Peppermint carob truffle balls

Sometimes I make something that is so perfectly aligned with my tastes, I can't understand why I haven't made it before.

Something that doesn't need a real recipe, or forward planning. Something that uses ingredients I always have to hand, in quantities that I am used to mixing together.

These peppermint carob truffle balls are a perfect example.

Easy to make, the short ingredient list works to give a product that delivers in taste and in texture.

If you like carob and peppermint, I think you will like these.

Peppermint carob truffle balls

Makes ~16

Vegan

Print recipe

Ingredients

2/3 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup carob powder*

1 tsp peppermint essence (or use 1/2 tsp if you just want a slight mint flavour)*

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp dessicated coconut

~1tsp water, or as needed to think out the mixture

*If you don't like carob, cocoa would work fine

*If you don't like mint, sub in vanilla

Method

Combine the almonds and dates in a food processor. Process until ground and starting to clump together.

Add the carob, peppermint essence, maple syrup and coconut to the almond-date mixture, and process until smooth and the mixture holds together. Add water if needed.

Roll the mixture into 16 balls. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and set in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or in the freezer if you can't wait that long). 

Caroby.

Minty.

Smooth and incredibly delicious.

These have to be in my top 5 favourite truffle balls to date. 

As a bonus, if you move from making these to making banana softserve without cleaning your food processor,  you can have banana peppermint carob icecream, which tastes hardly of banana but very nicely of mint and carob.

A win-win outcome, I think.

After re-discovering these in April 2013, I am sending this recipe to Ricki's Wellness Weekend, 18th to 22nd April 2013, and Raw Foods Thursdays 18th April 2013.

Have you enjoyed any impromptu dishes lately? 
How do you feel about carob?

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Bookmarked recipes I've made - Part 2

A few months ago I posted 5 dishes that I had bookmarked and then made with virtually no adaptations from the original recipe.

Here is the next edition!

Eggplant cutlets from Clean Green Simple 
(also featured on Oh She Glows) 

I used regular flour and only needed about 1.5 cups breadcrumbs instead of 2 (I used Anchor brand), but otherwise followed the recipe for the cutlets exactly. I skipped the 'cheeze' sauce but added regular grated cheese to Mr Bite's version. We also used commercial tomato salsa.

I was really impressed with these - they tasted wonderful and the crispy coating was extremely enjoyable to eat. I froze half of the batch and they also re-heated well (in the oven) from frozen. The only downside is that they really do need to be cooked and re-heated in the oven as microwaving turns the middle soggy.

I will definitely be making these again and am keen to try the coating on other things too - tofu, for instance, or other vegetables.

As a bonus, we have an action shot of the cutlet coating process, courtesy of Mr Bite :-)

Mathew's Delicious Tofu, taken from The Garden of Vegan, 
featured on In the Mood for Noodles 
and, in my case, seen and adapted from Veganise This

We served ours with noodles, and the dish was certainly delicious.

Amazingly, this was also the first time I've prepared tofu and had Mr Bite report liking it. Genuinely, I'd like this again, like it.

There was a catch though: me. I liked this tofu less than when I simply grill or stir-fry it. This wasn't a huge surprise because I don't really like a 'skin' on my tofu, and eating it fried is thus not something I do often. I still enjoyed this though, and the overall dish outweighed the slight tofu disadvantage.

Ginger-Orange Glazed Carrots from Fat Free Vegan

I wanted to mention this side dish as it was one of the options on my Christmas recipe list that I didn't end up making for Christmas. However, I have somehow managed to delete or lose the photos, so apologise for that and the absence of images!

I should probably state upfront that I don't usually like glazed carrots. I'm not generally a fan of any sweetened vegetables, and I think carrots are pretty perfect on their own. However, I did like the look of this glaze and it seemed like an easy way to make our meal more exciting.

Sadly, I didn't end up liking them. Given my taste preferences, this is probably not too surprising. Mr Bite wasn't a fan either though, and he does like regular glazed carrots. I guess something about the combination didn't quite work for either of us. I'd be curious to know if others have tried and liked them, though, because it seems like I should have enjoyed the dish and I'm wondering if something went wrong in my preparation?

Sunshine Kale from Peas and Thank You

This, as one might deduce, was made just this week. I put my exciting weekend kale discovery to good use.

This recipe explicitly calls for Tuscan and not curly kale. However, I wasn't in a position to be fussy  and so curly kale it was. 

I followed the dressing ingredients closely, but reduced the quantities to match 1/2 head of kale, omitted the garlic, and used sweet chilli sauce instead of chilli powder. Thus, I also didn't add the sugar. I did use the optional nutritional yeast.

I was apprehensive before trying this as kale had a big reputation to live up to - but I liked it. I can see that kale is definitely a vegetable to have with something, and it may be the only time I'd want salad dressing on my salad. The flavour combination worked well in this case and I'm now looking forward to comparing raw kale with cooked.

After all of those vegetables, though, I think it's time for dessert...

Raw Vegan Carob Maple Brownies to Make You Swoon, from Wayfaring Chocolate

These did make me swoon.

Hannah's Raw Brownies with Chocolate Icing of Pure Amazingness featured in my last recipe round up. I loved those, but I loved these even more. I found them slightly less sweet than the first variety and I adored the carob in them.

Interestingly, though, despite my enjoyment of the carob component, they didn't taste strongly of carob per se. It was like a caroby-chocolatey-maple-syrupy mix. A swoon-worthy one. One I think even non-carob likers might like.

I can't comment on that, though, because I ate my batch all by myself.

Have you enjoyed any recent bookmarked recipes that you've made?

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A Jamie Oliver inspired dinner: Smoked salmon with asparagus and optional eggs

I will confess to chuckling to myself as I wrote the above title. I think it must rank as one of the least likely post titles to appear on my blog.

I mean, eggs?!

Sometimes, though, unexpected things come out of my kitchen. This dinner was one such example.

We actually have smoked salmon semi-regularly during Summer - perhaps once a month. Paired with salad and cooked and cooled potatoes, it's an easy weeknight dinner for hot days.

The fact that Mr Bite and I can have the exact same thing (salad dressing differences aside) is also a bonus, and I have come to enjoy smoked salmon more and more with age.

Eggs, though, do not usually feature. Nor does asparagus.

The reason for the change? Jamie Oliver's Great Britain, a series that I think aired in Australia last year, but which we are still working our way through now (all of our TV viewing is done off the PVR, so we are often many months out from when things were first shown).

One of Jamie's episodes featured asparagus, and the serving suggestion of asparagus, smoked salmon and poached eggs appealed to Mr Bite. Given that the meal looked easy to put together, I was more than happy to oblige and give it a try.

The thing that made this dish interesting (or at least, made it interesting to me) was how the eggs were poached. When I have poached eggs in the past, they went straight into boiling water, perhaps with some vinegar to help keep them together, but that was the extent of it.

This cooking method is slightly different.

In effect, you line a small cup or ramekin with cling wrap, into which you place seasoning as desired. In Mr Bite's, I put a dab of butter, pepper and dried parsley, which I think approximated what we watched Jamie do. You then crack an egg into each cup, gather the plastic wrap to make a little parcel, twist the plastic wrap tightly, and then immerse the whole parcel in your boiling water and simmer for 2 - 5 minutes, or however long you like to poach your eggs for.

The result is quite attractive, even to someone who doesn't eat eggs!

Picture this with added potato; and then with potato but no eggs for my plate :)

We both agreed that the asparagus (which I just steamed) and smoked salmon paired very well together. Mr Bite liked the egg component too, including the seasoning. We had our usual cold potatoes on the side, but I think some fresh bread might suit the ingredients better and I would try that in future.

This was the first time I'd had asparagus in a number of years, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The contrasting intensity of the salmon contributed to this, but I think I'll be trying asparagus in other dishes in the near future too.

All in all, however you make and modify this dish, it is easy and we both enjoyed our versions. The cost for 2 people was also about half of that for a take-away pizza, thereby highlighting that even 'expensive' food (something smoked salmon and asparagus have a reputation for) can be cheaper and quicker to prepare than something you buy ready made.

Do you enjoy asparagus? How about smoked salmon?
Any favourite Jamie Oliver dishes?

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A weekend

Cooler weather.

Consecutive days below 30'C. Overnight temperatures as low as 14'C. We can sleep with the windows open and the quilt on. And venture outside without having hot air scorch us. Perfect.

A new baby.

The first to a friend in 2012. What's more, the first to one of my school (vs. university / work) friends - and thus the first to a friend who is actually younger than me! 

Surreal. And a beautiful little girl.

A trip to the local library.

Something I always love. And now I have travel books calling my name. 

Work.

It's been many, many months since I've worked for any length of time on the weekend. But a nauseating To Do list hovers over me like a tidal wave about to break, and I suspect weekend work will be needed again before the month is out.

 Things will improve after February, though, and I can get through one month. I just have to breathe. And swim if that tidal wave does crash.

Kale.

I thought it didn't exist near me. It turns out curly kale is at the fruit and vegetable markets I visit every week...they just usually sell out before Sunday.

I hope I like it after months of considering it beyond my reach!

What has your weekend involved?

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Vegan chocolate peanut butter cups

Are you ready for these?

I hope so, because I've been waiting to post about them since last December. They didn't really fit into my pre-Christmas baking, and then I thought rich, chocolatey, peanut buttery snacks might not suit the post-Christmas period very well.

And then I temporarily lost the piece of paper on which I'd scrawled the recipe. This was a very worrying period. Very worrying indeed.

However, the recipe has since been found, Christmas and January are over, and I think the time is now right.

Vegan chocolate peanut butter cups

Adapted from a recipe for the same at Hungry Hungry Hippie

Vegan

Makes 6 large cups or 8 - 10 small

Print recipe

Ingredients

For the chocolate coating

100g 70% dark chocolate (I used Lindt)

1 tbsp stevia or other granulated sweetener

1 tbsp non-dairy spread (I used Nuttelex)

1 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

For the filling

Just under 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (I used crunchy)

1 tsp stevia or other granulated sweetener

Pinch salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Method

Set 6 large, sturdy muffin liners (or 8 - 10 small) on a plate or on a baking tray.

Combine the chocolate coating ingredients (dark chocolate, stevia, non-dairy spread, milk) in a heat-proof bowl. Melt in the microwave or a double-boiler until just smooth (you want the mixture to be melted but not runny). I used a microwave on low - medium power, stirring in 20 second increments until done.

Spoon half of the melted chocolate mixture into the bottom of your muffin liners. Place in the freezer for ~5 minutes, to semi-set.

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the filling. When the bottom chocolate layer is set, place ~1 tbsp of filling into each muffin cup.

Spoon the remaining half of your chocolate mixture over the peanut butter filling, to give six covered peanut butter cups (you may need to return the chocolate mixture to the microwave at this stage, if it has thickened up). 

Set in the fridge until firm, at least 1 hour.

Oh my goodness me.

I had high hopes for these, and my hopes were exceeded. The darkness of the chocolate pairs perfectly with the peanut butter filling.  The firmness of the chocolate coating works to offset the creaminess of the centre. I can't remember why I used stevia over regular sugar (I am guessing because the recipe I adapted did), but it worked.

The overall experience is a shut-your-eyes, breathe in, settle back adventure.

Despite being incredibly delicious, these also have the advantage of being suited to single serve eating. The dark chocolate coating means that one at a time is enough. Just right, but enough.

I no longer need to grieve for the lack of vegan peanut butter cups in Australia. Or pay imported prices for the non-vegan Reese's variety.

These might have been messier than shop bought (and they definitely were messier than shop bought!), but they were oh-so-good.

Have you surpassed your own hopes with something you've made recently, food-related or otherwise?

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What I've enjoyed this month: January 2012

When I thought back over my 2011 posts at the end of last year, I realised that the posts I most enjoyed re-reading, and which I got a lot of enjoyment out of writing, were those on "what I'm enjoying" or "what I'm grateful for".

As a way of reflecting on each month whilst also keeping this positive focus in mind, I thought I would start a monthly tradition of looking back on what I've enjoyed over the previous 4 weeks.

Here is my list for January.

Unhulled tahini

What a discovery this was. I went on to enjoy it on its own, with crackers, in wraps, and with Ugly Duckling Muffins.

On one particularly inspired occasion, I even enjoyed it with an Ugly Duckling Muffin, applesauce, and plain yoghurt. This combination is highly recommended!

Definitely a meal in a bowl. Quite possibly the best meal in a bowl I've yet had this year.

Jigsaw puzzling

 Mr Bite and I got this 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle at Christmas:

Quite a lot of pieces, and quite a lot of blue sections that blurred together...definitely a challenging sort of enjoyment :-)

It took us almost one month exactly, but last weekend we completed it.

As an added bonus, we now also have our kitchen table back. Or at least we will once we can bring outselves to break it up and pack it away...

Movies

I mentioned in this post that I only see about three films per year at the cinemas.

It seems that in 2012, I am using up my entire quota in the first month. I have now seen Sherlock Holmes 2 (very good) and the US release of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (brilliant - see it!), and we are going to see Hugo in 3D tonight.

I blame the hot weather for this unprecedented movie run. It's probably fortunate that I've enjoyed what I've seen, because this may have to last me until next January!

Summer fruit

I think I've already drawn two comments from Mr Bite on how much fruit I'm capable of eating at once. It's certainly a lot at this time of year.

Apricots, plums, nectarines, grapes, and mango are proving current favourites.

Frozen desserts

See the above 'heat' reference. In addition to all the usual frozen products I enjoy (frozen fruit and yoghurt included), I've recently discovered Weis sorbet in Summer Berries. I'm also still enjoying the homemade berry equivalent, in the form of banana and raspberry 'ice cream'.

What are you enjoying at the moment? What has your January involved?

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