I fear I've been a little, flaky, lately. I'm trying to keep up appearances but somewhere among all the sauces and drinks and sugar laden treats round these parts I feel a touch lost. My Berry Filled Hot Cross Buns were a redemption of sorts but I look at all the unpublished, healthy meals sitting on my computer and in my camera and simply sigh. In addition to the usual juggling act there is quite a big project I've been working on and a few other things that will hopefully come through … [Read more...]
Spiced Quinoa Apple Crumble
I don't believe in feeling guilty about eating dessert. A slice of cake or scoop of ice cream or stack of cookies should bring a smile to your face not a grimace or bad feelings. However I understand that the guilt felt by many about overeating sweets is not aimed at the sheer pleasure of the act, but the ingredients contained within the treat - or the physiological result of the activity. Sugar highs and crashes, tummy troubles and far too many bad calories are forever associated with … [Read more...]
Chocolate Caramel Tart – slightly drunken, utterly decadent, perfection
It is rare that I make things this brilliantly evil, I'm usually much more restrained, but when one is going to a cheese and wine party one has no other option than to pull out all the stops. This is not a Chocolate Tart with Caramel, it is not a Caramel Tart topped with Chocolate, it is what happens when Chocolate and Caramel meet at a party one night, get a bit tipsy and have a love child. Meet Chocolate Caramel. Drunken Chocolate Carmel to be exact. Now if you've been around here … [Read more...]
Gluten Free Spiced Quinoa Pie Crust
I've mentioned it before, recipe ideas come to me from all sorts of places. Sometimes it's a meal, or a supermarket product or even a movie that sparks a new creation, but other times it's as simple as a 'have you tried...?' inquiry or an 'I wish I could figure out how to...' request. A month or so ago a reader named Elisa P emailed saying she loved my Chocolate Quinoa Pie Crust but was wondering if I had ever tried one without the cocoa. I had considered the same thing myself, but this was … [Read more...]
Vegan Pumpkin Pie and a Celebrated Life
A celebration. A celebration of life no matter how brief. A celebration of life because the alternative is a contemplation of loss and the extraordinary sadness that accompanies it. Five years ago on this day, a special soul left our family and this earth. She was 19. An artist, a musician, a budding chef, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a friend. There wasn't a funeral, instead a Memorial Mass and Celebration of Life. We had only just moved back to Sydney weeks earlier but there was no … [Read more...]
Gluten Free Chocolate Quinoa Pie Crust
I claimed a while back that I don't like Pie Crust. Apparently I've been on a mission to change my own mind ever since. This brilliant creation has been percolating for quite some time - ever since I made the crunchy chocolatey wafers for my Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches as a matter of fact. You see, that Chocolate Wafer recipe was a massive make-over from an original butter/white flour/sugar laden one, and as such I experimented with spelt flour, quinoa flour and buckwheat to find … [Read more...]
Gluten Free Almond Pie Crust
You know I love to tease a bit and split up recipes... this is the perfect example. Purple Pie filling a few days ago, today the crust to put it in! I adore this crust. I discovered it ages ago over on Maria's site, made it that very evening and filled it with some form of spiced sweet potato custard, made it again for pumpkin tarts around Christmas and again for the first test of my Purple Carrot Pie a few months back! I was hesitant at first though, and couldn't quite understand how … [Read more...]
