Warm apple and almond puddings

I'm finally packing up my baby gear.  And I think this time it's for real. It's a different feeling than this time 2 years ago when I tried to do the same.  At that point I had my 2 kids, the perfect pigeon pair, a boy and a girl, where many people these days would feel content.  But deep down inside I wasn't.  I reluctantly started packing up my baby gear and sold one item but no more.  The maternal urge came a calling and I really wanted just one more. I never really  thought it would happen as we'd been telling everyone we weren't having any more and I didn't even discuss it with my husband as I thought I knew his response.

But I couldn't ignore the calling any more and my biological clock was ticking.  So I took the plunge and asked veggie daddy what he thought of the concept of a third.   He nearly drowned with laughter (we where swimming at the time) but rather quickly and without persuasion said.... yes!

We went through the pros and cons of having a third child, asked for advice, and really gave it plenty of thought (and even some lost sleep).  In the end it was gut instinct, would we regret not having a third, yes.  Looking back was it the best decision to make, absolutely yes!

Our cherub Parker has just turned one and he's a little champ.  He completes our family, gives us balance and brings us unconditional love every day.

So anyone else deciding whether or not to have one more.  While everyone is different, if you're thinking about it, do it.  You won't regret it.

On the flip side I don't have a great deal of time to share posts these days.  Plenty of delicious food being created and enjoyed, a few photos taken, but the creations just don't get written down. 
So here's one I made tonight.  Not too sweet and a nice size for family treat.

Warm apple and almond puddings

Warm apple and almond puddings

50g raw almonds
50g raw sugar
120g butter cubed
2 apples (granny smith or pink lady work well)
2 free range eggs
1 MC of milk
130g SR flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
approx 1/4 cup golden syrup (or maple or rice malt syrup)

• Preheat oven to 180
• Grease pudding tins or use 12 silicon cupcake moulds
• Peel apple and thinly slice 1 half, roughly chopping remainder
• Place 1 tsp to 1 tbls of syrup into each mold followed by a slice of apple
• Place almonds in Thermomix bowl and grind for 5 seconds on speed 8
• Add butter and sugar and cream for 10 seconds on speed 6 
• Add the 1 and half roughly chopped apples and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6
• Scrap down if needed, add eggs, milk, flour and cinnamon and mix for 10 seconds on speed 5
• Spoon mixture into moulds and bake for around 20 minutes or until golden
• Invert to onto plates and serve warm with thick yoghurt or cream
• Enjoy!

Warm apple and almond puddings straight from the oven

Green Buckwheat Crepes

So where do you get your inspiration for dinner?

Finn with "silverbeet ears" 

For me tonight it was partly related to Summer’s day at school and partly what was in the veggie patch.  At school it was Pancake Tuesday (or Shrove Tuesday, the marking of the start of lent leading up to Easter).  So I decided to follow suit and went with the theme for dinner along with a bit of a religious education for the kids.

Of course I like to cook outside the square a little, so it was a savoury pancake, and not just any pancake but a green buckwheat crepe.  The veggie patch is overflowing with silverbeet but there's also a few tomatoes, zucchini and chillies too.  These were thrown into my stock standard yet rather flexible Mexican bean and veggie filling.  A creamy mushroom and spinach sauce would be quite delicious too.  But the fun was in the pancake.

I combined buckwheat with regular flour just because I like to vary the grains we eat and I love the earthy flavour buckwheat gives.  You could use any other grain such as oats or spelt which leads to my favourite part of owning a Thermomix.  The fact that you can make your own fresh flour from any grain you want.

The hero of the pancake was the green. We love eating green in this Veggie house.  I think we all crave it at times. I used silverbeet because that’s what’s in the veggie patch but spinach or kale would work just as well.  These crepes are also great as finger food for little ones or as a wrap for school lunch the next day.  Yum!

Green Buckwheat Crepes

100g buckwheat grouts (ideally soaked overnight) or buckwheat flour
140g plain flour
3 free range eggs
Large handful (around 50g)of greens (silverbeet, spinach or kale)
250g milk (plus a little extra if required)
50g greek yoghurt
Pinch salt
1 tbls coconut oil

• Place buckwheat in Thermomix bowl and grind for 1 minute in speed 9
• Add all other ingredients and mix for 20 seconds on speed 6 or until well combined
• The mixture should be reasonably runny for a crepe so add a little milk if required
• Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes while you prepare your filling
• Heat a little coconut oil in frypan over a moderate heat
• Pour about half a cup of mixture into pan and quickly spread to thinly cover
• Cook for a few minutes on each side or until golden but still soft enough to roll
• Fill with your favourite filling and plenty of cheese, roll them up and enjoy!

Chocolate Bourbon Cake

How crazy is this.  I have heaps of healthy and even baby friendly recipes that I'm trying to find the time to share.  Then I come out with this.  The opposite of 99% of my cooking. Not even any hidden kale or beetroot.  Just rich, indulgent, even a bit adults only. 

What else do you make for your brother.  A thirty something single guy who couldn't possibly celebrate his Australia Day birthday without a drink in his hand.  And he’s not even much of a cake eater so let’s see if this twists his rubber arm.   Fortunately for the kids the alcohol cooks out so even they can have a special occasion taste.

Chocolate Bourbon Cake

100g almonds

¼ cup SR flour

Pinch salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)

120g butter

90g brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 tbls bourbon or whiskey of choice

5 free range eggs

• Preheat oven to 180⁰
• Place almonds in Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9
• Add flour, cinnamon and salt and mix for 3 seconds on speed 4 then set aside
• Place chocolate roughly chopped in Thermomix bowl and chop on speed 6 for 5 seconds
• Melt for 3 minutes at 70⁰ on speed 3
• Add cubed butter and continue at 70⁰ for a further minute or until melted
• Add sugar and mix for 3 seconds on speed 3
• Let the mix cool a little while you grease and line a 23cm springform pan
• When chocolate mix has cooled to 37⁰ scrape down the sides to incorporate any chocolate stuck to the sides.   Add eggs, bourbon and vanilla and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4 or until mixture is smooth and almost mousse like
• Pour into prepared pan (enjoy licking the spoon) and bake for around 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs and is still a little moist
• Once cooled serve with cream and fresh berries.  You only need small pieces and the fresh berries complement the richness beautifully!

ps.  The outcome of the cake was everyone loved it!  But my brother couldn’t believe I baked something that didn’t have hidden veggies!