Cherry and Coconut 'Cheesecake' Slice.

Cherries are delicious. Coconut is delicious. Cheesecake is delicious. Slice is usually delicious, however if that slice contains cherries, coconut and is effectively a cheesecake, then that slice will absolutely be delicious. So, no surprises here when I say that this delicious creation is YUM!

I absolutely love the concept of vegan, cheese-less, refined sugar free, dairy free and gluten free cheesecake. I remember the first time I saw them on Instagram and how impossible I thought that would be to make. I honestly couldn't have been more mistaken, because cheese-less cheesecake is one of the easiest things in the world to make!

This nutritionally dense slice is packed full of good fats and natural sweetness, so it is a perfect afternoon treat or dessert! The coconut makes it extremely creamy and really decedent. Not to mention how effective the cherries go in terms of decoration! This is definitely one to take to a friends place because they will almost certainly be very impressed with your cooking skills!

Ingredients;
(makes 8 slices/serves 8)

The Base
1 cup raw almonds
8 Medjool dates
1/2 cup finely desiccated coconut
1 tbsp organic coconut oil

The Filling
1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water overnight, then drained)
1/2 cup finely desiccated coconut
1/2 cup coconut milk
12 cherries (stalks removed and pitted)
1 vanilla bean/1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tbsp organic pure maple syrup

Additional cherries and desiccated coconut for serving

1. In a blender, pulse the almonds until they are broken up into small pieces, then add the dates, coconut and coconut oil. Blend this until you have a fine and crumbly consistency.
2. In a slice tin (mine is approx 20cm x 10cm) that you have lined with baking paper (parchment), spread the base mixture. Use a spoon to press the mixture firmly into the base of the pan making sure that the edges and corners are well pressed down. The base should be about 1cm thick, which you can check by sticking a toothpick into and making how far up the stick the mixture goes.
3. Place the base in the tin in a freezer for about 30 mins whilst you make the filling.
4. In a blander, combine the drained cashews and coconut milk. After 2 minutes, add the desiccated coconut, vanilla and maple syrup, making sure to combine this really, really well. You should end up with a very smooth and runny mixture, which may take up to 10 minutes blending. When a smooth and lump free consistency has been achieved, add in the cherries, again blending until smooth.
5. Remove the base from the freezer and pour the filling mixture over the top. Use a spatula to make sure that the mixture is evenly spread.
6. Place the base and filling in the tin in the freezer for 3 hours, or until fully set.
7. After the slice has fully set, remove from the tin using the baking paper to carefully pull the slice out. Using some extra cherries that you have pitted and sliced in half, decorate the slice. Top with a dusting of desiccated coconut and serve!

(To serve, remove from freezer and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to soften)

Blueberry, Coconut and Banana Thickshake.

Summer in Australia is usually ridiculously hot. Whilst I do enjoy the beach, a little bit of heat and in particular, summer fruits, I personally prefer Autumn or Spring for their cooler temperatures. Because I like being a bit cooler, on hot summer days I love nothing more than a cold, refreshing smoothie. My favourite kinds of smoothie's a thick and creamy ones in crazy vibrant colours. In actual fact, I've just been having a Saturday morning ponder and my philosophical question of the day is why are blueberries called blueberries when they're actually purple? I mean, who the heck named them?! Someone who's colourblind obviously!!! 

However regardless of their colour, I love blue (purple) berries. They're so fun to use in smoothie's because they give everything a really cool, psychedelic purple colour which is super fun. Add in some banana combined with the coconut milk, and this smoothie becomes extremely creamy and quite frankly, deliciously purple. By freezing the banana, the smoothie becomes ice cold, but no flavour is lost or diluted as it would be should you add ice. 

I 10/10 would recommend topping this particular smoothie with some fresh pomegranate. This is actually the first time I've ever eaten and used pomegranate and I apologise in advance because there is a strong chance it will feature in pretty much everything I make from now on because it's so quite and fun and red. Obviously being a ginger, I'm a strong supporter of my fellow red/orange things and pomegranate makes that list. 

Ingredients;
1 banana
1/2 cup coconut milk
1.5 cups blueberries
2 tsp organic maple syrup

1. Chop the banana up and freeze it overnight.
2. The next morning, add everything to the blender and whizz away until you have a smooth, creamy and very purple mixture.
3. I recommend serving with some fresh blueberries, pomegranate and shredded coconut. Enjoy!

Mango, Coconut and Banana Popsicles with Raw Chocolate.

I LOVE ice-cream. Like, I mean love love love ice-cream. But within the very diverse category that is ice-cream, there is a holy grail, and that is the Magnum. More broadly, any ice-cream that has a chocolate coating, but to be specific, my one true love is the Magnum.

You don't have to be a genius to realise that Magnum ice-creams are not very good for you. Very sadly, they are full of refined sugar, fat and they have very little nutritional benefit. But not to fear because I have created what I personally believe to be the healthy equal to the Magnum. These popsicles are made from nice-cream, which is entirely fruit based and tastes absolutely delicious. And then you go and go the raw chocolate, which is much healthier and more delicious than the conventional version, on the top of the nice-cream and oh my god YUMMMMMMMM!

In case you haven't noticed, I love these things. I honestly could not recommend a yummier summer ice-cream fix! Even my dad who is notoriously difficult to please and very fussy with food loves these, and that is definitely saying something!

Ingredients;
(Makes approx. 6 popsicles)

Nice-Cream
1 banana
2 mangoes
1/4 cup organic coconut milk

Chocolate
2 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
1.5 tbsp organic natural maple syrup
1 tbsp (heaped) sifted raw cacao powder

Chopped pistachio nuts
Popsicle moulds

1. In a blender, combine the banana, mangoes and coconut milk until you have a smooth and creamy texture - this is your nice-cream.
2. Pour the nice-cream mixture into the popsicle moulds. Place in the freezer for 2 hours to set.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the raw chocolate and mix really well to combine. Removing the nice-cream from their moulds (to do this i submerged the mould in hot water for a few seconds and then used some gentle force), take each popsicle and hold over the chocolate bowl (to catch spillage). Use a spoon to drizzle the raw chocolate over the popsicle.
4. Taking the popsicle away from the chocolate bowl, quickly sprinkle some pistachio nuts over the top before the chocolate sets. Repeat for all the popsicles.
5. Return the popsicles to the freezer until you wish to serve. Let them sit for 5 minutes before eating to soften the nice-cream. Enjoy!

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice).

In continuing my love of all things related to Asia, I decided to try my hand at making some Indonesian food, which is something I've never tried. I quite enjoy a good fried rice, but the conventional version from the local Chinese takeaway is loaded with unwanted and unneeded nasty things. So, again not shying away from a challenge, I decided to try my hand at nasi goreng, or, in Indonesian, 'fried rice'. My mum, who is probably my biggest critic and skeptic, gave this one a double thumbs up and requested I give her the recipe because she liked it that much, so this one is for you mum!

Instead of boring and nutritionally-not-great white rice, the basis of this dish is brown rice. I actually prefer brown rice to white rice because I like the more wholesome, nutty texture and flavour of the former. Nutritionally, brown rice is so much better for you. White rice has the husk, bran and germ completely removed and the inner endosperm is polished, all in the interests of 'looking better'. Removing these layers (excluding the husk, which is also removed in brown rice) causes loss of many vitamins and dietary minerals including vitamins B1 and B3, iron, magnesium and natural bran oils which have been proven to lower cholesterol. There is also a massive reduction in the amounts of dietary fiber and healthy fatty acids when rice is made white. I'm actually completely baffled as to why people so often choose white rice over brown rice when the later tastes better, is soooo much better for you and is equally as available!

The colours alone in the plate make me happy, let alone the taste. 

Ingredients; (serves 2)
1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp chilli paste (or 1 long red chilli, seeds removed)
1 tsp crushed ginger
1 brown onion
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 small yellow capsicum (pepper)
1 small green capsicum (pepper)
1 small red capsicum (pepper)
1 carrot
1 cob uncooked sweet corn
1 tsp tamarind paste
5 spring onions
1 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
1 handful fresh coriander (cilantro)/Thai Basil

1. Cook the brown rice according to pack instructions. Then drain and place to one side.
2. Take the 3 capsicums (peppers) and slice into long, thin strips. Take the carrot and use a slicer to make long, thin julienne strips (If you don't have a julienne slicer, make thin matchsticks). Slice the kernels off the corn cob using a sharp knife.
3. Chop the brown onion in half. Using one half of the onion only, dice it up into small pieces. Place the diced half into a blender/food processor along with the garlic, chilli, ginger and half the sesame oil. Blend this until well combined into a paste.
4. In a fry pan, cook the thinly sliced capsicum, remainder of the brown onion and the carrot with the rest of the sesame oil. Cook for about 5 minutes (depending on how crunchy you like your veggies).
5. Slice the shallots up and then add them to the fry pan with the corn. Add in the cooked brown rice and mix well.
6. Add the tamarind paste to the fry pan along with the soy sauce and garlic/ginger/chilli/onion mixture from the blender, and mix well.
7. Take nasi goreng off the heat and plate up. Grab the coriander/thai basil and generously sprinkle over the top. Serve straight away and enjoy!!!

Optional add ins, dependent upon preference and diet, include fried egg, chicken, prawns, beef - basically whatever takes your fancy, however the base recipe is gluten free and vegan.

Orange and Vanilla 'Cheesecake' Tarts.

For as long as I can remember, I have loved anything and everything that is sweet and/or falls under the category of 'dessert'. There is a singular exception to this love, and that is tiramisu, but that is a story for another time. Orange and vanilla cheesecake tarts however, fall high up on the list of things that sound delicious and ought to be consumed.

In addition to my love of desserts, I do like a good challenge, and creating a healthy orange and vanilla cheesecake certainly seemed like quite a difficult task. However I was not deterred by this seemingly impossible task and alas, in my humble opinion have had great and resounding success. Some might say that you cannot possibly make a cheesecake without cheese but they are wrong. Behold, the cashew nut, orange and vanilla cheesecake tart!

These little tarts are quite high calorie, so I wouldn't recommend eating all 6 in one sitting. But, everything in them has extremely high nutritional value and there are literally no nasties. Almonds are extremely high in vitamin E, fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium and mono saturated and polyunsaturated fats that aid in lowering cholesterol. Cashews are also very high in fiber and magnesium as well as copper. Medjool dates often get labelled high in sugar, which is true, however that sugar is unrefined, meaning it isn't bad for you if eaten in moderation. Pretty much, these little tarts pack a nutritional punch. They're also delicious and, when the heck is eating a tart a bad idea?!

Ingredients;
(makes 6 tarts)

Base
8 pitted medjool dates
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup raw almonds

Filling
2/3 cup raw cashew nuts (soaked overnight in water)
1/4 cup almond milk
1 freshly squeezed navel orange
3 tsp organic maple syrup (optional, but 10/10 would recommend for fellow sweet tooths!)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 vanilla bean)

1. Take a muffin tin and, using strips of baking paper (parchment), form 3cm wide strips with tabs poking out either end. You will use these tabs (with the aid of a butter knife) to take the tarts out when they are finished.
2. To make the base, put the almonds into a high powered blender and blitz them until they are roughly chopped. Then add the coconut flakes and medjool dates, blitzing until roughly combined and a sticky mixture has formed.
3. Take the sticky base mixture and mould into the muffin tin holes so that the mixture forms a flat base and sides. A spoon may be useful to help press the mixture firmly into the tray to make sure the tart casings are solid and will hold. Then, place in the freezer whilst you make the filling.
4. In a clean blender, blitz the cashew nuts until they are roughly chopped. Add in the almond milk, freshly squeezed orange juice, maple syrup and vanilla paste. Blend very well (for approximately 10 minutes) to ensure that you will have a smooth and creamy filling.
5. Remove the muffin tin from the freezer and fill each casing with the vanilla and orange filling. Place back in the freezer for 2 hours. After 2 hours, use a butter knife and the baking paper tabs to gently remove each tart from its mould. Place in a sealed container in the freezer. These cheesecakes will keep in the freezer until you wish to serve them.
6. When serving, remove from the freezer for approximately 10 minutes to allow the tarts to soften. Then, top with some fresh fruit such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Enjoy!

Tropical Ice Cream Pudding.

Typically I have always dreaded the annual Christmas/New Year period. I feel like everyone has the same fear - that they will put on weight, they will lose fitness and that the combination of these things will leave you feeling thinking 'what's the point anyway?' It's somewhat inevitable courtesy of the alcohol, the mindset that you should be enjoying yourself and the behaviour of humans placing celebratory value on food that will lead to the numbers on the scales going up.

This year I decided to do things differently. For 6 months I have worked incredibly hard and I have been incredibly determined in losing weight and I'll be damned if I was going to let a period of a week or so ruin everything that I had worked so hard to achieve. It was a difficult task this year to not gain weight for me given I went on a 10 night holiday to Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau in mid December and then straight afterwards had the period of Christmas feasting, immediately followed by a holiday to Queensland, and New Year. Pretty much, it was an uphill battle. However I have just done the dreaded early January weigh in and throughout that whole period of holidaying and celebrating (which pretty much is exclusively eating), I have only gained 1 kilogram, which quite frankly, makes me sooooooooo happy given every year through this period I generally gain 5-10 kilograms.

This year I decided that I wasn't going to miss out on anything because I still wanted to enjoy myself. I celebrated Christmas at home so I had the joy of being in charge of the Christmas menu which was brilliant because it enabled me to cook foods in a way that was healthier (with less oil, salt and fat) and to serves foods that were nutritionally better for you. Most hilariously to me, nobody seemed to notice which I think says a lot about the power the mind has in letting you think you won't like things just because they aren't 'typical'. But still I had the dilemma of Christmas pudding. Being in Australia, it's currently very, very warm, so as soon as I saw an ice cream pudding I was down for that. But the recipe I found was full of full-fat diary, sugar and pretty much was just plain unhealthy. Not to be deterred, I decided to cut the sugar out and use soy based ice cream, so unbeknown to them, my entire family gleefully gorged themselves on a 100% vegan, 100% refined sugar free and 100% delicious tropical ice cream pudding.

This Christmas I found that the easiest way to be healthy was to not single myself out with healthy food that was just for me, but rather to incorporate healthy into the mainstream table - a theory that has apparently worked wonders!

Ingredients;
4L vanilla soy ice cream (I used So Good Vanilla)
3 mangos
4 passionfruit
1/2 cup finely desiccated coconut
1 bunch mint (be generous, so several handfuls)
3 limes
2 tbsp water

1. Take 1.5L of the soy ice cream out of the freezer and sit for approximately 10 minutes to soften. Line a 12 cup (large) pudding bowl with two layers of plastic film (glad wrap) making sure that there is plenty of overhang on the sides (you will use this later to pull the frozen pudding from the bowl - very important!!). Place the empty bowl in the freezer to chill.
2. Take the mangos and slice the 'cheeks' off either side of the seed. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh from all three mangoes out into a blender. Make sure not to waste the flesh from the seed either.
3.. Take a sieve and place over a small bowl. Cut the 4 passionfruit in half and scoop the flesh into the sieve. Using a spoon, push the flesh through the sieve. You are trying to separate the sweet yellow flesh from the black seeds. This may take some determination but with effort, the yellow flesh will drain through the sieve. Place the yellow, seed-free flesh with the mango in the blender and mix on medium speed until well combined.
4. In a large bowl, mix the softened 1.5L of ice cream with the mango/passionfruit mixture. If the ice cream is too hard, leave it for a few more minutes to further soften but be careful as you want the ice cream to be able to hold its shape so you don't want it to be liquid.
5. Take the lined pudding bowl from the freezer and spread the passionfruit/mango ice cream mixture over the bottom and up the sides. Using a spatula helps to spread the sides. If the ice-cream will not hold onto the sides of the bowl, place the ice cream back in the freezer in bursts of 30 minutes to allow it to hard up again. I had to repeat re-freezing and spreading 3/4 times before I could get it to stick to the sides, so be determined. Freeze for 1 hour.
6. In a bowl, mix 1L of softened soy ice cream with the desiccated coconut and mix well. After the first layer has been freezing for 1 hour, remove from the freezer and spread the coconut layer over the bottom and sides. Again, this may take determination. You should be left with a fairly large well in the middle of the pudding bowl. Freeze for 1 hour.
7. Grate the rind from 2 limes into a blender. Squeeze the two de-rinded limes as well as the third lime and add the juice to the blender. Put the entire bunch of mint (minus stalks) into the blender and add the water over the top. Blend on high speed until the mint leaves have broken down.
8. Place a sieve over a large bowl and drain the mint/lime mixture through to remove the mint leave pulp. There will be a lot of liquid stuck in the mint leave pulp, so after draining through the dive as well as possible, grab the leaf pulp in a fist and squeeze well. Add the remaining softened ice cream (1.5L) to the bowl and mix the mint/lime mixture through well.
9. Remove the pudding bowl from the freezer and fill in the hole in the middle with the mint/lime ice cream mixture. Make sure that the top is smoothed over as it will form the bottom of the cake when you tip it out to serve, so it needs to be flat. Freeze overnight.
10. The next day, serve with fresh mango slices, passionfruit and mint leaves.


(N.B. this will be voraciously consumed in large amounts if there are leftovers. So far today I have eaten 1/8 of the entire cake and it's only 11am.)

Adapted from recipe in Woolworths Fresh Food People magazine, December 2014.