Delicious homemade raw chocolates three ways (preservative and dairy free)

I am sorry this post comes at the tail end of Easter when, like most people today, I am trying to avoid the mountain of chocolate treats we were given over the past few days but I know that at some point in the future you will eventually seek it out again. The last few weeks I have found that every time I am at the supermarket, I end up standing there staring at shelves of foil wrapped lardy-sweetness wondering what I really want to give to people, wondering what might actually contain palm oil, and what might really be hiding under all that shiny facade.
And so it was that I did what had to be done. I called for backup. This came in the form of my extremely talented and nutritionally wise friend, Dee. She was here to enlighten me in the world of making my own chocolate using raw, organic whole foods. I thought this might take us all afternoon, but in reality it was very quick and with a very delicious end result.

For about 25 smallish chocolates you will need:

• 100gm cacao butter (this comes as a solid and is available from most health or whole food stores and online)
• 4 tbs raw cacao powder, plus extra to adjust to taste
• 3 tbs maple syrup, plus extra if needed. You could use any sweetener you prefer, Dee had advised that honey can tend to separate and sit to the bottom so just a heads up about that.
• Chocolate moulds or ice cube trays. Something silicone may be easiest to get the chocs out of at the end, so be careful if using the ice cube trays.
• Berries, nuts, coconut etc if choosing to add fillings (see below)

The process itself it very simple:

1. Chop or grate the cacao butter into small pieces (this will make it melt quicker) and melt in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. 

 

2. Remove from heat and stir in cacao powder and maple syrup, adjusting to taste.
3. Pour into moulds and place in the fridge to set.
4. Leave refrigerated until serving.

That is actually it. I know, ridiculously easy.

So, on my first solo attempt I decided I wanted a challenge, and made three types of chocolates with different, healthy fillings.
Here are some optional fillings:

• place a fresh raspberry in each mould prior to filling, and pour chocolate over the top. The raspberries go kind of oozy in the chocolate and are really yummy.

 

• place a hazelnut (or nut of choice) in the mould and add 1tsp cinnamon to the chocolate mix prior to filling moulds

• This was my favourite - I think if it as the 'cranberry bounty' and was done in layers in the mould. 
• Firstly place a 1-2 tsp chocolate mix in the bottom of each mould and place in freezer for 10 minutes to set.

• While your bases are setting, place 4 tbs cranberry flakes, 2 tbs dried cranberries, and 1 dessert spoon coconut oil (melted) in a small blender and blitz it all together.

• Remove bases from freezer and top with a layer of the coconut mix. Return to freezer for 10 minutes to set.

• Remove from freezer and top with remaining chocolate. You may need to remelt the chocolate prior to using it again, and will definitely need to give it a really good stir prior to pouring it in.

• Leave to set in the fridge.

Then just box them up, and give them out. I had visions of handing out delightful, vintage looking Eastery tins, however the fact I left this until the week of Easter, and had to work the 3 days prior to good Friday meant that all I was left with was plastic. But a little ribbon and a Pinterest printable had them looking a bit cheerier.

I am still waiting for feedback on these ones, but the verdict in our house was 'almost as good as Dee's', which I will most graciously accept.

For more clean and calm living tips from Dee, you can find her on Facebook as Deelightful Doings and see her recipes featured on The Home Journal. She is a remarkably inspiring gal so please check her out!

xx

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars (they are low calorie too!)

In an age of health fads, when the phase of today seems to have everyone quitting sugar, I am here to say that I am no quitter. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. It seems the older I get, the sweeter my tooth becomes. While some may say this my sugar 'addiction', I am much more interested in how I indulge this sweet tooth sensibly as opposed to removing it completely.
At present, one of my favourite work time snacks is a granola bar - easy, calorie controlled, and hits the sweet spot. But with my increasingly greener view on things, I feel a little guilty every time that wrapper goes in the bin. So this week, I decided to have a crack at making my own granola bars, and after scouring many a website for a low calorie version, below is my own attempt. And they turned out pretty tasty.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup rice bubbles/ krispies (I use an organic version from the supermarket)
• 1/2 cup chopped raw almonds
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbs wheat germ (optional)
• 2 tbs coconut oil
• 1/3 cup honey (we use a great local honey)
• 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 175℃
2. Line a large baking dish (mine was 23cm x 33cm) with baking paper
3. Combine oats, rice bubbles, almonds, dried fruit, coconut, cinnamon and wheat germ in a large bowl
4. Melt together the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil and vanilla until they come together in a smooth consistency. You can use either in a small saucepan on the stove top, or a microwave-safe bowl (30 seconds, give it a stir, then 20 seconds more).
5. Mix the wet and dry ingredients really well, for a couple of minutes really, so that everything is well coated.
6. Put the mixture into the prepared tray and squash it down as hard as you can into a firm layer. I used the back of a spatula with a little coconut oil on it to help push it down.
7. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing into 24 bars.

I found this version really yummy, and with just a nice little crunch to it. 

Sparks recipe calculator has these figured at about 95 calories per serve (a serve being 1 slice, when cut into 24 pieces). 

Happy snacking!

xx

Homemade Granola

My apologies, dear blog, for being so neglectful to you these past months. I'm not even going to think how long it has been, but somewhere between raising (wrangling?) a toddler, working 3-4 days a week, contributing to some local groups, having something resembling a social life, and trying to find time in all this for some exercise and healthy eating, well I am afraid time for myself, the time to sit down with a cup of tea and share something in this space, has been impossible to find.

But I am working on trying to get more balance in my life. Balance between what I want and need, and what is wanted and needed from me. This last year has seen some very positive changes in my lifestyle. I have lost, and kept off, about 10kg and am very much enjoying life in the healthy weight range. But balance here is also tricky. Balance between low-calorie healthy meals and healthy wholefood options, and then trying to find the happy medium somewhere in middle.

One yummy breakfast our family of three has been loving lately is fresh fruit salad topped with yoghurt and granola. In an effort to reduce packaging, and have more control over what is in what we are eating, I have been making my own granola of late, and we are all pretty keen on it. Ruby asks for "yoghurt with crunchies" for her breakfast and devours it in a flash.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 3/4 cups of chopped raw almonds
• 1/2 cup pepitas
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (I have also used agarve syrup, but use a little less of that one)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbs coconut oil (melted)
• 1 cup caramelised buckwheat (optional - add in after toasting, I use 'Loving Earth Caramelised Buckinis')

1. Preheat oven to 150℃, and line two large baking sheets with baking paper
2. Combine oats, coconut, cinnamon, almonds and pepitas in a large mixing bowl
3. Combine melted oil, vanilla and syrup in a small bowl
4. Now just mix it all together really well, so everything is kind of glossy and has a little shine to it
5. Spread out onto the two trays in thin layers
6. Bake for 30 minutes, turning everything over with a spatula every 10 minutes, or until evenly golden brown.
7. Allow to cool completely before stirring through the caramelised buckwheat, then store in a large airtight container. It should keep for a few weeks... ours never lasts that long though.

xx

My transformation journey... with some healthy cookies on the side

The last few months have been an interesting journey for me. In an effort to lose the last of my 'baby weight' (she is 16 months after all), and having realised that just 'wanting' to be thin wasn't quite going to get me there, I decided it was time to bite the bullet and make some serious changes. 

So I enlisted some help, and signed up for the  'Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation'. This fabulous program provides you with weekly exercise and meal plans, including all your recipes and a shopping list. It also provides online forums and chat rooms to share your journey with the other participants, and lots of mindset videos from Michelle (one of the personal trainers from Australia's Biggest Loser) to help you identify your behaviours and to keep you on track. The most important thing you should know about this program is that it works, you just have to do it. Maybe I was a little relaxed about it at times, not willing to part with wine or chocolate completely, but I still managed to lose 6kg, and a total of 38cm from my curves - surpassing my own goals for the challenge. Aaron also dropped a few kg's by default!

The main things I have taken away from the last few months are these:

1. Be organised. Know and write down what you are planning to cook for the coming week, make some meals in advance, and have healthy snack options on hand. Keeping a food diary is really insightful too.

2. Identify and eliminate your excuses. I am always full of excuses not to exercise, so I opted for a home exercise routine. This meant that rain, hail or shine it is pretty hard to find an excuse to not get up and go out to your living room to do your workout. It just means getting up that bit earlier (5.30am and I are now good friends).

3. Being mindful of what you are eating. Ever since I started thinking about the calories in things it makes me a lot more conscious of what is going into my body.

4. Keep it real. I like wine. I like a little sweet treat in the evening. You can still have these things, just maybe not everyday, and look for lower calorie alternatives that won't leave you with a major blowout.

With a new found sense of awareness about what I am eating, but my old faithful love of baking and my sweet tooth still close at hand, I have been on a little net-capade to find some healthier versions of beloved treats. There is some amazing stuff out there, like the beautiful 'Green Kitchen Stories', the great sugar free recipe collection on 'Weight it up' or the interesting recipes from 'Chocolate Covered Katie's healthy dessert blog (she does some surprising sweets with tofu and chickpeas that I am still trying to get my head around). 

I wanted to share two yummy cookies recipes that I have tried lately that I have been really happy with - particularly as they low on the guilt!

Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie)

These little guys are  ridiculously yummy, and super quick to make - do a double batch though, because they won't last long!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp coconut palm sugar* (could use a combination of 2 tbsp brown and 1 tbsp white instead)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp sultanas/ raisins
• 1 tbsp coconut oil* (olive oil or melted margarine is ok too)
• 1-2 tbsp milk of choice (I've used almond and regular skim milk, both are good)

Preheat oven to 180° and line a tray with baking paper.

Combine the oats, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and whiz until the oats have broken up and become a little floury (but still with some visible oatiness about them). 

Stir in sultanas, oil and milk. Add enough milk to just bind the mix together.

Roll into 12 balls (about 3/4 desert spoons of mix each) and push flat, or I use a small cookie cutter and push the dough down into it with the back of a spoon. 

Make sure you leave a decent gap between the cookies as they can spread.

Bake for 6 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool slightly on tray before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

(Makes 12: approx 40 calories per cookie**)

Black Bean Cookies (from Green Kitchen Stories)

These cookies have a bit of a brownie texture to them, which is awfully appealing. As they are relatively healthy, they are also a nice treat for kids - our Ruby loves them.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked black beans
• 2 tbsp coconut oil* (or olive oil)
• 2 tbsp nut butter (I used almond)
• 2 tbsp milk (they recommend oat/ plant milk, but I used dairy)
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar*
• 4 tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Optional: 40gm dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180° and line a tray with baking paper.

Rinse the beans well under cold water and drain well.

Place beans, oil, nut butter and milk in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Sift together sugar, cacao powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and add to the bean mixture.

Process again until well combined. It will look more than brownie batter than cookie dough.

Dollop spoonfuls onto a lined tray and smooth them into cookie shapes (I made 16 cookies). 

Dot with the chocolate chips if using them. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes (they should still be a little soft when they come out of the oven).

Leave on tray for a few minutes, then cool on wire rack.

Made 16 cookies: approx 70 calories per cookie** (about 56 calories if not using choc chips).

* Coconut sugar and coconut oil are available at most health food shops, but can be pricey. I found some pretty cheap at a local Asian grocery store.

**Calorie information was formulated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

I hope you enjoy these tasty morsels, and don't forget to share any great healthy recipes that have been hits in your kitchen too.

xx

Little lemon tarts

For my mother in law's very special birthday afternoon tea something scrumptious was definitely in order. With their creamy and zesty lemon curd filling, a sweet, buttery pastry case, and a tart little raspberry on top, I knew these little treasures would be the perfect addition to her sweets table. So I reached out to my amazingly talented sweet-treat-extraordinaire bestie for her lemon curd recipe, which she has been gracious enough to permit me to share (thanks Nikki K xx).

You will need:

• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (grated)
• 125gm butter, diced
• fresh raspberries
• sweet pastry cases (see notes below)

To make the lemon curd:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil over a medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low
2. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium sized stainless steel or glass bowl until blended together.
3. Place the bowl over the water, and whisk in the butter until it is incorporated into the curd (make sure the bowl is the right size so as to fit snugly into the saucepan, without the water touching the bottom of the bowl).
4. Continue to whisk for about 5 minutes, or until the curd is thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Remove from the heat and continue whisking for about 10 minutes, or until most of the heat has dissipated.
6. Place the lemon curd in the fridge to cool completely. It is a good idea to press a piece of glad wrap directly onto the top of the curd, as this will prevent a 'skin' from forming over the surface. Also cover with an airtight lid. (I prepared my curd the day before so it is quite thick and cold by the time I need it, but it will keep for about 5 days).
7. To complete the tarts, remove the lemon curd from the fridge and remove the glad wrap layer.
8. Spoon your lemon curd into your pastry cases and fill to just below the rim, place a raspberry on top, and dust with icing sugar.

NOTES:

* I am lazy, and used pre-made pastry cases. You could make your own if you are so inclined, using maybe a ready to go sweet pastry, like Careme brand, or here is a recipe for making your own sweet short-crust pastry - I haven't used this recipe myself, but as it is one of Jamie Oliver's I trust it will be a pretty safe bet!

* I made 30 of these mini tarts, in cases that were about 2cm x 2cm, and had heaps of curd left over. Leftover curd is delicious with fresh scones and whipped cream, or in a little meringue nest with fresh berries and vanilla ice-cream, or would be great on pancakes.

Enjoy xx

Chocolate cake with peppermint buttercream

It was my husband's birthday on the weekend and I, naturally, wanted to make him a cake. Every year around his birthday we have the same conversation. It goes like this:

I ask him "What sort of cake would you like?" 

And every year he says "Chocolate ripple cake."

Then I say "Wouldn't you like something a bit better than chocolate ripple cake?" 

And he says "What is better than chocolate ripple cake?"

So I end up making him chocolate ripple cake (for those who may not know, chocolate ripple cake is essentially a row of chocolate biscuits sandwiched together and covered all over with whipped cream).

This year we were going away with friends, and I was determined to make something other than the stock standard. Aaron loves chocolate and peppermint together, and this cake was a perfect combination of the two. Even better, it is ridiculously easy.

This would work with any chocolate cake recipe you like. I used old faithful Betty Crocker's extra moist chocolate cake (the packet mix... we're not too fancy for that), and simply split the batter between two pans.

For the frosting, I made peppermint buttercream using the recipe I got from Pip and Ebby's fabulous blog. Her version is for cupcakes, and it makes a lot of frosting, so you might want to make a half quantity and see how you go. I used the frosting in between the cakes and also on top and it was delicious but pretty intense. I think it would also be great with whipped cream in the middle, and the frosting on top.

And then, to jazz it up a little, I crushed up a peppermint crisp bar and piled that in the centre of the top. You could use and sort of choc mint bar, I guess, or even just shaved chocolate.

The mint flavouring was only in the frosting, you could do any other version you like. Caramel frosting with crushed up honeycomb on top, or strawberry frosting with fresh berries, or coffee frosting with those little choc coated beans on top... the options are endless.

Anyway, I think he was pretty happy with the result and that is all that matters.

xx

Carrot cake cookies

Just to prove I have not completely neglected my oven, here is a little taste of what we have been enjoying in our household of late. I love these cookies, but restrict myself to only baking them for very special occasions, and a friend's baby shower was the perfect excuse to bring them out... much to my husband's delight. This is a recipe my sister gave me, and I am sorry I can't credit it more than that (though if you knew my sister and her amazing baking that would be credit enough), and these little morsels are always a winner. There is just something about the fluffy cream cheese filling sandwiched between those soft, cakey cookies that is a real treat to devour.

Ingredients:

• 250gm softened butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 ½ cups self raising flour
• ½ teaspoon all spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 ½ cups grated carrot
• ½ cup sultanas
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup chopped pecan nuts

Filling:

• 50gm butter, softened
• 75gm cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2/3 cup icing sugar (sifted) 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C, and line 3 trays with baking paper.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
4. Stir in sifted flour, baking powder, all spice and cinnamon.
5. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
6. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Roll into balls (tablespoon size balls for big cookies/ dessert spoon size for a smaller treat), and place an inch apart on lined baking tray.
8. Bake for 12-20 minutes, depending on size, or until lightly browned.
9. Cool completely on wire racks.
10. Combine all filling ingredients until fluffy. Add more icing sugar to taste if you need it.
11. Sandwich biscuits together with the frosting, and dust with icing sugar.

I did dessert spoon size this time, and got about 30 of the completed cookies (60 individual biscuits).

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.

xx 

Foodie Christmas Gift Idea - Cookies in a Jar

This year has been all about making gifts for our loved ones. These 'cookies in a jar' were a great solution for my baking inclined foodie friends, and looked beautiful all done up in their jars.

For full instructions and the yummy recipe see http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22549/abbys+cookies+in+a+jar 

xx

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

125gm unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup golden syrup

1 egg yolk

2 and 1/2 cups plain flour

1tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

• Preheat oven to 180°.
• Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until thick.
• Beat in syrup and yolk, then use a spoon to fold in flour, ginger, spice and soda until a smooth dough forms.
• Form dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Bring dough back to room temperature, then divide into 2 pieces. Roll dough out between two sheets of baking paper to about 5mm thick. 
• Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then space out on baking tray (you may need to do a few batches).
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.
• Cool on wire racks.

Decorate with a stiff icing (eg. 1 cup icing sugar to 2 tbsp warm water) and piping bag or, if are lazy like me, get some icing pens from the supermarket and use these as an easy, mess free alternative.

xx

It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas

I adore Christmas. I love it when December 1st rolls around, and I can crank the carols, put up my tree and start baking. I think I have inherited this obsession with all things festive from my mother, and so many of the things I love to do and cook this time of year are from her, and from the things she has traditionally cooked in our family home.
Without fail, one of the most beloved of Christmas treats are Jen's Russian teacakes. Buttery, sugary, short bread balls with a subtle crunch of walnuts. These are always a favourite among family and friends alike.

Jen's Russian Tea Cakes

Ingredients:

250gm butter, softened

1/2 cup icing sugar (sifted)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 and 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Additional icing sugar for coating

Recipe:

• Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
• Blend in sifted flour and salt
• Stir in walnuts
• Chill dough in the fridge for 1 hour (at least)
• Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and place on paper lined baking trays (should make about 50)
• Bake at 170 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set but not brown
• Roll once in icing sugar while still warm, then cool on wire rack. When completely cool roll in icing sugar again.
• Store in airtight container.

I hope they are as enjoyed at your Christmas as they are at ours xx

Persian orange syrup cake

I really needed a win in the baking stakes this week, something to lift me from the shame of the uncooked brownie fiasco of last Saturday, and I am quietly chuffed with this little beauty. This gluten free delight is all moist in the middle and covered in a sweet and zesty orange syrup. I should have read the recipe before starting this at 7.30pm last night, as I find it takes a while to boil whole oranges 3 times over, however following that it was a pretty nifty little recipe available here:

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/25079/gluten+free+persian+orange+and+almond+cake

Enjoy xx