Category: recipe

Posted on

Apricot Oat Breakfast Cake

Apricot Oat Breakfast Cake – NOT YET MADE

A soft, not-too-sweet oat slice with tinned apricots. Works as a snack or a make-ahead breakfast and freezes well.

Yield: 1 slice (about 12 pieces)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tin apricot halves in juice, drained and chopped
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup neutral oil (such as vegetable oil)
  • ⅓ cup sugar or honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to about 170 °C. Line a slice tin or small rectangular baking dish with baking paper.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk the eggs, oil, sugar or honey and vanilla until combined.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the oats and stir until everything is moistened.
  5. Fold through the chopped apricots.
  6. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
  7. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the centre feels set.
  8. Allow to cool in the tin, then lift out and cut into squares or rectangles.
  9. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge, or wrap pieces and freeze.
Posted on

No-Bake Oat Slice

No-Bake Oat Slice – NOT YET MADE

Chewy no-bake oat slice held together with nut butter and honey. Great for hot weather when you don’t want to turn the oven on.

Yield: 1 slice (about 16 small squares)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup peanut butter or almond butter
  • ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ½ cup chopped dried apricot, dried cranberries or other dried fruit
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt, to taste

Cooking Directions

  1. Line a small slice tin or square dish with baking paper.
  2. Add the oats, chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips (if using) and salt to a large bowl.
  3. In a microwave-safe jug or small bowl, combine the peanut butter and honey.
  4. Microwave for 20–30 seconds until just warm and easy to stir, then mix until smooth.
  5. Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the oats and stir until everything is well coated.
  6. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press down very firmly so it holds together.
  7. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
  8. Lift out using the baking paper and cut into bars or squares.
  9. Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.
Posted on

Soft Chewy Fruit Oat Bars (baked)

Soft Chewy Fruit Oat Bars – NOT YET MADE

Soft, chewy oat bars made with oats and fruit. Great at room temperature or from the freezer, perfect for snacks or breakfast on the go.

Yield: 1 slice (about 12–16 bars, depending on cut size)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1–1½ cups mashed banana or unsweetened apple puree
  • 1 cup mixed add-ins (chopped dried apricot, dried apple, dried blueberries or chocolate chips)
  • 1–2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 pinch salt

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to about 170 °C (fan-forced if you like).
  2. Line a small slice tin or square baking pan with baking paper.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the oats and salt.
  4. Add the mashed banana or apple puree and honey or maple syrup. Stir until the oats are well coated.
  5. Stir through the chopped dried fruit and any chocolate chips or other add-ins.
  6. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the slice feels set in the centre.
  8. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then lift out and cut into bars or squares.
  9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze with baking paper between layers.
Posted on

Classic Chewy Chocolate Brownie

Chocolate Brownies

stolen (with edits) from https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/classic-chewy-brownie/f0960a83-1fa9-4e3e-b616-a995182613e0 and stolen image by Brett Stevens

Yield: many brownies (depending on cut size)

Ingredients

  • 125g unsalted butter, chopped
  • 125g dark baking chocolate
  • 3 eggs, lightly whisked
  • 335g raw castor sugar
  • 115g plain flour
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
  2. Grease a 20cm square pan and line with baking paper
  3. Whisk egg and add vanilla in a small bowl
  4. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa and salt in a large bowl
  5. Melt butter and chocolate in a second large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring with a metal spoon
  6. Remove from heat
  7. Quickly stir in egg mix and dry mix
  8. Pour into a prepared pan and decorate with sprinkles if desired
  9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with moist crumbs clinging
  10. Set aside to cool completely
Posted on

Nathan’s Lasagne

Nathan’s Lasagne

Ingredients

Pasta Sheets

    • 275g plain flour (or fancy-white/pasta-specific/bakers/etc)
    • 50g plain flour (extra for dusting)
    • 3 large eggs
    • Pinch salt (to taste)

Bolognese Sauce

    • 1tblspn oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 6-12 large garlic cloves, freshly minced
    • 300g middle bacon, diced
    • 1Kg beef mince
    • ~30g dry herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, parsley)
    • ~50g fresh herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, parsley), fresh chopped
    • 50-100ml red wine
    • 1 qtr. lime
    • 50g tomato paste
    • 800ml tomatoes, diced

Bechamel Sauce

    • 50g butter (or margarine/spread1)
    • 50g plain flour
    • 50g sheep’s cheese (broken up as fine and dry as possible)
    • 750ml oat milk (or milk1)

Extras for Baking

  • 1tblspn butter or oil
  • 50-100g sheep’s cheese (broken up as fine and dry as possible)

1 Bechamel will thicken much quicker if using cow-based ingredients, but will still work without.

Method

Pasta Sheets

    1. Wash and dry hands well.
    2. Place flour in a pile on a large, clean, hard surface with a large well in the centre.
    3. Crack eggs into the well, sprinkle salt on top.
    4. Gently beat eggs with a fork, slowly adding surrounding flour.
    5. Continue incorporating all the flour using fingers until you have a big sticky mess that you could not possibly imagine would form a clean ball of pasta. If dough is not too sticky, add a tablespoon of water.
    6. Form a clean ball of pasta by kneading and squelching until it magically stops being a sticky mess.
    7. Keep kneading, stretching and folding dough for about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and soft.
    8. Form a ball, wrap in cling-wrap and place in fridge for 1 hour.
    9. Remove from fridge and break into ~4 equal portions.
    10. With each portion roll, turn and fold with a rolling pin, dusting with flour, until the dough is a consistent 1mm thickness throughout.
    11. Use a pastry wheel or knife to cut sheets into your preferred rectangular size.
    12. Leave out to dry (perhaps cover with tea-towel and/or dust with more flour) for at least 30 minutes but preferably overnight.

Bolognese Sauce

    1. Heat large saucepan to a medium heat and add oil.
    2. Brown onions and garlic.
    3. Turn to medium-high heat and add diced bacon and cook until the fat softens.
    4. Add mince and cook until brown.
    5. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle and combine dry then fresh herbs.
    6. Add wine and reduce, followed by the juice of the lime.
    7. Add tomato paste and combine until there is an even consistency.
    8. Add tomatoes, combine and simmer, stirring regularly.

Prep for Oven

    1. Preheat oven to 180°.
    2. Grease glass baking dish using extra butter or oil.

Bechamel Sauce

    1. In a small saucepan on low heat, gently melt butter.
    2. In small batches and removing from heat where necessary, combine butter with flour until a smooth yellow paste (a rue!) is formed.
    3. In small batches, combine sheep’s cheese. Try to minimise lumps, but you can’t be perfect.
    4. In small batches, add oat milk and combine thoroughly, then stir often until mix becomes thick and viscous.
    5. Keep on very low heat until ready to use.

Combine Parts and Bake

  1. Keep regularly stirring Bolognese until thick and consistent (usually around 40 minutes total).
  2. Add a thin layer of Bolognese to the floor of the baking dish, then cover with pasta sheets followed by ~1/4 of the Bechamel sauce. Ensure that the pasta sheets are completely and generously covered in Bechamel, using extra if you must.
  3. Repeat layers twice more, using remaining Bolognese and Bechamel on top layer.
  4. Sprinkle extra sheep’s cheese on top.
  5. Bake for 40 minutes.
Posted on

Karen’s Salmon, Spinach & Feta Quiche

Karen’s Salmon, Spinach & Feta Quiche

stolen from http://www.findingfeasts.com.au/recipe-index/smoked-salmon-spinach-feta-quiche/ (yup, they watermarked their pic too!) and pre-abused by my mother already

Yield: 1 pie 22 cm square

Ingredients
  • 210g can of Salmon broken into large pieces
  • 1/2 pack frozen (defrosted and drained) or fresh spinach, finely chopped
  • 100g goat/sheep feta
  • 2 tbs dill, chopped
  • 3 eggs
  • ~50ml oat or almond milk (previously 100ml cream or yoghurt)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 sheet of short crust pastry
  • (capers and dill)
Cooking Directions
  1. Pre heat oven to 200/390 degrees C/F
  2. Defrost the pastry sheets and line a 22 cm square baking dish, trim off the excess. Cover with some greaseproof paper and pour in dried beans or rice to blind bake.
  3. Cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and take off the greaseproof paper and beans. Place back in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes. remove from oven and let cool.
  4. In a bowl mix the eggs and cream together and season with salt and pepper
  5. Stir in the spinach and dill. (?mystery capers here?)
  6. Scatter the smoked salmon and feta over the pastry and pour the egg mixture over the top.
  7. Cook for 40 minutes uncovered. It is cooked when the centre is firm to touch.
  8. Serve with a fresh salad (lol, who am I kidding … just make two!)
Posted on

Apple and Almond Cake

Apple and Almond Cake

Thoughtfully stolen and adapted from Donna Hay .

Extra notes:

  1. ^Measured whole, 2 granny smiths were under 300g. 3 seemed excessive, but were 305g after processing. I did not use all the apple in the end though.
  2. ^I didn’t have “mixed spice” so I made my own. A dash of ginger, a dash of all spice, a good shake of nutmeg and same for cinnamon, and then making sure it was all about a teaspoon.
  3. ^I have a silly sifter that is super slow for normal things like a cup of flour, but spread the icing sugar perfectly.
  4. ^My oven required 150 degrees C for around 45-50 minutes

Yield: 8 serves

Ingredients

  • 320g granny smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced ^1
  • 220g (1 cup) caster sugar
  • 195g plain flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice ^2
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 125g coconut oil, liquid
  • 40g blanched almonds, chopped (aka “Lucky” slivered almonds)
  • a spoon or two icing sugar for dusting ^3
  • a tub dairy-free substance (similar to double cream), to serve
Cooking Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C ^4
  2. Place the apples and one tablespoon of the sugar in a bowl and toss to combine, then set aside.
  3. Into a large bowl, sift the remaining sugar, flour, baking powder and mixed spice.
  4. Add the vanilla, almond extract, eggs and coconut oil and mix to combine. (I was successful with a whisk for this.)
  5. Fold through at least half of the apples keeping the most evenly sliced for the top!
  6. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 20cm round springform tin and spread evenly. (You may choose to line with baking paper too.)
  7. Spread the almonds over the top then lay the apple slices in your choice of pattern, or lack thereof.
  8. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes (LOL!) or until cooked when tested with a skewer. ^4
  9. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Dust with icing sugar and serve with your dairy free alternative “cream”.
Posted on

Mexican chocolate frosting

Choc-chilli frosting

stolen from https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/mexican-chocolate-cake-vegan/69d47df6-c22c-4a76-adcc-74a91d2231b7

Yield: only a taste

Ingredients

  • 30g raw cacao powder, sifted
  • 30g ish juice (orange et al)
  • 52g maple syrup
  • sprinkle cayenne pepper to taste – not my taste, or it wouldn’t be in here at all
Cooking Directions
  1. Using a fork, combine ingredients until smooth
  2. Provide in a fancy container for those more brave than me with flavour but otherwise, don’t put anywhere near anything edible or it will be made entirely inedible. Are these people insane?
Posted on

Frosting … Vanilla, no, orange, no … did I even follow a recipe

Frosting

stolen from a site so laden with advertising, I’m not even… #lovingitvegan

This recipe was made for the vegan choc-chilli cake which is how it ended up with “just a bit” of orange zest, just for fun. Yield: just enough Ingredients
  • 300g icing mixture
  • 20g Nutelex
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • just a bit orange zest
Cooking Directions
  1. Add the icing mixture, vegan butter, vanilla extract and half the almond milk to a mixing bowl
  2. Use an electric mixer to combine, adding more almond milk until perfectly smooth and thick.
  3. Ensure cake has had plenty of time to chill before attempting to spread or it may slide down the sides. Layered cakes would require more mixture.
Posted on

Birthday cake … this will be fun…

Vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake

stolen from https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/mexican-chocolate-cake-vegan/69d47df6-c22c-4a76-adcc-74a91d2231b7 

This recipe called for three times the amount of “Hymalayan Pink Salt” and the syrup was “coconut nectar”… good luck finding that stuff anywhere normal…

Yield: 10 servings for giants maybe

Ingredients

  • 270g plain flour
  • 80g coconut flour
  • 125g raw cacao power, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 110g coconut oil
  • 140g apple sauce
  • 355g almond milk
  • 480g rice malt syrup
  • 165g maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 banana, mashed (113g)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (to grease the baking tin)
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds (to serve)

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
  2. Prepare a 22cm springform pan with baking paper base and coconut oil on sides
  3. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl
  4. In a super large bowl, combine all wet ingredients.
  5. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients while mixing. Continue mixing until smooth.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan  and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
  7. Leave to cool completely at room temperature (oops) and turn out onto a serving platter. Alternatively, panic that you’re late for a celebration, put it in the fridge while attempting a frosting, not let it cool anywhere near enough (this is a beautiful dense cake that holds it’s heat), and have the frosting melt off. Serve hot and fresh with slivered almonds.