Cherry Bomb Goat's Yoghurt Ice Creams

Every year it always feels like Summer and Christmas and all things happiness when cherries start to appear in the shops. The little, pretty red balls are such a refreshing dash of flavour and colour.

And nothing makes it feel quite like Summertime than beautiful ice cream.

This year my first new ice cream recipe for the Summery, Christmas season involved not just cherries but an ingredient that flavour wise matched them perfectly, a beautiful, creamy yoghurt I had not tried before CapriLac Goat Yoghurt.

This yoghurt is lovely and creamy and the natural flavour has just the right amount of tartness to make it a fantastic ingredient to work with. Goat yoghurt is said to be much better tolerated by a lot of people in regards to digestion as a healthy alternative that is easy to digest and can reduce tummy bloating (and all girls want that in the Summertime!).
It has the beneficial live and active cultures and the CapriLac brand is preservative free and naturally A2 and gluten free.
Found in Coles and Woolworths makes it readily available for families and it turned out to be popular with my kids too!

Cherry Bomb Goat Yoghurt Ice-creams

Ingredients
1 x 500 gm tub CapriLac Goat Yoghurt

1 & 1/2 cups cherries pitted. (Can use frozen too)

1/4 frozen cherries.

2 tablespoons raw honey
2 teaspoons organic vanilla paste
paddle pop sticks (food quality)

Method

• Divide the yoghurt in half.
• Prepare mold suitable for ice creams, (even plastic cups are fine)
• In a blender combine one half the yoghurt with the honey and vanilla. Blend well, set aside.
• Blend the other half the yoghurt with the cherries.
• In  the molds pour a layer of the dark yoghurt mixture and drop some frozen cherry pieces in.
• Top with the opposing coloured layer and keep going until the container is full.
• Use the pop stick to very gently swirl the two colours lightly together - only just!
• Freeze covered with cling wrap or a cover like 4Myearth until frozen.
• About 10 minutes in or when just starting to freeze add the pop sticks in, (they should stand up ok in the mixture by themselves).
• Run under warm water on the outside to loosen, remove and enjoy!

Notes

• To get a more jazzy and defined look freeze the separate colours one at a time and store the mixtures in the fridge. This will take some time but does look fantastic.
• You can add sweetener to taste for either layer as desired like raw honey, stevia, maple syrup, rice malt syrup.
• Try and add frozen cherry pieces in as well as they give a lovely texture contrast.

Toddler Tips

• Adjust to your child's preferred sweetness tastes. I find with little kids that the less sweeteners you use when young the less they need, give them a chance to taste sweet and tart foods with little added sweetener and then adjust from there as needed.

One of Bek's professional recipe creations. (c)2015RebeccaMugridge
Note: This was a sponsored post with Caprilac Yoghurt

Christmas Love with Myer Giftorium

Last week I got to do something pretty fun.

Kids Business invited me to a special bloggers event the launch of the Myer #Giftorium!Now I LOVE Christmas, it is one of the happiest times of the year for me, the decorations, the gift wrapping, the gift buying, the shopping, the making, the cooking, the relaxing, THE FOOD, the family and friends getting together, the shared meals and festivities, the events and outings, the Christmas lights, the Santa photo's, the decorations ( I said that already didn't I...?Well they are pretty wonderful, maybe I am just ornament obsessed ;) 

My favourite ornaments for our tree this year, personalised baubles for my girls, what a wonderful idea Myer!
These are available through all Myer stores after November 8th

A beautiful princess carriage - sigh - and an event calender that is timeless, classic and has no sugar filled treats that the kids would want to eat at 6 in the morning #winner

I caught a train, by myself,  from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane for the event and it felt really odd at first as I always do everything with my kids, like everything. My kids are my world and I love spending time with them so when anything special or fun comes up I find it hard to think of the experience without them.
But, since making looking after me a priority in my life too, doing things just for me and getting to know me time all by myself all over again I am making the effort to take adventures on my own too.
At first I felt a little guilty, then peaceful, then exhilarated and when I saw all the amazing fun for kids at the new Myer Giftorium I felt guilt all over again, ok, maybe only briefly I was enjoying myself too much!

I even got an AWESOME arm workout striding through the city to my train carrying all my goodies! And PS a soda stream PLAY is an awesome idea for a Christmas present for the kiddos!! Watch my BLOG for some very exciting refined sugar FREE recipes coming soon or look up my PINK LEMONADE recipe in the search button.

I was very impressed with the whole event organised by Kidsbusiness it was beautifully set out, the shopping was incredible and there was magicians, face painters, balloon twisters, personal shoppers called gifticians and so much helpful staff to make Christmas shopping relaxed and stress free.
Yes, I am all for anything that helps us bring more CALM and JOY into our lives.
From November 8th all 67 Myer stores will have their own Giftorium, personal shopper experiences, gift wrapping, Santa, Vista print (I am SO excited about that!!) and staff in funky Christmas themed outfits and weekend entertainment for the kids.
Really I think Myer is going all out to bring the magic back to Christmas and as a big fan (or the child inside maybe) I was in awe and cannot wait to take my kids to both the Brisbane Myer and our local Sunshine Coast Myer store this Christmas and do some Christmas shopping in amongst all the fun.
Some of the themed sections of the Giftorium which features over 2.2 million products include:
Miracle Mum
Glamour Gran
Dapper Dad
Trendy Young Things
Kids Cubby
Paws Corner (yes, the pets have a gift section!)
Globe Trotter
Techno Freak
Food Fanatic (Oh I saw all sorts of lovely kitchen things here!!)
Hop, Skip, Juice (for health & Fitness fans - oh yeah, this section rocked)
and all the Christmas ornaments, decorations and pieces - sigh...so beautiful!

Check out the hashtag #GIFTORIUM across social media to see pictures from right around Australia!Plus in store they will have a huge digital screen showcasing all photos from Instagram with that hashtag!Why not check it out and then join the fun :)

You can see my instagram snaps at @Bekmugridge


Bek XXX

Note: Opinions are my own,  I have received goods in payment.

Kale, Basil & Macadamia Pesto Roulades

Kale, Basil & Macadamia Pesto Roulades
Delicious canapé, snack, school lunch or dinner party entree with the goodness of kale.

I LOVE pesto and I love changing it up and making it lots of different ways, one of my current favourite ways is using some beautiful, healthy kale in it, being one of my all time favourite vegetables to grow and eat for family health.

This recipe using the kale, basil and macadamia pesto in tasty egg roulades was featured in Sunshine Coast publication  WHY Fitness magazine, in their Christmas issue as a perfect delicious canape that is healthy too!

Ingredients
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves {pesto}
• 1 cup fresh kale leaves {pesto}
• ½ cup macadamia nuts {pesto}
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan {pesto}
• ½ cup olive oil {pesto}
• 4 free range eggs
• 200 g feta cheese (as needed)
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Toothpicks

Method
• To make the pesto: in a blender or processor blitz the macadamias, kale, basil, parmesan, a pinch of himalyan salt and olive together to make a smooth but still textured pesto.
• Whisk the eggs together in a bowl.
• Heat a frying pan with some olive oil, swirl the olive oil so the pan is well covered.
• Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan so it makes a large and thin omelette. Depending on the size of your frying pan you may need to make 2.
• Flip to make sure it is cooked and nice and golden on both sides.
• Carefully remove from heat and drain on paper towel.
• Cut the omelette into long rectangular strips about 2 cm wide.
• Spread each strip with the pesto and crumble feta over the top.
• Roll up into swirl shapes and cut off at desired thickness, you should get 3 -5 swirls per strip depending on your omelette size. You can also cut the now rolled segments in half width wise again to make them nice and thin.
• Skewer with a toothpick.
• Serve.

Notes
• Kale is a sensational power vegetable and the combination with fresh basil and a great Parmesan and feta is beautiful.
• This is a beautiful, healthy, gluten free canapé perfect for entertaining.
• Make a nice big batch of the pesto as it can also be thrown through really lovely pasta, on crackers, in wraps, in muffins and OK I'll admit it, I love pesto and if I make some or buy a great one I just have to eat it!
• Kale (Brassica Oleracea) is a green leafy vegetable considered to be one of the highest in nutrients with many health benefits including it is said, to have anti – cancer effects so it is well worth tracking down or growing your own. There are many varieties available and it is also excellent in things like juicing, green smoothies, all kinds of fresh salads, spinach and kale feta sausage rolls, spinach and kale cheesey scrambled eggs and often made into kale “chips”. I also put it fresh, shredded in my kids wraps.

Not a new thing kale was in fact a very popular vegetable in the middle ages and is a popular food source in many parts of the world. During World War II it was also in the Dig for Victory imitative in the UK because of its nutrient content, where everyone was encouraged to grow it in there gardens.
• Kale is extremely good for you and is a source of beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium.
It is also a source of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin and has other properties which are said to have anti cancer and DNA repair in cells properties.
• Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is also a fantastic fresh and healthy ingredient, with potent antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties.
(c)rebeccamugridge2013

Bek XX

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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

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.

Fruit and Nut Chocolates and Slice

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Delights

(GF, DF, Refined Sugar Free)
I love Cadbury fruit and nut chocolate and I also love experimenting in the kitchen and creating different twists on classic recipes and food.
My grandmother, who was a great chef always said, "There are no new recipes, there are new personalities in food." I think this is never more true than today and I believe it is what makes food so exciting.

I love to put my own style and ideas and twists into my cooking, always have. Recently a friend of many years remarked how I have always been one serving food and cooking, even when we were young, carefree and partying teenagers - yep I was the one feeding everyone and bringing baskets of salads and baked goods, up early with the cooked breakfasts camping.

I guess I get it from my mother, who got it from her mother, who got it from her mother... Yes I come from food loving women, don't you love how things run in families? Cooking and beautiful food has always been around me, as has being in commercial kitchens and seeing my mother make food for delighted customers, I realised back then that people enjoying food is an experience and people enjoying your food is exhilarating!
It became one of my great loves and passions in my life.

I love cooking shows and I was delighted to watch an episode The Great Australian Bake Off where all the contestants had to make the exact same recipe.
All the variables were the same. Same room, same room temperature. same oven types, same equipment. same amount of allotted time, same ingredients, measuring devices.
And YET not any of them were the same in the end result!
This was a delight to see at it reinforced to me what my grandmother always said. We are all so different, we are all beautiful, unique personalities and like with art and no two artists being the same, food is no different and no two cooks are exactly the same either.
We each have our own personality with our food and our cooking, and that makes cooking and food wonderfully exciting!!

While inspired by the timeless classic this recipe is definitely not Cadbury chocolate or even intended to be just like it in any way, it is rather very very different, it is the end result of much eating taste testing and experimenting in my kitchen and it is a recipe both my kids love and that has made it a winner in our house alone!

Fruit and Nut Chocolates

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup organic cocoa butter. ( I use Cacao Power certified organic pure raw cocoa butter, you can buy from health food shops, I got mine from Maleny IGA it is the edible natural fat of the chocolate bean)
• 1/4 cup organic rice malt syrup ( I got mine from Coles supermarket in Nambour, so it is quite a common product to find)
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• pinch pink Himalayan salt
• 2 cups assorted chopped dried fruit and assorted chopped nuts of choice (only roughly chop the nuts so there is interesting texture)

Method

• In a saucepan very gently over a low heat melt the cocoa butter.
• Once melted add in the other ingredients and stir together until well combined.
• Have chocolate molds ready (I actually used miniature muffin trays for the ones pictured)
• Fill molds about 1/3 with chocolate mix.
• Sprinkle in fruit and nuts into each one.
• Top with chocolate mixture.
• Place in the fridge to set, at least 1 hour depending on size of molds used.
• Remove from molds when firmly set, serve.
• Keep in a sealed container in the fridge.

Notes

• Use your imagination and put your own personality on them! Try different fruit and nut combo's, salted peanuts is rather nice!

Toddler Tips

• Make them nice and small so they are perfect for little hands.
• These are great chocolates to give the kids, knowing they are refined sugar free and have lots of antioxidents in them and no hidden nasties.

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Slice

This is sooo YUM!! It is hard to keep this for long at our house!\

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup organic, raw cocoa butter (see notes above)
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• 1/2 cup organic rice malt syrup
• pink pink Himalayan salt
• 2 cups chopped dried fruit and nuts ( I have used figs, prunes, cashews and peanuts)
• 1 &1/2 cups macadamia paste (I use Nutworks beautiful natural macadamia paste)
• 1 &1/2 cups desiccated coconut (I also buy this at Nutworks as it is a great price and in bulk)
• 2 tablespoon organic rice malt syrup

Method

• Very gently melt the cocoa butter over a low heat.
• Once melted stir in  cacao powder and 1/2 cup rice malt syrup and pinch Himalayan salt.
• In a large bowl combine the macadamia paste, coconut and remaining rice malt syrup. Mix well.
• Press the macadamia mix into a baking paper lined tin. ( I use chemical free baking paper called "if you care" which I get from Organics on a Budget, also where I got my cacao powder)

• Mix together your dried fruits and nuts, they should all be roughly chopped so there is still plenty of texture but in smaller, easier to eat pieces. Personally I love the combination of dried figs, prunes, cashews and peanuts.
• Sprinkle a little extra Himalayan pink salt over your fruit and nut mixture (optional)
• Put this fruit and nit mix as a layer on top of the base, spreading out evenly.

• Pour the chocolate mixture over the top and place in the fridge to set.
• Once set, (allow a good 2 hours or do it overnight)remove from tin by lifting out the baking paper carefully, place on a chopping board, removing the paper and slice into desired bars or sqaures.
• Store in a sealed container in the fridge using baking paper between layers.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• This is such a great recipe to add your own personality too and come up with your own favourite combo! Try things like sultannas, dried apricots, cranberries, goji berries, dates, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts.
• Perfect for entertaining and for a beautiful table setting like at Christmas time.
• Done up in a glass jar tied with ribbon makes a beautiful gift.

Toddler Tips

• Both my kids LOVE this slice, my toddler does however take a bit longer to eat it and does get very chocolatey messy!!
• If putting in lunch boxes, put a piece in a sealed container in the freezer the night before and include a small ice brick or frozen drink in their lunch box. Cocoa butter chocolate doesn't soften as quickly as coconut oil based chocolates but it will soften in hot temperatures.

*Note for more chocolatey inspiration check out:

The Coconut Mama - absolutely amazing website full of coconut love, including her gorgeous chocolate ice magic! Natural New Age Mum's Chocolate Bars >> Yes, all your favourites made healthy or allergy friendly!

Happy Cooking
Bek XX

I really appreciate the support you all give me dear blog readers, my books, my blog, my recipes, my journey and my cooking - it all means so much!!
Love Bek XXX

Reipe and photography (c)RebeccaMugridge2013

My recipes are a collection of beautiful food to me and as such on my blog and in my books you will find a diverse range. In amongst them I have vegan, vegetarian, raw, nut free, dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, local food, seasonal food, health food, detox food, slimming food, protein rich food and many that are not any of those things too...!

Cashew, Brazil Nut, Lentil & Quinioa Nut Roast

Cashew, Brazil Nut, Lentil & Quinoa Nut Roast 

Serve with Eat Me I’m Wild Tomato and Cumin Sauce

Healthy and delicious. This recipe was a HUGE hit at the taste testing demonstration at the Maleny Supa IGA, the feedback on the day from the public was amazing, and people even asked me on the day if they could buy this ready made and during the couple of weeks afterwards asked in store where they could buy one too! 

I love a nut roast, I have been making nut roasts for years and this one I am really proud of.

It holds it's shape really well, slices easily and tastes best the second day so is a great recipe to make in advance. ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1 leek, chopped

• 1 jar Eat Me I’m Wild Tomato and Cumin sauce to serve

• 1 tablespoon ABC Kepac Manis soy sauce

• 1 cup Maleny IGA cashews

• ¾ cup Maleny IGA brazil nuts

• ½ cup Maleny IGA hazelnut meal 

• 2 carrots, grated

• 2 cups Maleny Bakery Wholemeal Bread, turned into bread crumbs 

• 1 & ½ cup Maleny IGA brown lentils

• 3 rawganix free range eggs

• 1 & ½ litres vegetable stock

• ¼ cup Quinoa, cooked according to packet directions

• ½ cup extra vegetable stock, as needed

Method

• Preheat oven to 180`c.

• Grease a loaf tin and line with baking paper.

• Pour the vegetable stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

• Cook lentils in stock until tender.

• Cook leek in a frypan until soft

• Roughly crush the cashews and brazil nuts, leaving some big pieces for texture.

• Cook quinoa according to packet directions.

• In a large bowl whisk the 3 eggs

• Add in bread crumbs, nuts, quinoa, carrot, soy sauce, ¼ cup stock and lentils, mix together well

• Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin, press down gently

• Cover loaf with a sheet of baking paper

• Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until firm

• Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting

• Heat the Eat me I’m Wild sauce

• Serve (also see notes)

Notes

• Serve hot or cold with roast vegetables or salad and mashed potato and the heated Eat Me I’m Wild sauce or even a homemade gravy.

• This nut roast benefits from being allowed to cool and then chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to really firm up and set, you can then serve cold, which is delicious or re-heat in the oven to serve it warm.

Toddler Tips

• Cut into bite sized pieces and serve with mashed potato

• A great, tasty high protein and high fibre meal

• Serve theirs with organic tomato sauce

This recipe is from the collectible, free Local Product Local Recipe - recipe cards that you can pick up in store at the Maleny IGA. Promoting products and producers from the Sunshine Coast region.
The Maleny IGA now has online shopping and delivers right across the Sunshine Coast. 

Edible Christmas Gift Baskets

Are you Christmas ready?

Looking for an idea?
I LOVE a food gift basket!
Food gift baskets are such an exciting present to give at this time of year.

Everybody eats, so food gifts are practical and a delight. Plus they can be so very thoughtful and personal by tailor making to the giftee. There really is something you can buy for everyone. From a gourmet delight style, to a healthy life goodness pack, to a nutty delight, a gorgeous gluten free, a fresh fruit splendour, a bakers basket of ingredients, organic delights, a nut free/dairy free or a tasty cheese platter. So many varieties! Make your own style and make it personal to the person you are giving it too.

Here is some I did up for friends and family.

Healthy Life -Chocolate Love

Gourmet Goodies - great as a packed basket or as individual gifts

Healthy Life

Gorgeous Gluten free

These are just some of the products my family have bought for gifts and put together, we have also done:

• Choccies and Nuts
• Local Product Love
• Olives and Cheese
• Wine, cheese and crackers
• Home Staples - lovely free range eggs, raw organic honey, beautiful sourdough bread, lovely tea and coffee, jams, chutneys
• Baking Bounty - full of wonderful types of flours like spelt, rice, amaranth and baking bits and pieces like coconut sugar, stevia, honey, agave, cacao, cocoa, nuts, seeds and dried fruits, a tea towel or two, maybe some cookie cutters - this also looks gorgeous in a beautiful baking tin.
• Kids Baking Baskets - these are so much fun to put together for kids, including all the usual ingredients with some baking tools and cookie cutters and even a little apron and cookbook, makes them a real hit.
• Juicing sensations. What could be better for someone that likes a juice that a basket full of fresh, organic juicing goodies and maybe even a new juice jar, metal straw or two as well?

It really is a wonderful present giving idea and you can really use your creative flair and knowledge of the person you are buying for to create a gorgeous gift that will be sure to impress.



Rebecca x

Note:
All the pictured ideas you see here were gift baskets we designed ourselves and bought from the Maleny Supa IGA ( I was not sponsored to do this post in any way) 

Christmas Menu Ideas!

Christmas !

Merry Christmas everybody!
How is your Christmas menu shaping up?
Looking for some ideas? Some exciting recipes for the table?
I am doing a taste testing event of my recipes featuring local products at Maleny IGA.

What will be on offer?

My raved out Nut roast

A beautiful trifle 

White chocolate rocky road with local chocolates!
Get both the trifle and rocky road recipes at www.malenyiga.com 

Fresh and sensational festive prawns with mango and carrot lettuce cups
get the recipe here

Sundried tomato and feta savoury muffins

Also:
Gluten Free, Dairy Free Ice Cream Christmas Cake
Ginger Christmas Star Biscuits and more.
You can see all the recipes I created for the Maleny IGA and their recipe card series HERE

If you live in the Sunshine Coast area the Maleny IGA can make your Christmas food shopping stress free! With online delivery, that comes packed on ice in esky's so you don't have to be home and also a click and collect service, getting your Christmas menu sorted this year is too easy!

Happy Cooking!

Love Rebecca xx

Prawns with Mango & Carrot lettuce cups salad

AS SEEN in the Sunshine Coast Daily - 2013

Looking for something fresh and tasty to serve for Christmas Day or a great dish to entertain friends and family at your next diner party? Or just a beautiful dinner or lunch idea for the family?

Fresh, light, healthy and looks gorgeous

Try my recipe Festive Prawns with Mango  & Carrot Salad served with either my apple cider cinegar lemon dressing or for Sunshine Coast people who are ok with sugar try the lovely Lime & Ginger Dressing by Pomodora's

Happy cooking!

Ingredients

• 4 large green prawns per person
• 1 whole head lettuce
• wooden skewers
• 2 ripe mangoes, sliced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large red chilli, deseeded, chopped
• 2 cups Woodford baby spinach leaves
• 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 2 stalks celery cut thinly on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 limes
• Pomodora's ginger & lime dressing

Bek's Apple Cider Lemon Dressing

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• honey to taste
• chili to taste
• I find this dressing is different for everyone, tweak the quantities until the flavour is just perfect for you - its beautiful!

Method

• Soak skewers for 30 minutes
• Toast coconut by placing in a dry medium heat frying pan, stirring lightly browned, set aside.
• Gently combine carrot, celery, spinach, mango, coconut, chilli and sesame seeds in a bowl, gently toss.
• Lightly salt and then cook skewered prawns in frying pan or on BBQ, 2-3 minutes.
• Wash lettuce and pull of cups for serving salad in, arrange on plates, 1 per person - see notes.
• Fill each cup with carrot and mango salad, garnish with a little extra coconut.
• Place 2 cooked prawn skewers on each plate alongside lettuce cup.
• Serve with a lime wedge and a small side of the Pomodora's dressing for drizzling over the prawns and salad.

Notes

• To remove a lettuce cup - cut 3-4 cm off the bottom of a whole head lettuce. Hold under running water until cups (leaves) come loose, remove an discard outer leaves and use inner leaves (cups), drain.
• Use an iceburg lettuce for a more traditional, crunchier version or any whole head fancy lettuce for a decorative dinner parties, different lettuces for different effects.
• halve quantities for entree`and use small as possible lettuce cups.
• Easy entertaining, perfect for BBQ's, picnics and hot days.

My Lily

Toddler Tips

• Get the kids excited about salad, serve in very small child hand sized lettuce cups for easy, fun eating.
• Leave out chilli from their portion.
• Remove points on skewers.

I am also VERY excited to share that this was my
first recipe printed also in a newspaper, as it appeared in the Sunshine Coast Daily!

This recipe was one of my commercial recipe creation projects for client Maleny Supa IGA.
Maleny Supa IGA have an extensive range of gorgeous local Sunshine Coast products and I created the recipe and all the photography for their collectible Local Products Local Recipes - recipe cards

Rebecca xx