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Gluten-free banana choc muffins

On December 2, 2011 in Baking, brunch, cakes, comfort food, cooking, food, food sensitivities, gluten-free, recipes, snacks, wheat-free

Remember Goldilocks? The chick who broke into the home of three unsuspecting bears and ate their porridge, sat in their chair and slept in their bed? What exactly a young girl was doing walking into a stranger’s home unannounced and ransacking their stuff is another blog post altogether. But the point is, Goldilocks was quite a fussy lass. She liked things to be “just right”. While I can’t relate to gatecrashing a bear’s house, I can relate to her fussy tendencies. Take bananas, for instance. I won’t go near them unless they’re just right. And when I say “just right”, I mean not too ripe and not too green, but somewhere in between.

That’s not to say there isn’t a place in my kitchen for over-ripened bananas. The riper the bananas, the better the baked goods and the sweeter the smoothies. I whipped up some gorgeous gluten-free banana choc muffins last week with a sad old banana that looked ready for the scrap heap. Needless to say, just as you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, don’t judge a banana by its skin. Here’s the recipe.

Banana choc muffins

Makes 12

 

Banana choc muffins

Piece of cake to make

Dry ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 2 cups gluten-free plain flour
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder

Wet ingredients:

  • 11/4 cups soy milk (gluten-free)
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked
  • 3 tbs canola oil

Flavourings:

  • 1 large ripe banana, mashed
  • 1 tbs crushed walnuts
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped (I used Lindt)

Toppings:

  • 1 tbs crushed walnuts

Method

  1. Sift the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl, and add to the dry ingredients.
  3. Add the chocolate, banana and walnuts and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  4. Fill a 12-hole muffin tray with cases (or lightly grease with oil) and fill with the mixture.
  5. Sprinkle with walnuts and bake at 180 degrees celsius for approximately 25 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and allow to sit in tray for five minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
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Gluten-free bread

On October 17, 2011 in Baking, bread, brunch, celiac, dairy-free, food, food sensitivities, gluten-free, healthy recipes, recipes, wheat-free

What superpower would you most like to have? Laser vision, mind control, healing hands, psychic vibrations? Call me boring, but I would love the ability to squeeze more hours out of my day. Just three more hours would be ideal. Enough time to have an extra hour’s sleep, walk more slowly and write, cook and eat more. Superpowers aside, I recently found an antidote to my busy life – a little something to slow it down a notch or two. It’s called bread making and it works wonders.

I used to marvel at people who make their own bread – in the same way I am awed by people who exercise in the morning. While I am unlikely to ever uncover the secret to early morning exercise, I am pleased to say I have embraced my inner baker. And it was a whole lot easier than I imagined.

If it wasn’t for kissing gluten goodbye, I would have remained oblivious to the joys of bread making. Gluten eaters are spoilt for choice here in Sydney with more than a smattering of good artisan bakeries like Sonoma and Brasserie Bread sprouting up all over town. The gluten-challenged among us, mind you, are left out in the cold when it comes to gluten-free options. It seems most cafes, restaurants and bakeries are positively obsessed with the stuff. And don’t get me started on the gluten-free bread they sell in supermarkets. I’m yet to find a good one.

To set things right, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make my own bread. There’s something  positively grounding about making a loaf of bread from scratch – from mixing the flour and kneading the dough to watching it rise and seeing the finished product greet you from the oven door. I challenge you to feel stressed while kneading dough. It’s simply not possible. And what’s not to love about the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the house?

If you like the idea of homemade bread, but you’re more likely to travel to Mars and back than whip up a loaf from scratch, I have a toy that might be right up your alley. It’s called a bread making machine. It does all the kneading and rising for you, leaving you more time to do important things like read the paper, paint your nails, watch Mad Men and the like.

Breville recently leant me their whiz bang bread making machine for a test run. It’s called the Custom Loaf Pro and boy is it big! If, like me, you have a poor excuse for a kitchen, you might as well stop reading this now as the machine will dwarf your kitchen and gobble up most of your precious bench space. But if you’re one of those really annoying people (who I aspire to be one day) who has a kitchen bigger than Paris Hilton’s handbag collection, then keep reading.

So, what’s so special about this Breville bread maker? Well, it has a few cool features, like gluten and yeast-free settings and an automatic fruit and nut dispenser that adds ingredients at just the right time in the kneading cycle. There’s also a pause function that allows you to create decorative crusts or a glazed finish. It gives you four loaf sizes to choose from (500g up to 1.25kg) and three crust settings. It also features a collapsible kneading paddle which folds down after mixing to maximise the loaf size and make it easier to remove the bread after baking.

Another feature is the 13-hour delay start timer so you can wake to the scent of freshly baked bread. Good in theory, but the timer doesn’t work with the gluten-free setting, so it’s not much use to people like me. Sob.

So, what’s the verdict? If you’re bread crazed and have a huge kitchen and bake on a regular basis, then you would be wise to consider investing in this fancy machine for $349.95 RRP. For me, I’m sticking with old-fashioned bread making. It’s good for my mental health and my kitchen bench space.

Here’s a recipe for gluten-free wholesome seed bread that I’ve baked on two occasions with the help of the Custom Loaf Pro. The texture is light and the crust is crunchy. And I love the addition of cumin as it imparts an aromatic flavour throughout the bread. The bread goes nicely with pea, lettuce and tarragon soup.

Gluten-free wholesome seed bread

Makes 1.25kg

Wet ingredients:

200ml gluten-free soy milk
200ml water
3 tbs olive oil
3 eggs
1 tsp white wine vinegar

Dry ingredients:

2 cups white rice flour
11/4 cups potato flour
1/3 cup soy flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour (arrowroot)
pinch salt
1 tbs xanthan gum
1/4 cup LSA mix
2 tbs cumin or caraway seeds
2 tsp gluten-free yeast

Method:

Mix liquid ingredients together in a small bowl. Do not use electric mixer as this will aerate the mixture.

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Using a pliable spatula, combine liquid and dry ingredients. Mix to a soft dough ensuring all ingredients are well combined. Fold in additions if applicable.

Spoon dough into bread pan, pressing down a spatula after each spoonful, to eliminate air bubbles. Insert bread pan into baking chamber.

Press ‘SELECT’ to access GLUTEN-FREE setting.

Press ‘LOAF SIZE’ to 1000g if required.

Press ‘START/PAUSE’ to commence operation.

At the end of the setting, press ‘STOP’.

Remove bread from the bread machine and bread pan. Cool bread on a rack.

Top tips: To achieve a well-risen and well-baked loaf, check the dough when mixing. If it appears too dry, add 1-2 tsp of water extra. If it appear to runny, check the correct amount of Xantham gum has been added, otherwise add 1-2 tbs rice flour extra.

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Beach Burrito Co.

On September 15, 2011 in Bondi, brunch, food, lunch, Mexican, restaurants, reviews, spicy, spicy food, Sydney

Truth be told, one of the best perks about being a Sydneysider is the amazing variety of cuisine up for grabs. From Portuguese, Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Lebanese and Thai, this sprawling city has the global palate covered. Not surprising when you consider half our residents were born overseas. My only gripe is most cuisines tend to belong to specific suburbs making them a bit unaccessible if you don’t fancy journeying across the city.

Petersham, for example, is home to some of Sydney’s best Greek and Portuguese food, while Five Dock and Leichhardt in the west could be mistaken for Italy.  Chinatown dishes up some of the tastiest Chinese food this side of China while Cabramatta in Sydney’s south-west is the heartland of Vietnamese food.

Sydney’s east has a smattering of interesting cuisines up its sleeve, including some amazing Israeli food and a bar called The Rum Diaries which transports me to Cuba every time I step foot inside its funky doors. The east is also home to a little piece of Mexico by the name of Beach Burrito Co..

Burrito from Bondi Burrito Co.

Burrito from Bondi Burrito Co.

On our maiden voyage to Beach Burrito Co., Paul and I rocked up to their North Bondi premises, smack bang opposite the beach. They are also located in Coogee and Cronulla. An afternoon spent kicking back at this colourful cafe watching the world go by with a frozen Margarita in one hand and a chipotle chicken burrito in the other is my idea of a good time. Even if you’re not on holidays (which half of Bondi seems to permanently be on), it’s easy to pretend you are thanks to the ever-present holiday vibe that permeates the air.

There’s all manners of Mexicana food on the menu here – fajitas, quesadillas, tacos, taquitos, nachos, but Paul and I couldn’t look past the house speciality - burritos. I opted for a chipotle chicken burrito while Paul’s ordered a green chilli pig. We weren’t disappointed. The servings were seriously super-sized and the fillings were really fresh and generous. Not bad for $12.95 a pop. My tortilla was filled to the brim with chargrilled chicken, Mexican rice, black beans, blended cheese, smokey salsa, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo (diced tomatoes, coriander, spanish onion and garlic tossed in lemon juice and salt). Paul loved his too – slow roasted pork cooked in green chillies and spices then pulled apart, mexican rice, black beans, blended cheese, green chilli salsa, sour cream and shredded cabbage.

And here’s a bit of useless trivia for you. According to Old El Paso, the name ‘burrito’ translates as ‘little donkey’ and is thought to refer to the folded end of the tortilla, which looks a bit like a donkey’s ear. So, there you go!

I’ve heard the salads are the best thing on the menu (served in crispy tortilla bowls), so I’ll be sure to try that next time. And good news for coeliacs and gluten-sensitive people is they have gluten-free goodies on offer in the shape of corn tacos. Brilliant.

Beach Burrito Co.
252 Campbell Pde
Ph: 9130 7123

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Trio Bondi

On June 17, 2011 in Bondi, breakfast, brunch, Sydney

Don’t you just love an all-day breakfast? Being able to rock up to a cafe at your convenience and hoe into a big bowl of toasted granola or a plate of poached eggs with smoked salmon? They say brekky is the most important meal of the day, so it seems a shame to stop serving it at lunchtime. I’m a big proponent of the all-day breakfast. It’s like a celebration of sorts… not to mention great for people who like a sleep in, but don’t want to miss out on their big brekky and long black.

Have you heard of Trio Cafè at Bondi? It’s on Campbell Parade (up the hill, a safe distance from the feral part). I would go as far as saying they serve the best breakfast in Sydney. You see, breakfast is their specialty.  They serve it all day long and absolutely excel in it. I’m yet to see a more creative and diverse brekky menu. For indecisive Librans like me, deciding what to order can be as hard as making the perfect pastry.

I’m talking shakshuka; cinnamon and vanilla scented French toast; corn fritters with warm smoky tomato chutney, bacon, goat’s cheese and roquette; fresh seasonal fruit plate served with passionfruit yoghurt; chargrilled banana bread with caramelized bananas, strawberries and vanilla mascarpone. There is nothing predictable about this menu. Ten points for originality.

 

I can’t go past the mango lime buttermilk pancakes served with strawberries, lemon curd and double cream when I go to Trio. I usually ask for an entrée serving which they happily oblige to. My only other wish would be for them to serve wheat-free pancakes like the ones I whip up at home. Food always tastes better when it’s cooked for you, don’t you think?

I can’t go past the mango lime buttermilk pancakes served with strawberries, lemon curd and double cream when I go to Trio. I usually ask for an entrée serving which they happily oblige to. My only other wish would be for them to serve wheat-free pancakes like the ones I whip up at home. Food always tastes better when it’s cooked for you, don’t you think?

Apart from the food, the other standout about Trio Cafè is the service. It has the best service of any Sydney cafè I’ve been to. The staff always greet you with a big smile and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I don’t know about you, but I think this is a rarity in Sydney. It’s down-to-earth and welcoming and that suits me to a tea.

They only use free-range eggs in their cooking – something that I often worry about when I’m eating out. The selection of breads on offer are enough to make any baker proud – sourdough, carrot sourdough (yeast-free), rye black russian, multigrain, pugliese (Italian rye), olive sourdough, turkish, wholemeal, white, english muffin, gluten-free multigrain.

The downside? The prices are steeper than most breakfast menus, but you’re paying for the location (Bondi Beach views) and the quality. If you’re planning on going on a weekend, I recommend calling in advance to reserve a table as I’m not the only person who loves this place.

I’m yet to try their dinner menu, but Trio also dishes up dinner Wednesday through to Sunday. If it’s anything like their brekky menu, it’s bound to please.

Trio Café

56 Campbell Parade

Bondi Beach

NSW 2026

Ph. 9365 6044

So, tell me, what’s your favourite cafe? I’d love to hear all about it. Just fill out the comment box below.
 


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Cinnamon quinoa

On June 9, 2011 in breakfast, brunch, celiac, dairy-free, egg-free, food sensitivities, gluten-free, healthy recipes, wheat-free

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Most mornings, I struggle to peel myself away from the covers. My energy tends to increase as the day goes on, reaching a nice crescendo by nighttime when my creativity hits its peak. I’ve always been quietly jealous of “morning people”. Just how do they bounce out of bed of a morning all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? I read on body+ soul there’s a genetic predisposition and an innate tendency to be either a night person or a morning person. So maybe I can blame my genes for my slothenly morning state.

breakfast quinoa

Cinnamon quinoa

I’d probably be nocturnal if weren’t for the prospect of breakfast. Indeed, breakfast is usually the first thing that pops into my head when I rouse from a deep sleep. If it weren’t for a hot cup of tea accompanied by a piping hot bowl of porridge with blueberries, I’m not sure if I’d ever get out of bed. As much as I don’t understand “morning people”, I also scratch my head at people who forgo brekky. Just how do they do it? And more importantly, don’t they realise they’re missing out on the most important meal of the day?

I think Piglet summed it up nicely when he said to Winnie the Pooh: ”When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today,” said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.

Which brings me to the point of this post. I have a new breakfast creation to share with you. It’s a porridge-like recipe using a newfound ingredient of mine – quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”). Rest assured, it’s easier to cook than it is to pronounce. For those of you who won’t turn up your nose to a bowl of porridge, you’re bound to like this recipe. I’m still on the hunt for a grocer that sells quinoa that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, so I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Cinnamon quinoa

Adapted from Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine (as seen on 101 Cookbooks)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk (or regular milk if you’re not sensitive to dairy)
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, (rinse quinoa in water)
2 cups blackberries or blueberries (I use frozen)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar or honey

Method:

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey over each serving.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a dry fry pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

If you’re nuts about quinoa, be sure to check out these quinoa salads recipes. And for more brekky recipes, take a look at cashew coconut pudding and gluten-free pancakes.

So, tell me, are you a morning person or a night owl?


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