It's Almost Christmas - Here is your Thermomix Gift Giving Guide!

It has been a VERY busy few months in the world of Thermomix!!! Over 17,000 Model 5 Thermomixes sold in Australia in October, this is AMAZING!!  If you are waiting for your Thermomix to arrive, be assured you are waiting for a very exciting addition to your life and it will be worth the wait!

Has anyone noticed it is NOVEMBER?!  I just cannot comprehend how fast this year has gone.  For us, we have purchased our dream property, are in the process of building a new house, have moved house, the baby has had her big 1st birthday recently, had one child start school, and another starting next year.  We also sadly lost my Father in Law, and as I said, the massive changes in the land of Thermomix has brought exciting changes, but also challenges!

So it's getting close to Christmas, and I thought I would do a little "Gift Guide" for family or friends who own a Thermomix, or things you might ask for if you are an owner, or close to being an owner!  I hope you find it helpful!  I am not being paid or gifted any of these items by making these suggestions, nor is Thermomix Australia necessarily endorsing these products, just things I have and think are helpful!  Of course all of these things are equally as useful without a Thermomix as well!

1.  Chocolate Moulds

Whether you would like to make your own Dairy Free Raw Chocolate, as pictured (check out www.quirkycooking.blogspot.com for her chocolate recipe) or you simply want to be creative by melting pre-made chocolate and creating your own flavour combinations or Peanut Butter Cups, you may want to find a chocolate mould.  There are lots of shapes to choose from!

2.  Smoothie / Juice / Frappe / Drink Tumbler

These are everywhere!  You can find cheap ones at Kmart or pay a little more (this one was at Robin's Kitchen on special for $4) for your colour or style.  I could have pictured with a healthy fruit juice or smoothie, but how can I go past my favourite Chocolate Frappe which takes just 20 seconds in the Thermomix??  I convince myself it's "healthy" by using Cacao and rapadura sugar, preferred milk (can do any dairy free alternative) and ice!  Cost is about 50c or so depending on ingredients, which is impressive seeing as you would pay a minimum of $3.95 or $4.95 just for a small/regular if you are out.  So think ahead and quickly make your own to take with you!

3.  Storage Containers/Jars

With a Thermomix, you will notice you quickly go back to having bulk "ingredients" in you pantry rather than processed packaged and jar foods.  So you can invest in some more fancy jars like pictured (from Myer) or just go to the cheap shops for a variety of jar shapes and sizes!  Tupperware is another option if you don't mind plastic storage.

4.  Ice Cream / Gelato / Sorbet Tubs

You may never have experienced true homemade ice cream before.... But I STRONGLY urge you to try it!!  Ice cream always has an additive in it that I try to avoid, so making your own is the only way!!  Use the basic Ice Cream recipe in the Basic Cookbook (or old Everyday Cookbook) and store your delights in these retro tubs.  Around $10 for a 1 litre tub.  You can make all flavours, starting at 5 minutes for a true, cooked ice cream mixture.  Try blending fresh strawberries with your basic vanilla ice cream when you whip the partially frozen mixture - divine!!!

5.  Fruit Tree

There is nothing like freshly picked lemons in your 2 second homemade lemonade recipe in the new basic cookbook!  Or 7 minute lemon butter anyone?  If your recipient has no land, consider a variety that does well in a pot! Even on a balcony!  Also for those that love Thai cooking, consider a Kaffir Lime tree for those made from scratch curries with fresh Kaffir Lime leaves - nothing beats the freshness!

6.  Loaf tin

You may find yourself delving into the world of high top loaves, gluten free bread, wholegrain rustic bread, or even a yummy banana bread.  All of these require a good loaf tin!  If you are unsure about non-stick coated tins, find a stainless steel alternative, or ceramic ones are fairly common at the moment too!

7.  Herb Garden

You can set someone up with a half wine barrel, or mini plant pots and plant some basic essentials - Rosemary, Parsley, Basil and Coriander.  It is much much cheaper to grow these than buy large bunches and only use a little bit per recipe!

8.  Silicone "Spoon Spatula"

We all know not to use anything except the Thermomix spatula when operating the machine through the lid.  But if you like to do cake batters, custards, or sticky mixtures, you may want to find one of these.  They are narrow at the bottom to scrape the bottom of bowl, yet long and tapered on the edge to really get the most out you possibly can!  And doesn't get as knocked around if you happen to have a left-hander in the house ;)

9.  Glass Drink Dispenser

If you want to make dairy free milks, or homemade lemonade, or yummy cordials without the chemicals, then a glass bottle with lid is a good option.  This one is great because the neck is wider than normal which is easier to pour into.

10.  Cookbook stand

Finally, if you are delving back into cooking because you now have (or are getting) a Thermomix, it's very handy to have a cookbook stand to sit your book or iPad on!

Well I hope this has provided some inspiration for either yourself or a loved one this Christmas!  There are lots of ways to package nice items and make something fairly basic look fantastic!  Of course if you want to buy your loved one a Thermomix, remember there is a fairly long lead time at the moment, so you might want to order ASAP!  But in the meantime, you could build the excitement with some of these options!

Yummy Chewy Choc cookies... Grain free, Gluten free, Dairy free and naturally sweetened

This is a yummy little recipe that I have concocted from inspiration from some other recipes.  We had a little get together cooking class last night with some friends and they were deemed a success, so here is the recipe!

Don't be put off if you don't care about all of the "frees".  They are as healthy as you can get when trying to make a choc biscuit!!!

Coconut flour is different to work with, so basically the shape you leave them as when you put them on the tray, will be pretty close to how they are cooked at the end!  These ones don't rise much.

I also often make these when I have made a batch of ice-cream - so I use 2 egg whites (left over from the yolks I use in the ice cream) instead of one egg and they are good.

They are a soft and chewy biscuit but are not very sweet, they are just nice.   Also not bitterly dark chocolately like some.

Enough rambling!  Here is your recipe!

Makes about 12 small cookies

Ingredients:
130g Almonds
70g Rapadura Sugar OR 50g honey
15g Coconut Flour
20g Coconut Oil
5g Cacao
1/2 tsp Bicarb Soda
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
Good pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven 180C

1. Mill almonds and sugar (if using) 10 seconds, Sp 9

2.  Add rest of ingredients, mix for 10 seconds speed 4.

3.  Spoon onto tray and bake for around 14 minutes 180C.  Let cool and enjoy!!

Yellow Prawn Curry over Rice Noodles

Time for a new blog post!!!  After our time in America, then having a baby girl (now 7 weeks old), I'm finally getting back into it!  And, of course back into doing in home demonstrations as a Consultant.

This is a recipe that came about because of a favourite dish at a Thai restaurant where we lived in California.  I'm not sure that it's even authentic in any way (I found a lot of Thai restaurants seemed to have slightly different versions of the Thai that we have in Australia typically), but I do think it is very tasty!!  Obviously, a yellow curry would usually use yellow chillies but I have not found them here.  So it's basically a green curry with other non-Thai-ish spices added!  And I think it's nice served with the rice noodles as a change from rice.  Here it is, I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1 packet of Rice Noodles (whichever size)
1 lemongrass stalk cut into pieces
3 cloves garlic
2 spring onions
3 Kaffir lime leaves
2 yellow or green chillies, deseeded (or not if you want very spicy)
400g Can Coconut Milk
10g Olive Oil
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp rapadura or sugar
150g broccoli florets
150g mixed veg (e.g., zucchini, peas, capsicum)
400g prawns (I usually just have frozen ones in freezer, so have based cooking time on that)


Method:

Prepare boiling water for rice noodles, and add as many rice noodles as your family will eat.

1.  Chop lemongrass, garlic, spring onions, Kaffir lime leaves, and chillies 6 seconds, Speed 6.

2.  Add a dash of oil, sauté 3 mins, 100C, Speed Soft.

3.  Add 100g Coconut milk, cumin, coriander, turmeric and rapadura, Cook 2 mins, 100C, Speed 1.

4.  Add rest of coconut milk, blend 1 min, Speed 9.

5.  Add veg, broccoli and prawns, cook 7-8 mins, 100C, Reverse + Speed Soft.

6.  Add 2 tbsp fish sauce, cook 3 mins, 100C, Reverse + Speed Soft, making sure the prawns are fully cooked.

Serve over Rice Noodles!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Banana Date loaf

It's been a long time, yes.  Our trip to America, then settling back in in Australia, and now expecting Bub number 4 in a few weeks!!!  But I do have a few recipes I have been trialling and hopefully will post soon once I am happy, including dairy free salted macadamia ice cream, naturally sweetened.... yum and hooray!!!

In Thermomix Australia news, September purchases receive the Thermomix Kitchen Toolkit for free!!!  It's fantastic, I don't even have one but would love one!!!  I am still doing Thermomix consulting, so if you are interested in purchasing a Thermomix or know someone who is, then please contact me via email!  I would love to finalise any deliveries in September if I can before the bub arrives in October.

Anyway, lately I have moved to completely gluten free for one of my sons.  I have been thinking of healthy recipes that are still yummy and easy to eat that I can make and put in the freezer and eat when needed!  So this is based on my Spelt banana bread, but is gluten free.  I trialled it with coconut flour, but as I am very new to cooking with it, I just couldn't get the mix right, so tried what I came up with below, and I think its a winner!!  Again, it just makes a relatively small loaf (I rarely have enough bananas that get to very ripe stage to make a larger loaf!) so you can try to increase quantities for a bigger loaf.  Here we go!

Ingredients:

100g Brown Rice (organic if you can find it)

50g almonds (again, organic is great!)

3 Very Ripe bananas (I measured approx 300g)

1 egg

40g Macadamia oil (could use coconut as well)
45g raw honey

65g dates, cut in half (preservative free)

25g desiccated coconut (I actually used large shredded coconut and it was nice - preservative free)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch Himalayan salt

1/2 teaspoon Bicarb Soda

1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder (or homemade in the Thermie)

Method:

1.  Put 100g Brown rice into Thermomix.  Grind for 1 min, Speed 9.

2.  Add 50g almonds, Grind 30 seconds, Speed 9.  Scrape down sides of bowl.

3.  Add egg, macadamia oil, honey and bananas, mix 15 seconds, speed 5.

4.  Add dates, shredded coconut, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarb soda and salt, mix 5 - 10 seconds Reverse, Speed 4.

5.  Pour into loaf tin, bake 45 - 50 mins approx 180 Degrees (my oven is new and so it may need a little less or little more time if your oven is cooler/hotter).

Enjoy!!!  This would be nice with nuts added too.

Spelt Banana Bread

I have been wanting to find a yummy healthy banana bread for ages that I didn't feel bad about eating for breakfast or morning tea.  I think this is yummy, however I have only done it once so may need to test again and tweak the recipe if required!  But seriously it was really nice and healthy.

I like to try to use spelt flour wherever possible instead of normal refined white wheat flour.  It is better for you and your body digests it a lot easier.  It is a lot more readily available now too, because more people are looking for the healthier options.  Check in the Health food aisles in bigger supermarkets or health food shops.

I always like it when I have a good dairy free recipe too.  I added oats in because they fill you up more and are good for helping with cholestrol (family history of high cholestrol).  Oh and they are cheap!! That helps!  I used PURE maple syrup as the sweetener, again, better for you!

This is not very sweet so you could add a little more sweetener if needed, but is YUMMY fresh or toasted with just a bit of butter on top (if you aren't worried about the dairy or cholesterol!!!!)

It also makes just a smallish loaf.

So here goes!

Ingredients:

45g Coconut oil (could use other flavourless oil)

45g Pure Maple Syrup

3 Very Ripe Bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla

170g Spelt flour

25g dessicated Coconut (without preservatives if you can find it)

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons Bicarb Soda

1 Egg

small pinch salt

30g Wholegrain Oats (could use walnuts or whatever you like instead!)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C

1.  Add broken up bananas, coconut oil, vanilla and pure maple syrup, mash for 10 Seconds, Speed 4

2.  Add spelt flour, bicarb soda, cinnamon, coconut, oats, salt, and egg, mix for 15 Seconds, Reverse + Speed 4 (or until combined).

3.  Pour into small loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes at 180C (or until skewer comes out clean).  Don't overcook and dry out!

How easy is that!!!  Yummy breakfast on the go option!

Yummy creamy Sundried tomato chicken pasta

We are finally settling into life in the US!  I am gradually getting to know where I can find certain foods.  I just found the Asian Market for the first time yesterday, so we finally enjoyed a DELICIOUS homemade green curry and it was wonderful!  I had been looking for chillies, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves everywhere and couldn't find them!

But here is a post about another yummy recipe!

This is a dish that my sister in law found.  It's delicious and really easy.  Although I increased the quantities and changed the steps to make it even easier and quicker!

The recipe is from the recipecommunity and can be found here: http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/recipes/sundried-tomatochicken-and-linguini-cream-sauce/30603

I have included my steps below.  However I used 650g chicken thighs.  You could use breast, but when you sautée breasts by themselves (instead of steaming as in the recipe), I find they do break down a little sometimes.  I also added frozen green prawns because I was making this for a larger group of people (4 adults, 3 children).  And I like prawns!  I think I cooked around 400g pasta or more.  But we did have leftovers.

I was running short on time so I cooked the pasta on the stove while I got this dish going in the Thermomix.

Grate cubed Parmesan 10 seconds, speed 9 and set aside.

1.  Chop garlic, 3 seconds Speed 8
2. Chop spring onions, basil and sundried tomatoes 3 seconds, Speed 8.
3. Add oil, sautée 2 minutes 100C Speed soft.
4.  Add  650g cubed chicken.  Cook 5 minutes, Reverse + Speed 1 at 100C.
5.  Add 200g (add more if desired) frozen green prawns.  Cook 3 minutes, Reverse + speed 1 at 100C. It might need more or less time, make sure they are close to cooked, you will be cooking a little more in next step too.
6.  Add water, white wine (if using), cream and stock, cook 7 minutes, Reverse + Speed 1 at 90C.  It's still yummy without the wine!

Serve in your beautiful oval 2.5l Thermoserver (if you're lucky enough to have one ;) over linguine pasta.

Have you heard the special promotion if you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a consultant in Australia?  For October you can start your own business with your Thermomix, or even try to earn your Thermomix for free  (or discounted if you don't have one yet), by signing up for 60 days and selling 3 to qualify for a FREE 2.2l round Thermoserver and FREE 2.5l oval Thermoserver!  That's on top of your commission and any monthly incentive!  This is the first time there has ever been an extra incentive for signing up, so let me know if you would like any more information!  I am naturally not a salesperson at all, I never even worked in retail, but I love the Thermomix so much I find it easy to show others and share my passion!!  This is a limited time offer, so best to get the info as soon as you can so you can make a decision!  It doesn't matter where you live, just let me know if you would like to look into it.  Email mixingituptm31@hotmail.com.

Enjoy!

Missing in action

Hi all!

Just a quick note for those that don't know, we moved to America as of 2 weeks ago, so life has been a little hectic!  We were packing up getting ready for the move, and until now, have been living in hotels since we arrived!

Currently we have just been approved for a house to rent while we are here for the next 9 months, so hopefully we will be in and settled very soon!

We are eating the terrible American take out food, and feeling very poorly for it!  I already have a Thermomix waiting for me to use, so I am busting to buy some fresh food and cook and detox and hopefully feel better quickly!!

I have already made some exciting food discoveries here in California, so am looking forward to sharing them and getting back into preparing quick and easy meals and snacks and posting more recipes!

Thank you for your patience!!

Can you really call it Apple Crumble?

I know lots of people who are on a low fat diet.  Some of those people are in my family.  And I keep feeling bad even using good fats because oil, fat and butter are in a lot of foods.  And high cholesterol runs in the family.

Anyway, so I was looking for a nice apple crumble recipe, MINUS the butter and refined flours.  Because I do enjoy a nice warm apple crumble on a winter's night.  And I don't want to feel guilty about it!

So I came up with this little combination and thought it was really yummy.  I mean, you have to remove yourself from the expectation of cakey or floury and buttery crumble.  But yummy cinnamon apples and sweet nutty crumble!

Apple filling:

Ingredients
Approx 450g apple slices - 3 large apples or 4 smaller apples, peeled and in slices.  I used Granny Smith
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Approx 100g water

Preheat oven to 160C
1. Place apples in Thermomix, sprinkle with cinnamon and add water.  Cook for 10 minutes, 90C Reverse + Speed 2.  Add another 2 minutes if they need to soften more.
2. Once the apples are cooked you have 2 options.  You can drain the excess liquid, or leave it in.  Then chop apples to desired consistency - around 4 seconds about Speed 3 will come to the following pic.  But it depends on how cooked they are, thickness of slices etc, and if you like more pureed then bump up the speed and add some extra time - watch through lid until you are happy.  Add to oven proof dish (this just makes about 6 servings)

Clean out bowl and start "crumble"

Ingredients:

30g almonds

80g walnuts (pecans could work if preferred)

20g desiccated coconut

40g oats (leave out for gluten free)

10g rapadura

50g raw honey

Method

1.  Chop almonds for 2 short seconds Speed 5

2.  Add walnuts.   Chop another 2 seconds Speed 5.  Check consistency and chop a second or 2 longer if a finer crumble is desired.

3.  Add coconut, rapadura, oats and drizzle honey evenly around the top of ingredients.  Combine for about 20 Seconds, Reverse + Speed 3.

4.  Add crumble to top of apples.

Cook in oven for about 15 - 20 minutes until gently browning.  Serve with Dairy Free Custard for dairy free or ice cream! Yummy!

Tips!
1.  This really is a "do it how you like it recipe" (if that wasn't obvious!)
2.  This is not very sweet to the sweet tooth, so add more sugar or honey if you like it sweet - I kept it down for health conscious :)
3.  You could probably add other stuff in, but also could leave out oats and add some more coconut for gluten free too.
4.  Would I sound weird if I said I would eat this with some milk for breakfast??!!

Spaghetti Bolognaise... or not?

I quickly made up this recipe tonight.  I have never actually made the bolognaise out of the Everyday Cookbook (shame on me), I guess I'm just not typically a bolognaise girl.  I have heard some say they don't LOVE the version in the EDC... but tonight I had planned to make Shepherd's Pie but realised my cookbook with the recipe in it was in hubby's car.  SO!  I decided to make an easy, tasty and filling merge of bolognaise and Shepherd's pie mince!  And I think it was really tasty!  It is definitely NOT traditional bolognaise, it really is just a mish-mash of everything.  Here 'tis:


Ingredients
350g lamb (I found the stirfry strips on special)
300g beef, cut into 2cm pieces (rump, casserole, chuck, whatever preferred for mincing)
400g Organic tin diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon TM Vege Stock
2 cloves garlic
1 onion 
1 carrot
20g oil
150g frozen peas and corn (optional, or more if wanted!)
60-70g water (if adding frozen veggies... just add what you think it needs!) 

1.  Make mince from lamb pieces (Press Turbo button 3 or 4 times, 1 second each, checking texture - don't "over mince"! Set aside  

2.  Make mince from beef pieces and set aside

3.  Chop onion, carrot and garlic, 4 seconds Speed 6. Add oil, saute 3 minutes, 100C, Speed Soft

4.  Add mince. Saute 6 minutes, 100C, Reverse + Speed Soft.

5.  Add tomatoes, paste, and stock. Cook 15 minutes, Varoma Temp,  Reverse + Speed Soft. 




Add frozen veggies and water with 5 minutes remaining. 

Serve with spaghetti (or whatever pasta you have left in the pantry! As I said, not a true bolognaise this one!)




I hope you like it!!






And topped with a very hurried iphone pic - hey, I'm doing this for the info, not the photography (that's what I'm sticking with!).

Coconut Cupcakes for everyone.. Dairy Free!

This recipe is based out of the recipe for Coconut Cupcakes in the 2012 Food Lovers Calendar - seriously yummy!!!

I thought seeing as it was almost there with the Coconut cream instead of milk etc, that I would take it one step further and remove the butter as well!  And the result was.... perfect!!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients
320g sugar
160g coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla essence + 1 vanilla bean OR 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
240g coconut cream (or 1 can Ayam Coconut cream)
4 eggs
430g SR flour
1 tsp baking powder (homemade - in Basics section of Everday Cookbook)
Pinch Salt

Preheat oven to 180C.  Line 2 x 12 hole muffin tins with patty cases.

1.  Place sugar and vanilla bean in TM Bowl.  Mill for 15 Seconds, Speed 10
2.  Add coconut oil and mix 10 seconds on Speed 4 (my oil was solidified because of the cold and worked well!)
3.  Add remaining ingredients and mix for 20 Seconds on Speed 7 or until combined
4.  Spoon mixture into patty cases and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden.  Allow to cool before icing.

I did try to experiment with a dairy free frosting as well, but I also tried to lessen the recipe and it all ended in... well, a NOT great result!  And no ingredients left (a rarity!).  So a sprinkle of icing sugar it was!!!

These cupcakes were lovely and light and nicely speckled with the vanilla sugar.  You would never guess they were dairy free (and not using additive-full butter substitutes!).

Tips!
1.  Don't have your 4 and 6 year old boys helping if you don't want it to take about 45 minutes to fill the patty cases.
2.  That's it for this one - I think it would be fairly hard to wreck it!!

Going grain free, sugar free, dairy free, meat free..... Banana Blueberry Bread!

So I haven't been cooking the usual foods lately... I am doing a bit of a detox and am not allowed grains, meat, dairy, sugar, hydrogenated oils..... I don't find too much of it a challenge.. except no grains!  And no meat or chicken leaves me quite hungry all the time!  I am allowed SOME eggs, as I am not supposed to lose weight, and they help bulk up a meal a little.

Thermomix boiled eggs and steamed some potato wedges at the same time.
Do you still use a frypan? I then browned the potatoes in the oven
and sauteed chopped mushrooms, onion, zucchini, capsicum
for about 9 minutes, 100C Reverse + Speed Soft, adding some
semi-dried tomatoes near the end... was yummo! (even though it might
not look it by the pic!)

But a week in, I am starting to look for cheats way out!!  I came across a completely fruit and nut based treat here: http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/node/17448 and they are good to just have a little snack here and there.

CADA has also been good (Coconuts, Almonds, Dates and a Green Apple all turbo-ed a couple of times in the Thermomix), as well as lots of soup with the Thermomix Vege Stock!

But having a look through the Gluten Free Wheat Free Cookbook, I came across the Banana Blueberry bread.  Seeing as it was made on buckwheat flour (which is technically NOT a grain!) and mostly banana and blueberries with raw honey or pure maple syrup, and macadamia nut oil, I decided I could treat myself to this.

I found that it had a few too many blueberries in it - I would usually add less.  But the rest was good, and I ground the buckwheat myself seeing as there was some in the cupboard.

Fast Chicken Curry and Larger families

I am often asked about the Thermomix catering for larger families. Some of the recipes in the Thermomix are based around a 4 adult serve size. But that doesn't have to be all you get out of it. Sometimes you can just add more quantity, sometimes you might serve a 3 course meal instead of 2, eg soup with bread rolls, a main and dessert. Sometimes just adding a side dish is enough. But I cook plenty of meals that easily serve 6 adults, some with leftovers too. Dishes like the Tomato Pasta with Vegetables and Feta (a dish often seen at the cooking classes and can be found in the Taste of Vegetarian cookbook), you cook the tomato sauce, add pasta (and I add a bit of extra) and steam 2 layers of veggies in the Varoma at the same time. A really super cheap, easy, nutritious filling meal that can feed a lot!

Whenever I do a rice dish, I will steam about 650g of cubed chicken in the top layer of the Varoma and veggies in the bottom. I automatically did that when I got my Thermomix because that was how chicken I used to add to my dishes, so I knew it was enough to feed us. The rice basket is deceiving also - when it is filled with cooked rice it is more than enough - up to 400g of rice is how much you can add to the basket.

The mashed potato recipe makes heaps - we don't normally eat 1kg of mashed potato so I usually lessen that for us. But here is an example for you of how you can just alter a recipe to suit a larger crowd.

Do 2 batches of something that is quick, and have all your food prepped together so you just pop the first batch in the Thermoserver while you cook the second batch.

For entertaining a larger crowd, have a couple of different dishes to serve with rice for variation and choice.  Eg, I do a Thai theme, or Indian dishes, so just 2 of each to serve with rice.  Again, the Thermoserver is ideal!

If you have kids coming, make up some homemade pizzas for them - if you use toppings that don't need cooking in advance, you can have your dough rising earlier, have all the topping chopped and ready to pop on and put in the oven 20-30 minutes before the guests arrive.  Eg, ham and pineapple, corn kernels, capsicum, mushrooms, olives, even green prawns, and just use some tomato paste for the base and a generous sprinkling of cheese.

We almost always just add more quantities than the recipes whenever they ask for meat, chicken, prawns etc etc.  Just make sure if it is mincing, that you do 2 batches to stay under the processing weight suggestions in the front of your Everyday cookbook so you don't overload the blades.

This is based on the Fast Chicken Curry recipe from the Everyday cookbook, made for a larger quantity, and less curry paste to make it very mildly spicy rather than quite spicy.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and quartered
20g oil
50g red curry paste
2 x 270ml cans of coconut milk (Ayam brand is good and comes in 270ml cans
4 potatoes cut into bite size pieces
650g chicken (I use organic thigh pieces) diced in 2-3cm cubes
200g mixed veggies of choice (cut into small pieces - eg small broccoli florets, sliced carrots, peas whatever you like)
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves (optional)

1. Chop garlic and onions 4 seconds speed 5
2. Add oil and curry paste, sauté 3 minutes, 100C on Speed 1
3. Add coconut milk and potatoes and cook for 10 minutes at 100C Reverse + Speed Soft
4. Add chicken and veggies, cook for 17 minutes at 100C Reverse + Speed 1 (add longer if need to cook through a bit more)

Can add coriander with 3 minutes remaining.

Pour into Thermoserver (you could add a small amount of baby peas into Thermoserver also and stir through curry)

Cook rice as in Everyday Cookbook

More than you would normally add, but it cooked down
into the sauce and was fine - see notes 1 and 2

Notes about this recipe:
1. I pushed the Thermomix to it's max - the veggies when first added, sat above the max line in the bowl. By the time it was all cooked, it was sitting a tiny bit over the line.

2. Because I put so much more food in, I increased the speed to speed 1 rather than speed soft because it was struggling to stir it consistently at speed soft.

3. Add more curry paste if you like spicy!

4. If you want even more food, why not steam extra veggies while your rice is cooking?

Single layer of peas defrosting in Varoma while chicken
is cooking - see note 5

5. Just to add a bit extra, I put a single layer of peas in the bottom of the Varoma to defrost during the last 17 minute cook time. This didn't cook them, it just defrosted them (because it is only cooking at 100C not Varoma temp). I then added those peas into the Thermoserver with the rest of the curry while the rice is cooking, and that is enough to cook them gently.

I really have resorted to quick and easy pics on the iPhone
and I know they aren't great, but better than nothing!
Curry doesn't look appetising, but was yummy, easy and healthy!

So this is just an example of a yummy, quick and easy curry to feed a larger family!

Pull aparts and pizza breads

I'm going to set aside my dairy free and low gluten efforts for the sake of this post for those that don't need dairy or gluten free! Just a quick post about pull apart breads and how handy it is to be able to throw together an amazing side dish for guests or just a tasty snack or easy lunch for the kids!

I had these posted in an old post, but thought I would update with other options...

Pullapart ready for baking!

This pull apart was done using the 1.5 times bread dough quantity using the recipe found here: http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/recipes/herb-and-garlic-pull-apart-bread/26180 .  I used the same instructions for the herb and garlic, however for half of the bread, I made it into a cheese and bacon pullapart. Delicious straight out of the oven and the whole thing cost a few dollars!  You could do pesto (just make sure it is in the folded strips so you don't dry it out too much), sun dried tomatoes etc etc.

Hubby was hungry the other day and made a thick pizza bread using the basic bread recipe (replacing the grain with an extra 100g bakers flour) in the Everyday cookbook, let rise for approx 25 mins, kneaded a little, pressed the dough out relatively flat (about 2cm thick) then sprinkled chopped bacon and a generous serving of cheese over the top.  Put it in the oven as it was still heating to 220 degrees.   It turned out beautifully, like a cross between a pizza and a cheese and bacon bread... Just like you would buy from the bakery!

Yummy vegie pizza bread - pineapple, olives,
mushrooms, capsicum and cheese

Another option is to make thin and crispy pizza breads. Make a batch of pizza dough, rise for 30 mins, punch out and knead a couple of times, roll very thin, brush with chopped garlic covered in olive oil, sprinkle a small amount of salt over the top and bake in a preheated oven approx 215 - 220 degrees for around 15 minutes (depending how hot your oven is). Another option is to add Sundried tomatoes and olives (but watch how hot the oven is, maybe decrease if you find they are browning quickly). These breads are beautiful with soups.

Crispy garlic pizza crust ready for baking 

Use these ideas and be as creative as you like with fillings or toppings adding mushrooms, pineapple, different cheeses, turn into scrolls, pizza pockets etc etc!!

Torta Caprese

I just tried the Everyday Cookbook recipe for the Torta Caprese but made it dairy free... Yum!! Even hubby said it was good and he can usually tell if I have made something gluten and dairy free and is a little.... Hesitant!!

Here is the recipe:
250 grams almonds
250 grams dark chocolate broken in pieces(use a Lindt dark chocolate with no milk solids for total dairy free)
210 grams sugar (I lessened it from 250 as in original recipe)
100 grams coconut oil (use a good quality non refined oil - generally found at good health food shops)
1 tablespoon cacao powder (or cocoa)
1 tablespoon of baking powder (make your own Witt the Thermomix)
6 eggs

 Preheat oven to 180c

 Grate chocolate for 10 seconds Speed 8. Set aside

Chop almonds for 6 seconds speed 6 (add a bit longer if chunks of almonds are too big). Add to chocolate

Place eggs, sugar, baking powder, cacao and oil into bowl, mix 20 seconds Speed 7.

Add chocolate and almonds, mix 30 seconds Speed 6.

Pour mixture into 22-24 tin lined with baking paper on bottom (I just put the whole lot in because I wasn't worried about the edges - speed and less washing supersedes neat edges for me!!).

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour. (I made 4 muffin size cakes as well - they were in the oven for about 30-35 minutes. But don't do both at the same time if you don't want you cake to flop in the middle when you take the cupcakes out!

My cake was a bit fudgey in the middle which I loved but could have cooked a little longer or maybe a tiny bit less oil. Can serve with a dairy free custard (use normal everyday cookbook recipe with rice-almond milk or other dairy free milk) either vanilla or chocolate flavor, or some strawberries!

Meat and 3 veg families with Thermomix!

I have seen it written before that the Thermomix is not for those who just want meat and veg. Well I tend to disagree! The Thermomix just suits so many different people and you just have to adjust how you use it to suit your needs! The fact that a domestic cook can produce restaurant quality dishes so simply and with confidence, or that it can allow people that cannot cook at all, the ability to cook is amazing!! To indulge in creativity or just save time! For your health or for savings!!! It can suit everyone!

As an aside, I saw a sneaky camera shot of the Thermomix on Masterchef Australia again a couple of nights ago - it was a cooking challenge against a chef and the chef was using it!! I would guess either the lemon curd or lemon granita that he served for dessert - or both!! How great is that!!

But back to the point of this post!! Some think that you have to use the Thermomix for everything if you spend that amount of money on it. It simply isn't true- there are so many different elements you can prepare with the Thermomix, but you are still ALLOWED to use traditional methods if you choose for certain dishes!! You will still use the Thermomix everyday for something... And say for example a dishwasher... You don't think too much about spending $1000 -$2000 for a dishwasher. Yet mine only gets used once or twice a week. It doesn't improve my health, save me time on food prep or save money on my grocery bill!! And I definitely don't use it multiple times a day like I use the Thermomix.  Some people might see it as an extra appliance that is unnecessary - but I think more and more, it will become just another staple in your kitchen, like your dishwasher, fridge and microwave.  And you can sell the rest of your small appliance! So there's a little comparison for you on cost of appliances and use and benefits!

Anyway, back to the point again.. take the other night for example... One of the few nights I didn't use the Thermomix for our whole dinner. I felt like a "surf and turf"!!! We don't usually eat whole steak that much, we usually mince it. So I used the frypan to cook our steak and prawns, while the Thermomix was busy preparing our perfectly smooth mashed potato and steaming our vegies at the same time! Energy saving and I didn't even pay attention to it once I set the timer - it was taking care of it all for me!! I also did not have to get out a colander or a masher and mash it by hand - 45 seconds and the thermomix does the work for you. Apart from that, we also used the thermomix to make us a yummy mushroom sauce from scratch... Something I wouldn't have ever bothered to do before.

Yes they are frozen veggies..
Yes, the mushrooms are too chopped - hubby was in charge
of the mushroom sauce!!

Oh my goodness - did I use frozen veggies - YES!!! It was a Saturday night, we were late home and I was doing minimal food prep - you are allowed sometimes LOL!!  Hey, if it's saving you from buying takeaway, it's a good thing right!!

There you have it! A quick easy meat and veg dinner that still saves time, energy (yours and the power company's!!) and dishes!!!  And seriously delicious.... Again, a pleasure to work with the Thermomix in the kitchen!

PS.  I had already made breakfast in Thermomix, fresh wholegrain bread rolls for lunch in Thermomix (just before we went out for a big walk), juice, smoothies, and dessert that day as well.... and we had a busy weekend day!

TIPS!
Mashed Potato -
1. If you want to steam veggies at the same time, you need to cook your mashed potato at Varoma temperature instead of 100 degrees as stated in your cookbook.  If you use all full cream milk, you will burn the milk because of the fat content and it will stick to the bottom of the bowl - you must use at least half water to prevent this.  If you are using a rice milk etc, it should be fine anyway.  Varoma Temp for 20 - 25 will also break down the potatoes altogether.  I don't mind because once I whip it, there's no difference - it simply gives the convenience of being able to steam your veggies at the same time.
2.  I don't bother adding parmesan cheese, some people find it too "gluey".  So just add some salt.
3.  You can easily use a little oil to make it dairy free (with rice milk/alternate milk) instead of butter, and just make sure you add a little salt for flavour.
4.  If you find it too runny for your liking, just lessen the liquid content a little - I don't even measure now, I just use the amount of potatoes I would usually use for our family and then go by "eye" as to how much milk I add - somehow I get it right!

Dani Valent "In The Mix" Cooking Class

Dani Valent came to Newcastle today and did a cooking class based on some of her recipes from "In The Mix".

Have you downloaded the App?  It has some great videos and a selection of recipes for free!  How to temper chocolate perfectly, Grissini and more!

So today she ran through so many different aspects, I left the class so excited!  Excited that I, a simple stay at home mum - basic cook, could reproduce these stunning dishes and elements of dishes of a gourmet standard quickly, simply and easily with a Thermomix.

Making Chlorophyll paste

She did some things out of the cookbook I had not even really looked at long enough to realise what I could do with them.  For example, the Chlorophyll Paste - what a fantastic addition to your Green Smoothie (also in the cookbook) that just packs a stack of nutrients into a concentrated paste!

Beef Stir fry - Yum!  And so quick and easy and the beef was steamed while the rice was cooking for 20 minutes.  People often ask about steamed steak, well this was beautiful!  And then add your stir-fried veggies (takes around 6 minutes to cook in the bowl).

Beef Stirfy to feed a crowd! From marinade to rice, omelette and
stir-fried veggies, everything was done in the Thermomix

Kuzu Gnocchi with Parsley oil and Pea Soup.

Making the Kuzu Gnocchi in an ice bath

And lots more - in just 2 hours!!

I just came away continually amazed at the absolute variety of things you can do with a Thermomix.  It doesn't matter whether you love it for Health, Sweet Treats, Gourmet Cooking, Saving Time, or because you want to avoid cooking, the Thermomix really does fit for all of those categories!!

Don't forget if you would like to take advantage of hosting a Varoma demonstration this month and the bonus offers that go along with that, please let me know.

But also, 12 Months Interest Free is a great opportunity for people who prefer to have a payment plan rather than an upfront payment.  If you have questions about this, please contact me also.

For those who already own a Thermomix and are interested in purchasing "In the Mix", you can purchase through your consultant or online at www.thermomix.com.au.

So go and continue discovering the potential of what the Thermomix can do!!!

Thermomix Homemade Lemonade

I absolutely love that when I entertain guests, it is so quick, easy and simple to provide them with all elements of a meal/afternoon tea that are homemade.

Even just for ourselves, if we want something not quite as healthy as a freshly made juice, but a "treat"that still uses whole fresh ingredients!

Make Icing Sugar, Grind Ice, add whole lemons
with ends chopped off and cut in quarters

 Homemade lemonade.  It is awesome.  If you have a tray of ice cubes, 1 litre of water (or sparkling water, which I like because it makes it more like a real "soft drink"!!!), 100grams of raw sugar and 2 lemons, then in a couple of mins, you have freshly homemade lemonade and have also cleaned up!

Add half the water, Press turbo button a few times

First, you make icing sugar from raw sugar - you see this at the home demonstration.  The great thing about being about to do this is: 

1. You only buy 1 type of sugar instead of caster, icing sugar and normal sugar - if you run out, you just make some!

2.  Lots of icing sugars actually have anti-caking agents in them - e.g. a problem for people with things like Coeliac

3.  You actually get at least a tiny bit of nutritional value from raw sugar as it has some molasses still in it and it has been less processed than white sugar.  (If you want to go better again, I use Rapadura in a lot of things which hasn't been high heat treated or refined at all - I wouldn't use it for lemonade though the molasses flavour is a little overpowering.)

4.  You can use an Organic Raw Sugar and not pay the price for Organic Caster Sugars or Icing Sugars!

Add remaining water and strain through your rice basket!!!

I love that you actually use fresh lemons and don't even peel them!  Once strained through the rice basket, just discard the peels in the bottom and rinse bowl.  It's as quick and easy as that!

Freshly served Homemade Lemonade!

The end result is sooooo refreshing and yummy!

Tips!!!
1.  Unless you are serving straight away, remove the pips - I just poke them out with a knife.  This will stop the lemonade from turning very tart within a couple of hours.  I sometimes make some for dinner and if it isn't all used, I can save it for the next day and it's fine.  If the pips are left in, even though it is strained, they still seem to release the bitterness into it.
2.  Make a lemon/lime-ade by adding a lime as well!
3.  Make the most fresh Lemon Lime and Bitters your guests have ever had by adding your bitters into each glass!!

PS.  Sorry for iPhone pics!!

Quick hello and Anzac Biscuits

Alright a quick post today to say I'm still here!

We have been in Sydney, and moving house so all has been a bit crazy between demos and sending my parents off overseas and a whole lot of other "stuff"!!

When getting back into a "routine", we revert back to our quick and easy favourites.  Homemade pizzas (I will do a post on these one day!), curries, Chicken and Cashew Satay with rice and veggies (courtesy of www.quirkycooking.blogspot.com - seriously delicious and all in one meal with steaming while cooking rice), I tried a new prawn curry in Travelling with Thermomix which was yummy, our regular Chili Con Carne, with lots of breakfasts, desserts, snacks and drinks made in between in the Thermomix!

We have converted my husband's yummy easy chicken pie too, so I will post the recipe of that shortly.

But as for today, in view of Anzac Day, have you tried the Anzac biscuits in the Everyday cookbook?  They are delicious and very simple, and I even cut down on the sweetness quite a bit too and they are still yummy.  For those who are dairy free, try the Vegan Anzac Biscuits - Quirky Cooking version - I have tried them too and they are also lovely.

Happy baking!

Hot Cross Buns

As we pull fresh HOT Hot Cross Buns out of the oven on Good Friday, I am so grateful again that I can provide such lovely food so easily, preservative free and with the ingredients I choose to add.  They taste soooooo good and cost a fraction of the cost of buying them, especially preservative free (even using organic sultanas).  The recipe is found in the Everyday Cookbook.

I have made a few batches now - this batch was made using dairy free and spelt flour and rapadura sugar as the sweetener.  The dough had just been kneaded and ready to rise - it looks a little different to Bakers Flour version.

Today's batch I just used rice milk instead of milk and rapadura as the sugar component.  They rose to be quite a bit bigger than these pictured and were super light and fluffy.  Been a busy morning between packing to move, and making, all in the Thermomix: Eggs for Breakfast, Loaf of bread for lunch sandwiches, Fresh butter spread from cream, Rice Milk, a birthday cake for my son's birthday tomorrow, and a batch of Hot Cross Buns!  And no I haven't been in the kitchen all morning!So easy and so fresh!  Enjoy your Easter long weekend!!!

Corn Fritters

A quick and easy lunch idea.  Corn fritters with smoked salmon and salad.

These are great for kids also, and because you weigh in your ingredients, no making extra mess!

This is a basic recipe that I put together, so feel free to make it tastier by adding other grated veggies etc - these ones on their own are quite "boring" but I love them with smoked salmon and salad.

Although I have pictured them with not much salmon and just tomato and lettuce, usually I would serve them with more salmon and an avocado, red onion and tomato salad and maybe a little dressing if desired.  I am allergic to avocado but it's healthy and great for the kids!  Maybe leave out the red onion for them though!

And make them dairy free by using an alternative milk.  I made mine with spelt flour, so you may have to adjust the ratio of milk to flour slightly depending on how large your egg is and which flour you use.  You don't want them so runny that they don't hold together, but you don't want them too thick either!!!

To the bowl add:
1 egg - beat for 6 seconds on Speed 4

Add:
90g Spelt Flour
80g Milk
pinch salt
1/2 tsp Bicarb Soda

Mix for 4 seconds on Speed 4

Add:
230g corn kernels

Mix for 8 seconds (or until combined) on Reverse + Speed 2.

Then just fry in the frying pan until golden on each side.