Apricot and Date Rice Pudding

A yummy spin on the usual raisin rice pudding

Ingredients 1.

• Unsalted butter
• 7 cups full fat milk
  (plus more as needed)
• 2 cups brown rice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients 2.

• 1/2 cup (cubed) dates
• 1/2 cup (cubed) apricots
• T golden syrup

Stir together in a large casserole sized pot

(Ingredients 1) place on the stove and bring
to a low simmer, cover with a lid.

Cook on low temp for 3 1/2 hours,
- stir regularly.

Note: If there is not enough liquid and the rice is beginning to stick,
add some more milk.

Check on the rice pudding at about the 3 1/2 hour mark,
if the rice is nearly cooked this is when you add the second lot of ingredients,

stir through and allow to cook until rice is soft and creamy.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Yum!!   

Blueberry Citrus Cheesecake

prep time: 40mins

bake time: 40mins

setting time: 6 hours 

Well worth the wait...

Ingredients: 

• Coconut Crust:
• 1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg white, at room temperature
• Cheesecake Base:
• 750g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 300 mL tin sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Tbsp finely grated lime zest
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large whole eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• Citrus Curd:
• 2 large whole eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp finely grated lime zest
• ½ cup fresh lime juice or lemon 
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ cup sour cream
• Topping:
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp instant skim milk powder
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup fresh blueberries, for garnish

 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Lightly grease a springform cake tin and place onto a baking tray.
2. For the crust, stir the coconut, sugar and flour together. Whisk the egg white until frothy and then stir this into the coconut. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan (I used a potato masher to press it down). Bake the crust for about 18 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges and then cool before filling.
3. For the cheesecake, lower the oven temperature to 150 °C. Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the condensed milk, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl well. Beat in the zest and vanilla, then on a lower speed; beat in each egg and the yolk one at a time. Pour this over the cooled crust. Blend frozen blueberries, swirl through mixture and bake for about 40 minutes, until the outside of the cheesecake is set, but the centre still has a little jiggle to it. Prepare the lime curd as the cheesecake cools.
4. For the curd, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lime zest and juice in a metal bowl. Whisk in the butter and sour cream and place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, whisking often, until the lime curd has thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain the curd and spread this gently over the cheesecake. Once fully cooled to room temperature, chill the cheesecake for at least 6 hours (do not cover with plastic wrap).
5. For the topping, whip the cream. Stir in the sugar and vanilla and spread this over the cheesecake, leaving a 2-inches of the lime curd visible around the outside. Top the cream with blueberries and chill until ready to serve. The cheesecake will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf

This yummy loaf is a very
simple snack to whip up

prep time: 10 mins
bake time: 60 mins

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 1/2 cups of flour

• 1 t baking soda
  
• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 t of salt

• 2 eggs

• 3 bananas (black is best)

• 1 cup chocolate chips

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

Grease a medium sized loaf pan/dish. 

Step 1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

Step 2. Mix in the oil, mashed banana and eggs

(if bananas are frozen, nuke them in the microwave for 2mins,

they come out of their skins mashed!!)

Step 3. Stir in chocolate chips (do not over mix, we want this bad boy to rise)

pour into the pre-greased loaf dish.

Step 4. Check on loaf at 60mins, prick centre with a wooden skewer -

the skewer should come out clean,

(it's ok if there's chocolate on the skewer, choc drops will set once loaf cools.)

Allow loaf to cool in dish for 10 mins, before turning out onto cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Bush Honey Yoghurt w/ fruit

A quick and healthy afternoon snack

Ingredients:

• Yoghurt 
  (I used Biofarm honey bush - organic,
  which I like because it's additive free and probiotic. But you can use
  what ever takes your fancy)
• Berries or fruit
  (I used fresh blueberries and a
  mix of frozen summer berries.
• Dried banana chips
• Mixed nuts 
• A swirl of maple syrup or honey

Layer the bottom of your jar, or bowl with fruit and nuts, then a layer of yogurt, swirl on some maple syrup and repeat layers until you have the desired amount.

enjoy :) 

Homemade Hummus

Beetroot Hummus

Ingredients 

• 420 grams chickpeas (tin, drained)
• 450 gram tinned beetroot (drained)
• 1 T garlic or 4 cloves (crushed or chopped)
• 1/2 a lemon (freshly squeezed)
• 90 ml olive oil
• 60 ml tahini (simple to make or can buy pre-made) 

put all ingredients into a blender until smooth, 
if you are not happy with the consistency 
you can add more olive oil or a splash of water.

Jalapeno Hummus

Ingredients

• 420 grams chickpeas (tin, drained)
• Jarred or fresh jalapenos - I used 15 slices from a jar,
  (depends on the heat you are after)
• 1 T garlic or 4 cloves (crushed or chopped)
• 1/2 lemon or 1/2 lime (freshly squeezed)
• 90 ml olive oil
• 60 ml tahini (simple to make or can buy pre-made)

put all ingredients into a blender until smooth, 
if you are not happy with the consistency 
you can add more olive oil or a splash of water.


Keep in the fridge for upto a week. 
Can be used on crackers, bread or as a salad topping.

Happy eating.