Homemade Muesli Bars

I have such a sweet tooth and I usually dislike all of these 'healthy' takes on naughty treats. Sweet potato brownies were inedible and chickpea cookies were just all sorts of wrong. So you can understand my hesitation when it came to making a new 'healthy' treat. To my surprise this one was actually delicious. So delicious that they were gone within 24 hours. 

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup wholemeal plain flour
1/4 cup pepitas 
1/4 cup flaked almonds
1 cup dried fruit
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1/3 virgin coconut oil
3/4 rice malt syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Method:
Preheat oven to 170
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. For the 1 cup of dried fruit originally the recipe was supposed to have 1/4 each of sultanas, goji berries and dried cranberries. Im not really the biggest fan of those dried fruits so I added half a cup of dates and half a cup of dried apricots (in my opinion this was the better choice) Meanwhile place oil and syrup in a small saucepan; bring to the boil and boil until the oil is melted. Remove mixture from heat and stir in extract
Add the oil mixture to your bowl of dry ingredients and stir. If the mixture seems still use your hands to combine the mixture more thoroughly. Spoon mixture into a prepared pan and press down firmly. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from over. Cool on wire rack and then enjoy :D 

Food: Vegetable Chilli Pie

Now I can't take credit for this delicious creation we will have to thank Mr Jamie Oliver for that, but let me say that that this is one delectable pie. Over the last few months I have not been eating meat for some unknown reason so whilst my love for the veggie life continues why not take advantage and start making some flavour packed healthy vegetarian meals. This Vegetable Chilli Pie is seriously my go to meal when I am trying to use left over ingredients on a freezing winter night. Trust me when I say you won't be disappointed. 

Oh, and I should apologise for the photography skills. I was simultaneously dancing and babysitting a little munchkin whilst trying to make dinner. Needless to say more of the cottage pie topping ended up in his mouth than on top of the pie. 

Ingredients 

3 potatoes

1/2 sweet potato

1 tin of beans - whatever is in the cupboard

2 cloves of garlic

1 stick of celery

1/2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 small bunch of fresh coriander 

1 fresh chilli

1 red onion

100g harred roasted peppers (capsicums)

1 tbsp sour cream

cheddar cheese

Pinch of smoked paprika 

Method:

Peel potato and sweet potato and cut into small chunks. Place into a steamer saucepan and steam vegetables until soft.

Now that the potatoes are steamed through and softened. Place in a bowl and add sour cream. Mash the potato and sour cream until smooth. Roughly chop the coriander leaves  (not including the stalks) and fold them through the mash. Set to the side. 

Place a large saucepan on medium heat and add cumin seeds. Toast until fragrant then remove from pan. Place toasted cumin seeds into mortar and pestle. Pound until fine

Pick the coriander leaves and put aside, finely chop the stalks. Peel and finely chop the coriander stalks. Chop the garlic, chilli, onion and celery. 

Place in saucepan with a dash of olive oil and cook. Stir occasionally until softened. 

I did also add some chopped carrots and zucchini just to add some more vegetables so feel free to chuck and leftover veggies you have in the fridge into the mixture.

Add the drained beans and tinned tomatoes to the pan of softened vegetables. Stir occasionally and leave to cook for approximately 20 minutes or until thickened. 

Drain and roughly chop the peppers. Stir them into the vegetable mixture. Now tip the whole vegetable mixture into a large baking dish. 

Top with your mash and spread it out evenly, covering all of the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle a pinch of paprika onto the mash then add grated cheese.

Pop into the oven at 180C and cook pie for 30-40 minutes or until nice and golden onto. 

Soooooo we were so hungry I forgot to take a photo of the cooked pie. So instead here is my favourite little gremlin helping me out in the kitchen 

XOXO

Food: Gluten free Carrot Cake

I love food! Not just eating it, but cooking it too. 

However, this self confessed foodie is all about everything sweet and delicious - I looovvve to bake! So on this long weekend I decided to make my roommates a gluten-free Carrot Cake. Don't tell them but I did lick the spoon hehe, enjoy

Xx

Ingredients
5 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 ¼ cups caster sugar
2 cups finely grated carrot
2 cups of almond meal 
½ cup gluten free self raising flour

Cream cheese frosting
110g packaged cream cheese, softened
80g butter, softened 
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice


Method
1. Preheat over to moderate (180/160C) fan-forced.
2. beat egg yolks, rind and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy; transfer to large bowl. Stir in carrot, almond meal and sifted flour

3. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form; fold into carrot mixture in two batches

4. Pour mixture into pan; back for a minimum of 45 minutes. Stand cake 5 minutes in wire rack to cool. 
5. Meanwhile make cream cheese frosting
6. Spread cold cake with cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with slivered almonds

Cream cheese frosting - beat cream cheese and butter in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually beat in icing sugar and juice. 

Pretty much wife material. I may need to do a workout now though because this was all that was left of the cake less than an hour later. Whoops.