EAT DESSERT FIRST

So I love desserts. I have a huge sweet tooth. It's no secret that I could eat a whole block of chocolate or a tub of ice-cream in one sitting. These cravings were one of the first things I looked to satisfy in a healthier way. There are literally trillions of scrumptious healthy sweet options out there that I now love even more than the old dairy and sugar loaded foods I used to.

I said I was going to post some more easy raw recipes, I didn't intend to straight away, but I made these last night and thought why not! So here's another recipe! This is one little sweet treat that I like to whip up and keep in the fridge to nibble on whenever the sweets monster strikes. They are super quick, super easy, super nutritious and SUPER delicious.

COCO CACAO BALLS

raw. vegan.

ingredients 

1/2cup of medjool dates 

1/4cup almonds

1/4cup walnuts

2tbs raw cacao powder

1/4cup shredded coconut (plus extra to roll the balls in at the end)

1tbs chia seeds (black or white)

1-2tbs goji berries 

pinch of orange zest (if you fancy it)

NB you could also add a tbs or 2 of protein powder if you wanted to, just add an extra date to help it hold together if it becomes a bit dry.

method

blitz all the ingredients in a blender/food processor/thermomix until they look like this.

roll into balls squeezing as you roll to help them hold together.

roll balls in the extra shredded coconut.

store in the fridge or freezer if you would like a harder consistency.

And that's it! Easy peasy.

Enjoy!

The recipe yields a little bit more than this but Mick managed to get to them before I had a chance to take this photo. They are so yummy even the most stubborn of eaters (cough, Mick) will love them.

Kitty xx

HOME IS WHERE THE HOME GROWN IS

It is a huge dream of mine to have a home garden full of edible produce. I have spent many an hour day dream of thriving raised garden beds, bountiful fruit trees and trellises jam packed with peans and beans. 

The problem with this dream is that I am practically a black thumb. I have never had any luck with plants not even cacti, so I decided to start small with my edible garden.  For a few moths now I have been growing (very successfully I might add) my own potted herbs, HAZAAR! After the herbs were growing well I added a few heirloom tomato plants and set them up in a wine barrel. 

Today I am SUPER excited to announce that my tomato plants have had little tomato babies that I had the pleasure of harvesting this morning. It was only 2 ripe tomatoes as I have had some troubles with evil caterpillars that seem determined to stand in the way of me growing organically. But none the less here they are and I am proud as punch!

TA DA!

I tasted the little beauties and they were so sweet and delicious I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. After tasting them, I made them into one of my super easy go to raw lunches that I though I would share…

ZOODLES & COODLES WITH TOMATO RAWCE
raw. vegan. 

for the zoodles & coodles

1/2 a zucchini

1x purple carrot

1x orange carrot

Either use a spiraliser (which I don't have) or peeler to make "noodles"

for the rawce

2-3 tomatos (I used 2 additional cherry truss tomatoes because they're so little)

1 TBS tahini

fresh herbs of your choice (I used basil, rosemary & sage from my garden)

pink salt and pepper to taste

Quarter your tomatoes and place all ingredients into your food processor or blender.

Mix until desired consistency (I like mine a bit chunky like a salsa)

Put the zoodles and coodles in a bowl and top with the race, and thats it!

I will be adding a bunch of my favourite raw recipes this year, I hope you'll try them at home and I hope you will enjoy not only the way they taste but also the way they make you feel.

Kitty xx

HIP HIP HOORAY FOR TEMPEH!

If you happened to peruse my last blog entry you will already be familiar with my new found love of winter cooking. I am especially fond soups and stews, they are such a great way to get my 3 serves of vegetables a day and make sure no vegetable ever goes to waste in our house. So I thought that I would share one of my favourites of the season.

TEMPEH AND AUTUMN ROOT VEGETABLE STEW

ingredients

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tbsp orange zest

1 tsp tamari

2 cloves finely chopped garlic 

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp honey

4 tbsp canola oil

1 packet of tempeh (about 300g I think) cubed

2 carrots sliced 

1 cup diced potato

1 cup diced sweet potato

1 cup diced turnip

1/2 cup diced parsnip

approx 2 cups of vegetable stock

1 can diced tomatoes 

2 whole start anise

1 cinnamon stick 

1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2tbsp water

salt and pepper to taste

chopped coriander

method

1. combine orange juice, zest, tamari, garlic, ginger & honey in a bowl and set aside.

2. in a massive post heat oil over medium heat, add tempeh and brown on all sides.

3. add orange juice mixture and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

4. add vegetables & the tomatoes with their juice and then enough stock to almost cover them.

5. add star anise and cinnamon & bring to a boil.

6. reduce heat to low & simmer, cover, until vegetables are tender, for about 30mins.

7. uncover, increase heat to high, add cornstarch-water mixture & cook for 1-2mins until stew thickens

8. season with salt, pepper and additional honey as desired

9. serve with fresh coriander.

ENJOY!

Everyone in our house seems to be getting into the spirit of winter this year. Both Mick and I have spent many a day pottering about the house fixing things up and generally making our house a home, and there is no doubt that little Peanut Butter is enjoying the extra company on the couch snuggled up amidst a sea of throw blankets. 

I'll leave you with a photo of Peanut Butter strutting her latest winter wears. My last jumper cost $4.50 from the op shop near work, Peanuts cost $50. Go figure. I love her more than me.

Kitty xx

2012. GO.

I've never really understood the new year phenomenon, that the start of the calendar year holds the magic of a fresh start, a clean slate, the promise of a better year. I find it amusing how we need to compartmentalise our lives into periods of time. Why is it that we put things off only to set news years resolutions that, lets face it, are seldom kept in the later half of the year. Why do we believe that setting goals on January 1st will prove more fruitful than those we make at any other point. Time is time. Lets get on with it.

That being said I am most definitely looking forward to this particular period of time, this year is already setting out to be possibly the most exciting, stressful and rewarding year to date. But I'm not going to share any of these plans, you'll just have to wait and see!

I will however leave you with a recipe for one of my favourite sweet treats. Apple and Rhubarb crumble. Rhubarb is one of my favourite food that is extremely under rated, it you haven't yet tried it, please do, its super scrummy. 

APPLE & RHUBARB CRUMBLE

ingredients

300g rhubarb (cut into roughly 1inch pieces)

2-3 granny smith apples (peeled & roughly cut into 1inch pieces)

1/2cup caster sugar

1/2cup plain flour

1/4cup rolled oats

1/8cup brown sugar

1/8cup desiccated coconut

30g unsalted butter

1.cook rhubarb & caster sugar on low heat for 15mins

2.add apples & cook for another 10mins

3.spoon mixture into a dish

4.mix remaining dry ingredients with butter for crumble.

5.place crumble mixture on top & bake for 25-35 mins at 180degrees.

christmas cheer.

There will be no holiday blogs, time just got away from me, so here's a picture of Winston and I in our Santa hats. 

Kitty xx

EVERY SECOND MONDAY

For what seems like forever now Mick has been getting his back tattooed almost ever fortnight on a Monday, and today marked one of those Mondays. As much as I love company I have always cherished time to myself, but by myself now includes puppy winston. So this morning whilst Mick was away puppy and I set up office in the back yard and made use of the sporadic sunshine that Melbourne has to offer.

we both worked really hard today.

tiny birds nest i admired for a greater portion of the morning.

 I enjoyed endless cups of tea and left over fruit salad in the dappled sunlight whilst reading, and playing tug-o-war.

it might be sunny but its still chilly.

I have found that my body is in summer mode even amidst the irregular weather, so into the afternoon I decided to make an batch of pomegranate iced tea.

POMEGRANATE ICED TEA
ingredients
8cups of strongly brewed english breakfast tea
2cups pomegranate juice
3limes sliced
1/2cup sugar
method
1.while tea is still hot add and dissolve sugar
2.allow tea to cool slightly & stir in pomegranate juice 
3.add lime slices
4.refrigerate until cold & serve over ice 
5.enjoy!


Im hoping to enjoy this iced tea in tomorrows supposedly 28degree day. fingers crossed.
Kittyxx

MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY.

Sometimes mick and i sleep in, sometimes we just can't be bothered making a "proper" breakfast. So lately our blender has taken up permanent residence on the kitchen bench and we've been making smoothies for breakfast instead. 

This is my favourite breakfast smoothie, and I find it keeps me full throughout the morning. All the measurements are approximate as I do them by sight but once you've made it once you can change them to suit you. I freeze all our fruit and yogurt to make the smoothie thicker, but you don't have to.

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE serves 2

ingredients

350ml soy milk

1.5 frozen ripe bananas 

3/4 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup frozen vanilla yogurt 

1 cup of dry muesli

1 tsp of honey

method

put the soy in first and then add and blend the other ingredients in batches so the blender doesn't jam.

you can add extra soy milk if the blender struggles too much.

i take my time blending because i like my smoothies super thick. 

his&hers

just make sure you put water in the glasses if your not washing up straight away or you'll be scrubbing them for days.

kitty xx

WHY DO THEY CALL IT HEDGEHOG SLICE?

why? i dont know. but i do know that its delicious. its also super easy and doesnt require an oven. our oven still hasnt decided were friends yet, so im avoiding using it. i whipped this up tonight. ill have to take some to work just to stop myself from eating it all!

HEDGEHOG SLICE
ingredients
225g butter
4tablespoons cocoa2/3cup butter
2/3cup white sugar
3tablespoons desiccated coconut 
1egg
250g packet of arrow root biscuits (broken into pieces)
200g dark cooking chocolate
hundreds & thousands to decorate
directions
1.melt 175g butter, cocoa and suagr in a saucepan over medium heat stirring frequently.
2.remove from heat, add coconut and biscuits.
3.press mixture into a baking paper lined tray.
4.put the tray in the fridge and allow to cool for an hour.
5.after the base has cooled melt chocolate and remaining butter in a bowl over simmering water.
6.spread mixture evenly over base and sprinkle on desired amount of hundreds and thousands.
7.return  to fridge to set for another hour.
8.slice into pieces.
9.enjoy!

see. super easy. the only hard part is waiting for it to set without nibbling at it. and doing the dishes at the end.
kittyxx

USE A BIG JUG. SERIOUSLY.

mick had a boys night at the steakhouse tonight, so i had a girls night in with connie francis. being sick of the cold melbourne weather i decided to crank up the heater, pretend its summer and make some old fashioned watermelon lemonade. now we dont have a big jug or even a little jug so i had to make it in our fruit bowl but thats ok. we also dont have a sieve (which i didnt realise till after id started) so it came out "orange juice with pulp" style. anywho heres the recipe. its super simple, but use a big jug, and use a sieve.

use. a. big. jug.

OLD FASHIONED WATERMELON LEMONADE
ingredients
1/4to1/2 a seedless watermelon (you want about 3 cups of juice after its been sieved)
1/4cup fresh mint leaves
1/4cup packed brown sugar
2lemons
1cup soda water
directions
1.in a big jug combine the juice of one and half lemons the sugar and the mint leaves. mash with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar and bruise the lime leaves.
2.cut up the watermelon into chunks and use a blender to puree. (you may need to do this in batches). pour the puree through a fine sieve to remove as much pith as possible.
3.pour the juice into your jug, add the soda water and stir to combine.
4. slice up the remaining lemon and put into the jug (this looks really pretty). chill in the fridge.
5.serve over ice. 
6.enjoy!
*depending how sweet or juicy the melon is i usually mess around with how much sugar/lemon/soda water i use. add to taste.
i also managed to finish the art piece that i was working on. ill be sending this away to my friend joe soon, im almost sad to see it go. i was pretty happy with how it turned out, i hope it makes joe happy.

click for larger image

better get to work on the next one
kittyxx

COFFEE TABLE FOR TWO PLEASE

alas, saturdays for me are still a work day, this is disappointing i know, but to my pleasant surprise work went by like flash gordan today. the whole team tattooed all day today while the rain attempted to drown out the crackling fire and the buzzing machines. and then before i knew it mick was pulled up out the front of the studio to pick me up waiting for me to do the dastardly dash through the rain.
with minimal soaking we made a bee line for the supermarket to pick up supplies to make sushi. theres not really much to making sushi, except a whole lot of mess (they dont call it sticky rice for nothing). its all in the rice and the rolling.
TUNA & AVOCADO SUSHI
ingredients
sushi rice
rice wine vinegar
sugar
tuna (we used tinned)
ripe avocado
kewpie mayonaise
toasted nori sheets
*bamboo mat for rolling
THE RICE
(make sure you actually get sushi rice, not just regular rice)
1.bring 1 cup of rice and 1.5 cups of water to the boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20mins.
2.while the rice is simmering dissolve 1.5tablespoons of sugar in 2tablespoons of rice wine vinegar over heat and set aside.
3.in a separate bowl combine 1cup of water with 2tablespoons of rice wine vinegar. dampen a cloth in this solution and rub over a baking tray (this is where youll put your cooked rice). save the solution to dip your fingers in while rolling the sushi so rice doesnt stick to your hands (but it will anyway).
4.when the rice has cooked stir in the vinegar and sugar solution gently and spread out in the baking tray.
5.fan the rice for about 10mins to cool it quickly, this helps the rice to not be ridiculously sticky.
THE FILLING
1.thoroughly drain the tuna and empty into a bowl, combine with kewpie mayonnaise to taste (its probably more than you think) and set aside.
2.slice your avocado length ways and set aside.
THE ROLLING
1.place your nori sheet shiny side down on your bamboo mat.
2.spread a thin layer of rice evenly across the nori leaving about an inch of nori clear at the far end.
3.place your filling across the rice close to the start of the nori.
4.roll. your on your own for this bit, remember to apply even pressure as you roll and when you get to the clear area of nori dip your fingers in the rice wine vinegar and water solution and run them along the edge of the nori. this will help it all hold together.
5. slice with an extremely sharp knife
6.enjoy!

that looks easy doesnt it? but really it is, and its fun. mick and i enjoyed ours on the couch with soy sauce, miso soup and human planet documentaries.
kitty xx

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TEA PARTY

the weather today was completely abysmal, so my day off was enjoyed from the comfort of the great indoors. and although i started with lacklustre enthusiasm i really enjoyed my pilates work out while watching the rain drizzle down the window.
i also tried a recipe for what im deeming a "tea cup cake". i wasnt even particularly in the mood for cake but i just had to give it a go because it was just so darn adorable. all in all the recipe was pretty tasty but i did think it was a little dry, im thinking a handful of raspberries on top and its golden.

2 MINUTE TEACUP CAKE
(recipe care of house of humble)
ingredients
1xegg white
2xtablespoons softened butter
3xtablespoons caster sugar (i used raw)
2xtablespoons flour
3xtablespoons cocoa powder
directions
1.mix egg white, sugar and softened butter in a teacup (but use a big one)
2.fold in flour and cocoa (dont go nuts or youll get it everywhere)
3. mix until smooth
4. microwave for 2 minutes (this may be slightly less if you have a strong microwave)
5.enjoy!


not unusually i spent my day off with the company of animated characters and my laptop, but it was a lovely day to fly solo and indulge in the wilderness of a mountain of folding.
kittyxx

THE BLUE IS FOR YOU, THE RED IS FOR ME

currently in our house we possess one not so friendly but particularly wobbly oven, whom im convinced is  out to get me and so i refuse to use it. unfortunately i enjoy baking, which leaves me in quite a pickle, but never fear, rum balls (affectionately nic named rumbles) are here, no baking required!
so tonight armed with a glass of red wine and simon and garfunkel i made rumbles till my hearts content, which was substantially more than i had intended. the fridge is now choc-o-block with both classic rumbles made with blue label johnny walker and straight edge friendly pg rated rum balls.

RUMBLES

(recipe care of my favourite cheerleader bethie wolf)

ingredients

1xpacket of sweet biscuits (marie or arrowroot)

1xcup of desiccated coconut

1x395g tin of condensed milk

2xtablespoons cocoa powder (i like more ^_^)

4xtablespoons rum/baileys/any other alcohol (i like more again)

* extra coconut for rolling

directions

1.break biscuits in half and place in food processor, blending until biscuits are crushed

2.combine ingredients together in a bowl and mix

3.spoon mixture into damp hands and roll into rumbles

4.roll balls in coconut and store in the fridge until they set

5.enjoy!

then spend forever trying to get rumble mixture out of your nails and coconut off everything you never touched.

get your rumble on

kitty xx