This year I just haven’t had time to make my own hot cross buns… We wanted treats to take out but had no time to wait for 2 rises!
So instead these ones start with a modified scone dough and come together very quickly!
Dough:
2.5 cups SR flour* (plus extra for rolling out)
1/2 cup almond meal**
80g cold butter (or nuttelex)
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup milk of choice (I use high protein almond milk)
Filling:
1 large Apple, finely diced
8 medjool dates, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts (optional), finely chopped
2 tsp butter (or nuttelex), melted
1/2 tsp mixed spice
Icing:
2 heaped tsp butter (or nuttelex), melted
4 heaped tbsp pure icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp milk of choice
*To make this gluten free: swap the flour for 2 1/4 cup SR GF flour mix and add 1 tsp of psyllium husk **To make this nut free: swap out the almond meal for an extra half cup of flour and omit the walnuts
Place the flour, almond meal and sugar in the food processor and pulse to combine.
Add in the butter and pulse numerous times until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
Add in milk then process until dough is well combined (speed 4, 6 seconds).
Tip the dough into a well floured surface, bring together with your hands and then roll into a rectangular shape, about 1/2cm thick.
Mix together the Apple, dates, Walnuts, mixed spice and melted butter and spread over the dough.
Roll the dough over on top of each other to form a log.
Cut the log into slices about 2cm wide and then lay on a lined baking tray.
Place them fairly close together and into a preheated 200C oven for about 20 minutes.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before icing.
For the icing- mix together the melted butter, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and then add in the milk to thin it out before drizzling over the top of the scrolls.
Very simple, inexpensive, easily sourced ingredients. Amazingly good at feeding your super gut bugs. Quick to make, cooks in bulk and freezes well for weekday lunches. Allergy friendly ….. AND YUMMY!!!
400g Broccoli (1 medium size), roughly chopped
600g Cauliflower (1 large), roughly chopped
1 small brown onion (about 120g), diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp veggie stock paste
8 cups boiling water
150g cream cheese (*dairy, soy or nut based – you can even use a light silken tofu here)
If you don’t have stock paste you can use 2 cups liquid stock and then only 6 cups water.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan then add in the onion and cook, stirring, until it is soft and golden.
Add in the cauliflower and broccoli plus the stock paste and stir well. Cook down for about 3 minutes then add in the boiling water.
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are very soft. *If you need a quicker cooking time you can give them veggies a quick blitz in your food processor first.
Remove from the heat and add in the cream cheese.
Use an immersion blender to blend until the soup is very smooth. If you are using a blender/thermo cooker/bullet machine to blend – BE VERY CAREFUL! Allow it to cool quite a bit first and then do small batches.
Serves 8.
If Macros are important to you, here they are for 1 serve.
I love this slice because it is fragrant and lightly sweet, uses only the things that I always have in my cupboard so it is inexpensive, you can have it in the oven in 5 minutes flat and it is really simple to make it allergy friendly.
And even better … my kiddo who has an Oral Allergy Syndrome reaction to raw apple can tolerate some cooked apple so everyone in our family can share!
**See below the main recipe for allergy friendly swaps and more options**
2 large apples
2 cups of flour (I use spelt and do half wholemeal)**
2 tsp GF baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (I like coconut sugar for the caramel taste)
3/4 cup rolled oats
185g melted butter
Mix together all of the dry ingredients.
Add in the melted butter, then core and dice (but don’t peel) the apples and mix them through.
Press them mix firmly into a greased 20×20 baking dish and place in a preheated 180C for about 25 minutes.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tin before moving to a wire rack.
Cut into about 16 squares and serve warm or cold.
To change it up:
Gluten Free – replace the flour with 1 3/4 cup of a gluten free flour mix plus 1 tsp of psyllium husk. Then replace the oats with shredded coconut or puffed rice.
Dairy Free – use a plant based butter
Can’t do apples? Pears are a great switch
Want something a bit fancier? Crumble some chopped almonds over the top and sprinkle with a tsp of extra sugar before baking and serve warm, with custard.
Got a super sweet tooth? Add in 6 chopped medjool dates or 1/2 cup of sultanas
Not sending it to school? Replace 1/2 a cup of the flour with almond meal
I did not grow up in a family that ate lasagne much – but my husband did! It was my lovely mother-in-law’s go to dish!
He has missed it since we were married, so I’ve worked hard at making a dish that we both enjoy AND fits all of our dietary needs. This one is also a winner with the kids – and the left overs taste even better the next day!
Heads up – this is in no way a traditional lasagne, I’m not event pretending it is … in fact I have had friends tell me that I am not allowed to call it lasagne if it doesn’t have either pasta or cheese … sorry … I’m going do it anyway!!
**Check out below the main recipe to see how I make this one completely plant based**
This is a meal that takes a little more time and fiddling in the kitchen than I normally like, but the end result is worth it and it does make 10 large and very filling servings, so I’ll allow it!
1 tbsp garlic olive oil
1 small brown onion, diced (about 125g)
OPTIONAL: 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1kg beef mince
400g tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed
1 medium zucchini (about 1.5 cups chopped)
150g fresh spinach
200g button mushrooms
400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
70g tomato paste,
1 tsp dried oregano
salt to taste
Large egg plant (about 1kg)
spray olive oil
125g grated cheese (dairy or vegan)
For the Sauce:
1 large cauliflower (approx 900g-1kg), roughly cut up
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp dried garlic flakes
1 cup high protein almond milk (or soy or dairy milk if they suit you)
1 cup hot veggie stock
4 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add in the onion and garlic flakes. (Steam Temp, speed 1, set for 15 minutes)
Then add in the cauliflower and stir well to coat in the oil. (Turn up to speed 2)
Add in the milk and stock and cover, allowing to come to a gently simmer. (Leave in Steam temp, speed 2 with the m/c off)
Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and you can easily pierce it with a fork.
Add in the nutritional yeast and then use an immersion blender to mix until smooth – you can transfer to a blender if you need to but be VERY careful! (Start by turning off the temperature function and gradually build to speed 8 until very smooth).
Taste the sauce and add a little salt to taste (dairy cheese is quite salty and when you remove it you need to add in a little salt to help with flavour). Set the sauce aside.
Onto the meat mix:
Start by creating the veggie mix you’ll stir in to the meat.
In your food processor or thermo cooker, add in the zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, kidney beans and tomato paste, then blitz until quite fine. (Speed 6, 8 seconds, scrape down and repeat until you get your desired consistency). Set aside.
In a large frying pan heat the olive oil then add in the diced onion and cook, stirring until translucent.
Add in the beef mince and herbs/spices. Break it up well and when it has roughly browned, add in the lentils and mix well.
Now add in the whole processed veggie mix to the meat mix and stir very well.
Bring to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes.
Now the egg plant while the meat is simmering:
Slice finely. Lay on a baking tray, spray with a little olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and place under the grill in your oven.
Once the top side is golden brown (it only takes a few minutes), turn over and cook the other side.
The remove from the oven and set aside.
Now build the layers:
Lightly grease a large baking dish (I actually use 2 – awesome for freezing one too!)
Layer half of the meat mix into the bottom, then lay down half of the egg plant, then half of the cheese sauce and then repeat.
Then sprinkle either dairy or vegan grated cheese over the top.
Pop into the preheated 180C oven (fair warning …. you’re best to place it on a baking tray to catch any drips or bubbling sauce!) for about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling – a quick minute under a grill at the end really helps to give you golden cheese, especially if you are using a plant based cheese.
Slice and serve…. and Enjoy!
**If you want to make this meal completely plant based: I use my lentil bolognese recipe but I omit the pasata (other wise there is too much liquid)**
*Of course, if you just want dairy free but you still love your pasta, then go ahead and use whichever lovely, fresh sheets suit you.
*And if you are not an eggplant fan but you still need a Gluten Free option, then I have used both of these Orgran and San Remo Lasagne sheets in the past.
If Macros are important to you here are the details for 1 serve – that is 1/10th of the meat based meal (I have kept the cauliflower ‘cheese’ sauce separate as I know people like to use it in other dishes!). You will just need to additionally factor in whichever cheese you use on top.
A little while ago I posted my Salmon Tart and I have had a few requests for a vegetarian version.
So, here is a my baked veggie omelette – you’ll need a frying pan that can transfer from the stove top into an oven.
I tend to make tarts like these so I have them on hand work work lunches – delicious cold or warm . Or if you’re in a rush, grab a couple of slices out of the fridge and steam some extra greens – speedy and filling dinner!
8 medium eggs
1 large zucchini
12 swiss brown mushrooms, finely sliced
250g spinach
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 50g grated tasty cheese
Heat the oil in the frying pan, then slice the zucchini into rounds and place into the frying pan.
Fry for 1 minutes until the first side is golden, then flip over the zucchini before adding in the mushrooms to the pan. Cook, stirring for another minute until the mushrooms start to soften. Then add the spinach to the pan.
it’s a LOT of spinach!
Add in the salt, pepper and nutritional yeast and stir through to make sure the veggies are evenly coated.
Whisk together the eggs and then pour evenly over the veggies.
Turn the frying pan to a gentle heat and allow to cook until the side of the omelette just start to pull away from the sides of the pan – the top of the omelette will still be very wet at this point.
Sprinkle the top with cheese if you wish before popping it in a pre-heated 180C oven for about 10 minutes or until the top just stops wobbling … Remember that the eggs will keep cooking while it is warm so if you leave it in the oven for too long you’ll get a rubbery omelette.
Let it cool and then slice into 6.
Store it in the fridge for about 3 days.
If macros are important to you here are the details (which includes the cheese) for 1 slice, which is 1/6th of the omelette:
So simple to make. Quick and delicious … and you can adapt it to whatever fruits you have lying around.
1 cups frozen berries*
1 medium apple or pear, finely diced
Lemon peel (peel into strips for easy removal)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Optional: 1-2 tsp maple syrup
*if you are using fresh berries and not frozen, you’ll need to add a little splash of water when you first start cooking.
Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and turn on to a low heat.
Stir regularly until the juices from the berries release.
Allow the mix to come to a simmer and then leave to a very gentle simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leave the saucepan partially covered with the lid to stop it splattering!
It is ready when you can very easily slide a fork through the apple and the juices in the pan are becoming thick and sticky.
Remove the lemon peel and if you want a smoother compote, use a potato masher to crush down the fruit.
Thermo Cooking instructions:
Place all ingredients into a bowl and turn on to Speed 2, 100C. For about 10-12 minutes.
Remove the lemon peel. If you want smoother compote, turn off heating, increase speed to 4, in 5 second bursts until you are happy with the texture, scraping down the sides as required.
—–
Serve warm on cakes, scones or pancakes, or allow to cool and serve with yoghurt, custard or ice cream … or just eat it on it’s own!!
These lovely bikkies are like a cross between an ANZAC and a muesli biscuit.
Just sweet enough to satisfy my husband’s sweet tooth, super easy to whip up plus they’re lunchbox and allergy friendly!
1 cups rolled oats
1 cup plain flour (GF flour, spelt, wheat – all work)
1 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sultanas*
125g melted butter or oil (coconut oil and melted vegan butter work well)
70g golden syrup/honey/maple syrup
*Chopped Dates, or dried apple, or apricots work well too
**For a Coeliac friendly version:Â you can replace the oats with a mix of rolled quinoa, puffed rice and shredded coconut.
Mix together all the dry ingredients 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)
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.
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 fairly soft. They will harden as they cool. Leave them on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Makes about 20 – store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Such a deliciously light and moist cake …. so good for afternoon tea, picnic and even in lunchboxes.
Approx 200g (combined) grated zucchini and carrot (roughly half a medium zucchini and 1 medium carrot).
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup honey/maple/golden syrup
2 eggs / 2 flax eggs / 2 tsp egg replacer whipped with 4 tbsp water
1/2 cup milk of choice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/3 cup chopped nuts or seeds (hemp seeds or walnuts go really well)
1 tsp mixed spice
1 3/4 cups plain flour (we do half wholemeal)**
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
Optional extra: Top with choc chips of choice
** To make this one coeliac friendly, replace with a plain GF flour, 1.5 cups and 1 tsp of psyllium husk.
Start by grating the veg. After squeezing the moisture out of the grated zucchini you should have about 120g, and another 80g from the carrot. *If you are grating in a food processor or thermo cooker, you will need to take the zucchini out, tip out the liquid in the bottom, then squeeze the zucchini before adding it back in to the bowl.
Add all of the wet ingredients into a bowl and stir well to combine (speed 4, 6 secs).
Add in the baking powder, flour and mixed spice. Fold through gently until the flour is just combined. (Speed 3, 10 seconds)
Then add in the chopped nuts or seeds and fold through until evenly combined. (Speed 3, 8-10 seconds) Do not beat the mix.
Pour into a greased/lined loaf tin and place into a preheated 160C oven.
Sprinkle the top with some choc chips if you like (only half of family do!)
Bake for approximately 60minutes or until golden, well risen and a skewer comes out clean. Remember that if you are cooking with GF flour or without egg then you won’t get quite the same rise.
Allow to rest in the tin for about 15 minutes before removing to an airing rack and allowing to cool.
Slice and serve, warm or cold. A spread of butter on your slice is delicious too.
Slice before freezing any left overs and wrap so it is airtight.
Picnic time – this one with Sweet William White Chips
As are you all, we are spending a LOT more time at home at the moment.
Which, I guess, in good news – means more time for baking!
Although getting all the ingredients we normally use has been a little tricky….
But sweet potatoes are plentiful in our garden right now, so they are featuring quite a bit on our plates!
I was thinking about making rolls to go with our soup, when I remembered that I had seen these yummy looking rolls on ‘Super Healthy kids. The original (see the link) is a sweet version that they eat in the states for Thanksgiving.
I didn’t want a sweet roll (although I’m sure I will another time!) and I needed to adapt it to our dietary requirement (no egg, or dairy). So I got experimenting.
Our family adores these rolls. Even the sworn sweet potato hater inhaled 3 before I stopped him!
Hope you enjoy them too 🙂
3 1/2 cup flour (2 cup plain & 1.5 cups wholemeal) – we use spelt
1 flat tablespoon yeast, active dry
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup, mashed Sweet potato, cooked (about 1 medium potato)
1Â cupmilk of choice (oat milk works well here)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp each of rosemary and thyme, finely diced (or 1 tsp dried Italian Style herbs)
spray olive oil
extra flour for rolling
Start by peeling and dicing your sweet potato. Then steam it until it is soft (approx 4-5 mins in a microwave)
While the potato is steaming, place into your bowl/machine (see instructions below for multiple machine methods), the flour, salt, herbs, oil and yeast.
As soon as the sweet potato is cooked, drain it and mash it. Measure out your 1 cup and add it to the cup of milk. The milk doesn’t need to be warmed – by adding the potato to the milk, you’ll bring both the milk and the potato to the right temperature to make sure you don’t kill off the yeast.
Whisk the milk and potato together until they are roughly combined and then pour into the flour mix.
Give a rough mix of the dough for a few seconds and allow it to sit for 5 minutes (it won’t be all combined at this stage). Use a wooden spoon in the bowl if you’re doing it by hand, or speed 3 for 5 seconds in a thermal cooker, or about 5 seconds with a dough hook in a stand mixer.
Now get kneading –
For a bread machine: Use the dough only function. Set and walk away.
For a stand mixer with a dough hook: you’ll need to mix for 6-7 minutes
For a thermo cooker: set your knead function (for a less powerful machine, like a Bellini, you might need an extra minute or two)
By hand: flour the bench and get your muscles ready! Knead until your dough is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size – about an hour, or until your machine has finished it’s rise function.
Remove from the bowl and knock down the dough.
Cut it into two and roll each one into a circle – like you’re making a pizza base.
Cut each circle in to 8 wedges (again, like a pizza).
Then start at the outside edge (where the the pizza crust would be) and roll toward the point to make your crescent shape.
Little rolls, ready to start the second rise
Place on a lined baking dish, spray lightly with olive oil and then allow to rest in a warm place until the have doubled in size again (roughly another hour)
2nd rise complete – into the oven they go
While the dough is doing it’s second rise, preheat your oven to 180C degrees.
When the second rise is complete, place into the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. The bottom will sound hollow when you tap it.
Delicious perfection!
Remove from the oven and cool for just a couple of minutes before you dig in!
Itchin' Kitchen 