them, then return to oven for a further 10 minutes.

Cook the quinoa in the weak stock by bringing it to the boil and simmering gently for about 15 mins, the drain and set aside.

20180119_081621 — All prepared in advance to take out with me

To make the avocado lime dressing, place the remaining tbsp of olive oil, the lime juice, pinch of salt, maple syrup, aquafaba (or water) into a blender/bullet/thermal cooker together the the avocado and blend until smooth and light (speed 4, 8 secs, scrape down, speed 5, 10 secs)

Chop the spinach, and fold it through the warm quinoa.

Top with the potato and seeds.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and then sprinkle the cranberries over the top.

Serve immediately and enjoy 🙂

For a delicious variation on this dish we use pumpkin in place of potato, pomegranate seeds in place of cranberries and slivered almonds in place of pepitas.

Troll Scrolls

January 17, 2018February 24, 2019 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

It really is all about the marketing with kids 😉 how to get them to eat something green and with bits that are all bumpy? Call it something gross!

Continuing on with my need to use up what we’ve got in the fridge, pantry and garden because I can’t get to the shops, today’s lunch was a favourite – Troll Scrolls!!

I use the base of my yoghurt dough then add lots of goodies to make these ones, green and bumpy (and extra nutritious).

470g Spelt flour (or 420g GF flour together with 1tbsp psyllium husk)
2.5 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 tsp pink salt
3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
3 heaped tbsp seeds (I use pumpkin, hemp and flax)
300g natural yoghurt or soy/coconut yoghurt
1 packed cup of spinach
Shredded Cheese of choice (we do both a dairy batch and a Bio Cheese Batch)

In your processor pulse the seeds until they are finely chopped.

Add in the other dry ingredients and process to combine (Speed 4, 8 secs). Then set the dry mix aside.

In your blender/processor/bullet/thermal cooker place the spinach and just 150g of the yoghurt. Blitz until very well combined (Speed 8, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat) – it’ll look like a very unappealing milkshake at this point!

Add in the remaining yoghurt and process to combine (Speed 4, 6 secs)

Add the dry ingredients back to the wet and process until it forms a dough (Speed 5, 15 seconds), knead together, dust with flour and roll out into a rectangle.

If the dough is too sticky, add in 1 tsp of extra flour at a time and process to combine.

Top the dough rectangle with grated cheese, then roll into a cylinder.

Cut into rounds and lay on a lined baking tray and place into a preheated 200C oven for 18-20 minutes until well risen and golden.

Freeze in an airtight container if you have any leftovers.

Enjoy 🙂

Blueberry, Pear and Almond Overnight Oats

January 1, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2018 🙂

We went to a brunch to celebrate with family this morning and we took along the oaty part of the meal – yay!

This is a super simple way to make a delicious, filling, summer breakfast when you are short on time in the mornings (ok – so every morning then?!).

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or other milk of choice)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 ripe green pears
50g dry roasted almonds, roughly chopped
3/4 cup blueberries

Place the oats, milk, cinnamon, maple syrup and vanilla in a bowl and mix together. Cover and place in the fridge over night, or for at least 2 hours.

In the morning, fluff up the oats with a fork, then grate the pear and stir it though.