Cooking for the Sunshine Coast on the Great South East TV show

CLICK to watch me cook on the Great South East!
I love to cook and I love fresh ingredients. I love seasonal ingredients, organic ingredients, unusual, heirloom, traditional and especially, local ingredients!
Where I live on the Sunshine Coast in Qld, Australia there is an incredible amount of talented producers, farmers, real food loving sellers and cafes and food product entrepreneurs!

For 12 months I produced delicious, unique and real food inspired recipes all featuring outstanding local products for local supermarket Maleny Supa IGA and a local products local recipes - recipe card series, and every month put on a tantalizing taste testing event for the public! They are an amazing supermarket promoting and supporting local businesses and producers.

I also did a local food love tour around the Sunshine Coast and cooking demonstrations at the Cooroy Fusion Festival, Sunshine Coast Show, Real Food Festival and 9 libraries.
I also loved doing my own fresh local food column series in WHY Fitness Matters magazine, again featuring local and also seasonal produce.
See me hear launching the recipe cards and talking about why it is such an incredible thing to do, eat local!

I think it is something very exciting when you start to discover wonderful local food producers and products where you live, not only is it living more sustainability by buying local products you are supporting your local community, local farmers, local jobs, even your local economy.

On the Sunshine Coast?
You can catch me cooking live at this year's Sunshine Coast Show on June 14th and at 4 FREE wholefood cooking events you can get all the details and book HERE (until booked out)

What are some of my FAVOURITE food producers from the Sunshine Coast?
Nutworks
Olives Direct
Maleny Dairies
Gourmet Afrika
Noosa Chocolate Factory
Buderim Ginger factory
Chic Nuts
Gourmet Garden
CoYo
Queensland Yoghurt
Maleny Cheese
Noosa Chilli
Ct Fine Foods Pastas
Gluten Free Grain Free co
Maleny Avocado Oil
Suncoast Limes
Kenilworth Country Foods and Cheeses
Pomodoras
Essential Grain
Crystal Waters Sourdoughs
Fairtrade & Organic Montville Coffee
Planet Organic

There are so many more than this list too and of course SO many wonderful local farmers, fresh produce growers, organic growers, fresh free range eggs, local raw honey, markets, home baked goodies and more.

Happy Cooking!
Eat Beautiful. Live Well. Be Active. Live Happy.

Bek XX

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

Mango, Macadamia, Ginger, Coconut Trifle

Mangoes

"I love you more than a million mangoes"
This is a saying my oldest flower, Lily starting saying when she was around 3, as mangoes are her very favourite food in the whole world when she told you this your heart would melt.

Every year she waits with excitement for mango season to begin and every year it is worth the wait.
Perfect as they are in a salads, fruit salads, platters, smoothies, cakes and desserts.
There are just so many gorgeous ways to enjoy them!

Like
My Mango Mousse with Macadamia Crunch
-from the B Fresh with Rebecca Mugridge column in WHY fitness magazine 

You can get the recipe online HERE in the digital version of the magazine - pg 17

And for something really beautiful for those special occasions, 

Christmas and dinner parties this Mango, Macadamia, Ginger and Coconut Trifle is amazing!  

Mango, Macadamia and Coconut Trifle

A stand out table centrepiece, dish to bring to parties, BBQS, for festive occassions or just because!
With coconut yoghurt, fresh in season mangoes, macadamias, a hint of ginger and custard and cream,

Ingredients

·         4 big fresh mangoes, skin removed, sliced

·         1 & ½ cups  Macadamias (I love my local Nutworks macadamias)

·         600 ml cream ( I use Maleny Dairies as their products are nothing added and stunning)or for dairy free/vegan use coconut cream.

·         1 tub CoYo Mango coconut yoghurt (or mango dairy yoghurt yoghurt)

·         500ml custard (I use Maleny Dairies but you can use a homemade/bought dairy free coconut custard of course)

·         2 x packets mango jelly (look for an additive free or organic one or a homemade mango jelly made with agar agar or gelatine works super well)

·         2 x packets jam rollettes GF (OPTIONAL or personal preference, you can of course make your own healthy versions in advance - I have actually done this when I am super organised)

·         1 tablespoon Buderim Ginger cordial (they also now have a STEVIA low sugar version available which is stunning and a staple in my home, you could also use just juiced ginger with a little water and stevia added to it and simmered to make your own cordial type thing )

·         Shredded coconut

·         Trifle bowl or container

Method

·         Make up jelly according to packet directions, set and cool.

·         Whip cream until only just whipped.

·         Line base of trifle container with a layer of sliced rollettes, press down to make a firm base drizzle with Buderim ginger cordial.

·         Slice rollettes into circles.

·         Arrange layers of ingredients in trifle container on top of base i.e custard followed by a thin  layer of coconut, then a layer of sliced mango, then cream, then a sprinkling of macadamia nuts, then jelly, then rollettes and so on.

·         Refrigerate to set.

Notes

·         Serve in a clear decorative bowl for a gorgeous table centrepiece.

·         Make individual ones in decorative clear glasses for entertaining.

       Use ginger wine instead of ginger cordial.

      To make dairy free if you have allergies or are vegan swap custard and cream for coconut yoghurt and some coconut or soy icecream.

      You can also make your own additive free jam rollettes and use them in the recipe

Toddler Tips

·         Serve a small amount with lots of fresh mango.

     This delicious trifle was created for the Maleny IGA and their Local Product Local Recipe - recipe card series I did for them. You can check out the entire recipe collection at their website.

    (c)RebeccaMugridge 2012 and 2013

WHY Does Fitness Matter

WHY Fitness.
WHY does Fitness Matter.
What a powerful line that is.
I think the extremely talented people behind the Sunshine Coast publication WHY Fitness Magazine created such a strong title there and as you pick up and read the magazine you see right away the strength continue through its pages. Pages full of inspiration, motivation, information and positive messages of health.

I have been doing a column series for WHY fitness magazine, entitled BFresh with Rebecca Mugridge.
BFresh being the sponsors of the series, a beautiful business that is a foodie's haven in Warana on the Sunshine Coast.

BFresh Market Cafe and Deli is full of lovely fresh produce, an absolute stunning gourmet deli and cheese range (Oh my goodness it is fantastic!!) and all your favourite gourmet goodies and lots of local products!!

The atmosphere is wonderful when you walk in the door and everywhere you look is either beautiful food or beautiful ingredients.

WHY Bfresh with Rebecca Mugridge has been such a fun column to write!

My avocado and coconut muffins!

 What recipes have I featured in the column series??

Fresh Zucchini Noodles with Quinoa Tomato Sauce

Avocado and Coconut Muffins (DF, Refined Sugar Free)

Healthy Strawberry and Macadamia Tarts

Watermelon & Coconut Refresher - perfect for post workout

AND you don't have to be on  the Sunshine Coast to find and read this great magazine you can read it online as well

Check out MY STACK HERE
Where you can read all the issues online for free!

Does Fitness matter?
To me - yes, it does. So much.
|I might not always be my fittest, most toned version of myself (although sometimes I am)  but exercise and moving my body benefits me in so many ways.
It makes me happier and more focused and on track, it helped me get my body after both babies and get through post natal depression, my daily pram walks lifted that heavy cloud of depression, a little bit each day until one day it was a blue sky and even now it is such a mood enhancer. I really notice if I haven't exercised for a few days, I feel shorter tempered, more easily stressed out, sluggish.
Once you get the motivation and habit established to move your body everyday it starts to feel so good that you want to keep going and I just love that about exercise.
You can also read my very raw and personal reasons WHY living a more healthier life  even when it is hard to do so through illness or injury or circumstances, or perhaps especially at those times, is so important to ME here

BEK XXX 

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