Lime & Passionfruit Treats

Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup desiccated coconut, plus extra to roll
zest and juice of 1/2 lime
pulp and seeds of 1 passionfruit
1 banana
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Method
Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until well combined.

Roll into balls and coat in extra coconut.  Refrigerate and serve.

Blueberry Bircher

Ingredients (serves 4)
120g (1 1/3 cups) oats
15g (3 teaspoons) chia seeds
150mL coconut milk
150g natural yoghurt
100g fresh or frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Cover and leave overnight.

Serve with a few extra blueberries on top.

Savoury Scrolls

These super easy scrolls are perfect to keep up your sleeve as a great lunchbox idea or afternoon tea.  They are quick to make, taste great, and the filling options are endless.  Here's some other ideas:
- cheese & vegemite
- pumpkin & feta
- pesto & parmesan
- custard & apple
- cinnamon & brown sugar

I'd love to hear your favourite variety!

These are super easy in a Thermomix (first recipe), but not too hard without one either (second recipe).

Ingredients
300g / 2 cups flour
50g butter
200g milk
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried herbs
150g tasty cheese

Method (Thermomix)
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius/160 fan-forced.

Place flour and butter in Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds/speed 5 until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add milk and knead for 1 minute/closed lid/interval setting.

Lightly flour the bench top and turn dough out, adding more flour if too sticky.

Roll out into a large rectangle (about 30cm x 40cm) and spread with tomato paste, then sprinkle with herbs & cheese.

Roll it up into a long sausage and slice into 12 even slices.

Grease a muffin pan and put each scroll into a hole.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned and has a hollow sound when tapped.


Method (standard)
Prehehat oven to 180 degrees celsius/160 fan-forced.

Place flour and butter in a large bowl and rub together with finger tips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add milk and stir to combine, then knead until it comes together into a soft dough.

Roll out into a large rectangle (about 30cm x 40cm) and spread with tomato paste, then sprinkle with herbs & cheese.

Roll it up into a long sausage and slice into 12 even slices.

Grease a muffin pan and put each scroll into a hole.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned and has a hollow sound when tapped.

Pumpkin & Ricotta Gnocchi

I've been wanting to make home-made gnocchi for some time, so while I have a temporary Thermomix, I decided it's the perfect time!  Gnocchi can have a tendency to be heavy, gluggy and flavourless, but I love the flavoured variety (plus it sneaks some extra veggies into the kids!)  It's pretty easy and my kids loved helping out with rolling the dough and cutting the pieces.  There are a few steps to the process, but it's not difficult and this was a hit with all of us.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
olive oil spray
250g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded & chopped
400g ricotta
400g plain flour

Method
Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius/200 fan-forced.

Place pumpkin in a baking dish and spray with oil.  Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender.  Cool.

Place pumpkin in Thermomix bowl and mix for 5 seconds/speed 5.

Add ricotta and flour and mix for 5 seconds/speed 5.

Knead for 40 seconds, closed lid, interval setting.

Turn out onto a floured surface.  Add more flour if needed - mixture should be soft and not too sticky.

Roll out into long, thin sausages and cut into even-sized pieces.  Press lightly with a fork.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.  Drop pieces of gnocchi in, and remove with a slotted spoon when they rise to the top.  Serve with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese.

For the sauce...

Ingredients
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used basil and parsley)
1 stalk celery
1 carrot, top & tailed
1 tablespoon olive oil
800g tinned or fresh tomatoes

Method
Place onion, garlic, herbs, celery & carrot in Thermomix bowl.  Blitz for 5 seconds/speed 7.

Add oil and saute for 3 minutes/60 degrees/speed 2.

Add tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes/100 degrees/speed 1.

Apple Cinnamon Slice

I have a very important babysitting role over the next two weeks - looking after a Thermomix!  Hurray!!!  It's a lot easier than looking after a 2-year-old, that's for sure!  I have spent the weekend cooking up a storm already and am trying out lots of new things.

Here's one I tried out...and never fear, for those who don't have a Thermomix (yet!), there's a version below for you :-)  Enjoy!

Ingredients
125g butter
1 cup/140g self-raising flour
1/2 cup/90g caster sugar
1/2 cup/40g desiccated coconut

Topping
4 apples, peeled, cored & quartered
2 eggs
2/3 cup/100g self-raising flour
1/2 cup/90g caster sugar
1 cup/80g desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method (Thermomix)
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius/160 fan-forced.  Grease and line a slice pan with baking paper.

Melt butter for 2 minutes/60 degrees/speed 2.

Add flour, sugar & coconut.  Mix 5 seconds/speed 5.  Scrape down the sides and blitz for another 5 seconds/speed 5.

Press firmly into the tin and bake for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, place apple into the TMX bowl.  Blitz 3 seconds/speed 6.

Add remaining topping ingredients and mix on reverse/5 seconds/speed 6.

Spread on top of the base and bake for 40 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked through.

Cool in tin then slice and serve.


Method (standard)
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius/160 fan-forced.  Grease and line a slice pan with baking paper.

Melt butter in the microwave.  Place in a large bowl along with flour, sugar and coconut.  Mix well.

Press firmly into the tin and bake for 10 minutes.

Grate or finely chop the apple.  Place in the bowl and mix well with remaining topping ingredients.

Spread on top of the base and bake for 40 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked through.

Cool in tin then slice and serve.