Zucchini & Chia Seed Moist Choocolate Cake

You always need chocolate right??

Zucchini and Chia seed, Moist  Chocolate cake 

A chocolate cake with some added goodness.
After 3 years being a tagged on recipe on another post I have finally out this chocyliscious baby on a post all of her own! x

A beautiful, moist chocolate cake (with added goodness).
Most of us love a chocolate cake and if you are going to have a chocolate cake why not have one with some goodness inside!

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 1 cup coconut sugar (or swap for stevia)
• 1 tsp good vanilla
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 cups zucchini finely grated
• 4 free range eggs
• 1 cup almond meal
• 3 cups gluten free self raising flour, OR 2 cups organic self raising flour OR wholemeal spelt with 2 teaspoons baking powder.
• 1-2 cups whipped cream or whipped coconut cream for dairy free
• jam (I use homemade or sugar free with stevia/fruit juice sweetener )
• walnuts
• fresh strawberries to serve

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180`c
• Grease and line with baking paper 2 x 20 cm cake tins
• Gently melt chocolate and butter
• Combine chocolate butter mixture in a bowl with the sugar
• Add in vanilla essence, eggs
• Mix in almond meal and flour, mix together well
• Fold in zucchini and chia seeds
• Pour mixture into lined tins
• Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until springs back when touched
• Turn both cakes onto a wire rack to cool
• Once cold place one cake onto a dish, spread with a generous layer of rosella conserve and then a layer of whipped cream and some sliced fresh strawberries
• Assemble second cake on top (arrange it flat bottom on top for a neater topped cake), top with whipped cream and decorate with walnuts and fresh strawberries
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Use milk chocolate for a milder version
• Leave the cream out and instead make and use a dark chocolate icing in its place
• Squash can be used in place of zucchini if you find you have lots of them growing in your garden!
• Swap walnuts for more fresh fruit or even choc chips!
• Use wholemeal spelt flour – this does make the cake heavier so I recommend adding in some vanilla yogurt if you use any type of wholemeal flour

Rebecca xx

Persimmon & Passionfruit Spelt Cake & Jeffers Market Beautiful Persimmon Farm

Persimmons are a fruit that not everyone is familiar with, or even has eaten and yet they have a long and vibrant history and have been used in places like China for over 2000 years.
Really high in antioxidants like catechins and gallocatechins (both anti inflammatory and anti hemorrhagic) and phyto-nutrients and anti tumour compound betulinic acid. Persimmons are said to help neutralize free radicals that cause degenerative diseases like cancer and even macula degeneration.

They are also said to be an excellent fruit to eat when wanting to lose weight as they are extremely low in calories while still being a good source of fibre and nutrients like vitamin c and b complex vitamins. Even manganese, copper and potassium.

Persimmons or kaki trees are grown worldwide, extensively in Asia and have an exciting flourishing industry in Australia too, in particular the stunning persimmon farm I recently had the delight to visit nestled near Nambour run by the Jeffers family, owners of the absolutely gorgeous Jeffers Market stores, what an absolute jewel for the Sunshine Coast and Australian seasonal produce.

On the lovely farm I met Stephen Jeffers, an inspirational advocate for real food, local and seasonal produce. What an amazing family the Jeffers are, not just successful business owners on the Sunshine Coast but also farmers from this area since 1954 through the generations with such strong links to the region and great Australian seasonal produce. When you hear Stephen talk you are taken in by his passion and dedication for real, fresh produce and his knowledge. One visit to the Jeffers market stores and you can see instantly their passion for organics, pesticide free produce, seasonal produce and local products and even natural and healthy living products and ingredients.

I had the absolute pleasure to listen to Stephen talk about Persimmons, a subject close to his heart and one that he is an expert on. Stephen has traveled the world talking about and studying Persimmons and how they are eaten, grown and loved around the world.
Persimmons have strong roots in many cultures including French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish cooking and were used as food and as medicine by many cultures including the Native Americans and early European Colonists and during the American civil war.
Persimmons are either astringent or non astringent and the variety the Jeffers grow are a non astringent variety called FuYu, and they are absolutely delicious!

For some reason these stunning fruits have been a little overlooked by shoppers in these modern times but they are fast making an exciting splash onto the seasonal, fresh produce scene and for good reason, not only are they vibrant and delicious but they are a really exciting ingredient for many sweet and savoury dishes.

Like my beautiful persimmon, passionfruit and pineapple spelt cake below!
You can find the gorgeous Jeffers persimons at either their Yandina or Maroochydore stores on the Sunshine Coast, Qld or in Brisbane at IFruit Kenmore, James st market or Ferry Rd Market.
 

Persimmon, Passionfruit and Pineapple Spelt Cake  

Ingredients
125 grams butter

2 very ripe large persimmons

4 passion fruit

1 pear, grated

1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped into small pieces
1 free range egg

3/4 cup dark coconut sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups wholemeal spelt flour

1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 very ripe persimmon

1 &1/2 cups Natvia stevia icing sugar

1 tablespoon butter, soft

Fresh sliced persimmon to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180ç

Cream the butter and coconut sugar together

Beat in the egg and then the vanilla

Scoop out the ripe persimmon flesh, it should be ripe enough to look like orange jelly.

Mix this through and then the grated pear and passionfruit.

Combine the flour and baking powder together.

Mix all together and pour into a well greased cake tin.

While cake is baking make the refined sugar free icing.

In a bowl blend the Nativa icing sugar and butter, gradually adding in the half jelly persimmon until you have a smooth icing mixture.

Set aside.

Remove cake from oven and allow to completely cool.

Top with the icing and then slices of fresh, crunchy persimmon for texture and flavour contrast (trust me - it goes beautifully)

Enjoy!

Notes

• My kids called this the letter P cake! So much fun to make with kids who are learning their alphabet and the older ones at school with all its P's with persimmon, pear, passionfruit and pineapple!
• Nice served with fresh whipped cream.
• Make a dairy free version by replcing butter with a suitable alternative and making a persimmon drizzle by placing the half jelly persimmon in a saucepan with a tablespoon of coconut sugar and stirring over a low heat until dissolved or tweaking the icing as described above.
• Pour this mixture over the cake while it is still warm and serve.
• This cake needs to be kept in the fridge, it is very moist and fudgey so is best eaten within 1-3 days.

Toddler Tips

• This is a rich cake so I serve just a small piece to my toddler with lots of chopped up fresh persimmon, pear and pineapple and drizzled with passionfruit.

Bek XX

Eat beautiful. Be Active. Live Well. Be Happy.
AND
Eat Seasonal! 

Fresh Pineapple & Spelt Upside Down Cake

Pineapples!
I love fresh pineapple. It smells and tastes so wonderful. I am really lucky to live on the beautiful Sunshine Coast where they grow them too. I love taking the kids for a drive and showing them what fields of growing pineapples look like, and even showing them of course the Sunshine Coast's very own icon, the Big Pineapple in Nambour! Here is a cake I created celebrating lovely, fresh, in season pineapples from a commercial project I did for Maleny Iga.

Fresh Pineapple & Spelt Upside Down Cake

Using beautiful fresh, local pineapples in a very decorative upside down cake.  A delicious with a tropical feel.

Ingredients
• 1 fresh ripe pineapple
• 1 cup sour pitted cherries (I used Morello)
• 125 grams butter
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla paste
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 free range eggs
• 2/3 cup dark coconut sugar or dark brown sugar
• 1 & 1/2 cups spelt flour
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 &1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Paper towel

Method
• Pre heat oven to 180’c.
• Grease a deep cake tin really well, especially the base.
• In a saucepan gently melt the 5 tablespoon butter with the dark brown sugar. Stirring constantly. Once it has all melted together, remove from heat.
• Pour the butter/sugar mixture into the prepared cake tin.
• Remove top and bottom and all skin from the fresh pineapple. Either core the pineapple so you can slice it into rings or cut into cubes. Pat dry on paper towel.
• Arrange the pineapple pieces onto the sugar/butter mixture at the base of the cake tin. Fill in the spaces with the Morello sour pitted cherries
• Beat the butter and coconut sugar together well, then beat in the vanilla paste, and the eggs.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the butter mixture.
• Gradually add the pineapple juice bit by bit, mixing it all together.
• Pour the cake mixture on top of the pineapple and cherries.
• Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until golden and firm on top to the touch.
• Remove from oven and allow to sit in its pan on a cooling rack for approximately 10 minutes.
• Carefully run a knife along all edges of the pan to loosen the cake.
• Invert the cake onto the serving dish.

Notes
• A beautiful sweet cake that looks very decorative so perfect for entertaining.
• If fresh pineapples are unavailable you could use tinned but fresh gives it a beautiful flavour.

Toddler tips
• The sweetness of pineapple makes this a very popular cake with toddlers and kids of all ages.


Images and recipe (c)RebeccaMugridge 2013

Special Note: I love china, especially blue china and I am *just a bit* in love with Maxwell Williams too (no I am not paid to say that in any way) The china you see here in this picture is called Sprinkle by Maxwell Williams and I got it for Christmas from my mum - awww I know right? Best present ever, shes a wonderful mum) sharing with you as I have been asked at a lot at the taste testing events at the Maleny IGA and from facebook posts and this blog post where I get my china/plates/display dishes and what it is called XX

Moist Carrot and Ginger cake with Orange Icing

My Ginger and Carrot Cake with Orange Icing!

When your having desserts, treats why not have one that has some goodness in it and still tastes amazing! PLUS your house will smell AMAZING when you bake this one! Served with the DELICIOUS Ginger Maleny Gourmet Yoghurt

Ingredients

• 1 cup dark coconut sugar or organic brown sugar
• ¾ cup oil
• 3 free range eggs
• 2 cups organic self raising flour (or spelt flour with added extra baking powder)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 &1/2 cups finely grated carrot
• ¼ cup finely grated freshginger
• 1 & ½ packets of Philadelphia cream cheese (375g), softened
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup icing sugar (or try Natvia stevia icing sugar!! We love this in our house)
• Rind of 1 orange, 1 teaspoon kept separate
• A great yoghurt to serve

Method

• Preheat oven to 180`c.
• Grease and line 2 round cake tins with baking paper.
• In a bowl add the brown sugar and oil, beat together.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beat in.
• Sift in the flour and baking powder.
• Mix in the carrot and ginger, stir well to combine.
• Pour mixture into cake tins.
• Bake until firm, approximately 1 hour.
• Remove cake from oven, leave a few minutes before turning onto wire racks to cool.
• In a bowl place the cream cheese, lemon juice, icing sugar and orange rind.
• Beat together.
• Put one layer of a completely cool cake on the serving dish, spread with a layer of the cream cheese.
• Top with the second cake.
• Cover with remaining cream cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle separate teaspoon of orange rind and decorate with walnuts.
• Serve each slice with a dollop of the Maleny Gourmet Ginger Yogurt.

Notes

• For real ginger lovers you could increase the ginger in this recipe for more bite.
• Powdered ginger can be used but is much stronger in flavour so you would only use a fraction of the amount.

Toddler Tips

• Serve a small piece with some vanilla ice-cream or yogurt.
• If ginger is not popular remove a small amount of cake mixture after the carrots but before the ginger and make them their own miniature ginger free version or with just a slight hint of ginger.

This recipe is from my professional portfolio and was a featured recipe in the Maleny Supa IGA local product local recipe - recipe card series I created for them, with over 52 recipes featuring local products.

Recipe & Food Image Photography ©RebeccaMugridge2012

2 RECIPES Haloumi Bread Salad & Zucchini & Chia Seed Chocolate Cake

Thanks to some gorgeous ingredients from the Sunshine Coast's Maleny Supermarket
I got the chance to create with a stunning and award winning locally produced Buffulo Haloumi Cheese!

This cheese has been in many magazines and is on the menu of many top restaurants in Australia.

Haloumi is an exciting cheese and for those on the Sunshine Coast like me you may have seen a local, award winning buffalo haloumi featured on the cover of Hinterland Times with local cheese maker Trevor Hart and his award winning haloumi.

If you aren't on the Sunshine Coast you can of course use any good haloumi you might find at your local delicatessen or supermarket.

If it is a cheese you already love or maybe one you have never tried before this recipe really makes it shine!

This is my delicious Zesty Salad with fried Haloumi and Olive Oil Topasted SourDough Bread Croutons.

An easy and very tasty dinner or lunch.

Ingredients:

• 200 g Haloumi, sliced 1cm thick
• 2 slices organic sourdough bread, slice into 1cm x 3 cm pieces
• Assorted salad greens, (include some bitter greens, baby spinach leaves, finely shredded kale, fresh herbs)
• 1 medium red onion, slices thinly into circles
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 2 really ripe tomatoes, chopped into big pieces
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Black pepper to taste
• Extra olive oil for the croutons
• paper towel to drain the haloumi

Method

• In a large bowl combine bread, tomato, cucumber, onion and salad greens
• In a small dish mix together olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice, taste and adjust quanities until you get just the right flavour for your palate. (add some fresh chili if desired)
• Heat a little oil in a fry pan on a medium low heat. (I use Neoflam cookware.)
  Lightly fry the sourdough pieces with olive oil until nice and golden on each side.
  Drain on paper towel and set aside.
• Gently fry the Haloumi briefly until nice and golden each side.
  Drain haloumi on paper towel.
• Place salad on to a large serving dish.
• Arrange Haloumi cheese and croutons on top.
• Season with cracked pepper, a little lemon juice and a tiny amount of good olive oil
• Serve

Notes

• This is a great centre table dish you can all share from making it great for entertaining
• This would be a lovely big salad to serve at a BBQ or alongside some freshly grilled fish or as part of a smorgasbord at a dinner party.
• Don’t season with salt as the cheese is already salty.

Toddler/Prep/Kindy Tips

• This is a salty cheese so I would serve theirs with lots of fresh salad and a fruit salad for dessert.
• Make their own mini dish by serving small pieces of the Haloumi with an assortment of tomatoes, snow peas, cucumber, sprouts, celery and carrots

Recipe and imagery (c) rebeccamugridge2012