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

Gluten free zucchini, herb & pepita smokey herb muffins with cream cheese frosting & Nutworks smokey sprinkles

It has been a long running inside joke in my family that I should open a muffin shop. I seem to be always making muffins and crafting new ones. There is something so wonderfully comforting and exciting about a muffin all at the same time, and the flavour possibilities are pretty much only as endless as your imagination!

What is not to love??

When Nutworks told me about their exciting new Gourmet Sprinkles range I was excited to try it, even more so when I started tasting the flavour combinations they had come up with. I have long been a fan of their products and natural ingredients.
In fact when you read the back of these sprinkles, their is not an additive or preservative in sight.

Nothing quite dresses a muffin up more than a whipped topping and a pop of crunch and flavour on top. Well these handy packets take all the guess work and prep work out as they are ready to snip and go.

As a busy mum, I really like that!!

When I tasted their Texas smoked my mind flew to paprika and smokey flavours and cream cheese so I crafted these muffins around my daydreaming taste buds. I hope you like them as much as I enjoyed making them!

Bek xoxo

Zucchin, herb and pepita muffins with whipped lemon cream cheese frosting and Nutworks Smokey Sprinkles

Ingredients

2 free range eggs
1 large or 2 small zucchini
1 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves
2 cups self raising gluten free flour (could also use buckwheat with baking powder added)
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes slivers
1/4 cup smoked ham/bacon/vegetarian ham or leave out. Cooked and sliced thinly.
1/4 cup pepita seeds
1 cup water (or as needed)

 1 packet cream cheese
1/4 cup chives chopped
1/4 cup parsley chopped

1/2 large lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika

Nutworks Texas Smoked Sprinkles. (Find me at woolworths.)

Method
Pre heat oven to 180'c.
Line a muffin tray with cases or grease.
Whisk eggs and oil together in a large bowl.
Sprinkle in some salt and add into this mixture the cheese, ham, zucchini, pepita, paprika, sun-dried tomato  and spinach and some of the water.
Gently fold the flour through the wet mixture, add a little extra water from the cup of water as needed. Mixture should be reasonably runny, easy to stir texture.
Fill cases approx 3/4 full.
Bake for around 20 minutes or until golden on top.
Remove from heat and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Whip the cream cheese with an electric beater/mixer with the lemon juice and nice and smooth and a little fluffy. Adjust amount of lemon to taste. You can use just a hint and replace with water.
Use a spatula to top each muffin with the cream cheese and top with the Nutworks smokey sprinkles.
Enjoy!!

Note:

These are fantastic to take to a BBQ, picnic, dinner party

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

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

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

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

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


Meet Rex our party door greeter

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



Big sis and grandma taste testing the party food

Face painting by Fun Face Events



Dinosaur Jumping Castle by Jump Sunshine Coast

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

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



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

Dinosaur footprints lead the way

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


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

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

Flower Fossils - gluten free , get the recipe HERE

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

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

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



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

Swamp Dip Guacamole

4 large ripe avocado's

1 cup sour cream

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

1 cabbage

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

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

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

Fill with the smooth guacamole.

Serve.  

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

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

 

Bek Xxx

 

Freshen up this Spring with Kiwi Fruit! Plus Kiwi & Pineapple Pina Coladas

 

Kiwi fruit are so gorgeous, and yet can be sometimes an overlooked fruit.
They are so versatile, affordable and easy for kids to eat, my youngest has eaten so many lately, they would have to be up there as one of her all time favourite fruits! Recently I was contacted to try out the New Zealand Zespri GOLD kiwifruit (insert happy 3 year old) - and they are stunning!

 

Of course coming from pristine New Zealand I was expecting a fresh, crisp flavour anyway and I wasn't disappointed, they are beautiful and such high quality and keep well in the fruit bowl as well, which is so great for planning out those fruit breaks at school. The kids love the pretty gold colour and they are perfect for kids fruit breaks for school, kindy or after sports.

They also go beautifully in a fruit salad or platter for the whole family - or maybe just for mum! ;)
 

According to Zespri, these gold kiwifruit are fantastic for digestive health and I don't know about you but anything that makes my digestion, gut and bowels happy makes me happy!
(Especially after 2 babies if you know what I mean ; )

These gold kiwifruit are SO good for you!
Quoted from Zespri Website:
"Fibre in kiwifruit is made up of pectins, hemicelluloses and celluloses, which give it certain properties, such as the ability to retain water and form gels. It can have a significant effect on digestion:

• Reducing the glucose absorption rate, so that the GI is lowered and blood sugar levels remain stable
• Increasing the sense of fullness, since the fibre acts to increase viscosity and slow gastric emptying
• Increasing the frequency of bowel movements
• Reducing the sensation of bloatedness
• Reducing the time of intestinal transit

Actinidin is a protease found in kiwifruit, which breaks down proteins and facilitates gastric digestion. This natural enzyme has the ability to break-down a wide range of food proteins more completely and faster than the digestive enzymes can do on their own. Actinidin was most effective on proteins found in beef and chicken, fish, pulses and cereals (gluten and soya protein isolate), and dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese and yogurt.
The digestive benefits of actinidin:

• Improves the digestion of proteins by reducing the sensation of heaviness associated with protein-rich foods
• Improves the absorption of proteins
• Improves digestive comfort"

Raw kiwifruit is also a great source of folic acid, potassium, vitamin c, e and antioxidents.
For more information on the health benefits of the kiwi head to the Zespri Website.

With their lovely zing, we are enjoying ours mainly fresh, as is, cut in half with a spoon, sliced into fruit salads and platters, baked into a delicious kiwi banana bread (get this recipe next week on the blog too) and my FAVOURITE way

Fresh and Fabulous Mocktail
Kiwi and Pineapple Pina Colada

Ingredients

4 Zespri Gold Kiwifruit

1/2 a large or 1 small fresh pineapple

1/2 cup organic coconut cream

1 can coconut water (I use Jt's Coconut Essence as it is my favourite)

Method

Chop the fresh pineapple into chunks.

Take the skin off the kiwifruit and chop into pieces.

Add all ingredients into a blender and blitz until you have a lovely, runny texture.

Serve over crushed ice.

Enjoy!

 

Notes

My kids absolutely love this and it is a perfect pick me up if you are running from school pick up to an after school activity like sports or dance! ( Can you tell I am a dance mum??) I make some ahead and store in glass bottles with lids in the fridge so I can have them ready to be enjoyed when I pick them up and we are zipping around.

Turn them into icypoles! Simply pour into icy pole moulds and freeze - note do it right away before any separating might occur.

I am in kiwifruit heaven right now and am just SO delighted to have a GIVEAWAY for you!!

Zespri Gold kiwifruit have for 1 lucky reader the chance to win a $30 Woolworths gift card so you can go out and buy some of these gorgeous gold kiwifruit and try the pina coladas yourself and also a beautiful kiwifruit bowl!
How fun is that!
Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


NOTE:
This is in no way endorsed by or run in conjunction with facebook.
This is an independent giveaway.
Winner will be notified by email and has 2 weeks to claim prize or there may be a redraw.
Competition open to Australian residents only.
Winner must have left a blog post comment to be eligible.
This giveaway is brought to you by Zespri Kiwifruit.
All information in this post is intended for interest only, please always seek advice from a health care professional in regards to your health and diet.

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

Roasted Fig and Feta Muffins

Your a modern woman. You might work out, try to eat right (at least most of the time) and your a busy, happy mum.
You also want to look good and you to have your cake and eat it too.

Can we still really enjoy incredible food and still fit into skinny jeans?

Or is it only one or the other?

Is the next afternoon tea with girlfriends just that, only tea? Or can you have some delicious morsel on offer?
The last thing you want is your hard working, body conscious friends not enjoying a tea party.

I have been working on this dilemma as a mum who loves to eat and cook but also wear nice clothes for a few years now!
And I have become adapt and recipes that taste moorish but are kind to your hips too. 

Yes, I like many other women put on weight easily but I try to work hard to keep it off too so when I am enjoying great food and so much happier if I know it is healthy for me too!

Determined to get the best of both worlds, knowing how down I feel when I feel frumpy or too overweight and yet also having a foodie’s passion for beautiful food I have set about creating recipes that I can enjoy with girlfriends and we can all relax, eat and instead of worrying about calories get down to serious things like talking and laughing!

For me food is all about flavour, appearance and smell 

I love a high tea with girlfriends and am always looking for something to make that can leave a table of women speechless for a few seconds as they absorb the flavour and texture of the food.

As soon as I tried this yoghurt the flavours of the plum and roasted fig brought my taste buds alive and I knew I wanted to really marry that flavour with a great contrast, and so I created with love, my Roasted Fig Yoghurt and Feta Spelt Muffins.

Before you go eek, sweet yoghurt and feta in a muffin together? Trust me, you need to try these!The flavour combination just bursts in your mouth and the texture of the muffin is moist.

Ingredients

• 250 gm tub of yoghurt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons honey or stevia
• 1 free range egg
• 100 gms feta ( I used persian)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 & 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour (can use normal flour)
• 1 &1/2 teaspoons baking flour
• 1/4 cup dried plums/prunes finely chopped

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180’c
• Line a muffin baking tray with muffin cases.
• Beat butter until nice and soft, add in honey. Mix well.
• Add in the egg, combine well and then the water followed by the yoghurt.
• Fold through the dried plums and crumble in the feta into the mixture.
• Combine spelt flour with baking powder really well.
• Very carefully, without too many movements fold the spelt flour into the muffin mixture.The less stirring the nicer the muffins will turn out.
• Top each muffin with some extra feta and dried plums for decorative effect.
• Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake in the oven to approximately 25 minutes or until springs back to the touch.
• Serve. Particularly good when matched with girlfriends, light hearted chatter and a pot of great tea.

(c) Rebecca Mugridge 2014
www.authorrebeccamugridge.com

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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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Bek's Sweet and Healthy Strawberry tart

I love strawberries. Always have, they are a burst of colour and healthy deliciousness. I have even worked as a strawberry planter and picker when I was young. They are also one of my absolute favourite plants to grow and fruit to cook with.
Wherever we live we always have hanging baskets and pots of strawberries growing, just as my mum did when I was a child. I am so delighted that picking fresh delicious, organic strawberries are as much a part of my two daughters childhoods as it was mine. I can still clearly remember my school friends always marveling at the growing jewels and especially at her alpine strawberries.

Recently I took part in a very exciting opportunity for me, a 6 part fresh local food column in a fantastic local magazine, WHY Fitness. WHY Bfresh with Rebecca Mugridge.

This delightful deliciousness was one of the recipes I created for them using local gourmet deli and store Bfresh's beautiful local strawberries.

Bek’s Sweet and Healthy Strawberry Tart

Ingredients

Pastry

·         2 cupsNutworks macadamia meal (this is a great local producer I like to support, you could also use almond meal)

·         2 cups rice flour

·         ½ cup coconut oil

·         1 free range egg

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste

·         1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

·         ½ cup Rapadura sugar (see notes)

Filling

·         ½ cup coconut oil

·         ½ cup Rapadura sugar

·         5 free range eggs

·         Finely grated rind of 1 orange

·         Juice of 2 oranges

·         1 tablespoon tapioca flour whisked in an equal amount of water

Topping

·         1 punnet fresh strawberries

·         1 packet Tortengus ( natural fruit glaze available from supermarkets)

·         250 mls fresh orange juice

·         Extra rapidura sugar

Method

·         Pre heat oven to 180’c

·         Grease 1 large or 6 small spring form tins.

·         In a large bowl combine the macadamia meal and rice flour for the base.

·         Add the vanilla paste and rub into the flour mixture the hard coconut oil until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

·         Mix in the rapadura sugar and the egg, gently mix it all together until it resembles a smooth dough. If needed you can add a little extra water.

·         Press pastry evenly into the prepared tins.

·         Bake blind for 10 minutes by covering with a layer of baking paper and spreading with a layer of rice or baking beans.

·         Then remove baking paper and rice and cook for few extra minutes until lightly golden brown.

·         Remove from oven.

·         Filling. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan. Add in the finely grated orange rind, stir through and remove from heat.

·         Sift the sugar into coconut oil mixture, add in the eggs and whisk it all together.

·         Add in the tapioca flour and the orange juice, whisk.

·         Bring it to the boil and then remove from heat and pour into a shallow dish and refrigerate for around 10 minutes or until cool.

·         Pour the cooled egg mixture on top of the pastry bases; sprinkle each evenly with the extra rapadura sugar.

·         Cover all pastry edges with alfoil and put the tarts under a medium hot grill to caramelise, and they will visually firm up.

·         Remove from heat and allow to completely cool.

·         Combine 1 packet of the fruit glaze with 250 mls fresh orange juice in a medium saucepan.

·         Bring to the boil, stirring and then remove from heat.

·         Cut up the fresh strawberries and arrange them on top of the tart.

·         Cover with the fruit glaze.

·         Allow to set.

·         Serve.

Notes

·         Rapadura sugar is a much healthier, whole foods alternative to refined sugars. It isn’t processed under hot temperatures or spun so it retains its many mineral and vitamin qualities.

·         Macadamias are not just an exciting Australian native they are also full of health benefits and loaded with important nutrients including healthy proteins, minerals, vitamins, monounsaturated fats, dietary fibre and phytochemicals. They also have no trans fatty acids. Here on the Sunshine Coast we have locally processed macadamias and macadamia meal (much like almond meal) as used in this recipe here from Nutworks in Yandina.

·         Coconut oil is a great healthy alternative to butter with many health benefits.

·         The fruit glaze used here is a natural product made from seaweed.

·       Fab Slabs schopping boards  (pictured with the tarts) are a local Sunshine Coast ethical company making beautiful chopping boards from Camphor Laurel trees which are a pest species in this area.

Strawberries

Strawberries, as a garden plant, were said to be being taken from the forests to the gardens in France in the 1300’s and are even mentioned in ancient Roman literature. They have vast become a beloved fruit. 

At BFresh on the Sunshine Coast and when in season people can find a locally produced variety of strawberry that has been grown here for over 20 years, right here due to a special relationship between the grower and BFresh. These strawberries are all about taste, you know the ones, bright red and they taste and smell amazing, they are not ones that are bred to travel and store well, rather they are the kind you remember from your childhood.

Strawberries don’t just taste wonderful; they are a great source of vitamin C, flavanoids and anti oxidants. And as a snack they are guilt free with 1 cup of fresh strawberries being generally less than 50 calories!

Strawberries are also easy to grow and are beautiful looking plants; they make a gorgeous hanging basket.
They can be grown from seed or runners, I prefer to grow mine from runners, their natural way to reproduce. Give them plenty of sunshine, really good drainage ( they do not like soggy feet), if growing in pots, do not scrimp and buy only really good quality potting mix, in the ground a slightly acidic soil with composted material is best and a good thick layer of mulch makes strawberries happy. Companion plant with marigolds, borage, basil, spinach, silverbeet. Remove dead leaves, water in the morning if you can and keep a big watch out for aphids, easily removed with soapy water.

Recipe and photography © RebeccaMugridge2013

Brown Rice & Quinoa Pumpkin Wine Risotto & WIN the wine to make it!

Recently I was sent two beautiful wines to review that are by Taylors Wines
(A hardship I know!)

I have always enjoyed a glass of a great wine with a beautiful meal shared with friends. My first experiences with wine were straight out of studying Horticulture to my first job working in vineyards in Mt Barker in Western Australia. It was such a wonderful experience, (ok well maybe apart from all the secateurs cuts ;) working in vineyards and with winemakers gave me such an insight into wine and grape vines and the beauty of the whole process.

Mixing this with great food was always a part of it for me and from my experiences of my mothers kitchen table.

When I tried the Gewurztraminer I knew I wanted to cook with it!

This dish I have created is a relaxing recipe to create, it is slowly cooked and a savoured experience. Beautiful, enjoyable cooking, best done while also enjoying a glass of this lovely wine and even better while chatting to a great friend or two.

Brown rice, Quinoa and Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients

• 3 cloves Australian garlic, chopped
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup Taylors White Wine I used Gewurztraminer
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 cup organic brown rice ( I actually found the organic cheaper than the non organic at coles!)
• 1/2 litre good vegetable stock
• 4 cups vegetable stock, gently warmed (not hot) 
• water as needed
• 1/2 medium pumpkin
• a few garlic cloves extra (optional)
• 100g feta
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Himalayan pink salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 180'c
• Slice the pumpkin into slices about 3 cm long and 1/2 cm thick.
• Drizzle with a little olive oil and arrange on a baking tray, add some extra cloves of garlic and roast in the oven until cooked through and a little crispy on the outside. Set aside.
• Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a saucepan.
• Add in the lentils, reduce to a simmer and cook until soft. Set aside
• Fry the onion and leek in the olive oil until wilted.
• Add in the garlic and turmeric, stir through 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the brown rice, stir through so it is covered gently in olive oil.
• Pour in the wine, stir over a medium heat until it is mostly evaporated.
• Pour yourself a small glass of the beautiful Gewurztraminer (totally optional of course feel free to insert herbal tea here if you wish) and relax as you slowly enjoy and experience the next step of slowly adding stock to the rice, a bit at a time, stirring, enjoying the smells and textures in the pan, why not munch on some lovely carrot and red capsicum sticks too!
• Keep simmering that rice, stirring, adding stock a little at a time. If you need to use some water do so, when the rice is mostly cooked but still just a little crunchy add in the quinoa and lentils with any remaining stock and a enough water so there is enough liquid to cook the quinoa in. Mix together well and continue to simmer until rice and quinoa are cooked. Turn the heat off.

• Chop the feta into small bite sized pieces.
• Carefully fold the pumpkin pieces through the rice mixture and then the feta. The heat will allow the feta to gently melt a little in places. Remove skin and through roasted garlic cloves through.
• Serve.
• Optionally top with some freshly chopped parsley 
• Optionally serve with a glass of chilled Gewurztraminer to adult dinner guests so the flavour experience continues.

Notes

• The alcohol burns off during cooking 
• This dish makes beautiful leftovers the next day, enjoyed cold or hot.

Toddler Tips

• If you want to make a wine free version simple make a much smaller version for them and use stock in place of the wine, they do not usually notice the onion but you can leave out if you wish also.
• If you are serving this for a dinner party or the parents are enjoying a nice glass of wine with the meal why not make it fun for kids and let them have a chilled fruit juice in a stemmed glass too (you could always use plastic stemmed glasses from the party section at most shops if your worried about glass.

One lucky reader will win two bottles of Taylors Wines!

‘Bringing great wines to life.’

Established three generations ago in South Australia’s beautiful Clare Valley, Taylors Wines is a family-owned Australian wine company that was born from a passion of producing exceptional,  hand crafted wines. With a philosophy that embraces balance, elegance and finesse in every wine, Taylors truly brings great wines to life.

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