Strawberry Spring Trifle with Nutworks Sprinkles

Strawberry Spring Trifle


Clear blue skies, cool ocean water and gardens coming alive everywhere. Spring in Qld is one of my favourite times of year.
It also happens to be when beautiful local strawberries are in abundance, one of my absolute favourite of fruits.

As an local and healthy food blogger and as an ambassador for the new Nutworks Gourmet Sprinkles range found in Woolworths I couldn't wait to create a recipe that tasted and looked like Spring.
This trifle is just bursting with strawberry flavour and creamy Maleny Dairies real cream. The Nutworks Sprinkles add such an amazing crunch and hit of flavour tie-ing it all together so well.

Ingredients

• You will need a trifle jar.
• 2 x container's of Maleny Dairies real cream. (Or equivalent if you cannot get this cream where
• you are - its just my favourite! You can also use coconut cream for a paleo/vegan version)
• 1 x 250 gm punnet strawberries, washed, stems removed, cut in halves and frozen.
• 1 x 250 gm punnet strawberries, washed stems removed and kept fresh.
• 1 x packet Nutworks Gourmet Sprinkles - Raspberry Crumble Boost.
• 2 teaspoons organic vanilla paste/drops
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar (opitonal)
• Shredded coconut
• Edible flowers and extra strawberries (whole) to serve

Method

• Blitz together half and half cream and frozen strawberries. I used one container Maleny Dairies Cream and the equivalent in Strawberries. It should be lovely and thick and tangy and a nice pink colour. Set aside in the fridge.
• Whip the second container if cream with the vanilla and optional coconut sugar.
• In your trifle bowl spread a layer of the whipped cream, top with sliced strawberries, then a layer of sprinkles, then a layer of the strawberry cream, then a layer of coconut then strawberries and then back to the cream and continue until the bowl is almost full.
• On the very top spoon a layer of whipped cream and form a peak in the centre.
• Cover with sliced strawberries and coconut and then generously cover in the sprinkles and top with 2 - 3 fresh whole strawberries.
• Chill for at least 30 minutes and serve!

Recipe & Photography by Rebecca Mugridge

This is a sponsoerd blog post as an ambassador for Nutworks and their new gourmet Sprinkles Range.
Find out all about this exciting new range of healthy flavourings HERE

Roarrr its a Dinosaur Party, Swamp Dip Guacamole & a Dinosaur Cake

I love a good theme, its so much fun and I love any reason to celebrate, party, cook and....decorate!
Yep, I love Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Fancy Dress Parties

Its also always a great, fun opportunity too cook and create new things.

As a mother of two girls I never thought I'd be doing a dinosaur theme, and I have to say I am so glad my youngest is such an eclectic girl, the type who wants to wield a lightsaber while wearing a tutu! Its fun.

My little V loves dinosaurs, so it was only natural she would want a dinosaur party! So Kindy and ballet friends invited the dino planning fun began.


Meet Rex our party door greeter

Discovering the non fiction section on dinosaurs at the library has been a highlight of V's year!



Big sis and grandma taste testing the party food

Face painting by Fun Face Events



Dinosaur Jumping Castle by Jump Sunshine Coast

TAKE HOME BAG IDEA ***Dinosaur arts and crafts - great little addition for the take home bag that is not sugar and additive laden lollies is a paint your own dinosaur plaster of paris figure and cut out dino shapes, its personal, the kids love making them and who doesn't like glitter :)
 In our take home bags we also had garden whirls, printed colouring pages of dinosaur pictures and a box of crayons, a mini dinosaur toy, the usual blowers and balloons, some dinosaur shaped glitter sprinkles, box of organic sultanas, dinosaur crackers, dinosaur temporary tattoos and stamps. We really wanted to steer away from the usual lollies. 

Not the best shot (boy does that time go fast when you are setting up!) But you get the idea, lots of green and jungle features.



Adding some simple cut outs to the party hats to make them dinosaur - miss 4 actually did these 

Dinosaur footprints lead the way

 And such a fun part - the party food! Now I do believe in living life pretty much 80/20, yes my kids eat very healthy a large percentage of the time but I will also let them have abought icecream on a hot day out, fish and chips at the beach and a normal cake for their birthday! But I do still try and have lots of party food that is home made, additive free, fresh, wholefoods and refined sugar free as much as possible. In fact I even had the face painter comment at V's dino party just how calm and happy all the kids were - and yes, the kids were all still munching away happily! It is just that, yes its a party so you have some treats but you can also have lots of fun and delicious food that is healthy too.


Dinosaur footprint biscuits! These are fun and simple! I'll blog this recipe soon - why not sign up over on the side so you don't miss it.

Dinosaur eggs - these are my bliss balls made small get the recipe HERE

Flower Fossils - gluten free , get the recipe HERE

I found this idea on pinterest, I just made little mini spelt muffins, turned them upside down, cut them flat and then when cold topped with melted white chocolate that I mixed a few drops of food colour & beetroot juice into.

Viola iceburgs - these made the kids drinks of cold water funky, always a great idea to provide lots of iced cold water at parties, if you want you could add some cordial, there are also stevia varieties out there. 

We also served a sausage sizzle right before the cake, we had gluten free meat sausages and vegetarian sausages (cooked separately) and gluten free and fresh baked bread. We served with the Natvia refined sugar free tomato and BBQ sauces (find in Coles). Always a reliable hit for kids (and parents) and everyone loves the smell of a cooking bbq and onions :)



Swamp Dip - Guacamole
Yes, I didn't get a shot before the kids had tried some haha!

Swamp Dip Guacamole

4 large ripe avocado's

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (I used homemade refined sugar free, made with stevia but bought is fine)

1 cabbage

Cut up carrot, celery (leave some with the leaves on to look jungley), red capsicum slivers and we also had gluten free corn chips 

Blend together avocado, sour cream and sweet chili - taste test, tweak if needed.
Kids love this dip and it is not hot so don't be frighten of the chili sauce in it!

Cut your cabbage in half, trying to leave any funky outside leaves in place for the dinosaur/jungle look. Using a knife score the pieces of cabbage and then remove with a spoon (give your self a few minutes to do this part)

Fill with the smooth guacamole.

Serve.  

The Dinosaur Cake
Ok, yes it does look a little like a chameleon haha but the kids didn't notice - I blame the eyes!

To make a Dinosaur cake I made 2 of my chocolate yoghurt cakes with organic sugar (but you could use whatever kind you liked really). One round, one rectangle. I got the idea from a food ideas magazine and then tweaked and played around with the design. I drew the shapes I wanted on baking paper to use as a trace to cut out the pieces, waited until the cake was stone cold and then used green butter cream icing to decorate and cut down ice cream cones for spikes and horns, you could actually put spikes right along the back of the dinosaur as well.
The frill was cut as one piece and slipped over the head.
I recommend making the cake the day before if that works for you timing wise. I didn't decorate mine with lollies like the food ideas magazine but you could if you wanted too, I was just trying to keep additives to a minimum, but that are brands out there that are additive free and you could of course make this with a gluten free cake mix as well - if you were looking for an easy, instant one I recommend Tania Hubbard's from Gluten Free Grain Free.

 

Bek Xxx

 

The Sunshine Coast Show

I am such a huge fan of the Sunshine Coast Show, it is by far one of my favourite events on the coast and such an incredible day out for the whole family.

I was back again doing a cooking presentation this year

and this time it was marigold biscuits and bliss balls

Get the super simple 4 ingredient only recipe HERE 

A home-made deliciously healthy box of chocolates!
Not only do I enjoy being a part of such a huge community event but I love to make a whole day of it too with my kids. I love an agricultural show and the Sunshine Coast pulls out all stops to put on a massive one! We were dazzled by dancing troupes, fashion parades, fabulous food, local produce displays, cooking entries, art entries, hibiscus flowers the size of dinner plates, face painting, animals, petting zoo and pony rides, hands on snake shows, snake cuddles, star chickens, horse jumping, wood chopping, motor bike stunts, car parades, fireworks and hours of fun on rides and sideshow alley.

 

If your anywhere from Brisbane to Bundaberg, and especially if you are on the Sunshine Coast like me put the dates 12  14 th June 2015 in your diary for this event next year! Honestly it is wonderful.

 My favourite part!

 BLACK raw honey!!

 Sunshine Coast Beekeepers

We went to the Ekka and the Sunshine Coast Show one year and compared the two big events and the result was the kids loved the Sunshine Coast Show better!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Sunshine Coast Show and their publicist Sandra Conte and my ingredient sponsors Jeffers Market and Nutworks.

Bek xx

Sunshine Coast Cooking Events with Bek this June

Whew its shaping up to be a BIG June for me this year and I am excited to be bringing beautiful food inspiration across the Sunshine Coast!

You can catch me cooking LIVE at this years Sunshine Coast Show
This is one of the absolute highlights of the year I believe for the Sunshine Coast, this show is so well put together and such an incredible day out for the whole family.
Read my blog on last years event HERE
You can also find them on facebook HERE
I will be cooking at 10.30 am on Saturday June 14th!
Love to see you there!

I am also promoting eating beautiful wholefoods as 4 different library events (all FREE) across the Sunshine Coast!
Please note the Caloundra and the Kawana events are BOOKED OUT but you can still go on a waiting list or why not take a drive to the Nambour or Maroochydore events X
Book in HERE

Stay tuned for some exciting events coming up this August too!

Happy Cooking!
Love Bek XX

PS if you or your organisation are interested in booking me for a cooking event or sponsoring an event or having me promote your food related products get in touch!
Watch me cook LIVE on The Great South East TV show HERE