Choc-Chai Coconut Slice

Here's a recipe I've developed that will fill up the little one's while being healthy at the same time.  This recipe would make a great morning tea or afternoon snack.  You could also add this to your lunchbox as it has no nuts!  You might have to omit the mint chocolate if chocolate topping is not allowed at your daycare / kindy /school.  Adults will love this slice too. 

Choc-Chai Coconut Slice

 Ingredients

12 medjool dates, seeds removed
2 ¼ cups desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons mixed chai seeds
1 tablespoon pea and rice chocolate protein powder 
4 tablespoons coconut cream

Optional Extra - Easy Mint Chocolate Topping

100g Lindt Mint Intense dark chocolate (or just regular milk chocolate would taste just as good)
2 tablespoons coconut cream
Extra coconut for topping
 
Totally Healthy Method (without mint chocolate topping)
1.       Place all ingredients into your blender or food processor.
2.       Blend until well combined.  Be patient.  You should have a dough-like consistency.
3.       Press the mixture into a loaf tin lined with baking paper.
4.       Place the mixture into the freezer to set, slice and enjoy.

Extra Bit Cheeky Method (with mint chocolate topping)
1.       Complete steps 1 to 3 from ‘Healthy Method’.
2.       Melt mint chocolate and 2 tablespoons of coconut cream.  Stir until smooth. 
3.       Spread or drizzle melted chocolate onto mixture. 
4.       Top with extra coconut. 
5.       Place the mixture into the freezer to set, slice and enjoy. 

I think this one has the seal of approval!

Happy school holiday baking.

Recipe: Lemon Pound Cake

Lemon Pound Cake
Source: Donna Hay Magazine Apr/May 2013 Issue 68 (page 74)

This recipe is definitely one to try for the weekend. You may already have these minimal and simple ingredients in your pantry already.  If you don't have your own lemon tree like us, you should find the price of lemons quite reasonable in the grocery store at the moment. 

1½ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
120g unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
½ cup milk
icing sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.  Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside. 
2. Place the butter and lemon rind in an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until smooth. 
3. Gradually add the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue beating for 5-6 minutes or until pale and creamy. 
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture and milk, alternating, and occasionally scraping down the bowl, until smooth. 
6. Spoon into a lightly greased 8.5 x 26.5 x 9cm loaf tin (2-litre capacity) double-lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 60-65 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
7.  Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
8. Dust with icing sugar and serve with orange marmalade or your favourite marmalade.

 

 

 

 

Happy Baking

xo

 

morning tea/afternoon tea/lunchbox recipe

Mini Cornflake Honey Snaps
Source: Recipe adapted from 'The Big Book of Beautiful Biscuits', The Australian Women’s Weekly, page 56 (Vintage/Original Edition)

All hands on deck.  This is an easy recipe for toddlers as long as they have their own tray and patty pans etc. 

60g butter

¼ cup honey
4 cups cornflakes
1 tablespoon sugar

1. Place butter, honey and sugar into small saucepan, stir over medium heat until butter has melted.
2. Lightly crush cornflakes.  
3. Combine lightly crushed cornflakes in a bowl, pour butter and honey mixture over.
4. Mix until cornflakes are well coated.  Place mini paper cases in patty tins.
5. Use a tablespoon to spoon mixture into paper cases. 
6. Bake in a moderate oven for 8 minutes. 
7. Remove from oven, stand 15 minutes to firm.
8. Store in air tight container.

Makes about 30. 

My notes...

The original recipe includes peanuts.  I omit this ingredient so the kids can take the treat to school for lunch.  I use mini patty pans also.  You get quite a few more out of the mixture and mini patty pans are a perfect size for toddlers and lunchboxes.  We also include chai seeds or hundreds and thousands for a bit of colour. 

 xo

 

morning/afternoon tea recipe

 

BANANA AND MAPLE SYRUP BREAD
 

125g butter, softened

1 cup (175g) brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups mashed bananas
1¾ cups (255g) plain (all purpose) flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
1 tsp bicarbonate of (baking) soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
⅓ cup maple syrup
Butter, extra, to serve (optional)


1.   Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).  Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes or until pale and creamy. 
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Gradually add the eggs and beat well to combine.
3. Add the banana, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and golden syrup and stir to combine.

Spoon the mixture into a 26cmx11cm (2.5 litre-capacity) lightly greased loaf tin lined with baking paper.  Bake for 60-65 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.  Cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Slice and serve with extra butter. 

 
Note: I cook mine for 50 minutes - it depends on your oven.
 
I really wanted to bake something else for you today however we had some over-ripe bananas that just could not go to waste.  I have shared this recipe with you before although today I could not find the golden syrup (original recipe).  Thankfully we had some maple syrup in the pantry that I used as a substitute.  It was worth a try and the results were simply D..E..L..I..C..I..O..U..S. 

 

What are you planning to bake on the weekend?  

xo

explore...discover...investigate...gather...

Even though we go the park often, these two toddlers never seem to tire of wanting to visit the ducks, play outside and just be.  Last night I prepared as much as I could to make getting out the door as stress free as possible.  I ironed our clothes, charged cameras and gathered our belongings near the door. 

Essential Items included: picnic blanket, water bottles, snack boxes, hats, sunscreen, tissues, bread to feed the ducks, nappy bag, wipes, extra clothes,new eco-notebooks, crayons, pencils, digital cameras. 

I couldn’t resist purchasing these Eco-friendly notebooks from our local newsagent a few weeks ago.   Each came with a handy pencil case attached and pencils. 

A park, some snacks and some time together....what else could be better?

Until tomorrow...

an easter surprise

After a quiet morning tea an easter surprise arrived at our door.  Thank you to our dear friends who blessed my children this morning with a special easter surprise!.... and I was wondering what to blog about today.... I think the pictures do all the talking. 

a quiet morning tea



easter surprise



bowl, spoon, cup and egg



love my book

and now...for the real fun!

easter monday

It was such a beautiful morning today so we decided to go to the park to have morning tea.  Little flutterbug and flutterby enjoyed eating our freshly baked home-made chocolate muffins, feeding the ducks, spotting turtles, riding their bikes and playing.  Oh...it was so relaxing we should do this more often. 




my sister and little flutterby