JFullerWellness

Sweet Recipes

Advent Bark to change your heart - Sugar-free carob, coconut and nut slice

Ingredients:

1 cup Birch xylitol (natural sweetener from your local health food store)

I cup mixed nuts

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup of flaked coconut

1 teaspoon of lavender seeds from speciality tea shop

1 teaspoon of rose buds also from the tea shop

1/2 cup of carob buds

2 tablespoons of light coconut cream

Spray oil

Spray a flat metal baking tray with spray oil

Roast the nuts and shredded coconut until light brown

All the xylitol and stir until melted into the mixture

Place on the oiled tray and spread out evenly. Allow to cool.

Toast the coconut flakes with the rose buds and lavender seeds until the coconut flakes are light brown. Place in a bowl

Melt the carob with the light coconut cream until runny and pour over the nut mixture.

Sprinkle the coconut flakes and flower mixture over the top evenly.

Allow to cool in a fridge.

When it is set hard. Cut into shards of the desired serving size or serve it as gift slabs.

Badam Milk (almond milk)

This is an Indian classis. You can vary this drink by adding any other spices with the cardamom like: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and turmeric or saffron.

Ingredients

1 litre almond milk

1 tablespoon of green cardamom powder

4 tablespoons of birch xylitol (natural sweetener)

Heat the ingredients in a saucepan until they boil. Strain and serve hot. It is also delicious served cold.

Serves 4.

Cardamom and Pistachio Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour

2 flat teaspoons soda bi-carbonate powder

I cup cold Badam milk (see recipe above)

1 tablespoon of green cardamom powder

1/4 cup birch xylitol

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup of shelled pistachio nuts

spray oil

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a muffin tray with spray oil.

Mix all the remaining ingredients together.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray (1/4 cup of mixture in each serve).

Bake on the lowest baking rack for 30 minutes until the muffins are cooked through.

Let them cool before icing. These are delicious un-iced. However this icing recipe takes it to the next level of deliciousness!

Icing:

1 cup of icing sugar

6 tablespoons of olive oil margarine (butter or regular margarine is ok)

2 flat teaspoons of cardamom powder.

Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Place the mixture into a piping bag and pipe the icing onto each cooled cake. Alternatively you can ice them with a flat knife.

Makes 9 cakes.

Vegan Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

500millilitres of almond milk

2 tablespoons of carob powder

1/4 cup of birch xylitol

I stick of cinnamon

Ground cinnamon garnish

Heat the almond milk and cinnamon stick in a saucepan on a medium heat until hot.

Add the carob powder and xylitol. Let it simmer for about

Serve hot with a sprinkling of carob and cinnamon powder.

Serves 2

Homemade Yoghurt

Ingredients

1 litre fresh milk (skim is ok, long-life is not ok))

1/3 cup of yoghurt

Heat the milk to a simmer on medium heat in a saucepan.

Remove from the heat and let cool to blood temperature.

Add the yoghurt.

Place in a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for about 8-12 hours to set.

Refrigerate when set.

Serve with a teaspoon of the berry jam (see recipe below) and top with roasted nuts (cashews used) and fresh berries or fruit of your choice.

Makes 1 litre of yoghurt. The yoghurt should keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

Berry Scones

Ingredients

2 cups of self-raising flour (keep extra flour to sprinkle on the benchtop when rolling and cutting the scones)

1 flat teaspoon of soda bi-carbonate

1/3 cup of olive oil

1 egg (optional)

1 cup of sparkling mineral water or lemonade

1 cup mixed berries

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a flat baking pan with spray oil.

Mix the wet ingredients.

Separately mix the dry ingredients.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Work quickly and don't overwork the dough.

Lightly flour a benchtop or cutting bench and roll your dough into a one inch or 2cm thick large square.

You can cut it into 16 squares or use a 3cm cookie cutter to cut out the scones and place them on the baking pan.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until the scones are lightly brown.

Remove the scones from the oven and serve warm with butter and/or home-made jam or citrus curd (see recipes) and with clotted cream.

Serves 8.

Carrot and Lavender Tea Cake

Ingredients

1 cup of grated carrot

1/2 cup of self-raising flour

2 flat teaspoons of soda bi-carbonate

1/4 cup of polenta

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 heaped teaspoon of lavender seeds (purchase from a speciality tea shop)

1 cup of lemon juice

1 egg (optional)

1 cup of almond milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 cup of agave syrup (this is a natural sweetener from a cactus plant that can be purchased from a health food store. You can use honey, maple syrup or sugar if you wish.)

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a 25 centimetre diameter and 10 centimetre deep baking dish with spray oil.

Mix the wet ingredients.

Separately mix the dry ingredients.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Pour into the oiled dish and bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.

Remove the cake from the oven and cover with some aluminium foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middle of the cake comes out with no wet mixture on it.

Serve warm with or without mascarpone or clotted cream.

Serves 8.

Fiery Bliss Balls

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped dried fruit (apricots, figs and raisins used) Cranberries, cherries and dates are also delicious!

1/2 cup chopped nuts (pistachios and almonds used)

1/2 cup nut butter (freshly ground peanut butter used)

2/3 cup shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes (a daring option)

Place 1/3 cup of shredded coconut in a bowl. Combine the nuts, fruit, chilli and nut butter with the remaining shredded coconut and roll into 1 inch diameter balls.

Roll the balls in the bowl of coconut until they are coated in a layer of coconut.

Serve as is or to decorate a cake.

Makes 12 balls.

The balls can be stored in a dry plastic container for about 5 days - if they last that long!

Guilt Free Gelato

These are very quick, healthy and easy gelato recipes that will keep your dessert cravings satisfied any time of the day! The base is frozen banana and then add frozen berries or any fruit of your choosing eg. peaches, mango, plums etc

Peel and cut the fruit into 5cm pieces before freezing as it makes it easier to blend. It's better to make these fresh when you are ready to eat them rather than making them in advance and freezing them.

Ingredients:

Mixed Berry Gelato 1 featured above

1 large frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen berries

1 punnet fresh blackberries

100 ml unsweetened almond milk

Blend the frozen banana with the almond milk with a hand blender or in a covered blender until combined and is at an ice-cream consistency (takes approximately 30 seconds).

Add the frozen and fresh berries and blend for another 30 seconds.

Serve in tall glasses with fruit or herb garnishes.

Serves 2

Choc Peanut Butter Gelato 2 featured above

1 large frozen banana

1 tablespoon peanut butter (Peanut butter made fresh from just peanuts is recommended. May be available from your health food store)

1 flat teaspoon of cacao powder

100 ml unsweetened almond milk

Blend the frozen banana with the almond milk, peanut butter and cacao powder with a hand blender or in a covered blender until combined and is at an ice-cream consistency (takes approximately 30 seconds).

Serve in tall glasses and garnish with a dusting of cacao powder.

Serves 1

Strawberry Gelato 3 featured above

1 large frozen banana

1 cup fresh strawberries

100 ml unsweetened almond milk

Blend the frozen banana with the almond milk with a hand blender or in a covered blender until combined and at an ice-cream consistency (takes approximately 30 seconds).

Add the fresh strawberries and blend for another 30 seconds.

Serve in tall glasses with fruit or herb garnishes. (Garnish featured is a sprig of mint leaves)

Serves 2

Cranky Pants Shakes - to help face the day!

Ingredients:

1 banana or 1 cup of your favourite fruit (Try a mango cheek and some lime juice for a tropical hit, dates for some extra sweetness, or berries to keep things light and fresh)

250 ml unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon peanut butter ( butter made fresh from just peanuts is recommended. May be available from your health store)

100 ml water optional

1/4 cup dry oats with 1/2 cup of water heated in the microwave for 1 minute (optional)

Place all ingredients in a metal milkshake mug or deep bowl and blend until combined (usually 20 seconds with a hand blended is sufficient).

Add the cooked oats for an added kick and blend.

Add the water and blend again if the mixture is too thick.

Prepare the oats, add it to the other ingredients and place them in the fridge overnight, if your mornings tend to be busy; then all you have to do is blend it! These shakes are a delicious meal any time of the day.

Serves 1

Lime and Goats Cheese Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lime juice

1 1/2 cup self raising flour

1 cup fine white sugar

1 teaspoon soda bi-carbonate

3 large free-range eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2cup goats cheese

Garnish: Citrus curd (see recipe below), Chopped mint leaves and orange segments

Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased baking dish.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of cream or this garnish:

Garnish by spreading a tablespoon of citrus curd over the hot cake and decorate with orange segments (peel, skin and seeds removed) and chopped mint.

Serves 12

Citrus Curd

Ingredients:

50 gms butter

Juice of 2 large limes or lemons or equivalent juice of any citrus fruit of your choice

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Add 1 sprig of rosemary or 2 bay leaves (optional)

Cream all ingredients in a saucepan on a very low stove until combined.

Keep stirring until the mixture thickens slightly.

(Remove the rosemary. If using bay leaves, leave a bay leaf in the jar to intensify the flavour)

Pour into sterilised jars and seal with the lids.

When cool place in the fridge.

The curd will keep for about 7-10 days if you use clean spoons each time you eat it.

Makes approximately 300ml

Finger Lime Curd for an Australian Indigenous Experience!

Ingredients:

50 gms butter

Juice of 1 small lime

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

Pearls from 5 finger limes

Cream the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan on a very low stove until combined. Watch this liquid carefully.

Keep stirring until the mixture thickens slightly.

Add the finger lime pearls and stir for about 1 more minute.

Pour into sterilised jars and seal with the lids.

When cool place in the fridge.

The curd will keep for about 7-10 days if you use clean spoons each time you eat it.

Makes approximately 300ml

Sugar-free Marmalade

Ingredients

2 cup of mixed citrus fruit finely sliced into 2cm strips

1 cup of water

1 cup of birch xylitol sweetener (natural sweetener check health food stores)

1 cinnamon stick

Bring the fruit and water to the boil in a saucepan with the cinnamon.

Turn the stove down to a medium heat and add the sweetener.

Stir the mixture regularly until it thickens. Turn off and let it cool to a warm temperature, then transfer it to a clean jar and place the lids on firmly. Jars can be sterilised if cleaned and rinsed in boiling water. Then dry them and place them for 3 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. If the lids are metal, the clean, dry lids can be placed in the oven too. Transferring the marmalade to a hot jar and covering it immediately will create a seal.

The marmalade will keep for about 10 days if you use clean spoons each time you eat it.

Makes approximately 400ml

Sugar-free Berry Jam

Ingredients

2 cups of mixed berries

1 cup of water

1 cup of birch xylitol sweetener (natural sweetener check health food stores)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 large lemon or lime sliced.

Bring the citrus and water to the boil in a saucepan. Remove the peel and keep the pulp in the pan. This will provide the pectin or natural jam setting agent.

Add the berries and turn the stove down to a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the vanilla extract and sugar and continue cooking.

Stir the mixture regularly until it thickens.

Turn off and let it cool to a warm temperature, then transfer it to a clean jar and place the lids on firmly. Jars can be sterilised if cleaned and rinsed in boiling water. Then dry them and place them for 3 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. If the lids are metal, the clean lids can be placed in the oven too. Transferring the jam to a hot jar and covering it immediately will create a seal.

The jam will keep for about 10 days if you use clean spoons each time you eat it.

Makes approximately 400ml

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