Crumble Top Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe makes 16 healthy wholesome muffins. Enjoy!

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celcius

Ingredients for muffin batter

1/2 cup cooked pureed pumpkin (sweet variety, butternut is good)

1/2 cup apple puree

1/4 cup light tasting oil

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/3 cup honey

6 tablespoons non dairy milk

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon flaxmeal mixed with enough water to make a thick paste

3/4 cup wholemeal bakers flour, (this flour is lighter than stoneground)

3/4 cup unbleached plain flour

1 teaspoon ginger powder

2 teaspoons healthy baking powder

Ingredients for crumble topping

1/4 unbleached plain flour

2 teaspoons rapadura sugar

2 T non dairy butter

 

 

Method

_  Lightly grease muffin trays and set aside.

_  Prepare crumb topping by combining flour, sugar and non dairy butter in a bowl. Mix with fingers or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

_  For the muffin batter place the wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls. Fold the dry into the wet until a thick batter has formed.

_  Fill muffin tray three quarter full with batter, I used an ice cream scoop. Sprinkle crumb topping over batter.

_  Place trays in prepared oven and cook 20 minutes until golden in colour. Check if they are done by inserting a toothpick into the centre of the muffin. The tooth pick should come out clean.

_  Remove from oven leave in trays at least five minutes then remove and place on a cake rack to cool. Store in air tight container.

Psalm 119.165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them

Posted by Yiannoulla Burness

Chickpea Salad

Springtime is the Perfect time to make fresh salads and go on picnics! Here is one that we enjoyed again the other day. It is easy to make and a source of protien and calcium.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked

350g firm tofu, cut into small chunks

2 large onions, sliced

6-8 cloves fresh garlic, crushed 

1 red capsicum (bell pepper), sliced

2-4T fresh thyme or 2-4tsp dried

 Juice of 1 lemon

8T olive oil

1 tsp celtic sea salt

1 tsp herbamare 
1tsp seasoning such as vegetable stock powder or onion powder

half bunch fresh corriander (cillantro), chopped

• Fry the onion in 2T olive oil until soft
• Add half the crushed garlic, the celtic sea salt and the thyme and stir through
• Add capsicum and continue to stir for a couple of minutes, until the capsicum softens slightly
• Stir through the chickpeas, remaining olive oil and lemon juice.
• Chill

• In a seperate pan fry the tofu with the herb salt, seasoning and other half of the garlic, allowing it to brown a little on the outside.
• Chill

Just before serving, stir the tofu and fresh corriander though the chickpeas and ENJOY!

 

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
(Isaiah 26:3-4)

Posted By: Natasha Mansour

Israeli Couscous Pesto Salad

This salad is light and colorful and makes for a tasty side dish.

Ingredients

Pesto
To make the pesto, follow recipe under heading Power Packed Basil Pesto  on this blog site
Salad
250g gourmet pearl couscous
1 massel stock cube (chicken like or vegetable)
300g sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 large red capsicum (peppers), quartered and deseeded
1 large red onion peeled, cut in half then quartered
Juice of half a medium lemon (or to taste)

Salt to taste 
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

                     
 












Method
  
_  Prepare vegetable. 
_  Place vegetables on a baking tray, place in a hot oven and cook until just tender. When done remove from heat and allow to cool. 
_  Remove capsicum cover with plastic wrap and set a side 10 minutes, then peel off skin and cut into bite size pieces.

_  Cook couscous according to packet instructions. Where it says boil water then add couscous, dissolve a massel stock cube in the water for extra flavor, then add couscous. 
_ When couscous is cooked remove from heat and let it rest and cool down. Fluff up with a fork to separate so couscous does not stick together. 
_  Prepare basil pesto.

Assemble

 Gently stir 3-4 tablespoons or (to your taste) of prepared pesto through couscous. Add vegetables and toss. Season with lemon juice, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you
 
Posted by Yiannoulla Burness

Orange Infused Carob Truffles

This is our family favourite. I started making these truffles a couple of years ago after my sister Vanessa introduced me to them, and since then Imad keeps on asking for them. I think that they may become your family favourite too - give them a try.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup           Tahini
1/2 cup           Carob Molasses (this can be bought at middle eastern or continental stores)
2 cups             ABC (almond, brazil, cashew) , ground
2 Tbs              Orange rind, grated
1/2 Tbs           Orange juice
2 cups             Soy Carob Buds

Method:

• Mix together in a bowl the tahini, carob molasses, ground nuts, orange rind and orange juice.
• With damp hands take a teaspoon of mixture and roll into balls. Place onto a lined tray and place in the freezer until the balls are hard.
• Use a double boiler to melt the carob buds. I usually just put a smaller saucepan into a larger one; put water in the larger saucepan and let it boil and place the carob buds in the smaller saucepan and place that saucepan in the larger one and the carob buds will then melt well.
• Once the balls are frozen take out of the freezer and insert a toothpick in each one and insert in the melted carob making sure that the carob covers everywhere. Place the coated ball onto the baking paper, take out toothpick and place a nut on top. Done!

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3

Posted by Melissa Awde

Potato Leek Soup

We love warm soup in winter and potato and leek is one of our favorites. I have made this one without using vegetable stock as I have come across many people who can't have yeast. The stock does give a lovely flavor and of course you could substitute the herb salt with sea salt and stock to taste. However we really enjoyed it made according to the following recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg  potatoes, chopped

1 medium sized leek, sliced

1 medium brown onion, diced

1 small stalk celery (I used the leaves and all as it was organic)

Small sprig parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 tsp herb salt

2 1/2 cups water

2 1/2 cups rice milk

1 Tbs olive oil for frying

METHOD

• Fry onion, leek, celery, parsley and garlic for a few minutes until soft.
• Add potato, water and salt and bring to the boil.
• Turn down to a simmer and continue to cook until potatoes are soft and mushy.
• Turn off, add rice milk and blend with a stick blender.
• Heat a little more if necessary and serve. 

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  (Psalms 37:4)

Posted By: Natasha Mansour

Fruit And Seed Slice

This is a tasty slice. Easy to make and great as a healthy snack for children's lunch box.

Makes 15 - 20 slices 

Preheat oven to 180 celcius
Lightly grease or line a 23 x 33cm baking pan with baking paper

Dry Ingredients

11/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup rapadura sugar (may use honey 1/3 cup, melted)

1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
2 tablespoon sunflower seeds 
2 tablespoon pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/4 cup sifted wholemeal flour
1/2 teaspoon healthy baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cardamon powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberry, raisin, sultana, currants, apricot, date)
I used 1/4 cup cranberry and 1/4 cup mixed currant and sultana
sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional)

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup light tasting oil
1/4 cup soy or non dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 medium size bananas, mashed

Method

_  Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl except, the dried fruit.
_  In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix together.
_  Gradually add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix thoroughly.
_  Add the dried fruit and stir until well combined.
_  Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Pat down and smooth out with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
_  Sprinkle with sesame seeds, press down gently.
_  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until just firm to touch.
_  Cool in pan then cut into squares or bars.
_  Store in air tight container.

Isaiah 58:11 - And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Posted by Yiannoulla Burness