healthy doughnuts

With all the furore over Crispy Creme that's erupted lately (and possibly it's a very localized furore because a Crispy Creme has opened, for the first time, in my city of Adelaide), I thought this a timely post to make. 

When we lived in the UK, I used to indulge in Crispy Cremes very occasionally, and I have to say, if you're to buy store bought, they do have a soft spot in my heart. I know, it's not patriotic, and I know they're pretty awful for you, but once in a hardly visible blue moon, I think they're yum. However, as a rule, I make my doughnuts from scratch. Usually, by baking, but now, I've discovered something even better!

I have found the easiest and quickest way to make doughnuts, and they're relatively healthy, too! This is essentially a churros batter, but made to doughnut shape and fried in butter. I used spelt flour and coconut sugar, so they're low carb, low GI and most gluten free people can eat them. 

Ingredients

1 cup filtered water

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 cup spelt flour

Cinnamon for dusting and extra coconut sugar for dusting

150 g butter for frying

tablespoon olive oil for frying

Combine cup of water with salt, coconut sugar and coconut oil in a sauce pan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, sieve spelt flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Once the water mix has come to the boil, add to the flour and stir until lumps are removed. This won't be a runny batter, like when making a cake, it should be perfectly pliable. 

Set the butter and oil going in a large frying pan. Shape the doughnuts with your hands and carefully place in the frying pan. Cook over moderate heat - they'll take about five minutes in total, and you want them to be cooked through without burning. After a couple of minutes, carefully flip to the other side and continue to cook for an additonal couple of minutes. Once nicely browned, remove from the pan and sprinkle with the extra coconut sugar and cinnamon. 

Super Cookies (vegan, spelt, organic, 3 ingredients!)

I was so excited by the idea of these cookies that I didn't stop to properly measure out my ingredients, sorry! This recipe is just a guide- I'll do it again soon but in the meantime, if you are comfortable just wading in and giving these a go, I can highly recommend them!

Recipe 

(Approx!!)

2 tablespoons sweet coconut spread

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup spelt flour

Preheat oven to 180'c fan forced.

Combine in a food processor until you have a breadcrumb consistency then dribble about a tablespoon of filtered water in and combine until it forms a dough.

I used superhero moulds from my kids' play dough set but you can obviously shape them however you'd like. These are really yum. Bake for around 12 minutes, then leave to cool (if you can!)...

Sunday Lunch

Today's Sunday lunch was pretty special, if for no other reason than that we had nanny with us.

I made a French onion soup, and my mum made her famous beef burgundy which she served with a garlic and EVOO mash and a crisped piece of prosciutto.

Beach Holiday // Seaside Snacks

The kids, my mum, and I have gone beach. 

And it is sublime. 

We set off early this morning, armed with coffee and car snacks, on the long four hour journey into the Coorong. As car trips go, with a three and a two year old, it was exceptionally simple. We only had to stop twice (once for coffees, the next time for a bush wee for master three!). 

This was our snacky lunch (or part of it). The dukkah was exceptional, and the bread: a just baked sourdough. As for the peanuts: How exciting! I loved watching my little guy learn how to crack the shell and peel the nut of skin. And he ate them all!

Tomorrow morning, our favourite Providore reopens and we are eagerly anticipating our first coffee there. It's such a highlight!

Sunday Lunch: Chicken Tagine

This recipe has morphed from it's original into a total family staple. It originally comes from the little recipe booklet that came with my sister's Emille Henry Tagine, and in that version of this recipe, lamb is used as the principal ingredient. However, the first time I tasted it, my sister had made it with chicken, and I absolutely adored it. Since then, I've made it with eggplants and chickpeas in place of the chicken, so a completely vegan version, and it was delicious. The most important ingredients to give it its signature flavours are pitted prunes and cinnamon, and a long slow cooking time...

Ingredients: 

(serves 4)

5 free range chicken thighs, chopped into 2cm cubes

1 onion, diced

garlic, smashed

1/2 cup pitted prunes

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2cup peas

1 cup filtered water

1 tablespoon raw sugar

1/2 cup uncooked Risoni/Rice optional

Coconut oil for frying

In your tagine, heat oil over a moderate heat, then add onion and garlic and sautee until translucent. Add chicken and cooked until browned (NB, this is where I would usually add eggplant, if doing the vegan version). Add cinnamon and water and stir, then place lid on. Leave to simmer away for around an hour, checking occasionally that it's not sticking. It looks absolutely disgusting at this point, don't be concerned. 

Remove lid and add the prunes and stir, cook for an additional twenty minutes, lid on. 

Then, incorporate sugar, peas and risoni, stir and finish up for another 10 minutes or so, lid off, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom.

It's great with some nuts added through at the end too, or served with some oil and spicy chutney. The long cooking time is perfect for a mid-winter lunch as I can set it going early in the morning and just enjoy the fragrant aroma all day long! 

Cous Cous Sushi

I don't actually think wholegrain cous cous is a preferable alternative to brown rice. It did however have the advantage of being super quick to prepare, and that's the reason I made this sushi with cous cous instead of rice. 

The filling is a beautiful avocado and a sesame seed omelette.

It's  super easy to make sushi, and I often don't use a rolling bamboo mat x the trick, for me at least, is not overfilling the nori.

Simply prepare your rice or sushi as per the packet instructions, and your fillings of choice. Lay out the nori paper, shiny side down, and spoon rice/cous cous in the middle section only, leaving at least 4cm exposed on either edge. Wet one edge with a little bit of water and roll, keeping pressure evenly applied. Refrigerate before serving.

Happy 4th of July, Americans!

I hope your celebrations are filled with family and the best kind of food - healthy stuff! Here's a suggestion for your breakfast table. This is a flag made from organic frozen raspberries, organic forzen blueberries, and organic co-yo for the white. For those of you not in the know-know, co-yo is what I call this heavenly creation - youghurt mixed with dessicated coconut. The coconut stops the yoghurt from spreading too far, and gives this a delicious texture and taste. 

Enjoy your Independence Day, folks.