Veggie Pasties with Puff Pastry

I can’t stop eating them!  This afternoon I had a brain wave of what to cook for dinner tonight – something we haven’t had for quite some time – veggie pasties.  Question was, do I use frozen puff pastry or make it myself which I’ve never attempted before.  Well it became the latter and now I’m never looking back.  These pasties were delicious and now I’m sitting here eating them cold and they’re just as amazing (trying to ignore the fact of how much butter there is in them!)

Veggie Pasties with Puff Pastry

So this is actually a Rough Puff Pastry as it’s a cheats version of combining the butter with the flour, made simply with the Thermomix rather than rubbing by hand, as opposed to a true puff pastry which has each layer of dough brushed with butter during the folding process.  According to Julia Child in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the number of layers can vary from 73 to 730 depending on outcome required.  A formula used to calculate this is (f +1)ⁿ where  f is the number of folds, and n the number of times the dough has been folded.  For example, twice folding 4 times (2 +1)⁴ = 81 layers or as I did twice folding 6 times (2 +1)⁶ = 729.

Flaky layers of buttery pastry...

Science aside the ingredients of your pastie but be left up to your imagination (or fridge and season availability).  And remember the key is to keep your pastry ingredients cold to retain the puff.   So don’t put it in the too hard basket give it a try and enjoy!

Rough Puff Pastry

250g plain flour

Pinch of salt
200g cold butter cubed
1 tbls lemon juice
100g iced water kept in fridge (1 MC)

• Place flour and salt in Thermomix bowl and pulse twice to sieve
• Add butter, lemon juice and cold water and set to Closed Lid Position and knead for 10-20 seconds.  If required add a little more water until it just comes together and knead for an extra 10 seconds
• Turn out into a cold lightly floured bench or thermomat and gently bring together into a large rectangle by hand.  Dough may still look marbled by butter
• Lightly roll with rolling pin to about 1cm thick then fold short ends to center
• Lightly roll out again and fold repeating a total of 4 -6 times until dough is smooth and butter has become more blended.
• Wrap in cling wrap or thermomat and refrigerate for around an hour while you prepare your filling ingredients

folding the pastry to the center before rolling out again...

Pastie Filling

50g tasty or gyuere cheese cubed

1 onion
1 clove garlic
Olive oil
2 small or 1 large potato cubed
Approx 150g cauliflower roughly chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 silverbeet leaf
150g cooked green or brown lentils
1 MC frozen peas
1 MC corn kernels
1 tsp TM veggie stock
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp mixed dried herbs

• Place  cheese in Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5 then remove and set aside
• Place onion and garlic in bowl the chop for 3 seconds on speed 5 and scrape down
• Add a splash of olive oil and cook for 3 minutes on 100° speed 3
• Add potato, carrot, cauliflower and silver beet and set to Closed Lid Position and press Turbo 2-3 times until finely chopped but being careful not to overchop
• Add lentils, peas, corn, curry powder and herbs and cook for 8 minutes on 100° speed 1 Reverse
• Add cheese and mix for 3 seconds on speed 3 Reverse
• Allow to cool while continuing with pastry
• Preheat oven to 220°
• Remove dough from fridge and cut 5cm pieces to lightly roll out with rolling pin to around 0.5cm
• Trace a 10cm bowl into a circle and set aside to fill

cutting out circles for the pasties...

• Repeat with remaining dough and finally combing left over pieces also
• Place filling on 1 side of each circle, fold over pastry and pinch edges together

  

  filling before folding the pasties...

• Brush with beaten egg and place on a baking tray
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden

 

bliss

check out this awesome photo my 4 year old daughter took of a piece if jigsaw puzzle then accidently uploaded to my blog.  Simply bliss...

Super Healthy Protein Muffins

I have so many recipes on my list to write about but this one just jumped the queue.  A tasty treat that ticks all the right boxes.  It’s healthy (high in protein, fibre and even omega 3’s), low allergy (nut free, dairy free, egg free), child friendly (low in sugar, bright in colour) and like most muffins is really quick to make especially in a Thermomix.  And what’s most important is the kids keep coming back for more!

Super Healthy Protein Muffins

It started as a quest for healthy carrot cake muffins to make for a last minute morning tea gathering to find no carrots in the fridge.  But I found a beetroot and a zucchini calling out to me.  I was also on a tofu craving (which I strangely often get) so with a little Google searching I found the idea of using silken tofu as a replacement for the liquid component of healthy muffins.  So it really is a hidden goodness muffin with protein from the tofu, fibre from the veggies (you could use carrots instead but who can resist the colour from the beetroot), and omega 3s from the chia seeds.

Nothing better than licking the batter...

Call the savoury, call them sweet, just try them or your own version and you can call them whatever you like.

Super Healthy Protein Muffins

Zest and juice from one orange

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

50g rapadura sugar

1 beetroot peeled and roughly chopped

1 zucchini roughly chopped

300g silken tofu

1 tbls chia seeds

60g grapeseed or other light flavoured oil

150g wholemeal flour

150g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

• Preheat oven to 180° and grease 12 large hole muffin tray or 24 small (or use silicon cupcake liners)
• Place orange peel into Thermomix bowl and zest on speed 9 for 10 seconds or until finely chopped
• Add cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, beetroot and zucchini and chop for 4 seconds on speed 5
• Add tofu, chia seeds, orange juice and oil and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4
• Add flours and mix until just combined – around 5 seconds on speed 4
• Pour into muffin trays and bake for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when pressed

Enjoy!

Little Finn after a long walk and a piggy back home...

Lemonies (Lemon Brownies!)

It’s the end of an era ...  and the end of my bountiful supply of lemons!

The last of the lemons...

My parents have left their family home.  After over 35 years as a home to three children, countless friends and welcome visitors, a backyard wedding and now three grandchildren, it’s been a home well loved.  While this has been a family home for so long and there was an incredible amount to move, my parents have been by far the most organised movers I’ve ever known (and the Salvos have been well donated to!)

 

Bit sized, tart, lemon brownies or lemonies!

Yesterday I took my kids for one last goodbye to the empty home and if walls could speak there’d be thousands of stories told by these walls.  Ahh the memories...

 

Our other goodbye was to the lemon tree.  The most bountiful lemon tree I have ever known.  It produces large, juicy fruit almost all year round and in fact, I think I’ve bought a lemon just once in my life and I use a lot of lemons!  So for the Willow Tree farewell party my parents recently had, desert was all about lemons.  Mum made a classic no bake lemon slice, my sister made gorgeous miniature lemon meringue pies and I made my new discovery ... lemon brownies, or lemonies as we’ve started to call them.  And you know what?  I think I like them more than chocolate brownies, and that’s saying something!

So if you know someone with a lemon tree, grab a few and give it try.

Lemonies

Rind of 2 lemons
250g raw sugar

250g butter, cubed

4 eggs

230g plain flour

90g coconut, desiccated

60g of lemon juice (around 1 large lemon)

 

Icing:

½ cup icing sugar
1 tbls lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

• Line a 20x30cm slice tray with baking paper and preheat the oven to 180°

• Place the lemon rind in the TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9.  Remove 1 tsp of zest for icing later

• Add the sugar to TM bowl with zest and further mill for 4 seconds on speed 9

• Add the butter and heat for 3 minutes on 60 degrees on speed 2 to melt

• Add the eggs and mix together on speed 3 for about 20 seconds

• Add the flour, coconut and lemon juice and mix together for 8 seconds on speed 6

• Spread the mixture evenly into the tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is just set to keep the lemonies a bit fudgey

• Place onto a cooling rack to cool while making icing

• Icing: mix ½ cup icing sugar, 1 tbls lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest  until smooth then poor over cooled lemonies

• Serve in small pieces

 

Basic steps to beautiful bread!

The most common question I get from fellow Thermomix connoisseurs is how do I bake my bread? So it’s time to share my hot (bread) tips for successful home cooked, healthy bread that can be enjoyed every day!

Olive bread

1.       Fresh yeast - dried yeast needs to be kept fresh so should be stored in the fridge or as I do freezer.  Yeast is also a little fussy.  It prefers sweet to salty so it’s best to keep salt away from the yeast when adding ingredients and its activation is enhanced by a little honey, agave, molasses or even vitamin C!

2.       Lukewarm water - Yeast is an active ingredient and while it lies dormant in storage it needs the right environment to be awoken.  If your water is too hot it will burn, if it’s cold it won’t activate.  I find just slightly boiling the kettle works well and I have the luxury of a digital kettle so can boil it to 40° or warm to 37° in your Thermomix

3.       Time – your dough needs time to grow.  Wrapped up and placed in a warm, cosy and draught free place for plenty of time is just what it needs.  My kids take turns in putting the dough “nigh nighs” just like a little baby.  The amount of time will depend on the season and where you live.  The hotter the quicker so down here in the midst of winter in Torquay, a few hours works well.  After knocking down your dough to get rid or air bubbles, and shaping as desired, allow the dough a 2^nd rise of about 30 minutes in the baking tin or tray to avoid a dense and heavy bread

4.       Hot, hot, hot – Your oven needs to be really hot before you start baking for the best bread.  Preheating your oven to 240° while your bread has a 2^nd rise works well and preheating a pizza stone to bake on works a treat too.  To develop a crust, toss a little water on your loaf or throw a few ice cubes in the oven


 

Pumpkin bread

 

So with that in mind the world is your loaf!  And while I love trying different bread varieties I often stick to my trusty few.  It’s based on a recipe I once found for olive bread (Summer’s favourite) but I simply leave out the olives and play around with the grain and flour variations.  As long as the flour total is 500g you can use milled grains and seeds as coarse or as fine as you like for around 100-200g with the remaining unbleached bakers flour for best results.  Then a loaf, rolls or even scrolls it’s up to you.

So here’s a few I’ve made in the last 2 days, great with soup or straight from the oven with a little butter and vegemite.  (please note that I wasn't quick enough to take pictures of these exact loaves so I given you a sample of others for inspiration!)

Fruit and Nut bread

A little bit of wholemeal bread

8g dried yeast

300g lukewarm water

10g olive oil

100g wheat, spelt or other grain (or wholemeal flour)

400g unbleached bakers flour

½ tsp Himalayan salt

• Place yeast and water in Thermomix bowl and mix for 1 minute on speed 2 for yeast to activate
• Add oil, flour then salt and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4
• Set to knead for 3 minutes
• Place in a large bowl then cover with cling wrap or wrap in your Thermomat and leave in a warm place for several hours or until doubled in size
• Preheat oven to 240°
• Meanwhile remove dough from bowl, shape to the size of a large plate then roll to fit into a lined loaf tin and rest for about 15 minutes
• Bake at 220° for around 30 minutes or until golden and sounds hollow when knocked
• Remove from tin and let cool for a few minutes before devouring!

A little wholemeal bread

Multi grain rolls

150g mixed grains and seeds eg; flaxseed, spelt, oats, sunflower seeds

8g dried yeast
300g lukewarm water
1 tsp honey
350g unbleached bakers flour
10g olive oil
1 tsp Himalayan salt with a pinch of dulse

• Place grains and seeds in Thermomix bowl and grind for 30 – 60 sec
• Add yeast, honey and water and mix for 1 minute on speed 2
• Add oil, flour and salt and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4
• Set to knead for 3 minutes
• Wrap in a silicone mat followed by a towel or place in a covered bowl ( I used a lettuce crisper as I was taking the dough to a friends house to bake fresh for lunch!)
• Leave in a warm place to rise for at least 2 hours or until doubled in size
• Preheat oven to 220°
• Take handfuls of dough and shape into balls but slightly flattening, folding into center then pushing through letter O made with 1^st finger and thumb to stretch gently
• Arrange balls just apart on a floured or lined try, sprinkle with a little water and bake for 20 -25 minute or until golden and hollow when knocked

Once you've mastered the basics of these breads you can venture out into varieties of these recipes - some of my favourites include Pumpkin Bread and Fig and Walnut Bread.  From there get more adventurous with Ciabatta and Artisian style loaves.  What ever bread you bake just put some love into it then you'll love eating it!

Pesto and feta scrolls

Apricot Coconut Balls




Apricot and Coconut Balls

The pending birth of a new baby is something that is really worth the wait.  It’s the last time the unborn child you have created will be so close to you and literally a part of you.  (And subsequently the last time you have your hands free for a while!)  I have 2 friends who are awaiting that special moment of meeting their babies in a few weeks.   One is a close neighbour and today we had the privilege of placing our hands on her beautiful belly and sharing the bond.  Summer kept going back for more while Finn had no idea what all the fuss was about.  For me it was special, a moment in time that will soon change forever, precious...

 

 

I needed a quick and healthy afternoon tea treat for the kids, something  the kids could help with.  We’ve made plenty of versions of data coconut balls so decided to go with apricots.  Simply delicious but a word of warning, if the kids help you roll them, don’t expect there to be many left for the plate!

Apricot Coconut Balls

1 tbls chia seeds

1 mc (1/2 cup orange juice)
100g almonds
200g sulphur free dried apricots
50g oats
50g dried coconut

• Place chia seeds and orange juice in mc or cup, combine then set aside
• Place almonds in Thermomix bowl and grind for 10 seconds on speed 9
• Add apricots and chop for a further 5 seconds on speed 9
• Add oats, coconut, chia seeds and orange juice and mix for a final 10 seconds on speed 6 or until well combined
• Roll into balls and toss in coconut and pop on a pretty plate

these are the hands of the unborn child in the belly above... love you Summer xxxx

Spiced Pumpkin and Honey Cake

Spiced Pumpkin and Honey Cake

It’s been a busy few months – hence the short supply of recipes and stories of late.  I’ve been working 4 different part time jobs (all physiotherapy related) plus the usual 2 kids and house to run.  I really thought I was in total control and rather enjoying the pace of being constantly on the go – mind and body.  However, I think anxiety has reared it’s ugly head back into my life and crept up to me to say “hey, slow down please”.  Fortunately I’m at a point in my life where I could recognise the symptoms and I’m back on track.  So while time has been a squeeze, and my writing has been squeezed out for awhile, rest assured there’s plenty of recipes and stories to come...

And luckily I have 2 awesome kids who make me laugh.  Especially little Finn who adores his big sister so much he insists on wearing her pyjamas and having his hair in pigtails. This is him saying “cheese” for  the camera...

 

And when time is limited what better way to get some nutrients and fibre in to the kids than with a veggie cake.  I had some roasted home grown pumpkin so came up with this Spiced Pumpkin and Honey Cake and it’s really hit the spot.  PS, for some kids, don’t tell them it has veggies and they’ll never know!

Spiced Pumpkin and Honey Cake

60g walnuts
250g cooked and cooked pumpkin (or combined with grated carrots and zucchini is nice too!)
¼ cup (85g) honey
¼ cup (60g) coconut oil (or other light oil)
2 eggs
60g milk
1 tsp vanilla
20g rapadura sugar
½ tsp each nutmeg, cloves, ginger and cinnamon
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup SR flour
½ cup sultanas

• Preheat oven to 175° and line a loaf tin
• Add walnuts to Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6
• Add pumpkin, eggs, milk, honey, oil , vanilla and sugar and mix for 30 seconds on speed 5
• Add spices, flours and sultanas and blend in Reverse on speed 4 for 10 seconds or until combined
• Spoon into prepared loaf tin and top with shredded coconut and pepitas if desired
• Bake for approx  1 hr or until cake springs bake when touched
• Allow to cool for around 30 minutes before slicing

Enjoy warm with your favourite tea or Crio Bru!