This is a lovely sweet herb butter that could be used in all sorts of different ways. I especially made it to go with my Lavender Scones.
Ingredients
100g butter - softened
1 tbs lavender buds
1 tsp honey
Just like with my lavender scones, I used a pestle and mortar to grind the lavender buds.
Add the ground lavender and a nice squeeze of honey to the softened butter. I used a wooden spoon to mix it all together.
When everything is mixed as evenly as you can, spoon the lavender butter onto a piece of cling film and roll into a small log shape. Wrap and place in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Delicious with Lavender Scones or spread on toast or crumpets!
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Lavender Scones
My beautiful daughter recently gave me a bag of organic culinary lavender. I love lavender, not only for it's fragrance, but also for it's wonderful healing properties. Among it's many benefits, including being a great stress and pain reliever, it also helps with digestion, upset stomachs and bloating. These scones are my first attempt at cooking with lavender.
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 tbs caster sugar
2 tsp lavender buds
40gm butter - softened
1 cup milk
1/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
First, I used a pestle and mortar to grind the lavender buds. You could also use a food processor or coffee grinder.
Sift the flour into a large bowl with the sugar and ground lavender.
Rub in the softened butter with your fingertips until completely combined.
Mix the milk and creme fraiche together, then add to the bowl, gently stirring with a blunt knife until the mixture becomes a soft, sticky dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Using your hands, carefully press out the dough to approx 2cm thickness. Cut into rounds (approx. 5cm) with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a drinking glass. Place scones onto lightly greased baking sheets, or into a lightly greased cake pan. Gently knead remaining dough scraps together and repeat the pressing and cutting out until it is all used.
Brush the top of the scones with a little milk.
Bake in a hot oven, approx. 220 degrees C, for about 15 mins.
Place the scones onto a wire rack immediately after taking out of the oven.
Delicious with Lavender Honey Butter.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
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| Lavender Scones |
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 tbs caster sugar
2 tsp lavender buds
40gm butter - softened
1 cup milk
1/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
First, I used a pestle and mortar to grind the lavender buds. You could also use a food processor or coffee grinder.
Sift the flour into a large bowl with the sugar and ground lavender.
Rub in the softened butter with your fingertips until completely combined.
Mix the milk and creme fraiche together, then add to the bowl, gently stirring with a blunt knife until the mixture becomes a soft, sticky dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Using your hands, carefully press out the dough to approx 2cm thickness. Cut into rounds (approx. 5cm) with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a drinking glass. Place scones onto lightly greased baking sheets, or into a lightly greased cake pan. Gently knead remaining dough scraps together and repeat the pressing and cutting out until it is all used.
Brush the top of the scones with a little milk.
Bake in a hot oven, approx. 220 degrees C, for about 15 mins.
Place the scones onto a wire rack immediately after taking out of the oven.
Delicious with Lavender Honey Butter.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Banana Blueberry Smoothie
I wasn't feeling terribly hungry tonight, so instead of cooking dinner I made a banana and blueberry smoothie! For extra goodness and to ensure I still received the nutrients I need, I also added chia seeds and almond milk! OMG, it was soooooo tasty! :) My daughter also loved it!
Ingredients
3 frozen bananas
1 handful fresh blueberries
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp chia seeds
3 cups (approx) almond milk
Peel and cut the bananas into chunks and wash the blueberries.
Put the bananas, blueberries, coconut oil, chia seeds and approx. 3 cups of almond milk into a blender. Turn it on and blend until smooth.
Pour into 3 glasses and drink.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
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| Banana Blueberry Smoothie with Chia Seeds & Almond Milk |
Ingredients
3 frozen bananas
1 handful fresh blueberries
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp chia seeds
3 cups (approx) almond milk
Peel and cut the bananas into chunks and wash the blueberries.
Put the bananas, blueberries, coconut oil, chia seeds and approx. 3 cups of almond milk into a blender. Turn it on and blend until smooth.
Pour into 3 glasses and drink.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
Friday, 18 January 2013
Pumpkin, Leek & Kale Soup
Cold, wintry weather always calls for a warming soup at the end of the day. The snow stopped me from going shopping today so I had to create something with veggies I had available and came up with this unusual, yet very tasty combination.
Ingredients
1 butternut pumpkin - cut into small chunks
3 leeks - roughly sliced
1/2 bag kale - roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
Ground cumin
Chicken stock (I used home-made, but you could use stock cubes and water)
Lemon
Melt a knob of butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks, garlic, pumpkin and a good spoon or more of cumin. Stir well and cook for a few minutes.
Pour in enough stock to cover the vegetables and bring to the boil. Pop a lid on the pan and turn the heat down to a simmer for approx 15-20 minutes, until pumpkin is cooked.
Stir the kale into the soup and let it cook for a couple more minutes.
Take off the heat and blend it all together. (I use a hand blender.)
Squeeze half of a lemon into the smooth soup, stir and serve.
You can add shavings of parmesan, or a swirl of creme fraiche (or both). I also serve it with In Caryl's Kitchen: Cornbread Muffins.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
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| Pumpkin, Leek & Kale Soup |
Ingredients
1 butternut pumpkin - cut into small chunks
3 leeks - roughly sliced
1/2 bag kale - roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
Ground cumin
Chicken stock (I used home-made, but you could use stock cubes and water)
Lemon
Melt a knob of butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks, garlic, pumpkin and a good spoon or more of cumin. Stir well and cook for a few minutes.
Pour in enough stock to cover the vegetables and bring to the boil. Pop a lid on the pan and turn the heat down to a simmer for approx 15-20 minutes, until pumpkin is cooked.
Stir the kale into the soup and let it cook for a couple more minutes.
Take off the heat and blend it all together. (I use a hand blender.)
Squeeze half of a lemon into the smooth soup, stir and serve.
You can add shavings of parmesan, or a swirl of creme fraiche (or both). I also serve it with In Caryl's Kitchen: Cornbread Muffins.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
Friday, 11 January 2013
Red Lentil Dahl with Carrots & Sweet Potato
My daughter has recently decided to try being a vegetarian. Luckily, I often cook vegetarian meals anyway, so this one was pretty easy. I used carrots and sweet potato because that's all I had left, before the delivery of my next organic veggie box, but you could really add any vegetable you want.
Ingredients
2 small onions - peeled and finely chopped
3 large carrots - roughly chopped
1 large sweet potato - roughly chopped
3 large garlic cloves - crushed
1 tbs curry powder
250g red lentils
1 400g tin kidney beans - drained and rinsed
1 400g tin tomatoes
2-3 cups vegetable stock or water
1 large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander (cilantro) - roughly chopped
1-2 tbs red wine vinegar
Stir fry the onions, carrots and sweet potato in a little oil, until the onion is softened.
Add the crushed garlic and curry powder and stir until nicely fragrant.
Pour in the lentils and give it all a good stir, then add the kidney beans, tomatoes and stock. Stir well and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid or some baking paper and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the veggies are just cooked. Add extra water if needed.
Stir through the parsley/coriander and red wine vinegar. Serve over fluffy brown basmati rice or with naan bread.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
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| Red Lentil Dahl with Carrots and Sweet Potato |
Ingredients
2 small onions - peeled and finely chopped
3 large carrots - roughly chopped
1 large sweet potato - roughly chopped
3 large garlic cloves - crushed
1 tbs curry powder
250g red lentils
1 400g tin kidney beans - drained and rinsed
1 400g tin tomatoes
2-3 cups vegetable stock or water
1 large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander (cilantro) - roughly chopped
1-2 tbs red wine vinegar
Stir fry the onions, carrots and sweet potato in a little oil, until the onion is softened.
Add the crushed garlic and curry powder and stir until nicely fragrant.
Pour in the lentils and give it all a good stir, then add the kidney beans, tomatoes and stock. Stir well and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid or some baking paper and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the veggies are just cooked. Add extra water if needed.
Stir through the parsley/coriander and red wine vinegar. Serve over fluffy brown basmati rice or with naan bread.
Enjoy!
Caryl ♥
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