Don't you think there is something so perfect about food that can be eaten with your fingers in just one to two bites. With little bits of frosting sticking to your fingertips, waiting patiently (or sometimes not so patiently) to be licked off.
Maybe with this following confession you might find me a little strange, however the process of making these petite little morsels of food gives me huge pleasure. It's like stepping back into my childhood when I would whip up recipes for my dolls as they sat around waiting for their tea party to begin.
I bet barbie would have loved these little cupcakes instead of the "special" cupcakes made of mud and leaves that I would proudly offer to her.....maybe.....
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Here's a little treat for you since it's Friday, since it's cold and raining here in Melbourne, and since the weekend is right around the corner.
I've been really enjoying experimenting with gluten-free flours at the moment. I myself am not celiac, but I do prefer the way my body (especially my tummy) feels when I don't consume too much gluten. I'm also a big lover of all of those beautiful, lesser known flours out there that actually give love back to your body, rather than the highly processed white flour on the market shelves these days. I know this is not a fair statement to make, as I still do bake with this flour regularly when making cakes for family and friends, but for my own personal consumption....I reach for the buckwheat, coconut and brown rice flours first.
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If you're looking for a super simple and super quick recipe, then look no further.
I've made this dish a number of times after first discovering it on The Stone Soup Website, and the brilliance of this dish (well, I think so anyway) is that any extra can be frozen and whipped out when needed for an even quicker mid-week meal. The chicken can be flaked off the bone and along with the capsicum, tossed through some quinoa or pasta, or you could even package it up and eat cold on a picnic.
Did I mention it only has 3 ingredients?
Did I mention how super simple it was?
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Say hi to Nichole!
Nichole comes all the way from Baltimore and started cooking out of necessity (to stop her eating burnt food). Don't you just love it! She's also the mother of two cats and the brains behind the blog Cookaholic Wife, which just happens to be my Secret Recipe Club partner for the month of July.
The recipe I've chosen from Nichole's HUGE list of recipes is one that is near and dear to my heart. It's a French classic, it's the perfect dish for these cold Winter days we're experiencing here in Melbourne and it's my sort of comfort food at its very best. It also happens to be one of the very first French dishes I tried my hand at.....
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Food for thought: Did you know that dried white beans are versatile, affordable and packed full of goodness?
Loaded into these simple looking little beans you'll find antioxidants, fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc. Eating regularly, they may help decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, and help with weight management as they make you feel full so you tend to eat less.
Did I mention they were cheap?!
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"The trouble with much modern cooking is not that the food it produces isn’t good, but that the mood it induces in the cook is one of skin-of-the-teeth efficiency, all briskness and little pleasure. Sometimes that’s the best we can manage, but at other times we don’t want to feel like a postmodern, post-feminist, overstretched woman but, rather, a domestic goddess, trailing nutmeggy fumes of baking pie in our languorous wake." – Nigella Lawson
I've always loved this quote by Nigella from her cookbook How to be a Domestic Goddess. Every time I read it, I feel it was written about me, and in fact, it probably describes most female home-cooks today. Brisk and efficient one day, caring and unhurried the next.
Today, I was a domestic goddess.
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I'm starting to think of myself as a walking contradiction within this little blog world of mine, and in fact, my life in general. I'm a firm believer, absolute lover and vocal advocate of the benefit of consuming whole foods. Pack my day full of organic vegetables, protein and good fats and I'm singing from the rooftops.
However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE to bake!
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Pumpkin soup is not my "go to" soup. In fact, it's not even in my top 10. It hasn't been a favourite ever since we made a friend's little sister sick with it way way way back when. At the time we thought it was hilarious. Who knew that decades later I'd still remember that particular moment and how pumpkin soup and I have never fully bonded.
However, things may have just changed.
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Well, the holiday is well and truly over..sob..sob.
As much as I love the freedom of travelling (especially in France), a small part of me always loves coming home to my own bed, my own shower and my everyday eating routine. Are you the same?
So this little lady has decided to go back to basics. I'm back off fructose, gluten and basically anything processed to try and be good to this poor little tummy of mine. Giving my body a chance to get back to neutral. I'm giving it a big love-filled hug by filling it full of highly nutritious plant food, protein and good fats. It's thanking me for it.
So in ode to "getting back on track", my oven was switched on and this little treasure came popping out.
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Guess what......
Today's my birthday and the Taurean in me wants everyone to know!
And to celebrate, I thought I'd share this fluffy Vanilla Birthday Cake with Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting with you.....
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I'd like to introduce you to Sarah, the brains behind The Pajama Chef. I love that Sarah learnt to bake cookies at her grandma's knee (very envious) and I love that she would wear pajamas all day, every day if she could. A girl after my own heart. I also love that Sarah is my secret blog for this month's Secret Recipe Club.
Choosing this month's recipe was a toss up. I was craving her Cilantro/Lime Hummus, but then I saw three little words that for some unknown reason make me smile, clap my hands and wiggle my bum at the same time every time.
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I'd promised myself a little while ago, that while I was saving for my adventure back to France that I WOULD NOT buy any cookbooks.
Well that promise flew well and truly out the window, and in fact, I think it only lasted 2 weeks.
I'm so pleased it did as otherwise I may not have found this stunningly beautiful cookbook that I have fallen head over heals in love with.
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Here is a little gift idea for you, which might also help use up any left over Easter Eggs you no longer want to look at.
This little idea is also for those times when you need or want to bring a present, but have no idea what that present should be. Perhaps the person already has everything. Perhaps they've asked for nothing, but you can't bare the thought of not bringing anything.
For all of those times, I think you'll find this little gift box to be a wonderful answer. Quick to put together, but made with utter love and joy.
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I thought I'd share with you the little tart I made recently for my sister-in-law.
I think you're going to like it.
It's just a simple little tart with a bottom made of flaky, buttery, sweet shortcrust pastry. A middle filled with soft fluffy almonds, and a crown of plump fresh raspberries.
Served with some thick double cream...do you really need anything more?
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Happy Easter everyone!
I thought I'd share with you just one simple little idea of what you could do with all those chocolate Easter eggs you're inevitably going to accumulate over Easter.
Such a simple use of the chocolate which also means you won't have to consume as much yourself, as you'll be able to pass these little cakes back out to others for them to enjoy. You'll be loved by everyone.
Win/win!
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Did you know that researchers have found that just a handful of mushrooms have approximately 12 times more of the powerful antioxidant (L-Ergothioneine) than wheatgerm? Did you know that antioxidants slow the ageing process from the inside out, which not only affects your appearance but more importantly, helps prevent degenerative disease.
I didn't! Thank God I'm already a fan!
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