Browsing Tag:

coconut

Desserts

Fruit and nut balls

Something easy but fun to make with the children, madoul dates are really easy to mould so you play around with the ingredients and add some favourite nut butter, seeds or grated vegetables. Nuts and seeds are full of goodness for children so it’s great to get these into their diet where possible. Dried fruit is high in natural sugars so it’s best to limit these…especially for young teeth.

Fuit and nut balls

Print Recipe
Serves: 8-10 Cooking Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

  • 10 medjool dates
  • 2 squares/20g dark chocolate, melted
  • 50g chopped hazelnuts
  • 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or other ground seed

Instructions

1

Put the madoul dates in a small food processor and blitz until completely chopped. Add half the chopped hazelnuts, the melted chocolate and ground flaxseed, blitz until combined.

2

Use your hand to roll the mixture in the palm of your hand to make small balls.

3

Place the rest of the hazelnut in a bowl and roll the balls round until coated.

Notes

For the coconut balls replace the hazelnut for desiccated coconut. For nut allergies replace the nuts with chopped pumpkin seeds. Store in a cool dry place for up to 10 days Not suitable for freezing.

December 17, 2017
Family meal

slow-cooked beef stew

I love this stew and I always make it if I have a large amount of people over for dinner as you can just double the ingredient quantities. It’s especially good around Christmas time, when you may have a few more for dinner than usual!

Slow-cooked beef stew

Print Recipe
Serves: 4-6 Cooking Time: 6-9 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion or 2 small ones
  • 5 chestnut mushrooms or 10–15 small button mushrooms, halved
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 400g tin of coconut milk
  • 1 heaped tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (don’t be tempted to add more – it’s hot!)
  • 500g stewing beef, diced

Instructions

1

Put the onion, mushrooms and carrots in a food processor and blitz for a few seconds until finely chopped (or chop them with a knife very finely). Place at the bottom of the slow cooker.

2

In a small saucepan or frying pan, heat the butter or olive oil gently and lightly fry the garlic for 1–2 minutes (keep the heat low and don’t let it brown).

3

Add the garlic and the rest of the ingredients (apart from the meat) to the slow cooker and stir well.

4

Lastly add the meat and let it sink into the sauce, place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or on HIGH for 5–6 hours, until the meat is tender and the sweet potato is falling apart.

Notes

For a less creamy dish, omit the tinned coconut and replace with an extra tin of chopped tomatoes. * Keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge * Freezable for up to 4 months

December 10, 2017
Vegetarian

Coconut and spinach pasta

This is a sweet sauce and goes well with chicken and duck. It’s a good starting point for fussy eaters. Add some chopped chilli for older children and adults. Don’t forget to remove the seeds and wash your hands before rubbing your eyes!

Coconut and spinach pasta

Print Recipe
Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon of butter
  • 2 chunky garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 big handfuls baby leaf spinach
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • half the juice of a lemon.
  • 4 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
  • Pepper and a little salt for over 1’s
  • Fresh pasta (follow instructions of packet)

Instructions

1

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the crushed garlic, sizzle for about a minute then stir in the spinach and cook for another minute.

2

Next add the mixture to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and blitz until smooth.

3

Served with tomatoes and carrot and turmeric bread

Notes

This pesto is best left to sit for a while so that the flavours settle; use the baby leaf spinach as its less bitter than the more mature leaf. For best results make it the day before you need it. Keeps for- up to 1 week in the fridge *Freezable for up to 6 months

November 21, 2017