When I really need a sweet snack I make these. Just four ingredients and two minutes in the microwave. You can make them in any quantity. The ratio remains the same. I have made them using a silicone chocolate mould but if you don’t have one just line a small tray with baking paper and when the mix is set slice into squares with a sharp knife.
Note: Because of the high oil content you will need to keep these in the fridge or freezer.
Ingredients
1/2 Cup of Almond Paste (or any other nut paste)
1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup of sweetener (I use xylitol because its the only sweetener my body likes but any sweetener will do. You can use more or less according to your taste.
1 teaspoon of almond essence (optional)
Put all ingredients into a bowl and microwave until the oil is melted. In my nuker this takes 2 minutes. Stir to combine and pour into moulds or tray. Set in the fridge or freezer.
It took me sending two slices to the bin to get the slice I want to make again and again – trouble is now I keep wanting to eat it. I think its the 3 layers of yumminess that does the trick. One layer is moist almond buscuit. The next layer is caramelly almond fudge and the top layer is chocolate.
This slice contains coconut oil so it must be kept in the fridge unless you live in the arctic.
To Make The First Layer
Combine the following in a bowl:
2 Cups of Almond Flour (sometimes called meal or maize)
2 Tablespoons of Physillium Husk
1/2 Cup of Xylitol (if your not diabetic change this for sugar)
1/4 Cup of Cocoa
Mix all these dry ingredients together
Into a microwave safe container put:
4oz of Butter (125 grams) and zap until it’s melted.
Add 1 Egg
1 teaspoon of Almond or Vanilla Essence.
Stir and then combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.
Line a tin with baking paper and press the mixture into the tin. I find its best to do this with a wet hand.
Bake in the oven at 350F or 180C for 20 minutes and stand to cool.
To Make the Second Layer
Into your microwave safe container place:
Place 1/2 Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup of Almond Paste/Butter
2 Tablespoons of Xylitol
Heat until the oil is melted and stir well to combine the almond butter and coconut. Pour onto your slice and pop in the fridge to set.
To Make the Third Layer
Back into your microwave container place
1/2 Cup of Coconut Oil
!/4 Cup of Cacao Powder
1 Tablespoon of Xylitol
Heat until the oil is melted. Stir to combine the oil and chocolate. Pour your top layer on. Sprinkle with Chopped Almonds and set in the fridge
There are four layers to this yummy parfait. A layer of crumb, lemon cheesecake mousse, fresh raspberries and meringue and if you don’t need your parfait to be diabetic or keto just exchange the xylitol for sugar.
You Will Need
1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
1/2 cup of almond meal
2 oz (60grams) of butter
3/4 Cup of Xylitol which you will use in two lots
1 Cup of whipped Cream
1 Cup of Spreadable Cream Cheese
1 Teaspoon of Gelatine Powder
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
2 Punnets of fresh Raspberries
2 Egg Whites
4 glasses
1 small tray
Baking paper
Kitchen Torch
Hand Whisker
To Make Layer 1
Put in a bowl
1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
1/2 cup of almond meal
2 oz of butter
Rub together until it resembles lumpy breadcrumbs. Line a 7inch by 11inch tray with baking paper and spread the crumb mixture out over the tray. Bake in the oven at 180c (350F) for ten minutes or until lightly browned. You will need to watch this as it can burn quickly and without warning (a bit like some relationships) When browned put two heaped dessertspoons of crumb into the bottom of each glass
To Make Layer 2
Place a layer of fresh raspberries in each glass
To Make Layer 3
1. Put 1 cup of Whipped Cream into a mixing bowl. Add the 1 Cup of Spreadable Cream Cheese and whisk until combined.
2. Add 1/4 cup of the Xylitol and whisk until combined.
3. Melt 1 Teaspoon of Gelatine Powder in 1 Tablespoon of boiling water and stir until combined.
4.Add 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice to the gelatine.
5. Pour the gelatine mixture into the Cream Cheese Mixture whilst whisking and whisk until combined and thick and creamy.
Place three heaped dessertspoons of this mousse mixture over the raspberries (use a little more or less as you need)
To Make Layer 4
Seperate two eggs. (Put the yolks away to make an omelette). Whisk the egg whites until they form firm peaks adding the 1/2 cup of Xylitol bit by bit. Pipe or spoon this on top of the parfaits. Use a kitchen torch to cook the meringue until lightly browned or if your dishes are suitable pop briefly under a grill.
Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the parfait and pop in the fridge to set.
As soon as I was diagnosed with diabetes I made it my mission to create a fridge set cheesecake that tasted as good as any cheesecake ever. This recipe is the result of many tries and tastings.
If you’re not diabetic or keto just change the artificial sweetener for real sugar.
I tried so many different sugar alternatives for this cake (ohh the trauma of tasting cheesecakes after cheesecakes in striving for perfection). Stevia leaves a nasty after taste and I have ended using Xylitol which you can source from health food shops. I get it at The Source Bulkfood Shops . It has no aftertaste, isn’t too sweet and creates a soft creamy cake.
So here is the recipe:
You will need:
1/2 cup of almond meal
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of dessicated coconut
250 grams of spreadable cream cheese
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of whipped cream
1 teaspoon of lemon essence
1/2 cup of xylitol
3 teaspoons of gelatine
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of lemon juice
baking paper
20cm cake tin
To Make the Base
In a bowl put
1/2 cup of Almond Meal
1/2 cup of Desiccated Coconut
1/2 cup of melted Coconut Oil
Mix all ingredients well and press into the base of a baking paper lined, 20cm cake tin. I make sure to use one with removable bottom or sides.
Pop the base in the fridge to set while you make the filling.
Note: These amounts create a lovely thin base, if you want a thicker base double all ingredients.
The Filling
Using a stick whisk or mixer whisk together until well combined
250 gram of Spreadable Cream Cheese
1 cup of Sour Cream
1 teaspoon of Lemon Essence
1/2 cup of Xylitol
In a mug melt 3 teaspoons of gelatine in 1/4 cup of boiling water.
Stir well until the gelatine is dissolved
Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to the gelatine mixture and stir.
Pour this slowly into the cream cheese mixture whilst whisking.
Make sure the gelatine is well combined and then add
1 cup of whipped cream and whisk again until well combined
Pour the filling on top of the base and pop in the fridge for a few hours to set.
I made these cupcakes for my first grandchild’s baby shower. There is no gender reveal until the big arrival so I made pink and blue. I used the butter cake recipe that is used for the Jammy Plummy Cakes and a butter icing.
I first made these about a week ago and due to popular demand have made them 3 times since. I like them hot with cream but they get eaten hot or cold and really quickly disappear. Because we are a gluten free household I use gluten free flour but this can be replaced with ordinary flour. This recipe will make six big cakes. For smaller cakes you will need more plums.
Ingredients
3 plums – not too ripe or they will just go mushy. I like the tartness of using quite unripe plums that are really firm
Jam – I use any jam we happen to have in the house
125 grams butter
3/4 cup of caster sugar
2 eggs beaten lightly
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
2 cups of self raising flour
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of yogurt
Making the jammy cakes
Butter the insides of a cupcake or muffin tin and then line the cake moulds with baking paper as well – now here I cut the baking paper from the corners to near the middle so the sides will fold into the moulds without creasing.
Place a dessertspoon of jam in the bottom of each mould.
Halve the plums and put each half into the bottom of the mould, pressing down so the jam spreads around the plum.
Now make the batter. Cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1 cup of flour and stir in, add the milk and stir in, add the next cup of flour and stir in then add the yogurt and stir into the batter. Finally stir in the vanilla essence.
Place enough batter into the cake tin to cover the plum, you may need to spread it around. Next place a dessertspoon of jam over the batter and spread it around. Add another layer of the batter and spread it around to finish off.
Bake in a moderate oven for 25 minutes.
Remove the cakes but leave them in the moulds for 5 minutes.
Remove the cakes by turning them upside down on a wire cooling rack or on a tray and remove the baking paper. Serve the cakes upside down.
Impossible Pie is an oldie but a goodie. It’s called Impossible Pie because it’s impossible to stuff up. If you cook it too long it becomes a cake and too short and its baked custard. I’ve bought it into the modern era by adding Matcha.
There’s only one step to this pie. Usually I whizz everything up in a blender but you can mix it all by hand.
Ingredients
2 Cups of Milk or Coconut Milk
1 Cup of desiccated Coconut
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup of Self Raising Flour
125 grams (4 Oz) of butter
3/4 Cup of Castor Sugar
3 Teaspoons of Matcha Powder (Green Tea Powder)or 4 for a stronger flavour
To Make it
Whizz all these ingredients in a blender or mix well by hand. Pour into a greased and floured baking dish. Bake at 175c for 60 minutes. Turn the oven down if the top is getting too brown.
When cool place in the fridge to set and serve cold with cream.
Options:
Use vanilla for normal impossible pie, add extra matcha for stronger flavour, sometimes I use coconut milk instead of cows milk – this gives an extra coconut flavour but also makes it a bit heavier. Some times I use half milk and half cream for extra creaminess, decadence and extra calories.
It was a scorching 35 degrees celsius in Townsville and so what did I decide to do to stay cool – I decided to bake. Really I was trying to avoid looking at my manuscript which is due back at the publishers in just a few weeks because I am filled with trepidation – no I lie – I am filled with utter panic that I’m not up to the task. So instead of writing why not bake. My Peter has declared this his all time favourite cake. It was influenced by Pete Evans – all kudos and bowing to Pete Evans but I’ve made a few changes to his wonderful recipe (sorry Pete) to suit our tastes. But if you want his version of this cake which included dried fruit that My Pete can’t eat and less nuts and more eggs you can find it in his book Healthy Every Day. This is a dense nourishing cake so don’t expect light and fluffy. I like it served hot with cream, Pete liked it cold with ice-cream. Its super easy to make.  I posted my original how-to-stay-cool-while-Australia-burns-carrot-maple-and-walnut-cakes to Facebook and some of my friends asked for the recipe but as I never measure I had to bake another cake – seen above so here is the recipe.
Ingredients
4Â cups of grated carrot
100 grams of chopped macadamias
100 grams of chopped walnuts
125 mls (1/2 cup) of maple syrup
125 mls (1/2 cup) of coconut oil
2 teaspoons of Vanilla essence
2 teaspoons of Cinnamon ( Being a cinnamon lover I usually spill a little more cinnamon in)
2 teaspoons of ginger
125 grams Self Raising Flour Gluten Free or use 125 grams of any other flour and add 1 teaspoon of baking powder
6 large eggs or 8 smaller eggs
Mix all this together and bake at 175 degrees, 20 minutes for smaller  serve cakes (which is what I baked) and 60 minutes for a large cake or until a skewer comes out clean
I am a bit of a fussy muffin eater – they have to be moist and full of fruit and flavour. I have tried so many ways to make them but family feels I have hit the jackpot with these ones.
These are our favourite muffins – super yummy – super moist and they never last longer than the day they are cooked.
We love them for breakfast but they are also great for afternoon tea. I hope you love them as much as we do.
Ingredients
1 and a half cups of S.R. Flour
1/3 cup of oat bran (if you can’t get oat bran ground oats will do)
3 eggs
3/4 cup of dark brown sugar
200ml container of any yogurt (3/4 cup). I use a nice Jalna berry one
1/3 cup of cocoanut oil
1 cup of fresh or frozen berries
1 large banana, split down the middle and cut into thick slices
Cinnamon Sugar
For Cinnamon sugar mix 1/4 cup of cinnamon with 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar – you will use this to sprinkle on your hot muffins
Making them
gently combine all ingredients
ladle the mix into  muffin tins lined with baking paper. I make six large muffins but you could do 12 small ones
Bake the 6 large for about 20 minutes at 180 C or 350 F. If you make 12 small ones probably about 12 minutes will do it. You can tell they are ready when they are springy on top.
Remove from oven when cooked and sprinkle with cinnamon  sugar
My Aunt used to make this dessert every Christmas and I loved it. She was a strict Baptist so she never added the sin bit that I’ve put in – but my attraction to sin always did make me the black sheep of the family.
Its super quick to whip up.
Combine
500 grams of chopped strawberries ( don’t make the pieces too small) halves is usually okay unless they are those enormous G.M strawberries that the supermarket shelves are now full of.
1 sliced banana
1/4 cup of liqueur , – there’s the dash of sin. I used limoncello but cointreau would work, as would grand marnier, brandy, champagne etc. If you don’t want the alcohol you can omit it.
Leave this to marinade for about 1 hour in the fridge
Add
2 cups of chopped marshmallows
1 cup of grated eating chocolate, I used  Lindt Dark Strawberry Intense, but Toblerone would be great or Lindt Dark Chilli Chocolate.
300 mlx of thickened cream whipped
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint
Gently combine this with the fruit.
Serve in a glass and sprinkle fresh mint on top – voila – a kinda healthy dessert – well it has got fruit in it so that means no calories right?
Remember school – for me it was just like the movie “Mean Girls” where the bullies always seem to get everything they want and the good girls (that was me – super goody goody) get trampled on. All my kids are the good kids and I always tell them that it turns around when you’re adults but I don’t know that’s really true or we wouldn’t need all those workplace bullying laws.
Anyway school can be tough. And what do us mothers do when we can’t solve our kids problems for them – we feed them up instead so that at least they will stay strong. So I made these for my daughters lunch box, a nice cheer up treat that is also super healthy for any work or school lunchbox – AND – They are super easy to make, I think all up it took me 10 minutes to throw these together.
These Bliss Balls are fruit free because like many people my kids really hate dried fruits.
Ingredients
1 cup of ground almond meal or other ground nuts (almond is technically not a nut but a kernel)
2 tablespoons of coconut flour
1 teaspoon of treacle or golden syrup or honey (make sure its a very generous teaspoonful)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
3 tablespoons of coconut flakes or shreds
3 tablespoons of chia seeds
125 ml of tahini or peanut butter (tahini is a good option because peanut butter is not allowed at some schools due to allergies)
3 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 generous tablespoon of cocoa powder
toasted shredded coconut to roll. (to toast the coconut I pop it into a fry pan and gently heat stirring occasionally till it starts to brown. You have to watch it though because once it browns it will do it quickly and will continue to brown after you remove it from the heat)
Making the Bliss Balls
Throw everything together in a food processor and blitz till it holds together.
With wet hands roll mixture into balls and roll to cover in the toasted coconut and refrigerate.
So I had a really crap week, really bad, I felt really screwed over by someone I cared about and I may have spent several days lying around with tissues and ice-cream or not :).
Then my friend Louie set me a challenge, could I make a gluten free fruit tart?
There is nothing better when you feel like crap than to cook something that is celebratory and forces you smile just by looking at it and fruit tarts are such bursts of colour.
So I took up Louie’s challenge.
The first two efforts went in the bin, despite using flour assured by the manufacturer, was perfect for gluten free pastry. The outcomes were like most gluten free pastry, rubbery enough to re-tread a tyre.
So I then I had a light bulb moment and here is what I came up with for Louie.
I made this with a lovely zingy lemon filling but I will also give you the recipe for a chocolate
filling.
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of shredded coconut
butter for greasing
fresh fruit
mint leaves
2 tablespoons of marmalade jam
for lemon filling
250 mls of cream
250 gr of cream cheese
100 gr of lemon curd/butter
for chocolate filling
250 mls of cream
1 cup of chopped chocolate good quality
To Make the Tart Shell
You will need to really grease with butter or margarine a pie/tart tin.
The best to use is one with a removable side.
Now you can’t grease this enough. Its really important every part of the tin is well greased.
Separate 3 eggs. Put the yolks aside (don’t tip them out you will need them) and mix the egg whites with one and a half cups of shredded coconut.
Gently spread this over the bottom and sides of the tin. It will be quite a thin layer. But egg white is an excellent binder. Artists used to use it as a medium to paint with by mixing egg whites and pigments.
Put it in a slow over around 160C until it browns. Leave to cool.
To Make the Filling
Lemon Filling
In a saucepan mix together 250g of cream cheese, 4 generous tablespoons of lemon curd/butter and 250 mls of cream. Stir this together over a low heat until there are no lumps and it is runny or alternatively mix it all up in a blender. Continuing over a low heat mix in the 3 egg yolks. Continue stirring over a low heat until you see the first sign of reaching a boil. Its important to keep stirring, you dont want the egg to cook, you dont want the filling to catch on the bottom of the saucepan and burn or create lumps.
Remove and leave to cool a little.
Putting it altogether
Pour the filling into the pie shell and pop it in the fridge to really cool.
Once cool decorate with fresh fruits and glaze.
To Glaze
Bring to the boil 2 tablespoons of marmalade jam/jelly.
With a pastry brush gently brush the hot jam over the fruit.
Decorate with fresh mint leaves.
Chocolate Filling
Melt together I cup of chopped dark chocolate (good quality) and 250 mls of cream Add the egg yolks Stir continuously until the first sign of boiling as above.
I made these for my daughter’s class when she had to take morning tea to share. She said the kids loved them and ate them before the junk food. I make them for the ultimate in comfort food on a cold afternoon in front of a movie, or afternoon tea with friends.
The recipe is actually based on an old school text book from the 60’s and 70’s called ‘Cookery the Australian Way’. I wanted to do Wood-work but only the boys were allowed so I had to learn to make exciting dishes like fried liver, junket and arrowroot custard – then one day we got to make butterscotch scones and they were delicious.
I have changed the recipe quite a bit to accommodate gluten free flours but these goodies owe their heritage to a falling apart school text book.
Ingredients
125g butter (not margarine)
125g dark brown sugar
salt
3 cups of Self Raising Gluten Free flour
300g Sour Cream
2 Eggs
Making the Salted Caramel
1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy – add salt to taste and set aside
Making the Scone Dough
1.Combine the eggs and sour cream and add to the 3 cups of flour. Mix well and then with floured hand knead into a ball of dough.
2. Place the dough on a floured sheet of baking paper. Sprinkle some flour on top and place another sheet of baking paper over the top.
3. Roll the dough out between the two sheets of paper into a rectangle approximately 40cms long, 25 cms wide and .5cm thick (5mm).
4. Spread the caramel evenly over the dough
5. Roll from the long side into a 40cm long roll (like a long sausage)
6. With a sharp floured knife slice into 2cm thick slices and lay flat on a baking tray
7. Bake in a hot oven of 200o Celsius for about 10 mins
8. Wait till they have cooled a bit before removing from tray but they are hard to resist and usually get eaten as soon as they are cool enough for fingers to grab
I started writing letters to my daughters and sons about the things that I wish I'd known about love, life, sex and everything. Then I was inspired by Neil Young's song to write letters to friends I've known and loved.
