Bit-like Coconut Curry

I was going to call this "Corn & Kale Curry" but I decided "Bit-like Coconut Curry" sounded far more appealing - especially to those who are not kale lovers in our home! It has all the flavour of a curry made with rich coconut milk, yet substantially less fat.
Thankfully it went down a real treat - even none kale-loving members went back for seconds!!! I hope you enjoy it just as much as they did.

BIT-LIKE COCONUT CURRY

(Serves 4)
You'll need:
400g corn cobs (about 3 cobs) - kernels removed
1 bunch kale - finely chopped
500g pumpkin - about 1/4 medium sized one
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 1/2 cups soymilk
1 1/2 teaspoon coconut essense
1 Tablespoon curry powder of choice
1 teaspoon dessicated coconut (optional)

Chop all the veggies.
Saute the onion & garlic with a bit of water until lightly browned.
Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 
Reduce heat & simmer for 20 minutes until pumpkin is soft.
Using the back of a spoon gently press the pumpkin pieces so they begin to fall apart. Stir dish well so everything is well distributed.

Serve over rice or potatoes.

 

Kids Lunchbox Club - Choc Coco Sultana Slice

Who doesn't love a delicious warm chocolately cake coming out of the oven????
And with school starting back this week, what a wonderful treat to pop into a lunchbox.
Treats in our home don't come in packets and they aren't full of fat!
This one even warms the heart of those who aren't fond of fat-free baking!

Choc-Coco Sultana Slice

You'll need:
1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
3/4 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or other dry sweetener of choice)
1/2 cup sultanas
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup soymilk (or other plant milk of choice)
50 grams dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70%)

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, coconut, sugar, cocoa powder and sultanas. Make sure the sultanas are coated well with dry mixture so they don't all sink when baked. 
Pour in the soymilk and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
Break the chocolate into little pieces and stir through the mixture.
Pour into a lined baking dish (I used 20x30cm) and bake in a preheated 200C for 20 minutes.
Slice and serve.
Or allow to cool before putting in a lunchbox!

Easy DIY Cereal

Cereal's these days container many additives, and that's not even the cereal that people KNOW is bad for them!
Here's a great alternative to store-bought cereal. Yes I've used some sweetener - that way it's enjoyable, but with much less sugar than other cereals!

Its really tasty and easy to make.

You'll need:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup golden syrup

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. 
Spread onto lined baking trays (I used two).
Bake at 160C for 40 minutes stirring every ten minutes.

This doesn't end up as crunchy as granola and its not as moist.
It is definitely more like a 'cereal'.

Of course, you could always make this cereal without baking it - just omit the apple sauce and golden syrup. It just won't have quite the same flavour.

WIAW - Choc-Hazel-Goji Granola

Welcome to WIAW

I haven't done a Wednesday post for some time, so enjoy today's one!
It comes with a super yummy breakfast recipe.

Today's eats:

Breakfast was the totally delicious granola recipe below - sure beats nutella on toast!

Lunch I made a quick salad with cooked wholemeal pasta, salad leaf mix, grated carrot, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped capsicum and spring onions - topped off with a big dollop of hummus. Quick, easy, delicious :-)
Dinner was roasted sweet potato with a mexican bean mix with capsicum, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, borolotti beans and mushrooms.

Now for the promised recipe:

Chocolate Hazelnut Goji-berry Granola

You'll need:
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup goji berries
1/4 cup raisins

Smash the hazelnuts by placing them in a zip-lock bag and beating with a meat-mallet until broken into little pieces.
In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, smashed hazelnuts, pepitas, cocoa powder & coconut. Stir well.
Pour in the apple sauce and brown rice syrup.
Stir until well combined & all the oats have been coated with the moist ingredients. It will look like it won't all combine but keep stirring and it eventually does.
Pour mixture onto a lined baking tray and spread evenly and as thin as possible.
Place in a preheated 160C oven.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
Remove tray from the oven & allow to cool.
Stir in the goji berries & raisins until evenly distributed.
Pour into an airtight container for storage.

Here's a picture-tip for how to easily transfer the granola into the storage container:

Because sometimes in life we need all the tips we can get right!!! ;-)


Here's another one then...... don't start nibbling on this before putting it in the container - its soooo good that you won't have much left to transfer otherwise!!!

Meatless Monday - Flax seeds

Today's Meatless Monday food is flax seeds.

I'm a big flax seed fan. I eat them most mornings & regularly add them to cakes & cookies.
Today however I'm doing something different. Instead of just adding flax seeds into other ingredients in a way that they sometimes get lost, I made them the main ingredient!
I wasn't sure how these cookies would turn out but I must admit that I'm very pleased with how they worked out. They taste amazing!!!!

Flax seed & Coconut Cookies

You'll need:
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 large banana
2 Tablespoons brown rice syrup
2 Tablespoons soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grind the flax seeds til very fine. (Note if using already ground flax seeds you'll need about a cup.) Stir the coconut into the ground flax seeds. Mash the banana well. Add to the flax/coconut mixture along with the remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined. The mixture will be slightly sticky and will hold together well.
Shape into small balls and flatten onto a lined baking sheet
Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Wonderfully chewy and lightly sweetened - what a great healthy treat!

 

Submitted for Healthy Vegan Friday.
You can add your recipe at these blogs:
carrie on vegan                    veggie nook                    greenthickies 

Christmas Drink # 11 - Christmas Cocktail

Drink #11 - Christmas Cocktail

A cocktail had to come into the drinks somewhere!! I was debating if I should wait til after Christmas and post this as a New Year Cocktail but, then again, no one thinks of green & red as new year colours! So here you have it - the Christmas Cocktail.....

In a cocktail glass combine:
- 1 shot of Midori Melon Liqueur
- 1 shot of rum
- 1 teaspoon coconut essense

Fill the glass to the top with lemonade.
Top with frozen cranberries & coconut shreds.

Christmas Drink #10 - Strawberries & Cream Smoothie

Drink #10 - Strawberries & Cream Smoothie

I decided to include a smoothie in my collection of Christmas drinks. Here's the reason why..... often the morning after a big Christmas meal we don't really feel like having too much, but then I find that skipping breakfast only sets us up for eating more later in the day! Here's a great way to start the day with a festive feel to it! Or, a great afternoon snack!
 

Combine in a blender:

250ml orange juice (that's the juice from 2 oranges, give or take - depending on how juicey the oranges are!)
1 cup frozen strawberry pieces
1 frozen banana
1/4 cup coconut cream

Blend until all the pieces are broken down & well combined.

 

Unprocessed - Start of Week 3

Monday

Breakfast was oats with 'blueberry sauce' - made by blending frozen bluberries with a date and enough milk to combine. Definitely one of my favourites!

Lunch was the leftover half of my burger from last night with some home-made chips. 
I simply cut one potato (skin on) and covered with paprika and sage. Baked at 200C, spread out on a baking sheet for 40 minutes. 

For afternoon tea I had an orange and a handful of prunes and 5 brazeil nuts! Dinner was a stir fry with peanut sauce, served over brown rice.

Tonight's dessert was a total indulgence!
Microwave chocolate cake with creamed coconut milk (difference from the linked recipe is no chocolate bits in the centre and no sugar!).

How to make creamed coconut milk:


Place a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight (or longer).
When you are ready to use it, remove the top of the can and scoop out all the part that is 'set'.

Put into a bowl and add a teaspoon of vanilla and a tablespoon of sweetner of choice.
Whisk until light, fluffy and thick.

Tuesday

Breakfast was brown rice with raisins and cinnamon.

For lunch I made red lentil soup and had a bread roll with it.
In a pot combine 2 carrots, one potato, one onion & half cup red lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Blend.
Delicious soup!

Dinner was another easy night. I am flat out this week organising my daughter's party that's coming up this weekend.
Gotta love an easy meal that taste good.
I chopped various veggies and sauteed with mixed beans and tomatoes. 

For dessert I had no pastry apple pie. I altered this recipe by using hazelnut in place of almond & rolled rye in place of oats, and omitting the raisins. Still delicious though! And topped with creamed coconut milk.

DID YOU KNOW?

A single serving of hazelnuts makes up nearly 20% of our recommended daily need of Vitamin E. Vitamin E doesn't occur naturally in our bodies. Vitamin E helps to fight free radicals that cause cancer.

Coconut Apricot Bars

Here's a great idea for a healthy treat for kids lunchbox...... or for adults who enjoy snacks too! (I include myself in that list!)
Bonus: Its so easy to make.

In a food processor combine:
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup almonds

Process until mixture resembles crumbs and then add:
2 Tablespoons brown rice syrup
1 Tablespoon vanilla soymilk

Continue to process for a bit longer until mixture holds together. It will be slightly sticky but not too sticky too handle.

Press into a muesli bar maker or roll into balls.
NB: This may work if you press it into a baking tin & then cut it but I haven't personally tried it that way.

This mixture makes enough to perfectly fill the Tupperware T-bar set which is an ultra easy way to make healthy bars at home!

Tropical Brown Rice Breakfast

This is far to simple to count as a real recipe! ;-)
But I needed to share this breakfast idea with you because it's very tasty & very filling, a breakfast essential.

Place 1/2 cup cooked brown rice in a bowl & microwave til just warmed through. Pour over 150ml almond milk. Add half cup sliced pineapple and a chopped banana. Top with 1 Tablespoon shredded coconut, 1 Tablespoon sunflower kernels and cinnamon.

Easy breakfast = great start to the morning

Pina Colada Doughnuts

Ok so these are actually kid friendly as they don't really have rum in them! Though I'm sure you could add some for an adult treat!  The term "Pina Colada" is known as that marvellous taste combination of pineapple & coconut!

And yes, these are marvellous! :-)

You'll need:
A small tin of pineapple pieces
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup soymilk

Put the whole tin of pineapple pieces into a bowl and mash - Don't drain the pineapple pieces. You can mash thoroughly til little pieces are formed or you can leave bigger pieces if you prefer.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar & coconut. Stir well then add the mashed pineapple pieces and soymilk. Combine well but don't overmix.
Pour into a oil sprayer doughnut pan & bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

They come out a lovely golden brown colour.

These are delicious just plain like this - or else for an added little treat you can add some glaze.
The glaze is really easy - just mix 1/4 cup icing sugar with approx 2 teaspoons of water - mix well, then drizzle over the doughnuts & top with coconut shreds.

Date & Coconut Slice

This is made in 3 parts.
Its a little time consuming & fiddly but oh so worth it!

For the base you'll need:
1 cup plain flour
100g nuttelex.

For the filling you'll need:
1 cup dried dates
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dessiccated coconut
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping you'll need:
30g walnuts
2 tablespoons shredded coconut (you can use desiccated if you wish but the shredded looks great as a topping!)

Line a 2cm square cake tin with baking paper.
Preheat your oven to 180C.
Put the flour into a mixing bowl & add the nuttelex cut into bite size pieces. Use your hands to rub the nuttelex into the flour until the mixture is crumbly.
Push the mixture into the lined cake tin and press down firmly.
Bake in the oven for 13 minutes (it won't look cooked or very golden - that's ok!).
Chop the dried dates into little pieces & place into a saucepan. Pour boiling water over the top of the dates until just covered. Place on the stove & bring to the boil & then simmer until nearly all the water is dried out - takes about 10 mins. Remove from heat & drain any excess water.
Place dates, brown sugar, desiccated coconut, corn flour & vanilla into a mixing bowl & mix well.
Pour the date mixture over the base. Spread until evenly coated.
Place the walnuts in a sandwich lock bag. Zip shut & then crush with a meat mallet!!! You can make the crumbs as small or large as you like. Add the shredded coconut to the bag and mix well.
Sprinkle the coconut/walnut mixture over the top of the date filling & lightly press down til its just into the date mix.
Bake in the oven for a further 15 minutes or until lightly golden on the top.
Allow to cool before cutting into bite size squares.