Gluten Free Strawberry Pancakes... LOVERS

We're not much into the whole lovey-dovey Valentine's Day celebration, but if we were… These pancakes would hiss, spit and sizzle their way from a hot pan to our plates in no time.

Pancakes are fast becoming a favourite breakfast around our house. Byron can whip them up in a heart beat and I have been playing around with gluten free recipe variations for years. This recipe will produce lovely light, fluffy pancakes with soft, sweet red strawberries gently cooked into the top of each one.

When we cook breakfast, we love to listen to Play that Funky Music by Wild Cherry for some serious groovin' whilst we sift, whisk, pour and sizzle.

If you're familiar with the beat, you might be able to imagine two cheerful people in their pyjamas swinging their hips around the kitchen whilst a tiny chocolate coloured dog bounces between them, yapping happily.

Just remember to put the whisk down between dance solos… Otherwise things can get preeeeetttty messy, much to Coco's delight...

Gluten Free Strawberry Pancakes

Serves 4

1 1/4 cup gluten-free self raising flour
2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp (pinch) salt
250ml (1 cup) organic milk
2 free range eggs
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melted butter, to grease
250g punnet of organic fresh strawberries

Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir to mix thoroughly and form a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl, add milk, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk gently to combine, then slowly pour into the well of the dry ingredients, whisking to create a smooth batter. Add an extra splash of milk if too thick.

Rinse and slice (5mm thick) strawberries, lengthways.

Heat a griddle or large pan over medium heat, melt a dollop of butter in the pan. Pour batter into pan in small batches, approximately 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Press several slices of fresh strawberries into each pancake. When bubbles begin to form and burst, flip pancakes and cook until slightly golden on both sides.

Serve immediately with your choice of topping: Maple syrup, strawberry yoghurt with fresh mint, cinnamon apples, fresh fruit and honey are some seriously funky sweet options.

These pancakes can be frozen or refrigerated for later if there is a surplus.

Lazy morning pancakes are the best so play that funky music and get your groove on!

Bella xx

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Apple and Walnut Crumble Loaf

I love baking. Love it. When friends come to stay I make an effort to ensure they wake up to the delicious aromas of home cooking, like this moist teacake.

Apple and Walnut Crumble Loaf

Crumble Topping

3/4 cup walnuts
1 Tbs raw sugar
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Moist Loaf

1 large Granny Smith apple (approximately 180g)
120g unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup raw caster sugar
2 large free range eggs
3/4 cup gluten free self raising flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup gluten free cornflour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
3/4 cup organic full cream milk
1 1/2 Tbs Calvados apple brandy

Grease a standard (23 x 13 x 7 cm) loaf tin, line with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).

For the crumble: Roughly chop the walnuts, stir in the sugars and spices and set aside. If you have a food processor or Magic Bullet, pulse the crumble taking care not to make it too fine.

For the moist cake: Peel, core and grate the apple into a small bowl. In an electric mixer (helloooo beautiful red Kitchen Aid!), cream the softened butter with the raw caster sugar (I use a Magic Bullet blender to turn raw sugar into caster sugar). Once thick and creamy, add one egg and beat, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the second egg and beat until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift the flours, cinnamon and baking powder together. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter with 1/4 cup of the milk, beat until just incorporated taking care not to over beat the mixture. Fold in the grated apple and brandy (brandy is optional). If the batter is stiff, add milk a 1/4 cup at a time.

Pour half of the batter into the loaf tin, sprinkle evenly with half of the crumble then pour over the rest of the batter. Sprinkle loaf with the remaining crumble and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the loaf tin for several minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

This delicious loaf will rouse your guests from their slumber; expect to see them float sleepily to the breakfast table, led by their inquisitive noses. Serve thick, warm slices of this moist cake with or without a smear of creamy butter.

Gluten free, delicious, and worth savouring every mouthful over a hot cup of tea as you plan your day.

Love Bella xx

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Rainy Mornings and Pancakes

I can hardly believe it has happened...

The constant cloudy days and drizzly sky have finally caused the temperature to plummet. The air is damp and cool, even by First Day of Autumn standards and my green smoothie run has come to an abrupt halt for want of a warmer breakfast.

What better way to celebrate our new season than with glorious, golden buckwheat pancakes. You may recall that I have shared a similar buckwheat pancake recipe in the past. Those pancakes were covered in sweet, ripe bananas, golden honey and flaked almonds. The recipe for those beauties can be found here.

I've since created a new recipe and these pancakes my dear, dear friends will. Blow. Your. Minds.

Buckwheat Pancakes with Cinnamon Apples
Gluten Free
Serves 4-5

For the Pancakes

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup gluten free self-raising flour
1/4 cup gluten free plain flour
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
2 free range eggs
1 cup whole milk (soy or rice milk can be substituted)
olive oil

For the Cinnamon Apples

3-4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 to 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 Tbs maple syrup

Fresh blueberries and additional maple syrup to serve.

To make the pancakes, sift the flours and baking powder into a large bowl, make a well in the centre, add the eggs and mix. Pour in the milk in a slow stream and whisk the mixture until you have a uniform batter.

Heat a heavy based pan over medium heat. Pour in a generous amount of olive oil (glug, glug, glug!)and when the oil starts to move (it looks magical as it heats), ladle or pour roughly 1/2 cup of the batter into the pan. I love to make small, round, odd shaped pancakes that are oval in appearance; in a large pan you can easily fit three or more pancakes. Allow the pancakes to cook until small bubbles form on their creamy surfaces. As the bubbles begin to burst, flip the pancakes and continue cooking for another minute or less.

When making a large quantity of small pancakes, it's helpful to keep your growing mound in a warm oven as you finish cooking the batter. When they're ready to be served, rearrange the golden discs into an impressive stack to stand as a proud tower on your table.

To make the cinnamon apples, peel, core and slice the apples. Drop the butter into a hot pan and as it bubbles and hisses, add the apple slices and cinnamon. Lower the heat and cook the apples until the butter absorbs into the fruit, stirring occasionally. Pour in the water to soften the apples, add a splash of maple syrup to sweeten and reduce until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Serve hot over the golden buckwheat pancakes.

Sprinkle with fresh, sweet blueberries and highlight with a stream of honey-coloured maple syrup.

For me, there is nothing more comforting on a cold, dreary morning than biting into soft, warm pancakes, topped with sweet cinnamon apples and fresh violet pearls, bursting with blueberry sweetness.

How do you serve your pancakes?

Bella xx

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Living Green

This is what healthy heaven looks like before you blend it.

Following on from Sash over at her gorgeous blog, Inked in Colour, I tried my first ever green smoothie several weeks ago; not counting the occasional Spirulina drink I used to slurp during my high school days.

Green Fruit Smoothie

1 large handful of baby spinach
2 ripe bananas
1 generous handful of blueberries (approximately 30)
2 Tbs natural yoghurt
1 Tbs freshly chopped mint (From my herb garden... YAY!)
2 small apricots or 1/2 cup apricot juice

Place all ingredients into your blender and pulse, pulse, pulse until you have a thick, green smoothie, dotted with tiny indigo pieces of blueberries.

A handy tip is to freeze your bananas because they really make the best smoothies. We're lucky we live in a beautiful region that is famous for them, they're usually quite cheap so we buy bunches and bunches of the curved yellow fruit and freeze them for times like these.

I've enjoyed a different style of green smoothie every day for the past couple of weeks. There's no end to the fruit and vegetable combinations. Add more bananas or mangoes for a sweeter taste, figs work well too and a squeeze of fresh lime will give it that extra kick that will make you want to do cartwheels on the sandy shores of a windy beach.

Living green. It's just another reason to smile everyday.

Bella xx

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Breakfast Muffins by the Sea

Have you ever had one of those days where you have a sweet craving, but you don't want to scoff some processed rubbish in a colourful plastic wrapper only to feel the inevitable guilt after consuming something so dangerously unhealthy?

I had one such day this week. It was early in the morning, Byron lay upstairs in our giant comfy bed snoozing off a late night work shift and I stood staring blankly into the refrigerator searching for some inspiration. For quite some time I stood there holding the door ajar, almost day dreaming until my eyes fell upon a small neglected bunch of bananas that had passed their prime. What to do with over-ripe, sweet, bananas that were too soft to peel and bite into?

Why I was going to mash them of course! Hello gluten free breakfast crumble muffins!

Almond, Banana and Carrot Crumble Muffins
Makes approximately 12 regular muffins, or 8 large ones

Crumble

1 Tbs gluten free plain (all purpose) flour
1 1/2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 Tbs almond kernels
1 Tbs lightly packed light brown sugar or raw sugar
1 Tbs gluten free cereal (I used GF corn flakes)
2 tsp almond meal
1 Tbs shredded coconut


Muffin Batter

3/4 cup gluten free self-raising flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp finely grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/4 cup lightly pack light brown sugar
1/2 cup macadamia oil
2 over ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
3 eggs
2-3 Tbs of thick Greek or natural yoghurt (I use Dairy Farmers Bornhoffen natural yoghurt)

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius (approximately 370 degrees Fahrenheit), grease a 12 cup muffin tin (regular size) or a large 6-8 cup muffin tin. If making large muffins, this recipe should yield about 8 large muffins.

For the crumble, place all crumble ingredients, with the exception of the coconut into a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse crumbly texture. Pour the crumble into a bowl and stir through the shredded coconut.

For the muffin batter, sift the flours, baking powder, spices, bicarb soda and xanthan gum into a bowl. Stir in the chopped almonds and light brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the macadamia oil, mashed bananas, carrot and eggs with a fork. Fold into the flour mixture and add the Greek or natural yoghurt one tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.

Spoon mixture into muffin tin, filling cups to three quarters full, press a large pinch of crumble into the top of each and bake for 25-30 minutes.

These gorgeous breakfast muffins are cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Serve warm by themselves, or alternatively with either a smear of butter, or a blob of Mum's homemade plum jam. Yum.

By the time the muffins had baked to golden perfection the aromas must have wafted upstairs to our bedroom loft and caused Byron's stomach to grumble because he called out, 'Good morning Honey! What are you making? Is that breakfast?'

To which I proudly replied, 'Crumble muffins with almonds, mashed banana and grated carrot. Yes it's breakfast, why? Do you want some?'

No answer, he just appeared out of nowhere, stretching slowly before drawing me into a warm cuddle.

In the next few minutes I really woke Byron up because I noisily blended fresh seedless watermelon with another ripe banana, freshly squeezed orange juice and ice cubes to make a thick, cool, sweet pink smoothie for us to enjoy with our crunchy topped muffins on the front deck. Freshly baked muffins, a fruit smoothie, a coffee table book on beach houses with glossy pages filled with mansions.

Byron looked over my shoulder at the book and echoed what I was already thinking. We don't need a giant expensive seaside mansion when we live in a modest two storey bungalow with our very own view of the glistening blue sea. What happy little lives we currently enjoy. Consider the lifestyle and dietary sweet cravings satisfied.

Bella xx

The book is: 'Beach Houses Down Under' by Stephen Craft

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How to French a Cake

I baked a gluten free carrot and almond cake late last week. Nutmeg and cinnamon aromas swirled around my kitchen as it baked and twice I had to prevent myself from opening the oven too soon because it smelled so yummy.

Fast forward a day or two and gluten free cakes can begin to lose their freshness. When it's just the two of us here, it can be a marathon effort to get through everything that I bake. It's not just that I love sweets, but that I love to prepare all kinds of treats for the joy baking brings me.

The gentle shh-shh-shh as I sift my gluten flours into a deep bowl, the crack of eggshells, the sizzle of a block of bubbling butter in a hot skillet, the satisfaction and work out I used to get from hand beating egg whites with a piano wire whisk until they formed peaks of pearly white glossy meringue. So that last one may have been updated since Santa my mother gifted us with a beautiful Empire Red KitchenAid this Christmas (grinning merrily as I type this). Never fear, I still exercise regularly!

I love the aromas of whatever muffin, cookie, cake, tart or other gluten free treasure I am baking in my small oven. I love the anticipation I feel when my oven timer buzzes, signally my tall frame to stoop down low, open my oven door and gaze inside to pull out said baked treasure using my Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse oven mitt covered hands. The oven mitts were a gift from my mother from our trip to Disneyland in Anaheim when I was 11 years old, talk about a perfect gift!

I love the sense of pride I feel when glazing a cake with zesty citrus drizzle or dusting a tea cake with cinnamon sugar.

But of all the things I love about baking, the things that tops my list is sharing it with friends and family.

What really irks me is having excess that may go to waste. When my gluten free carrot and almond cake began to lose it's magic, I decided to French it.

I woke up early, slipped into my cotton gown (the light summery blue one with the tropical parrots that Mum used to wear when I was barely tall enough to reach her hips) and floated downstairs where I calmly took out my long shiny, sharp kitchen knife and butchered my poor cake.

French Cake

1-2 day old cake that has lost it's freshness (the whole thing or whatever is leftover)
2 large free range eggs
3 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Olive oil (be generous)
2 small, sweet bananas
Maple syrup to drizzle

Cut your cake into large rectangular chunks, as thick as cafe style toast slices. Beat the eggs, milk, and spices into a wide-bottom bowl until the eggs have broken up, do not over beat.

Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Don't be modest, the oil is the key to enjoying this recipe and you have the entire day to exercise after breakfast. Breakfast is a Guilt-Free zone!

Press the cake chunks into the eggy mixture, allowing each piece to soak up some of the liquid but taking care not to break up the cake pieces. Slide each chunk into your pan and listen as it bubbles and hisses. Delicious. Turn the cake over once the eggy mixture has turned slightly golden and cook the other side, taking care not to burn it.

Serve with slices of fresh banana and a drizzle of maple syrup. Savour the last of your cake, which by now is revived à la French Toast style and ready to be devoured.

That's how you French a cake.

Bella xx

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Banana Buckwheat Pancakes with Honey

Today has been a Jack Johnson song... Banana Pancakes

But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you
This song it's meant to keep you
From doin' what you're supposed to
Wakin' up too early
Maybe we could sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just rainin'
There ain't no need to go outside

Except that it IS the weekend. It's a lazy Sunday, a warm day, cloudy with late thunderstorms and rain predicted for this afternoon. Every now and then a cool breeze picks up and makes loose wisps of my hair tickle the nape of my neck.

I awoke early after a deep and restful slumber to a very hazy morning, long sun rays shone in through my window. The light was so soft that I didn't feel the need to squint when I first opened my eyes and as expected, one of my first thoughts was about breakfast and what I could make to enjoy on a Sunday morning. As soon as I suggested buckwheat pancakes with bananas to Byron he started bouncing. Literally. In bed... Much to Maxi's disgust.

Banana Buckwheat Pancakes with Honey
Gluten Free

3/4 cup stone milled buckwheat flour
1/3 cup rice four
1/4 cup cornflour (maize starch)
2 Tbs tapioca flour
2 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 large eggs
extra virgin olive oil
3 small sweet ripe bananas, finely sliced
1/4 cup almond flakes
A jar of your favourite honey on standby

Into a large bowl, sift the flours, baking powder and ground cinnamon together, mix with a spoon and make a well in the centre. Pour in half of the water and milk. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl one at a time and then add them to your flour mixture. Using a whisk, slowly start to incorporate the ingredients, as the mixture starts to resemble a smooth, thick batter add the rest of the water and milk. If your batter is too runny, you can add more buckwheat flour, if you prefer the mixture to be less viscous, slowly pour in more milk, one tablespoon at a time. The consistency should be somewhere between thick pouring cream and yoghurt.

Peel and thinly slice a small banana and keep this handy by the stove.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat, pour in a generous amount of olive oil (And when I say generous, I mean generous. No half-hearted dripping, do not spray the pan using 1 mL of olive oil. Not pastry brushes because they won't work on the non-stick surface anyway. I want you to listen to me because I know what I'm talking about. These pancakes DESERVE a generous POUR of olive oil). Heat the oil, then pour or ladle a small amount of the batter into the oil, just enough to make a small pancake, approximately 15 cm in diameter. It should begin to bubble a little around the edges of your small pancake, like a halo.

Quickly drop a few slices of banana into the pancake, then continue cooking until small bubbles appear throughout the pancake, a few will burst.

Now flip the pancake carefully and cook for another 30 seconds to one minute, taking care not to burn the banana. If your pancakes are cooking too quickly, turn the heat back to low.

Once you have made the first one, you can start to pour more batter into the pan. I tend to make no more than four small pancakes at a time because it gives me enough time to arrange the banana slices.

If you want to, you can add a sprinkle of flaked almonds to the cooking pancake instead of banana slices. Other alternatives include finely sliced apple or plain buckwheat pancakes that you can dress up later with your favourite topping.

Once you have an impressive mound of banana buckwheat pancakes, place a small pile on a large plate, top with a dollop of creamy natural yoghurt, fresh banana slices, a drizzle of favourite honey and a sprinkle of almond flakes (you can toast these if you prefer).

By the time our pancakes were ready, the day had cooled. I pulled on a cardigan and wandered out to our balcony, which has a gorgeous view of the Sydney skyline. When I stepped outside I saw that Byron had arranged some cushions on the ground and my old red throw rug.

We listened to French cafe style music (Putamayo Presents French Café playlist), laughed, chatted and chewed away our morning as the gorgeous gentle breeze returned every now and again.

Pure breakfast bliss.

Bella xx

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Sea: La Mar

In anticipation of our east coast Summer move to a beach house and in celebration of the beginning of daylight savings this month, I thought I would share with you a typical Australian Summer day celebrated early, in the middle of Spring because...

We. Just. Can't. Wait.

This is a story of pictures.

Take one small red car and a young couple seeking adventure on a leisurely drive down the coast...

Add an impossibly bright, cloudless blue sky illuminated by warm sunlight and what you have my friends, is a recipe for a beautiful day.

Here is a fun one to share: Our wedding rings. Byron selected mine, hoping I would like it... I actually love it. I wear it without my engagement ring because I think it has an understated elegance. Byron's ring has a beautiful satin finish in white gold, with a thin polished edged on either side of the satin band.

And now... Our breakfast!!

Byron sipped on a smooth cappuccino, whilst I enjoyed a sweet hot chocolate. I loved the aqua cup and saucers- very beachy.

Byron ordered the impressively stacked hotcakes, served between layers of thickly sliced banana, and topped with a generous dollop of sweet ricotta. The architectural wonder was drizzled with maple syrup and served with hot grilled bacon and lightly stewed blueberries.

As for the gluten-free choice, I opted for soft, buttery scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, pork and herb sausages*, and oh so tasty browned mushrooms and golden potatoes. I should have my cardiologist on speed-dial... I should have a cardiologist...

*(Byron helped me to eat the sausages as they can contain gluten and I didn't want to risk it).

Put it another way, breakfast was gooooood.

I loved every minute of our seaside drive and cannot wait to test some gluten free hotcakes out at home, though I think I'll save that recipe for the move to the coast...

I picture myself flipping the sizzling hotcakes in a large pan after a morning run on the beach, my salty, damp hair tied into a loose bun, and my stomach growling in anticipation of my breakfast as The Beautiful Girls, 'La Mar' strums soothingly in the background.

Take a few minutes out of your day: Click on the 'La Mar' link above, close your eyes and you can see it. A kitchen with sea views in a small beach house, sizzling hot cakes, local seasonal bananas and blueberries and the flowing maple syrup, golden and silky. I can't wait.

Bella xx

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A Sunny Winter Day

The day started very early and very chilly with a trip to our favourite mechanic. That's right I said 'favourite mechanic', without implying any sarcastic undertones. He's a Malaysian man of few words who works in a large auto repair shop reminiscent of an aeroplane hangar in Alexandria, a hop skip and a jump from our apartment.

The men were happy to let me wander about in the repair shop looking at the towers of tyres and admiring the brightly painted signs as they discussed Byron's car details in Mandarin.

We brought Byron's car home, then proceeded to the Carriageworks, an old disused railway station in Redfern, that has been refurbished beyond it's former glory and now serves as a centre for different art festivals, and on Saturday mornings, the impressive Eveleigh Markets.

We purchased some Swiss Brown mushrooms, fresh apples (for baking, apple turnover recipe to follow- Get excited!) and some organic beets.

With all the wonderful bio dynamic foods, artisan cheeses and wine from local growers it was easy to forget that we hadn't eaten breakfast. Our stomachs started to growl and so began the search for a quick bite before we met our friends for lunch.

I love the farmers markets, they are a family and dog-friendly market that promote local produce and fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, wine and cheese, free-range pork and a plethora of coffees, sauces, baked goods and smiles from local farmers, their families and workers.

Byron was especially happy after he discovered the Balinese food stall.

He purchased breakfast for us- $5 Balinese vegetarian parcels called Martabak. They are made of very thin pastry, similar to filo pastry that is wrapped around a savoury filling of eggs, spring onions, peas and mushrooms. The filling had a mild but distinct curry flavour and tasted delicious. Easily eaten on the go and worth every cent.

After our Martabak breakfast, we enjoyed lattes made from local organic coffee as we sat on padded milk crates in the sun beside this beautiful window.

All in all it was a fabulous morning but you should see what we had for lunch with Kailee and Lachlan... Lunch post to follow!

Bella xx

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