Nut Bars

We have finally moved into our brand spanking new place and now that i'm 40 weeks pregnant I am waiting to meet my baby! Our kitchen is so inviting and lovely to use and I think there is no better way to make a place your own then to get cooking! There have been so many yummy things I have wanted to cook and bake for ages and now, and having unpacked my kitchen gadgets and after  shopping for some quality ingredients, it is time to put them all to good use! I think if these nut bars last they might also come in handy for a energy dense snack for labour!

Our place faces directly north and we chose MASSIVE glass sliding doors which are beautiful and make the place very open. However, in this surprisingly very hot weather at the end of March the only time to bake something is in the morning or the late afternoon when it is cooler! That is kind of good in a way because then I am forced to lie down and rest to escape the heat of the day... Not a bad life at the moment! :)

So I will start off 2013 with a recipe post that I have been meaning to do for a while now... I can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted any recipes! After arriving home from overseas mid last year, being pregnant and not having my own place I haven’t been too inspired in the kitchen... 

So here goes... looks like I get my chance to have my last burst of creative kitchen time before the baby comes and changes that... at least for a while! :)

So this recipe is great snack recipe. I have made this many times so it is tried and tested. It's great for a mid-morning or afternoon snack with some fruit ;) And if you choose, you get a little chocolate to go with it! Unfortunately the recipe is not so great for kids lunch boxes due to the ban on nuts from rampant nut allergies. The original recipe comes from Simon Bryant who starred on the ABC program The Cook and the Chef with Maggie Beer.  

Nut Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup pepitas toasted

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts

1/2 cup shredded coconut toasted

1/2 cup almonds chopped and toasted
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup diced dried figs or dates
1/3-1/2 cup LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seed, almonds)
3/4 cup honey

3/4 cup tahini

Optional

400 grams of 70% or 85% dark chocolate melted

Method

To toast the pepitas, hazelnuts almonds and coconut I usually just combine the ingredients and spread them out thinly on a baking tray. Preheat the oven to 180 degress and then toast for about 5-8 minutes. Check them after 5 minutes, give them a stir and then continue to toast until the coconut is golden and the skins of the hazelnuts start to flake.

Meanwhile mix together the oats, sesame seeds, dried apricots and dates in a large bowl. When the other ingredients are toasted add this mix to the tray, switch the oven off and warm all the ingredients together for a few minutes in the oven. Measure out the tahini and honey. Remove the nuts and seeds from oven and place in a large bowl. Combine with the tahina and honey mix and add about 1/3-1/2 cup of LSA until well combined. The LSA is to help bind the ingredients together. Spread onto a slice tray lined with baking paper and allow to set for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

Cut into bars and eat just as they are OR coat in chocolate. To coat in chocolate, break up the chocolate and place in a bain marie. When just melted spread over the slice, working quickly until coated. Place back in the fridge until set. Cut into squares and enjoy as a delicious yummy snack!

Caramelized Pineapple & Toasted Coconut Ice cream

Summer is almost here, and my home here on the Sunshine Coast is pineapple country. I am living just down the road from Pineapple mecca , 'The Big Pineapple' and have been making the most of this summer fruit.

What better way to make the most of it than by combining it with the ultimate Tropical Summer ingredient, Pina Colada style!? Coconut!

This ice cream is made with coconut cream so its dairy free. Use an organic tinned coconut cream for the best, creamiest results.

If you are lucky enough to own an ice cream churner simply add the cream, the pineapple and toasted coconut to the churner together.

Caramelized Pineapple & Toasted Coconut Ice cream... with a hint of spiced rum

makes approximately 1L of ice cream.
* 250g fresh pineapple cut into 5mm thick small wedges
* 3 tbsp pineapple juice (i cut my pineapple up the day prior to making the ice cream and this juice had collected in the bowl)
* 2 tbsp spiced rum (optional can be substituted with more pineapple juice)
* 4 tbsp coconut sugar (or other such as agave syrup, rapadura, honey, rice syrup)
* 1/3c dessicated coconut

* 3c coconut cream
* 5 egg yolks
* 3 tbsp maple syrup
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped

put the pineapple pieces, pineapple juice, rum and coconut sugar in a bowl, stir and put aside.
in a fry pan add the dessicated coconut and stir over medium heat until toasted golden. set aside in a small bowl
Whisk egg yolks, maple syrup and salt in a pot
Add coconut cream and whisk well
Add the vanilla seeds and the scraped vanilla pod. Put the stove on medium heat, stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 8 minutes until thickened slightly, so it coats the back of the spoon. Don't let the mixture boil.
Remove from the heat and strain into a container or bowl. Put into the freezer to chill.

Heat the frying pan on a med/high heat on the stove again, add the pineapple pieces and juices to the pan, let bubble, string occasionally and reduce until syrup has thickened. (approx 5 minutes) set aside.

(optional extra step - heat a griddle pan very hot and char the pineapple pieces slightly.. and for garnish only a few extra discs dusted with a little extra coconut sugar to help caramelize them)

Each 45mins to an hour remove the bowl of ice cream from the freezer and stir/whisk/ Bamix/blend to break up any ice crystals. you will need to do this 3 or 4 times for the smoothest creamiest ice cream.
Once the ice cream is beginning to thicken to thick shake or soft serve texture gently stir through the toasted coconut, pineapple pieces and syrup before placing back in the freezer to complete freezing.

Let soften out of freezer for 5minutes before serving.

Vietnamese Inspired Glass Noodle Salad

 

I made this refreshing summery salad for a BBQ  during the weekend. My uncle Raouly requested i bring Pancit (a very meaty noodle dish), my Filipino family love their salty and meaty food!

Since it was a BBQ, and since i wanted something to even out the meaty BBQ playing ground i took his request and 're-moulded' it. ...Yes, OK so it is NOTHING even close to resembling Pancit! but it does have noodles!

I know its not vego, but i used a little fish sauce in the dressing. Please Feel free to omit the fish sauce and use a little more vinegar or soy. Always, ALWAYS taste test and adjust the dressing. Quantities i have listed for the dressing are oh so approximate!

I didn't have a lot of coriander left when i made this salad, but i would really suggest using a whole bunch of coriander and a really good handful or Vietnamese mint. 

you can prepare the the whole salad ahead of time if you need to, however i prefer to prepare most of it but wait until the last minute to add the dressing and garnishes. This makes sure the salad keeps its variety of crunchy, and slippery textures.

Vietnamese inspired Glass noodle salad

ingredients
* 6 wombok leaves washed and sliced into strips
* 150g vermicelli noodles (soaked in warm water for 15minutes until clear and roughly chopped)
* 2 carrots grated into long strips (or julienne)
* 1 1/2 capsicum julienne
* 1 handful snow peas julienne
* 2/3c slivered almonds toasted
* 4 tbsp sesame seeds toasted
* 2/3c fried shallots or onion (buy from Asian grocery store)
* 1 bunch coriander leaves roughly chopped
* 1 handful Vietnamese mint chopped fine
*  rind of 1 lime
* 1 long red chili chopped fine (remove as few or as many seeds as you like depending on your preference for spice)
* 125g firm tofu cut into cubes (buy marinated or marinate yourself)

marinade
* 2tbsn tamari
* 2tbsn sweet chilli
* 1 garlic cloves crushed
* 1tbsn oil


 dressing
* 1/2 bunch coriander roots washed and chopped very fine
* juice f 2 limes
* 1tbsn fish sauce (replace with extra rice wine vinegar or shaoxing if preferred)
* 2 tbsp chili sauce
* 3tbsn coconut oil (or use any light flavoured oil)
* 2 tsp sesame oil
* 2 tbsp shaoxing vinegar or rice wine vinegar
* 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
* 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
* 4tbsn palm sugar (or any other sugar or hone you prefer)
* s & p
 * *** plus extra of any of the above to adjust to your taste


Method

To marinate tofu place the cubes and the marinade ingredients into a Tupperware or zip lock bag and leave in fridge to marinate for at least 30mins...up to 4hours.

Dry toast the almonds in a frying pan. place in a small bowl. do the same for the sesame seeds

Mix all the salad ingredients (except for the almonds, sesame seeds, fried onion and 1/3 of the coriander)  in a large bowl

in a glass jar or mixing bowl shake or whisk all the dressing ingredients until well combined and sugar is dissolved. taste and adjust as required.

Just before serving the salad cook the tofu in a frying pan or on the BBQ until heated through, dried out and nicely browned.
Add the dressing to the salad along with half the sesame seeds, half the almonds and half the fried onions.
Mix thoroughly with your hands.
Top with the tofu, sesame seeds, almonds and fried onions, then the remaining herbs

Serve with lime wedges.