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Easter Egg Macaroons {DF, GF, EF, RSF}

Easter Egg Macaroons

This is not a new recipe for me – we make chocolate macaroons frequently – but I decided to make it into Easter Eggs for the children to decorate, so we’re sharing it again, all seasonal like.Easter Egg Macaroons

I used egg moulds to make these Easter egg halves, but you could make whole eggs by hand too.  Depending on where you are (temperature) and whether you use organic coconut or not, you may need a little extra coconut oil. If that’s the case, just add a tablespoon at a time at the end of the mixing process. The  mixture does need to be able to hold together.

Easter Egg Macaroons {DF, GF, RSF}
 
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Ingredients
  • 50g Coconut Oil (1/4 cup)
  • 70g honey or syrup (1/4 cup)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 30 - 50g cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
  • pinch of fine sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
  • 150g shredded unsweetened coconut (1.5 cups)
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Melt the coconut oil in a pot - this requires 37C, i.e. body heat, and is still considered raw, or uncooked.
  2. Add the honey or syrup and stir till it's all mixed and liquid and remove from heat
  3. Add the vanilla extract
  4. (If using banana, mash it and add to the mix)
  5. Add 30g cocoa first then add the coconut
  6. (Add chia seeds if using)
  7. Stir till it's all combined
  8. Taste the mix too see if it's the right amount of chocolatey. If you want it 'darker' add more cocoa powder till it's right for you. Mix again.
  9. Scoop out onto a tray, or into moulds and refrigerate until it hardens.
  10. Keep cool as it will fall apart if the coconut oil gets too warm.
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Put the coconut oil in the bowl, and melt 37C/Speed 1/ 20 Seconds (you'll need a bit longer if the weather is cold) Make sure it's melted though, or it won't be liquid enough to hold everything together)
  2. Add the honey or syrup and mix 37C/Speed 1/ 30 Seconds.
  3. Add the vanilla extract
  4. Add 30g cocoa first then add the coconut
  5. Mix speed 2/ 15 seconds
  6. Taste the mix too see if it's the right amount of chocolatey. If you want it 'darker' add more cocoa powder till it's right for you. Mix again speed 2/15 seconds.
  7. Scoop out onto a tray, or into moulds and refrigerate until it hardens.
  8. Keep cool as it will fall apart if the coconut oil gets too warm.

 

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Dinosaur Eggs (or Easter Eggs)

Dinosaur Easter Eggs
Marbled Easter Eggs

My children love having dinosaur eggs (or dragon eggs)  for lunch, but these can make really pretty Easter eggs too – ideal for lunch boxes or breakfast around Easter, and they couldn’t be easier to make.Dinosaur Eggs Easter Eggs Boil eggs in whichever way you prefer.

I fill the Thermomix® bowl to half way through the internal steamer basket, place the eggs inside, then boil at Varoma temp for 14 minutes (9-11 should do it for soft boiled, if you start with cold water, but for these I prefer hard boiled).

In the meantime, mix a few drops of food colouring in a few tablespoons of water. If you use commercial food colouring you may need more colour, if you use confectioners grade, you need just one or two.Dinosaur Eggs Easter Eggs

Once the eggs are boiled, run cold water over them so that they are touchable, then very gently crack the shell all the way around. Don’t crack it too hard, you don’t want the shell to come off yet.Dinosaur Easter Eggs

Roll the egg in the food colouring till it is well coated, then leave for 5-10 minutes.Dinosaur Eggs Easter Eggs

Very gently peel the shell off. If you peel the membrane off, most of the dark colouring will come off too, but if you’ve left it long enough, it should be fine. It’s just easier to peel if you get hold of the thin membrane and pull the shell off.

Dinosaur Eggs Easter Eggs

You should be left with a colourful cracked egg.

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Quick Pancake Mix Recipe

Pancake Mix

Through all the milestones of life – birth, breastfeeding, parenting choices, weight management, relationship rise and decline – I try to remain non-judgemental and realise that everyone has their own path to walk, but every year, around this time (early February) my inner judge and jury come out in full force when I walk through the supermarkets and see ‘pancake mix’ sold in single use plastic bottles.

I’m sorry. I really am. I can’t put my judgemental face away right now.

Our local supermarket has a huge display of pancake mix today. It’s £1 for a bottle that makes 6 pancakes. SIX.

The ingredients are: Wheat Flour, Sugar, Palm Oil, Whey Powder (Milk), Dextrose, Dried Egg Yolk, Salt, and you’ll need to add oil for cooking.

Yay for the unnecessary deforestation. Not to mention the plastic that ends up in landfill.

(See, I told you this makes me all judgey! )

If you were to, oh, I don’t know, make your own pancake mix your ingredients would be flour, eggs, milk, salt and a bit of oil. Then you mix it together. My three year old can do it!

And to make six pancakes? Your ingredients – assuming you don’t go for caged hen eggs or the cheapest possible flour – will cost you the grand sum total of 27p. A little over 1/4 the cost of those ‘convenient’ little bottles. If you’re going all out luxury and putting two eggs in the batter, you’re still looking at 35p for six pancakes. pancakes

The only time I can imagine justifying buying pancake mix is if you’re hiking, carrying your week’s food with you and you wanted to make pancakes one morning, on an open fire, high up in the mountains. And even then I’m not convinced.

Okay. I’m going to step off my pedestal and give you the pancake recipe I’ve been making since I was a child, since my mom took us high up into the mountains (by car) to make pancakes on a camping stove in the snow.

Some pancake recipes call for one egg, some for two. I like doing two with savoury pancakes as it makes them a bit thicker, and sturdier, and better for holding something like ham and cheese or chicken mayo. One egg is fine for holding sugar and cinnamon or chocolate spread or similar light fillings. Or, hmmm… bananas, cream and caramel.

The recipe below is for 6 pancakes which is generally enough for the three of us. You can double or triple or x100 it without much effort – just increase the mixing time.

If you’re not sure how to cook a pancake, the best way of learning is seeing, so have a look at these youtube videos!pancake mix

Quick Pancake Recipe
 
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Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 100g plain flour
  • 1 or 2 eggs
  • 300 or 280g milk (depending on how many eggs you use)
  • 10g (1tbs) vegetable oil
  • a pinch of salt
Fillings
  • Cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice to taste
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk. It's easier if you use a whisk or an electric beater, but even a fork will do it eventually. Mix till it's all combined and you have a runny, smooth, lump free batter.
  2. If you're using a Thermomix®, mix for 10 seconds/speed 5
  3. Turn the stove up to a medium high heat, and pour into a frying pan enough batter to cover the base. I use a standard sized soup ladle, about half full for each pancake.
  4. Let it fry for a minute or so, till the edges start to brown, then use a spatula or flip over and cook the other side for about 30 seconds
  5. Tip the pancake onto a plate and sprinkle cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice over
  6. Repeat till you've used up all the batter
TIPS:
  1. Having added oil to the batter, you shouldn't have to add any to the pan, but pans differ, so if the batter sticks add a dash of oil.
  2. I use brown sugar because I prefer it, but it's also really nice with castor sugar
  3. If you really don't know how to cook pancakes, there are hundreds of videos on youtube that can help you.

 

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Thick Chocolate Mousse & Basil Cream

thick chocolate mousse and basil cream

I love Basil. It’s such a sensory herb, with the ability to transport you to just about anywhere – usually in Italy.

I also love chocolate, and one of my favourite memories is from my honeymoon, some 10 and a bit years ago, where we spent time backpacking through Italy, from Sorento through to Bergamo. Our last night was in a  hotel in Turin, and by the time we got there we were pretty worn out. The 4-star hotel had an amazing jacuzzi in the bathroom, and with promises to return one day, we didn’t venture further than the cafe on the corner.

This particular cafe, however, had a delicious selection of home made chocolates and ice cream, and I fell in love with the combination of Basil and Chocolate. No, it’s not one you come across often, but it works – trust me, it works.

I recently agreed to participate in a challenge where I had to come up with a recipe that speaks to the taste of Italy, and I can’t think of much that speaks of Italy like Basil does, so here is my contribution: Chocolate Mousse with Basil Cream – and here is my advice: don’t knock it till you try it!
thick chocolate mousse and basil cream

This is an incredibly rich mousse. We had two people (including two children) sharing the two ice cream bowls of mousse & cream in the pictures, and it was still a lot. So it’s a great sharers dish.

Thick Chocolate Mousse with Basil Cream

We hope you love the Chocolate Mousse & Basil Cream as much as we do!

Easy French Chocolate Mousse - Kids In The Kitchen
 
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Serve with home made clotted cream, strawberries & mint leaves!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
  • 335g double cream
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • 15g icing sugar
  • 150g chocolate
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Basil Cream
  1. In a sealable container, add 200g cream and whole basil leaves together.
  2. Cover and put in the fridge for 5 hours. After that time, remove the basil leaves and discard
  3. Add the icing sugar to the cream and whisk to stiff peaks. (I find it easiest here to transfer into a piping bag, and set aside.
Regular Instructions
  1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, on a double boiler, in a bowl nestled inside a pot on the stove top (making sure not to get any water in) or however you normally melt chocolate.
  2. While it's melting, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the sugar slowly as you whisk, then put the egg whites in the fridge.
  3. Next, whisk the cream to stiff peaks, and place in the fridge.
  4. Finally, in a large bowl add the vanilla extract to the egg yolks and mix until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate slowly in to the egg yolks, stirring all the time.
  5. Next, add the cream to the egg and chocolate mix, and stir till it's all combined.
  6. Finally fold in the egg whites. Do not beat, whisk or over stir this as doing so will cause the mousse to collapse. Follow instructions below for combining.
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. These instructions are for one bowl. If you have two, melt the chocolate in one and do the whisking in the other.
  2. Place the egg whites and sugar in the Thermomix® bowl and whisk with the butterfly speed 4 about 1 minute. Keep an eye on it - the freshness of your eggs and the temperature will affect how long you need to whisk this for, and you don't want it to collapse again, so just stop when you reach stiff peaks.
  3. Scoop into a bowl and set aside in the fridge
  4. Wash out the bowl and dry thoroughly.
  5. Pour the cream in and add the butterfly again. Whisk the cream for about 30 seconds/speed 4. Again, keep an eye on it - freshness of cream and starting temperature of cream will affect how long it needs to be whisked for. You don't want butter!
  6. Set aside the cream, and wash and dry the bowl.
  7. Add the chocolate to the Thermomix® bowl and chop speed 5, 10 seconds.
  8. Heat to 50C/Speed 2/ 3 minutes. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix the egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir to combine. When the chocolate is melted pour in a thin stream whisking together. (Don't pour the egg into the hot chocolate or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.)
  9. Add the cream to the bowl, whisking to combine.
  10. Finally, add the egg whites and gently fold them in. If you whisk or stir too vigorously you'll knock all the air out of the egg whites and your mousse will fall flat.
To Finish
  1. Smaller ramekins or glasses are better for this desert as it is very rich.
  2. Place a layer of chocolate mousse in your serving dish and flatten out.
  3. Next you need a layer of basil. I find piping it around the edges first then in through the centre the easiest, before adding a final layer of chocolate. If you're confident in your piping skills, pipe a pattern of the basil cream on top - I messed it up first time, so scooped it up again, hence mine looks a bit chocolatey.
  4. You can serve it immediately for a light and fluffy mousse, but it's equally delicious, if a bit denser and less airy a few hours later.

 

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Three Delicious Frozen Yoghurt Recipes

Nectarine and flat peach frozen yoghurt

It’s an ice-cream time of the year, and my kids seem to want some every single day at the moment – one of those side effects of living in a sea side town too: whenever we go to the beach, they think they’re in for a treat. It’s hard to say no too, when all around us holiday-makers are enjoying one of the rich and creamy Isle of Wight ice creams.

I decided it was time to break out the ice lollies again, and get some yoghurt made up. My girls are perfectly happy with frozen yoghurt as ‘ice cream’ so it works out well for all of us – they could even have them for breakfast.

I have these NUK ice lollies that I use for the kids because they take about two tablespoons of yoghurt, which makes a perfectly sized ice lolly. After one, they’re satisfied, making it an all round healthier treat than anything from a box or even a normally bigger than they they can eat soft serve.

The flavours are forgiving – you can pretty much do anything you like, but here are some of our favourites.

Mint & Chocolate Chip is always a good flavour combination, you can add cacao or cocoa to make it a chocolate flavoured frozen yoghurt, but even without that, it’s tasty, and by the time the fro-yo has frozen, the mint permeates through. Delicious. A few hits of choc-chips throughout and there’s nothing not to love.

Mint and choc chip frozen yoghurtSee how good these look? But they’re only two tablespoons worth of yoghurt and yet sufficient to end a craving.

I thought the mint and chocolate might settle at the bottom, but was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t.

Mint Chocolate Chip Froyo
 
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5g of mint leaves is a lot - on a TM31 it doesn't even register - hence the ingredients say up to 5g. It's a pretty forgiving recipe, so if you need to add a bit more or less of any ingredient, it won't cause any problems.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Ice Cream, Frozen Yoghurt, Dairy
Serves: 330g
Ingredients
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. g Mint leaves equals a large handful, roughly.
  2. Crush the mint leaves and add to a bowl.
  3. Add the chocolate chips and the yoghurt and mix well.
  4. Transfer into icepop moulds or into a shallow dish, wait till it's frozen, then serve.
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Add up to 5g mint leaves to the Thermomix® bowl and mix speed 5/10seconds.
  2. Add the butterfly, the chocolate chips and the yoghurt and mix 30 seconds, speed 3, scraping down the sides if necessary.
  3. Transfer into icepop moulds or into a shallow dish, wait till it's frozen, then serve.

Saturn Peach Fro-yo

These flat peaches were incredibly juicy. The flavour from them was exceptional, but the problem with that is that they have a higher water content, which makes them freeze a little more ‘icy’ rather than ‘creamy’ which is what you’d get from a higher fat content in the yoghurt. In a ice pop it (like in the moulds above) it doesn’t really make much of a difference, but if you were hoping for a cone-style scoop it needs a longer thaw time.

Nectarine and Flat Peach Frozen Yoghurt

The recipe for a hard fruit – apples, hard nectarines, and anything else that you would normally have to bake first – is the same as for a soft fruit, with the difference that you’d have to sauté the hard fruit first.

While honey makes the frozen yoghurt sweeter, especially if you’ve opted for natural yoghurt, it also helps emulsify it a little.

Hard Fruit Frozen Yoghurt Recipes
 
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My nectarines were still hard even though the skin was going wrinkly. I decided to saute them for a few minutes in some honey, which made all the difference. This works for all hard fruits, like apples.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Yoghurt, Frozen Yoghurt
Serves: 400g
Ingredients
  • 3 Hard Nectarines (or other fruit)
  • 1tbs (15g) Honey
  • 300g Natural Yoghurt
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Chop the nectarines roughly, making sure to remove the pip.
  2. Place in a pot on the stove with the honey and saute for 5 - 10 mins until it's soft.
  3. If you want the fruit chunky, leave it as is, but if you want it smoother, mash or purée the fruit.
  4. Add the yoghurt and stir to combine.
  5. Transfer into icepop moulds or into a shallow dish, wait till it's frozen.
  6. You'll need to leave the fro-yo for a few minutes to soften up before serving.
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Add the nectarines to the Thermomix®, making sure to remove the pip.
  2. Add the honey and sauté for 3 mins/ Speed 2/ Varoma until it's soft.
  3. If you want the fruit chunky, leave it as is, but if you want it smoother, mix Speed 5/30 seconds.
  4. Add the yoghurt and the butterfly and stir to combine (speed 3/20 seconds)
  5. Transfer into icepop moulds or into a shallow dish, wait till it's frozen.
  6. You'll need to leave the fro-yo for a few minutes to soften up before serving.

We serve these in one of three ways:

  1. Either in an ice lolly like in the first picture
  2. Or in a flat container you can scoop from. We live the chocolate covered waffles for serving too.
  3. Or mix two flavours together by pouring the first ‘batch’ into a container and putting it in the freezer for 10 minutes while preparing the second batch, then pouring it over or creating a swirl. It’s a really tasty way to enjoy two flavours together.

Soft Fruit Frozen Yoghurt Recipes
 
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It's hard to give exact figures here, since the recipe is very forgiving, and since the point of it is to use up extra fruit and avoid wastage. Cook time is freezing time, but obviously depends on the size of your container.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Ice Cream, Frozen Yoghurt
Serves: 400g
Ingredients
  • 3 Soft Fruits (the amount of fruit doesn't 'really' matter. Add what you have.)
  • 1tbs (15g) Honey
  • 300g Natural Yoghurt
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Chop the nectarines roughly, making sure to remove the pip.
  2. Place in a pot on the stove with the honey and saute for 5 - 10 mins until it's soft.
  3. If you want the fruit chunky, leave it as is, but if you want it smoother, mash or purée the fruit.
  4. Add the yoghurt and stir to combine.
  5. Transfer into icepop moulds or into a shallow dish, wait till it's frozen.
  6. You'll need to leave the fro-yo for a few minutes to soften up before serving.
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Add the fruit to the Thermomix®, making sure to remove any pips. Chop speed 4/10 seconds.
  2. If it's very juicy, reduce some of the juice.
  3. If you want the fruit chunky, leave it as is, but if you want it smoother, mix Speed 5/30 seconds.
  4. Add the yoghurt and the butterfly and stir to combine (speed 3/20 seconds)
  5. Transfer into icepop moulds or into a shallow dish, wait till it's frozen.
  6. You'll need to leave the fro-yo for a few minutes to soften up before serving if you want it scoop-able.

Play around with the flavours and see what your favourite combinations are!

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Pastel De Nata – Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe

Our family had some pretty amazing travel plans for this year, and if things hadn’t gone as  they did, we’d be setting off from Sintra near Lisbon in Portugal roundabout now, for Spain. One of the things I remember from a previous visit to Portugal is Pastel de Nata – Custard Tarts – which are delicious sweet baked custard tarts in a puff pastry shell.Pastel de nata - Portuguese Custard Tarts If you’re a fan of the Nando’s restaurant chain, you may recognise these as one of the only desert options on the menu, but I’ve never been a fan of them! There’s nothing quite like fresh, home made tarts. It just wins out. No surprises there, I suppose.

Pastel de nata - Portuguese Custard Tarts

I’d like to be all holier-than-though, but I actually bought this puff pastry, because as Lorraine Pascale, James Martin and Jamie Oliver all say – there’s no reason not to! Especially if you buy the all butter pastry. It’s about £1 more than the ‘normal’ one, but it’s so much better, with a much nicer taste and no bitter aftertaste. It’s well worth paying that bit extra.

If you are going to make it, have a look at this easy puff pastry recipe from Jane at Why Is There Air?

Pastel de nata - Portuguese Custard Tarts

Sprinkle the icing sugar before you’re going to serve, as it will be absorbed and you won’t see it and if you keep adding sugar it becomes terribly sweet. My five year old was the icing sugar distributor in these photos and she was, shall we say, liberal in her application 😉

4.0 from 1 reviews
Portuguese Custard Tarts Recipe
 
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The cooking time here does not include the cooling time once the custard is cooked before it is baked. Add at least another 30 - 50 minutes depending on your temperature. If you cover the custard with plastic while it's cooling it shouldn't form a skin, but if it does just mix it up - you won't notice it in the final product.
Author:
Recipe type: Desert
Cuisine: Portuguese, European
Serves: 12 pies
Ingredients
  • 115g White Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • 10g Cornflour
  • 400g Full Fat Milk
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 300g All Butter Puff Pastry
Instructions
Thermomix® Recipe
  1. Weigh out the milk and set aside.
  2. Place the white sugar into the Thermomix® Bowl and mix at Speed 5 / 10 Seconds
  3. Add one egg and two yolks to the bowl. (don't bang against the Thermomix® bowl as that tends to upset the scales)
  4. Add 10g cornflour and mix it all together, Speed 5 / 2 Seconds
  5. Set the Thermomix® to 90C/Speed 5/ 7 minutes and start it running
  6. Add the milk slowly in a steady stream - it should take about 30 seconds to add.
  7. When it's finished, add the vanilla extract and do a quick speed 5/ 1 second to mix it in.
  8. Remove the lid and leave to cool.
  9. If you're making the pastry, now's a good time to do that. Role out the pastry and use a cutter to cut 12 circles big enough to cover your muffin pans.
  10. Spray the pans, add the pastry and press down to make the 'cases'.
  11. Once the custard is cooled all the way down, heat the oven to about 180C
  12. Add a tablespoon or two of the custard to each muffin case - don't fill it all the way to the top.
  13. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes. The custard will puff up and look pillowy and like it's going to overflow but when you take it out of the oven it'll collapse down again.
  14. Bake until the tops are brown - I don't like them blackened, but I'll leave it to your personal preferences on that.
  15. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down thoroughly. They can be eaten warm, but are just as delicious cold.
  16. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

 

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Lemonade Scones

When I was living out in Australia a few years ago, my brother had a friend who brought scones round one day. They were the lightest scones I had ever had, and I had to have the recipe. I’ve made these hundreds of times and recently a friend asked me if I had the recipe on the blog. I realised I didn’t, so here it is Sam, just for you.

Lemonade Scones2

This is a 3-ingredients scone – okay, four, but salt doesn’t count. The self raising flour and salt are the dry ingredients, and the cream provides the fat you’d normally get from crumbling butter into the mix. The lemonade gives you the rise, since it reacts to the baking powder in the flour, and the bubbles airate the whole mixture, I guess.

You must not overmix this recipe, or you completely knock the air right out of it and end up with flat cakes – still tasty, but not quite afternoon tea quality.

Lemonade S

Whether you a jam first or cream first scone eater , you’re bound to love how light and fluffy these scones are.

Lemonade Scones
 
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Light, airy and easy to make scones - enjoy!
Author:
Recipe type: Thermomix®
Serves: 15
Ingredients
  • 400g self-raising flour
  • 240g double cream
  • 190g lemonade
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C
  2. Sift the self raising flour, cream and salt in a mixing bowl.
  3. Add the lemonade and mix briefly till it's all mixed together. Literally till it's JUST mixed.
  4. It's REALLY important not to over mix or your scones won't rise.
  5. Remove from the bowl, and lay out on a tray. Pat it down to an even 2cm height.
  6. Use a cutter and press down, and straight back up again - don't twist the cutters as you don't want to squeeze the air out.
  7. Carefully lift the scones onto a tray
  8. Brush with milk (use the back of a spoon if you don't have a pastry brush)
  9. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, till golden
Thermomix® Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C
  2. Place the self raising flour, cream and salt in the Thermomix® bowl.
  3. Add the lemonade and mix speed 4, 5 - 10 seconds. Literally till it's JUST mixed.
  4. It's REALLY important not to over mix or your scones won't rise.
  5. Remove from the bowl, and lay out on a tray. Pat it down to an even 2cm height.
  6. Use a cutter and press down, and straight back up again - don't twist the cutters as you don't want to squeeze the air out.
  7. Carefully lift the scones onto a tray
  8. Brush with milk (use the back of a spoon if you don't have a pastry brush)
  9. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, till golden


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Chocolate Crispy Bars {Dairy Free Sugar Free Gluten Free}

It’s almost Easter again, and while we aren’t really a free-from anything family, when there’s so much focus on chocolate – between Valentine’s day, Mother’s Day, and Easter, I like to have alternatives available, so that even if I don’t manage to curb my sweet tooth, I’m at least not filling up myself or the children with cheap, often actually not very good – chocolate.Chocolate Crispies

This recipe is very easy. The children can help you make it, or you can whip it up quickly. It’s quite dark, we like dark chocolate. If you don’t like it as dark, adjust the cocoa down. You could add other things, like marshmallows, nuts, or cherries, but just remember to adjust the quantity of rice crispies down then. The main thing to remember is this isn’t held together by chocolate, which is strong, but by coconut oil, which needs to be kept cool, otherwise you’ll end up with what looks like a (very tasty) bowl of chocolate cereal.

I use a gluten free Rice Crispie from Nature’s Path, because we have it at the moment, but you can use any other if you prefer.

I also use this brownie pan because it’s super convenient.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Dairy Free Sugar Free Gluten Free Chocolate Crispy Bars
 
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A lovely snack box recipe for the kids, and fabulous for hitting that sweet spot, while not being overly unhealthy.
Author:
Recipe type: Sweets, TM31
Serves: 24 blocks
Ingredients
  • 50g Coconut Oil (1/4 cup)
  • 70g honey (1/4 cup)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 30 - 50g cocoa powder (1/3 cup) (Cacao for Paleo)
  • pinch of fine sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
  • 100g rice crispies (1.5 cups)
Instructions
Thermomix® Recipe
  1. Add the coconut oil and honey to the Thermomix® bowl. If you're using runny honey, 30 seconds/37 degrees/speed 2 should melt it all, but if the honey is crystalised or set, about 1 minute/50 degrees/speed 2. It must be mixed and melted before you go to step 2.
  2. Add the vanilla and cocoa powder, and a small pinch of sea salt. 15 seconds/speed 3
  3. Add the rice crispies and use the spatula to stir it in so that all the rice crispies are covered with the chocolate mix.
  4. Transfer to a brownie pan (this one is fantastic!) and squash it all in nicely. Put in the fridge for an hour or two to set, then cut into squares.
  5. Tip: Remember this is kept together with coconut oil, so keep it cool otherwise it might fall apart a bit.
Regular Instructions
  1. Create a double boiler by boiling a pot of water on the stove, and put coconut oil and honey in a glass bowl over it. Once they're melted, mix together and add the vanilla extract (be careful - both the glass bowl and the mixture will be very hot).
  2. Add the cocoa powder and sea salt, and then add the rice crispies.
  3. Mix together till all the rice crispies are covered in the chocolate mixture and transfer into your brownie pan.
  4. Place in the fridge till it's cooled and set, then cut into squares.

chocolate crispies

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Egg & Smoked Salmon Salad Recipe

Egg and Smoked Salmon

During my pregnancies I became very aware of what I called my Food DNA. It may have been mid-winter with snow falling around our home in the UK, but I was craving mangoes, litchis, kiwi fruit:  seasonally appropriate for my Southern Hemisphere DNA. I find myself here again – not pregnant, thankfully – but wrapped and bundled in scarves and gloves, but craving salads and light suppers. Egg and smoked salmonI came across this salmon & egg salad recipe, designed by Sunrise’s award winning chefs, among a bunch of others regularly served in their care homes and it really appealed to me, but I’ve made a few minor changes to adapt it for the Thermomix®. You can find the original recipe here, and you certainly don’t need any fancy kitchen machinery to make it. Egg and smoked salmon 2 I’ll be in Australia for a while next month. I’m looking forward to a lot more salads and fresh, sun-kissed fruit – and will certainly be revisiting this one again.

Salmon & Egg Salad Recipe
 
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A delicious recipe adapted from the Sunrise Care website for the Thermomix®
Author:
Recipe type: Lunch, Light Supper
Cuisine: Salad, Healthy
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs (hard boiled)
  • Small bunch of parsley
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of ground black pepper
  • 4 table spoons olive oil
  • ¼ tsp French mustard
  • 2 table spoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tomato – quartered
  • 1 red pepper – seeded and halved
  • ½ red onion – peeled and halved
  • ¼ cucumber – cut in four
  • 50g watercress
  • 160g smoked salmon pieces
  • ½ lemon
Instructions
  1. In the Thermomix® bowl, add 1 litre warm water and add the whole eggs in the internat steamer. Boil for 14 minutes/speed 2/ Varoma temp.
  2. When it's done, remove the basket and empty out the water.
  3. In the bowl, add parsley , salt, pepper, olive oil, mustard, vinegar and stir for 10 seconds on speed 5.
  4. Add the tomato, red pepper, onion and cucumber and mix speed 4 for 10 - 15 seconds. Keep an eye on it to see the size. You don't want to end up with a smoothie.
  5. Peel the eggs and halve.
  6. Pour the salsa in a mixing bowl, a glass bowl is nice. Put the watercress on top, then add the strips of smoked salmon.
  7. Dot the eggs around the top, and drizzle the lemon juice over the top.
  8. When you're ready to serve, mix the ingredients well, and make sure every plate gets a bit of everything.

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Asparagus, Prosciutto & Champagne Risotto

Sometimes the most amazing things happen when you least expect it. This was one of them. I was looking round the kitchen thinking how I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner, when I remembered the asparagus in the freezer from a trip to a pick your own asparagus place with my girls.

AparagusI also have a huge supply of Risotto rice at the moment, so the obvious answer was Asparagus Risotto, a la the Fast And Easy Cookbook for Thermomix® UK. But, I also had a left over bottle of champagne – that’s a bottle of booze that wasn’t finished the day it’s opened, don’t worry, a few years back I wouldn’t have known that either 😉 – and some prosciutto from our recent meat box delivery and chicken stock from the whole chicken I managed to make in my Veroma last week.

Well, this combination proved to be my favourite risotto to date. I hope you enjoy it too!

*If you don’t have a Thermomix® you can still make this recipe using a traditional Risotto recipe, but substituting the wine for champagne, and the other additions for prosciutto and asparagus.

Aparagus Risotto

Asparagus, Prosciutto & Champagne Risotto
 
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I should warn you that this is a very rich dish, but it is beautiful. Just a rush of beautiful flavour, and I would encourage you to use the best quality prosciutto you can. This recipe is an adaptation from the Asparagus Risotto recipe in the Fast and Easy Cooking TM31 book.
Author:
Recipe type: Main Meal
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 80g parmesan
  • 200g asparagus
  • 20g olive oil
  • 250g risotto rice
  • 200g champagne of your choice
  • 450g chicken stock
  • 30g butter
  • 8 strips of prosciutto
  • freshly ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Run your Thermomix® at speed 8, and drop 80g of parmesan cheese in for 5 seconds. Set aside.
  2. Cut asparagus tips and add them to the cheese. Put the stalks in the bowl and chop 7 seconds/speed 5.
  3. Add oil and cook for 3 minutes/100C/Speed 1.
  4. Add the champagne, stock and risotto rice and cook for 15 minutes/100C/Spoon Speed Reverse, making sure the measuring cup is in to maintain the liquid.
  5. When it's done the rice should be firm but edible. If needed add another minute or two.
  6. In the meantime, tear the prosciutto into strips.
  7. When the rice is cooked, add the butter, parmesan, prosciutto and asparagus tips, and stir using a spoon.
  8. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper, and serve immediately.