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

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

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.

Macadamia Bliss Balls and Real Food Festival 2013

On the Sunshine Coast we love our food and our local food producers, and we do love a festival!

The Real Food Festival is a definite highlight on the calender and 2 days of incredible food and presentations.

Sponsored by Nutworks I was delighted to present LOCAL FOOD BLISS and made a selection of delicious Bliss Balls featuring gorgeous local Sunshine Coast products

This image was taken by the very lovely

Chocolate Delight Bliss Balls

2 page feature in the Hinterland Times

About to go on stage pictured here with my Fab Slabs chopping boards,

 Naughty Naturopath Mum

In the audience it was so exciting to have the talented foodie talents of Cooker and a Looker and Naughty Naturopath Mum, two very talented women I admire very much and to see the kids in the front row enjoying the choccy nutty goodness of the bliss balls.
You can read the feature on my cooking presentation at the festival in the Hinterland Times HERE, "Back to basic's - that's all it takes!"As the lovely journalist and author Dale was there during my live cooking demonstration.

As you can see my oldest LOVES nutworks products very much

This is the macadamia paste I talk about and use all the time

So what did I make in Local Food Bliss??
Well bliss balls naturally! Bliss balls mad with gorgeous NUTWORKS products

Macadamia Bliss Balls

CHOC macadamia bliss balls
Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup Nutworks macadamia paste
• 1 cup Nutworks macadamia meal (like almond meal but with gorgeous macadamias) see notes
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 chopped Australian prunes
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/4 cup raw or to taste, organic honey - I used a local one that I got from Nambour's Health Beat
• 2 tablespoons organic cacao (can use cocoa - if I use ordinary cocoa I tend to use Planet Organic brand)
• 8 drops liquid chocolate stevia OPTIONAL ( I use the drops by sweet leaf)
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla paste
• 1/2 cup dessicated coconut extra
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds

Method

• Mash the banana until nice and smooth consistency
• In a large bowl combine the banana and macadamia paste, honey, vanilla and drops if using. Mix together well.
• Now add in the coconut, macadamia meal and dried fruit, combine it all together really well.
• Using your hands, (yes I am a really hands on, old fashioned feel and experience the food type of cook ;) make sure it is all well combined and then take small amounts and roll between your hands into balls. If it feels too moist/runny add a little extra nut meal and coconut, it should be sticky but not too runny/gooey. If it is too dry, add some more mac paste or mashed banana.
• Fill two bowls with the extra coconut and sesame seeds.
• Dip your balls as you make them into either coconut or sesame seeds and place in an air tight container, continue until all the mixture is gone.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Serve.
• Keep in the fridge - see notes for variations.

Blonde Bliss Balls

Toddler/Kindy/Prep Tips

• These are fantastic for toddlers - I make mine some small ones and they are a great go to snack that tastes sweet.
• For NUT FREE schools/kindy's in place of nut butter use a sunflower seed paste. You can make your own by roasting sunflower seeds and then blitzing in a food processor or thermomix or look out for one in your health food store and supermarkets, esp a roasted one as they have much better flavour and swap the nut meal for a *very small* amount of coconut flour, like 1/2 a tablespoon. Coconut flour absorbs 20 times it's weight in moisture so a little goes a long way!

Notes

• To make the blonde bliss pictured above - simply omit the cacao and choc stevia drops and add some vanilla.
• The mix may need a slight tweak depending on how big your bananas are.
• Add some MACA powder. Maca root powder is an amazing superfood high in Iodine and even said to help regulate hormones which is said to help with fertility, menstrual cycle and even sex drive in adults and many other health benefits. safely consumed by adults and children alike and livestock in many places, readily available from health food shops.
• Add some organic protein powder like Nuraorganics thriving vanilla if you want to.
• Dip in runny coconut chocolate and allow to set so your bliss balls are choccy covered goodness!
• Try variations like blonde vanilla and goji berry, choc fruit and nut (add some nice crushed nuts), apricot and walnut, pistachio vanilla with goji berries. Have fun with it!

Bek xx

Local Food Love at the Real Food Festival

I am such a fan of real food and wholesome ingredients so I am constantly amazed at the quality food producers out there. One of my favourite food festivals, (and it is where I live) is the Real Food Festival held in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia.

It is a 2 day event jam packed with food stalls, food producers, talks and demonstrations and did I mention lots of gorgeous food?

Here is the girls having a bal at the RFF 2012 at the Maleny IGA stall

Come and watch me cook :)

We had a ball last year and the girls, grandma and I spent many hours in foodie heaven.
This year I am delighted to announce that I will be a cooking presenter on the Sunday, 8th September at 12.30 pm, my demonstration is Local Food Love I can tell you that in my demonstration I will be making macadamia bliss balls (SO YUM) with ingredients sponsored by Nutworks
You will be able to find me in the Food Craft Tent cooking and afterwards at the Rosetta Bookstore tent doing a book signing.

If your at the festival make sure you
come to the cooking demo or the book signing and say HI!

You can find out more about the festival, getting tickets, where to stay if you are from out of town and lots more at the website here: www.realfoodfestival.com.au/2013-program and LIKE their facebook Page HERE you can also follow the details for my cooking demo via my facebook page too HERE

I will be checking out many of the food stalls (YUM can't wait!) and things happening while I am there too and will blog about my day after the event - so will have lots to share.

Happy Cooking!

Bek XX

 

Edible Sunshine Coast Maroochydore with Maleny Dairies

Recently I had the absolute delight of spreading the local love and presenting a series of EDIBLE SUNSHINE COAST events, right across the coast.

Supporting local businesses in something very close to my heart, it is why I enjoyed teaming up with outstanding local supermarket Maleny IGA so much to create the recipes for their unique, collectible local product local recipe - recipe cards.
(You can find these in store.)

It combined two of my great loves, 

food and community spirit.

Thanks to the Sunshine Coast Libraries I was able spread the messages of eating local through these events, events where I would talk about and showcase locally produced food products.

The range we have here on the coast is simply outstanding. So much talent and creativity. All of the local products I displayed are available from the Maleny IGA who even have their own unique labeling system making it easier for shoppers to buy local. I served  the audience 2 of my recipes from the Maleny IGA recipe card series.
The Buffalo Haloumi Spelt Sour Dough Salad and the Custard Apple Coconut Crumble which was served at every one of these events with beautiful Maleny Dairies custard, yoghurt and THE BEST cream I have ever used. Seriously this cream is so natural with nothing added or watered down that it is that thick you can literally hand whip it and it has this deliciously real yellowy glow to it.

The crowd were delighted to be able to talk to a Sunshine Coast producer about their products, the lovely Meg from Maleny Dairies was a real hit with the audience and enlightened us all about things like permeate and what can be added to the cheap commercial milks you buy from the supermarket. The great thing about Maleny dairies is too that they not only are a local producers but they work with so many Sunshine Coast family farmers and employ so many Sunshine Coast people and are a family business too.

Their cream goes perfectly with the custard apple crumble!

 Real milk

 Sweat Pea the cow with her calf

Maleny Dairies don't just produce dairy products they also have a factory and farm you can visit, farm tours the kids will love and a cafe to relax at and take in the rolling green hills and picturesque township of Maleny.

To find out more about them visit http://malenydairies.com/

Thank you for having me Maroochydore Library and thank you everyone that attended, I enjoyed meeting you all very much.

And of course on top of the product information and talk on why it is so great to eat local and the taste testings we had lucky door prizes too, generously donated by local sunshine coast producers including the famous and extremely well received at all the demonstrations Pomodora's dressings, the stunning Noosa Chocolates who not only donated prizes but also individual chocolate taste samples for ALL participants and of course lovely, fresh Maleny Dairies products 

Happy Cooking!

Bek xx

Cooking at the Sunshine Coast Show

I love agricultural shows and the Sunshine Coast  puts on a spectacular one



We had just had days of rain and muddy weather and then the first day of the show was glorious sunshine and blue skys!
It felt like all the Sunshine Coast must be smiling, (and especially all the hard working show organisers and exhibitors.)

I had been invited out to the show to do a live cooking demonstration on the Saturday, for which I cooked the very first recipe I created for the Maleny Supa IGA and their recipe cards,
the Buffalo Haloumi Cheese & Spelt Sourdough Bread Salad, served with the ever popular Pomodoras dressing.

All ingredients that I cooked on the day were generously sponsored by the Maleny Supa IGA
And I was also able to give away gorgeous local olives, chocolate and ginger products as prizes just for being there and watching me cook too!

I was cooking in the rotunda next to the most amazing spice stall and an organic fresh hot coffee stall  ( yes I had one - thank you Rob!)
I was delighted by the response of those that did make it to my cooking demo and the interest in local foods and local food producers.
What a great, interactive audiencethey were, I loved meeting you all.

It is just so great to cook and serve straight to an audience. You know they are honest and have no bias (like family and friends sometimes might :) so when they tell you that somethings tastes great, you know they mean it.

< I even had the lovely Rob from Maleny Supa IGA
using his culinary skills to chop the fresh tomatoes!
The audience loved having him there and being able to ask him questions directly about his Maleny IGA supermarket and their product lines and range of local products and how they now home deliver across the Sunshine Coast, on ice for $10! Yes as you can tell I am very much in love with this time saving service they offer.

It is always really exciting for me to be able to promote and talk about our fantastic local products produced right here on the Sunny Coast and I have loved working with Maleny IGA.
At the show I was able to showcase the Cedar Street Cheeserie buffalo haloumi which is a really exciting product.
Normally gourmet products like this one go straight to restaurants but due to a special relationship with Maleny IGA you can buy this cheese in family sized portions from the store > my tip though ring ahead if its a bit of a drive for you to make sure there is some in stock when you visit. If your on the Sunny Coast or you visit sometimes, it truly is worth the drive up to Maleny, through the scenic hinterland and Mapleton and Montville with a visit to the Maleny Supa IGA, you will be amazed at the gourmet, gluten free and local product ranges in that store and you can even make a day of it, visit Maleny Dairies or the Mary Caincross National Park and see that famous view of the Glass House Mountains...

After the cooking demo we had a lovely family time at the show.


It really does have something for everyone, the kids of course loved the rides and the show bag grandma bought them.They marveled at the old cars, the chickens and the stalls.They were also very impressed that they found a shark!

They got to ride real life pony's - yep, they are still talking about that!

And they were thrilled to watch the professional horse jumping too!

Little Violet was most upset to be too little for a very scary looking ride that she thought looked marvelous (and what a relieved mum I was that she was- not a fan of scary rides! Haha)
This was the ride (below) of everything she saw in the show that Violet wanted to go on and
thought was fantastic! Trust her.

This one below is much more mummy's pace hehe

My favourite part of course was all the gorgeous produce,

 plants and baking in the pavilions!

Look at those lovely custard apples! All I could think was imagine the size of the
healthy custard apple coconut crumble I could make with them! Haha

Yandina Community Gardens
had a gorgeous display!

Pineapple art!

Fruits and vegetables showing how beautiful they truly are.

Naturally both my kids LOVED the honey stall.

Lily was fascinated by and has instructed me to put with this blog that she learnt while there that to make 1 kilo of honey for bee's is 200 days work and 4,000,000 flower visits!

We were all very impressed with these super cute creations
by some very clever kids!

 And I cannot say enough how delighted I was to find this message at the Sunshine Coast Show

It really gave you such a positive message to take home with you.

 I really enjoyed being a part of the Sunshine Coast Show 2013

and wish to thank the organizers for inviting me and the Maleny Supa IGA for supplying all the ingredients.

Thanks for reading.

Happy Cooking
& Eat Local!

Rebecca XX