Parsnip Cranberry Cakes

What do you do at Christmas time when you have left over parsnips and clementines?  You peel and grate and squeeze them into delicious little cakes of course! :)

Parsnip Cranberry Cakes

Ingredients

75ml olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 clementines - zest and juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-3/4 cups plain white flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 large parsnips - grated (approx. 1 mug full)
Handful chopped pecans
Handful cranberries
Honey


Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.

Whisk olive oil, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, clementine zest and juice together until light and fluffy.

Sieve in flour, bicarb, baking soda and salt.  Gently fold through.

Carefully swirl in the parsnips, pecans and cranberries.  Don't overmix.

Divide between baking cases.

Bake for 30mins, until skewer comes out clean.  Finish with a drizzle of honey.

Store in airtight container for 2-3 days, if you don't eat them all at once!  Delicious with a bit of butter and a cuppa!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Caryl's Cheesecake

My favourite type of cheesecake is a baked one!  I love the texture and the nibbliness of them. :)  This is one I've devised over the years ..... deliciously irresistable and very moreish!  I make it every Christmas, as well as family get-togethers.

Caryl's Baked Cheesecake

Ingredients

Base

1/3 cup biscuit crumbs - (I like to use ginger nut biscuits, but digestives work well too!)
1/3 cup butter - melted

Filling

300g tub cream cheese - room temperature
250g tub ricotta cheese - room temperature
200g tub creme fraiche (or sour cream) - room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs - separated
2 tbs plain white flour
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbs grated lemon rind

Topping

Fruit of choice - I like to use strawberries or blueberries, or both!
Whipped cream


Combine biscuit crumbs and melted butter.  Press into base of a 23cm spring-form pan and chill.

Stiffly beat egg whites and set aside.

Beat cream cheese until soft.  Stir in all remaining filling ingredients, gently folding in the egg whites last.

Pour mixture into prepared crumb crust.  Bake at 140 degrees C for approx. 60 minutes.  Allow to cool in oven.  Chill for a few hours.

Decorate with whipped cream and fruit.

NOTE:  If your cheesecake cracks across the top, don't worry - that's what makes the decorating fun!  Every time I make this recipe I decorate it differently, depending on how (or if) it has cracked and what fruit is available.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Garlic & Pine-Nuts

Brussels sprouts, I have to admit, have not been a vegetable I've liked until very recently.  In fact I used to only put up with it "for the sake of keeping the peace" at Christmas time!  However, there are so many things you can do with these special green gems of goodness, I can now say I actually enjoy them.  This is how I served them with this year's Christmas dinner, alongside the traditional baked potatoes, carrots and a newly tried Jamie Oliver's "Must-try red cabbage braised with apple, bacon & balsamic vinegar".

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Garlic & Pine-Nuts

Ingredients

500g Brussels sprouts (approx)
Butter
3 cloves garlic - finely sliced
handful pine-nuts - toasted


Wash and trim the ends of the sprouts.  Slice in half length-wise and cook them in a pan of boiling water for approx. 3-5 minutes.  Drain.

In a wok, melt a small knob of butter.  Add the garlic and stir fry until just starting to colour.  Pour in the sprouts and stir until warmed through and coated with the garlic and butter.  Add the pine-nuts and stir until combined.

Serve immediately, or keep warm until ready.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Spiced Christmas Cookies

I've always loved making Christmas Cookies.  You can use any cookie cutter shapes that you can find. Unfortunately my Angel shapes have flown the nest, but I do still have my Christmas trees! :)

Spiced Christmas Cookies

Ingredients - (makes approx. 70 cookies)

2 eggs

230g butter - melted

2 tsp malt vinegar

3-1/2 cups plain white flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp saffron

1 tsp cinnamon

Icing sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, melted butter and malt vinegar until well combined.

Sieve the flour over the top of wet mixture.  Gently stir in with a spoon.  Add the sugar and spices, stir well.

When mixture is thoroughly combined, tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a ball.  It will be quite soft.  Wrap in cling film and refrigerate to allow the dough to harden a little.  (I was busy doing other things and ended up forgetting about the dough until the following day!)

After about 30 minutes - (or the following day if you did what I did) - remove the dough from the fridge and bring almost to room temperature.  It will be quite firm.

Lightly flour your work surface.  Take half the dough and roll it out to desired thickness.  Use cookie cutters to stamp out the shapes and transfer to a baking sheet.  Keep re-rolling the dough until it is all used.

Bake in 180 degree C oven for approx. 20 mins, or until just lightly browned.  Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.  Lightly sprinkle with icing sugar.

These cookies will keep well in an airtight container, for a few days.  They may well last longer, but they are always eaten more quickly than I can get the chance to find out!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Chocolate dipped Coconut Almond Macaroons

These are something I make every Christmas.  They are extremely moreish, which is why I make so many of them! :)

Chocolate dipped Coconut Almond Macaroons

Ingredients - (makes approx. 50 macaroons)

3 egg whites

2/3 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups ground almonds

1-1/2 cups dessicated coconut

150g block good dark chocolate (you could also use milk or white chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (approx. 325 degrees F).

Beat egg whites in a small bowl, until soft peaks form.

Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy.

Transfer to medium bowl.

Gently fold in almonds and coconut, with a metal spoon.

Spoon small teaspoons of mixture onto lined baking trays, approx. 2" apart.

Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until firm and slightly golden brown.

Cool on trays.

When the macaroons are cooled, melt the chocolate in a double saucepan, over a low heat.  Stir until completely melted and smooth.  Take off the heat.

Dip the bases of the macaroons into the chocolate.  Place upside down, on foil lined trays, until chocolate has firmed up again.

These store quite well in an airtight container.  Not sure for how long though, as they get eaten pretty quickly! :)

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Banana Chocolate Cake

This must be the most delicious Banana Chocolate Cake I've tasted!

Banana Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

120g butter - melted
75g brown sugar
75g honey - (this is approx. 50ml)
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups white self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 over-ripe bananas - mashed
3/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
100g dark chocolate - cut into 1cm pieces
50g pecans - roughly chopped


In a large bowl, mix melted butter with sugar, then add the honey and stir well.

Next, add the eggs and beat thoroughly.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate and cinnamon over the top, and mix well until combined.

Stir in the bananas and creme fraiche.

Fold in the chocolate and nuts.

Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin. 

Bake in oven at 180 degrees C for approx. 70mins, or until browned and there is no mixture sticking to the tester.

Leave in tin for approx. 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.  Leave to cool, if others in the household let you.  Otherwise, slice and serve immediately to keep them quiet! ;)

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Chia Chocolate Pudding

This vegan pudding has the consistency of tapioca, with the taste of chocolate.  It is the simplest of puddings to make and tastes delicious, but doesn't photograph very well, so you'll have to trust me! :)


Ingredients

4 tbs (1/3 cup) chia seeds
2 x 400ml cans coconut milk
2 tbs cocoa powder
2 tbs agave syrup


Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl.  Refrigerate.

It will be ready to eat in an hour or so.

Note:  If you are not vegan, you can replace the agave with honey, or any other sweet syrup.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Baked Mackerel with Roasted Peppers

Mackerel is rich in essential oils, vitamins and minerals.  It is one of the most highly recommended oily fish for a healthy diet and it tastes sooooo good!  :)

Baked Mackerel with Roasted Peppers

Ingredients

3 large capsicum (peppers) - any colour (I had one yellow, one green and one orange in the fridge)
2 large red onions
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar
Mackerel (whole or fillets) - one (or two small) per person.


Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Slice the peppers into thin strips.  Peel and slice the onions.  Combine together in a bowl, drizzle a little oil over them and add seasoning to taste.  Mix well, then spread onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for approx. 15-20 mins.  Stir half-way through baking.

Meanwhile, season the mackerel.

When peppers and onions are done, remove from the tray and set aside.  Turn the oven down to 180 degrees C.

Place the mackerel on the same tray and bake in oven for approx. 15 mins (for whole fish).  Turn half way through cooking.  (For fillets, bake for approx. 5 mins or so - there is no need for turning).

When fish is done.  Remove from the tray.

Return the peppers to the tray, place the mackerel on top.  Drizzle with a little oil and vinegar, to taste.  Place back in the oven for approx. 5 minutes.

Serve on warmed plates.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Coconut Seed Slice

I've been baking these slices for my kids ever since they were very young.  They were called "Mum's Slice".  Last weekend, my eldest boy came home from Uni and asked me to make some for him to take back with him.  This time, though, I added some extra seed goodness too! :)

Ingredients

100 grms butter
2-3 tbsp golden syrup
1/4 cup chia gel
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup golden linseeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds


Melt butter with golden syrup in a saucepan. Add the chia gel (see recipe at Caryl's Cooking Creations: How to make a Chia Gel) and stir well.

Combine all dry ingredients into a bowl.

Pour butter mixture into dry ingredients and stir well, until just combined.

Spread mixture onto a medium sized baking tray, patting out until flat and even.

Bake in oven at 160 degrees C for approx. 20-25 minutes, until well browned.  (If you like your slices softer or more chewy, bake for 15 mins only.)

Leave on tray to cool, then turn out and cut into slices.

If there are any over, they will store well in an airtight container.  Although, I'm not sure how long for because they are always eaten up pretty quickly in my house! ;)

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Mushroom & Chard Risotto

I love mushrooms anytime and in a risotto they are particularly delicious.  Thank you to my mother-in-law for the fresh chard that came straight from her garden. :)

Ingredients

Butter
400g brown mushrooms - quartered
1 bunch spring onions - sliced
250g Carnaroli rice
750ml chicken stock (approx)
1 large handful chard - roughly chopped
Parmesan - grated
Lemon


Melt a knob of butter in a large pan.  Throw in the mushrooms and spring onions.  Stir until the mushrooms start to lose their juices.

Add the rice and stir well, until each grain is well coated.

Normally I would add a glug of white wine at this stage, but I only had a glass left and was enjoying it too much. :)

Pour in the stock.  Stir and bring to the boil.  Pop the lid on and reduce to simmer.  Stir every now and then, until liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender - approx. 30 minutes or so.

Add the chard and stir until it just starts to wilt.

Grate some parmesan over and stir in.  Squeeze some lemon juice over and stir.  Season to taste.

Serve and enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Blueberry & Apple Chia Muffins

It's always nice to add a little extra from the garden - in this case, from our apple trees - to a baked treat!

Ingredients - (makes approx. 12 muffins)

1 cup fresh Blueberries
1 Apple - peeled and chopped
1/4 cup Chia seeds - ground
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup plain flour
60g butter
3 tbsp honey
2 large eggs - beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)


Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

Rinse the blueberries and leave on a paper napkin to dry.  Peel and roughly chop the apple and set aside.

Melt the butter with honey.

Sift the ground chia seeds with the flours and baking powder into a large bowl.  Stir the chopped apple into the flour.

In a small bowl, roughly beat the eggs with the vanilla, the pour in the butter mixture and the creme fraiche.  Stir until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and apple mixture.  Mix lightly with a fork, until just combined.  Carefully fold in the blueberries, without crushing.

Put spoonfuls of the mixture into well-greased muffin pans - approx. 3/4 full.  Bake in oven for approx. 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden.  Transfer to a wire rack.

Enjoy warm, or cold!

I usually try to double the recipe so there are some muffins left to freeze for another time.  They make a healthy and delicious snack!

Caryl ♥

Apple & Blueberry Crumble

Having harvested the last of our apples from the apple trees in our garden, I decided to combine them with the fresh blueberries I bought the same morning.  This makes a lovely dessert.

Ingredients

6 Apples - peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup Blueberries - washed
Brown sugar
Cinnamon

Crumble Ingredients

2 tsps Chia Gel
1/2 cup Plain flour
1/2 cup Oats
2 tbsp Hemp seeds
1 tbsp Demerara sugar
1 tbsp Cinnamon
Butter


(First, for the Chia Gel, see Caryl's Cooking Creations: How to make a Chia Gel)

Place the chopped apples and blueberries into a deep oven-proof dish. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon to taste. Mix well, but carefully.

In a small bowl, mix the chia gel with the flour, until it resembles bread crumbs.  Stir in the oats, hemp seeds, sugar and cinnamon until well combined.

Sprinkle crumble over apples and blueberries.  Dot with a very little butter.  Cook in moderate oven for approx. 20-30 minutes, until top is slightly browned.

Please note:  Apart from the chia gel, I am only guessing at the measurements for the other crumble ingredients, as I can't remember. (I will try to remember to measure next time I make a crumble).  Generally, I just shake in what looks and feels right at the time!

Enjoy, with custard or ice-cream, or both! ;)

Caryl ♥

How to make a Chia Gel

A Chia Gel is created by combining chia seeds and liquid.  It can be used in so many different ways, the list is endless.

What is really nice about a chia gel is the fact that the seeds actually take up the flavour of the liquid that they are mixed with.  Try using your favourite juice and then add the gel as a topping with yoghurt, or ice-cream.

A plain chia gel is achieved by mixing the chia seeds with water.

The measurements are purely whatever you prefer, depending on the thickness of the gel you wish to obtain.  I find that in general 2 tbsp of chia seeds to 1 cup of liquid is a good mix.  Although, I have some lovely little glass dishes, with lids, that hold approx. 3/4 cup of water, so I usually use these instead.

1.  Fill your dish with water.  Add the chia seeds.  You will see that they just sit on top.

2.  Stir the chia seeds into the liquid.  Stir again after a few minutes, to prevent the seeds from clumping.

3.  After about 10-15 minutes, you will have a gel.

You can keep the chia gel covered, in the fridge, for up to 2 weeks.

Chia gel can also be used in place of butter or egg in your recipes.

How do you use your chia gel?

Caryl ♥

Courgette & Potato Soup

I craved a filling and wholesome soup and wanted to finish up a few veggies before my next organic fruit and vegetable delivery.  This easy and delicious soup was the answer.

Ingredients

Olive oil
2 medium onions - diced
2 large garlic cloves - chopped
1 leek - sliced
4 large courgettes (zucchini) - cut into chunks
7 small potatoes - cut into chunks
4 cups vegetable stock
150ml cream cheese with chives (you could use one without the chives, but this was what I had in the fridge.  I probably would have added chives anyway!)
parsley - chopped
lemon


Cook onions, garlic and leek in a little oil, until just starting to brown.  Add courgettes and potatoes, stirring until softened.  Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then simmer for approx. 20-30 minutes.

Cool slightly, then blend all together.

Stir in cream cheese and parsley, with a good squeeze of lemon juice.  Serve with cornbread muffins - recipe found at: In Caryl's Kitchen: Cornbread Muffins.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Cornbread Muffins

You can never go wrong serving these yummy muffins with soup, or as a side for just about anything!  I tend to make double the recipe each time, as they are VERY popular in my house.  Oh.... and they freeze well too!

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup Polenta (corn meal)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or butter)
2 eggs


Stir all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Put spoonfuls of the mixture into greased muffin pans - approx. 3/4 full.

Bake at 200 degrees C for approx. 15 mins.

Serve with soup, or as a side for just about anything.  They are delicious with butter!

You can use this recipe in a baking dish, or bread tins - whatever you choose.  Just remember to alter the cooking time.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Mackerel with Coriander & Lemon Chickpeas

My husband is generally and meat, potato and veggie kind of guy, but whenever I cook something like this he asks when I'll do it again!

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 onion - finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves - crushed
1 lemon - zest and the juice of one half
2 x 400g cans chickpeas - drained and rinsed
150ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g can tomatoes
4 mackerel fillets
1 large bunch coriander (cilantro)


Heat a little oil in a pan.  Add the onions, crushed garlic and lemon zest.  Cook until onions are just soft.

Add the chickpeas and stir until well coated.  Add the stock and tomatoes, stir well, then simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat a little more oil in a large frying pan.  Season the mackerel fillets on both sides and fry for approx. 3 mins on each side.

Add the coriander and lemon juice to the chickpeas, stir well and season to taste.

Serve the chickpeas onto plates and top with the mackerel fillets.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Ham, Broccoli & Kale Flan with Chia Seed Pastry

Having opened the fridge door and finding just a handful of ingredients, this flan was born. :)

First, prepare the easy Chia Seed Pastry, as instructed at - In Caryl's Kitchen: Chia Seed Pastry.

Filling Ingredients

1 onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 small head Broccoli - cut into very small pieces
1/2 bag Kale - roughly chopped
6 slices of ham - roughly cut into pieces
4 eggs - beaten
1/2 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
3/4 cup milk
strong cheese - grated


Fry the onion and garlic together in a little olive oil.  Add the broccoli and stir gently until it just starts to soften.  Add the kale and a drop of stock, or water, stir well.  Cover the pan with a lid for a minute or so, then stir again when kale has just started to cook down.  Stir in the ham and add seasonings to taste.

Mix together the eggs, creme fraiche and milk.

Spread ham mixture evenly into pastry case.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Pour over the egg mixture.  Note:  It is best to do this part after placing the flan on the oven shelf, to avoid spilling over.  (Especially important if you've been drinking while cooking! ;))

Bake in 190 degree C oven for approx. 30 mins.

Serve with a salad and a nice crisp white wine.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Roasted Ratatouille

Roasting veggies is such an easy way to cook, especially when you've got other things to do.  I love experimenting with different ways of putting them together and this my version of a roasted ratatouille.

Ingredients

2 medium aubergine (eggplants)
3 courgettes (zucchini)
1 red pepper (capsicum)
1 orange pepper (capsicum)
1 large onion
1 bulb garlic - peeled and cloves separated
Olive oil
Salt
Rosemary
5 tomatoes - roughly chopped
Parmesan - grated


Cut the aubergines, courgettes, peppers and onion into large pieces.  Put them into a large bowl, with the garlic cloves and pour a nice glug of oil over them.  Sprinkle with salt and rosemary and stir well.

Spread the veggies out onto two oven trays and place in the oven at 200 degrees C.  Roast for approx. 45 minutes.  Divide the roughly chopped tomatoes between the two trays, stir well and return to oven for a further 30 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the other vegetables are browned.  Add a good sprinkling of grated parmesan and stir again.

Serve warm, with baked fish, or anything else for that matter!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Chia Seed Pastry

I've been playing around with this simple pastry recipe and now use it for all types of quiches and flans etc.  There is no chilling, or rolling, or shaping with this recipe.  It really is so easy, you won't go back to the ready-roll stuff again!

(This photo shows what it looks like just before chilling.)

Ingredients - (this recipe makes a good 9 inch pie shell.)

120g Butter
65ml milk
salt
1/4 cup Chia seeds
1-1/4 cup Self-raising flour
3/4 tbs Baking powder

(For a sweet pastry, simply add 2-3 tsp sugar and dissolve with the butter and milk.)


Put the butter and milk in a pan over a low heat, just until the butter melts.

Finely grind the chia seeds.  (I use my little coffee grinder).  Mix the ground seeds with the flour and baking powder, then add the flour mixture to the butter and milk.  Stir well, to form a ball.  Gently pat into a lightly buttered pie plate, keeping it as even as possible and building up the sides.  (I like to keep it very thin on the bottom and then allow the sides to be a little thicker).

Put aside, in the fridge, while preparing your choice of filling.

When filled, bake in a moderately hot oven - 190 degrees C - for approx. 20-30 mins, or until the top is browned.

Let me know what great fillings you come up with. :)

Caryl ♥

Coconut Seed Cookies

Having successfully introduced chia seeds into the household, hubby has recently been asking me to come up with a biscuit or cookie recipe.  So ..... here's my first attempt, which I must say has been rather successful.  

I will definitely do these again, but may add a little rice flour next time.  They are delicious, moorish and full of goodness!


Ingredients

185g butter
3 tbsp Agave syrup (you could use honey instead)
1 large egg
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup Goji berries


Melt butter and syrup together. Transfer to small bowl, add egg and whisk together.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Make a well in the centre and add the melted butter mixture. Stir well until completely mixed together.

Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto lightly greased oven trays, allowing some space between each biscuit, as they will spread slightly during cooking.

Bake in a moderate oven (approx. 180 degrees C) for 10-15 minutes, or until a light golden colour. Cool on trays.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Plum & Chia Seed Crumble

Every year, our ancient plum tree yields beautiful, sweet and juicy plums.  The only trouble we have is reaching the ones at the top of the tree, which usually get left for the birds and other flying creatures.

The other day, we collected this fabulous basketful of plums, so after eating a few just as they are, I decided to create a new dessert, using chia seeds.

The amounts for this plum crumble dessert are approximate.  After a few of the plums were eaten from the basket, I had just over 1kg left.

Ingredients

Just over 1kg Plums

1 tbsp ground Chia Seeds

2 tbsp Muscovado Sugar

Crumble Ingredients

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

2 tbsp Butter - chopped into pieces

4 tbsp ground Almonds

2 tbsp Muscovado Sugar

4 tbsp Oats

2 tbsp ground Chia Seeds

6 tbsp Plain Flour

2 tbsp shredded Coconut

extra Muscovado Sugar - for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Wash and de-stone the plums.  Cut them into quarters and put them into a deep casserole dish.

Sprinkle over the chia seeds and sugar and mix well to combine.

Mix all the crumble ingredients in a bowl with clean fingers until it becomes crumbly.  (You could use a blender if you wish and stir in the shredded coconut at the end).

Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the plums.  Add a little extra sugar over the top.

Pop it in the preheated oven for approx. 30 mins, until starting to brown on top.

Serve with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream, or custard.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Using Chia Seeds in Bolognese Sauce

Having discovered the wonderful health benefits of Chia Seeds, I am incorporating them into our daily meals.  The easiest way I've found so far, is to grind them up as finely as possible and use them in place of flour.

Last night, I used them in my bolognese sauce - Caryl's Cooking Creations: Bolognese Sauce - and it was just as good as ever, while none of my fussy family members even noticed!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Blueberry Chia Seed Muffins

More playing with chia seeds in this healthy blueberry muffin treat!

These were deliciously wholesome, not too sweet.  They also disappeared VERY quickly!


Ingredients

1 cup fresh Blueberries
2 tbsp Chia Seeds
3/4 cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup Plain flour
1 tbsp Baking powder
60g Butter
3 tbsp Honey
2 large Eggs - beaten
1/2 cup Creme Fraiche (or sour cream)
1/4 cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla

Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

Firstly, rinse the blueberries and leave to dry.  Grind the chia seeds finely - this should make approx. 1/4 cup of chia flour.  Sift this with the other flours and baking powder into a bowl.  Melt the butter with the honey and combine with beaten eggs, creme fraiche, milk and vanilla.  Pour over the flour and mix lightly with a fork, until just moistened.  Carefully fold in the blueberries, without crushing.

Put large spoonfuls of the mixture into well-greased muffin pans - approx. 3/4 full.  Bake in oven for approx. 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden.  Transfer to a wire rack.

Delicious served warm, but I'm sure they would also be just as good when cool - if there are any left that is! :)

Caryl ♥

Leek & Courgette Flan with Chia Seed Pastry

So, here's another really clever way to incorporate chia seeds into a family meal.  This is also a really easy pastry that doesn't need chilling and rolling.

Pastry Ingredients - (this just about makes a 9 inch pie shell.  I need to rework the amounts to fit the size better.)

90g Butter
2-1/2 tbsp milk
salt
2 tbsp Chia seeds
1 cup Self-raising flour - (less 2 tbsp)
1/2 tsp Baking powder


Put the butter and milk in a pan over a low heat, just until the butter melts.

Finely grind the chia seeds.  (I used my little coffee grinder).  Mix the ground seeds with the flour and baking powder, then add the flour mixture to the butter and milk.  Stir well, to form a ball.  Gently pat into a lightly buttered pie plate, keeping it as even as possible and building up the sides.  (I like to keep it very thin on the bottom and then allow the sides to be a little thicker).

Put aside, in the fridge, while preparing the filling.


Filling Ingredients

Butter
3 cloves Garlic - crushed
2 Leeks - washed and sliced
1 large Courgette (Zucchini) - sliced
1 Red Pepper (Capsicum) - chopped
3 large Eggs
1/2 tub Creme Fraiche (sour cream)
1/2 cup Milk
Strong cheese - grated


Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

Put a good size knob of butter into a pan, add the garlic and leeks, stirring well until the leeks start to soften.  Add the courgettes and peppers, stir, then pop the lid on the pan and leave to soften and create a little of their own juices.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs well.  Stir in the creme fraiche and milk, and season to taste.

Give the veggies a good stir and pour into the pastry case.  Spread evenly.  Sprinkle a good handful, or so, of cheese over the top.  Transfer the dish to the oven shelf, then carefully pour the egg mixture over the top.  (I find this easier than pouring it all into the dish and then trying to transfer it to the oven without spills!)  Sprinkle a little paprika over the top to make it look pretty, if desired.

Bake in oven, at 190 degrees C, for approx. 20 mins.  Turn down to 180 degrees C and cook for another 15 mins.

Serve with a nice salad.  Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Chia Seed Smoothie

I have recently started incorporating chia seeds into some of my recipes.  I love their versatility and they are a real superfood when it comes to healthy goodness.  This is what I had for breakfast this morning.  It was delicious!

Ingredients

1 banana - I used one that I had in the freezer
1/2 cucumber - I left the skin on, but you can peel it if you wish
2 handfuls frozen blueberries
3/4 cup orange/passionfruit juice - any juice would work, or water
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tbs chia seeds


Firstly, peel the banana and cut into chunks.  Drop them into a blender.  Cut the cucumber into chunks and drop them into the blender with the banana.  Add the blueberries, juice, coconut oil and chia seeds.

Blend until smooth and the consistency is how you want it.

Drink.  Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Aubergine & Mushroom Lasagne - 1

I love aubergines, otherwise known as eggplant.  They are easy to cook and contrary to some beliefs, you don't always have to salt and rinse them before use.  For this recipe, I made my own tomato sauce, but you could use a bottled pasta sauce if you prefer.

Ingredients

Olive Oil

Garlic cloves - I used 2

Aubergines (eggplants) - I used 2, sliced crossways

Large portobello mushrooms - I used 6, thickly sliced

Butter

Salt

Pepper

Creme fraiche (or cream, or sour cream)

Lasagne noodles

Ricotta cheese 250g

Cheddar cheese, grated

Tomato Sauce

Olive Oil

Onions - I used 2, finely chopped

Garlic cloves - I used 3, crushed

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

Dried Oregano

Dried Basil

Tomato Paste

Water

Sugar

Salt

Pepper

Firstly, slice the aubergines crossways, into slices.  Brush both sides of each slice with some olive oil mixed with crushed garlic.  Place the slices on a tray and grill until golden brown, then turn over and grill the other side.

To make the tomato sauce, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onions and garlic over a low heat.  Keep stirring until they are soft and golden.  Add the tomatoes, a good shake of herbs, approx. 3 tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup of water, a spoonful of sugar, salt & pepper to taste.  Stir well.  Cover and simmer for approx. 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms into thick slices.  Heat a little butter and olive oil in a frying pan and toss in the mushrooms.  Stir briefly over the heat, until just softening, then season with salt and pepper.  Pour in the creme fraiche, stir well and turn off the heat.

Grease a large ovenproof dish.  Put in approx. 1/2 a cup of tomato sauce, then add a layer of lasagne noodles.  Crumble some ricotta cheese over, then put a layer of grilled aubergine slices.  Cover with half the mushroom mixture.  Repeat with more noodles, ricotta, tomato sauce, remaining aubergines and mushroom mixture.  Finish with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta and tomato sauce.

Sprinkle thickly with grated cheddar cheese and dot with butter.  Bake in oven preheated to 180C for approx. 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with a crispy lettuce salad and enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Linguine with Courgettes & Mushrooms

When you need to use up your veggie box quickly, this is a really tasty and easy meal to throw together.

Olive Oil
Garlic Cloves (I used about 6 because we love garlic!)
1 x large onion, sliced
3 x large courgettes (zucchini), halved lengthways, then sliced thinly across
1 x large punnet brown mushrooms (approx 400g), sliced thinly
Pine Nuts (kernels)
Parmesan cheese, grated


Fry the garlic and onions in a large pan, with a little olive oil, until starting to brown.  Add the courgettes and continue stirring until they soften.  Add the mushrooms and stir until they just start to release their juices, then pop the lid on the pan.

Let the veggies cook while you go check the last of your emails for the day and finish putting away whatever's left of the In Caryl's Kitchen: Blueberry Chia Seed Muffins you made earlier.

Check the veggies and give them a good stir.  There should be a good amount of the juices in the pan and the veggies will be soft.  Throw in what's left of the packet of pine kernels and pour the mixture over cooked linguine (or any pasta of choice).

Serve with grated parmesan cheese over the top.  You can, of course, add any extra seasonings, but we like this one really simple!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Bolognese Sauce

While I don't like to eat a lot of red meat, what I do like is a good bolognese sauce.  I do a nice vegetarian style one with lentils, but tonight was a a good night for a meaty-mushroom style one.

Ingredients

Olive Oil
1 x large onion, chopped
4 x cloves garlic, crushed
2 x sticks celery, finely sliced
1 x large carrot, finely diced
6 x rashers smokey bacon, chopped
500g x lean beef mince
Plain flour
400g (approx.) large brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
Sherry
400g can chopped tomatoes
1-1/2 (approx. ) cups beef stock
Tomato puree
Dried oregano
Bay leaves


Fry the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and bacon in a large pan until the veggies are tender and the bacon is nicely cooked.

Add the beef mince and a good shake (approx. 1 large tablespoon) of flour.  Stir well and cook (still stirring) until the beef has browned.

Throw in the mushrooms and continue to stir through until they start to release their juices.  Pour in a large dash of sherry and stir well, scraping up the stickiness from the bottom of the pan.

Pour in the tomatoes and beef stock.  (I used an organic stock cube this time, because I'd run out of home-made stock).  Stir well and add a good squeeze of tomato puree, a good shake of oregano and a couple of bay leaves.

Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer and cover the pan with a lid.

Leave it to simmer and thicken, while going to pick up your daughter from ballet, after asking your sons to check it and give it an occasional stir while you're out.

When you get back, give it another stir, scraping up the bits at the bottom of the pan again because your sons didn't stir it for you while you were out!

Adjust the seasoning and pour sauce over your cooked pasta of choice.  Add parmesan shavings and enjoy!

If there is any over, this is really nice on toast (although that's only ever happened once before in this house)! :)

Cheers,
Caryl ♥

Macaroni Cheese with Broccoli

One of my daughter's favourite meals, ever since she was very small, is macaroni cheese.  I've been promising it to her again for ages and as she has a friend over tonight, I came through with my promise.

I like to make it with veggies thrown in to make it more interesting and colourful.  I can only give approximate quantities because I throw in whatever is lying around.  Here is my latest version.

500g packet of fusilli pasta, because we've run out of macaroni
Butter
2 x onions, chopped
4 x cloves garlic, chopped
6 x smokey bacon rashers, chopped
1 x head of broccoli, chopped into small pieces
Plain flour
Mustard powder
Milk - approx. 3 cups? (I don't actually measure this)
Cheese, grated - approx. 2 cups? (I used a good strong Cheddar)
Nutmeg, grated


Put a large pot of water on to boil.  When ready, cook the pasta as directed.

Meanwhile, melt a small chunk of butter in a large saucepan.  Stir in the onions, garlic and bacon.  Cook until the bacon is done.  Stir in the broccoli pieces.

Add some flour (approx. 1 big spoon), and a pinch or so of mustard powder, and stir well until thoroughly mixed through.

Slowly pour in the milk, constantly stirring and cook until it starts to thicken.  Add cheese and stir into mixture until melted.  Season with some grated nutmeg - I personally add about a small spoonful, but just a pinch would do.

When pasta is cooked, drain and add the sauce.  Give it a good mix around and serve.

If you're wondering what to drink with this, I had a glass of champagne from the bottle I opened "just because" a couple of days ago!

Cheers, enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Sausages with Lentils

I absolutely adore lentils.  They add good bulk to soups and stews, are nutritious and especially delicious with sausages.  I'm not usually a fan of sausages, but when they are served with lentils, I can't resist.  It's wonderful comfort food and who doesn't need a bit of that when it's raining and grey outside.  Besides all that, my son has been asking when we're having sausages for dinner again!

Olive oil

2 x packets of sausages (12 in all - my family eat a LOT!)
2 x onions, chopped

2 x carrots, thickly sliced
4 x cloves garlic, chopped (I love garlic)
Sherry
3/4 x 500g packet green lentils (this is all I had left!)

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

3 x cups chicken stock 

Balsamic vinegar
Fresh coriander

You'll need a big casserole pan with a lid.

Put a little of the olive oil in the pan and fry the sausages until they're well browned all over.  Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pan and cook until just starting to soften.  Then add a little dash of sherry to the pan and scrape any bits that are stuck on the bottom.  It all adds to the flavour!

Pour in the lentils and stir them through, then return the sausages to the pan.  Add the tomatoes and stock.  (Again, this time, I used stock cubes because we have no home-made stock left).  Stir well and bring to the boil, then pop the lid on the pan and lower the heat down to simmer for approx. 40 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

At this stage you can check that there's a nice red wine to drink when dinner is ready, or pour yourself one while waiting.

When most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are tender, they will be ready.

Stir in a couple of spoons of balsamic vinegar and a good handful of fresh coriander, then serve with mashed potato.

Enjoy!  :)

Caryl ♥

Ice-cream and Berries

Sometimes the easiest dessert is sitting right there in your fridge and the only work involved is washing, slicing and spooning (as in out of a container).

Let's face it, when you have a half opened tub of good vanilla ice-cream in the freezer, you may as well finish it (shared with others of course).

Add a handful of quartered strawberries and some blueberries and you have heaven in a bowl .... and there's not even one small piece of chocolate in sight!

Cheers,
Caryl ♥

Mixed Wild Rice Pilaf

Tonight, I fancied rice for dinner.

In the cupboard, I had an open packet of mixed wild rice and an open packet of camargue (red rice), so I put them together and went looking in the fridge for something to go with them.  After opening a bottle of champagne and pouring myself a glass, (well, why not?), I put together the following ingredients:

1 small chunk of butter.
1 x white onion.
1 x stick of celery.
2 x cups mixed wild rice.
Sherry.
4 x cups chicken stock.
1 x packet smoked salmon.
4 x spring onions.
Cherry tomatoes.
Capers.
Fresh coriander.

This is how I cooked it:

After chopping the onion and slicing the celery, I melted the butter in a large pan and then stirred in the onion and celery pieces, cooking them until the onion was tender.

Next, I added the rice and stirred it well until all the grains were well coated.  At this stage, I also added a drop of sherry because the bottle was almost finished anyway!

I then poured in 4 cups of stock.  (Usually I use home-made stock from a good organic, previously roasted chicken, but we didn't have any left, so I used organic chicken stock cubes instead.)

Next, I covered the pan with a lid and left the rice to cook for about 30 minutes, and took my glass of champagne to my laptop, where I started typing up this recipe! :)  It's a good idea to check it at around 20 minutes though, just to make sure that the rice hasn't boiled dry.  Once the rice has absorbed all the liquid, but isn't too soft, it is ready.

When the rice was ready, I thinly sliced the smoked salmon, sliced the spring onions and halved the tomatoes, then added these to the rice with about 3 big spoonfuls of capers.  After, stirring it all together, I plated it up and added a touch of fresh coriander from my pot on the windowsill.  Well, a good little sprinkling of fresh coriander adds to just about any meal, don't you think? :)

This meal really did taste delicious and was so easy.  I especially loved the extra zing from the capers.

Let me know if you try it and what you think.

Cheers and clink clink (sound of my champagne glass hitting yours),

Caryl ♥