Sue’s Delicious Fat Free Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
1kg mixed fruit
2 cups fruit juice of other liquid
2 cups SR flour
Method:
Soak fruit in juice for 2 hours or longer. Stir flour into mixed fruit and mix well. Put into a large baking tin and bake for 2 hours in the bottom of your oven at 130C.
Remove and leave to cool in the tin.
Options:
- Use sherry, brandy, Cointreau or Grand Marnier as part of the liquid
- Wholemeal SR flour can be used, or any other variety
- Nuts can be added as part of the fruit
- Can be cooked at a higher temp for less time
- Freezes well - I always freeze half
Very nice served warm with custard as a dessert.
Sea Dream Slice
Ingredients:
8 oz crushed biscuits
2.5 oz butter
3 oz brown sugar
1.5 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup mixed fruit
Pinch of salt
1 dessert spoon milk
Method:
Cream butter and sugar together.
Add crushed biscuits, then cocoa, vanilla, mixed fruit and salt. Mix and lastly add milk.
The mixture should not be too soft. Form into a roll and cover in coconut. Wrap in grease proof paper and chill until firm. Cut into slices and serve.
Hungarian Goulash
Ingredients:
2 cups diced onion
60g butter
1 tablespoon Paprika
Salt and Pepper
1 kg diced shoulder of Pork
1/4 cup Plain Flour
500g Sauerkraut
1 cup sour cream
Method:
Saute onion & butter for 5 mins. Add paprika and salt & pepper and simmer for 5 mins. Add pork, cover and cook for 30 mins.
Sprinkle with flour and stir in Sauerkraut and cook for further 30 mins. (Cool then chill if making ahead of time.)
Gently reheat and stir in sour cream. Serve with mashed potato.
Raw Cherry-Less Ripe Slice
Ingredients:
2 cups raw macadamias or cashews
4 medjool dates
2 tbsp rice malt syrup
1 tsp mixed spice
3 medium beetroots, cooked or raw
2 cups dessicated coconut
⅓ cup cacao
1 tbsp chia seeds in ¼ cup water
Chocolate layer
½ cup coconut oil
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp rice malt syrup,
Method:
- Pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped and slightly sticky and place in a mixing bowl with the coconut, cacao and mixed spice
- Process the dates and syrup and then add to the mixing bowl
- Either grate or pulse the beets until finely chopped
- Finally, add the chia seeds and beetroot to the bowl and mix until well combined (it should be very thick)
- Place the mixture into a slice tray and place in the freezer for half an hour or until firm
- Then, melt the coconut oil, cacao and syrup together on the stove top or the microwave and pour onto the top of the slice
- Place back into the freezer until chocolate has set, then cut slice into desired squares and keep in the fridge until consumed
Allow 30 minutes prep time and 60 minutes freezing time. Makes 18 pieces.,
Marina Donkin
Janet’s Everyday GF Cake or Muffins
Ingredients:
1 can apple or berries
1 cup almond meal
1 cup GF flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
¼-½ cup coconut oil
½ cup milk (rice, soy, almond)
Method:
Melt coconut oil and mix all ingredients together.
Pour into tin or muffin pans and bake in mod oven.
Janet Hort
Carrot Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup sultanas
1 ½ cups grated carrot
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup plain wholemeal flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
generous handful of walnut pieces
2 eggs
¾ cup of oil
Icing
60g cream cheese
60g butter
1 cup icing sugar
cinnamon to sprinkle over
Method:
Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs and oil and add to the dry mix. Stir together and pour into a greased and lined cake pan. Bake at 180oC for about 45 minutes.
Make topping by beating the cream cheese and butter together before adding the icing sugar. Spread over the cake and dust with cinnamon.
Good basic recipe that can be modified by adding other ‘extra’s to the mix, e.g. change the nuts, add chopped apple - fried or fresh, a different dried fruit, etc
Clive Lynn
Santiago Cake - ‘Torta de Santiago’
Ingredients:
450g almond meal
150g unsalted butter
400g caster sugar
6 eggs
150g plain flour
juice and zest from 2 large or 3 small lemons
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 170 deg C, Line and grease a 24cm springform pan
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat to combine. Fold in the flour, almond meal and lemon.
Pour batter into a flour and bake for 80 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover with foil to stop the top getting burnt.
Cool for 5 minutes then brush the top with lemon juice.
Enjoy!! Azure Sea
Muesli Bars
Ingredients and Method:
Combine the following into an oven tray and toast for about 5 minutes
1 cup dessicated coconut
1½ cups rolled oats
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup chopped pecans
Place the above into a large bowl, add the following and mix well -
¼ cup chopped dried apricots
¼ cup chopped dates
⅓ cup chopped cranberries
Melt the following over medium heat stirring constantly before stirring the caramel mix into the muesli mixture. Press the mixture into a lined tray and allow to cool before cutting into bars.
160g unsalted butter
½ cup honey or a mix of honey and Golden Syrup
¾ cup sugar - raw or brown.
Zoe Baillie
Health Cookies
Ingredients:
1½ cups SR wholemeal flour
½ cup SR plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
2 cups rolled oats
¾ cup raw sugar
1 apple chopped
¾ cup sultanas
¾ cup currants
zest of one orange
250g melted butter
3 eggs
approx 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Preheat oven to 180ºC and line some oven trays with baking parchment.
Sift together flours ad spices before adding next six ingredients and mixing well.
Add remaining three ingredients and mixing well.
Using a dessertspoon place heaps onto the prepared trays and bake in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes
Zoe Baillie
Date and Pineapple Loaf
Ingredients:
1½ cups (250g) chopped dates
450g can crushed pineapple
125g butter
½ cup castor sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups self-raising flour
Method:
Grease a 15cm x 25cm loaf pan, line base with baking paper.
Combine dates, undrained pineapple, butter and sugar in saucepan, stir constantly over heat without boiling until butter is melted. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered 3 minutes without stirring; cool.
Stir in eggs, then sifted flour in 2 lots. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in moderate oven for about 1 hour. Stand 10 minutes before turning on to wire rack to cool.
Julie Johnston made this cake for the Tuesday Walks group at Azure’s fundraising day. Very yummy!
Raw Cocoa Fudge
Ingredients:
1½ cups cashew nuts
Pinch of himalayan salt
Juice of one lemon or orange
¼ cup cacao powder
¼ cup organic maple syrup or coconut nectar
¾ cup coconut oil
¼ cup water
¼ cup mixed nuts, dried fruit or shredded coconut or so-called superfoods like chia seeds and goji berries.,
Method:
Soak the cashews for 1-2 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Blend the cashew nuts until fine in a food processor.
Add all dry ingredients to the already blended cashew nuts. Combine all the ingredients together well in the food processor.
Add the maple syrup, lemon juice and melted coconut oil (slowly warm the coconut oil to form a liquid by sitting the glass jar in hot water for a few minutes) before adding to the food processor.
Line a baking try with baking paper leaving the side edges out of the tray to assist removing once set. Pour the mixture into the tray topping with mixed nuts, dried fruit, shredded coconut or super-foods. Place in the freezer for 3- 6 hours until set.
After 3-6 hours remove the fudge from the tray and chop into small portions. You can also use cookie cutters to make special shapes. This fudge is kept best in the fridge.
Lentils with Cumin, Lemon and Spinach
Ingredients:
375g green lentils
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tblsp yoghurt
1 lemon cut into segments and chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced and fried in a little olive oil
2 handfuls spinach, cooked in a little oil
2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper
3 carrots, peeled and grated
50g currants
20ml red wine vinegar
50ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp raw sugar
100g firm Greek-style feta
1 handful mint leaves
Method:
Rinse lentils under running water, then place in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25mins or until almost tender. Crumble in stock cube and simmer for 5 mins until lentils are cooked, then drain. Allow lentils to cool slightly then stir in yoghurt, lemon, garlic, spinach, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Pile lentils onto a platter.
In a bowl, combine carrots, currants, vinegar, olive oil and sugar. Crumble in feta. Pile salad on lentils and scatter with mint leaves.
Kerry
Fruit and Nut Truffles
Ingredients:
1 cup (100g) walnuts, chopped
⅔ cup (100g) cashews, chopped
100g blanched almonds, chopped
½ cup (50g) instant porridge oats
⅔ cup (100g) chopped dried apricots
150g pitted dates, chopped
½ cup (100g) chopped pitted prunes
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup (90g) desiccated coconut
Method:
Place the walnuts, cashews and almonds in a dry frypan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, for 2-3 mins until lightly toasted.
Place in a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Add oats, apricots, dates, prunes, sesame seeds, cocoa, cinnamon and honey to the processor and whiz for 2-3 mins until the mixture forms a paste.
Roll the mixture into balls about the size of a walnut, between lightly moistened hands, then roll in the coconut to coat. Keeps well in the fridge.
Raspberry or Nectarine Cake
Ingredients:
125g butter
½ cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 cup SR flour
zest of a lemon
1 tsp vanilla essence
fruit - berries, apple, pear, nectarine or peach
Method:
Cream butter and sugar then add egg yolks, one at a time.
Stir in lemon zest, vanilla essence and sifted flour. (May need a little milk)
Beat egg whites and fold into the mixture.
Spread into a 20cm round cake tin.
Place berries or fruit of choice on top. (I used fresh, sliced nectarines when I made it for the First Aid day)
Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for about 50 minutes.
Gayle
Quinoa Brittle
Ingredients:
½ cup (92 g) uncooked white quinoa
¾ cup (75 g) pecans, chopped
¼ cup (22.5 g) rolled oats
2 Tbsp (24 g) chia seeds
2 Tbsp (24 g) coconut sugar
optional: pinch sea salt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut oil
½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup
Method:
- Preheat oven to 160 degrees C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring it covers the entire surface and all the edges (to prevent spill over).
2. Add quinoa, pecans, oats, chia seeds, coconut sugar, and salt (optional) to a mixing bowl - stir to combine.
3. To a small saucepan, add coconut oil and maple syrup. Warm over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the two are totally combined and there is no visible separation.
4. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir to thoroughly combine and coat. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer with a metal spoon. Try to get it as even as possible, or the edges will burn and the center won’t crisp up
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan around to ensure even browning. Bake 5-10 minutes more and watch carefully as to not burn. You’ll know it’s done when uniformly deep golden brown in color and very fragrant. The edges may appear to be getting too brown, but they’re just getting crisp and caramelized, so don’t be afraid of that!
6. Let cool completely before breaking into bite-size pieces with a sharp knife or your fingers.
7. Once completely cooled, store leftovers in a sealed bag or container at room temperature for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. This makes an excellent holiday dessert or gift!
Healthy Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
600g mixed dried Fruit or a mix of raisins, prunes, figs, apricots, currants, sultanas, dates
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract or paste
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
zest and juice from 1 orange
3 tablespoons olive oil or macadamia nut oil
3 eggs
200g (2 cups) ground almonds
50g walnuts
Method:
Preheat your oven to 150ºC (fan forced)
Prepare a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper lining the sides and base.
Combine dried fruit, spice, vanilla, orange zest and juice, olive oil and eggs.
Add the almonds and walnuts and mix through.
Spoon batter into tin and bake for 1½ hours. Check with a skewer and bake for another 30 mins if not clean. Cover top if necessary to prevent over-browning.
Cool in tin and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Optional: as soon as you remove the cake from the oven, skewer holes through the cake and drizzle over ¼ cup orange liqueur to infuse the cake.
Lazy Lemon Tart Filling
Ingredients:
1 large lemon, seeds removed, chopped
1½ cups castor sugar
110g softened butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
¼ cup thickened cream
Icing sugar and thick cream to serve
Method:
Place lemon, sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, add thickened cream and pulse quickly to just combine.
Pour into prepared pastry case of your favourite sweet shortcrust pastry - the filling does a 23cm flan tin - and bake in 190 degree oven for 30 mins or until just set. Cool tart in the pan and dust with icing sugar and serve at room temperature with thick cream.
Judy
Crunchy Almond Cookies
Ingredients:
1½ cups almond meal
½ cup tapioca flour or arrowroot (or similar)
2 tblsp dessicated coconut
a good pinch of sea salt
60g coconut oil, softened, melted
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
2 tblsp hulled tahini
1 tblsp natural vanilla essence
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C or 170°C if using fan-forced oven. Line two baking trays with baking paper then set aside.
- Combine all dry ingredients together in bowl. Add coconut oil, tahini and maple syrup and mix well through.
- Taking one tablespoon at a time, roll in a rough ball and flatten gently between palms, then place on the baking tray. Continue until all the mixture has been used up. Make sure you leave a 5cm gap between each biscuit as they will expand as they bake.
- Bake for approximately 15-20 mins or until lightly browned, then leave to cool completely on tray.
- These biscuits are tempting to eat while cooling, but they are even better cooled and crunchy!
Tip - 1 scant cup almonds makes 1½ cups of almond meal.
Sue Marriott
Healthy Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups (200g) blanched almond flour
2 tblsp (14g) coconut flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
½ (110g) coconut oil (or ghee or butter)
½ pure maple syrup (or rice malt or coconut nectar)
¾ dark chocolate chips (or raisins if making lactose free)
Method:
Sift together almond flour and coconut flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Combine vanilla, coconut oil and maple syrup in a small bowl
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix in the choc chip
Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (very important step)
Preheat oven to 175oC
Place large teaspoons full of batter approx 5cm apart on prepared baking sheet
Bake for 10 minutes (or 20 minutes or even longer if you like them crunchy)
Not Quite Rocky Road
Ingredients:
2 cups walnuts
12 medjool dates, seeds removed
3 tablespoons cacao or cocoa
½ teaspoon concentrated natural vanilla extract
½ cup pistachios
½ cup cashews
½ cup goji berries
½ cup cranberries
Method:
- Line a square 20cm tin with baking paper overhanging the sides for easy removal.
2. Place the pistachios and cashews into your processor and quickly pulse to roughly crush. Pour the nuts into a bowl and set aside.
3. Place the walnuts, dates, cacao or cocoa and vanilla into your food processor and blend at high speed until the mixture resembles a sticky crumb.
4. Add the crushed nuts and berries and quickly blend to combine. Press the mixture firmly into your prepared tin and place in the freezer to set.
5. Slice. Serve. Eat and enjoy.
Healthy Pikelets
Ingredients:
½ cup oat bran (more or less as needed)
½ cup low-fat Greek yogurt
2 eggs, beaten
Pinch wasabi powder, or paste
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs - eg. chives, parsley, coriander
2 spring onions, chopped
Cracked pepper
Method:
Beat all together and cook in frying pan with coconut or olive oil until browned. When cool, serve with creamed cheese or cottage cheese and slices of smoked salmon.
Optional: Add small can tuna and/or grated carrot, zucchini or whatever you have. Great to take on walks.