Cupcakes

My now go-to cupcake recipe from an ex workmate

125g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
Vanilla essence

Cream together

Add 2 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Sift in 1 cup flour and 2 tsp baking powder.

bake!

I found this recipe in my cupboard....

Random recipe, found in my cupboard:

500g mince
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup onion
1 egg
1/2 tbs salt
1/2 tbs pepper

Mix
Roll into balls
Shallow fry for 1 minute
Turn over

2 cups beef stock
2 cups of milk
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp worcestershire

Mix
Bring to the boil

4 cups egg  noodles
1 cup parmesan
1/2 cup parsley

SERVE

Healthy Gingerbread men

GINGERBREAD MEN
Serves 20
Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tbsp. cacao powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, lightly whisked In a bowl
2 tbsps. Agave/rice malt syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
6 pitted dates 

Gingerbread man cookie cutter
Baking paper

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F.
In a food processor, combine the almond meal, buckwheat flour, cacao powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, dates and vanilla extract to create a 'crumb like' consistency.
Add your whisked egg, oil and agave/rice malt syrup to the mixture.
Process again until a 'dough like' mixture.
Roll your mixture into a large ball with your hands.
Lay out a large sheet of baking paper and sprinkle with some flour.
Place your gingerbread ball in the centre of the baking paper.
Using a rolling pin or an extra sheet of baking paper, flatten out the mixture (about 3-4mm thick).
Cut the gingerbread men with the cookie cutter and transfer to a baking tray (lined with baking paper).
Continue to knead the excess scraps to roll and cut more men. (We made around 20 small men).
Indent the faces with a fork or spoon.
Place the baking tray into the oven for 7-10 minutes or until firm to touch.
Cool the gingerbread men and serve.

Tip: If you don’t have buckwheat flour you could substitute this with gluten free flour or double the almond meal.

Zucchini Mee Goreng

Zucchini Mee Goreng 

Ingredients:

2 cups zucchini noodles
2 Tbsp chilli sauce (I used Sriracha), or more to taste
1 tsp dark coconut aminos
1 tsp coconut sugar
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink rock salt
3 Tbsp oyster sauce (Ayam brand is MSG and preservative free)
3 Tbsp tomato sauce
2 Tbsp coconut oil
3 eggs
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed (these are a Paleo grey area so they are optional)
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
2 cups of leftover shredded cooked chicken
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp spring onions, sliced
A handful of mini Roma tomatoes, sliced in half.
3/4 cup of water 

Method:

Helpful tip....have everything ready and to hand before you start cooking.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine chilli sauce, coconut amino, coconut sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, oyster sauce and ketchup. Stir to combine, and set aside.

In a large wok, (preheated over high heat) add the oil. Crack the eggs into the wok, stir vigorously until the eggs are lightly scrambled and just set, then add the garlic,bean sprouts, cabbage, chicken, and 3/4 cup water. Stir-fry continuously for 3 minutes. Add chili sauce mixture, and keep stirring until well combined. Add the. Zucchini noodles and white pepper, stir to heat the noodle 2 minutes max, and remove from heat. Garnish with the spring onions.

EEEEEEEASIEST chocolate chip biscuit recipe!

EEEEEEEASIEST chocolate chip biscuit recipe!

http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/22152/easy-chocolate-chip-cookies.aspx

If I can make a biscuit work, it's this one! :)

Enjoy!

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sauce

Another recipe being eaten by who-knows-what, printed from Paleo Comfort Foods

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sauce

1 1/2lbs (700g) chicken breast
1/2 cup (75g) almond flour (I use almond meal)
1/2 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup (125g) shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced
1/4 cup (60ml) dry sherry (I use stock)
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp fresh chives, chopped

directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. If chicken breasts are exceptionally thick, pound to about 3/4 inch (1.75m) thick.

3. On a large plate, combine flour with tarragon, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper. Dredge chicken breasts in seasoned flour and shake off excess.

fresh out of the oven

4. Preheat large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add in olive oil and once oil is slightly smoking, gently place chicken breasts in skillet. Sear for 4-5 min per side, or until browned. Remove chicken and place on sheet pan or other oven-proof dish and place in oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

These are the mushrooms I use

5. Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add butter to skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant (but not burnt), then stir in mushrooms. Sauté for 1-2 minutes then add sherry and chicken stock. Let simmer until reduced slightly and mushrooms are cooked. Add in chives just before serving.

6. Serve mushroom sauce over chicken.

I am no chef. I am no food photographer. But here is the final product.
OMG delish. I could just eat the mushrooms and be happy.

"Better Butter Chicken"

This recipe comes from "Everyday Paleo". I had this printed out but something has started to eat at the copy. The only thing I could think to do was this!

Better Butter Chicken

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serves: 5-6

2 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thigh (1.134kg)
3 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp cardamon powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp fenugreek powder (I have never put this in!)
1 tsp chili powder (I use 1/2 that because the kids don't like it hot)
1 6-ounce can of tomato paste (170g)
1/2 can coconut milk
1 tsp sea salt
4 tablespoons ghee
1 lb red chard (silverbeet), chopped with stems removed. (I never served it with chard, but have with cauliflower mash - yum!)

Directions:
1. Cut the chicken though into bite-sized pieces and set aside
2. In a large skillet or soup pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent
3. Turn the heat down to low. To the onion, add the minced garlic, cardamom, coriander, fenugreek and chili powder and stir well to make a paste.
4. Add the tomato paste to the onions and spices and stir - this mixture will be very thick.
5. Turn the heat back up to medium and add the coconut milk and salt. Use a whisk to blend the tomato paste mixture and coconut milk together into a thick sauce.
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer and add the chicken. Stir well, turn down to medium low, cover and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the chicken is done all the way through. Stir occasionally through the cooking process.
7. After the chicken is cooked, add the ghee and mix into the sauce until melted. Serve the chicken over steamed red chard.

Fruit Balls

Use up your baking items!


Today I made mini fruit balls. I made the Cranberry balls and Apricot balls from The Road to Loving My Thermomix (I used the food processor instructions).

I also made Cut Out The Crap's 'Kids Healthy School Balls - Nut Free'

and
GnomeAngel's Healthy Fruit Slice, except I used brown sugar (1/2 cup instead of the recommended 3/4 cup), left out the nuts (so I can send them to our nut-free-policy school) and then also forgot the coconut. They should taste ok though.

Enjoy!

Tupperware Oriental Rice and Chinese Chicken Wings

Oriental Rice
1 cup long grain rice
400ml chicken stock
1 tspn oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots (Green ends)

Place chicken stock into the 2.25L container.
Bring to the boil (or very hot) by mircowaving on high for 3-5 minutes.
Remove container from the microwave and pour in the rice and oil and stir.
Cover and leave to stand for 2 minutes before placing in the stack.
(have chopped shallots where you will unstack. These are to be added during standing time, by stirring them through the rice).

Chinese Chicken Wings
700g marinated chicken wings (honey soy)
1 dessertspoon worcestershire sauce
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped shallots (green ends)

Place marinated wings in 1.5L container
In the quickshake, mix together worcestershire sauce and soy sauce.
Pour over chicken wings
Sprinke over sesame seeds over chicken.
(Have chopped shallots where you will unstack and sprinkle over the top of chicken wings, to garnish, during standing time)

Tupperware Herb Risotto and Apricot Chicken

1 cup long grain rice
400ml chicken stock
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
1 tbs chopped parsley or chives
1 tspn oil

Place chicken stock into 2.25L Stack Cooker Container
Bring to the boil (or very hot) by microwaving on high for 3-5 mintues.
Remove container from the microwave and pour in rice, thyme and oil and stir.
Cover and leave to stand for 2 minutes before placing in the stack
(have chopped parsley or chives ready where you are going to unstack. Mix it through the rice druing standing time).

800g skinless chicken fillets, cut into strips
1 pkt French Onion Soup
100mls aprircot nectar (unsweetened)
100mls water

In the quickshake, blend together apricot nectar, water and soup mix. Pour into 1.5L container and microwave on high for 1 minute.
Remove from microwave and stir to blend. Then add chicken strips and stir again.
(when the stack is taken from the mivrowave to the demonstration area, make sure you stir the chicken).

Creamy Pasta

375g dried penne pasta
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium leek, trimmed, halved, washed and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
6 rashers of middle bacon, trimmed and sliced
200g button mushrooms, sliced
300ml extra light thickened cream


1. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boilingn water until tender. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add leek and garlic and cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes until leek has softened. Add bacon and mushroom. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes until mushroom is tender. Add cream and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 2 minutes or until cream has thickened slightly. Add pasta. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Serve.

Grated Apple Pikelets

2/3 cup Self Raising flour, sifted
pinch of bi carb soda
3 tsp splenda
1 small apple, peeled and grated
2/3 cup milk
1 egg white
20g reduced fat margarine, melted
olive oil cooking spray

1. Combine flour, bi carb, splenda and 1/2 cup apple in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Beat milk and egg white in a jug. Pour into the well. Stir gently until smooth batter forms. Stir in margarine. Cover. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray pan with oil. Using 1 tablespoon of batter for each pikelet. Cook pikelets in batches for 1 minute each side or until light and golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter, lightly spraying with oil in between batches.

Mon's Hot Potato Salad

Step 1:
Chop 6 large potatoes into bite size pieces. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Don't cook  them for very long - they should be firm and not soft. Drain and set aside.

Step 2:
Dice 1 large onion and 500g bacon and fry in a pan until cooked and then let it burn a little.

Step 3:
Add 500ml of sour cream, mix through then add this to the potatoes, and mix through again.

Eat!

Champagne Slushy

1 bottle of Pink! or Yellow! Champagne
1 litre tub of fruit sorbet (strawberry or mango)
1 cup malibu (optional)
chopped strawberries or mango (depending on which sorbet you choose)

Chop fruit then put all ingredients into a mixing jug and mash it with a potato masher.
Enjoy!

Tupperware Microwave Chocolate Cake with Toblerone and Tia Maria Sauce

CAKE:
1 packet chocolate cake mix
1 packet chocolate pudding mix (Cottees works well)
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup lemonade

SAUCE:
200g Toblerone
1/3 cup thickened cream
2 tsp Kahlua or Tia Maria

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix and pour into a kugelhopf form. Cook in 1000w microwave for 7 minutes on 80%. Place upturned onto a platter.

Melt toblerone in the tupperware 1litre jug. Add cream and Tia Maria. Pour over upturned chocolate cake.

One I want to try... Tupperware VANILLA SUGAR COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

VANILLA SUGAR COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 7-8 minutes*
• Servings: 12 ice cream sandwiches

• Ingredients

65g butter
65g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g (1 cup) plain flour
Coloured sanding sugar to decorate**
3/4 cups of strawberry ice cream

• Directions

• 1. Place butter and sugar in Thatsa™ Bowl Small and cream together for 2 minutes using electric beaters. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
  2. Using the Bake 2 Basics Sift ’N Stor sift in the flour and continue beating until dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough together into a disc and place into Thatsa™ Bowl Junior, Seal and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the TupperChef™ Baking Sheet on a metal tray. Set aside.
  5. Roll out the dough, using the Kids’ Kitchen Rolling Pin on a lightly floured work surface to 5mm.
  6. Using the Flower Cookie Cutter from the Kids’ Kitchen Baking Set, cut out 24 cookies, rerolling the scrapes of dough as required. Sprinkle half of the cookies with coloured sanding sugar to decorate.
  7. Place the cookies on the Baking Sheet and bake for 7- 8 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
  8. For each ice cream sandwich, place 1 small scoop (about 1 tablespoon/12g) of ice cream on a cookie that is undecorated, and top with a decorated cookie. Gently press, to “sandwich” together.
  9. Serve and eat immediately or store in the Antarctica Pack ’N Stor 1.3 Litre container and freeze for later.
  * Rest for 30-40 minutes.
  ** Coloured sanding sugar can be purchased from speciality cake decorating stores, and in store like Let's Cook, and Match Box. If unavailable, use plain white sugar mixed in with food colouring.

One I want to try ... Tupperware BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE BAR

BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE BAR

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
• Servings: 15 bars

• Ingredients

160g butter, cold, cubed
2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
1/3 cup (30g) desiccated coconut
2/3 cup (160g) caster sugar
1 egg
400g blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen allow to thaw)
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1/3 cup (60g) icing sugar
3 tsp cornflour
Icing sugar to dust

• Directions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the TupperChef™ Slice Form on a metal baking tray and set aside.
  2. In the Quick Chef II, with the triple blade insert, sift flour using the Bake 2 Basics Sift ‘N Stor. Using the Bake 2 Basics Measuring Cups,measure in the caster sugar and coconut. 
  3. Add cubed butter and process until the mixture resembles small breadcrumbs. Add the egg and lemon zest. Turn the handle until well combined to form a crumbly mixture.
  4. Measure out 2 cups of the mixture and reserve for the topping. Press the remaining crumble mixture into the base of the Slice Form using theTupperChef Thin Spatula.
  5. Place blueberries, lemon zest and juice into Thatsa™ Bowl Junior and sift in the icing sugar and cornflour with the Bake 2 Basics Sift ‘N Stor.
  6. Use the TupperChef Spatula to combine the ingredients and pour the berry mixture over the biscuit base.
  7. Crumble the remaining dough on top of the berries and bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the berry juices begin to bubble.
  8. Allow to cool completely before turning out and cutting into 15 bars.

One I want to try.... Tupperware GARLIC AND CHEESE MINI QUICK BREAD

GARLIC AND CHEESE MINI QUICK BREAD

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
• Servings: 10 mini breads

• Ingredients

Ingredients - Cupcakes
2 eggs
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup milk
140g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder       
Rock salt and peppercorns to taste
100g cheddar cheese, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
½ red onion, thinly sliced

• Directions

• Method – Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the TupperChef™ Bar Form on a metal tray and set aside.
  2. Place eggs, oil and milk into a bowl and whisk until well combined.
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder and freshly ground salt and pepper into a separate bowl. Fold in the eggs, milk and oil mixture into the flour with half the grated cheese and minced garlic.
  5. Press mixture into each Bar Form cavity, top with the remaining cheese and onion slices.  Grind over extra salt and pepper and bake for 15 minutes on the bottom shelf of the oven.
  6. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning out. Best served warm.

Tupperware 6 Minute Vanilla Pudding

Tupperware 6 Minute Vanilla Pudding
Ingredients:
3/4 cup marmalade jam
2 tbs golden syrup
100g butter, softened
2/3 cup castor sugar
2 large eggs
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/4 cup milk

Method:1. Lightly grease Tupperwave 1 Litre Jug and combine the marmolade and syrup in the base using the TupperChef Spatula.

2. Using electric beaters, cream the butter and sugar in the Bake 2 Basics Small Bowl until light and smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Transfer the mixture to the Bake 2 Basics Large Bowl.

3. With the TupperChef Kitchen Scissors cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and gently scrape out the seeds using the TupperChef Paring Knife. Add seeds or extract to the creamed butter mix.

4. Sift the flour with the Bake 2 Basics Sift 'N Store into the creamed butter mixture. Gently fold in the coconut and milk through this mixture.

5. Pour the mixture over the marmalade syrup. Cover, elevate and microwave on high (800 watts) for 6-8 minutes. 
6. Stand for 5 minutes before turning out of the Jug. Serve immediately with cream/icecream/custard.

Coconut, carrot and apple muffins

1 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup saltanas or chopped dates
1 cup grated carrot
1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
1 cup grated apple
1/2 cup water or milk
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
6 eggs
flaked or shredded coconut to garnish

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, adding more water if needed.
Spoon mixture into muffin tray and garnish with flaked or shredded coconut.
Bake at 180C for 30 mins
Test with skewer. If necessary, cook a little longer.