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Kelly x

Cashew & hazelnut fruit crumble

I've had a craving for apple crumble all week. It was one of my absolute favourite desserts when I was a kid and I haven't had it in ages.

Tonight was the perfect night for it. We shared a chaotic early dinner with baby Bonnie, then later once we'd put her to bed we enjoyed big bowls of dessert and relaxed. A lovely way to end the weekend.

I've given traditional apple crumble a healthy makeover. This one is gluten free and has no refined sugar. I used cashews, hazelnuts and oats to form the crumb. Dates and coconut oil bind it together. All the ingredients are thrown in the food processor so dessert comes together in no time.

We enjoyed ours with fresh cream but this could easily be kept dairy free by pairing it with your favourite dairy free ice cream. Enjoy! x

Cashew & hazelnut fruit crumble

2-3 cups cooked fruit (depending on your dish)

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1/2 cup cashews

1/4 cup of chopped dates

3/4 oats (use GF labelled oats if necessary)

1/4 cup coconut oil - melted

1/8 cup dessicated coconut

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 160 degrees

Place your cooked fruit into your baking dish.

Place all remaining ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until the texture is a course crumb.

Cover your fruit with the crumb mixture and place in oven.

Bake for approx 30 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully. The nut crumb can burn quickly.

Serve warm or cold.

(Vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free)

The BEST banana bread

Somewhere along the way I've gotten addicted to morning tea. I'm not sure when it happened but I've come to really look forward to a mid morning cup of tea and a sliced of something baked. And while I think terms like guilt-free are unhelpful, I do want to feel good about everything I put in my mouth. 

This moist, delicious banana bread is my morning tea constant. I've used almond flour and coconut to form the flour component and it's lightly sweetened with 2 ripe bananas and a couple of tablespoons of honey.

Gluten free baking like this loaf appeals to me because it's so nutrient dense. There's not loads of refined flour or unnecessary sugar. I notice the difference in how I feel when I eat this way and I'm quite happy to make it a daily treat. The added bonus is that baby Bonnie can enjoy some too. 

I've used honey to sweeten this but you could easily use dates or maple syrup instead. 

The BEST banana bread
2 Tbsp Honey or maple syrup / quarter cup dates 
2 very ripe bananas - mashed
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 cup dessicated coconut
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees celsius

In a food processor add eggs, honey and vanilla. Mix until well combined.

Add the banana and combine.

Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well.

Pour the batter into a loaf tin lined with baking paper.

Bake for 50-55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.

Allow to almost entirely cool before slicing.

Enjoy as is or with a thick spread of butter.

(Gluten free, refined sugar free)

Red Sauerkraut

I've read two great books on fermentation in the last few months. They are: Real Food Fermentation by Alex Lewin and Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. Both books are really well written and got me super excited about starting some fermentation projects. I'm the kind of person who really enjoys the processes and transformations when preparing food so fermentation is my kind of fun.

My first project was kimchi and it was delicious. Next up I made some sauerkraut. I used all red cabbage so the end result is a pretty pink. That is the recipe I'm sharing today. I followed the instructions in Real Food Fermentation. It's a really straightforward recipe and doesn't require an expensive fermentation crock. You just need some clean jars. You can make it simply with just cabbage and salt as I have or add spices. Caraway, juniper or dill seed would all be fairly traditional.

Fermentation has been used for centuries as a method of preserving food. The process gives the end product probiotic properties that make it an excellent food for digestion. This is thanks to the naturally occurring presence of the Lactobacillus bactaria. Most store bought sauerkraut has been heat treated so will have lost this natural goodness. Homemade, raw sauerkraut is really easy to make, introduces healthy bacteria into your gut and is addictively tasty.

Follow the instructions below and you'll be experiencing the satisfaction of homemade lacto fermented sauerkraut in no time.

I served mine for lunch today with some some delicious goat gouda and lightly toasted pumpernickel.

Sauerkraut  - recipe adapted from Real Food Fermentation by Alex Lewin

900g sliced green or red cabbage -core and outer leaves removed (Thinly sliced cabbage will ferment       quicker and become softer. Thicker slices will retain crunch).
 4 teaspoons for sea salt (not iodised salt)

Place your cabbage in a really large bowl. Sprinkle with all the salt.

With clean hands, firmly massage the cabbage and work the salt through. You need to keep working the cabbage until it is pliable and you are able to squeeze liquid out. Depending on how fresh your cabbage is and how firmly you are massaging this could take about 6-10 minutes.

Pack the mixture into a large jar or several smaller jars*. Use a potato masher or a smaller jar to pack the cabbage really tightly so that all of it sits under the liquid and you've gotten rid of as many air bubbles as possible. Fermentation is an anaerobic activity. It's important that the cabbage come into contact with air as little as possible to avoid introducing stray bacteria that will spoil your sauerkraut. Ensure you leave about an inch (2.5cm) at the top between the cabbage and the lid of the jar as the cabbage will expand as it ferments.

Place the lid on the jar/s and place in a cool dark place. I leave mine in the pantry so I don't forget about  them.

Check your sauerkraut every day or so. Open the jar and taste it / smell it. Use a clean fork every time and firmly pack the cabbage back under the liquid. After a few days it should get bubbly. After a few more days it will start to smell and taste sour. Your sauerkraut will get more sour as time goes on. Once it's reached a point you are happy with place it in the fridge and start enjoying.

I've let most of my recent batches ferment for 14-16 days.

*I often use a few regular sized jam jars rather than 1 big one. I like to let some of the sauerkraut ferment for longer and enjoy some younger and crunchier.

Barley risotto with honey & thyme roasted parsnips

The following recipe is inspired by the Meat Free Monday movement. A New Zealand branch has just been established and I'm really excited about it. In the last year we've cut down the amount of meat we eat to just a couple of times a week max. People choose to cut out or eat less meat for a variety of reasons. For me it's largely environmentally and health motivated. All of us eating meat heavy diets is not only bad for us healthwise, it's entirely unsustainable on a global level. 

Moving to (and enjoying) a more plant and wholegrains based diet starts with building up a repertoire of dishes that are relatively simple to make and totally delicious. 

My barley risotto with honey and thyme roasted parsnips is a nourishing midweek meal. Serve with some steamed green beans for a complete plate. You'll feel satisfied, body and mind.

Barley Risotto with Honey and Thyme Roasted Parsnips

Risotto
1 cup pearled or hulled barley (preferably soaked for 6 hours or overnight prior)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 onion finely diced
3 large cloves garlic finely chopped
Handful of parsley
3 sprigs thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp butter (optional)
Olive oil

Honey & thyme roasted parsnips
3 large parsnips chopped into chunks
1 tablespoon honey 
Handful of thyme sprigs
Tbsp of rosemary leaves
2 Tbsp oil
sea salt 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Gently melt honey. Place parsnips, honey, thyme and oil in a large bowl and combine. Sprinkle with salt.

Place parsnips in oven and cook for approximately 25 or until golden and tender.

Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a frypan on a medium heat. Gently fry garlic and onion until soft.

Add barley and 1 sprig of thyme. Stir.

Gently add 1/2 cup stock at a time to the pan (as you would for a rice risotto) stirring constantly. The barley will take 30-40 mins to cook.

Add parsley and 1 tbsp butter (or olive oil) and cook for a few minutes.

Serve the parsnips on top of the barley. Top with cracked black pepper and more chopped parsley if desired.

(vegetarian if vegetable stock used. Vegan if butter also omitted)

Lovely additions to the risotto would be:
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of goat cheese crumbled over just before serving.
finely chopped kale or silverbeet added five minutes before end of cooking time.

Beetroot, walnut & dill salad

Last night was the first of my winter dining events at Golden Dawn. It was glorious. Wonderful people, exquisite food and beautiful music. There was a cosy sense of community with guests happily sharing food and chatting with strangers. It looked and felt exactly as I'd pictured it in my head. I'll share some pictures at the end of this post.

Today I woke up feeling like I'm coming down with something. A sore throat and head-achey. The busy weekend might be catching up with me. I wanted something for lunch that would feel nourishing but still super tasty. A winter salad of beetroot, toasted cumin seeds, walnuts and dill was what I came up with. 

It came together really quickly and was delicious. I love dill and it's perfect in this salad but if you don't have any on hand, a big handful of parsley would work well.

Beetroot, dill & walnut salad

2 medium / large beetroot peeled and grated

1/4 cup of walnuts roughly chopped

handful dill chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp tahini

juice of one lemon

pinch of sea salt

Place your cumin seeds in a frying pan over a medium heat and lightly toast. They're done when they start to get fragrant.

Place your cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle and bash roughly.

Place all your ingredients (except a little of the dill) in a bowl and combine. Stir well to ensure all the salad is dressed evenly.

Sprinkle the remainder of the dill on top just before serving.

Serve immediately or will last 24 hours covered in the fridge.

Tamarind, coconut & kale lentils

I try to always have a couple of portions of this dish in my freezer. It's super tasty, inexpensive and totally satisfying on a chilly night. I just recently discovered tamarind and it's added a lovely brightness to this recipe. The addition of kale (red Russian kale from our garden) makes this a complete meal. Leftovers are perfect for lunch.

It's essentially a dhal type recipe but I'm hesitant to call it that because I use the completely non Indian ingredient of hot smoked paprika. It may seem a little sacrilegious but I love the sweet heat and smokiness it adds.

Whenever I'm making this I think of a friend of mine who comes from a big Indian family of great cooks and just self published a beautiful book of her families recipes. I wonder if she'd approve of this dish. I plan to get brave and serve it to her one day soon.

Tamarind, coconut & kale lentils
2 cups brown lentils

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 can coconut cream
1 can tinned tomatoes (preferably cherry tomatoes)
1 large bunch kale (or silverbeet) separated from stems and chopped.
Small handful of coriander chopped.
2 large onions chopped

2 tsp hot smoked paprika

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp turmeric

6 cloves garlic

1 1/2 Tbsp tamarind puree

3 Tbsp finely chopped ginger

1 large red chill (deseeded)
2 Tbsp coconut oil or ghee


Chop the onions. I like to cut the onions in half and thinly slice into half circles (rather than dicing) to add a little texture to the dish.

Melt the coconut oil in a large heavy based pot on a medium heat. Gently fry the onions, garlic, ginger and chilli.

Add all the spices and cook gently until fragrant.

Add the lentils and stock. Bring to the boil and leave for five minutes. Add the tamarind puree. Turn the stove down to a simmer and let it bubble away for approx 1/2 hour. Stir regularly.

Add the tin of tomatoes and leave to simmer for another 1/2 hour. Stir regularly. If the pot is looking too dry during this time, add a 1/2 - 1 1/2 cup of water.

Use a masher to break up some of the lentils and provide a kind of gravy. Do this until the dish has reach a desired consistency. About 30 seconds of mashing usually gets it to where I like it.

Add the can of coconut cream and the kale. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Taste to check seasoning and add salt / pepper if desired. Stir through coriander.

Serve on top of brown rice with a dollop of greek yogurt on top.

(vegetarian if using vegetable stock, gluten free)

Event: Sunday Supper - Sunday July 28th @ Golden Dawn

I'm in the middle of planning a really great event and I had to share some pictures from my last one. The below pictures are from the Sunday Lunch dining series I organised over summer at the Golden Dawn. Clever chef Beckie Pillay prepared (as always) absolutly stunning food. Mostly cooked outdoors over an open fire. Everything was served on large shared platters and guests sat on long communal tables in the Golden Dawn courtyard. Guests came with friends but inevietably made more. There was live music, kids running around and thankfully lovely weather. 

We're doing it all again! This time with a really cosy Sunday Supper series over July, August and September. The first is on Sunday 28th July at 5pm. There will be a raw bar in the courtyard so guests can enjoy arrival drinks, music and oysters freshly shucked by the good folks from Mahurangi Oysters. Then we'll move inside where everyone will be seated along one long table. More excellent music and great food......

Join us!

Sunday Supper Menu

Mahurangi Oysters. Shallot sherry vinegar or chipotle tabasco

Il Casaro burrata mozzarella w/ fresh chilli, olive oil & flaky sea salt

Warm spelt loaves w/ tarragon garlic butter

Salash air dried pork w/ brussel sprout, apple & walnut slaw

Whole Freedom Farm free range pig w/ Braeburn & calvados sauce & green herb oil

Root vegetable & provolone gratin

Wild mushrooms, puy lentils, sage & hazelnuts

Whiskey bread & butter pudding w/ vanilla cream

Tickets:http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/gig/34556/Sunday-Supper.utr

The day after the party and a loaf

What a perfect winter morning we had in Auckland today. Bright sun and a clear sky. Mondays should always be so pretty.The house felt strangely quiet after a very busy day yesterday. There were still balloons bouncing around and lovely birthday cards scattered around. Yesterday was our Bonnie's 1st birthday party. Her first year has flown by and it was fun to celebrate reaching the milestone with some of our favourite people. My partner and I been blessed to have a wonderful gang of family and friends support us the past year while we've tried to master this parenting business.

Her party was a morning tea. Foolishly I got too caught up in hosting to take a picture of the pretty table We enjoyed lots of delicious homemade food, bubbles and strong stovetop coffee.

At the end of the party I had lots of requests for one recipe in particular. It's not one of mine. I'm just spreading the good word. The much requested recipe was the "Life Changing Loaf" from mynewroots.org. I served it lightly toasted alongside smoked salmon and my roasted pumpkin & garlic cream.

This recipe is ridiculously easy to make. A clever mixture of nuts, seeds and oats. Naturally gluten free and vegan. It's basically combine, soak and bake. Make sure you use a silicon loaf pan. It's essential that you're able to turn the loaf out halfway through cooking.

Thank you to Lucy for reminding me about this recipe.

The Life Changing Loaf of Bread by My New Roots

1 cup / 135g sunflower seeds 
½ cup / 90g flax seeds 
½ cup / 65g hazelnuts or almonds 
1 ½ cups / 145g rolled oats 
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
3 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks 
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt 
1 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey
3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or ghee
1 ½ cups / 350ml water

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.

Place all dry ingredients into a flexible silicon loaf pan and stir well.

Whisk together the oil, maple syrup and water. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix until really well combined. The dough should be very thick. Smooth the top and then let sit on the bench for at least two hours. Overnight is fine. You'll know the dough is ready if it retains it's shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it.

Place the loaf into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the loaf from the pan and place it upside down directly onto the oven rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes.

The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped.Allow the bread to cool entirely before slicing.

Store in an airtight container for up to five days or pre slice and freeze for easy toasting. (I think this bread is best as toast)

(Vegan, wheat free)

If you've never checked out Sarah Britton's My New Roots blog- quick. Do it now! It's inspiring and uplifting. I'm so appreciative to the lovely Rachel who passed it on to me. 

www.mynewroots.org

Roasted pumpkin, garlic & walnut Cream

Replace your boring old hummus with this spread. It's great condiment for just about anything. Last night's dinner was a red quinoa "risotto" with leeks and silverbeet. A dollop of this on top was perfect. Of course spread on flatbread or crackers is great too.

This is full of winter goodness. The roast pumpkin tastes nourishing and satisfying, roasted garlic is a winter food hero for me and the walnuts give a lovely nutty creaminess. Not to mention a good dose of omega 3.

A squeeze of lemon and some thyme from the garden finish this off perfectly.

Roasted Pumpkin, Garlic & Walnut Cream

1/4 small crown pumpkin (you need 1 cup cooked pumpkin)
1/2 -3/4 cup walnuts soaked overnight or for at least 6 hours
1 head garlic
3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a few sprigs of thyme
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Cut the top off the head of garlic so the top of the individual cloves are exposed. Drizzle with oil and roast for approximately 45 minutes until very soft. Leave the garlic to cool enough for you to handle  it. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic out of each clove and place into food processor

Cut your pumpkin into approximately 6 manageable chunks. You can leave the skin on. Remove the seeds and drizzle with oil. Roast until tender and browned on the outside. Scoop the flesh away from the skin and measure roughly a cup of cooked pumpkin. Place in food processor.

Put the walnuts into the food processor with garlic, pumpkin, olive oil and water. Process until smooth. Add thyme and lemon juice. Process to combine well. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste. I usually add chill flakes too. Enjoy!

(dairy free, vegan, gluten free)

Ginger & lemon snack balls

Some days I'll accidentally end up grazing all day until dinner instead of having proper meals. It's not ideal for everyday but life can get so hectic sometimes. On those days a snack like this will fit in the mix perfectly.

There are millions of recipes for bliss balls, brain balls, amaze-balls, whatever-you-want-to-call-them-balls out there but most seem to involve either chocolate or coconut. I love both those ingredients but I was craving something different. I had a delicious raw ginger slice at the Little Bird Unbakery last week and was inspired to use ginger.

The toasted buckwheat coating gives a great crunch and the cashews add a creaminess that works perfectly with the lemon zest and spicy raw ginger.

Ginger & Lemon Snack Balls

1 cup raw cashew nuts

1/2 cup raw walnuts

1/2 cup raw almonds

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

3/4 cup cup dates*

1 Tbsp grated ginger root

Zest of 1 1/2 lemons

1 tsp vanilla essence

100 grams buckwheat (whole groats)

In a saucepan toast buckwheat over a medium heat until lightly colored.

Place dates, almonds, lemon and ginger into a food processor. Pulse well to combine.

Add the remainder of the ingredients (except the buckwheat) and mix for approx 1-2 minute. You want the mixture to be well combined and the nuts finely chopped but don't let it become too smooth. A bit of texture is good.

Use a heaped teaspoon of mixture to roll each ball.

Roll your finished balls in the toasted buckwheat and place in the fridge for an hour to set.

These are best stored in the fridge and will last for 4 days in a airtight container. I often store them in the freezer if we're not going to eat them all in time.

*Medjool dates work brilliantly in recipes like this. Regular dates are fine though if you soak them for half an hour in boiling water first.

(Gluten free, refined sugar free, vegan)

Bone Broth

Eating for wellness shouldn't have to be expensive. While I love buying vital greens powder for smoothies or sprinkling raw cacao nibs on everything, those ingredients can be really pricey.
I love recipes that highlight that simple things are often the very best for us.

Bone broth is great example of this very principle. It's accessible, inexpensive and requires no skill whatsoever to make.

Very simply - chicken, fish or beef bones are simmered for a long time (up to 2 days). You add a little cider vinegar to help draw out the minerals, chuck in a few vegetables for taste and hey presto you're away.

Bone broth is highly nutritious*, full of really easily absorbed minerals. It's amazing for immunity, digestive problems, skin health, you name it and bone broth will probably help.
The wonderful thing is this tonic costs only a few measly dollars to make.

Make sure you use good bones from a butcher that can ideally supply you hormone free meat / bones.
I make my bone broth in my slow cooker. Just as when making stock, bones are ideally roasted first to ensure a great flavour. I often bring the bones and vegetables to the boil in a pot on the stove first and then dump it all in the slow cooker to do its thing for the next two days.

The finished product can be drunk hot in a mug with some salt and pepper or used as a delicious stock for soup, stews etc. Because lots of vegetables contain fat soluble vitamins, making a vegetable (though obviously not vegetarian) soup with your bone broth will make your vegetable soup even more nutritious.

* My research tells me bone broth contains the following goodies: collagen, gelatin, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, glycosamino glycans, proline, glycine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. 

Beef Bone Broth

2 kg beef bones (a variety of bones is ideal)

1 onion quartered 

2 carrots cuts into large chunks

2 celery stalks

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 small bunch parsley

Place the bones in a large roasting pan and roast for approx 35 minutes at 180 degrees or until well browned.

Place the bones, onion, carrot, celery and apple cider vinegar into your slow cooker. Cover with water leaving about an inch at the top.

Turn the slow cooker onto high.

Once the liquid is bubbling turn the slow cooker to low and leave for 48 hours.

Add the slow cooker for the last hour of cooking.

Leave the broth to cool slightly before straining through a fine sieve.

Pour the finished stock into jars. Once completely cooled a layer of fat will sit solid the top. Scope this off.

Your broth can be stored in the fridge for a week or frozen. 

Note: A successful broth will gel when cooled.

Weekend In The Country

We've just come home from a really relaxing weekend staying with my partner's parents in Waipu. Their house has the most glorious garden with an orchard, lots of vegetables and lovely trees everywhere. It's such a lovely, inspiring place to spend a weekend and we always come home feeling very lucky it's only a two hour drive away. The weather on Sunday was diabolical and we spent the day reading in front of the fire while my daughter hung out with her grandparents. The rain was torrential all day so we didn't feel guilty about doing nothing much at all. As so often seems to happen in Northland, at 5 o'clock, the clouds cleared, the rain stopped and the sun made a mighty appearance. We took the opportunity to wander around the property at this gorgeous time of day.

Luke's mum is a great cook. We are always very well fed while we're staying with them. We arrived at 7.30 on Friday night. A yummy cheese souffle was waiting for us along with a glass of wine.
She's been making this recipe for 30 years. It comes from a book called: Not Just A Load Of Old Lentils. Such a great title. The recipe is below. The soufflé didn't last long enough for a photograph but trust me it's delicious.

Cheese Souffle 

85 grams butter

2 heaped Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

6 heaped Tbsp grated cheese

4 eggs separated

1/2 tsp mustard powder

salt and pepper

Melt butter and add flour to the saucepan. When the mixture froths remove from heat and stir in the milk. Return to the heat and stir until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and add grated cheese. Allow to cool slightly and mix in the egg yolks, mustard powder, salt and pepper.

Whisk egg whites until very stiff and fold into the mixture gently.

Pour mixture into a 2 pint soufflé dish and bake at 180 for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Coconut, Sultana & Lemon Loaf

Now that I've got a child mornings are especially hectic. My partner and I rush around getting our daughter sorted, coffee brewed (big priority in our household) and attempt to get him out the door at a reasonable time. Most of the time my breakfast takes a back seat to everything else. This coconut, sultana and lemon loaf is a great breakfast solution for me. It can be eaten with one hand while standing up.

It's lightly sweet so is delicious with my cup of coffee and rich enough with the good fats from the almond flour and coconut to give me a bit of distance.

I found the original recipe on a South African paleo food blog and wrote it down. I haven't been able to find the site again to credit it here. The original recipe used only desiccated coconut as the "flour". I prefer a 50/50 mixture of coconut and almond flour and I added sultanas, lemon zest and a little spicy warmth in the form of cinnamon and nutmeg. The result was much more me.

I have two thick slices of this plain or spread with home made roasted almond butter. Having a breakfast of all home made elements is a lovely way to start the day.

This loaf is a great snack any time of the day though. One you can feel good about too. It's gluten free and uses just two tablespoons of maple syrup to sweeten the whole loaf .

Coconut, sultana & lemon loaf
1 1/2 cups ground almonds
1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
2 Tbsp maple syrup
5 free range eggs
1/2 cup sultanas
1 tsp vanilla essence
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 140 degrees.

Use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs, vanilla and maple syrup.

Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder. Beat to combine.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and the sultanas.

The batter should be very stiff.

Spoon the batter into a loaf tin lined with baking paper. Use a spoon to smooth the top of the mixture.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave the loaf to cool entirely before slicing.

(Gluten and refined sugar free)

Kimchi - A Result

My first batch of kimchi

Im not reporting back on my kimchi making in a very timely fashion at all. Not because it was'nt successful. Because it was really successful. In fact we're already halfway through our second jar.

I used a recipe from Green Kitchen Stories (one of my very favorite blogs). It's a vegetarian site so the recipe doesn't have fish sauce. I used chilli flakes instead of powder so it did'nt take on the reddish colour I normally associate with kimchi.

I placed my fermenting jars on the kitchen bench to work their magic. While I was impatiently watching them and waiting until I could taste my finished product, I did lots of kimchi research online. There are so so many websites and forums dedicated to making kimchi - it's really inspiring. Korean families pass down recipes and get together to make huge batches. New kimchi makers spend time perfecting their technique and debating the finer points of fermentation with fellow enthusiasts online.

I'm hooked.

Fermented Kimchi (recipe taken from greenkitchenstories.com)
Day one
1 large cabbage
2 Tbsp sea salt

Pull off outer leaves off the cabbage. Remove the core. Cut into 5cm(ish) pieces.

Place cabbage in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss well to combine.

Place a small plate that fit inside the bowl on top. Stack a bowl, books or other heavy item on plate to press the cabbage down.

Set aside for 24 hours.

Day two
60 mls rice vinegar
3 Tbsp korean chilli powder
2 Tbsp honey (preferably raw)
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
3 spring onions, sliced into bite sized pieces

Rinse the cabbage well in cold water to remove the salt and squeeze out the excess liquid.

Combine rice vinegar, chilli, honey, ginger and spring onions in a large bowl. Add the cabbage and toss well to combine.

Place mixture in a large glass jar or a couple of smaller jars. Close the lid and leave at room temperature for 3 days.

Then place in the fridge for 4 days before you eat it.

Pumpkin & Banana Muffins

A good friend of mine has developed gestational diabetes. This means no sugar (natural or otherwise) and no refined white flour. She and I planned to visit a friend who has just had a baby and I wanted to be able to bring something for afternoon tea that everyone could enjoy.
I'd been thinking about using pumpkin to make a cake or muffins recently. I adore pumpkin and thought it would be a great way to impart natural sweetness. So this recipe happened.

Total deliciousness. The nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla add a pumpkin pie spice that's divine. Banana and pumpkin give creaminess and a subtle sweetness. The end result is somewhere between a moist little pudding and a muffin.

2 very ripe bananas (well mashed)
1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin*
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
desiccated coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Place all the ingredients except vinegar and baking powder in a food processor.

Mix until well combined. Wont take long.

Add vinegar and baking powder and pulse food processor until combined.

Spoon finished mixture into 10 holes of a 12 muffin capacity tray.

Sprinkle with coconut (optional)

Bake for 20 -25 minutes until skewer comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool entirely before eating.

These are best stored in the fridge in a sealed container and will last 4 days.

(Sugar free & gluten free)

*I roasted half a crown pumpkin cut into four big pieces. Once it was cooled I scooped out the cooked flesh. This method will give the best flavour. Pumpkin that is boiled will end up waterlogged and not as sweet.

What I'm eating for lunch

My pumpkin seed and chickpea spread is delicious in nori wraps. These wraps are a great lunch. Super healthy but still delicious and interesting.

I grab baby spinach and a handful of parsley from our garden. Some basil or dill too.
I lay out the nori sheet and spread it with a thick layer of pumpkin seed spread. Then I pile on greens, herbs, avocado, slivers of capsicum and cucumber, sprouts, sometimes raisin or finely diced dates and then just roll up tight and cut in half.

Pumpkin Seed & Chickpea Spread

I love spreads, dips and condiments. I'm a real snacker so I try to always have something in the fridge I can dip some veges in or smear on a cracker. Soaking seeds (and nuts)  first makes them much easier to digest and your body can better access all the goodies they have to give.

This spread has a warm spice to it thanks to the turmeric and cumin. Sesame oil gives it a lovely richness. I like to use it as a delicious topping for roasted broccoli.

Pumpkin Seed & Chickpea spread   

1/2 cup (pre soaking) pumpkin seeds
1 & 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can)
2 or 3 drops of sesame oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp good quality hot smoked paprika
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
juice of 1 good juicy lemon

Soak your pumpkin seeds over night in a bowl with at least two cups of water.

In the morning drain and rinse the seeds.

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend to desired consistency. I like to still have small chunks of pumpkin seeds visible

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Add a little bit of water if you want a less firm consistency.

Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to four days.


                                                                                                                                          

Kimchi - Day One

Pressing a bowl of chopped cabbage - Step one

I've been talking about fermenting some cabbage for ages. The health benefits of fermented foods like kimchi and saurkraut are really appealing. Some teasing from my partner that I was never going to do it, finally spurred me into action. I have a feeling this will be one of those times where it ends up being so easy I can't believe I kept putting it off. So kimchi is the plan. Or sauerkraut. I'll decide tomorrow. The first step is the same for both. I shredded one head of cabbage, dumped it in a large bowl, sprinkled with salt and covered the bowl with a small plate which I weighted down. Now we wait for 24 hours.....