Coconut Matcha Ice Cream (Paleo, Clean Eating, Gluten Free)

If you know my mum, you will know that she is a MASSIVE green tea fan. When she was here, I asked if there is something she would like me to make for her. Her answer is always the same- make that green tea flavour. 

I experimented with this recipe a few times and finally nailed a clean matcha ice cream. The trick however, is to eat it quite quickly. If I leave it to freeze overnight, it doesn’t retain the creamy ice cream texture as much. That doesn’t bother us though, and we would dig in with our soup and eat it with gusto anyway. 

The custard was made with a base of coconut milk, almond milk, eggs with a little honey in it. I find that matcha is quite a strong tasting powder, and requires a little sweetness to draw out its flavour. It could also be the matcha powder that I have in my pantry. I suspect it has been there for some time and it retains a slight bitter undertone to it. 

Miss you mum! Can’t wait to see you very soon.

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Frozen Banana and Mango Slice

Do you often find yourself with packed to the brim weekends? I know we do. Gym sessions, social gatherings, groceries, church..and suddenly, we found ourself exhausted, tired and snappy at 5pm on a Sunday afternoon. 

Back to Basics- we learned that it is ok to schedule in family time. It is not unproductive to have a stroll to the local park and just let Asher run wild. Or perhaps as a couple, taking advantage of the time when Asher naps to sit on the couch and have a chat. On the contrary, that is productive.

Over the past few weekends, we decided to schedule nothing in for a few hours in the weekend. Simply put, it was our “Quiet family time”. We realised how important it is to be with each other with no agenda but just enjoying time together.  

 

When did we decide that we need to be busy to be productive? Did it feel funny to have a quiet afternoon? Sometimes. We look at each other, and is sometimes tempted to take the clothes in, fold them or do a spot of spring cleaning.

Asher loves it. Having two parents with undivided attention at the park or play ground makes him very happy. He would give us cuddles and kisses in turns, or make each of us read his favourite books. He points to the slide and would go up by himself but yet wanting us close by. 

That is one thing about parenting that we learned is that time as a family is what nurture the child. It’s not fancy gadgets or toys. It’s simply…time. 

The irony of it all is that it makes us refreshed and even more productive during the week. Choosing to be in each other presence calms our mind. That helps get us ready for the week. We are less stressed and are more present focused. 

We love our weekends even more. 

I made these slice as it was a hot day and we had some frozen mango and banana in the freezer. I made 2 versions of it before, but the 2nd version which has desiccated coconut on top just doesn’t seem to work. This one, tastes more like ice-cream on a biscuit base. The frozen banana and mango blended together with coconut is good enough to eat by itself. I’m pretty sure a few tablespoons went into my belly.

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Peppermint Macaroons

Most people who know me or have followed my posting know that it is only recently that I have embraced all things coconut. When I was younger, I could never understand why people would like coconut based desserts. I did like coconut as a drink, and in its milk form. However, anything with desiccated coconut was a mystery to me. Oh, all those years of missing out! 

Needless to say, macaroons was never something I was interested to make. Macarons yes- those crisp sweet shells filled with creamy gooey goodness is one weakness I have (A treat is a treat right?). Somehow, with my new found love for coconut, I realised I could possibly be missing out having a fluffy light macaroon as a snack. 

I came across this recipe by Danielle Walker. I love it that it uses desiccated coconut, and with peppermint to boot. I made several changes, and used home made raw chocolate to dip the macaroons in. The result was stunning. I’m not regretting that I have not found my love for coconut earlier. Think slight crunch, but sort of melt in your mouth. Then you are hit with a refreshing peppermint taste. I was sold. 

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Tamago Boro Cookies (Almost Paleo, Gluten Free, Nut free)

Asher turned 18 months towards the end of January. They say that time goes faster when you have a child. With more to fit in, it just seems that the days merge into weeks and weeks into months. 

I had a great day with Asher and really wanted to document it. Although we have many good days, and our share of average days,  I wanted to remind myself that with the storm comes the rainbow and sunshine. I wanted to remember the little glorious details because I know how quickly Asher will probably be a teenager and not wanting to spend this time with me.

Our great day began with a sleep in of additional 20 minutes. Asher slept of course, while I stare at this gorgeous human being, snoozing so peacefully. He woke with a smile and gave me a cuddle. He pointed and named “nose”, “mouth”, “ears” and pryed my mouth open so he could say “teeth”. I pretended to sleep, and he gave my nostril a jap. Yup. Indeed he is awake. 

He laughed as I brushed my teeth. He rushed to grab my toothpaste so he could play with the cap (he enjoys twisting and opening items). I got dressed and applied my make up. He played with his little container of toys beside me and begin giggling as he caught sight of himself in the mirror. 

As I prepared him breakfast- a smoothie bowl of smashed avocado, yogurt, pear, milk and probiotics. He walked around me. Oops! I forgot to close the pantry door and he went into it, opening and closing containers. Then it was breakfast time. He ate happily. He also decided that it is good fun to clap his hands, and do roly poly with his arms. 

After a quick clean up, it was play time. We ran around the house- mostly in circles. What amazes me was how fast he grasp concepts. Today, I wanted to focus on stop and go. We ran and we stop. As simple as that. That little game went on for a near 20-25 minutes. That together with some swings, hangs, turn arounds and bouncing. He even attempted to jump- but can’t quite grasp that his feet needs to leave the ground. We threw, rolled and kicked balls. We sang songs- I’m not sure how many times I sang “Head, shoulders, Knees and Toes” that morning but he loved it. Pointing to his toes every time I sang. He learned a new word today- shoulders! Then we proceeded on to another song which was “Wheels on the bus”. He laughed as we go through each action. His favourite at the moment? When I sing “baby on the bus goes wa wa wa”- he would pretend to rub his eyes. 

We had morning tea which was some banana bread and a big glass of milk. Asher called out “Milk milk” and nodded his head when I asked him repeatedly if that was what he wanted. Another clean up, and it was back to playing. Music time now I said. We played with the xylophone, bells and little tambourine. We tapped on different surfaces and he was more than excited to try new ones. Soon after, he became distracted and started to run around the house again, enticing me to chase him. Tickles and laughs got him going and I decided that it was probably time to start winding him down so that he could have his nap. 

Sitting in his tent, he gave cuddles to Scout and his soft toys. Then, almost intuitively, he came and gave me a cuddle. It was almost like telling me “I didn’t forget you mummy! You need my love too”. In a split second, he pointed to his book and we started reading. He pointed “stars”, “cars”, “train”. Suddenly, he looked up. TRAIN! He pointed to his floor mat where there was a picture of a train. Then even more excitedly, he pointed to his toy train. It was like it clicked for him. The book train, picture of the train and the toy train are all trains! 

As he started to yawn, I took him to bed. It took me an hour before he would wind down and lay beside me. In between that hour, he would want me to read- saying “book book”. Or play with my hair, ears, eyes- poking my nostrils and even trying to poke my belly button. In that hour, I could choose to be impatient but today, I chose to run with it. Eventually, he cuddled up to me and he slept. 

Nap time means I get to cook dinner, clean up the house a little, and perhaps even surf the net if I have a chance. Today I promised myself I will not touch work which I did not. 

A long nap means Asher felt refreshed and ready to face the afternoon. After lunch which was Pumpkin and Kale Fritters, and a big bowl of melon cubes, it was time to play again. This time, I decided to step back and give him free play time. Out came the blocks and the mess. I inhale and breathe because I know mess is good for him. I soon laughed though because he started putting the blocks back in the box. Then he tipped everything out and said “uh oh”- peeking at me. Then he started the process all over again. I made a mental note to be careful of my body language and speech when he makes a mess- that’s what kids do and I never want him to think it is wrong to to make a mess. 

Hubby came home not long after, just as Asher requested for more milk! I warmed some for him and offered him a banana. He was stoked! 

And then, I got changed and went to the gym. Asher waved and said “bye bye”- that’s a win! He did not cling on to me as I leave. A killer workout awaits me. I smashed it and returned home. Asher called out “mumma” greeting me with a grin as hubby fed him his dinner. Soon after, it was reading time with hubby and me and bath time. 

I kissed my little man on his forehead as he doze off. Good night my sweet darling. Another day of adventure awaits you tomorrow. 

I made this little “Tamago Boro” cookies with the memory of me being a little child and being fed with these cookies by my grandmother. Tamago means egg in Japanese and basically they are little egg biscuits. There are many versions online, but I decided to do mine with very little sugar- hence they do not have the same melt in your mouth texture as the store bought ones. They do hold a slight crunch and Asher loves them.

It is a little tedious to roll them into little balls- One batch can make up to 250 little cookies. I like to roll them into little logs and cut them into small balls. As we do not have milk formulae, I bought brown rice “milk” powder instead and that appeared to work. I used rice malt to sweeten these balls. 

 

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Cherry Coconut Ice (Paleo, Raw, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free)

 

How are you celebrating Australia Day? 

I’m not sure how time just seem to fly. I could recall the day I arrive into Australia. A fresh faced chubby 16 year old girl. Excited to see the world. I came here to study. Armed with two huge luggages, life was thrilling. 

It’s like someone pressed fast forward on the remote control. I can see myself graduating, getting married, having a baby and calling Australia home.

It was never the intention to stay. I was meant to complete my studies and leave. With my father’s encouragement, I studied more. Then I fell in love and together, we decided that Australia is home. 

We love Australia for the seasons. The clear blue skies and fresh air. The opportunity to work. Abundance of cultures and food. The wider roads for driving. The fresh fruits. More importantly, the people. 

Was it hard to settle down? Looking back, I grew up here. I learned about the culture, the food and the language. I grew to enjoy having a barbecue and those lovely gourmet sausages from the butcher down the road. I enjoyed the friendly conversation at the restaurant with a stranger I met just 5 minutes ago. How about the appreciation of excellent coffee and lovely people to talk to at the same time? We are blessed, having meet people who are open and generous in work and other places. 

So while I miss Singapore- the food, my parents and my gorgeous friends… I can’t help but say I’m proud to be in Australia. 

I made this coconut ice for our nephews who are gluten free, dairy free, and nut free. They loved it so much that they asked for seconds! Proud aunty moment! What better way to celebrate Australia with coconut and cherries? Who knows, I might even try making lamintons today. 

Happy Australia Day! 

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Dark Chocolate Cups with Salted Coffee Date Caramel -Paleo, Gluten Free

The Christmas tree is up, the songs are playing in the shops- I have to say Christmas is my favourite time of the year. My parents are flying over this Christmas and I cannot say how excited I am. Watching their faces interact with my little boy, or perhaps feasting into their first proper ham. Memories will be captured and laughs will be shared.

I made this out of the whim one afternoon. I was playing around with making my own chocolate. Having some cacao butter on hand, I discovered that melting that with some coconut oil and cacao powder makes a lovely dark chocolate. The salted caramel was a trial and error. But if I have the choose, I could lick the bowl clean with the caramel anytime. It’s sweet- a lot sweeter than what I like desserts to be, but it is Christmas after all.

The matcha was another experimentation. It was too tart I feel and gave a “dry” taste to the tongue. I’m not sure why. Perhaps I need to lessen the amount of matcha for a more subtle taste.

The only thing about giving chocolate cups for Christmas is that it will probably melt in our weather. I might reserve this for a night in with my family or as a treat.

Dark Chocolate Cups with Salted Coffee Date Caramel (makes 48 small cups)

1/2 cup of cacao butter

1/2 cup of coconut oil

1/4 cup of cacao powder

1 tablespoon of honey

1 tsp of vanilla

Whisk everything together to make your chocolate! Spoon 2 tsp into each mini muffin cups. Place in the fridge to set for 10-15 minutes.

Salted Coffee Date Caramel

8 medjool dates

1 shot of nespresso

pinch of salt

few tablespoons of water

I placed everything in a food processor. It will become a paste. Spoon 1/2 tsp into each mini muffin cups. Then spoon remaining chocolate onto it. Sprinkle cacao nibs and some sea salt on top. Freeze or fridge for 30 minutes till set.

Date and Orange Fruit Bars (Paleo, Clean Eating, Raw)

I posted these on Instagram a few weeks back. I’m actually quite fond of them. They are sort of lara bars- since they have a good source of natural sugar energy from the dates. I noticed that Asher gravitates towards packaged fruit bars and decided to make some at home. Making snacks for a toddler can have its challenges as he is soooo honest about what he likes and dislikes!

Like it- easy, He eats it.

Dislikes- on the floor, shaking his head, pushing my hand away, spitting and even practising his throwing skills.

This one? It belongs to the “that depends on my mood” category. I wouldn’t say he dislikes it, but he certainly has it days when he would eat it and days where he would not. What I would do differently, is to have a little more coconut to firm it up further. I think he likes a soft but chewy texture of a bar. I would also reduce the amount of dates. 5 is plenty. I would go with 2-3 for that amount.

Date and Orange Fruit Bars (makes 16 small squares)

3/4 cup of desiccated coconut

5 medjool dates soaked in warm water and chopped

1/4 cup of orange juice and zest.

dash of vanilla

Blitzed everything in a food processor. Spoon onto a lined container and fridge it till firm.

Lemon Coconut Loaf

A working mum. It has been over a month once since I started working. Some days are tricky and some days are easier. I thank God everyday that my work is flexible and I can shift my hours around. It has also given me full admiration to full time working mums out there, juggling home and family life balance.

For me, it’s all about being organised. I make meal plans anyway but now I have to consider 1) Can Asher eat this, 2) How much time do I have that day? and 3) budget. On the days I work, we tend to have either soups made from the day before, or perhaps an oven baked dish that I have pre marinated and prepared in the fridge. That just require me to pop it in the oven before I head to the gym or pick Asher up from day care. I’m also using the thermal cooker that my mother gave me a lot more. Nothing beats having a warm, chinese style broth after work. My kind of comfort food.

I’m also getting better and cutting vegetables and preparing ingredients the night before or perhaps even on the weekend. Most of the time, cooking is the easy bit. It’s the prep work and washing up!

Whenever I can, I make snacks and cakes in batches. I stock up on nuts, and we cut up a batch of vege sticks every few days. Some nights, I might even boil a few eggs and put in the fridge for some quick and handy protein attack. On nights I choose not to cook, we have tins of tuna or salmon on stand by or a frozen batch of soup. Otherwise, it could also be a roast chicken from the deli with salad for dinner.

The one thing excellent about cooking and eating clean is that everything is simplified. Even baking. Take this lemon and coconut loaf that I have adapted from WholeFoodSimply. It took me 10 minutes max to whipped the batter up. The washing up took a bit more but hey, it was worth it. I have changed the ratio a little and find that it makes the loaf a lighter one. Sometimes coconut flour makes cakes quite dense, but you might find it’s the reverse for this. Perhaps a little too crumbly but it was delish with a cup of tea. Lemon desserts are certainly growing on me!

Lemon Coconut Loaf 

2.5 cups of desiccated coconut

1/4 cup of coconut flour

3/4 cup of coconut milk

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of rice malt syrup or honey

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1.5 tsp of bicarb soda

1 tsp of vanilla paste

pinch of salt

 

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper. Whisk eggs, honey, lemon zest and juice, coconut milk and vanilla in a jug. Combine coconut flour, coconut, bicarb soda and salt in another bowl. Fold wet to dry. Bake for 40-45 minutes till done.

Coconut Pancakes

I know. You must be sick of me writing about pancakes and waffles by now. It’s one of those things that I love experimenting and making it as a treat when hubby works from home, a public holiday or a long weekend. There is something special about having pancakes or waffles for breakfast isn’t it?

I have been playing more with coconut flour recently and really wanted to nail having a coconut flour based pancake at home. Why? It’s really easy to overdose on nuts- bliss balls, nut based treats and a handful of nuts here and there for snacks. They do add up. While nuts generally do not give me digestive issues, I think everything should be in moderation and more is not necessary a good thing.

This version has brown rice syrup and coconut milk in it. I find that giving the eggs a good whip does gives it a slightly lighter texture.

I bought us a CREPE pan! Guess what I will be experimenting more with next? 😉

Coconut Pancakes (makes around 10-12 pancakes)

1/4 cup coconut flour

3 eggs

1/2 cup of coconut milk

1 tablespoon of brown rice syrup

1 tsp vanilla paste

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp of apple cider vinegar

 

Whisk eggs with milk, brown rice syrup, apple cider vinegar and vanilla paste. Place flour, baking soda in the bowl. Fold wet to dry. Pour 1/4 cup batter into oiled pan. Flip when bubbles appear. Serve with berry compote.

Coconut Berry Muffins

I spoke about using left over ingredients. One of the things I do at the end of the week is to plan and create recipes that make use of what is left in our fridge. We have a HUGE fridge and generally, it’s emptied of vegetables and fruits by Friday. The shelves are stack full earlier and will slowly emptied by then too. I dislike wastage and try to make use of left over coconut milk or cheese if they are close to their use by date.

So on that day, I had coconut milk that I wanted to use. I ran out of almond meal and only have some coconut flour left. Thankfully, I have quite a few eggs left. The first batch was quite eggy, hence I reduced the number of eggs and added a little more coconut milk to balance off the ratio of coconut flour. Hence this recipe was created!

Coconut Berry Muffins (Makes around 16)

2/3 cup of coconut flour

5 eggs

1.5 cups of coconut millk

1 tsp of vanilla paste

1 tsp of bicarb soda

2 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of honey or rice malt syrup

1 cups of frozen berries

Directions:

1) Preheat Oven to 180C. Prepare muffin cups.

2) Whisk wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients like coconut flour and bicarb together. Fold wet to dry, adding berries last.

3) spoon into muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes or so till golden brown.