I’ve been feeling a little unsettled lately, actually I’ve been feeling this way for a while now. That pull to be closer to family is really tugging on my heart at present and the fact that we’ll be travelling home for two weeks tonight has me so excited that I can barely contain myself let alone concentrate on anything. It will be a time of firsts for our youngest three…first time back in seven years*, first time meeting cousins who have been born in the eight years we have been away, first time seeing the changes that have occurred in the place of their birth, first time being back since the passing of loved ones. So much has changed in the time we have been away, goodness knows I am not the same person I was when I left, but despite all of that we will finally be on home soil, albeit briefly, surrounded by family, and that fact alone makes me giddy just thinking about it.
In preparation for our trip, which will be 13 hours from woe to go, I’ve been busy making portable snacks to keep us sustained. I know I am not alone in thinking that airline food is pretty dismal and the options for me are even more limited now that I know I have food intolerances. Gluten free muffins, chia pudding (oh my goodness guys, the roasted strawberry miso chia pudding that I came up with is to die for!!) and these date and almond balls were just the ticket. Simple to throw together, easy to transport and nutritiously filling!
Date & almond balls – 24-28 balls
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole almonds
1 cup medjool dates – pitted
3 Tbsp cocoa
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp coconut oil – melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Method:
Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor and blitz till roughly chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and blitz again until well combined and the consistency you want. Using moist hand, roll tablespoon amounts of mixture into balls and place on a plate. Refrigerate until firm.
Notes:
- chocolate ganache or salted caramel sauce can be added for a more decadent ball, just omit the water and oil
- a nip of baileys or kahlua is perfect for the festive season
- maca or mesquite powder is a lovely earthy addition
- any type of nut can be used as can an assortment of nuts
- can be kept in the fridge for up to a week (if they last that long) and in the freezer for 4 weeks
* lets not delve into how guilty that makes me feel
Things have been a little hectic this week as I prepare to leave for New Zealand next Tuesday. In between the end of term school events/birthday parties/play dates and shopping for supplies for my men-folk who’ll be staying back, I’ve been trying to squeeze in the odd cuppa with friends, complete some sewing orders and prepare a few freezer meals on top of spring cleaning our home and of course pack. It’s daft to be trying to do so much before I leave but I seem to work better under pressure and to be honest, I could do with the distraction. It’s been a few years since I’ve travelled home and even longer since our youngest three were there so you can well imagine the excitement that is building.
When I know I have a busy schedule ahead of me I opt to keep our meals fairly light and simple and prepare what I can ahead of time. This allows me to throw a salad, such as this one, together in mere minutes. The thing I love about a salad like this is that it is a great base for other flavours and ingredients depending on what you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to play around and make it your own.
Roasted kumara, beet and quinoa salad with an orange-tahini dressing – serves 2-3 as a main or 4-6 as a side
Ingredients: (salad)
1 cup quinoa
2 beetroot – peeled and chopped into cubes
1 medium kumara (sweet potato) peeled and chopped into cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil
handful parsley – chopped finely
toasted walnuts – chopped roughly
1/2 cup of orange-tahini dressing
Ingredients: (dressing) – makes 3/4 cup
juice and zest of 1 orange (1/2 cup juice/2 tsp zest)
3 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp sweetener of choice
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°. Toss the cubed kumara and beets in oil and place on a baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and tender.
In a pot bring 2 cups of water to the boil. Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under running water and leave to drain. Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa to the pot, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the quinoa for approximately 12 minutes. (Quinoa is cooked when it has swelled, becomes translucent and has a little tail sprout on the end of it) Once cooked fluff up with a fork and set aside to cool.
Shake the dressing ingredients together in a jar until well combined and creamy.
Add the quinoa to a bowl with roasted veggies, chopped parsley, nuts and the dressing and toss gently to combine.
Notes:
- left over dressing is delicious drizzled over porridge or a fresh fruit salad or stirred through greek yoghurt (if tolerated*)
- any roasted vegetables work well in a salad like this. zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant are particular favourites
- use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. mint and coriander are a wonderful addition
- crumbed feta* rounds out the flavours beautifully
- substitute lemon for the orange for a more zesty dressing
- freshly grated ginger and chopped garlic give a lovely zing to the dressing as does ground cumin - use in 1 tsp amounts
- any lightly toasted nuts and seeds go well with salads like this
- serve on a bed of mixed salad leaves or wilted spinach/kale for a more substantial meal
- great side to bbq/grilled/roasted meat or salmon
Guys can we just take a moment to appreciate these photos? I’m not normally one to blow my own trumpet but I must say I am rather impressed with how well they turned out! *blush I’m one of those people who spend more time than I care to admit ogling over the food photography in magazines, cookbooks and on the net and will admit to feeling more than a little intimidated at the high calibre set by other food bloggers but I gotta say, I think I may have brought my game…….finally, fingers crossed!
Anyway, moving right along. This dessert came about from having a jar of coconut milk, a lone lemon that had seen better days and some wilting thyme that needing using up and the ever so slight obsession I have developed for lemon, honey and thyme in a sweet dish. A few months ago I made Emm’s scrumptious ‘lemon, honey and thyme curd’ shortcakes (recipe in her cookbook) and was smitten with the sweet, earthy, zesty tang of these ingredients combined and have used every chance since to replicate the taste in various dishes. I’ve tested them in cake and biscuit form, in drink form – tea and smoothies and now dessert. The cake needs more work but I’ve been pretty happy with the other attempts.
Panna cotta is a rather decadent dessert that looks complicated but is really very simple and forgiving in nature. It’s a hard dessert to get wrong and the flavour combinations are only limited by your imagination.
Lemon & thyme panna cotta with lemon infused strawberry & mango salsa and honeyed walnut crumbs – serves 4
Ingredients: (panna cotta)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup cream
4 sprigs of thyme
zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp gelatine
1/4 cup warm water
Ingredients: (lemon infused strawberry and mango salsa)
1/2 a small punnet of strawberries
1/2 medium mango
juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp sugar
Ingredients: (honeyed walnut crumbs)
1/2 cup walnut pieces – roughly chopped
1 Tbsp honey
Method:
For the panna cotta, place the warm water into a small dish and sprinkle over the gelatine. Mix gently then set aside for 5 minutes to absorb. Place the coconut milk, cream, thyme, zest and honey into a medium pot over low to medium heat. Stir while heating to dissolve the honey and then heat gently, about ten minutes just under a simmer, to allow the flavours of the lemon and thyme to infuse the milk/cream. Add the gelatine and whisk well to combine. Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl then divide between 4 x 1/2 cup ramekins/glasses. Refrigerate until set, around 5 hours or overnight.
For the salsa, place the lemon juice and sugar into a small pot and heat gently, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Chop the strawberries and mango into small pieces and place in a bowl. Pour over the sweetened lemon juice and mix well to combine. Refrigerate until required but best prepared within an hour of eating.
For the walnut crumbs, place the walnuts and honey into a small fry pan and heat gently, stirring until the honey has dissolved and the walnuts are lightly toasted. Beware, this mix can burn easily. Once the walnuts are toasted place them onto a piece of baking paper or plate to cool. Once cool they can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge.
To serve, unmold the panna cotta by dipping the ramekins in hot water and inverting onto a serving plate. If they are a little stuck simply run a knife around the edge. Spoon over the salsa then sprinkle over the walnut crumbs. Enjoy!
Notes:
- this could easily be made dairy free by using all coconut milk and/or cream (I did both versions on this particular occasion)
- I find panna cotta best made a day ahead
- if you prefer a sweeter dessert add another Tbsp of honey
- I used coconut sugar for the lemon syrup but any sugar will suffice
- infuse with whatever flavours tickle your fancy
Winter has arrived with a scattering of rain but judging by the warmth of the last week you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise. The seasons are rather strange here in Western Australia. The warmer months, which are excessively hot, seem to drag on f.o.r.e.v.e.r and a day while the cooler months that are over in the blink of an eye have ‘chill factor zero’ days that are somewhat few and far between. Talk about being ripped off! Give me hail and a bit of snow…..please? I want to hibernate for a week at least.
Despite what the mercury shows, porridge is on pretty high rotation in these parts. It’s only been in the last six months or so that I have started venturing away from traditional oat porridge in favour of other nutritious grains and while I enjoyed a bowl of porridge before I am well and truly head over heels for it now!
This banoffee buckwheat porridge, because who doesn’t love a dessert inspired breakfast, was inspired by Kelly’s creamy spiced version that we had a few weeks ago and fills the gap quite nicely with it’s nutty, creamy texture and subtly sweet fruity taste. Buckwheat does require a little forethought with soaking the groats overnight but the end result is so satisfying that it is well worth the effort.
Banoffee buckwheat porridge – serves 3-4
Ingredients: (porridge)
1 cup buckwheat groats – soaked in water with a Tbsp of apple cider vinegar overnight
1 cup coconut milk/cream
1/4 cup water
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
2-4 fresh dates – depending on sweet preference, chopped finely
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
2 bananas – one mashed, one sliced
small handful of chopped walnuts/nuts of choice
Ingredients: (caramel sauce)
1/4 cup coconut milk/cream
2 Tbsp rice syrup/honey
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Method:
Rinse off the buckwheat groats and place them into a pot with the remaining porridge ingredients (except the banana and nuts) and simmer gently over a medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once all the liquid has been absorbed, stir through the mashed banana and heat another minute or two.
While the porridge is cooking place the caramel sauce ingredients into a small pot and over a low heat simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Place porridge into bowls, drizzle with caramel sauce then top with sliced banana and chopped nuts.
Notes:
- be adventurous and use this recipe as a starting point for other flavour combinations
- store any remaining caramel sauce in a small jar in the fridge for a few days, heating through before using
In her younger days, my mum was never very adventurous when it came to cooking. Yes, she cooked everything from scratch but tended to stick to a handful of tried and trusted meals which we had on high rotation. I think trying to satisfy the fussy needs of her six children put her off extending her recipe repertoire. Curry wasn’t something we had very often and when we did it was good old curry sausages or eggs made in a white curry sauce (white sauce and curry powder) *yuk! I should add that as a child I disliked both eggs and sausages so those meal times were a test of my mothers patience and my will power.
As us kids grew older mum did start expanding on her culinary efforts, she makes a mean thai chilli chicken dish, but the running joke when we now come together as a family is just how bad her cooking was. Unlike my mum I tend to follow in my fathers footsteps when it comes to cooking and am not afraid to experiment and push the boundaries. That said, I do know what it’s like to cook for a fuss pot or two so can empathise with what my mum had to deal with but by the same token, I always encourage our children to try something at least once before they turn their noses up at it and I don't allow their fussy tendencies, which change on any given day, to dictate what I cook - bad mother!
Gone are the days of a white sauce based curry, I left that behind with my childhood. These days I’m all about a homemade curry paste that allows me the flexibility to tweak the flavours to suit whatever ingredients I have on hand. The beauty of a curry dish is that it is versatile, hearty and a one pot meal that is super simple and fast to make…win/win in my books.
Eggplant and capsicum curry – serves 2-3
Ingredients: (curry)
1 small eggplant – diced
1 choko – peeled and diced
1/2 each of a red, yellow and green capsicum – diced
1.5 cups coconut milk/cream
1 tsp coconut oil/ghee
2 Tbsp curry paste – recipe below
cauliflower rice/rice of choice/quinoa to accompany
Ingredients: (curry paste)
2 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp Himalayan/rock salt
1-2 fresh chillies – chopped - can use 1-2 tsp chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic – crushed
1/2 onion – finely diced
1 cm piece each of grated tumeric and ginger - can use 1 tsp each of ground
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Method:
For the paste, place the seeds and peppercorns into a dry frypan and toast gently, swirling the pan often, over medium heat until fragrant and starting to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a few minutes. Add the seeds to a mortar and pestle with the salt and grind till fine. Add the remaining paste ingredients to the mortar and pestle and continue to grind until you have a somewhat smooth paste.
For the curry, heat the coconut oil/ghee over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. Pour in the coconut milk/cream and the vegetables and turn down to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the vegetables are tender then serve in bowls with quinoa or rice of choice.
Notes:
- diced or tinned tomato can be used as a base instead of coconut milk/cream
- use whatever vegetables you have on hand, sweet potato and spinach is a particular favourite
- beans or chickpeas are a nice addition as is finely sliced cooked beef or chicken strips
- I tend to use the whole amount of curry paste above if I am cooking for my entire family of ten and up the vegetables and liquid accordingly but if I am making enough for 2-3 serves, I generally put any remaining paste into a small glass jar and cover with a thin layer of olive oil before lidding and refridgerating for up to a week
- use more or less chillies depending on the amount of heat you can tolerate
- serve alongside naan and greek yoghurt for a more substantial meal
- don't let the amount of ingredients in the paste intimidate you, it's well worth the effort of making your own paste
There are some foods that compliment each other beautifully, like a match made in heaven. Carrot and parsnip is one such duo for me. I adore the subtle sweetness of the two combined whether they be simply mashed, roasted till caramelised or added to a hearty stew.
Latkes are another way I enjoy this pair and are a perfect way to use up any type of vegetable that may be lurking at the bottom of the fridge. I find the addition of fresh ginger and turmeric adds a zing and earthiness that enhances the flavour of carrot and parsnip even more so but they are just as tasty made without depending on your preference.
Gingered carrot and parsnip latkes – serves 2-3
Ingredients:
3 cups grated carrot and parsnip
handful chopped parsley
2 eggs
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp grated turmeric
salt and pepper
coconut oil/ghee for cooking
Method:
Place grated carrot and parsnip into a bowl with the ginger, turmeric, eggs and seasoning and mix to combine. Heat a tsp of coconut oil/ghee in a frypan over low/medium heat. Place 1/4 cup amounts of mixture in the pan and cook approximately 4-5 mins till golden before flipping and cooking the other side. Keep latkes warm in a low heated oven while cooking the remaining mixture as above.
Notes:
-Serve latkes topped with a poached egg
-or alongside a simple salad
-or with a dollop of sour cream/greek yoghurt and a good chutney
Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever imagined having chocolate sandwiches as a child. The fanciest we ever got was sprinkle sandwiches better known as fairy bread. On the days that I opened my lunch to find sprinkle sandwiches, I thought all my Christmas’s had come at once. In my book they bet marmite sandwiches hands down! Our older school-aged children prefer salad wraps or filled rolls over a basic sandwich but thankfully our littlest is still easily pleased in the lunch department and after going through the various spread stages of marmite, jam and peanut butter he now favours chocolate spread.
I started making nutella a year or so ago using an assortment of nuts as the base but now that our little one is at a kindy with a nut free policy I’ve had to substitute the base yet again to make it allergy friendly. Enter nut-free chocolate spread. I’ve used both sunflower butter and tahini to make a nut-free version and both go down a treat.
This chocolate tahini spread is a cinch to make and is just as delicious as it’s namesake, if not more so, and those tears and tantrums that ensued over not being able to take chocolate sandwiches to ‘school’ are now a thing of the past. I’m scoring big brownie points here people!
Nut free chocolate spread
Ingredients:
1 cup tahini (I use unhulled)
4 Tbsp coconut oil
4 Tbsp hot water
4 Tbsp cocoa
4 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
pinch of salt
splash of vanilla
Method:
Simply mix all ingredients together until well combined and smooth. Store in the fridge.
Notes:
-This recipe is easily adapted to suit your tastes. It can be sweeter, more or less chocolatey, thicker or runnier depending on how much syrup, cocoa, water and coconut oil you use. Play around and find your perfect balance.
-Recipe can be easily halved.
-This spread is perfect for icing a cake with or for using as a dip with fruit.
The seasons are slowly but surely changing and with the drop in mercury I find myself reaching for woollen jumpers, long pants, socks and slippers. Winter blankets that have been collecting dust bunnies during the warmer months are being pulled out, washed and aired ready to adorn our beds. Hot water bottles have been rescued from the back of the linen cupboard and flannelette sheets are making an appearance. Stews, casseroles and soups are making their way onto our menu and the kettle is rarely off the boil in anticipation of the next cuppa. As desperate as summer was to hang on by a bare thread, autumn is making her presence known while winter is whispering that she’ll soon be on the heels of autumn.
I’ve been lingering in bed in the mornings lately, enveloped in the warm cocoon of my blankets. Not yet completely dreading the idea of rising as I do in the midst of winter when the chill factor is numbing but enough that I prolong the inevitable and the patience of by belly grumbling children.
Now that the weather is decidedly cooler first thing, we’ve been starting our day with a bowl of warm porridge. Where once I would soak the oats overnight trying to emulate the porridge of my youth, I now favour a speedier somewhat healthier version. In my humble opinion, if you are yet to try flaked quinoa porridge get in that kitchen pronto! This porridge has a different texture to traditional porridge, it is smoother, silkier and creamier. It is also much lighter than oats but just as filling and we find it doesn’t require the addition of milk though you could add a splash of milk of your liking. I encourage you to play with the topping, you are only limited by your imagination.
Flaked quinoa, chia and flax meal porridge with caramelised pear and walnuts – serves 2 but can easily be halved or doubled.
Ingredients:
1 cup flaked quinoa
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp flax/linseed meal
1 cup coconut milk/cream
1 cup water
1 pear
1/4 cup walnuts
10 g butter or 2 tsp coconut oil
honey to serve
Method:
Place the quinoa, chia, flax meal, coconut milk/cream and water into a small pot and place over a low to medium heat. Stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes until thick and creamy. While the quinoa is doing it’s thing heat the butter in a small pan and quarter, core and chop the pear into small bite size pieces. Cook the pear over a low heat for 2-3 minutes tossing the pan a few times then add the walnuts and cook a further minute or so. You want the pears to be caramelised and sweet but still intact and the walnuts to be lightly toasted.
Half the quinoa porridge between two bowls, drizzle with honey or maple syrup and top equally with the pear and walnuts. You are good to go.
Topping suggestions
- Caramelised or stewed apple with cinnamon
- Caramelised or mashed banana with lightly toasted slivered almonds
- Chopped date and toasted walnut
- Berry compote with greek yoghurt
