I'm pretty excited about the new skinny mixers cookbook. I'll be cooking my way through it using Low Carb Healthy Fat adaptions and posting the results and reviews here. I will not, however, be posting recipes as they are only found in the cookbook. :)
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Recipe review: Ciabatta
I love simple and easy. This is both. Also tasty!
The recipe is simple and instructions are easy to follow.
The recipe is simple and instructions are easy to follow.
What Caroline Cooked - Ciabatta
In the interests of giving her credit, use the link to get the ingredient amounts.
I used her quantities, but doubled the yeast as mine is a little old.
This is the dough (made about ten pm) at 7:30am, so a 9.5 hr prove.
The dough turned out easily with a big of help (wet your hands) and I made a slim log, then cut into 8 pieces. I could have easily shaped them a little more neatly but I still hadn't had my coffee by now. I'd add more flour to the tray and use baking paper next time.
22 minutes at 225 Degrees, with plenty of water sprinkled around the tray for added steam. I did some in the oven and some in the airfryer, and I was happier with the oven ones, probably because it was just a little hotter than the 200 max of the airfryer.
Monday, February 02, 2015
Budget Dinners #1
Presenting: Budget Dinners! These are ideas, not specific recipes, because the idea is to use what you have.
Dinner #1: Noodle Surprise.
I don't like Pork. There. I said it. So I drown it in flavour.
This is also super quick.
Ingredients:
300g Pork mince (languishing in the freezer for 6 months!) cost=nil
2 cloves garlic, minced = 15c
Vegetables (the rest of the frozen peas about half a cup; One carrot, sliced finely) = 50c
3 blocks Noodles (homebrand 2 minute, discard flavour sachet) = 60c
1/2 tsp fish sauce = nil
1 massel stock cube =40c
Spices = Nil
1T Coriander whole
2T Sesame seeds
1T Cumin seed
1/2 tsp ginger powder or use fresh if you have it
oil for cooking.
Method: Grind or blender the spices together until the coriander is broken up a bit .Brown the mince. Add oil and fry off garlic and spices. Meanwhile, Cook the noodles in barely enough water to cover them and the stock cube.
Add Veggies, just use whatever you have, then add the cooked noodles and the stock water, which should have cooked down to not a lot. Sprinkle over the fish sauce and add a dash of sweet chilli or soy if you wish, or just season with salt pepper and vinegar. Don't mix it too much or your noodles might start to break up. Garnish with fresh herbs if you have any. I didn't.
Voila! Filling meal for 3 adults or 1 adult, 3 kids, with some nutritional value.
Notes on the protein. Use whatever you can find. Chicken, beef, pork mince, Eggs first cooked into an omelet, then rolled and stripped and sprinkled over the top. You can even use leftover meat from last night's dinner.
Dinner #1: Noodle Surprise.
I don't like Pork. There. I said it. So I drown it in flavour.
This is also super quick.
Ingredients:
300g Pork mince (languishing in the freezer for 6 months!) cost=nil
2 cloves garlic, minced = 15c
Vegetables (the rest of the frozen peas about half a cup; One carrot, sliced finely) = 50c
3 blocks Noodles (homebrand 2 minute, discard flavour sachet) = 60c
1/2 tsp fish sauce = nil
1 massel stock cube =40c
Spices = Nil
1T Coriander whole
2T Sesame seeds
1T Cumin seed
1/2 tsp ginger powder or use fresh if you have it
oil for cooking.
Method: Grind or blender the spices together until the coriander is broken up a bit .Brown the mince. Add oil and fry off garlic and spices. Meanwhile, Cook the noodles in barely enough water to cover them and the stock cube.
Add Veggies, just use whatever you have, then add the cooked noodles and the stock water, which should have cooked down to not a lot. Sprinkle over the fish sauce and add a dash of sweet chilli or soy if you wish, or just season with salt pepper and vinegar. Don't mix it too much or your noodles might start to break up. Garnish with fresh herbs if you have any. I didn't.
Voila! Filling meal for 3 adults or 1 adult, 3 kids, with some nutritional value.
Notes on the protein. Use whatever you can find. Chicken, beef, pork mince, Eggs first cooked into an omelet, then rolled and stripped and sprinkled over the top. You can even use leftover meat from last night's dinner.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Hazelnut Brownie Petit Fours
These are PERFECT.
Ingredients
150g unsalted butter, chopped
200g 60% dark chocolate
125g caster sugar
50g hazelnut meal
250g plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Topping
50g Dark choc
50g Nutella
20g unsalted butter
whole or halved toasted hazelnuts (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 160c fan forced.
Grease 24 cup mini muffin pan.
Melt butter and chocolate together over gentle heat until smooth.
Stir in sugar, and continue to stir over gentle heat until sugar begins to dissolve.
Scrape into a bowl. Set aside for a few minutes until cool.
Stir in hazelnut meal, then sifted flour and eggs.
Half fill each muffin cup. Tap pan on the bench firmly to ensure large air bubbles rise to surface, pop with knife tip or skewer.
Bake at 160 until barely set, about 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, then turn out to cool.
Topping: Melt in a glass bowl in the microwave in short bursts until just melted. Let sit 1 min then stir gently until combined.
(or use your thermo cooker on 70degrees speed 2, if you have one)
Dip bites into bowl of slightly cooled topping and place on rack with a tray underneath to dry.
If it's not working, try drizzling with the topping instead. Add nut on top if using.
Notes:
- Mini muffin pans vary greatly, so this may make more or less than 24!
- I made these for a function, so I made in a sheet pan and cut them out with a small round cutter, then put them in tiny paper cases before doing the topping. But for at home it's really unnecessary and time consuming!
- You certainly can make the mix in a thermo as well but it's honestly just as easy without.
50g Dark choc
50g Nutella
20g unsalted butter
whole or halved toasted hazelnuts (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 160c fan forced.
Grease 24 cup mini muffin pan.
Melt butter and chocolate together over gentle heat until smooth.
Stir in sugar, and continue to stir over gentle heat until sugar begins to dissolve.
Scrape into a bowl. Set aside for a few minutes until cool.
Stir in hazelnut meal, then sifted flour and eggs.
Half fill each muffin cup. Tap pan on the bench firmly to ensure large air bubbles rise to surface, pop with knife tip or skewer.
Bake at 160 until barely set, about 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, then turn out to cool.
Topping: Melt in a glass bowl in the microwave in short bursts until just melted. Let sit 1 min then stir gently until combined.
(or use your thermo cooker on 70degrees speed 2, if you have one)
Dip bites into bowl of slightly cooled topping and place on rack with a tray underneath to dry.
If it's not working, try drizzling with the topping instead. Add nut on top if using.
Notes:
- Mini muffin pans vary greatly, so this may make more or less than 24!
- I made these for a function, so I made in a sheet pan and cut them out with a small round cutter, then put them in tiny paper cases before doing the topping. But for at home it's really unnecessary and time consuming!
- You certainly can make the mix in a thermo as well but it's honestly just as easy without.
Minestrone. Slow cooked, on a budget.
This is a "feed the family plus leftovers" recipe :)
Ingredients
4 full rashers middle bacon, rind removed if tough, sliced into 1cm strips.
1 large leek, large dice
4 full rashers middle bacon, rind removed if tough, sliced into 1cm strips.
1 large leek, large dice
3 crushed cloves or 3 teaspoons jar Garlic
3 big Bay leaves
2 medium carrots large diced
1 hefty or 2 delicate ribs Celery halved and sliced
2/3 cup DRIED great northern beans
2/3 cup DRIED borlotti beans
1 bottle passata
Chicken or vegetable stock, approx 3L
1/4 head savoy cabbage
1 400g tin tomatoes
Dried mixed herbs
3 big Bay leaves
2 medium carrots large diced
1 hefty or 2 delicate ribs Celery halved and sliced
2/3 cup DRIED great northern beans
2/3 cup DRIED borlotti beans
1 bottle passata
Chicken or vegetable stock, approx 3L
1/4 head savoy cabbage
1 400g tin tomatoes
Dried mixed herbs
Balsamic Vinegar (trust me!)
Fresh basil and parsley to serve
Fresh basil and parsley to serve
Method:
Preheat slowcooker.
Rinse your beans, set aside.
Fry off bacon until fat renders. Add leek, then garlic. Once leek is soft and starting to colour, deglaze pan with balsamic and scrape into slow cooker. Add beans, bay leaves, carrot, celery and passata. Add stock til almost full. Set SC to auto, cover and leave overnight/all day. Add cabbage and herbs to taste 1hr before serving.
Right before serving, check for seasoning and use pink himalayan salt, fresh pepper and balsamic vinegar to get the flavour balance right. I can pretty much guarantee 1T of vinegar will be the minimum you need.
Ladle into prewarmed bowls and add a good handful of basil and parsley. Serve with plain warmed crusty bread if you wish.
Rinse your beans, set aside.
Fry off bacon until fat renders. Add leek, then garlic. Once leek is soft and starting to colour, deglaze pan with balsamic and scrape into slow cooker. Add beans, bay leaves, carrot, celery and passata. Add stock til almost full. Set SC to auto, cover and leave overnight/all day. Add cabbage and herbs to taste 1hr before serving.
Right before serving, check for seasoning and use pink himalayan salt, fresh pepper and balsamic vinegar to get the flavour balance right. I can pretty much guarantee 1T of vinegar will be the minimum you need.
Ladle into prewarmed bowls and add a good handful of basil and parsley. Serve with plain warmed crusty bread if you wish.
Mulled wine the lazy way.
So I like mulled wine, but it's taken a while to find a convenient method and recipe that suits both of us. Fiddly isn't his thing and too simple isn't mine. So, all you slow cooker fans... Lazy mulled wine.
 |
| I may have forgotten to take a pic as it was cooking. Oops! |
1.5 L Aldi 'soft red' cask wine aka Aldi Red goon.
150ml (a good splodge) Aldi Tawny Port.
1 blood orange, halved and crushed
1 decent juicy lemon, quartered. We use grandpas Meyers.
150ml (a good splodge) Aldi Tawny Port.
1 blood orange, halved and crushed
1 decent juicy lemon, quartered. We use grandpas Meyers.
2 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 a star anise
100g brown sugar
250ml hot water
250ml hot water
Chuck it all in, put on auto. Leave for a few hours.
Mix brown sugar into hot water. Add to slow cooker.
Check the flavour and remove spices if necessary or add more if you want to. Leave another 20 mins after a good stir.
Enjoy!
Check the flavour and remove spices if necessary or add more if you want to. Leave another 20 mins after a good stir.
Enjoy!
Marshmallow Bubble Bars
There's a bunch of recipes around for this. It's one recipe you might have to tweak on the fly, these ingredients can vary wildly in water content.
Marshmallow Bubble Bars (LCM knock off)
110g butter
250g marshmallows
275g rice bubbles/cornflakes/Cheerios etc
Chop up marshmallows up a bit with scissors or thermo.
Melt with the butter, either in microwave or thermo.
While it is melting, measure out your bubbles or other cereals into a bowl sprayed with cooking oil.
Lightly spray a silicon spatula too. Line a slice tray with silicon baking paper.
Lightly spray a silicon spatula too. Line a slice tray with silicon baking paper.
Pour melted mix over bubbles, and mix gently but quickly. Turn it all over and through the middle until evenly coated. If there's too much sticky stuff then add more cereal quickly. Pile it into the lined tin, then press down with damp or greased hands. Chill in the fridge to set, then cut into bars.
Adulteration notes:
Add any choc chips, nuts, sprinkles etc on top or mix through.
Add 1.5T cocoa powder to the melted mix before pouring over.
Add 2T psyllium and 1T linseed meal before mixing to make yourself feel a little better about this sugary treat. Add 1/2 cup coconut and reduce bubbles to 250g if you can if you go this option to explain the textural difference to the kids.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Nae's Brownies
So... brownies...
I've been asked for my brownie recipe more times than I could count and I do not share. I just don't.
It's so versatile, it can take innumerable versions and variations and it still works. It triples and quadruples (yes, quadruples into a giant baking dish for really tall brownies) easily. It's been my secret recipe, lovingly cherished. Until now.
Selfishness constrains me no longer. Here it is, both in standard and Thermo cooker methods. No, you can't have cup measurements, use a scale. It's not that hard and means a more consistent epic deliciousness. TL;DR is at the bottom.
The brownies I made for this post were pure, no adulteration.
Ingredients:
Method/s:
Dark, Delicious and amazing to stick your finger in for a lick. ...Go on, do it.
Mix in other ingredients beside adulteration until just barely mixed.
Bake 20 mins 160degrees.
Please watch it, and make sure it's not over cooking. Every oven, every room temperature, every baking dish contributes and makes the baking time different.
The top should look like this. Shiny, but set. If you touch it, it should give a little but not really crack around your fingerprint.
The inside should look like this. Dense. Not GOOEY but very moist.
How easy was that? You'll be the queen of afternoon tea with these babies. Or serve hot with icecream for an amazing dessert.
ADULTERATION NOTES
I use cups for this, purely because these ingredients all differ so much in weight
Choc Cherry - Add 1/2 cup coconut with the flour then sprinkle the top of the brownies with 1/2 cup chopped red glace cherries immediately before baking.
Choc chip - add 1/2 cup of any baking chips. Caramel bits are amazing, but best sprinkled over the top immediately before baking.
Banana Delish - This is especially amazing with icecream and served hot. Pulverise 3/4 cup dried banana chips before you start and add when you add flour. Reduce the sugar by 30g if you don't like it super-sweet.
Peanut Butter - Try warming 3T and drizzling over the hot brownies. It's different and simply amazing once it's cooled.
Rum and Raisin - Add 1tsp rum flavour or 2T dark rum to the mix and sprinkle 1/2 cup raisins before baking. Or you could soak the raisins in rum if you think ahead, but I suck at that.
Mixed nuts - add whatever you like with nuts. Salted nuts work well believe it or not, but give them a shake first to get the excess off.
My triple choc variation needs a post of it's own so will save those details for later.
Hope you enjoy the brownie goodness. And don't just give this recipe away. Share it, with love.
TL:DR
I've been asked for my brownie recipe more times than I could count and I do not share. I just don't.
It's so versatile, it can take innumerable versions and variations and it still works. It triples and quadruples (yes, quadruples into a giant baking dish for really tall brownies) easily. It's been my secret recipe, lovingly cherished. Until now.
Selfishness constrains me no longer. Here it is, both in standard and Thermo cooker methods. No, you can't have cup measurements, use a scale. It's not that hard and means a more consistent epic deliciousness. TL;DR is at the bottom.
The brownies I made for this post were pure, no adulteration.
Nae’s Epic Brownies of Sheer Deliciousness.
Ingredients:
175g Butter (room temp or sliced up into little chunks)
250g sugar (I always use brown)
3 eggs
80g plain flour
45g Cocoa
0.5 cup adulteration of choice (choc chips, nuts etc)
Method/s:
Prep a Slice pan, or a medium square cake pan with greased sides and a paper bottom. Set your oven to 160 (fan forced)
Melt butter, sugar and cocoa together.
In the thermo it means 3-4 minutes at 90degrees.
It should look like this. -->
Dark, Delicious and amazing to stick your finger in for a lick. ...Go on, do it.
Adding your cocoa now means the cocoa powder is 'bloomed' and is a truly rich flavour.
If you have leftover chocolate like grated up bits from decorating, or Easter eggs, whatever, add that once the initial melt is done. If you're thermo cooking, do the same as above but for another 20 seconds to incorporate. If you're using a saucepan or microwave, keep cooking til it's smooth.
Mix in other ingredients beside adulteration until just barely mixed.
In the thermo, that means 20 seconds, speed 9. Any blade works, just no butterfly.
(Or you can pulse if you're feeling lazy. But it's best to not be lazy when it comes to brownies this good)
(Or you can pulse if you're feeling lazy. But it's best to not be lazy when it comes to brownies this good)
Scrape down the sides, and any little bits of flour that fall in are to be ignored. It's fine, they will cook in.
Gently fold in your adulteration. See notes below for ideas.
Remember: the less you mix, beat, fiddle etc... the better your brownies are.
Pour into your prepared pan and tap a few times hard on the bench to shift air bubbles.
Bake 20 mins 160degrees.
Please watch it, and make sure it's not over cooking. Every oven, every room temperature, every baking dish contributes and makes the baking time different.The top should look like this. Shiny, but set. If you touch it, it should give a little but not really crack around your fingerprint.
The inside should look like this. Dense. Not GOOEY but very moist.How easy was that? You'll be the queen of afternoon tea with these babies. Or serve hot with icecream for an amazing dessert.
ADULTERATION NOTES
I use cups for this, purely because these ingredients all differ so much in weight
Choc Cherry - Add 1/2 cup coconut with the flour then sprinkle the top of the brownies with 1/2 cup chopped red glace cherries immediately before baking.
Choc chip - add 1/2 cup of any baking chips. Caramel bits are amazing, but best sprinkled over the top immediately before baking.
Banana Delish - This is especially amazing with icecream and served hot. Pulverise 3/4 cup dried banana chips before you start and add when you add flour. Reduce the sugar by 30g if you don't like it super-sweet.
Peanut Butter - Try warming 3T and drizzling over the hot brownies. It's different and simply amazing once it's cooled.
Rum and Raisin - Add 1tsp rum flavour or 2T dark rum to the mix and sprinkle 1/2 cup raisins before baking. Or you could soak the raisins in rum if you think ahead, but I suck at that.
Mixed nuts - add whatever you like with nuts. Salted nuts work well believe it or not, but give them a shake first to get the excess off.
My triple choc variation needs a post of it's own so will save those details for later.
Hope you enjoy the brownie goodness. And don't just give this recipe away. Share it, with love.
TL:DR
Nae’s Brownies.
175g Butter
250g sugar
3 eggs
45g Cocoa
0.5 cup adulteration of choice (chocchips, nuts etc)
Melt butter, cocoa and sugar.
Mix in other ingredients
Bake 20 mins 160degrees.
Sunday, May 04, 2014
Coconut Rice pudding
Super easy deliciousness tonight.
Coconut Rice pudding.
250g Arborio rice
1 400ml can coconut milk
600ml water
2T raw sugar
2t desiccated coconut
Blunt blade.
Chuck it all in, speed 1, 90degrees, 20 minutes. Let it cool as it's 90 degrees!
Enjoy its perfect simplicity. Makes 4 big serves.
We added chopped banana. No pic because it just looks like rice pudding ;-)
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Chocolate Custard
After cooking the pasta for dinner while I was running around gathering children and equipment for swimming, Boris made custard while we were out.
CHOCOLATE CUSTARD
2 whole eggs
100g caster sugar
30g cocoa powder (but they all vary wildly!)
500g skim milk
85g cornflour
Add zest 1/2 orange for a jaffa kick
Cook 10mins on speed 3, 90degrees.
If it's not set as thick as you'd like, scrape the bottom up really well so any powder that has settled mixes in properly, cook a further 3 mins.
You can set it before you leave for school and it's ready for a warming afternoon tea with sliced bananas on getting home. Easy!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Boris has joined the family!
And Boris has already made afternoon tea (frozen yoghurt smoothies) and pumpkin soup for dinner.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
BELLINI THERMO INCOMING!!!
Tomorrow I pick up my Bellini, which has been on layby for a few months. I'll be making a mix of standard and gf food and basic ingredients. I am excited!
Friday, June 08, 2012
Cupcakes!
Using the taste.com.au mudcake cupcakes recipe as a base I've figured out how to make dark mud cupcakes without using chocolate- just cocoa. Here they are with raspberry frosting for mum's birthday. Anyone want the recipe?
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Chantilly Cream
I know I don't often post gluten recipes but I'm about to put up a lot over the next week. Sorry GF'ers! I'm catering a function and want to share the prettiness with you.
Also I know I usually use weights, however this recipe has so many variables that cup measurements will suffice.
Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Chantilly Cream
Ingredients
50g butter
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 brown sugar not packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin (cooled to room temp or pulled out of the fridge half an hour before making)
1/2 tsp mixed spice
2 - 2.5 cups SR flour plus extra just in case
3T plain flour for dusting/kneading
Oven 220 fan forced, less if your oven tends to cook quickly. Baking papered cookie sheets.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy, add sugars and beat until well combined and smooth.
Beat in egg, salt and spice, then slowly add in pumpkin.
Add flour gradually and gently, until you have a soft dough that you can pat out, rather than roll or roll gently just to smooth the top.
(It may only need 2 cups or it may need 2.5, depends on the pumpkin water content and the egg size.)
Use plain flour to dust your hands and the workbench.
Pat out dough to 1 inch thickness, gently roll if necessary. Cut out with small cutter dipped in plain flour.
Let sit on baking paper covered tray for ten minutes before baking. (Milk glaze is unnecessary since they're being served split and topped with cream.)
I have no idea how long they will take to bake in your oven and what size cutter you used, so I'd check at 4 minutes.
I'm assuming you know how to make a chantilly cream, so I won't blather. Split your cooled tiny Scones and dollop or pipe on chantilly cream. Lightly dust with mixed spice.
Also I know I usually use weights, however this recipe has so many variables that cup measurements will suffice.
Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Chantilly Cream
Ingredients
50g butter
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 brown sugar not packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin (cooled to room temp or pulled out of the fridge half an hour before making)
1/2 tsp mixed spice
2 - 2.5 cups SR flour plus extra just in case
3T plain flour for dusting/kneading
Oven 220 fan forced, less if your oven tends to cook quickly. Baking papered cookie sheets.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy, add sugars and beat until well combined and smooth.
Beat in egg, salt and spice, then slowly add in pumpkin.
Add flour gradually and gently, until you have a soft dough that you can pat out, rather than roll or roll gently just to smooth the top.
(It may only need 2 cups or it may need 2.5, depends on the pumpkin water content and the egg size.)
Use plain flour to dust your hands and the workbench.
Pat out dough to 1 inch thickness, gently roll if necessary. Cut out with small cutter dipped in plain flour.
Let sit on baking paper covered tray for ten minutes before baking. (Milk glaze is unnecessary since they're being served split and topped with cream.)
I have no idea how long they will take to bake in your oven and what size cutter you used, so I'd check at 4 minutes.
I'm assuming you know how to make a chantilly cream, so I won't blather. Split your cooled tiny Scones and dollop or pipe on chantilly cream. Lightly dust with mixed spice.
Lemon Curd
This is just like my grandmas recipe, with less error margin ie precise measurements!
Lemon Curd
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup castor sugar
60g unsalted butter
2 tsp grated lemon zest
100ml lemon juice (about 2 juicy lemons)
Whisk egg yolks and sugar until well combined but not frothy.
Tip into a heavy-based non-reactive saucepan and add butter, zest and juice.
Stirring constantly, bring to barely simmering point over a medium-high heat (about five minutes).
As soon as bubbles appear, remove from heat, still stirring. Allow to cool.
I used a strip zester and removed the zest as it was cooling. I'm making tiny Lemon Meringue pies with it and want it smooth. Pictures to come!
Lemon Curd
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup castor sugar
60g unsalted butter
2 tsp grated lemon zest
100ml lemon juice (about 2 juicy lemons)
Whisk egg yolks and sugar until well combined but not frothy.
Tip into a heavy-based non-reactive saucepan and add butter, zest and juice.
Stirring constantly, bring to barely simmering point over a medium-high heat (about five minutes).
As soon as bubbles appear, remove from heat, still stirring. Allow to cool.
I used a strip zester and removed the zest as it was cooling. I'm making tiny Lemon Meringue pies with it and want it smooth. Pictures to come!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Cappucino Yoghurt from scratch?
Kath V2: First Weigh In - Yee Haw!: "I discovered the most delicious yoghurt yesterday - if you love yoghurt and coffee, The Yoghurt Shop make an absolutely stunning cappucino yoghurt! Sadly, it's over 200 calories per tub :(. But, fear not...I'm going to have a crack at reproducing a low fat, lower calorie version with the EasiYo tonight - so far looks like it would work out around 165 cals. Mmmmmmmmm, coffee yoghurt..."
My dear Friend Kath is currently participating in Michelle Bridge's 12 Week Body Transformation. In her first week, she's lost a whole kilo. Go girl. But want to know why I'm really excited? She's having a go at making low fat Cappuccino Yoghurt! If it works, I'll nick her recipe and blog it out. Stay tuned!
My dear Friend Kath is currently participating in Michelle Bridge's 12 Week Body Transformation. In her first week, she's lost a whole kilo. Go girl. But want to know why I'm really excited? She's having a go at making low fat Cappuccino Yoghurt! If it works, I'll nick her recipe and blog it out. Stay tuned!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Lemon Blueberry Cake
I like making things up.
I like it even better when they work! This is super yummy. I might tweak the next one a bit to make it taller, maybe add another half ingredients on top so it's bigger. If you have a smaller springform, you could try that.
Picture is a bit dodgy as I'm not well and I couldn't figure out my beloved's camera to make the aperture bigger, but I'll take another a bit later when it's swimming in Custard. Oh yeah.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
200g frozen Blueberries (fresh is fine also)
125g unsalted butter
200g white sugar (castor if you have it)
2 eggs
300g Wholegrain GF flour
50g Glutenous rice flour
2 tsp baking powder.
150 milk at room temp
zest of a big lemon
2T threaded coconut
Icing sugar for dusting.
Preheat over to 180 or 170 fan forced.
Grease and paper 22cm springform pan.
Microwave blueberries if frozen until just thawed, but not at all cooked.
Beat butter until light and airy, add sugar, continue to beat.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well, then add lemon zest and beat again.
Fluff dry ingredients together well with a fork.
Fold in milk and dry ingredients alternately.
Spread into springform pan, and spread gently and evenly.
Scatter blueberries over the cake and press down into the batter gently.
Sprinkle over coconut threads and a light even dusting of icing sugar.
Bake approximately 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately lightly dust cake with icing sugar again.
Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove outer ring gently.
Allow to cool fully then serve with hot custard for dessert or with cream for afternoon tea.
I like it even better when they work! This is super yummy. I might tweak the next one a bit to make it taller, maybe add another half ingredients on top so it's bigger. If you have a smaller springform, you could try that.
Picture is a bit dodgy as I'm not well and I couldn't figure out my beloved's camera to make the aperture bigger, but I'll take another a bit later when it's swimming in Custard. Oh yeah.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
200g frozen Blueberries (fresh is fine also)
125g unsalted butter
200g white sugar (castor if you have it)
2 eggs
300g Wholegrain GF flour
50g Glutenous rice flour
2 tsp baking powder.
150 milk at room temp
zest of a big lemon
2T threaded coconut
Icing sugar for dusting.
Preheat over to 180 or 170 fan forced.
Grease and paper 22cm springform pan.
Microwave blueberries if frozen until just thawed, but not at all cooked.
Beat butter until light and airy, add sugar, continue to beat.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well, then add lemon zest and beat again.
Fluff dry ingredients together well with a fork.
Fold in milk and dry ingredients alternately.
Spread into springform pan, and spread gently and evenly.
Scatter blueberries over the cake and press down into the batter gently.
Sprinkle over coconut threads and a light even dusting of icing sugar.
Bake approximately 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately lightly dust cake with icing sugar again.
Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove outer ring gently.
Allow to cool fully then serve with hot custard for dessert or with cream for afternoon tea.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Muffin Mania returns
I was hungry. So I baked. While waiting for a batch of pizza dough to rise, I thought I'd try and convert my favourite 'old' muffin recipe to GF. Shauna James Ahern (Gluten free girl) states that you as long as you have your ratios right, you can convert any baked recipe fairly easily.
So, whipping out my tub of her Wholegrain All purpose flour mix, I set to work.
After mixing everything together, I realised I had 'nothing' batter. It would have been fine if I had a batch of fruit compote to eat it with or dollop on top. Fresh passionfuit to make icing, even better. I didn't have fresh passionfruit.
What I DID have was some leftover fruit from Christmas, still quietly marinating away in the back of the pantry in it's sealed tub. So I added some of that. Yumm! You can add whatever you have. Fruit compote, nuts, choc-chips. Whatever.
They taste like white flour muffins. The texture is right, and they're lighter than the last lot with the extra baking powder. Crispy round the edges with a super soft and not in the least grassy or grainy. Shauna is right again. It was easy to convert. I just changed the flour and added linseed. The linseed helps it maintain it's fluffyness and add omega3. To my dear friend who is allergic to linseed, use chia.
Basic Wholegrain Muffins
Ingredients
300g Wholegrain GF flour
2 tsp Baking powder
150g white sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla bean paste
200ml milk/ricemilk
50g melted butter
1T linseed or chia meal soaked in 40ml Boiling water
Additional flavour ingredients
200g drained, soaked mixed fruit
1/2 tsp lemon essence
Method
Preheat oven to 180 and prep muffin tray.
Fluff flour and baking powder together with a whisk or paddle attachment.
Mix together wet ingredients including essences until combined.
Mix wet into dry, and beat until smooth.
Fold in fruit/nuts/other and scoop into pans.
Bake for 18 minutes, checking after 15.
So, whipping out my tub of her Wholegrain All purpose flour mix, I set to work.
After mixing everything together, I realised I had 'nothing' batter. It would have been fine if I had a batch of fruit compote to eat it with or dollop on top. Fresh passionfuit to make icing, even better. I didn't have fresh passionfruit.
What I DID have was some leftover fruit from Christmas, still quietly marinating away in the back of the pantry in it's sealed tub. So I added some of that. Yumm! You can add whatever you have. Fruit compote, nuts, choc-chips. Whatever.
This is what I ended up with.
Basic Wholegrain Muffins
Ingredients
300g Wholegrain GF flour
2 tsp Baking powder
150g white sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla bean paste
200ml milk/ricemilk
50g melted butter
1T linseed or chia meal soaked in 40ml Boiling water
Additional flavour ingredients
200g drained, soaked mixed fruit
1/2 tsp lemon essence
Method
Preheat oven to 180 and prep muffin tray.
Fluff flour and baking powder together with a whisk or paddle attachment.
Mix together wet ingredients including essences until combined.
Mix wet into dry, and beat until smooth.
Fold in fruit/nuts/other and scoop into pans.
Bake for 18 minutes, checking after 15.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Muesli Bites
A forum I belong to has had quite a bit of chatter about kids going back to school and lunchboxes. Then someone posted a thread about Muesli Bars. I LoveLoveLove Muesli bars. It bothered me though that my daughters favourite supermarket brand are 41% sugar. Yep. 41%. Ouch. They were forthwith banished from our house.
So when the muesli bar thread popped up, I thought Aha! A chance to make some that not only could I eat but had good nutrient content and whole grains. I read about 6 recipes, got a feel for the fat/sugar ratio and made these.
Once again I have used Thick cut non-contaminated oats, but if you can't eat these, add more of whatever you can. :) Also, the ratios are what I like. I'm not a huge fan of rice bubbles so have added a lot less of these than you might like. As long as the weights are about the same, you'll be set.
Muesli Bites
100g butter
100g Super Crunch peanut butter.
100g dark brown sugar
100g honey (see cheat notes)
100g GF AP flour mix (mine is sorghum/brown rice/tapioca/potato mix to GFGirl's ratio)
1/2 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
100g Craisins (or sultanas)
100g GF cornflakes (or rice flakes)
100g GF thick cut oats
50g shredded coconut
30g GF rice bubbles
20g Linseed Meal
Lightly grease a mini muffin tin. It helps if you have a couple, or put little patty papers into a tin to switch them out fast.
Preheat oven to 180c fanforced.
Measure out your wet ingredients (sugar, butter, nutbutter, honey). Put aside in a small saucepan.
Measure out your flour and baking powder and fluff with a fork to mix well. Add with the other dry ingredients into a REALLY big bowl and mix well.
Melt your wet ingredients, stirring gently until well combined and just bubbling. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well and quickly.
Mash spoonfuls very very firmly down into each muffin cup.
Pop into the oven until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Let cool in the tin if they're unpapered or pop out in their papers onto a wire rack. Repeat filling and mashing down with remaining mix.
Notes and Cheats.
- I measure my honey by putting the honey jar onto a digital scale and zeroing it. I then add honey to the saucepan until the jar weighs -100g. Do it slowly until you're confident and you'll be fine. I do the same with the block of butter.
- To make these dairy free, use 10% extra of nuttelex.
- To make nut free, add extra sugar and butter in equal quantities.
- If you have a hubby who likes to munch then these can be made as normal muffin sizes, however I find them too filling unless it's my whole lunch.
So when the muesli bar thread popped up, I thought Aha! A chance to make some that not only could I eat but had good nutrient content and whole grains. I read about 6 recipes, got a feel for the fat/sugar ratio and made these.
 |
| Lily spies the one in the centre with extra peanut butter on top. |
Once again I have used Thick cut non-contaminated oats, but if you can't eat these, add more of whatever you can. :) Also, the ratios are what I like. I'm not a huge fan of rice bubbles so have added a lot less of these than you might like. As long as the weights are about the same, you'll be set.
Muesli Bites
100g butter
100g Super Crunch peanut butter.
100g dark brown sugar
100g honey (see cheat notes)
100g GF AP flour mix (mine is sorghum/brown rice/tapioca/potato mix to GFGirl's ratio)
1/2 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
100g Craisins (or sultanas)
100g GF cornflakes (or rice flakes)
100g GF thick cut oats
50g shredded coconut
30g GF rice bubbles
20g Linseed Meal
Lightly grease a mini muffin tin. It helps if you have a couple, or put little patty papers into a tin to switch them out fast.
Preheat oven to 180c fanforced.
Measure out your wet ingredients (sugar, butter, nutbutter, honey). Put aside in a small saucepan.
Measure out your flour and baking powder and fluff with a fork to mix well. Add with the other dry ingredients into a REALLY big bowl and mix well.
Melt your wet ingredients, stirring gently until well combined and just bubbling. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well and quickly.
Mash spoonfuls very very firmly down into each muffin cup.
Pop into the oven until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Let cool in the tin if they're unpapered or pop out in their papers onto a wire rack. Repeat filling and mashing down with remaining mix.
Notes and Cheats.
- I measure my honey by putting the honey jar onto a digital scale and zeroing it. I then add honey to the saucepan until the jar weighs -100g. Do it slowly until you're confident and you'll be fine. I do the same with the block of butter.
- To make these dairy free, use 10% extra of nuttelex.
- To make nut free, add extra sugar and butter in equal quantities.
- If you have a hubby who likes to munch then these can be made as normal muffin sizes, however I find them too filling unless it's my whole lunch.
 |
| I think my son's face says it all. These are GOOD. |
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