Macadamia & Goji Delight

Macadamia & Goji Delight
Sometimes sweet cravings come at the worst times, or you want something gorgeous for when friend are coming over so you NEED recipes that are quick, easy and delicious!

• 1 cup coconut oil (I use JT's Coconut Essence)
• 1 cup rice malt syrup (can use less if too sweet for you, I use Pure Harvest)
• 1 cup nut paste (use a pure nut paste i.e. just nuts! I use Nutworks and the Chocolate Factory macadamia paste)
• 2 tablespoons Nutra Organics vanilla protein powder (I love this stuff, all organic and it is also high in vitamin D, you get this HERE and enter codeword nutrafriends for 10% off for the next few days too!) {OPTIONAL}
• 1/2 cup goji berries
• 1/2 cup semi smashed raw macadamias

Method

• Add runny coconut oil to a bowl, stir in rice malt syrup and mix together with a wooden spoon until it looks lovely and mixed.
• Stir in nut paste and vanilla powder.
• When well mixed add in nuts and goji berries.
• Pour into a container and put in the fridge to set.
• Leave for 1- 2 hours.
• Remove, cut up and enjoy!!

Toddler Tip

• Cut into small pieces as a little healthy treat, great fun for an afternoon tea party!

Tips

• I take runny coconut oil and put the bowl in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until I just see a light crystallization around the edges and then mix, it seems to blend together much creamier!
• we found this beautiful but also really sweet so you only need a small amount to satisfy those sweet cravings!

Eat Beautiful!
Bek xxx

Gluten Free Dairy Free Christmas Ice Cream Cake

Last year as part of the Maleny IGA's Local Product Local Recipe - recipe card series I created the below festive Ice-Cream cake recipe using gorgeous local products so you can have something amazing at your Christmas event that some of your guest who may be gluten free or dairy free can still all enjoy/\.

Gluten Free Soya Ice Cream Christmas Cake

Celebrating Christmas with a beautiful dairy and gluten free dessert flavoured with Buderim Ginger Cordial and using Zehnder Gluten Free cake at its base. 

Ingredients
2 litres soya vanilla ice cream (or coconut ice-cream)
1 cup frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons undiluted Buderim Ginger Cordial
1 Zehnder Gluten free cake
¾ cup mixed dried fruit (like sultanas, raisins, cranberries, currents)
1 cup glace fruit, chopped, like cherries, orange slices, kiwifruit, pears and ginger
Extra raspberries to serve
Silver cachous
Pudding basin

Method

·         Line a pudding basin with two layers of cling wrap, leaving plenty of overhang

·         Allow ice-cream to soften slightly at room temperature

·         Mix glace/dried fruit mixture with ginger cordial

·         Fold gently through ice cream

·         Very gently add and fold through raspberries

·         Pour mixture into prepared pudding bowl

·         Pat down leaving a few centimetres from the top, cover with plastic cling wrap

·         Freeze for 30 minutes

·         Cut Zehnder gluten free cake so it will fit on top, completely covering it, making a base

·         Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours

·         Fill sink with warm water and warm the outside of the pudding basin for around 1 minute to soften ice cream edges slightly

·         Turn out onto a serving plate, top with extra raspberries and silver cashous, drizzle with raspberry juices from bag, serve immediately

Notes

·         Use brandy or liqueur in place of the ginger cordial for adult version

·         Optionally Serve with a berry syrup and dairy free white chocolates

       You can of course use dairy ice cream if desired and a non gluten free cake base if your family are allergy  free.

Toddler Tips

·         Serve theirs with lots of fresh raspberries

       Make them their own smaller version using small basins and leave out glace ginger. If no dairy allergies  you could include red and green miniature m&m’s for a festive look

Recipe (c) Rebecca Mugridge 2012
This recipe  is one of Bek's commercial recipe creation work portfolio.

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

Chilled Chai Refresher

Sometimes you just want something a little different!
Delicious and refreshing, perfect for entertaining or a relaxing afternoon.

Smells and tastes beautiful.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Chai ( I used local Sunshine Coast  Lotuseed)
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups Almond milk
• Vanilla Soy Vanilla Bliss Icecream (you could you coyo coconut ice-cream as well)
• Honey (I used local Beeman honey)

Method

• In a saucepan place the 4 cups water and 2 tablespoons Chai.
• Bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Strain into a second saucepan and combine with the almond milk.
• Simmer for 6 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Sweeten to taste with Beeman Honey
• Allow to cool.
• When cooled chill in the fridge until lovely and cold.
• Pour chilled chai into a decorative serving glasses.
• Top each one with a scoop of the vanilla bliss soy ice cream.
• Serve.

Notes

• Put as little or as much ice cream to taste.
• Beautiful for cooling off on a hot day.
• Great for entertaining
• Make a Chai slushie by pouring cooled prepared chai with almond milk into a shallow dish, freeze. When frozen remove from freezer and put in a blender until it is a slushie consistency, serve in decorative glass with spoon.

This recipe was created by me for the Maleny Supa IGA Local Product Local Recipe - recipe cards, collect them in store.


Recipe & Food Image Photography ©RebeccaMugridge 2012