Delicious Avocado & Coconut Muffins

I still remember the very first time my mother made me avocado muffins. I remember thinking she was mad, until I ate one! The delicious, nutty flavour was so nice and they were not too sweet like muffins can sometimes be.
It is drizzling with rain here where I live on the Sunshine Coast so a batch of these warm from the oven is a just perfect for filling the house with warmth and oh so yummy smells this morning X

Avocado & Coconut Muffins

These healthy, nutty flavoured muffins are packed full of goodness.

·        2 ripe avocado’s

·        ½ cup coconut oil, softened (or use butter)

·        1 free range egg

·        ¼ cup LSA mix

·        ¼ cup hazelnut meal

·        ¼ cup desiccated coconut

·        ¼ cup honey

·        1 teaspoon chia seeds

·        1 cup soy, dairy, almond or rice milk

·        1 & ½ cups organic self raising flour

·        ¼ cup shredded coconut

·        ¼ cup dark coconut sugar

·        muffin cases

Method

·        Pre heat oven to 180`c.

·        Line a muffin tray with muffin cases.

·        Blend avocado, coconut oil and honey together until smooth.

·        Pour into a bowl and add in LSA, chia seeds, hazelnut meal, desiccated coconut, milk and egg, mix together.

·        In a separate small bowl combine the shredded coconut and coconut sugar together

·        Gently mix flour through avocado mixture, being very careful not to over mix it, add a little extra milk if needed.

·        Fill muffin cases approximately ¾ full of muffin mix.

·        Top each muffin with a little of the coconut/sugar mix.

·        Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden on top and springs back lightly to the touch.

Notes

·       * Easily made Dairy Free for allergies/vegan
*Swap coconut oil for organic butter for a richer flavour

·        *You can add almond, walnut or macadamia pieces for a really scrumptious muffin

·        *When losing weight make these into mini muffins using a miniature muffin tray, great to have for afternoon tea

Avocado’s are a great natural source of vitamin c, are high in fibre, wonderful for skin and eye health, are a source of vitamin e and powerful antioxidants, are very beneficial during pregnancy and an important part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Recipe and photography © RebeccaMugrigde2013
This recipe was featured in WHY Fitness magazine
www.authorrebeccamugridge.com

Chocolate Raspberry Goji Slice (No Baking needed)

I love chocolate, I do and I came to the realization that because I do, let's face it I am going to be eating it a lot and for most likely the rest of my life! Soo I decided that on top of store bought chocolate delights I would like to have some chocolate recipes up my sleeve that had some nutritional benefits in them!

This slice was such a surprise hit with my kids and taste testers I really liked it but thought the unsweetened fruit layer would be too sour but everyone, especially my kids (who whenever I make it I find sneaking bits out of the fridge and leaving tell tale crumbs on the floor) love it!

Chocolate Raspberry Goji Slice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cacao butter ( I get mine from health food shops, maleny iga, Kunara (used to be known as The Natural Foodtsore on the Sunshine Coast)  You can also buy it online.
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• 1/4 cup dark coconut sugar (it should be nice and rich and brown not the processed white stuff, again health food stores, baking shops, good supermarkets)
• 1/4 cup rice malt syrup (I actually got mine from my local Coles but also from health food shops etc)
• 1 &1/2 cups dried, unsweetened raspberries. (You can do this yourself with a dehydrator or you will most likely need to go to a health food/bulk dried food and ingredient type shop for these, you could also use other dried unsweetened fruit of choice)
• 1/2 cup goji berries
• 1 cup coconut oil ( I use coconut essence )
• 3 & 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup rice malt syrup
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup almond milk
• pinch pink himalayan salt

Method

• Grease a slice tray with a little coconut oil and line with baking paper. 
• Place the raspberries and goji berries together in a bowl and cover with water, allow to sit and swell.
• In a large bowl combine the desiccated coconut, rice malt syrup, 1/2 cup of the milk. Mix together well. It should be a thick, sticky consistency. If it is too dry you can add a little more milk or rice malt syrup but you do not want it too runny.
• Press the desiccated coconut mixture firmly into the tray, pressing it down evenly.
• Chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
• In a saucepan place the cacao butter and put it on it's lowest possible setting, let it very gently melt to a liquid. Do not leave.
• Remove melted cacao butter from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Add in the rice malt syrup stir together.
• Add in pinch of himalyan salt and cacao, stir together.
• Lastly add in the coconut sugar and stir it all together well, it should be nice and still have a liquid consistency to be able to pour it on top of the slice and not come into a clump.
• Drain the berry mixture and spread them out evenly over the coconut layer in the tray.
• Pour the cacao chocolate mixture even over the top, use a spatula to ensure it is evenly covering the slice.
• Cover and place the slice in the fridge for at least 4 hours, best left overnight.
• Remove and slice up.
• Store in the fridge.

Notes

• For taking in lunchboxes place in a container on top of an ice brick to keep it from melting. It does not melt as fast as coconut oil chocolate but will still be effected by heat.
• Great for entertaining, after school treats and late night choccy foxes

Toddler Tips

• Cut into small pieces, as toddlers can take awhile sometimes to eat things this can get a little messy on a hot day so I would recommend some wipes handy ;)
• Toddlers really like the sweet with the sour fruit combo!

(C) RebeccaMugridge2013

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Bek XXX

Blissed Out - Banana Split with Coconut Ice-Cream and Guilt Free Chocolate sauce!

This is my delicious banana split with a healthy twist I created for one of my all time favourite magazines

Holistic Bliss

What a magazine of gorgeousness it is!
If you haven't come across this magazine, jump on to their facebook page to find out more about them.
In their Spring issue
You will find my banana split recipe on page 12
So if you can get hold of the magazine you can have a copy of the recipe to keep and easily reference too!

    Coconut love banana split

With delicious, smooth coconut ice-cream, coconut, cacao chocolate sauce and the crunch of walnuts these dairy free, sugar fee, gluten free banana splits are a healthy & happy treat that look incredible!

Ingredients

·         1 banana per person

·         Chopped walnuts to serve

·         Desiccated coconut to serve

Coconut Ice-cream:

·         1 tin coconut cream

·         1 tin coconut milk

·         2 bananas

·         Vanilla paste

Chocolate sauce

·         ½ cup coconut oil

·         ½ cup cacao powder

·         ¼ cup stevia, xylitol, norbu (monk fruit powder), or another alternative.

·         1 teaspoon vanilla paste

Method

·         Make the ice-cream the night before so it can set overnight.
·         To make the ice-cream, pour both tins of coconut into a deep blender, add in the chopped banana and vanilla paste.
·         Blend together until smooth.
·         Pour into a sealable container and place in the freezer overnight.
·         Make the chocolate sauce by melting the coconut oil in a saucepan, once melted add in the cacao powder, vanilla and stevia, mix together over a low heat until it is all well combined. Taste for your level of sweetness, adjust if needed.
·         Remove from heat.
·         Remove ice-cream from freezer. Allow it to soften at room temperature.
·         Slice a banana in half per person.
·         Arrange on a plate or bowl.
·         Top with 3 scoops of the coconut ice-cream.
·         Drizzle with the chocolate sauce.
·         Sprinkle with the walnuts and a light sprinkling of desiccated coconut.
·         Serve!

Notes

·         This ice-cream recipes is also beautiful spiced up by adding a tablespoon (or to taste) cold strained strong chai tea at the coconut milk blending stage.

·         This chocolate sauce will harden when made ahead; warm it slightly in a saucepan just before serving for ease of use.

Toddler Tips

·         This is a fantastic sweet dessert for kids without all the preservatives and additives in many sweet treats.

·         The chocolate sauce will harden over cold ice-cream after a couple of minutes which is very appealing to kids.

Recipe and photography (c) RebeccaMugridge2013

Bek's Banana Bread - Gluten Free

Bek’s Banana Bread

Banana bread is such a classic delight and there are so many classic recipes and ways to make it.
This is my moist, gluten free version made using coconut flour, no refined sugar and delicious macadamia meal. It is soft, sweet and nutty deliciousness sweetened with banana.

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe bananas ( yes you can absolutely use those mushy black looking in ones in the fruit bowl!)
• 3 free range eggs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup dark coconut sugar, powdered or finely grated (see notes)
• 2 cups macadamia meal
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (or almond, soy)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon himalyan salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or 8 drops vanilla stevia
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Extra shredded coconut & cranberries to sprinkle top of cake

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180'c
• Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper, I use If You Care baking paper - ethical and safe 
• Mash the bananas, adding in the cinnamon
• Whisk the eggs and mix in with the banana
• Stir in the oil, mix together and then the milk
• Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and pour the banana mixture in mixing together to form a batter
• Pour into the loaf tin
• Top with extra shredded coconut and some cranberries
• Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until cooked through and a skewer comes out clean
• Leave in tin to cool slightly for ease of slicing
• Slice into bread slices or into snack friendly sliced cubes (pictured)
• Serve warm as is or with butter

Notes

• Lovely warm or cold
• Perfect for lunchboxes and afternoon or to use up very ripe bananas
• Coconut sugar - look out for the dark brown coconut sugar at your local health food store, supermarket or Asian grocery store where you can usually buy it in a hard log for under $5 and sometimes already ground.

Toddler Tips

• Banana bread is such a hit with kids and they often especially like it served warm with cold butter on top.
  
  
  Happy Cooking
  
  Bek XX
  
  Recipe and photography (c)Rebeccamgridge2013

Custard Apple Coconut Crumble

Custard Apple Coconut Crumble

Using beautiful, in season, local custard apples in a fresh twist on an old favourite, the apple crumble. Served with the lovely local Maleny Dairies cream.

Ingredients
• 3 large ripe custard apples
• 2 large or 3 medium green apples
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
• Water
• 2 cups organic oats
• ½ cup almond meal
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
• ½ cup raw organic virgin coconut oil
• ½ cup spelt flour
• 1 cup organic desiccated coconut
• 1 cup dark coconut sugar
• 1 large apple crumble baking dish (or 2 smaller ones)
• Maleny Dairies cream to serve (or coconut yoghurt for dairy allergies/vegan)

Method
• Preheat oven to 180`c
• Break open custard apples and remove flesh, making sure to remove the seeds, place in a deep saucepan.
• Wash and chop the apples into bite sized pieces, place in saucepan with custard apples.
• Cover with water and place in cinnamon stick and 3 tabelspoons coconut sugar.
• Simmer slowly on a medium low heat until apples have collapsed slightly. Remove from heat, remove cinnamon stick.
• In a bowl combine the oats, flour, sugars, coconut oil , desiccated coconut, chia seeds and cinnamon. Mix together really well.
• Pour the apple mixture into the baking dish.
• Top with the crumble mixture, press down gently to make sure it is evenly and neatly topping all the apple mixture.
• Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the crumble on top has a nice rich, golden colour to it.
• Remove and serve while still warm with fresh Maleny Dairies cream.

Notes
• This is a beautiful dessert the whole family will love. Great for home dinners, entertaining and dinner parties.
• A great recipe for beautiful, seasonal custard apples.
        Swap the dark brown sugar for coconut sugar.
• Make it a real coconut experience by serving with some CoYo coconut yoghurt.

Toddler Tips
• Kids love apple crumble, it is one of those desserts that is popular with nearly everyone, making this a great family friendly recipe.
• Be careful the crumble is not too hot when you serve.
• For an extra treat serve with vanilla ice cream.
This is equally nice the next day so great for in the school lunch box too.

This recipe was created for the Maleny IGA  Local Product Local Recipe Cards, promoting producers from the region.    Recipe & Food Image Photography ©RebeccaMugridge 2013

Beautiful Blueberry and Coconut Muffins

Bek’s Beautiful Blueberry and Coconut Muffins

Perfect for school lunches, playdates and afternoon tea with your feet up!
A recipe from the Healthy, Happy Mums cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen blueberries
¾ cup dessicated coconut
¼ cup LSA mix ( you will find in the health section of supermarkets )
1 pear grated
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
2 cups wholemeal flour
¼ cup butter
½ cup raw sugar
1 free range egg
½  teaspoon vanilla essence
¼ cup milk/soy milk ( more if neede)

Method:
Pre heat oven to 180ç
Line a muffin baking tray with muffin cases
Combine softened butter and sugar together
Add in vanilla essence
Mix in the egg
Pour in the yogurt, stir through
Then add in the LSA and coconut and pear combine.
Add in the frozen blueberries and then flour, very gently mix through, being careful not to mix it too much or the whole mixture will colour and the muffins won’t be light and fluffy.
Fill muffin cases
Top each muffin with an extra blueberry or two
Bake until golden and cooked through

Notes
Change the recipe to raspberries for a different twist
Serve warm for a lovely hot and fruity breakfast
Take to work and zap briefly in the microwave for a nice warm muffin
Adjust the mixture so it is reasonably thick-you don’t want it runny at all.
For a crunchy top combine equal amounts of raw sugar and desiccated coconut, sprinkle over the top of the muffin before baking.

Toddler Tips
Make mini ones for a great grab and go snack!