Low FODMAP Garlic Bread

I made this at Christmas time but forgot to post the recipie then.

Ingredients:
1 large Gluten free baguette
1/4 cup Garlic infused olive oil (I use colbram estate)
1/2 cup Butter
2 tablespoons Mixed herbs/Italian herbs

Method
1. Melt butter for 20-30 seconds in the microwave until it is somewhat pliable, but not until it is liquid.
2. Add the garlic infused olive oil and mix it well. 3. Add your herbs and mix thoroughly.
4. Cut baguette into thick slices and place on oven tray with alfoil under it.
5. Generously spread between each slice of bread.
Wrap the alfoil up and place in an oven at 180°C for 15 minutes or until crisp on the outside and soft in the centre.

Enjoy!!!

Cornflake Cookies

Makes approximately 24 Biscuits

Ingredients:
200g sugar
250g butter (or for dairy free/vegan use nuttlex)
5 cups of cornflakes (check that they are gluten free). You can use Kellogg's, Woolworths home brand, or freedom foods
2 no egg (egg replacement - I use Organ no egg)
300g of gluten free SR flour (I use Organ)
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Method:
1. In your thermal cooker blitz the sugar for 5 seconds on speed 5 to make caster sugar.
2. Add the butter and vanilla extract and mix on speed 4-5 for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides.
3. Add the no egg (4 teaspoons of the powder to 4 tablespoons of water) and mix on speed 4-5 for 30 seconds again.  Scrape down the sides again.
4. Add the flour and salt and mix for 45 seconds on speed 4-5 scraping the sides with the spatula as you go.
5. Once it is well mixed in add the cornflakes and mix on speed 1 for 10 seconds.  If it needs further mixing you may need to do it by hand so you don't crush the cornflakes.
6. Using a dessert spoon to portion the biscuits roll them into round flat balls in your hands and put on a tray lined with baking paper. (You will need 3 trays.)
7. Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes.
8. Allow to cool on the tray and then transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool and harden.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe like I did rediscovering it. :)

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Recently I realised that I have not eaten chocolate pudding since before I had to go gluten free.

I wanted to rectify that, but didn't want a pudding for 20 people!!!

So I found a mug cake recipe, and as I do, changed it a lot!

Ingredients

Pudding:

3 tablespoons of GF SR flour
1.5 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of milk of choice (e.g. dairy, rice,  soy, nut)
1/2 teaspoon cocao or cocoa

Sauce:
1 tablespoon Brown sugar
1 teaspoon Cocao/cocoa
1.5 tablespoons Boiling water

Method:

1. In a mug measure your dry pudding ingredients.
2. Mix well with a fork to ensure that there are no pockets missing something or clumps of flour or sugar.
3. In a second container (I use another mug) mix the dry ingredients for the sauce. Mix them together well with the fork being extra sure to get all the lumps out of the brown sugar.
4. Add the milk to the pudding and mix well.
5. Smooth over the top.
6. Gently sprinkle the dry sauce ingredients over the top.
7. Add hot water to cover the top. If you run out of water and still have some of the pudding uncovered add a little more.
7. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute.  (If you have added extra water you may need an extra 30 seconds.)
8. Wait for it to cool a little before eating it.

It tastes beautiful with cream. (Or coconut vanilla ice cream if you are dairy free.)

Spaghetti Bolognese

I love low prep cooking if you hadn't guessed, which is partly why I make this dish most weeks.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 jars of Passata
2 Carrots
1 Capsicum
2-4 frozen serves of baby spinach
3 tablespoons of Mixed Italian herbs
15 Sun dried tomatoes
3 tablespoons of Olives
2/3 of a bunch of Spring onions (green tops only for low FODMAP)
Optional: 3 - 6 stalks of parsley

750g beef/lamb mince
Garlic infused olive oil
(If FODMAPs aren't an issue substitute for 2 cloves of garlic and blend in with the spring onion. Fry the mince in normal olive oil.)
Cheese

Spaghetti Squash/Pasta/Konjac

Method:

Blend spring onion and parsley (+/- garlic) for 20 seconds, speed 8, sharp blade.

Peel, wash and roughly chop the carrot.

Wash and cut out the head/stem of the capsicum.

Blend the carrot and capsicum speed 8, 15 seconds, sharp blade.

Add baby spinach, sundried tomato, olives and Italian herbs.

Cook on speed 2, reverse/ blunt blade/sharp blade (if you're like me and cannot be stuffed changing blades), for 20 minutes temp 90°.

Fry mince with olive oil and set aside.

Mix it into your sauce by hand

If you are making pasta I set it up and the put it on in the last ten minutes, so it doesn't stick or go gluggy.

Spaghetti Squash Method:
If you are using spaghetti squash keep in mind that cooking times can vary greatly. Depending on the size of it, cooking times have been from 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

Cut spaghetti squash in half, with the cut side facing down on the oven tray. Put into an oven set to 180°. Set a timer and check it in an hour. If it is soft on the outside when you press down with little resistance, it is cooked. If not, give it another 15-20 minutes before checking again. If it needs longer still put it back in until you hit the total time of 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Once it is cooked shred it with a fork so you get lovely strings.

If you go with the Konjac just follow the instructions on the packet and serve immediately.

Serve the spaghetti squash hot, and your sauce and of course cheese!

Enjoy!

Mint Jelly

I don't know about you, but I can never find gluten free mint sauce or mint jelly for Christmas. In the last few years I've made my own, which has been quite successful.

Ingredients:

375ml white wine vinegar
One gelatin sachet
125 ml boiling water
3/4 cup fresh mint about 3-4 sprigs from the garden
2 tsp caster sugar*

1 large sterile jar (big enough to hold 2.5 cups)

*If you are diabetic you can leave the sugar out.

Method

Assemble your items. Once you pour the boiling water you will need to move quickly.
Chop your mint finely. Once you are happy with the size I put the kettle on to boil with the minimum amount of water allowed, as you will be only using 1/2 a cup.
Have your gelatin sachet and caster sugar ready to go straight in!!!
Pour your boiling water into the heat proof mixing bowl and add the gelatin, stirring with a whisk until it is dissolved.
Add the caster sugar and mix in well.
Once that is dissolved add the finely chopped mint and and white wine vinegar.
Mix thoroughly and then pour into your glass jar.
Seal it and leave it to set in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

I hope you enjoy that. I find it very quick and easy to make. :)

Quinoa Porridge

This recipe is great for a Gluten Free porridge that is warming and yum and very healthy.

Ingredients:
150g Almonds (alternatively you could make a combination of other nuts such as walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts*)
30g Flax seeds
80g sunflower seeds
100g pepitas
60g chia seeds

1 cup of quinoa flakes
Optional: 1 tablespoon of soy protein powder (this makes it more filling)

685g of fruit e.g. peeled banana (works out to about 1.1kg of unpeeled bananas), stewed or steamed apple and/or pear**, or tinned peaches (drained)

500mls of a non-dairy milk such as soy, almond or coconut milk.

Method:
Weigh in the nut and seed mix to your Bellini/Smith and Nobel/Kogan/Thermomix/Cheapomix/Povomix/Thermofake machine and blend for 30 seconds on speed 8. (For those without in-built scales put your jug on the scales, calibrate it then weigh your seeds and nuts.)

Scrape down the edges with a spatula.

Blend again for 30 seconds on speed 2.

Take 1 cup of the nut and seed mix to cook in this batch and set the rest aside.  Put that 1 cup back into the jug.

Add your cup of quinoa flakes to the thermo jug. Also add soy protein powder here if you are including it.

Peel and add your banana.

Blend on speed 7 for 20 seconds.

Add 2 cups of milk of choice (I currently use So good lite Soy milk because it is low FODMAP).

Cook on speed 2 at 100° for 20 minutes.

Once it's done it's ready to be eaten.

This can be stored in the fridge for a week and reheated in single serves. It's best eaten hot, with cold (soy) milk poured over it.

The left over seed and nut mix keeps well in the fridge for weeks, so next week you can skip the first few steps, or just eat it with yoghurt if the weather has warmed up again.

Special thanks to Kyra who was the master mind behind this recipe. I just tweaked it a little and measured it out.

*If you are on a low FODMAP diet remember that there are restrictions on the amounts of some nuts you can eat, so don't eat a lot if you are making it solely with Almonds. Walnuts, pecans and brazil nuts are the lower FODMAP nuts, but half size serves i.e. 10 almonds or 10 hazel nuts are okay.

**Careful on the fruit too if you are trying to make it low FODMAP as only banana is low FODMAP of the fruits suggested.

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

Recently I fell in love with rhubarb again. It is a lovely low FODMAP fruit and it pairs beautifully with other low FODMAP fruits, not just apple - which leaves me with nasty IBS symptoms for days.

My favourite is strawberries because I can sometimes get away with no added sugars because they are so sweet.

Having said that, they usually do need sugar so I use rice malt syrup.

Ingredients:

1 kg of hulled strawberries
750 g - 1kg of rhubarb
1/2 cup rice malt syrup
1/4 cup water

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Wash fruit thoroughly.
Trim and dice rhubarb into stalks about 2 inches long and ensure that you remove all the leaves.
Cut strawberries into quaters.
Place fruit in a deep oven safe dish (I use Pyrex glass dishes) ensuring that you have at least an inch clear as the fruit tends to bubble over when it is hot.
Melt rice malt syrup in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Add rice malt syrup and water.
Cover the dish top in aluminium foil and put it in the oven.

Set a timer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes is up check if the fruit is bubbling and falling apart a little. If it is take it out. Mix the fruit around so the top bits don't burn and then put it back in the oven WITHOUT the aluminium foil for another 30 minutes.

After the time is up remove it from the oven again and recheck. If the rhubarb is falling apart it is done. Turn the oven off and leave the fruit to cool for a while. Once it has cooled sufficiently you can try a little to ensure that it is sweet enough. If it isn't, add some more rice malt syrup.

Serve with custard and/or ice cream. Yum!

You can also turn it into a crumble or eat it with your soy yoghurt for breakfast.

Soy Yoghurt Updates - Even Better Soy Yoghurt

Even Better Soy Yoghurt

I've had more hits on my blog for my soy yoghurt recipe than everything else put together.

In the last 2 years the recipe has had some tweaking to make it better. While my friends have been informed about those tweaks (that is, if they asked), no-one else has.

So, since I'm on holidays I thought I might add the additions.

It all started when one of my friends commented that the yoghurt was very runny. I didn't really care before she brought it up, but I decided to have a play and see if I could fix it up a bit and make it better.

Thicker double batch (2 litres of soy yoghurt)

Ingredients:

2 Litres of Soy milk

3 tablespoons of gluten free cornflour

60 grams of rice malt syrup

Small scraping of culture.

Method:

After boiling the water to sterilise everything add 1/3 of the soy milk (if using 1 litre- if you are making 2 litres use 1/2 a litre of soy milk) and 1.5 tablespoons of gluten free cornflour per litre of soy milk.

Heat this at 75-100 degrees C. (75 is quicker, but 100 is thicker.) Once it gets up to temperature give it 5 minutes to break down the starch and make it thicker. 

Then add the rest of your milk and 30 grams of rice malt syrup and mix it for 4 minutes on speed 3 or 4 (some thermocookers only go to speed 3 with hot foods). 

You'll need to let it cool down to 37 C before adding the culture so that it doesn't kill your culture. I recommend that you put the lid on the jug and surround the jug with ice packs to cool it quicker or if you can plan ahead put the milk cartons in the fridge 12 hours prior so they are cool to help quickly cool the hot mixture when you add them to it. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, then it should be cool enough to use again.  Check the actual temperature with a food thermometer.

Once the temperature is below 40 add your culture, mixing at speed 4 for 4 seconds. 

Empty the easiyo containers of the hot water if you haven't already; then pour the mixture into them. Seal them tightly and put the containers into the easiyo hot water bath to keep it warm and pop the bath's lid on. I recommend getting them as close to 24 hours as possible as the yoghurt will be nice and thick then.

If you're like me and want to make a double batch don't forget that you will need 2 easiyo sets to make a double batch but it's well worth it in my opinion.

Enjoy! :)

Pumpkin Chili Soup

Ingredients

1 large butternut pumpkin or 2 smaller ones
1/6 bunch of parsley
1 red chili (This makes it quite hot - don't add the chili if this is for people who have a low tolerance for hot food, or if there is a mild tolerance use half of the chili.)
1/2 bunch of spring onion (green tops only for low FODMAP)
Dash of oil (you could use garlic infused olive oil)
500 ml of chicken or vegetable stock - I used Sue Shepherd's low FODMAP stock.  (Obviously, use vegetable stock if you are making this vegetarian/vegan.
1 cup of almond milk (you could use coconut or soy if you need it nut free)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 pinches of salt - optional

 Method
Wash all veggies
Put the parsley, chili and spring onion in the bellini and blitz for 20 seconds starting on speed 5 and going up to speed 7.
Peel and chop up the pumpkin into small cubes.
Add the pumpkin, stock, oil, paprika, salt and almond milk.

Cook on speed 1 at 100 degrees for 30 minutes
Using a tea-towel on top of the lid to prevent any blow out slowly increase the speed from 3-6 - but wait until it has cooled somewhat so you don't accidentally get 2-3 degree burns!  Alternatively, leave this step out, and just let it take it's time to break the pumpkin up by stirring.
Cook again on speed 3 at 90 degrees for another 10-30 minutes with the clear top out to allow it to reduce.

Very yummy.  If you need to keep protein up add some cooked chicken to the soup when you serve it.

Serve with hot multi-grain toast.

Sweet Chili Chicken Nuggets

This chicken nuggets need a bit of refinement but if you're game to try now feel free to go ahead, and I'll modify this recipe down the track.

Ingredients

1/4 cup plain GF flour (you can use whole grain if you have it to make these lower GI)
1/2 cup rice crumbs
Pinch of salt
Sprinkle of parsley
*Sprinkle of garlic - Adding garlic here is not Low FODMAP.  If you need low FODMAP eliminate this step and use garlic infused olive oil.
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 sprinkle of black pepper
1-2 teaspoons of chili (mine wasn't very strong so you could add more or leave it with less for a non-spicy chicken nugget.
500 grams diced chicken breast (thawed)


1/2 cup Rice Malt  Syrup

Oil for frying - if you want low FODMAP use garlic infused olive oil.  Otherwise any other cooking oil will work.

Method

Mix all the flour and herbs together in a bowl until all your spices are well mixed in.

Melt your rice malt syrup either in the microwave (faster, but needed to be watched carefully and it started to harden like candy) or in a bain-marie (which will probably work better for this purpose).
As soon as your rice malt syrup is melted roll the chicken nuggets in it and transfer to the flour mix.
Coat in the flour and spice mix then transfer to the frying pan.

Cook immediately on high for about 6 minutes, then turn and cook for about another 4 minutes

As always with chicken check to make sure it is cooked before you eat it so you don't get food poisoning!  I usually break open one large piece to check the pink is gone, when I'm thinking they should be ready soon, as you don't want to over cook them either.

Serve with tomato sauce. - make sure it's a low FODMAP option for those who need it.  :)

Schnitzels

I used to love eating schnitzels, but after going gluten free I found that it was nearly impossible to find gluten free schnitzels.

A few weeks ago I decided to remedy this by going online and finding something I could modify.  And this recipe is the result.


1 cup quinoa flakes
lemon rind of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of chives (fresh or dried) - if it's fresh dice them finely
2 tablespoons of basil (fresh or dried)
2 tablespoons of psyllium husk for psyllium husk "egg"*
4 tablespoons of boiling water
1/2 cup gf flour
1/2 cup rice crumbs

2-4 cuts of defrosted meat

• for chicken get butterflied chicken breast
• for beef get veal cutlets or a thin cut low fat and gristle meat

Garlic infused olive oil for frying.

Method

Boil the kettle
If you are using fresh basil and/or chives chop these finely.
Grate your lemon rind
Thoroughly mix flours in with the spices and lemon rind.
Place meat on a plate/3rd bowl out of the way, but close at hand.
Prepare your frying pan with oil.
In a second bowl add your psyllium husk, and add 4 tablespoons of boiling water mixing constantly with a fork.

As soon as you get a sticky gel consistency add the meat slices and coat with the psyllium mixture.
Immediately transfer to the bowl of spices and flour and coat.
Quickly transfer to frying pan for cooking.

Repeat the coating process for each slice of meat.

The psyllium may become extremely gelled, and if so, add a dash of hot water to it an mix again, then repeat the process.

Fry for approximately 7 minutes on a medium-high setting before turning to the other side for approx 5 minutes to finish it.

Enjoy!

PS for a gluten free gravy use massels lucky 7s or Sue Shepherd's chicken stock with gf cornflour.  (I'll try to provide a recipe for that soon.)

Easter - Hot Cross Buns and Other Treats

This Easter I was determined not to make food that made me need to run to the bathroom and/or left me doubled over with stomach cramps.  I also didn't feel like pretending Easter didn't exist as I have previously tried for special occasions.

To help me out I steeply modified a recipe from Jo Whitton of Quirky Cooking for Hot Cross Buns. Hers have egg and dried fruit and the mixture is also really sloppy.

These are my very modified babies before they went in the oven, as might be noted by the fact the crosses haven't melted yet.

I got some ideas of Jamie Oliver's Food Tube (of course it was from Jamie.  I love Jamie.  *cough* anyway...) and added both xanthan gum and psyllium husk instead of only one of the two.  I switched choc chips for the dried fruit (Sweet William for those who can have soy, the allergy free ones from iherb for those who can't), and wished I had put in less cloves.  But overall it tasted pretty good despite tasting suspiciously like clove zone.

I won't bother with my icing sugar mix since it didn't work well, but don't use just plain flour for the crosses - that is disgusting as I know well from last year.  Use some icing sugar as well (50/50 plain flour and icing sugar).  Don't add nuttelex like I did though, because it melts in the oven and the buns looked pretty stupid.  But, hey, it tasted great.  A couple of drops of vanilla essence gave it a better taste too.  I used egg replacer as per normal.  I don't know, my buns looked pretty stupid afterwards, but they definitely are an improvement on last year, as mentioned.

Next time I will let them rise in the buns rather than shape them after they have risen, because, surprise, surprise, they didn't rise any further.  The chocolate kinda exploded everywhere too, so be careful when making.

(Well, it melted then stuck to everything that came near it, and made a jolly mess.  It *looked* like an explosion though.)

As food tube suggested, I used a bowl of boiling water in the bottom of the oven to create a moist and warm environment for the buns to rise.  It certainly seemed to work well for them.  It also gave my oven a bit of a steam clean.

Because Jo's recipe seemed to think you needed to leave it overnight at least to get flavours other than cloves to permeate the mixture I added the zest of a second orange, figuring that I was altering the recipe so much it wouldn't matter if I did that too, and it might add the flavour I needed without the extra time that I didn't have.  I couldn't taste the difference really, but it wasn't bad.  Maybe it did mask the cloves a little bit.

Next time I also think I should make more glaze.  It didn't go as far as I planned this year.

Also a side warning with this, they take far to long to make - so if you are Martha Stewart, you'll be fine, but for everyone else, either convince your boss that everyone needs another holiday on the Thursday before Easter, or clear your weekend and make them on the weekend before.  They freeze okay, and if you're like me, and used to eating gluten free treats if you even get a treat it will taste amazing.  Never mind those naysayers who think they would die without gluten.  IMHO gluten isn't worth killing over.  Yourself, or others to test if they actually can't eat gluten without it making them sick.  Chances are if they aren't flipping between gluten and gluten free they really can't eat the crap.

If you happen to be reading this and can eat gluten and other crap* yourself but are making these for someone who can't eat gluten and friends, I just want to say you are a special person.

By the way, chocolate wise, Target and David Jones are selling Kinnerton eggs again this year, and Sweet William has bunny heads somewhere that I haven't found apparently.  If you are inclined to gorge yourself on chocolate I hope those options help you out next year or tomorrow when you run to the shops to buy all the cheap chocolate.  I also brought some Haigh's dark chocolate eggs, which were popular with a lot of people.  :)

As for me, later this week I need to restock on cinnamon because not only am I out, but so is Coles apparently.  I still have enough cloves though, because unfortunately, last time I used cloves I thought I had none, so I brought a new container of the stuff and I only use it once a year - so I now have two fairly full containers**.

*This is a term coined to represent all the foods I can't eat - FODMAPS, dairy, egg, etc.

**They were just 'full containers', but I used copious amounts from one container in the recipe as you may have noticed.  Don't do what I did there.  Use it up in apple crumble (or something else if you can't eat apples anymore because of the FODMAP content).

Falling Off The Face of the Earth

Last year one of my few resolutions was to update my blog more often.

That did not happen.

I am not a compulsive blogger.  Nor do I have a big following, and most of all, I can't be stuffed posting all the time.  But some of my friends like to read my latest recipes.

Contributing to the lack of blogging material was the 'I can't think what to eat syndrome'.  Also the I can't be stuffed syndrome has had some consequences.  Medical issues (such as my allergies) involving food getting worse killed a lot of my spontaneity with food too.  In the last 12 months I got a FODMAPs diagnosis.  Which has meant that I can now better predict if I will be okay, but it hasn't solved every food problem unfortunately.  Because allergies...

But I've made a few things lately, and plan to review a few cookbooks that are good for allergies like mine.  I hope you find it useful.  :)

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Mustard Powder
2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
2.5 Tablespoons of Honey
1/2 Teaspoon of Rosemary
2 Chicken Breast Fillets (fresh not frozen)

Instructions:

Place everything except the chicken in a small bowl and give it a good stir until it is well mixed.

Pour over chicken fillets in an oven proof dish.

Cover with alfoil and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes take the alfoil off and cook for another 15-20 minutes until well cooked.

Serve hot with steamed vegetables.

Menu Planing - Detailed Instructions and Suggestions

So many people seemed to like my menu planning (and soy yoghurt) that I thought I would do a better job explaining how to get a menu plan.

Firstly I wrote down all the meals I enjoy eating and cooking that aren't too hard to make.  I use Excel to list these in categories as shown below:

Red Meat	White Meat	Fish	Either
Lamb Shanks	Lemon Pepper Chicken	Salmon & Hot Veg	Pizza
Lamb Chops	Chicken Stir Fry (Lemon, Chilli,)	Fish cakes/fingers	Cold rolls
Shepherds Pie	Roast Chicken		Bolognese
Beef Stew	Lime Chicken salad
Steak Sandwiches	Honey Soy Chicken
Thai Beef Salad	Lime and Ginger Chicken
	Satay Chicken
	Honey Mustard Chicken
	Herb & Garlic Chicken

Following that I made myself a calendar of January, thinking about what weeks and days I had which activities on.  I also counted up how many slots I had, and basically added leftovers in free spots.  I also paired food.  You may notice I have pizza with mince listed, the next day a chicken dish (which is served with hot veg, then the day after, Shepherd's pie - yes, for the leftovers.  :)

I use the oven, stove, BIKM a thermo-cooker, and a slow cooker.

Lunch is usually the other leftovers.  I haven't specified whether I have hot veg or salad with some, as usually that is interchangeable, but trust me I'm not vegetable-less.

 

Month:	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
January	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	Steak Sandwiches	Honey Soy Chicken	Steak Cold Rolls	Leftovers	Herb & Garlic Chicken	Pizza (mince)	Honey Mustard Chicken
	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
	Shepherds Pie	Lemon Pepper Chicken	Thai Beef Salad	Leftovers	Leftovers	Roast Chicken	Leftovers
	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
	15	16	17	18	19	20	21
	Lime Chicken noodle salad	Beef Stew	Satay Chicken	Leftovers	Leftovers	Leftovers	Chicken Stir Fry (Lemon, Chilli,)
	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
	Leftovers	Salmon	Leftovers	Leftovers	Lime Chicken salad	Lamb Shanks	Cold Rolls
	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	29	30	31
	Pizza (Chicken)	Lamb Chops	Pollo Bolognese

Soy Yoghurt

Several people have asked about my Soy Yoghurt.

I do have a few aids for this:

1. An easy yo maker (I highly recommend you invest in one of these if you will be making yoghurt regularly, as it's not that expensive and makes it really easy.)
2. Bellini (BIKM) - but anything else that mixes and heats would do the trick.

Following is my foolproof recipe.

Ingredients:
1 litre Bonsoy or Pureharvest Soy Milk.  (Both are non GMO - Pureharvest is organic) *1

30 grams rice malt syrup (normal sugar or honey would also work, but honey will alter the flavour.) *2

Tiny flick/shake of Greenliving Australia Dairy free culture *3

Method:

Using a Bellini, Thermomix, Kogen, etc al.

Fill jug with water, cook at steaming heat/veroma on speed 2-3 for 20 minutes or until it has reached the max temperature for at least 5 minutes to ensure it kills all other bacteria.

Once that is done, empty water into the easy yo container to also kill the bugs in it. *4

I do this utensil less, but any utensils you use need to be heated to kill bacteria too.

Place the jug on kitchen scales and measure in rice malt syrup

Add soy milk.  Mix on speed 3 for 7 minutes at heat of 37 degrees C.  Do not heat hotter than this or it will kill the culture.

Pour hot water from the tap into the base of the easy yo maker as per instructions.  (I don't use boiling water because I don't want to kill my culture.)  Set this aside somewhere it won't get bumped or disturbed.  Empty out the water from the easy yo container.

When your milk and sugar mix is heated perfectly add your culture.  I do 2-3 small taps on the side of it to shake a few grains in.  If you want it thicker, definitely go for 3-4 taps.

Mix on speed 4 for 4 seconds.

Pour into easy yo container.  There will be a little more than you have space for due to the froth.  You may as well put it in a glass and drink it.  It's basically probiotic milk.  ;)  Put the lid on, the easy yo container, pop in the easy yo maker, put that lid on, and leave it to set for 8-24 hours.

It needs to be undisturbed for this time, once it has been disturbed, take it out the hot water bath in the easy yo maker and put in the fridge.

The longer you leave it the thicker it gets, and as this soy yoghurt is sans thickener, leaving it longer is better.

* Kitchen tips:

1. You may use either.  I find bonsoy tastes better and is thicker, but it costs about x2 the price, and Pureharvest is Australian and organic.  I personally use Pureharvest in yoghurt for cooking, but prefer bonsoy with my breakfast.
2. The culture needs simple sugars to feed off of, so don't use agave or skip this step.
3.By the way, I don't get anything for giving a promo to green living Australia (or anyone else), I just know they worked for me and I was pretty happy with them.
4. Ensure that you thoroughly wash and rinse out your easy yo containers prior to using as any contamination or detergent could wreak the yoghurt.

Slow Cooked Beef Stew

Ingredients:
Approximately 1 kg (plus or minus 250grams) of beef - with bones is fine.
4 teaspoons of beef style stock (ensure this meets your dietary requirements - I use massells)
1 Large brown onion
A mix of chopped vegetables (I use carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans, baby spinach, pumpkin, zucchini, egg plant, leek, etc. You could use sweet potato and corn also but they are very high in carbs so I avoid them.)
Water to cover.
Optional- gravy mix (I use organ)
Garlic minced- dry

Method:
Put the beef and onion in the slow cooker and cover with water (ensure there is plenty of water in the cooker) and cook on high for 8+ hours. (Longer is fine providing you have plenty of water.)

Add in vegetables except for fresh spinach. You may need to add (boiling) water again. Cook on high for 90 minutes.

For gravy, on the stove create a very thick gravy, and remove from the heat as soon as it starts bubbling. Skip this step if you're not having gravy.

Add both gravy and baby spinach at the last 5 minutes and gently mix through.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

To make this a soup emit the gravy and up the water.

This serves quite a few... depending on if you're feeding teenage boys or not. ;)

Slow Cooked Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast fillets
1kg of apricot halves (canned or jar is fine)
3 teaspoons of chicken stock (ensure the stock is appropriate for any dietary requirements)
1 large brown onion, chopped
Water to cover.

Method:
Place chicken in the slow cooker.
Add onion and apricot on top.
Cover with water.
Add stock, sprinkling it around so that it is mixed through.
Cook on high for 5 hours.
Serve with steamed veggies.

Fruit Choc Mini Cakes

Fruit Choc Mini Cakes

Ingredients:
1 packet of bakers flour (I used Bob's red mill)
1/3 cup sultanas
1/3 cup raisins
150 grams chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Make bread according to packet instructions, but add cinnamon and nutmeg with the flour. At the last minute when mixing add in the fruit and chocolate chips.

Place on a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper. 

Drop generous sized spoonfuls. I aimed for almost a bread roll size.  Let it rise as per instructions and cook.

However with the cooking time be aware, I halved it and that was about right.

Try not to burn your mouth...

Apple Crumble

Ingredients:
7 apples

2 Teaspoons of cinnamon
1 Teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup GF flour (I use organ)
1/2 cup organic raw sugar
1/4 cup rice bread crumbs (check they are GF)
2/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup rolled quinoa
3/4 cup psyllium husk
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Method:

Core and chop apples into small chunks. Boil on a low heat on the stove just covered in water for 10 minutes.

An apple corer that chops it too is an amazing tool for this job.

While that is cooking add all other ingredients to a bowl and mix well.  I mix by hand - its that easy.

When the apple is cooked take it off the stove and put it in the bottom of an oven dish.  Spread topping over the apple.

Put in preheated oven for 15-30 minutes at 180 C.  Let it cool before you eat it, as it will be very hot!!!!