Self-Succulencing Pudding

I had quite a nice, relaxing weekend.  Saturday night was particularly nice - I had friends from back home visiting, my sister, and then just the 'usuals' over for dinner and drinks - which predictably lead to a lot more drinks, and, of course, the re-surfacing of our deep-seated need; to 'get booty-shakin'.  For dinner I made my specialty pizzas, see here, with a self-saucing pudding for dessert.
The pudding was a bit of an experiment (as, I guess, is all my food), but the girls (and boy) seemed prettty happy with the result.  So here it is, for you to modify as you desire :)

Self-Succulencing Pudding
(gluten-free, lactose-free, diabetic-friendly, vegan)

You will need for the pudding:
1 1/2 cups of almond meal
1 tsp baking powder
3-4tbs cacao powder
1 can of prunes, pitted and pureed ( I used the can variety for this recipe as I wanted the prune juice as well, for the sauce )
1/2-3/4 cup soy milk
Honey, if you desire.  I made mine without honey and found that it was sweet enough with only the prunes.

And for the sauce:
400-500g dairy-free, sugar-free dark chocolate
Juice of prunes (drained from the can)
small amount of boiling water

Roughly whisk the pureed prunes with the soy milk and honey (if you are using it).  In another bowl, thoroughly incorporate the almond meal, baking powder, and cacao. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until well combined and smooth.  Grease, and pour into a baking dish.  Temper the chocolate (see how here), and add the prune juice to it; there should be about one cup of juice from the can.  Add a little bit of boiling water (pour over the back of a large metal spoon if you are worried about burning the chocolate) to make the dark chocolate a little bit more liquid, and then pour it all straight over the top of the pudding in the baking dish.  Bake for about 40mins at 160degrees C, or until the pudding bounces back upon pressure.

When I made this pudding, the sauce remained on top, so it was hard to tell whether the pudding had actually been cooked.  I would probably recommend to check it after 30mins, just grab a spoon and check out the consistency of the pudding sitting at the bottom - it should be cake-like. 
In this instance it is probably better that the pudding is undercooked, rather than cooked for too long.

I served with blueberries and natural yoghurt.  The serving sizes definitely don't have to be large- this pudding is rich and extremely filling!!


Have a great day!!

Bursting with Berries, Cacoa Crumble

Berry-Cacoa Crumble
(diabetic-friendly, lactose-free)

This little number was inspired by a little bakery on the Sunshine Coast.  Cody had bought a slice of this rather appealing-looking crumble, and not being able to resist, I had a little nibble.  To my disappointment, all I could taste was the overpowering sweetness from all the sugar they used - and none of the natural flavours.

So (just to be contentious) I made a Rhi-eal version of the crumble, berries and all - minus a lot of the sugar.

You will need:
2 cups of the flour of your choice. I used 1 cup almond meal and 1/2 cup buckwheat, 1/2cup millet (incorporated nicely together)
1 egg (if vegan - substitute with oil)
2 cups coconut
1/4 cup milk of your choice
4-5tbs honey
100g strawberries
300g mixed frozen berries
vanilla essence
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4-1/2 cup of the oil of your choice.  I used about 1/4 cup of both olive and coconut oil with maybe 2tbs of flaxseed.

The base is just an easy cake batter - whisk the egg with the honey, then add 1 cup of the flour and 1 cup of the coconut. Get the desired 'moistness' with the milk.  Pour the batter into a shallow baking dish, and bake until golden brown on top.

While the base is baking, cook all the berries and the vanilla essence in a fry pan on low heat.  Cook until all the berries have softened and become a thick-ish sauce.

 

The crumble consists of the remaining flour and coconut (should be one cup of both), incorporated with the rolled oats, cacao powder and almonds.  During this stage I probably also put in about 1-2 tbs of honey.  Stir while adding in the oil/s, putting enough in so it becomes moist but still loose and crumbly.

Pour the berries over the top of the base, and then follow with the crumble.  Return to the oven, again until golden brown.

Serve with natural yoghurt or home-made custard - or anything you desire.  This recipe makes quite a lot, so don't be scarce with the serves :)

It was a hit with the girls!

And just for a little insightful, inspiring and intrepid read, go to www.hanneblank.com/blog/2011/06/23/real-women/

Daal-ing Sheperds Pie

(Gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, vegan)

Daal, also spelt 'dal' or 'dahl', is a thick curry made with lentils.  Daal, an important part of Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine, has many different varieties and is typically served with rice and vegetables.
Tonight I thought I might spice things up a bit (excuse the lamest pun in the world!) and make a daal pie, with a rice base.  Curries are always really nice with potatoes, so I thought instead of putting them in, why not put them on and make a shepherds pie?

Warning! This meal is not a good idea if you don't have a lot of time! The total preparation and cooking time probably takes up to 2hours, but you could pre-prepare the base earlier on.

You will need...

Base: 
2 cups brown rice
Filling:
About 3 cups of pre-soaked and boiled lentils/legumes of your choice
 2 cloves ginger
ginger
1 onion
mustard seeds approx 1 tsp
curry leaves, maybe 3 or 4?
chilli flakes
cumin (lots!)
3/4 can of coconut milk
1 cup each of grated carrot and zucchini
mushrooms
eggplant
broccoli
Topping:
1 (large) or 2 (medium) potatoes
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
mustard seeds
cumin
1/4 can coconut milk

 Boil the rice in water with a clove of garlic and some ginger (both left whole).  Regularly stir and check the rice while it is cooking to see if more water needs to be added.  Cook the rice until it is quite soft and until there is no water left (about 45min to an hour).  Remove the clove of garlic and ginger from amongst the rice and spread the rice out over a shallow baking dish.  Put the rice in the oven, stirring it, if need be, so the rice on the bottom gets a chance to dry out on top.  Do this until most of the rice is quite dry.  Now take the rice out of the baking dish and into a bowl, and blend it using a hand mixer. It doesn't have to be for long, and it doesn't have to be completely smooth.  Then put the rice back into the baking dish, and spread out evenly, pushing down firmly as you go. Bake it in the oven until hard and crispy.  Wall-ah! the base!

Put the mustard seeds, chilli flakes and curry leaves (whatever other seeds and spice you want to use) into the oven until fragrant. Then put them in a mortar and pestle the shit out of em until they are nicely ground.  Add this to the finely chopped onion which is frying. When the onion is browned, put in the mushroom, eggplant, garlic and ginger so they can brown off nicely to.  Put in your pre-prepared legumes along with the rest of the vegetables.  After about 5mins chuck in about three quarters of the can of coconut milk.  Simmer on low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. If you are pushed for time, cook on a higher heat for a lot shorter period of time - just until the curry is thick.  I only cook it for an hour to properly let all the flavours infuse.  Or, you could also boil the rice earlier on so it is already to go.

 

Marilyn is lending a hand (she is on an oven mit...)

The topping is simple - while your daal is simmering, steam up the potatoes and sweet potatoes with some cumin and mustard seeds (which have been pestled).  When soft, add the rest of the coconut milk and mash with great delight!! To finish stir through some parsely and coriander.

 

Put the daal right over the top of the rice base,  followed swiftly by the mashed potatoes. Return to the oven for about ten minutes.  

It's surprising how well the base holds up.  I think the trick is to really get it as dry as possible before blending it...

As you can see from my pictures, I crumbled some feta over the top of the mashed potato - not really typically Indian, and obviously not vegan, but you can cheese choose (sorry - full of lameness tonight!) to put it over the top if you like. I think it tastes pretty damn good with the rest of the pie!

 

Enjoy! (with a nice, refreshing bevvie obviously)

There is a great, big, terrific storm here tonight and the dogs are going psycho every time thunder hits. Scared out of their wits, poor liddle things.  Stay safe everyone!

Carrot Cake Mistake

Most people often misconstrue carrot cake as being 'healthy' or 'healthier', and choose it over others for this reason.  The traditional recipe for carrot cake, however, may not be as healthy as people imagine.  Despite having a few carrots (good for ya eyes!) and nuts (oh yeh those 'good' fats) in it, this cake has equal parts sugar to flour, and lots and lots of vegetable oil.... Maybe not so healthy.

Ok, so my lovely baker-boyfriend was up for a challenge. To make a carrot cake that was healthy!



Healthy Omega-3 Carrot Cake
(vegetarian and diabetic-friendly, gluten-free)

You will need:
1 1/2 C of the flour of your choice
1tsp baking powder
1/4 C chia seeds
1 1/2 - 2C almonds (roughly chopped)
4-5 carrots (grated)
1 pear (grated)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 - 4tbs coconut oil
3 - 4tbs flaxseed oil
6 free-range eggs
optional: sweetener of your choice, honey, xylitol etc.

Mix all the dry ingredients together very well. If you included a 'sweetener', beat it together with both the oils in an electric mixer until extremely aerated, probably for a total of five minutes.  Add the eggs to the aerated sugar and fat mix, and beat well again.  Add the grated carrot and pear, as well as the beaten eggs/sugar/fat to the dry ingredients.  Mix until all is nicely blended through - but avoid overmixing.  
Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for about 50 mins

Then comes the icing....
1 block of low-fat philly cheese
orange rind ad lib

Beat the philly cheese and the orange rind together in a bowl.  If you find orange rind too bitter for your tastes, steam the rind over boiling water with some honey (or other sweetener of your choice).  Ice your carrot cake once completely cooled.  

That was a really big strawberry!

It looks like I just took a bite out of it...

...I just couldn't resist...

I think he did pretty well don't you?

50s Dinner Party Fun!

Tonight, for a friends birthday we decided to throw a themed dinner party...a 1950s dinner party complete with dresses, pearls and housewife jokes!
Here are just some photos of the funnest part of the night, the desserting....dark chocolate coated strawberries and pears

Striking a pose with our strawbs.

Jordy loves her chocolate.

Mmmmm spadgelicious.

 Rat features.

 Our strawberry shell.

 Successful subtle boob grab compliments of Leona.

Nikki and her pie.

 Amazing food, 

amazing outfits, 

amazing friends.

Vegetable Open-Faced Pie (a.k.a Quiche)

(gluten-free, diabetic friendly, vegetarian)

I make the base of the pie as per my sweet potato pizza base which you can find here
And as for the topping -
you will need...
6 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
600mL milk - cows, goats, soy, oats...
grated carrot and zucchini, about 2 cups altogether
spinach leaves ad lib
brocolli
fried onion (x1), garlic (2xcloves), and mushies (x6) altogether in a fry pan with some balsamic vinegar
some slices of tomato for the top
and some cheese if your preference allows, for the top also
pepper and herbs to season


Whisk eggs with the milk and plain flour, then add all the veggies.  Pour over the top of the baked base and cook again in the oven for approximately 40mins.

 

We forgot to add the fried onion etc to the actual topping, so we just served it as an accompaniment...

Uni is so hectic at the moment. Pretty much everything is coming down to this last couple of weeks.  Eek!
How is everyone else goin?