A Collection of Thoughts

Clean Eating / coconut, almond + quinoa breakfast cakes

via pinterest.com

I spotted these on my blog reader and pinned them late one night last week.  I am always on the look out for yummy breakfast recipes especially over the holidays. These are perfect because I can make them a little later in the morning and they will tide us over till late lunch. Holidays in our hosue are always filled with two girls asking on the hour what can we eat!

 

 

Holiday Eating

I don't know about your family but honestly mine drives me crazy with the what can we have to eat during holidays . I know of some families who pack lunch boxes and say that's it. I have seriously thought about it but to be honest I like a good snackage too!

Now that the umm christmas shortbread ( so not clean even though I made it myself  - that makes it kind of clean right?) is gone, it's time to start searching up some new yummy healthy stuff to keep my two munching girls happy. On our to try list is

 Apricot Fudge Balls

via fooddoodles.com

 

Paleo Dairy Egg Nut Sugar Free

 

 Carrot Cupcakes

via www.cupcakeproject.com

Paleo  Dairy and Gluten Free

 Naked Chocolate Cake -  Teresa Cutter

via www.thehealthychef.com

There are notes on this cake for options to make it gluten free if you need to :) - No refined sugar butter all round good for you cake.

 Protein Balls

 In my never ending search for the best protein ball recipe I'm going to give these a try

 

 Though I'll probably swap the agave out for honey.

 www.thehealthyfamilyandhome.com

All recipes are in the source links :)

What's cooking in your kitchen???

Ripe Bananas

Do you struggle with timing of ripe bananas for baking ( I know first world problems! ) ? But really it's tricky - letting them get brown enough and then baking with them at the right time- without having your husband throw them out because they have gone brown.

I have found the solution... and it's so simple and so fabulous.  I'm really actually very excited.

You take your bananas - leave them in their skins - pop them in them oven on the lowest setting and they turn brown!  Depending on how brown you want them and how ripe they already are it will take between 15 minutes to  45 minutes tops.

 

 

Take them out of their skins and leave to cool for a little bit before using them in your recipes. I did this last night and made the yummiest banana bread ready for lunches boxes.  My two bananas went from that level of yellow to the brown in 20 minutes.

via reallifenaturalhealth.com

Gluten, butter and sugar free :) Clean eating at it's best. I made it in a tin loaf and cut it into slices.

So just in case you are now in the banana bread making mood  here is a little round up.

 

via www.taste.com.au

This is a traditional recipe using flour butter sugar

 

via www.taste.com.au

 

I haven't tried this one but I will be -It uses oats and yoghurt. I'll be cleaning it up by substituting the flour for wholemeal or a combo of spelt coconut almond flours and leaving out the sugar adding some honey and swapping the canola oil for macadamia oil instead.

No waiting for bananas to over ripen anymore! I can't wait to try out a heap of banana recipes :)

Enjoy

 

Strawberry Icecream

Strawberries at the farmers markets are around $6 a kilo. I can't resist buying them every time I see them. They look and taste so good. 

My husband is an ice cream fanatic. His meal isn't complete unless he had had a bowl of icecream. So I knew that I had to get onto working out how to make a clean version very quickly.

So I have - here is my sugar free, dairy free, clean eating totally delicious icecream recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 500gms strawberries hulled and chopped
• 2 tblspns honey
• 400ml coconut milk
• 400ml skim milk (can substitute for almond, rice, oat milk)

METHOD

1. Place the strawberries and honey in a bowl and mash until lightly crushed.
2. Mix through the coconut milk and skim milk.
3. Mash again. If you would like a less chunky amount of berries then use a stick blender to blend until you liek the consitancy. I like mine still quite chunky.
4. Pour into ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers instructions.

NOTES

If you don't have an ice cream maker - pour into a container and place in the freezer.  After an hour mix it again and refreeze. Repeat.  The more you do this the more creamy and less icy it will be.

Optional - add in 75 grams of chopped dark chocolate after you have churned it.

Makes about I.4 litres - 10 serves

Nutritional Good Points - This is low in Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a very good source of Vitamin C and Manganese.

Disclaimer -  Nutritional info provided is to be used as a guide only. The calculations are based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and utilize statistical averages. Nutrition may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients, substitutions etc.

Chocolate Protein Balls

At boost juice they have these really yummy chocolate protein balls rolled in coconut for $1.50.  I love them. They are the perfect sweet treat without being too sweet. I have been however googling for the recipe or at least the ingredients list to no avail.

But the lovely Lisa Pate shared her protein ball recipe with me over on her facebook page.  You can see it here.

I didn't have quite the same ingredients and wanted to make them right then and there so here is my take on hers.

***** If you don't have protein powder or don't use it then substitute for skim milk powder.  It has a good amount of calcium and protein and will do the trick nicely.

1/2 cup  protein powder - I had vanilla but Lisa uses chocolate and omits the cocoa
1/2 cup steel cut oats
3/4 cup coconut
2 tblspn good cocoa
1 tblspn hot water
3 tblspn organic peanut butter
1 tblspn honey
5 tblspn almond milk

Extra coconut to roll in.

Mix protein, oats and coconut in a bowl.

Melt peanut butter, water and honey in a bowl in the microwave.

Add to dry mix then slowly add milk.

Roll into balls then cover in coconut.

Put in fridge or freeze straight away.

Makes 16.

Just an aside - I do love these but I am still keen to work out what's in those boost juice ones ! They are way more chocolatey :)

 

Casserole Dishes and Recipes

At the age of 40 I bought my very first two pieces of cast iron cookware - you know the dishes that can go straight on your stove top and then into the oven? I have seen them forever and every time I go to cook a casserole I think I should look for some. Last winter I did that but the prices put me off- Kmart had some but only in red and they started at about $25 for a smallish one from memory.  Target ones started at about $60. Then two weeks ago in the Aldi catalogue I spotted these Crofton ones.  $19.95 and $14.95 for the two with lids on. I also managed to get a cast iron trivot for $7.99. As of yesterday in our local Aldi there were still some casserole dishes left. They come in different colours too - cream red and blue. I bought the cream.

 Since then I have turned into a casserole making fool. I love that I can do all the prep in one dish and then throw in the oven while the girls are doing their homework - an hour or so later all good to go with some rice couscous or quinoa and steamed greens.

 These are my top three recipes  ( all from taste.com.au with some changes LOL )

 

via www.taste.com.au

Chicken and Sweet Potato Casserole

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 chicken lovely legs
• 1 large bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs lemon thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons  wholegrain mustard
• 400g sweet potato, peeled, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 small tin light evaporated milk
• 2 red onions thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

 - Make a batch of caramelised onion  - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add 2 thinly sliced large red onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until soft. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

1. Heat oil in casserole dish. Add chicken. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Remove to a plate.

2. Add fennel, thyme and garlic. Cook until soft. Add 1/2 cup of stock and mustard. Cook for 3 minutes. Add sweet potato and rest of stock. Bring to the boil. Return chicken to dish. Cover and place in a moderate oven for 50 minutes.

3. Add evaporated milk and return to a hot plate. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes (do not return to the boil as sauce might spit). Stir in caramelised onions. Serve.

via www.taste.com.au

Massaman Beef Curry

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 650g gravy beef or chuck steak, trimmed
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons massaman curry paste (I used the Valcom brand - in Woolies)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate - ( in the Asian section of woolies - same spot as the massaman paste)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce ( with the tamarind paste) 

1. Heat oil in casserole dish . Add beef. Cook, until browned. Transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons coconut cream to pan. Cook over medium heat for 20 seconds or until hot. Add curry paste. Cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.

2. Return beef and juices to pan. Add coconut milk, stock, peanuts, potatoes, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom pods, sugar, tamarind concentrate, fish sauce and remaining coconut cream. Stir to combine.

3. Cover and place in the oven on moderate heat, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender. Serve with rice.

via www.taste.com.au

 Lamb Casserole

• 6 lamb forequarter chops
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 500g potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2/3 cup red wine
• 2 jars of pasta sauce ( I used the red wine one )
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 x 260g btl tomato chutney (I used this Beerenberg chutney from woolies )
• 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 cup frozen peas

1. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a casserole dish and brown the lamb chops. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the potato and carrot, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half.

3. Add the lamb, pasta sauce, stock, chutney and rosemary. Cover and bake for 2 hours.

4. Stir in the peas 10 minutes before you want to serve.

Yummy with mashed potato

 Any favourite casseroles in your house ?? Please link me up !

 

Strawberry Jam Making

When we returned from the Sunshine Coast we stopped off for some jam grade strawberries. I had no clue how to make jam but the thought of fresh jam sounded really good.

1kg of strawberries for $5 and I figured I couldn't go too wrong. Then I mentioned to a friend my plans. Oh good luck she said. I remember Mum trying to make jam and it never set. I thought eek set ? really?  This could be a disaster.

I started googling about sterilizing jars and what not. Stressing again ( I swear I never used to get anxious like this ! ) I wondered what on earth I was thinking.

Anyhow I had the strawberries so jam making commenced.

Someone mentioned in one of my comments about jam making sugar  ( thank you! ) and I found that at woolies along with some jam jars.

I chopped up the strawberries added in the sugar put it on the stove - mushed it up with a masher just a little bit. 1 kg fruit 1 kg sugar - eeek

I placed a saucer in the fridge for me to try the setabilty ( no such word I don't think LOL ) of the jam.  Once the sugar was dissolved I bought it to a slow rolling boil for 4 minutes-  dropped some on the cold saucer - it didn't run much so I figured that would be ok.

I poured boiling water into my jars  and them popped them in the oven for 10 minutes.

I skimmed the froth off the top of the jam then I poured the hot jam into the jars, put the lids on (I  soaked them in boiling water too) and turned them upside down for five minutes. I left them on the bench to cool then popped them in the fridge.

The next morning I checked and FAR OUT it worked. I have (had) three jars of the most delicious jam ever. I am a bit dubious as to whether I have sterilised the jars for keeping so I have given some to the neighbours.

If anyone has advice on that I would love to know but really I'm quite happy to make three jars at a time  - eat one give two away. So good - give it a try!

 

 

 

Baking

On the weekend Talia baked some biscuits but she didn't cream the butter and sugar first and they turned out a right royal mess. Yesterday Anna tweeted about her choc chip cookies. Then today I found this recipe I can't remember how but it appeared on my screen and I decided that all the stars were aligning and I had to make biscuits.

The only problem was that these ones called for toffee bits. We don't have those here. I tweeted with Katrina from Windsor Deli and she suggested that I use peanut brittle - great idea but I had already left to get the ingredients.

Instead I came home with Nestles new caramel bits. OH my don't buy them they are too good. You'll want to eat them staright from the packet then you'll have nothing left for biscuits.

Fortunately I didn't know that until after I had added them to my recipe. Even better the recipe only calls for half a cup so that leaves plenty left over.

I highly recommend this recipe - simple to whip up - you should have the ingredients in your cupboard minus the caramel or toffee or whatever bits you want to add.

I substituted flaked almonds ( and I didn't bother toasting them first ) and I used the caramel bits, Uncle Tobys instant oats and  SR flour rather than plain with baking powder and mine worked perfectly.

 Yummy - crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. I also made a pan of James' Cinnamon scrolls. After not baking for some time the girls will think they have come home to the wrong house this afternoon.

Have you been baking during this cooler weather?? Im trying to be good and stick to my whole food style of eating but every now and then you just have to break out and today was one of those days.

Focus on the little things

I am home :)  Arrived home sometime Monday.

I m feeling  abit battered and bruised but in mostly good spritis.

My head is spinning with all that is still to come so I'm just taking everything very slowly. Though as usual my version of slow and my surgeons are slightly different. I had my knuckles wrapped yesterday so am slowing again.

In terms of surgery two more tumours were found in the left side that had grown since the pet scan two weeks ago. I knew about one - I had felt it and asked them to show me the spot on an ultra sound. The fourth was a surprise.

Yeterday I went back to my surgeon for a check up  - he is not thrilled with how one side is knitting so I may have to go back in to get it sorted I will know Friday.

Tomorrow  I meet with my haematologist and also go to have my port flushed they decided not to take it out.

Tuesday I am back to the onologoist - he wants to talk more options now that these latest tumors have appeared.

Trying tiring days. Wishing that time would pass quickly but also slowly.

I'm breaking my days down into manageable pieces and not looking back on the what I used to do. I'm not even thinking about what I might be able to do soon anymore.

 Today lets talk about lentils.

via www.taste.com.au

I know - I always thought they were yucky LOL. But while in hospital I always choose the soup options because I love soup.

 I chose a red lentil currry vegetable soup. I said to Richard this will be so yuck.

 Boy was I wrong it was delciious and I could't wait to get home and make some.

So Monday night that is what I did. Here is a little picture visual for you  but its not the soup lol

•  You will need
• One cup red lentils ( not the tin ones )
• 3 stalks celery finely chopped
• Garlic I like lots so a big tablesppon
• 3 carrots finely chopped
• 1 red capscium finaly chopped
• 1 piece of kent pumpkin
• 2 litres of chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 bunch coriander
• 1 tablespon curry powder

In a large pot fry off the celery capsicum, garlic, carrots, corriander  until they are just starting to soften - add in the pumpkin and curry powder

Rinse the lentils

Add in the stock and lentils

Bring to boil then leave to simmer until veges are all softened

 Use a swizzy bender to puree it all together.

 Serve with a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream and some coriander.

 SOOOO good and my girls loved it too.

If you get a chance please share your fav soup recipes - esppecially any croc pot ones I'm in soup making mode. Its all I can cope with right now lol.

 

Coffee Cake

Last week Mel posted her yummy looking coffee cake recipe. It reminded me that I have a great coffee cake recipe that I haven't made forever so when I had to add something else to our dessert line up for our  BBQ I dug up the recipe. I love it because it's a throw it all in and mix one. You can't go wrong.

• 3 eggs separated
• 3/4 cup castor sugar
• 100ml oil
• 1 3/4 cup SR flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tspn instant coffee
• 1 tbspn water
• 1/2 cup of chopped nuts - any pecan, brazil, walnut your choice.
• 1/2 tsp salt

 

 Method

1. Whip your egg whites until stiffened
2. Dissolve the coffee in the water
3. In a bowl add all the ingredients except the egg whites and nuts.  Mix until combined - about 90 secs with an electric beater.
4. Fold through the nuts and egg whites.
5. Pour into two prepared round 18cm tins. Bake for 30 minutes.

 

Icing - 2 cups of icing sugar, 2 tablespoons of softened butter or margarine, 1 tsp of coffee dissolved in 1 tbspns of water. Mix together and sandwich half the mix between the two cooled cakes.  Ice the top and decorate with chocolate chips.

It's a shame Mel and I don't live in the same state or we could have a Coffee Cake Bake Off and invite you all to come be the judges :)