RICE PUDDING

This rice pudding has been adapted from a 4-Ingredient Recipe by Kim McCosker. I make a big batch of this rice pudding at the beginning of the week and it provides my husband and I with breakfast for four days each (it serves 8!). It can also be served as a dessert! The touch of cinnamon really makes the dish so don't leave it out! 

Ingredients

• 2 cups arborio rice
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups milk or milks of your choice - reduced fat cows milk if you can tolerate dairy or choose from soy, lactose-free, oat or unsweetened almond milk as alternatives
• 1/2 cup sultanas 
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Optional - 1-2 servings of fruit of your choice, such as 1 banana, sliced, a handful of blueberries or strawberries 
• Optional- a handful of shredded or flaked coconut, lightly toasted 

Cooking 

1. Bring the 2 cups of rice and the 4 cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan, covered. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, lid askew. 

2. Cook until water has almost all absorbed, then add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Keep heat low. Once the milk has been absorbed into the rice, remove from heat. Add the sultanas and cinnamon and stir well. 

Top with fresh fruit and/or coconut and serve warm. 

Serves / 8 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 15 minutes 

x Emily 

NOURISHING VEGETABLE SOUP

There is nothing more that I love in winter than warm, hearty soup. I adapted this recipe from one I found in Yoga Girl's (Rachel Brathen's) book. Brathen lists some delicious recipes at the end of most of her chapters, all vegetarian, all super healthy and all very easy to make. I adapted her 'Carrot & Ginger Soup' to include more vegetables, particularly some that were on their last legs in my fridge. To spice up this soup you could add some ground or fresh chilli or more garlic or ginger. The amount that I used below of both garlic & ginger is subtle, however if you are fighting off winter bugs I'd suggest a bit more of each. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg of carrots, peeled and cut into similar sized rounds
• 5cm of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 large or 4 small to medium garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 400g potatoes, peeled and cut into similar sized sliced
• 1 large zucchini or 2 small to medium, cut into similar sized rounds
• 3 large celery sticks, cut into similar sized pieces
• 1 large brown onion, cut into similar sized pieces
• 2 litres of low salt vegetable stock
• 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk 
• salt & ground black pepper
• Optional- a large handful of fresh finely cut parsley

COOKING 

1. Place the carrots, ginger, garlic, potatoes, zucchini, celery and brown onion in a large, deep saucepan. Pour the stock over the top and season with a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper. If the stock does not just cover all the vegetables, add a bit more water, 1/2 cup at a time. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened considerably. 

2. Pour in the coconut milk then return the pan to the boil, covered and over high heat. Once boiled, remove from the stove and leave to cool slightly for a few minutes before blending or processing in a blender or a food processor. Make sure to blend/process a little of the vegetables and liquid at a time. 

Serve warm, with extra ground black pepper, a touch of ground chilli and/or some fresh parsley on top. 

Serves / 8 

Total Preparation time / 20-30 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

SWEET POTATO and COCONUT SOUP

As soon as slightly cooler weather arrives in Brisbane, I crave soup. Perhaps this intense desire to cook soup stems from the knowledge that the winter weeks are fleeting in this town. The chilly mornings hit this past Tuesday am, as I reached for a jumper when I woke at 4:30am for work. At that moment, I knew in my very bones that it was time for soup. 

Sweet potato (kumara) lends itself beautifully to soup, hence my first soup of 2015 was a no brainer. If you do not have fresh thyme on hand, use dried thyme. Fresh or ground sage works wonderfully as well, as would fresh basil. The function of whatever herb or herbs you use to is assign a strong flavour to the soup, as sweet potato and coconut can be a tad bland without any help. Some days I use coconut cream for a thicker consistency and sometimes I use coconut milk for a slightly more liquid soup. I try to never use stock in my soups, unless I make the stock myself, as it is almost always drowned in salt. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
• 1 small leek, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chilli flakes 
• 800g sweet potato, peeled & cut into even cubes
• 2 cups water
• 400ml light coconut cream or milk
• 2 tablespoons of whatever herb you choose to use, stems removed and washed  (I used fresh thyme) 
• ground black pepper 

COOKING

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add leek, garlic and chilli flakes. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes or until the leek is transparent. Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. 

2. Pour in the water, coconut cream/milk, herb/s and a generous pinch of ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking for 10 minutes or until the sweet potato is quite tender.

3. Pour the soup into a food processor or blender and process/blend on high for just a few seconds until smooth (or almost smooth if you like a little more texture in your soup). Ladle into 4 soup bowls and top with more herbs and extra chilli flakes, to garnish. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / maximum 25 minutes 

x Emily 

FRUIT ICEBLOCKS

What better than another popsicle/ice block recipe to celebrate the very first day of summer in Australia?! Regardless of the fact that Queensland has been feeling the summer heat for the past two months, I except this December, January and February to be absolute scorchers! And what better way to cool down than with a refreshing, guilt-free fruit ice block? Besides jumping in the pool that is;) Below are my four favourite fruit iceblock recipes! I encourage you to get creative and blend whatever fruit you have in the fridge with some no sugar coconut water for a low calorie treat! 

Mango Coconut 

Ingredients

• 200g fresh or frozen mango 
• 2 tablespoons shredded coconut 
• 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened almond milk / coconut milk / whatever milk you wish
• 1/2 cup water 
• 6 popsicle/ice block moulds

Method

1. Place the mango, coconut, milk and water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mango mixture evenly between the 6 moulds.

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6 iceblocks 

Watermelon & Kiwifruit 

Ingredients

• 200g fresh or frozen watermelon, no black seeds
• the flesh of 2 medium kiwifruit or 100g 
• 1 cup coconut water 
• 6 popsicle/ice block moulds 

Method 

1. Combine the watermelon, kiwi and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6 iceblocks 

Tropical

Ingredients

• 150g fresh or frozen mango 
• 150g fresh or frozen pineapple
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 1/2 cups no sugar coconut water 
• 6-7 popsicle/ice block moulds 

Method 

1. Combine the mango, pineapple, banana and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mango mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. This recipe fills a little more than 6 moulds; if you do not have any more iceblock moulds you can freeze it in a small bowl. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6-7 iceblocks 

Raspberry & Rockmelon

Ingredients 

• 100g raspberries, fresh or frozen 
• 200g rockmelon pieces, fresh or frozen 
• 1 cup coconut water 

Method

1. Combine the raspberries, rockmelon and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. This recipe fills a little more than 6 moulds; if you do not have any more iceblock moulds you can freeze it in a small bowl. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes 6 / 7 iceblocks 

x Emily 

VEGETABLE, TOFU & COCONUT CURRY

I love curries and am a little sad that the warm weather is upon us, as I feel that I did not make enough curries throughout winter. I had so many vegetables in the fridge this afternoon that I decided to whip up a purely vegetable curry. I didn't use any rice as I will be eating this meal late at night after work and am trying to limit my complex carbs after lunch. If you want more flavour, feel free to add chilli flakes, chilli powder, ground coriander and/or other spices in step 1 of cooking. The Indian spice blend garam masala is a great way to pack lots of spices in to a dish without adding numerous individual spices, as it often contains a combination of turmeric, black & white peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and ground cumin. Garam masala can be found in all major supermarkets. (This recipe has been loosely based on a Michelle Bridges recipe). 

Ingredients

• 1 heaped teaspoon coconut oil / rice bran oil 
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 large sweet potato (450g), chopped into even 2-3cm pieces 
• 2 medium carrots (175g), chopped into even 2-3cm pieces
• Optional - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• water
• 1 x 400ml light or full fat coconut milk
• 2 heads of broccoli (400g), stalks and florets chopped
• 1 large zucchini (230g), chopped into even 3cm pieces
• 250g firm tofu, sliced into even small pieces
• Optional- 2 finely chopped green onions, to garnish and / or fresh coriander leaves. 

Cooking 

1. Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan over low-medium heat and swirl to coat the pan. Add the curry powder, garam masala and garlic and stir constantly until it makes a runny paste. 

2. Add the sweet potato, carrots and thyme if using to the pan and stir well to coat with the paste. Pour in half of the coconut milk (200ml) and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, covered, then reduce the heat to low and cook for around 8-10 minutes or until the potato and carrot is just tender. 

3. Add the broccoli and zucchini to the pan and stir well. Add the rest of the coconut milk and more water if you like. Cover and cook for 3 minutes or until the broccoli and zucchini is just tender. 

4. Add the tofu to the pan and stir well to combine, seasoning with sea salt and ground black pepper. Remove from heat and divide into four bowls. Top with chopped green onions and/or fresh coriander leaves, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / approximately 20 minutes 

x Emily 

SIMPLE CHIA PUDDING

I’m a huge fan of chia seeds and incorporate them into my daily diet, whether it’s a tablespoon mixed in with muesli, blended in with a smoothie or sprinkled on top of a salad. My newest obsession is chia puddings, a healthy alterative to the dessert cravings I often suffer from. Very easy to make, these puddings are budget-friendly, filling and a wonderful alternative to yoghurt for my lactose intolerant buddies out there. I like making very simple chia puddings and letting the toppings shine, however you can add more ingredients to step 1, such as ground ginger, shredded coconut and/or a natural sweetener other than vanilla. 

To read more about the benefits of chia seeds and why you need these in your diet, clink on this link to see a post in January I did about this superfood; http://soulfulsandwiches.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/antipasto-salad-with-buffalo-mozzarella.html.

INGREDIENTS

• 400ml (1 1/2 cups) light coconut milk 
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or you can substitute for oat milk, rice milk, quinoa milk, cow's milk)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds (white or black or a mixture of both)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• To serve: (optional); 1 handful of chopped up fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc) and nuts, a drizzle of organic maple syrup. 

PREPARATION 

1. Pour the coconut milk, other milk of your choice, chia seeds and vanilla into a jar with a screw-top lid.  Screw the lid on tightly and then shake the jar vigorously until the chia seeds have mixed in nicely with the milk and none remain on the top of the lid or stuck down the bottom of the jar. 

2. Place in the refrigerator for one hour. Remove after this time and shake the jar well. Place back in the fridge for another 3 hours or until the chia seeds have become gelatinous and formed a pudding thick consistency. Serve cold, topped with a small serving of fresh fruit, nuts and/or a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / maximum 5 minutes 

Total Refrigeration time / 4 hours 

x Emily 

PINA COLADA RAW CAKE

My first raw dessert / cake ended up tasting somewhat akin to a pina colada, which I did not plan at all. I’ve always been a little apprehensive of making a raw dessert, however I now look back and laugh at my fear as it is almost impossible to screw up. Whatever mix of nuts and natural sugars that you place in the food processor or blender (if you have a very powerful one) will taste delicious. The best part is that you feel quite innovative and imaginative when you are making a raw dessert. All the ingredients in this cake were in my pantry on a Sunday afternoon. Just remember that a raw dessert is often a fair bit richer than other desserts so cut yourself very small pieces or get ready for a stomachache!

INGREDIENTS

• 200g pitted dried dates 
• 100g almonds 
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 400ml light coconut cream 
• 1/2 the juice of a small lime
• the flesh of 3 small, ripe kiwifruits 
• shredded coconut 
• Equipment needed- food processor, freezer

PREPARATION 

1. Place the dates, almonds and honey into a food processor and process until the mixture sticks together when you pinch a small handful of it. Remove from the processor and spread into a medium square baking tin. Spread evenly as this will be your cake base. 

2. Place the coconut cream, lime juice and kiwifruits into the food processor and process for 20-30 seconds or until combined. Remove from the processor and pour over the date & almond base to create the top of the cake. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and freeze, covered, for 2 hours or until solid. Remove from the freezer 10 plus minutes before consuming to soften slightly. 

Total Preparation time / 10 -12 minutes 
Total Freezing time / 2 + hours 

x Emily 

COCONUT PANCAKES

Have you ever smelt coconut flour? It smells like heaven, that is, if you are a fan of the smell of coconut. I spent a frustrating 5 minutes trying to scrape ¼ of a cup of coconut flour out of a bucket at a health food store on Saturday afternoon just for this recipe! My struggle paid off, as my finance loved these pancakes for Sunday breakfast- and he doesn’t even like coconut! For any dairy and/or gluten intolerant people out there these unique pancakes are a great substitute to regular pancakes and taste much better than the packaged cartons. I must give credit to Sarah Wilson for this recipe, found in her ‘I Quit Sugar’ cookbook that I am just racing through.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs, preferably free-range, whisked
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, plus extra to cook
• 400ml light coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon xylitol 
• 1/2 heaped cut shredded coconut, plus extra to serve 

COOKING 

1. Stir together the eggs, oil and coconut milk in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, making sure that you stir well to remove any flour lumps and are left with a semi-runny batter. 

2. Heat a teaspoon of coconut oil in a non-stick pancake pan or medium shallow frying pan over medium heat. Pour in around 1/3 of a cup of batter to form an oval pancake. (You can make the pancakes big or small by adjusting the amount of batter you use for each pancake). Flip the pancake over when the batter surface starts to bubble and cook the other side until both sides are lightly brown. Repeat until all batter is finished. Serve with organic maple syrup and extra shredded coconut, if desired. 

Makes / 5 -7 big pancakes & 10-12 smaller ones

Total Preparation time / 5 minutes

Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x Emily 

MILKY GOODNESS

Allergic to dairy? Or sick of cow’s milk and want to try something different? You are not alone. It seems that more and more people every day are turning to alternative milk products besides our good old fashioned dairy milk, for allergy, health or ethical reasons. (Interestingly, about 2% (1 in 50) of all Australian and New Zealand babies are born with allergies to cow's milk and dairy products). How to weed through all the choices and noise out there and decide which product what is best for you? We explore the milk alternatives below.

 Rice Milk

Rice milk is a dairy-free milk made from boiled rice, brown rice syrup and brown rice starch. It is lactose and cholesterol free and is very popular among vegans and vegetarians as it contains no animal products or by-products. Rice milk tastes slightly sweeter than cow's milk, however it is low in fat and is therefore a good milk alternative for baking. One cup of rice milk contains approximately 140 calories, compared to the 185 calories in a cup of regular cow's milk. 

Rice milk does contain more carbohydrates than cow's milk, but as it is lactose and cholesterol free it is healthier for your heart. It is important to note that rice milk does not contain as much protein as cow's milk, therefore those who do use rice milk as an alternative for milk need to find other ways to include more protein in their diet, for example, by eating more legumes or lentils. On the plus side rice milk is full of vitamin B12, vitamin A and D and iron. 

We love long-life Freedom Rice Milk (pictured above), available at all major supermarkets. 

 Almond Milk

Almond milk has been used in cooking since the Middle ages. It is made by combining finely ground almonds with water. Almond milk is very low in calories and fat, as it contains only 40 calories per serving. This milk is low in carbohydrates, containing only 2 grams per serving. Almond milk has the same low fat content as rice milk (around 3 grams of fat per 227 gram serving). 

This nutty milk is great for allergies, as it contains no gluten, no soy and and no lactose. Almond milk also contains more  vitamins and minerals than soy and rice milk and is therefore one of the most nutritious milk alternatives around. This milk has no saturated fat or cholesterol and is high in protein and fibre. Almond milk is rich in vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, iron and calcium. As an added bonus, the compounds in almond milk also help prevent cancer and slow down the signs of ageing! 

We enjoy Unsweetened Almond Breeze milk (pictured above), now available at all major supermarkets. 

Soy Milk

Soy milk is made from crushing soy beans that have been soaked in water and is a very nutritious milk substitute. This milk is rich in proteins, fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and assists your metabolism in working more efficiently. Soy milk is full of antioxidants and phytosterols, which are responsible for protecting us from diseases and supporting our immune systems. 

Research reveals that soy milk can improve your cardiovascular health, as it is cholesterol free and its essential fatty acids can block cholesterol from entering your blood stream. Regularly drinking soy milk can strengthen your blood vessels and make them more flexible, which in turn assists the vessels in responding better to changes in blood pressure. 

There has been a lot of debate over soy milk for many years. Soy milk can mimic estrogen in the body, so it is important that women trying to fall pregnant do not consume soy products. Saying this, soy milk can help prevent postmenopasual symptoms in women, as drinking this milk can increase the estrogen in their body. Soy milk is not recommended for women going through breast cancer treatment. Talk to other women or a naturopath about their views on soy milk if you are unsure about the pros and cons of this milk.

We think that Bonsoy tastes the best in coffee! A little more expensive than other soy milks, it is available from all major supermarkets. 

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is all the range right now, due to the ever-growing Paleo diet. This milk is made from the ground meat and juice from coconuts and is high in calories and fat, including saturated fat (the type of fat we should consume very little of). Read the labels carefully and look for the amount of fat in coconut milk products, as some can contain a whopping 550 calories a cup. We recommend Ayam or Trident Light Coconut Milk, as they are much lower in fat that other brands on the market. 

As a side note - Coconut milk is not to be confused with coconut water, which is much lower in calories, is rich in potassium and can be used to quench thirst or as a nice liquid in green smoothies. We recommend you try the young coconuts available in Woolworths, as they taste delicious! 

Coconut milk is deliciously creamy, vegan and can be used as a healthier substitute for cream or ice-cream in baking, cooking or in making smoothies. As it is relatively high in fat  it is not recommended for people who have a history of high cholesterol or heart disease. 

Coconut milk is packed with iron, vitamins C, E, B3, B5, B6, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium and protein. Coconut milk, water and oil are very versatile and have many uses outside of the kitchen - watch this space for a blog re this topic soon! 

Goat's Milk

Goat's milk is said to be easier to digest than cow's milk, as the fat molecules in goat's milk are smaller in size and therefore can be broken down easier. Goat's milk contains more protein and calcium than cow's milk and has been described as tasting sweet and salty. 

In regards to allergies, if you are lactose intolerant there is a 50% change that you will be able to tolerant goat's milk and a 50% chance than you will not. Goat's milk does contain less lactose than cow's milk, however there is still some lactose present. 

Interestingly, goat's milk has more in common with human breast milk than any other milk out there. Goat's milk is rich in vitamin A and contains a high content of riboflavin or vitamin B2. This vitamin is essential in assisting the metabolism of minerals in the body such as carbohydrates and proteins. Vitamin B2 also strengthens the immune system by getting the production of antibodies started. 

We recommend Pauls Goat Milk, available in major supermarkets. 

x Emily