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!

Berry delicious ice cream

Berry delicious icecream with a hazelnut tuile

A delicious summer time treat for the whole family that will even impress your visitors.  Sugar free, dairy free, egg free, additive free.  Naturally sweetened by the coconut milk and bananas  - both also make it nice and creamy compared to a sorbet.  You can substitute any berry or even mango and swap the coconut milk for yoghurt.  It’s the kind of treat the kids will even lick the bowl for!

must be good ... don't mind the pink skirt on little Finn!

Berry delicious ice cream

1 tin coconut milk – frozen in icecube tray

2 large bananas chopped into pieces and frozen

200g frozen berries (blueberries and raspberries are nice)

1 mc orange juice

• Freeze coconut milk and fruit a day ahead
• Place frozen coconut milk in Thermomix bowl and blend for 10 seconds on speed 9 scraping down as needed
• Add bananas, berries and juice and blend for a further 20 seconds or until well combined scraping down as required
• Serve topped with fresh berries and perhaps a little not so healthy treat or garnish on the side

Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Icing

Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Icing

It’s berry season again and we’ve found a new local berry farm with an amazing range of delightful berries.  It’s Raven’s Creek Farm in Moriac and while they mainly have raspberries they also have loganberries, silvanberries, blackberries, youngberries and more!  They’re easy to pick and it’s makes a fun day out for the kids especially with the gorgeous little cafe which has great coffee, sweet and savoury treats and a produce store.  It’s only around 15 minutes from our home so I can see we’re going to enjoy the season!

the kids loved the raspberries best...

So with fresh berries galore and some free range roadside eggs I had a great idea to trying my new recipe discovery... Chocolate quinoa cake.  And with a 2 year old morning tea birthday party tomorrow I thought I’d turn them into Chocolate Quinoa cupcakes topped with raspberry cream cheese icing and a pretty raspberry on top.  Simply delightful.

a mixture of fresh berries...

Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Icing

2/3 cup quinoa (well rinsed to remove bitterness)

1 ½ cups of water

100g raw or rapadura sugar

120g butter or coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 free range eggs

80g milk or coconut milk

80g cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

• Rinse quinoa well to remove bitterness.  I’m using the lovely Mt Zero Australian Organic Quinoa at the moment.
• Place quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to boil.  Then reduce to a simmer for around 15 minutes until the tails have fallen off and remove from heat to cool.  (or steam in your Thermomix)
• Grease muffin tins or use silicon moulds.  ( I found this mix made 12 medium and 12 mini cupcakes so I’m guessing it would make about 12 large ones)
• Preheat oven to 180° C
• Place sugar, butter and vanilla in Thermomix bowl and cream for 10 seconds on speed 6
• Add eggs and milk and mix for a further 10 seconds on speed 4
• Add cooled quinoa, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix for a final 20 seconds on speed 4 scraping down if needed
• Spoon into tins and bake for 20 minutes for smaller cupcakes or 30 minutes for larger (or until they spring back when touched)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Icing

200g cream cheese

50g butter

Punnet of fresh or frozen raspberries

• Place all ingredients in Thermomix and blend or 10 seconds on speed 4
• Allow to cool in fridge for around 10 minutes before spreading over cooled cupcakes and decorating with a fresh raspberry on top

Roasted Rhubarb and Ginger Cheesecake

Well it’s time to celebrate!!!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for a Happy and Healthy 2014!

And apologies for the lack of recent recipes, I’ve been a little bit unwell for a few months, but in a good way.  Because we’re having another baby!

Roasted Rhubarb and Ginger Cheesecake - a mini version for us to taste test!

 

It all began a few months ago now when I started to sell off my baby gear.  It brought me to tears!  We had always tentatively said two children was enough, the pigeon pair, a boy and a girl.  But when we had a serious discussion it just felt right to have another.  And we’re not getting any younger so it was now or never.

So now here I am, on the brighter side of severe morning / evening sickness and a few daunting tests.  The sun is starting to shine and food is becoming my friend again!

While I still prefer savoury to sweet a special occasion calls for a treat.  We celebrated my parents house warming and my mum’s birthday a few weeks ago and I knew this Rhubarb and Ginger Cheesecake would be just right (inspired by a similar cake I saw on The Great British Bake Off – I’ve never watched so much television as I did in the last few months!)  This cheesecake is not too sweet and best made the day ahead.



Roasting the rhubarb and ginger...



biscuit base pressed in the tin...

swirl the rhubarb through the mix...

bake and voila!

 

Roasted Rhubarb and Ginger Cheesecake

1 bunch or around 5 large stems of rhubarb cut into 1-2 cm pieces

1cm piece of ginger

½ cup orange juice

¼ cup rapadura sugar

200g gingernut biscuits

75g butter

120g raw sugar

500g fresh ricotta

250g cream cheese

250g greek yoghurt

1 tbls cornflour

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

 

Roasted Rhubarb Puree

·         Place rhubarb, ginger, ¼ cup sugar and orange juice into a baking dish and bake for 20 -30 minutes at 180° or until cooked through and slightly browned

·         Cool slightly then puree in Thermomix bowl for 10 seconds on speed 6 then set aside and wash bowl (note: this puree can be made the day before and is delicious on top of muesli and yoghurt)

Biscuit base

·         Line 24cm springform tin with baking paper or lightly grease

·         Place biscuits in TM bowl and crush for 6 seconds on speed 8 then set aside with no need to clean the bowl

·         Add butter to TM bowl and melt for 3 minutes at 50° on speed 2

·         Return biscuits and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6

·         Place biscuit mix into prepared tin and press down firmly with the assistance of a mug or spatula then place in the fridge while preparing the filling

Cheesecake filling

·         Clean and dry TM bowl thoroughly and preheat oven to 160°

·         Add 120g sugar and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9

·         Insert butterfly and add ricotta, cream cheese, yoghurt, vanilla, eggs and cornflour then mix well for 30 seconds on speed 4 or until mixture is smooth and creamy

·         Pour mixture into base then place spoonfuls of rhubarb puree on top and gently swirl around with the end of a teaspoon

·         Bake for 50 – 60 minutes (apparently a dish of water in oven helps prevent cracking at this stage)

·         Then turn oven off and leave cheesecake to cool slowly for about another hour

·         Once completely cooled (perhaps overnight) remove from tin, serve and enjoy every mouthful!