November 3, 2022 by readingwritingandriesling

Choc Nut Energy Bliss Bites; Meal Plan Your Way to Weight Loss – Rebecca Burnicle and Wendy Van Staden

Meal-Plan Your Way to Weight Loss by Rebecca Burnicle and Wendy Van Staden, published by Macmillan Australia, RRP $39.99, photography by Jeremy Simons

Ingredients, Serves 32 / Prep 15 minutes + soaking

½ cup (80 g) almonds
½ cup (50 g) walnuts
½ cup (75 g) unsalted cashews
¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder
1 cup (230 g) medjool dates, pitted and chopped

1–2 Personal Points range per serve
I love the idea of bliss balls, but it’s the thought of rolling the mixture that I just can’t be bothered with. Instead, I make up the mixture and pop it into a tray to set, then simply cut it into bite-sized pieces. All the deliciousness of a bliss ball, without the fuss of rolling – winning! p172

1 Place nuts in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak overnight. Drain.

2 Lightly spray a 16 cm x 26 cm slice tin with oil and line base
and sides with baking paper.

3 Transfer drained nuts to a food processor. Add cocoa and dates and process until well combined (add a little water if necessary to help the mixture come together). Spread mixture evenly into prepared tin. Cover and place in freezer for at least 2 hours, until firm.

4 Lift slice from tin using baking paper. Stand for about 10 minutes to soften slightly, then cut into 32 pieces. Transfer pieces to a reusable container and store in freezer. Thaw pieces for a few minutes to soften slightly before eating. ·

TO FREEZE: Store bliss bites in a reusable container for up to 4 months. Thaw at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

September 8, 2018 by readingwritingandriesling

Fisherman’s Biscotti: Adriatico – Paola Bacchia

From Adriatico: Stories and recipes from Italy’s Adriatic Coast by Paola Bacchia

(Smith Street Books, September 2018 – AU$ 55, NZ$ 65)

Fisherman’s biscotti

Biscotti del pescatore

MAKES ABOUT 35

2 eggs

140 g (5 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

330 g (11¾ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

2 scant teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

80 g (2¾ oz) butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

25 g (1 oz) hazelnuts, toasted, finely chopped

25 g (1 oz) natural almonds, toasted, finely chopped, plus extra whole almonds to decorate

25 g (1 oz) walnuts, finely chopped

40 g (1½ oz) sultanas (golden raisins) soaked in grappa for at least 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line two large baking trays with baking paper.

Beat together the eggs and sugar in a bowl, then add the flour, baking powder, salt and butter and combine energetically using a whisk. (You could also do this with a food processor.) Add the vanilla, nuts and drained sultanas and stir until well combined. The mixture will be quite thick.

Form the dough into walnut-sized balls, then flatten them slightly and press a whole almond into the top of each one. Place them on the prepared trays, leaving plenty of room for spreading, and bake for 20–22 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. The biscotti will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Authors note:

Biscotti del pescatore are found in bakeries along the coast of Le Marche; mounds of nutty pastry studded with sultanas perfumed with a hint of rum. They are made without any fuss and keep well in a tin, forgotten for a few days only to be retrieved and dunked happily in a cup of milky morning coffee. Although they typically contain pine nuts, I like using hazelnuts instead (more to do with what is in the pantry than by design), but you can experiment with your favourite nuts. Just remember to toast them – it really does make a difference to the flavour – and keep the quantities the same. My friend Vanessa, who tested the recipe for me, told me she loved the biscotti so much that she ate five that day for breakfast, one after the other.

July 7, 2017 by readingwritingandriesling

Waffles & Date Chocolate Sauce – The Goodness of Nuts & Seeds: Natalie Seldon

It’s World Chocolate Day – let’s celebrate with a little something that combines decadent with wholesome.

http://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Goodness-of-Nuts-and-Seeds/Natalie-Seldon/9780857834133

WAFFLES & DATE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

*VEGETARIAN *GLUTEN-FREE *DAIRY-FREE

Decadent yet wholesome, these are drizzled with warm, sticky sauce and vibrant fresh berries for an indulgent affair to savour. Golden and crispy on the outside with a soft and fluffy centre, these griddled, healthy treats contain gluten-free buckwheat flour, supplying a multitude of vitamins and minerals. These provide a little sweet solace on wet and windy days and are sure to warm the hearts of family and friends.

Makes 3–4 (depending on the size of your waffle iron)

75g buckwheat flour

75g almond flour or ground almonds

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons date syrup (or unrefined sugar)

1 egg, lightly beaten

275ml almond milk

2 tablespoons almond butter

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract

For the date chocolate sauce

100ml date syrup

75g raw cacao powder

2½ tablespoons maple syrup

To serve

200g fresh red berries, such as raspberries, strawberries and redcurrants

25g toasted flaked almonds

Sift both flours, the baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the date syrup, egg, almond milk, almond butter and vanilla bean paste or extract, then mix well until combined. Leave the batter to rest for 5 minutes.

Make the date and chocolate sauce by heating all the ingredients together in a small pan over a gentle heat. Stir until combined and glossy, then set aside until needed.

Preheat a waffle iron as per instructions, spray both sides of the iron with oil spray (I use coconut oil) and pour a large ladleful (about 150ml) of batter in the centre of the iron and spread out towards the edges with a flat-bladed knife. Close the lid and allow to cook. Repeat until all the batter is used.

Serve the waffles with the fresh fruit, a drizzle of date chocolate sauce and the toasted almonds.

Recipes from The Goodness of Nuts & Seeds by Natalie Seldon. Published by Kyle Cathie. RRP $19.99

November 15, 2016 by readingwritingandriesling

Seeds, Seeds and Nuts

More baking – brought to you by Chrissy Freer’s Real Delicious; Seed and Parmesan Crackers p.110 ( my first and not my last attempt at making crackers – these are divine!) and Seed and Nut Bars p.111

These both taste fab ! And so easy to make I wonder why I haven’t tried these before. The crackers are vegetarian (if you use Parmesan made with non animal rennet), the Seed and Nut bars are like an exotic, healthy, peanut free, brittle – I used rice malt syrup instead of honey (a personal preference as I am allergic to honey) and used a mix of raw unsalted nuts, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin (pepitas) and chia seeds, macadamia oil ( my favourite oil to cook with) and a few spices…so easy!

October 15, 2016 by readingwritingandriesling

Nut Cake: The Scandinavian Belly Fat Program – Berit Nordstrand

Images and recipes from The Scandinavian Belly Fat Program by Berit Nordstrand (Murdoch Books) RRP $35.00

Nut Cake

” This is a wonderful cake that does not require baking. It contains neither gluten nor dairy products.” p41

serves 6

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or pepitas
(pumpkin seeds)

5 fresh dates or prunes, stones removed

100 g (3½ oz) raisins

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)

pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (flower honey is best)

Process half of the nuts and seeds in a blender, until quite finely ground. Repeat with the rest
of the nuts and seeds. Transfer all the blended nuts and seeds to a mixing bowl.

Put the dates and raisins in the blender and run it at full speed until they are finely chopped.

Mix the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla powder and sea salt into the blended nuts, and stir in the chopped dates and raisins.

Drizzle over the maple syrup or honey. Bring the dough together with your fingers.

Press out the dough in a cake shape that measures approximately 22 cm (8½ inches) in diameter, or press it out into six small portions.

TOPPING SUGGESTIONS

plain yoghurt, fresh fruit, dark chocolate flakes and lemon balm, mint or chervil

sour cream, softened cranberries and lemon balm, mint or chervil

sour cream and oven-baked apple slices with ground cinnamon

fresh blueberries and 2 pears simmered until tender in 200 ml (7 fl oz) apple juice, then diced

100 g (3½ oz) melted dark chocolate and 1 tablespoon organic coconut butter, combined to make a chocolate sauce

September 26, 2016 by readingwritingandriesling

Post Script: Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit in Australia – Matthew Biggs, Jekka McVicar and Bob Flowerdew

Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit in Australia

Matthew Biggs, Jekka McVicar and Bob Flowerdew

Simon & Schuster Australia

ISBN: 9781925456080

Description:

Encyclopaedic in scope, The Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit in Australia is the definitive sourcebook for growing, harvesting and cooking your own fresh produce at home.

Featuring over 100 different herbs, 70 vegetables and 100 fruits, this magnificent guide will help, encourage and inspire novices and experienced gardeners alike. The coverage is phenomenal – from growing tomatoes throughout the year, to the great variety of potatoes you can grow in your own backyard, and there are herbs that can be grown in even the smallest of spaces.

Written with Australian consultants for Australian conditions with lavish illustrations and information that is easy to read and find, every gardener can discover the origins of plants, how they were named, their medicinal, cosmetic and culinary uses, and most importantly, how to cultivate the right plant to ensure a bumper crop. This is a real must-have for every gardener or cook.

My View:

If you are interested in having a home vegetable garden, or even an orchard or herb garden then this book is for you! If you buy one gardening book this year – for yourself or as a gift –buy this one- you will have all your needs met in this one book! (And this makes a great coffee table book for those who don’t have green thumbs). J

This is a great resource – divided into useful easy to read sections

Vegetables A-Z

Herbs A – Z

Fruits –

Orchard fruits

Soft, Bush and Cane fruits

Tender Fruits

Tropical and Sub Tropical Fruits

Shrub and Flower Garden Fruits

Nuts

And

Practical Gardening tips.

With real life (plant) images, information on varieties, cultivation, propagation, harvesting, pests and diseases, culinary uses and a recipe or two relating to the individual plant – all the information you need is here to get started.

Start planning your garden today and remember to feed the bees – plant blue and purple flowering plants and herbs and you will have a bee friendly garden in return the bees will happily pollinate your crops for you!

February 27, 2016 by readingwritingandriesling

Chocolate Caramel Slices- Deliciously Ella Every Day – Ella Woodward

‘These recipes are from Deliciously Ella Every Day by Ella Woodward,

published by Hachette Australia,

RRP $29.99.’

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SLICES

“One of the pricier recipes in the book as it’s very nut-heavy, but trust me, it is such a treat. The three layers melt together perfectly like little bites of paradise, with the ideal mix of biscuit, caramel and chocolate, just like a super-healthy, even-more-delicious version of millionaire’s shortbread.” (p.228)

Makes about 16

For the base

150g almonds

125g pecans

400g medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons almond butter

For the caramel layer

400g medjool dates, pitted

6 heaped tablespoons almond butter

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon coconut oil

For the chocolate layer

100g cacao butter

1 tablespoon almond butter

150g medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

2–4 tablespoons maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)

Start by making the base: simply put the almonds and pecans in a food processor and blend for about 1 minute until a grainy flour forms, then add the dates and almond butter and blend again until the mix becomes nice and sticky. Transfer the mix to the bottom of a baking tin lined with baking parchment (mine is 31 x 21 x 6cm), pushing it down firmly with a spatula. Place the tray in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Next make the caramel layer. To do this simply put all the ingredients into the food processor with 120ml of water and blend until smooth and creamy, then pour on to the base layer and put the tray back into the freezer for 30–40 minutes, so it becomes firm enough to pour on the chocolate layer.

Finally make the chocolate layer. Place the cacao butter in a saucepan and melt on a low heat with the almond butter. Once they’ve melted, pour into the food processor with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

After the caramel has become solid, spread the chocolate layer on top, then place the tray back into the freezer and freeze for about 2 hours.

Store the whole sheet in the freezer. Take them out and leave at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, to let them warm up a little, then cut them into 16 slices to serve.

July 9, 2013 by readingwritingandriesling

Chocolate Bliss Bombs

My recipes are generally simple and flexible. I do not generally measure ingredients for recipes that I am well versed in…or if I use a recipe I adapt to my own tastes/ingredients to hand. So with my Chocolate Bliss Bombs you can mix and match or substitute for ingredients you have in your pantry.

Basic Chocolate Bliss Bomb Recipe:

2 cups mixed unsalted nuts ( not peanuts) include almonds, walnuts, macadamias

6-8 dates ( soaked in hot water for a couple of hours)

2 – 3 tablespoons cold pressed coconut oil

2 tablespoons cocoa butter ( if available)

4 tablespoons organic cocoa or Dutch processed Cocoa

vanilla

Blitz in food processor .

ADD and Mix together

sesame seeds

pumpkin seeds

chia seeds

1/2 cup LSA

and almond meal if the mix is too sticky.

Roll into balls , then into shredded coconut.

Place in fridge for a few hours to let flavours meld and balls to firm up.

Store in fridge.

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