Milk Chocolate Nut Fudge

This is a VERY EASY way to make fudge! And it goes down well, too.

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Thanks to Margie for suggesting this recipe be added.

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Makes approx 30 pieces

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Milk Chocolate Nut Fudge

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Ingredients:

1 x 400g can sweetened condensed milk
2 x 250g Cadbury Milk Cooking Chocolate, broken into pieces
¼ cup unsalted peanut butter
1½ cups chopped nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, macadamias or pistachios)
Shredded coconut (if you wish for decoration)

Method:

1. Combine condensed milk and chocolate in a saucepan, stir over low heat or until chocolate melts.

2. Mix in peanut butter and nuts.

3. Pour into baking paper lined 28cm x 19cm slice pan. Sprinkle coconut on top (if desired).

4. Refrigerate until set. Cut into squares.

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Makes: approx 30 pieces

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Rating: 4.5

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Almond-Milk Banana Smoothie (Dairy Free)

With more and more people adopting a Vegan or even just Dairy-free diet these days, it's useful to have recipes like these on hand. Plus, it tastes GREAT!

Almond-Milk Banana Smoothie (Dairy Free)

Ingredients:

1 cup of water
1 cup blanched almonds
3-4 large, ripe bananas
squeeze of honey (can be left out to make this a vegan recipe)

Method:

1. Combine water and almonds in a blender and blend until completely smooth (can take about 1-2 mins)

2. Add bananas and blend until preferred consistency (I like mine really smooth, but others like theirs lumpy)

3. If not sweet enough, add some honey and blend again. Serve chilled or as is.

Serves: 2-3

Rating: 4.5

Brown Rice & Cashew Patties with Coriander & Coconut Sambal

This recipe takes a bit of fiddling around, but is SO worth it.

Brown Rice & Cashew Patties with Coriander & Coconut Sambal:

Ingredients:

Patties:

250g dried chickpeas
3 cups instant brown rice
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
125g roasted cashew paste (you can also make this yourself with roasted cashews, some butter/oil and add a bit of peanut butter - all in a food processor and whizz for a bit)
1 egg (free range always - happy chooks make better eggs)
60g tahini
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 vegetable stock cube (we use Massel stock cubes)
5 Tbsp tamari
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 cup fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
oil, for shallow frying
2 Tbsp oil, extra
310g bok choy, trimmed and washed

Coriander and coconut sambal:

90g fresh coriander leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small fresh green chilli, seeded and finely chopped (can use 1 tsp sweet chilli sauce instead)
1 tsp garam masala
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Method:

1. Soak the chickpeas in cold water overnight. Drain. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 1-1.5 hours, or until cooked. Drain, reserving 2 Tbsp of the liquid.

2. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the rice over medium heat for 10-12 mins, or until tender. Rinse well and drain. Keep warm.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 2-3 mins, or until golden. Set aside.

4. Mix the chickpeas, cashew paste, egg, tahini, cumin, tumeric, lemon juice, stock cube, reserved chickpea liquid, and 2 Tbsp of the tamari in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and add the rice, onion, carrot and breadcrumbs and mix well. Divide the mixture into 16 even portions and form into patties about 1.5 cm thick. Refridgerate for 30 mins.

5. To make the sambal, finely chop all the ingredients in a food processor. Refridgerate until ready to use.

6. To cook the patties, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and cook in batches for 3-4 mins each side, or until golden and cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Wipe with a paper towl. In the same pan, heat the extra oil and add the bok choy and cook, tossing, for 1-3 mins, or until wilted. Pour in the remaining 3 Tbsp tamari and toss through. Place the bok choy on eight serving plates and top with two patties. Spoon a dollop of chilled sambal on top and serve immediately.

Notes:

* Fresh chickpeas (or any beans/legumes) are always best, but if you don't have the time, you can use tinned goods instead at a pinch.

* You can cook the rice in a rice cooker, instead, if you prefer.

* Patty mixture freezes well. Simply thaw and cook as usual.

Serves: 8

Rating: 4

Nut Roast/Nut Loaf

Ok, so this recipe originally made me think...I thought, it was trying to imitate meat loaf a little too much...but it proved me wrong.

The texture is crisp and crunchy, and it's certainly filling. The nuts give great calcium, and there's plenty of protein in this dish. Give it a go!


Nut Roast:

Ingredients:

Loaf:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
300g (10oz) field mushrooms, finely chopped
200g (6.5oz) raw cashews
200g (6.5oz) brazil nuts
1 cup (125g/14oz) grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup (25g/3/4oz) freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 cup (80g/2 & 3/4 oz) fresh wholemeal bread crumbs

Tomato Sauce:

30 ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
400g can tomatoes, chopped
1Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp caster sugar

Method:

1. Grease a 14x21cm (5.5x8.5in) loaf tin and line the base with baking paper. Heat the oil in frying pan and add the onion, garlic & mushrooms. Fry until soft & then allow to cool.

2. Process the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped, but do not over process. Preheat the oven to moderate 180*C (350*F)

3. Mix together the nuts, mushroom mixture, cheese, egg, chives & breadcrumbs. Press firmly into the load tin & bake for 45 mins or until firm. Leave in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out.

4. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan & add the onion & garlic. Fry for 5 mins, or until soft but not brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and 1/3 cup (80ml) water. Simmer for 3-5 mins, or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the tomato sauce with the sliced nut loaf.

Serves: 4

Rating: 4.5 stars!