Sprinkle Up Your Taste Buds - Nutworks Gourmet Sprinkles Range

Sprinkle up your taste buds

As a food blogger, recipe developer and local food ambassador I am so excited about the NEW Gourmet Sprinkle range from Nutworks found in Queensland Woolworths Stores Stores and made right here on the Sunshine Coast.

Nutworks have brought me on board to promote this delicious new product range.

This Sprinkles range has me excited. Nutworks are well known for having natural and healthy high quality ingredients and with these products even the simplest dish can become extraordinary from just one of these packets of flavour.

For example my Savoury Smokey Zucchini Herb Muffins with cream cheese frosting came alive with the Gourmet Sprinkles. Just by adding the Nutworks Texas Smoked Sprinkles the muffins have instant wow factor.

RECIPE >>> CLICK HERE
The Gourmet Sprinkle Range has been a conceptual idea for some time. In 2013 Nutworks created the original flavours and held a focus group for invited foodie and local business guests to come and taste the original and first trials of these sprinkles. The sprinkles were well received.  Over the next year and a half the recipes were refined, trialled and improved. At the same time Nutworks team were pitching the concept to the market. Finally at the end of 2014 the Gourmet Sprinkle Range was accepted as part of a 1 year contract into selected Queensland Woolworths Stores.

An exciting development for local food on the Sunshine Coast indeed.

What I absolutely love about the Gourmet Sprinkles range is how they not only taste sensational but how healthy they are for you as well.

Nuts are very important in a well-rounded diet. The diversity of flavours within the sprinkle range ensures that there is an opportunity at every meal to get the recommended serve of nuts for your daily intake. Research shows that nuts reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and can help with weight management.

And these ranges are just using natural ingredients and spices to create outstanding flavours.
Sprinkles are perfect for busy multi-tasking mums and families. Great for creating an outstanding dish for a dinner party, an event or just delicious family dinners without all the hassle of trying to perfect flavour combinations and spending heaps of time in the kitchen.

With flavour ranges of:

SAVOURY

·      Texas Smoked Almond

·      Asian Cashew

·      Mushroom, Rosemary Walnut

·      Lime Pepper Cashew

SWEET

·         Banana Coconut Boost

·         Raspberry Crumble Boost

·         Lime Coconut Boost

·         Apple and Cinnamon Boost

The Sprinkles Gourmet Range has a flavour combo to make any meal or snack outstanding.

I am really looking forward to working with Nutworks, a local food producer that I love to promote this range and craft some stunning recipes around them so stay tuned to the blog, newsletter and facebook and Instagram for more information and recipes!!
And if your wanting to try the ranges yourself they are even currently on special at Woolworths stores until the 19/09/2015

Check out the hash tags to find out what others are doing with the sprinkles and share your own ideas and recipes!

#Sprinkles #Nutworks #Allnutswelcome #TEXASalmond #Nutworkssprinkles #sprinklelove
#nutsforsprinkles #cookingwithBek 

Disclosure:
I am currently working as a paid product ambassador for Nutworks with their new Gourmet Sprinkles range, all opinions however are my own.
Recipes (c)RebeccaMugridge2015

Triple Chocolate Icecreams. Refined Sugar Free

There is some things that just never get old, like creamy, chocolate ice creams.
Just before our school holidays started and the gorgeous Sunshine Coast Spring weather hit, I started to play around with some different healthy ice-cream ideas for my kids.
They have already had so many times my Mango, Macadamia Honey Ice-Creams, Dairy Free Blissed Out Banana Splits, my smoothie icy poles and my many versions of banana ice creams.
So I wanted to do something different, new and exciting for them these holidays.
My oldest does not take to sugar well at all, in fact when she has some it takes her at least half a day to recover and she literally becomes like Hammy from over the hedge!

Image Source

So sugar, is not her friend. And for me, on a healing journey of my own, its not my friend either so bringing together elements of things I already make and cook I put together these triple chocolate ice creams - and made many of them complete with a hard choc top too, and they are soooooo good!

And being on my own healing journey - a major part is living refined sugar free, as cane sugar is very inflammatory for everybody - mummy might have been seen on occasion not just having one with the kids in a family fun moment of an afternoon but also sneaking one of these out of the freezer to enjoy in a quiet moment in the garden too shhhh hehe ;)
They are really lovely - give them a go. Trust me Xxxx

Triple Chocolate Ice Creams

(refined sugar free)

Ingredients
Note: These ice creams have three components - I promise, all are easy and pretty quick to do. I got all three ready at the same time with a bowl and whisk, blender and a saucepan. X
Chocolate ice cream
3 cups of a good cream (here on the sunshine coast I use Maleny Dairies)
1 teaspoon organic vanilla paste
2 teaspoons cocoa (I used dutch processed but you could use normal, cacao or even carob)

2 tablespoons stevia (or coconut sugar or raw honey if your prefer)

Choc fudge flavour layer

2 bananas

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons nut butter (I use nut butters from my local health food shop, supermarket ones will contain sugar)

1 tablespoon stevia (or honey)

1 tablespoon cocoa (see earlier note)

Hard choc

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup cocoa

Tiny pink Himalayan salt

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

ice cream moulds

paddle pop sticks (food grade)

ALSO - see notes!

 

Method

• Have some clean ice-cream moulds or plastic cups ready to go and clear a good space in the freezer.
• In a large bowl whip the cream with the stevia, cocoa and vanilla until nice and fluffy and whipped, set aside.
• In a blender place all the choc fudge layer ingredients and process until nice and smooth, depending on size and ripeness of bananas you may want to use a little more or less water to get a nice consistency.
• To make the hard choc you need melted coconut oil, so either your lucky and its warm enough that it is already runny or you will need to gently melt some like you would chocolate.
• I like my coconut oil to be melty but slightly still a little whipped looking, so from runny coconut oil I place it in the fridge for a little while until it is still runny but very lightly crystallised around the edges, it just seems to blend better for chocolate like that and you need the coconut oil cool to touch for the ice cream creating step as well.
• Mix your (cool) coconut oil with the rice malt syrup and cocoa and salt very well. It needs to be well blended.

• In your moulds arrange the 3 components in layers as desired. My kids loved the ones I made that had a hard choc bottom, for these I just started with a small amount of the hard choc, then choc ice cream, then choc fudge then hard choc for a surprise centre then topped with choc cream. But you could do as many layers in any pattern you like, have fun with it!.
• Cover the exposed tops with aluminium foil or cling wrap or similar.
• Freeze until completely set.
• To serve run the bases under warm water or sit briefly in a bowl of war, water until they are easy to remove.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• With some I also used a butter knife to mix the layers just slightly, running the knife back and forth through the mixture just a little.
• TIP to make the ice creams look really pretty, make sure after each layer you wipe down the sides so once frozen you get a very defined layered look.
• If you wish you can also alternatively simply use a good quality melted bought dark chocolate for the hard chocolate parts of these ice-creams.

Tiddler Tips

• I would probably use less cocoa and a mild, organic one and not something as strong as cacao or dutch processed cocoa personally. You could also try carob versions.

Eat beautiful. Live Well. Be Happy. Stay Calm.
Bek XXX
PS if you make these - I would love to know! So please share your picture with me on facebook, twitter, Instagram or simply hashtag on social media #cookingwithbek or #beautifulfoodwithbekRecipe and food photography copyright RebeccaMugridge2014

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

Marigold Biscuits - Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Easy and Delicious

Marigold Biscuits

As a child my mother use to make calendula biscuits and there was something so enchanting about them, like they had come straight out of my favourite book, The Lord of The Rings.

As a horticulturalist I love combining gardening with cooking and these biscuits are so incredibly easy to make and marigolds are such a delight to grow, so I just love these biscuits. We always have marigolds on hand, of all different kinds, I just love their vibrant beauty and they are an important inclusion in our organic plantings for their ability to repel nematodes in the soil and many other garden pests.
Companion planting partners include eggplant, strawberry, leafy greens, tomatoes, potato, pumpkin, squash, chili's, capsicums but not too close to legume crops.
Marigolds grow easily with a nice compost rich soil, good drainage, plenty of sunshine and some regular liquid fertilizer like seasol. They grow very easy from seed and most nurseries have seedlings in punnets.

Ingredients

• 125 g butter
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar if you have sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 & 3/4 cup cup almond meal
• marigold petals, removed from flower, trim ends if needed, washed and let dry (about 4 flower heads)

Method

• Preheat oven to 160ç
• In a bowl combine the butter and sugar together, add in vanilla
• Mix in the almond meal and about half the marigold petals
• Roll the mixture into small balls - note - it should be fairly dry not too moist or the biscuits wil spread when you bake them, if it feels to moist add a little more almond meal
• Place the balls on a tray lined with baking paper, press each one down slightly and then press a few petals on top for a decorative look
• Bake the biscuits gently, they do not take that long so stay close by.
• Once they are gently browned on top and have a golden hue, around 12 minutes in my own take them out and let them cool on the tray or on a wire rack
• Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Bek XX

Eat beautiful - Live Well.
Recipe and photography (c) Rebecca Mugridge 2014

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

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

Teaching Green Smoothies to Happy Kids in Foodie Fun, with a Smothie Bike at Kawana Library

Foodie Fun the event was called and it certainly was!

On the school holidays I had the delight of teaching a really fun school holiday cooking class with the Kawana Library as sponsored by Community Solutions.
I believe the greatest gift we can give our children is the tools to live a healthy, happy life and the very best way of doing that is by making healthy living and healthy eating a fun, enjoyable experience.
When given the chance to cook, grow food and exercise in fun ways kids blow you away with their enthusiasm, their excitement and ability to get involved.
They never cease to inspire me!
I was absolutely delighted to be asked to teach a group of kids some healthy cooking recipes over the school holidays.
And no, I am not about "hiding' veggies from them, they were all on display for them all to see, to touch, to smell, to taste if they wanted too. How it should be.
We need to give kids the chance to really experience their fruits and vegetables, to grow them, to source them at markets, supermarkets, to prepare them and cook with them, to eat them in many different ways. To learn about them, enjoy them. Not just have them hidden in their nightly meal.
This, I believe is the true way to get kids eating healthier.
Inspire them.


What did we make?

We made delicious healthy chocolate bliss balls!















We made lovely pretty in pink smoothies.
And we made, what ended up being the absolute favourite of the whole class, yep everyone was unanimous!
GREEN SMOOTHIES....
Yep all 20 kids booked in for the school holiday cooking class with me at Kawana library, knowing full well as they made batches themselves too, that it contained spinach and kale, absolutely loved the green smoothies!!

The whole smoothie making experience was such a highlight of the whole event, especially with the generously supplied SMOOTHIE BIKE, invented by a very forward thinking Sunshine Coast Council and able to be loaned by community events and groups.

 The genius smoothie bike!
Sunshine Coast council created fun and healthy inspired living 

I have taught a lot of cooking events and classes and I have to say that teaching kids warms your very soul.

My gorgeous little helper, my miss 8!

 Putting in the miles for the smoothies!

Yes, there is already more events on the cards! And I have been so excited by the feedback from parents telling me their kids asked for all the ingredients to go out and make them at home, one family even had to go and buy a blender they told me! So thrilled they were that their child willingly wants to eat spinach and kale! I tell you working with great kids like these guys, seeing them enjoy healthy food and have fun making it literally fills you with JOY!

Absolutely kid approved Green Smoothies
(otherwise known as incredible hulk, goblin green or green lantern superhero smoothies in our house ;)

Ingredients:

(serves 4 big glasses or 6 smaller glasses)

·        1 cup dairy/soy, rice, coconut milk

·        1 cup vanilla yoghurt (we used Maleny Dairies a local producer here as i am a huge supporter of shopping local - you could also use, natural, greek or coconut yoghurt)

·        2 kiwi fruit, skin removed

·        1 large mango ( You can use frozen if fresh out of season)

·        2 bananas

·        1 cup washed baby spinach leaves

·        ¼ cup washed kale
Dash vanilla paste

·        Fresh mint and sliced kiwifruit to serve/decorate (optional)


I find with my two kids that a green smoothie packed full of goodness is perfect for them for breakfast, neither of my kids likes a big, heavy breakfast so a filling and health packed smoothie serves them well, sometimes they have toast, porridge or other things with it sometimes just a smoothie.
At home I also add in extras sometimes like oats, coconut oil, super greens powder , superfoods for kids cberry blast or berry choc chunk - click on my affiliate picture below to check these gorgeous goodies out!
(PS the cocobiotics bars are incredible! ;) )
These powders are so amazing and are completely natural, no hidden nasties! My kids would eat them out of the jar given half a chance...

Healthy and Hearty Home-Made Baked Beans

I have so many memories of being curled up on a cold Wintery night or after a long day out as a child with hot baked beans and freshly buttered toast.
It is such a comforting meal and full of protein and fibre.
While tinned baked beans may have there place it is the lovely, delicious and so nutritious home-made varieties that really shine for me.
After quite a few attempts, versions and tweaks this recipe for home-made beans has become my family's favourite version!

Hearty and Healthy Baked Beans

This recipe makes a large batch to feed a family or to give you leftovers - feel free to make a smaller amount 

Ingredients

• 3 x tins organic cannelloni beans OR soak the equivalent in water overnight and then cook until tender.
• 1 onion, chopped (if you have young kids/toddlers chop it finely so they don't notice it)
• 6 large cloves of Australian garlic, finely chopped
• 1 stalk of thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tin of organic chopped tomatoes
• 1 large bottle of organic tomato passata sauce
•  1 teaspoon of a great mustard ( I use a lovely local macadamia mustard made where I live)
• 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar 
• 1/2 cup good virgin olive oil
• 1/2 litre vegetable stock ( I use either Campbells or Massel)
• 2 teaspoons of a nice but mild curry powder ( I promise the kids wont notice!)
• 4-6 semi dried tomatoes chopped 
• 2 tablespoons or raw honey OR for a vegan version natvia, agave etc (to taste)
• dash pink Himalayan salt
• fresh crusty wholemeal bread with organic butter and some freshly chopped parsley to serve!

Method

• Fry the onion and garlic in a little of the olive oil until they are transparent.
• Add in the drained and washed cannelloni beans and thyme, stir together until mixed well.
• Pour in the tinned tomatoes, mustard, vinegar, stock, passata sauce, remaining oil and sweetner, mix well.
• Simmer the bean mixture over a medium low heat slowly for at least 25 minutes or until it has thickened, beans are tender and flavours are to your liking.
•  Serve.

Notes

• These beans go really lovely with a nice dense sour dough bread.
• Make a large batch so you have leftovers, great in pies!
• Add some chili for a different twist

Toddler Tips

• Serve with toddler soldiers, (long thin pieces of toast) or on top of a baked potato.
• Optionally leave out the onion

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