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Making Gingerbread Men

Ready and eager to decorate

Ingredients:

Melted butter, to grease

125g butter, at room temperature

100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar

125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup

1 egg, separated

375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

150g (1 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted

Smarties and M&M’s to decorate

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

Use an electric beater to beat the butter and brown sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ground ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Meanwhile, place egg white in a clean, dry bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add pure icing sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use gingerbread man cutters to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Place prepared icing in a piping bag and pipe icing over

gingerbread men to decorate, then finish with Smarties or M&M’s

Well done Rocco

Clever boy Valentino

Happy Families

The end result - ready to take home.

Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Squares

This is just so quick and easy and an old favourite of mine and the grandchildren just love it too!!

Base Ingredients:
1/2 cup gluten free plain flour
1/3 cup gluten free self raising flour
150 grams melted butter
3/4 cup soft brown sugar
1 lightly beaten free range egg
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

Chocolate Icing Ingredients:
1+1/2 cups soft icing mixture
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
20 grams soft butter
Dash of boiling water

Base:

Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-forced).
Line a 20 cm x 30 cm lamington pan with baking paper.

Place butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Add sifted flours and cocoa, then add 1/2 cup of coconut. Stir until well combined.

Spread mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until firm to touch.

Chocolate icing:

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a medium heatproof bowl. Add vanilla, butter and boiling water and stir until smooth.

Spread the warm slice with icing and sprinkle with the remaining desiccated coconut.

Set aside to cool completely and cut into squares.

Stuffed Roast Butternut Pumpkin

Tonight I thought I'd creative and trial a couple of vegetable side dishes to add to our Christmas buffet.

Butternut Pumpkin

Butternut pumpkin is always a favorite, so I halved one lengthwise, scooped out the seeds, rubbed a little virgin oil and seasoned with salt and cracked pepper, before roasting for a little over an hour at 180 degrees (fan forced oven).

In a bowl, I combined:

1/2 finely chopped red onion
1 garlic clove crushed
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use gluten-free)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 cup tasty grated cheese
1 egg lightly beaten

Mixed all ingredients, using only 1/2 the grated cheese.

Removed butternut pumpkin from oven, spooned mixture into hollows, then returned to oven for a further 15 minutes.
Removed once again, sprinkled remaining grated cheese over top, then popped back into oven for a few minutes until cheese melted.


I also had a zucchini in the fridge, so I halved it lengthwise, scooped out the seeds and filled it with the remaining breadcrumb mixture.

Having placed the halves on a tray, I popped it into the oven to roast for 25 minutes, then removed the tray, sprinkled a little grated cheese on top and returned it to the oven for a few minutes to melt.

Roast Stuffed Zucchini 

Whilst the pumpkin and zucchini were roasting, I roasted a small sweet potato, cut into 1 cm slices and remaining red onion, sliced, so it cooked nice and crispy for 40 minutes.







I also added a few halved cherry tomatoes during the last 10 minutes of roasting.

This made for a scrumptious, healthy gluten free, vegetarian meal and I will definitely cook the stuffed roast butternut pumpkin on Christmas day. 

Roasted Stuffed Butternut Pumpkin

Healthy Start

Breakfast is without question the most important meal of all and our mind and body simply cannot function as well without breaking our overnight fast and to refuel with a nourishing start to our day.

I absolutely love my yoghurt that provides an excellent source of calcium in addition to maintaining healthy intestinal function.
I never eat anything other than pot set yoghurt because it essentially holds the highest count of live bacteria, as it is cultured in the container it comes in.

I really can’t go without my Pink Lady apple - naturally lowers cholesterol and is full of fibre. Crunching on an apple also reduces tooth decay as it stimulates the production of saliva.

Consuming a spoonful of natural honey a day does more than sooth a cough. It boosts energy levels and has antibacterial and antifungal properties that aides in the healing of wounds.


I enjoy the crunchiness of chia seeds sprinkled over my yoghurt more so in knowing they are a high source of antioxidants, protein and fibre.

The delicious, aromatic cinnamon spice stimulates my senses and by ingesting a little each day naturally cleanses and reduces plaque and gas in the intestines.

Walnuts are a brain food and my favourite nut. Fundamentally, they’re packed with omega 3 fats, powerful antioxidants and cancer fighting properties.

Each morning, I prepare and start my day with this naturally, healthy, digestible bowl of goodness that provides sufficient energy and sustainability to last me until midday.

200 grams natural pot set yoghurt
1 red apple – chopped
A drizzle of honey
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Sprinkle of ground cinnamon
¼ cup Walnuts - finely chopped

Place chopped apple in bowl and top with yoghurt, chia seeds, drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon and chopped walnuts.

Variations: Use chopped pear, banana or any fruit of your choice. I also add a few flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds.

Something else interesting to note:-

You should always chew food for at least 30 times before swallowing.