Blueberry and banana sugar free muffins

We’re loving berry season and this time have been blueberry and strawberry picking at the wonderful Tuckerberry Hill.  Not only are the an abundance of chemical free berries that the moment but a great cafe specialising in berry treats, a local produce barn, kids play equipment, and live music on weekends over summer time. What more could you ask for on a sunny Sunday?

Freshly picked blueberries...

Our household is pretty accustomed to sugar free snacks but these muffins seem to win over even the sweetest of tastebuds.  A little natural sweetener like honey or agave syrup is enhanced by the ripe bananas and the hint of cinnamon. And they’re great for the kids to get involved when poking the blueberries into the top (and taste testing of course!)

Blueberry and banana sugar free muffins

80g almonds

100g Greek yoghurt

100g milk

2 tbls honey or other syrup

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas

1 tbls chia seeds

300g sr flour (can use ½ wholemeal with 1 tsp baking powder)

1 tsp cinnamon

100g fresh or frozen blueberries

• Grease muffin trays (this mix makes around 24 mini muffins and 6 large)
• Preheat oven to 180°
• Place almonds in Thermomix bowl and grind for 10 seconds on speed 9
• Add yoghurt, milk, honey, eggs, bananas and chia seeds and mix for 20 seconds on speed 6
• Add flour and cinnamon and mix for around 5 seconds on speed 4 until just combined
• Scoop into muffin trays and place 3-4 blueberries into mini muffins or 5-6 into large muffins pushing down into the mixture a little
• Bake for 25 minutes for mini muffins or 35 minutes for larger muffins or until they are golden and spring back when touched

Tomato ketchup

I just love it when homemade food gifts are appreciated.  I only made a few things this Christmas and one of those was small jars of homemade tomato ketchup.  My rather simple eater brother was over the moon, ate plenty on Christmas day and wanted more.  So what better birthday present only a month later than a few jars of the red stuff.

Like most of my recipes you can tweak this as you like adding extra spices or herbs but this one seems to be a sure winner in our family.

Tomato ketchup

1 onion (roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves

1kg tomatoes (riper the better, roughly chopped)

100g tomato paste

½ red capsicum

½ tsp Cloves

1 pinch nutmeg

10 mustard seeds

1 tsp salt

Pepper

1 bay leaf

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chilli powder (optional)

100g red wine vinegar

100g honey / rapadura

• Place onion and garlic in Thermomix bowl and chop 5 sec speed 7
• Add oil and sauté for 3 min at 100° speed 1
• Add all other ingredients and cook for 30 min varoma sp 2
• Cook a further 10 minutes to thicken if required
• Tip: place basket on top of lid to prevent splattering
• Mix 30 sec speed 9 then pour into bottles or jars

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi with a creamy tofu and pumpkin sauce

As with many proud parents our eldest daughter Summer had her first day of school this week.  It was such an emotional rollercoaster of a week.  Trying not to get too excited in the lead up and make her nervous, taking her and leaving her for the first time at school, then the anxious wait until pickup not knowing how she was going.  I almost cried with relief when Summer was happy at the end of the day, wanted to stay and play on the playground with her new friends, and promptly said “we have to come back tomorrow mum!”  I was so, so proud.

ready for her first day at school...

So of course I planned her favourite dinner to celebrate (and lucky me it is really quick and easy) -  Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi.  They’re such light and fluffy delights which is why my daughter calls them “pillows” and they’re much easier and fail proof to make than the potato version.  They welcome any of your favourite sauce varieties.  A lentil bolognaise or creamy tofu and pumpkin sauce works well.  And they’re also delicious pan fried in a little butter after boiling and tossed with a few light sautéed vegies and fresh basil.

special flowers for a very special girl

This recipe is based on the ricotta gnocchi from A Taste of Vegetarian Thermomix book and I always make the larger quantity because it’s such a hit in our house or with visitors.  I’m using silver beet at the moment as we have heaps in the garden and by chopping the greens in the Thermomix you retain their bright green colour.  I tend to buy a 1kg pack of ricotta for this recipe and use the remainder for Ricotta Hotcakes on the weekend!

bright greens chopped with parmesan

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

80g parmesan cheese cubed

1 bunch spinach or silver beet (approx 500g but as much or a little as you like depending on how green you like them)

600g fresh ricotta

300g bakers or plain flour

¼ tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

• Place a large saucepan of water on the heat to bring to the boil
• Place parmesan in Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 9
• Add spinach or silver beet and chop for a further 5 seconds on speed 9
• Add ricotta, flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper and set to knead function for 1 minute on Interval speed or until fully combined
• Take a large spoon of mixture, roll into a 1 inch thick sausage shape on a lightly floured surface then cut into 1 inch pieces
• Place each batch into boiling water and cook for approx 5 minutes or until all are floating on the surface
• Remove with a slotted spoon and repeat with all the mixture
• Serve with your favourite sauce or lightly pan fry in butter for a delicious twist!

Mango, banana and strawberry smoothie

Mango, banana and strawberry smoothie

We whip up several smoothie variations in our house but the real winner at the moment with plenty of good fruit in season is a Mango, Banana and Strawberry smoothie.  Naturally sweetened by freshly picked strawberries and thickened magically by tropical mango they really hit the spot.  After the first week at school we needed a change from bread based lunches so the kids had fun with their salad face plates.  But the real hit was the 2 glasses of smoothies each which followed.  Quite a healthy and balanced lunch really with plenty of energy for skateboard surfing!

too hot outside so we're surfing inside!

Mango, banana and strawberry smoothie

1 mango

1 banana

Approx 100g strawberries

4-5 tbls Greek or natural yoghurt

1 cup of ice cubes

Approx 500g low fat milk (or more depending on number of serves)

Simply throw it all in your Thermomix or blender and mix on speed 6 for 20 seconds

Simple and yum!

vege faces - then we added boiled eggs for ears!