Ingredients

BASE:

• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 1 cup dates
• whiz and mould to muffin lined trays

FILLING:

• 12 cup coconut milk
• 1.5 cups soaked macadamia nuts
• 1 cup dates
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• whiz and fill into casings
• freeze and serve

• For the Crust:
  • 400g / ¾ pound Almond Meal
  • 4 eggs (free range, organic, obviously)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
• For the Filling:
  • 500g / 1 pound minced beef (grass fed)
  • Approx 500ml /1/8 gallon beef stock (I made this a few weeks ago with lots of bones, and froze lots of batches)
  • 1 red onion (only because I’d run out of brown onions), diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 4 mushrooms
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
• Method: –
  • Mix crust ingredients together until it formed into a big ball of dough.  Roll the “pastry” out to fit paper cupcake cases, reserving about 1/3 of the dough mixture for the lids. Makes 8-12 depending on how think you like your pastry
  • Cook at 200c/400f until hard, not golden (yet).
  • For filling, sauté the onion in a spoonful of coconut oil, and added the minced beef after a couple of minutes. Once that was all browned off, I added the zucchini and carrot and let that cook for a few minutes.  Lastly add stock, mushrooms, seasoning and herbs and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Spoon into pie cases.
  • Lastly roll out the remaining dough and cut it into lid shapes to match the cases forming a seal around the edges. Return the pies to the oven for another ten minutes, until they started to turn golden.

Christmas isn’t Christmas without a traditional pudding.  I love the fragrant aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, orange and nutmeg infused into plump sun-dried fruits then finished off with a home made custard poured over the top. These Christmas puddings only take 5 minutes to make, so they’re easy to make and you feel great after eating it, as it won’t bloat you out like traditional versions (and they’re gluten free too!). The dried fruit adds sweetness and moisture, so you don’t need to add extra cane sugar or added fats like most traditional puddings. Almond meal adds protein, vitamin E + the good heart healthy mono-unsaturated oils which are anti-inflammatory to the body. They can be eaten warm topped with custard.

• 150 gms cranberries
• 100 gms sultanas
• 100 gms currants
• 100 gms raisins or prunes
• 1 tsp ginger (ground)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• ½ granny smith apple cored and chopped
• Zest of one lemon
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1 TBS apple cider vinegar

 Short Crust Pastry

• 375g almond flour
• 150g butter
• 1 large beaten egg
• Pinch salt

  Method

• Place all filling ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth
• Set aside to ensure flavours can meld
• Set oven to 180C/350F
• Grease and flour a 12 cup muffin pan
• In a bowl sieve flour and mix flour and butter until it resembles breadcrumbs
• Add beaten egg and mix until a dough is formed adding cold water if necessary mould with hands until it resembles a ball
• Chill in fridge for 30 mins
• With a rolling pin, roll out dough to 5mm between two sheets of baking paper and cut into rounds, reserving some for tops
• Place 12 x round in bottom of greased muffin pan and bake in oven for 5-10 mins until almost golden
• Remove from oven and add mince-meat filling
• Top with thin pastry lids or crosses of pastry and return to oven for 5 mins or until top is crunchy

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk (dairy or coconut)
• 2 organic eggs
  2 tsp vanilla bean extract
  2 tbsp organic maple syrup or 1 tablespoon honey
  1 tbsp coconut flour
  pinch nutmeg

Method:

• Heat milk in a saucepan with vanilla and honey and bring to almost boiling point, then remove from the heat.
  Beat the eggs and cornflour in a stainless steel mixing bowl until combined.
  Pour the hot milk over the eggs and whisk in well.
  Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
  Remove from the heat quickly and pour back into the mixing bowl.
  Whisk well to cool a little and smooth it out.  If you see any lumps then strain through a sieve.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ fennel, chopped
• ½ cup almond meal
• handful craisins (cranberry raisins)
• 3 rashes bacon, sliced
• 2 tablespoons/cubes of butter
• ¼ tsp tarragon
• pinch salt and pepper

Method:

Mix in a bowl and stuff into chicken or turkey before roasting!

Ingredients:

• 1 egg yolk
• small clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Method:

• Put all ingredients into the processor, whiz and serve!

I love truffles. We used to all line up to make them each Xmas with Mrs G! These are my favourite ever:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dates, pitted
• 1 cu cashews, preferably soaked and low roasted
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• optional but delicious and brings out sweetness (pinch salt, I love Maldon)
• optional shredded coconut to roll balls in

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in blender til mixed
2. Roll into balls (and roll in coconut if you’d like that snowy Xmas feel)
3. Refrigerate if you can wait – they are worth the wait!

A different take on a same same breakfast

Ingredients:

• 4eggs, all whites in one bowl, each yolk in a separate bowl (try not to break yolks with over zealous whites extraction!)
• 2bacon rashes, cooked and julienned
• handful parsley
• 1/4cup grated raw milk cheddar
• pinches salt, I love Maldon

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450F Fry bacon until crispy and set aside
2. Whisk egg whites and pinch salt until stiff peaks. Mix in bacon, cheese and parsley. Spoon mixture into four mounds on parchment lined baking dish, making a well in the centre of each. Cook for 3min
3. Add a yolk to the well in the centre of each cloud. Cook a further 3+min until whites are browning and yolks are no longer runny. Serve and smile cos these are funny!
4. If you’re feeling adventurous, add another egg yolk, 1tsp dijon mustard, 1tsp lemon juice,1/2 small clove garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, sea salt and pepper into processor for quick aioli but if your egg yolks are still runny they can do just nicely 🙂

 

More cooking and styling for my blog this week on #eattheweeds for lots of #phytonutrients for phyting-fit imunity. This is a tasty, salty and sweet salad. We had it for lunch onn beet (rainbow) fritters with avocado. Dlish 

Ingredients:

• 1bunch purslane strands, cut into inch long pieces
• 3bacon rashes, cooked and julienned
• 1cup walnuts (I soak and roast mine ready in the fridge for extra digestive power!)
• 1/4red onion, sliced thin
• 1teaspoon olive oil
• 1teaspoon balsamic
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Fry your bacon and leave it to cool while you make your salad
2. I cut the longer stems off the purslane, leaving some stems and pulling just the leaves of the straggly ones. Add the walnuts, the sliced onion, salt and pepper and bacon.
3. Lastly add olive oil and balsamic and toss. Yum

Blogging this week on eating weeds, I was looking for a recipe using purslane, one of Michael Pollan’s ‘most nutritious plants in the world’. It contains higher levels of phytonutrients than domesticated greens –because these foods have to fend for themselves against pests and disease without any help from us and because historically we’ve tended to select and breed plant crops for sweetness; many of the defensive compounds plants produce are bitter. I just don’t use much bitterness in my cooking and so to get my husband eating them, I put it with some sweet in season peaches with a peach dressing

Ingredients:

• 10purslane strands, cut into inch long pieces
• 2peaches, sliced (reserve 1/4 peach for your dressing)
• 2goat cheese squares (I love meredith’s from Australia, about 1in squares)
• raspberries, handful
• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 1teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• pinches salt

Method:

1. combine 1/4 peach, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt in processor and whiz
2. gently toss dressing through peaches, raspberries, purslane and feta all in on ego so you don’t mix the feta too much or bruise the peaches.
3. I actually like this for breakfast atop zucchini (see rainbow) fritters with a poached egg. Love sneaky veggies at breakfast

When I was a kid I loved Jaffa’s, little orange coated balls of chocolate. Mostly we had them at the movies. I think that started my love of orange chocolate anything. Following my survival from brain cancer, I need to avoid gluten and sugar. Ok, there’s a little in the choc chips on the top but I can’t live completely paranoid now I get this second chance can I? 🙂

Ingredients:

• 1/2cup almond butter
• 1/2cup hazelnut butter
• 2cups eggs, I used large ones
• 1tablespoon maple syrup
• 1tablespoon vanilla essence
• 1.5teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• pinches salt
• 1cup zucchini, shredded
• 1juice and zest of an orange
• choc chips for sprinkling

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F Put almond and hazelnut butter, eggs, maple, vanilla and salt into food processor until smooth.
2. Add apple cider vinegar and baking soda – it will fizz to help the cupcakes rise and make you feel like a scientist. Process a few minutes
3. add zucchini, orange juice and half the zest. Process some more
4. spoon into cupcake papers in a muffin tray, top with orange zest and choc chips
5. Cook for 25-30min, when skewer comes out clean.
6. This recipe is inspired by a zucchini bread recipe I have been making for years. I;m not sure where from. But delicious

I miss raisin toast being gluten free. And I love any opportunity to sneaky veggies into something like bread anyway, otherwise it’s just a filler where I could be getting goodness into my meal. This is great warm, or toasted after with a big dollop of butter

Ingredients:

• juice and zest of an orange
• 1cup raisins
• 3carrots, peeled and grated
• 3cups almond flour
• 4eggs
• 2tablespoons butter
• 1teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1teaspoon bicarb
• 1tablespoon maple syrup, for the top

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F Bring raisins and orange juice in a small pan to the boil and then let sit
2. Place carrots, almond flour, eggs, cinnamon, salt, vanilla in food processor and whiz
3. add bicarb to the orange juice raisin mix for that wizardry and fizzing you know you love in cooking
4. combine mixtures pour into a parchment lined loaf tin, drizzle with maple and bake 1 hour, check with skewer close to time and make sure it’s not burning

The perfect croquette is small, but not too small (enough to be eaten in two bites); it must be moist on the inside and its crust crunchy and golden.

Ingredients:

• 2cups sweet potato, mashed with some salt, butter and coconut milk
• 4ham slices
• 1egg, yolk
• 3/4cups arrowroot
• 4inches, raw mozzarella, cut into 1/2 in squares for filing. You can also make cashew ‘cream cheese’ – see red velvet butterfly cakes without the vanilla, honey or beets
• 1.5cups almond ‘breadcrumbs’ (after making almond milk, save the sieved almond meat and roast on low until crisp. Store in the freezer)
• 1egg
• 1/4cup coconut milk
• 1tablespoon coconut oil, bacon fat or butter for shallow frying

Method:

1. Combine mashed sweet potato, ham, egg yolk, onion and 1/4 cup flour in a large bowl. Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture into 20 balls. Push 1 cheese cube into the center of each ball.
2. Place remaining flour on a plate. Place breadcrumbs on another plate. Whisk egg and milk together in a third bowl.
3. Roll croquettes in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture. Coat in ‘breadcrumbs’.
4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook croquettes, in batches, turning, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.

It was my friend’s birthday and she mentioned she’d had a red velvet cake which I hadn’t heard of. This is my version, no grains, no dairy, so I can eat it too. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 1/2cup coconut flour
• 3/4cups almond flour
• 4tablespoons cacao
• salt, pinch
• 4eggs, separated
• 1/4cup coconut sugar
• 1/2cup olive oil
• 1/4cup honey
• 1teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1tablespoon beet juice (grate beet and strain through tea towel)
• 1cup cashews
• 2/3cups water
• 2teaspoons honey

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine dry ingredients – flours, cacao, baking soda and salt.
2. Combine egg yolks, olive oil, honey, coconut milk, vanilla essence, apple cider vinegar and beet juice
3. whisk egg whites to soft peaks in third bowl. add 1.4 cup coconut sugar
4. mix dry and wet ingredients, fold in whites and sugar.
5. Bake 25min. Cool before icing
6. To make icing process cashews, water, vanilla, honey and beet juice until smooth.

sugar and grain-free, but taste-full

Ingredients:

• 1/2cup cashews
• 1/2cup shredded coconut (processed finely)
• 1tablespoon butter
• salt, pinch
• 1/4cup boiling water
• 1teaspoon vanilla
• salt, pinch
• 1banana
• 1/2cup coconut milk
• 2teaspoons lemon juice
• 1teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

• Start with bases: whisking cashews, coconut, butter and salt until dough like. Press into egg rungs and refrigerate
• Next the caramel level: process pitted dates, water, vanilla and salt until caramel looking. Add as next level on top of bases. Refrigerate.
• Last level banana ‘cream’: process banana, coconut milk, lemon juice and vanilla until creamy and add as final layer.
• These free well (and hold their white color better that way) but defrost to get out of egg rings – simply push from the bottom!

Sugar- and gluten-free, flavor- and health-full

Ingredients:

• 1/2cup cashews
• 1/2cup shredded coconut (processed finely)
• 1tablespoon butter
• salt, pinch
• 1coconut milk, can
• 1.5teaspoons gelatin, grass fed
• 2lemons, zest and juice
• 1teaspoon honey
• 1teaspoon almond essence
• 1cup blueberries
• 1/2teaspoon honey
• 1/2teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4cup water

Method:

• Begin with your bases – process cashews, shredded coconut, butter and pinch of salt until a dough forms. Press into egg rings arranged on a parchment line tray and refrigerate.
• To make your cheesecakes, pour 1/2 cup of coconut milk into a bowl and sprinkle with gelatin to bloom. Pour the rest rest into a saucepan with lemon juice and zest, heat don’t boil and take off heat to infuse. Generally I bloom gelatin for 10min. Mix gelatin mix into warmed lemon coconut mix and whisk together with almond essence and honey. Pour into 4 ramekins and allow to set, up to 4 hours,
• Lastly to make your blueberry coulis, mix blueberries, honey, cinnamon and water on low heat until blueberries fall slightly.
• Run a knife around inside of egg rings to remove bases, run knife around inside of ramekins to remove ‘cheesecakes’ and stack on top. I put another base on top and coulis on top of that. Yum

Something sweet and quick for breakfast (or dessert) with minimal preparation or cooking, but lots of tasting

Ingredients:

• 4eggs, 2 each whisked in separate bowls
• 1/2teaspoon cinnamon, in each whisked egg bowl
• 1/2teaspoon vanilla, in each whisked egg bowl
• salt, pinch in each whisked egg bowl
• butter for frying
• 1apple, cored and peeled
• 1date, seed removed
• 1/4cup nuts, I love walnuts
• 1tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
• cinnamon, vanilla, salt, shake/pinch of each

Method:

Apple crumble – put apple, date, buts, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, salt into food processor. leave a bit lumpy

In a heated sauce pan, make one of your sweet omelette – grease pan with extra butter, tip in and spread to fill.

After a minute, gently put half the apple crumble on one half and fold omelette over. This will melt the butter in the apple crumble,

Serve with a splash on maple syrup.

Sweetened with beets and orange zest. Taste alcoholic!

Ingredients:

• 1beet, peeled, grated, juice squeezed through a towel
• 4tablespoons coconut oil
• 4tablespoons cacao
• 1tablespoon honey
• zest of 1 orange
• pinch salt

Method:

1. Peel the beet then grate as small as you can. Transfer into a tea-towel lined bowl then ring out as much juice as you can> Drink this in a wine glass while you’re cooking 🙂
2. Transfer strained beet to another bowl, add cacao, coconut oil, honey, salt, and orange zest. Mix well.
3. Refrigerate 10-15min to firm, then roll into balls, and roll balls in more cacao. Put back in the fridge to set.

macadamia ‘bread’

Ingredients:

• coming soon

Method:

Dukkah is great as a dip, sprinkle on eggs – see my Turkish style eggs) or as a rub on roasts. Originally Arabic, the word means ‘to pound’, usually dry roasted seeds and nuts. I’ve also had another awesome one made of simply crushed mint, salt and pepper

Ingredients:

• 1/2cup hazelnuts
• 1/2cup sesame seeds
• 1tablespoon coriander, dried
• 2tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1teaspoon salt, I love Maldon
• pepper, to taste

Method:

1. I usually have soaked and roasted hazelnuts ready in my fridge – let’s face it they’re the chocolates of nuts – but if not just put them in a preheated 350F oven for 3-4min, then put them between a tea towel to rub off the skins.
2. Meanwhile add the coriander, sesame and cumin seeds in a warm saucepan, up to 5min. You’ll smell them as they’re toasting and know they’re ready – and you’re hungry!
3. Add salt and pepper and put everything in the food processor. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge

A new take eggs for breakfast; can also be made ahead and makes a great quick lunch too

Ingredients:

• 4eggs, boiled and peeled
• 3tablespoons sheep feta, or cream cheese
• 1tablespoon olive oil
• arugula, handful
• 2tablespoons dukkah, so easy to make your own; see my other recipes
• 1lemon, juiced and zested
• salt and pepper, to taste
• truffle oil (optional but delicious)

Method:

1. Put your boiled and peeled eggs in a bowl (they’re actually delicious still warm). Add feta, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. Stir gently.
2. Serve on bread of your choice (I make my own using macadamias – see my other recipes).
3. Sprinkle with dukkah (see my other recipes), 1 tbsp each serving, maybe 2 tbsp because it’s moorish (excuse the pun)

Ingredients:

 

• coming soon

 

Method:

 

Ingredients:

• coming soon

Method:

Fresh grated beets, carrots, ginger and herbs – spring and summer in a salad!
(I used to get this salad for lunch from a shop in Rushcutters Bay, Australia 15 years ago. I’m not sure it’s the same, but definitely inspired)

Ingredients:

• beet, peeled and grated
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 1/2 inch ginger, peeled and grated
• handfull almonds, soaked and roasted, chopped
• 1teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2cup raisins
• 1/3cup olive oil
• 1tablespoon lemon juice
• 1tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2cup mint

Method:

• Combine liquid ingredients in a bowl and whisk.
• Add all other ingredients (beets last as they color everything).
• Toss, serve, enjoy 🙂

Velvet colored, sweet tasting chimichurri; serve it as a sauce on steak, or just as a dip

Ingredients:

• 1beet, peeled and grated
• 1cup Italian parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1teaspoon oregano, dried
• 1/2teaspoon chili
• 1/2teaspoon sea salt
• 1cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• Add all ingredients to food processor, whizz and serve.
• Great with steak, or just as a dip
  

Ingredients:

• coming soon

Method:

An Aussie classic, celebrating National Lamington Day June 21 2014.

Ingredients:

• Ingredients

  For the sponge cake

• 3 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup arrowroot
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 2/3 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extractFor the chocolate & coconut icing
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp coconut  milk
• 1 1/2 cup desiccated coconut

Method:

• Preheat oven to 165C (330F).
• Parchment line a 2 cm-deep, 20cm x 30cm (base) baking tray pan.
• Whisk together coconut oil, malt syrup and vanilla extract and  until well incorporated, set aside.
• Measure out tapioca flour and almond meal.
• Beat eggs for 5 minutes until thick and foamy. Add coconut oil mix while beating the eggs. Add baking powder, arrowroot and almond meal. Pour mixture into pan. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• To make chocolate icing, combine coconut oil, cocoa, vanilla, coconut milk and maple syrup in a bowl.
• Spread coconut on a plate.
• Spread a thin layer of chocolate icing on in between the two sided lamingtons. Next ‘paint’ the outsides the same way, dipping in coconut when you’re finished.

Three ingredient breakfast, lunch or dinner fritters are a great way to get sneaky veggies into yours (or your kids’) meals

Ingredients:

• 1  zucchini, grated
• 1 beet, peeled and grated
• 3eggs, beaten separately
• 1carrot, peeled and grated
• 3/4cups raw mozzarella, grated
• pinch salt and pepper
• 1tablespoon butter, to sautee

Method:

• Beat an egg each into three separate bowls.
• And peeled / or grated zucchini, beet and carrot into each bowl
• Add 1/4 cup grated mozzarella into each bowl
• Add a pinch salt and pepper into each bowl
• Add 1 tbsp butter to fry pan and when completely melted divide first fritter mix into four and fry in pan at once. Repeat other veggies
• Serve with bacon, a dollop of sheep’s feta and garlic aioli

Ingredients:

• coming soon

Method:

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 rash bacon, crispy
• kale, sauteed in garlic and butter
• garlic aioli (recipe coming)

Method:

• assemble as per sausage and egg mcnuffin below

Ingredients:

• 1/2cup pecans
• 1/4cup macadamias
• 2tablespoons coconut milk
• 1/2banana
• 1/2apple, grated
• 1/2cup blueberries
• 1/2teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch salt

Method:

• Place banana (I keep some peeled and frozen esp good for hotter mornings), pecans, coconut milk, cinnamon and salt in a food processor on low until just mixed.
• Add macadamias at the end for a second short whiz.
• Mix in blueberries and grated apple.
• Enjoy with a side boiled egg – why don’t we have sides at breakfast?! 🙂
• If making this ahead, add 1/2 lemon squeezed onto apple to prevent browning

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs (per person), boiled, peeled, halved and yolks separated into another bowl
• 1 rash of bacon (per person), crispy
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• pinch salt
• shake cinnamon and vanilla

Method:

• mix cooked egg yolks, almond butter, maple, salt and cinnamon in a bowl
• top into halved boiled egg whites
• top again with crispy bacon

Ingredents:

• 4 extra large roasted beetroot
• 3 cloves of roasted garlic
• 1/2 cup grams of organic raw cashews
• ¼ of a bunch of Fresh Dill
• 1L bone broth (recipe above)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Roast beetroot in their skin until cooked. Peel and roughly chop when cool.
• Blend all ingredients, warm on stove top and serve with sheep feta and chives

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/2 pd/250g sausage mince
• 1/4  avocado
• 1/4 cup coriander
• 1/2 diced roma tomato
• 1/2 tsp sambal
• splash olive oil

Method:

• Sautee sausage meat inside a mason jar lid circle.
• Meanwhile sautee the spinach in some butter with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Next fry two eggs inside mason rings.
• To make the guacamole peel and deseed an avocado, add coriander, diced roma tomato, salt and pepper, 1/2 tsp of sambal or dried chilli and a splash or two of olive oil and mix together.
• Assemble and enjoy.