Double Chocolate-Ginger Cookies

For those of you who like chocolate and ginger together, here's a double whammy of both! These are great with a glass of cold almond milk... and if there's any left, you could always wrap some up in cellophane with a pretty ribbon, and give them to your neighbours for Christmas :)

(They'll love you forever!)

If you use Rapadura in these, they need either an egg, or an extra 20g of rice-malt syrup. If you use rice-malt syrup, the egg can be omitted. I like it best with the Rapadura and egg.

1. First, take about this much fresh ginger (1 1/2 to 2 inches, depending how strong you want it) ...

... peel it, chuck it in the Thermomix, and grind it up for about 10 seconds on speed 9.

2. Add dates and grind for 15 seconds, speed 9:
- 70g dates

3. Add wet ingredients and mix for 30 seconds, speed 5:
- 70g molasses
- 70g Rapadura OR rice malt syrup
- 1 egg (optional if using rice malt syrup)
- 75g coconut oil
- 40g olive oil (or other oil, such as macadamia oil)

4. Add dry ingredients and mix for another 30 seconds, speed 5, using spatula to help mix:
- 230g unbleached plain spelt flour (or part wholemeal spelt flour)
- 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 20g cocoa (preferably good quality, fair trade)
- 1 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)

5. Add choc chips and barely mix in, 10 seconds, reverse, speed 3:
- 100g Rapadura sweetened chocolate chips (or chocolate chopped in small chunks)



6. Drop heaped teaspoonfuls onto lined trays and bake in moderate oven (180 degrees) for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on trays, store in airtight container (in the freezer if you want them to last!) :)

Merry Christmas! A bit of fun...

I know this has nothing to do with cooking, but we thought it was so funny, and the kids wanted me to put it on my blog . . . so here it is! Enjoy! (And Merry Christmas!)

P.S. In our house, the 'shopping, shopping, shopping...' bit should be replaced with 'cooking, cooking, cooking...' So much to cook, so little time! :)

Raw Dairy Free Cheesecake

I've always found it very difficult to resist cheesecake, especially a good, homemade one, covered in cherries or berries (and chocolate)! And in our family, cheesecake is always popular at Christmas... thank goodness for a dairy free cheesecake - I can still avoid dairy, and not feel deprived :) Whip this one up in about fifteen minutes, pop it in the freezer, and you've got a fancy dessert ready for Christmas day! This recipe makes two cheesecakes in regular sized pie pans. (I made one for my dh's birthday the other day, and the other's in the freezer ready for Christmas.)

This recipe is based on one in Serene Allison's "Rejuvenate Your Life" cookbook (changed to suit my taste) - hope you like it! Oh, yes, the chocolate I drizzled on top wasn't raw, but I couldn't resist :) You can make a raw chocolate with this recipe posted on the Thermomix forum.

(I use my Thermomix for this recipe - if you don't have a Thermomix you can use a good quality food processor, but it may take a little longer to grind and mix.)

Granola Crumb Crust:

1. Place dates in Thermomix bowl and grind on speed 9 until mushy, about 20 seconds:
- 400g pitted dates

2. Add, and crush using bursts of turbo speed until desired consistency (about 6 bursts):
- 280g Raw Sprouted Buckwheat Granola
- 170g raw almonds
- 30g extra virgin coconut oil (or other mild-tasting, extra virgin oil)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt

3. Line two pie pans with baking paper, divide crumb mixture into pans and press firmly onto bottom and sides with greased hands. (See photo)


Berry Cheesecake Filling:

1. Place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mix on speed 9 for about 2 minutes, using spatula to help move mixture around, until it's smooth and creamy:
- 130g freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 250g raw pine nuts
- 250g raw almonds
- 130g raw sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 300g frozen or fresh mixed berries (or strawberries/pitted cherries, etc)
- 170g agave syrup or pure maple syrup (or to taste)
- 2 tsp psylliam powder (opt.)

2. Divide filling between two crusts, and place in freezer while you make the topping.

Berry Crumble Topping

1. Make a batch of Berry Nougat and sprinkle it over the cheesecakes. Drizzle with chocolate if you like.

2. Cover cheesecakes and freeze. Thaw for about 20 minutes before slicing.

DELICIOUS!!

Berry Nougat

This recipe is one I know from memory and make quite often for snacks, desserts, cake toppings, even for breakfast... it's delicious!!! It's from a raw cookbook by Serene Allison, "Rejuvenate Your Life" - the amounts can vary to taste, so don't stress too much about measuring. I make my own nut butter first in the Thermomix (a handful or two each of raw almonds, macadamias and cashews, ground up on speed 9, with a little macadamia oil added if needed.)

1. In a big mixing bowl, tip in:
- about 300g of frozen mixed berries
- a handful or two of raisins or sultanas (for chewiness)
- a handful of raw almonds (or your favourite nuts), roughly crushed in blender or Thermomix
- a few splashes of pure maple syrup (to taste - make sure it's still tangy, not too sweet)
- a few blobs of almond (or mixed nut) butter

You can let the berry nougat thaw a little, or have it still mostly frozen - I like it slightly thawed, as it's juicier and has more flavour. Berry nougat is delicious on it's own too, thawed or frozen, or on a cheesecake or chocolate gateau.

Menu Plan Monday - 30th November

Phew! It's so hot here! Everyone seems to be having hot weather - we need some cool meals! We've been having lots of sorbet lately, and lots of salads... although we do still have some hot meals, as I think everyone would whinge too much if I only stuck to salads and raw pasta and stuff! (Actually, we're very blessed to be living here - it's only gotten up to about 30 degrees C, compared to 45 degrees in some places!!)

I didn't get a menu plan done last week - way too much going on. I know, I know - that's when you really need a menu plan, otherwise it gets way too chaotic at mealtimes... I was up at 5.30 one morning making Mexican Quinoa in the Thermomix for my dh to take to work, as there were no leftovers, no bread, no tortillas... nothing! Oh well, at least I could turn it on and go back to bed until it beeped to let me know it was done! This week is going to be just as busy, so I'm really trying to plan my meals! Here goes...

(Go have a look at Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com for some great menu planning ideas... and visit the Thermomix forum too!)

TMX = prepared and/or made in my Thermomix.

Monday:
(lunch - friends over) Rice pasta (TMX) with tuna, homemade mayo (TMX) & raw veges (mixed up individually into our own pasta salads!)
(dinner) Chicken & vege stir fry with rice (TMX)

Tuesday - a big cooking day!:
(lunch) Raw pasta sauce (TMX) on raw zucchini 'fettucine' (plus making a Christmas recipe to try it out - rolled chicken breast stuffed with cranberry & pistachio stuffing, steamed in Thermomix... will use for next day's dinner)
(dinner - DH's B'day BBQ at friend's!) Taking meat for barby, plus cream cheese & herb dip (TMX), potato & sundried tomato salad (TMX), steamed broccoli & lemon salad with fetta (TMX), spelt herb & garlic pull-apart bread (TMX), and, of course, the Thermomix - to make sorbet & lattes/frappes! And I'm making a cheesecake (TMX) for my dh, as he wants one for his birthday cake... so I'll also make a dairy free raw 'cheesecake' too, for those of us who can't have any dairy :(

Wednesday:
(lunch) Leftovers & sandwiches with homemade spelt bread
(dinner) Cranberry-pistachio stuffed chicken roll (TMX - made yesterday), served cold with salad

Thursday:
(lunch) Pizza - spelt base (TMX) with raw avocado & salad topping
(3pm) Homeschoolers' Art & Cooking Class break-up party - helping kids make salads & sausages, and taking leftovers home for dinner if any... if not...
(dinner) Tuna fishcakes with carrot & grape salad & oven-baked potato wedges

Friday:
(lunch) Baked potatoes & sweet potatoes (crockpot) with toppings & salad
(dinner) Lentil bolognaise (TMX) on spelt pasta with salad

Saturday:
(lunch) Tortillas (homemade, spelt, TMX) with refried beans & salad
(dinner) Fried marinara mix & salad

Sunday:
(lunch) Leftovers
(dinner) Spelt rolls with tuna, salad & homemade mayo

Menu Plan Monday - 16th November

My mind is blank... what to eat this week??? Hmm, better go get some inspiration from the Thermomix forum! Always plenty of good ideas there...

I also need to start thinking about Christmas cooking, and play with some ideas for the Thermomix Christmas Cooking Class. (For those of you who live on the Atherton Tablelands, I hope you can come to our cooking class - it will be on Monday the 7th December, 6.30-9.00 pm, at the Atherton Golf Club. $15 per person, which includes lots of yummy Christmas food, a cookbook-let of the recipes we make, and lots of prizes and give-aways. Please let me know if you can come!)

I did try a Varoma recipe that would be nice for Christmas - the turkey leg wrapped in bacon, with potatoes - it was delicious, but took a little longer than the recipe said. (Definately worth it though!)

Turkey legs in the Varoma basket - those are big legs!!

Yummy, juicy turkey meat!

The potatoes were cooked in the basket at the same time as the turkey was cooking on top. Peas can be added to the Varoma basket towards the end of the cooking time.

If you'd like some help with planning your menu, visit Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

(TMX) = Prepared and/or cooked in my Thermomix

Monday (clean out the fridge day):

(lunch) Turkey gumbo (from leftover turkey) & beetroot salad (TMX)

(dinner) Chicken-fried steak and Gemuse Eintopf (TMX)

Tuesday (poultry):

(lunch) Thai chilli chicken (TMX) with rice & stir-fry veges (TMX)

(dinner) Leftovers & spelt bread rolls (TMX) & salad

Wednesday (vegetarian):

(lunch) Tuna salad sandwiches on spelt bread (TMX)

(dinner) Lentil bolognaise (TMX) & salad

Thursday (meat):

(lunch) Sausage Strata (TMX) & salad

(dinner) Leftovers from lunch - going out

Friday (fish):

(lunch) Raw pasta sauce (TMX) on spelt noodles

(dinner) Grilled fish with almonds, mashed potatoes (TMX) & salad

Saturday (vege):

(lunch) Baked potatoes & raw vege sticks

(dinner) Mexican quinoa (TMX version) & salad

Sunday (meat):

(lunch) Nachos with red beans (TMX)

(dinner) Steak & baked veges & salad

[Note: salads generally depend on what's in the fridge and garden!]

Almond Butter Choc Chip Cookies

Everybody loves chocolate chip cookies! But how to make them healthy? I was so excited when I found Rapadura sweetened dark chocolate chips in a local co-op store! This is a recipe I developed that I make now and then for a treat - they're wheat free, dairy free and naturally sweetened, and really yummy - just ask the kids :)

The almond butter adds some protein and calcium, which is a plus. I make the almond butter first, in my Thermomix, then add the other ingredients. You could use any nuts, or pre-made nut butter - macadamia, cashew, peanut - (preferably not the horrible 'hydrogenated' bought peanut butter though), and you could also add some chopped pecans or walnuts if you like - yum! (Note: if you use other nuts, you may need less oil to make the butter - macadamia nuts may not need any oil at all.)

This recipe makes a lot, so you could half it, or just roll some of it up in plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer until you 'need' some cookies. You just have to thaw the dough out for 10 minutes or so, then you can slice it into rounds, place on a baking tray and pop them in the oven. It's great to have some in the freezer when visitors drop by!

(Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius)

1. First, make your nut butter (or you can use a bought one)...
Grind on speed 9 for 30 seconds, then scrape down sides with spatula:
- 250g almonds

2. Add and mix on speed 9 for 20 seconds:
- 50g good quality oil (sunflower/macadamia/grapeseed)
Scrape down sides of bowl again.

3. Add and mix on speed 6 for 30 seconds:
- 150g Rapadura
- 180g raw honey
- 3 medium eggs
- 230g light olive oil (or other good quality oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

4. Add and mix on speed 6 for 10 seconds (using spatula to help mix):
- 500g plain spelt flour (can be a mixture of wholemeal and white, and may need more or less than 500g - you should be able to roll the dough into balls)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp baking soda

5. Turn dough out into a large bowl, add a little more flour if needed. (I do this in a bowl as the Thermomix is a bit too full at this stage, and the heavy dough slows down the blades.) Add choc chips and mix in with spoon:
- 1 cup mini dark choc chips, Rapadura sweetened (or malt sweetened) *


6. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased or papered baking trays and bake in oven at 175 degrees celcius for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. (Or you can roll dough into balls and flatten with a fork.)

7. Cool on the trays for crispier cookies, or remove to a rack while warm for softer cookies. Or just eat them all while they're warm, and lick the chocolate off your fingers! :D

(If you do cook the whole batch at once, store them in the freezer so they don't go stale.)

* Note about Rapadura sweetened choc chips - I bought these at a co-op store in Cairns (Qld) so I know they're available, but I'm not sure where else to get them. I know in the USA you can get malt sweetened choc chips, but I haven't been able to find them here. If anyone has links to sites where you can order either of these, please let us all know in the comments!