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! 

RECIPE - Moorish Macadamia Biscuits - Gluten Free

Moorish Macadamia Biscuits – Gluten Free

Using gorgeous local Nutworks Macadamia Paste these biscuits will be a hit in the school lunch box. They also have no added sugar and are high in protein.

Ingredients

·         ½ cup Nutworks Macadamia Paste

·         ½ cup butter

·         ½ cup sour cream

·         ¼ cup Natvia stevia powder (find me in the sugar aisle)

·         8 drops liquid vanilla stevia

·         1 cup unsalted macadamias, chopped

·         1 &1/2 cups Maleny IGA almond meal

·         1 &1/2 cups Maleny IGA brown rice flour

·         2 Rawganix free range eggs

·         ¼ cup Buderim Naked Ginger, chopped (optional)

·         ¼ cup white choc chips (optional see notes for alternative)

·         ¼ cup extra macadamias, and mixed choc chips and ginger (if using)  to top biscuits

Method

·         Preheat oven to 180`c.

·         In a bowl combine butter, stevia’s, and eggs with a hand mixer.

·         Mix in the sour cream.

·         Add in the almond meal, rice flour, baking powder; combine well before adding in macadamias and also choc chips and ginger if including them.

·         Roll mixture into balls in your hands and place on grease proof paper lined trays.

·         Top each biscuit with some extra macadamias and ginger and chocolate if using for a decorative finish.

·         Bake for around 8-10 minutes or until golden, keep an eye on them.

·         Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire racks.

·         Store in air tight containers.

Notes

·         Make a chocolate version by adding a tablespoon of Planet Organic cocoa powder and an extra tablespoon stevia (or to taste).

·         Make these completely sugar free by leaving out ginger and white choc chips and using 1 x 50g bar of sugar free chocolate like Sweet William, chopped up, available in store.

·         If you are gluten intolerant check the chocolate you use for gluten free.

·         Make them extra ginger flavoured by using the Nutworks Macadamia Paste with Ginger.

·         Use honey instead of stevia, to taste.

Toddler Tips

·         These are great for kids as they are high protein and no added refined sugar other than the chocolate and glace ginger which can be left out.

·         Make small ones for little hands.

·         A great recipe to bake together!

This recipe is from the Local Product Local Recipe - recipe cards, promoting local products and producers from the Sunshine Coast region. Collect the free recipe cards in store at the Maleny IGA.

Maleny IGA makes it easy for you to support locals.
*Maleny IGA has in-store local supplier & gluten free shelf labelling. 
*Online shopping  & home delivery across the sunshine coast with easy local supplier tags.
*Weekly local recipe card using local ingredients by local author Rebecca Mugridge available in-store & on our website.
*Regular local product demos & tastings.
*CBC Program - 2012 raised $144,000 for local  charities.

Maleny Supa IGA  •  26 Maple St, Maleny  •  Ph: 5494 2257  

Recipe & Food Image Photography ©RebeccaMugridge 2013

RECIPE - No Added Sugar Choccyliscious Muffins

Sometimes you just want something gorgeous and CHOCOLATE right?
Well as many of my facebook followers would know this year I am really cutting back on SUGAR. But I still love to eat and cook and love baking and of course my choccy fix.
I also like to give my kids "treats" that are not full of junk, numbers and sugar.

These muffins really are super moist and melt in your mouth.

Enjoy! XX

Ingredients

• 1 cup dates (check packet to make sure no added sugar or anything nasty), soak overnight, covered or for at least 3 hours in enough water to just cover them.
• 1 cup natural yoghurt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup Planet Organic Natural Cocoa
• 1 free range egg
• 1/4 cup Natvia Stevia powder
• 10 drops liquid stevia in chocolate
• A couple of drops pure vanilla or vanilla stevia drops
• 1 & 1/2 cups wholemeal SR flour
• 1/4 cup Walnuts
• 1 Sweet William No Added Sugar chocolate bar, chopped

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180'c.
• Line a muffin tray with muffin cases.
• In a bowl use a hand mixer to combine butter, stevia drops, stevia powder.
• Best in egg.
• Mix in the cocoa powder.
• Add in the yoghurt, make sure mixed through and then drain and add in the dates.
• Very carefully add in  the flour until just combined.
• Spoon mixture into muffin cases.
• Top each one with some walnuts and chopped chocolate.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until muffins are golden on top and bounce back from your touch.
• Allow to cool on wire racks.
• Serve.

Notes

• Stevia can be swapped for honey.
• Mix chocolate and walnuts carefully through mixture before adding flour for flavour hits through the muffins as well.
• Get a big chocolate hit by serving with a mug of hot chocolate made with Planet Organic natural cocoa and stevia to sweeten.
• Freezable.
• Great for school lunches.
• Can be made gluten free with a gluten free flour, you may need to adapt recipe though, possibly include another egg etc.

Toddler Tips

• Use a miniature muffin tray to make toddler friendly sized ones.

Why not get excited about cutting back the sugar and join my facebook - sugar free for 1 week fun event! Have a sugar free recipe? Come share it with us or just come and join in the fun event! xx
https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.mugridge#!/events/137590813073302/

You can get the Stevia sweet drops, Planet Organi Cocoa Powder and Natvia Stevia Powder used in this recipe from the Maleny IGA