Recipes

Milk and Honey Bread

Milk and honey bread is a luxury bread, or at least, I think so!

Soft, sweet, moist and light all at once!

Milk and honey bread is a real treat in our home and the kids absolutely love it.

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Since the coronavirus pandemic began I had not been able to find white flour anywhere to buy. I know it’s been the same for many of you, as the need and desire for home baking has increased and suppliers were overwhelmed with trying to restock.

I’m so grateful to have my grain mill and we do love whole wheat bread (find my own recipe here), but occasionally I love to make an all white bread for my family as a treat.

Well, this week, my husband was able to buy a 10kg bag of unbleached white flour. I usually buy 25kg bags, but when he walked in with the 10kg bag it was as if he had walked in with a sack of gold, I was so excited!

So, the first thing I decided to do with this new bag of white flour was to make the milk and honey bread that I had not been able to bake for so long.

This bread makes wonderful sandwiches and is especially delicious when eaten on the same day it’s baked. But, I must tell you that it makes the.most.wonderful. toast on the next and subsequent days!

There are only 6 basic ingredients to this recipe. It takes a little longer with a few more steps than my Whole Wheat Bread recipe, but trust me, it’s worth the effort!

This recipe makes 2 x 500gram or 1 pound loaves. I find it easiest to bake them in loaf tins, (these ones look great!) as the dough is very moist and doesn’t cope so well with being a round loaf on a tray – it won’t hold shape that way.

Milk and Honey Bread

5 from 1 vote

Soft, sweet, deliciously moist!

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 cups Warm milk Made up milk powder is fine too
1 teaspoon Dry active yeast
2 tbsp Honey
3 cups White, unbleached, plain flour
2.5 tsp salt
4 – 4.5 cups White, unbleached, plain flour (additional)
1.5 cups Warm water

Method

Whisk warm milk and honey together in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk in 3 cups of white plain flour, 1 at a time. Cover this mixture with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Whisk the salt into the yeast and flour mixture.
Whisk in the warm water, making a thin batter like mixture.
With a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time. If your mixture is too wet, you can add more flour. If it is too dry, don't add the full amount of flour recommended (which is why we add 1 cup at a time). Aim for a dough that is very moist, quite sticky, but not too difficult to handle.
Use my dough turning method as outlined in the post.
Sprinkle dough lightly with flour, cover with clean kitchen towel and leave to rise until doubled in size, usually 1 – 2 hours, depending on your room temperature.
Shape the dough into 2 loaves and place them in loaf tins, either oiled or lined with baking paper. Cover again with towel.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees celsius or 437 farenheit.
Allow dough to rise 20 – 30 minutes or until the dough looks nice and risen in the tins. Slash the tops and place in the oven.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Cool loaves on a baking rack.

To review the dough turning method as shown in this video:

I hope you enjoy this bread as much as my family does. If you try the recipe and love it, will you do me the big favour of leaving a 5 star review? I would appreciate that so much! I would also appreciate if you try this recipe and are on Instagram, please tag me so that I can share your loaves in my stories. Feel free to use the hashtag #kellysmilkandhoneybread as well.

As always, if you have any questions about this recipe, please leave a comment, I love to hear from you.

Until next time…

Happy Baking!

Choc Coated PB Lumps

by Kelly 12 Comments

When I was a teenager I had a friend whose Mum made the most delicious peanut butter balls, coated in chocolate. It seemed every time I visited, there were balls in milk, dark and white chocolate, freshly made and ready to be eaten.

Unfortunately, they were also very unhealthy, made with lots of butter and icing sugar.

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I later came across the American “Buck eyes” which seem to be very similar to my friend’s peanut butter balls. Lately I’ve had a real hankering for these delectable balls, but they don’t exactly fit in with my attempts towards healthy eating and lifestyle.

I thought there must be a way to obtain a similar flavour to the traditional buck eyes in a healthier way.

It turns out there is!

The ingredients are really simple. This is something I’ve come to really love about healthy food, ingredients are usually very minimal because you are using good, natural food close to it’s natural state. It’s a wonderful way to eat.

For this ingredient amount, you will get about 12 chocolate lumps. You can easily double the recipe for a larger crowd.

So, this recipe uses lovely almond flour (almond meal), my secret addiction (peanut butter), vanilla extract, honey and my other not so secret addiction (dark chocolate). You can use either milk or dark chocolate, but if you’re opting for the healthiest option, dark is the way to go.

I used crunchy peanut butter, but you could use smooth if that is your preference.

Now, a little disclaimer. Although the taste is very similar to the unhealthy version, the texture of these is quite different – a little more grainy and cakey. Which doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but I just wanted to let you know.

Choc Coated PB Lumps

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3/4 cup Almond meal (almond flour)
2 tbsp Peanut butter
1 tbsp Honey
1 tsp Vanilla extract
100 grams Dark or milk cooking chocolate

Method

Place all ingredients except the chocolate in a bowl.
Mash together until fully mixed and forming a paste.
Push mixture into moulds (if using) or roll into balls if you prefer. If using moulds, it's easiest to place them in the freezer for half an hour. Otherwise, regrigerate until very firm.
Melt cooking chocolate over a double boiler or you can sit a ceremic bowl on top of a small saucepan with a little water.
Using 2 forks, dip your peanut butter pieces or balls in the melted chocolate and place on non stick baking or parchment paper.
When all are dipped, place in the fridge to harden, then store in the fridge until you're ready to eat some.

Another disclaimer is that the chocolate coating part is a little messy and the end product a little blobby. Hey, they may not be as Instagram worthy as some, but once it’s in my mouth it’s all the same, so who cares? 😆

If you roll the mixture into balls, you can eat just as they are, without the chocolate coating, if you prefer. Or, if you love the chocolatey aspect but have run out of melting chocolate, you could try rolling the balls in cocoa. I did this recently, and while the result is not as decadent as melted chocolate, they were still totally delicious. Like most of my recipes, these are quite adaptable!

Just recently I decided to try making my own almond flour instead of buying it pre-made. The benefits of making your own are twofold.

The almond flour freshly ground will contain more nutrients than flour that has been sitting in a packet on a shelf for months.

It is much cheaper to buy whole almonds than to purchase already ground.

I actually think freshly ground tastes better too!

If you’re interested in grinding your own almond flour you do need to have a food processor or other appropriate grinder.

I found that I couldn’t get my fresh almond flour ground quite as finely as the commercial stuff, as there is the risk of the almonds becoming too wet as you grind, if you over grind.

But interestingly, I found that I preferred the slightly grittier consistency of the freshly ground whole almonds.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please comment below if you try it and if you enjoy it, please leave me 5 stars to let me know!

How to make bread – my No Knead Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

by Kelly 25 Comments

I’ve been making home baked bread for my family for at least 15 years (yes, I supply ALL the bread, but I have helpers too!) I started baking our bread at home for a few reasons – curiosity, nutrition, economy and self sufficiency. It is the perfect time right now to learn how to bake bread at home.

The idea of knowing exactly what was going into our bread, the superior taste and the cheapness of making it has made baking our own a priority.

Around 4 years ago, I bought a Hawos Billy 100 grain mill after wanting one for 10 years (I’m very patient 😎). It sits out on the kitchen bench as it’s in constant use. The first time we set up the mill and ground some wheat, I tasted some on it’s own and was immediately hooked. I had bought commercial wholemeal flour from the supermarket, but grinding it fresh is really next level.

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I buy my wheat from Simply No Knead and have it delivered. If you’re in the U.S. and looking for some wheat to grind , you can get hard white wheat berries here. If you’re wondering about the differences between red and white wheat, check out this helpful article.

Milling our own grain is a huge blessing at this time when currently there is no commercial flour available to buy due to coronavirus related panic buying. I bulk buy my wheat in 20 kg bags and have plenty of it, I’m so thankful.

I’ve always wanted to share with you all how I make bread. Over the many years of baking for my family, I’ve devised my own methods to make the process faster, easier and more achievable. My methods are no knead, low mess, low ingredients and very straightforward. I’ve tweaked my methods to streamline the process and am very happy to share this with you!

Now, if you have flour and wish to use that, go ahead! This recipe is very adaptable and has the same basic components of flour, yeast, salt, water and oil. You can use white or wholemeal flour, or a combination, they all work. You may have to adjust your liquid amounts slightly, as wholemeal flour takes up more water.

If you prefer your bread on the sweet side, you may want to add in two tablespoons of cane sugar or two tablespoons of honey. I do this occasionally as an extra treat for the kids.

Then you will just need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon, 2 bread tins, and you’re ready to bake some delicious bread! If you are going to make bread a lot, you will want a good bread knife, it will take the headache out of slicing. My husband gifted me this Mundial Serrated Knife right at the beginning of my bread baking journey and I use it every single day. Alright, let’s check out the recipe!

Let’s just go over some measurements first so that we’re clear on amounts. If you don’t know how much grain to mill to get the required amount of flour, 5.5 cups of whole wheat grains grinds up to 7.5 cups of flour. This amount of grain and flour also equals 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). 1 litre of water is equivalent to 1.05 quarts.

Kelly

No Knead Wholewheat bread

5 from 2 votes

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Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

7.5 cups Wholewheat flour (I use freshly milled)
1.5 tsp Instant dried yeast
2.5 tsp Salt
1 litre Warm water (Around 1 quart)
3 tbsp Sunflower oil

Method

Weigh and mill your whole wheat grain, if using. Otherwise, measure out your commercial wholewheat flour into a large bowl.
Add yeast and salt to flour and mix through with a wooden spoon.
Mix the warm water and oil together in a jug.
Make a well in the middle of your flour and pour all of the liquid in.
With a wooden spoon, mix gently to begin combining the wet and dry ingredients.
When the water is no longer "sloshy", use a chopping action with the wooden spoon to bring ingredients together. You want to eliminate any dry flour spots.
Once combined and completely wet, let the dough sit in the bowl for 3 – 5 minutes.
Using the folding technique shown in the video, fold the dough whilst turning the bowl slightly. Fold it around 5 times. Then allow dough to sit for 3 – 5 minutes again.
Repeat the folding technique 2 more times for a total of 3 times. You will notice the dough begin to change and become elastic.
Sprinkle with flour, cover with a cloth and allow to sit until approximately doubled. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, this could be 1 – 2 hours. My dough took around an hour to double in a warmish kitchen.
Oil or flour your bench surface and tip the dough out. It will be stretchy and airy.
Fold the dough in on itself on each side. Cut in half with a sharp knife.
Shape the two pieces of dough into loaves according to the video instructions. Place in prepared loaf tins.
Sprinkle with flour and cover with cloths to rest for around 30 minutes. Begin to preheat your oven to 225 degrees celsius (437 farenheit).
Score your risen loaves with a sharp knife and place in the oven for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and tins and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting open.

Did I tell you that this bread freezes well? I make up a batch of 4 loaves at a time, the maximum amount my oven will hold. I usually keep one loaf out for the next couple of days (if it lasts that long, often it does not) and put the rest in individual freezer bags, tie them up well and freeze until needed.

You will want to watch the video I’ve put together in order to learn the techniques I use, as these are crucial to the success of your loaves.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and bake some bread for your family! Please leave any questions in the comments section, let me know if you are going to give it a try, or if you already have. I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time…

Happy baking!

Healthful Toasted Muesli (Granola)

by Kelly 10 Comments

I know, I know, there are thousands of recipes for toasted muesli (or granola) on the internet. But I’ve been fiddling around to try and make a healthy, not too oily, but not too dry recipe.

And I’ve hit on something pretty darn good! There is the base recipe, but then you can add to that according to what you have at the time. This batch was timed to coincide with a visit to a Lebanese nut shop, so we had a lot of extra delights to put in.

The best part is that many of these ingredients are easily accessible and may be in your pantry already.

It includes those wonderful staples such as rolled oats, raw honey, olive oil, shredded coconut, vanilla extract and sultanas.

All you need to make this recipe is an oven and a roasting pan.

Kelly

Healthful Toasted Muesli (Granola)

5 from 1 vote

Base recipe

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

5 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded or desiccated coconut
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg white (optional)
1/2 cup sultanas

Equipment

Oven, roasting tray

Method

Preheat oven to 170 degrees (C).
Mix all dry ingredients in a tray with sides so it doesn’t spill. A roasting tray is ideal.
Warm the honey until runny and mix in olive oil and vanilla. Pour evenly over dry mix. Mix thoroughly.
Now pour over the egg white and mix thoroughly.
Place tray in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take out the tray, turn the ingredients and return to the oven.
Repeat until the muesli has baked for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and stir in the sultanas.

This recipe is super flexible, making it great for when you have certain ingredients on hand. Here are a few options for ways you can vary your muesli.

Add ins (examples of)

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chopped macadamias

1/4 cup chopped cashews

1/4 cup pistachios

1 cup LSA mix

Chopped dried fruit eg. apricots, peach, paw paw, apple, dates, cranberries

Rules for add ins

*For seeds and nuts, add these in at the dry mix stage.

*For dried fruit add ins, mix in when the muesli has finished baking.

Allow the muesli to cool before placing it in an airtight container. Serve with milk or use as a delicious topping on stewed fruit and yoghurt.

Also makes a delightful gift when placed in an attractive jar.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Don’t forget to comment and let me know how yours turned out. If you love it, you could even leave me 5 stars 😉

When your life is on hold

by Kelly 32 Comments

Where to start when writing a post like this? It’s not like I’ve ever experienced anything like this before. But that’s the thing that really unites all of humanity at the moment. We’re all in this together and none of us are immune from the possible and real effects of the coronavirus.

Many of us are isolated in our homes, some working from home, others facing the uncertainty of job insecurity. No social meet ups. No extended family meet ups. No popping out to the shops to pick up some milk. It’s a completely different lifestyle to what most of us are accustomed to.

I know that there is some concern about the impact all of this could have on mental health if the isolation has to continue for some time. We don’t know at the moment when it will be safe to resume former activities, we don’t know if we will contract the virus, and if we do, we don’t know how bad it will be. There is so much we just can’t predict or plan for.

In many ways, it feels like life is completely on hold. No planning ahead, no getting ready to go back to work or school or social activities. For now, we just have to BE.

People have been talking about the state of JUST BEING for a long time. Of being present in the moment in whatever we’re doing. To think, be grateful, live slow. In the busy, noisy world of today, that goal can feel unrealistic and unobtainable.

Enter quarantine. And self isolating. And social distancing. Enter 2020 and COVID 19.

What if we completely turned this pandemic thing on it’s head and focused on the positives of what it means for us right now?

How many times, as you were rushing off to work in the morning or dragging yourself home at the end of the day, have you wished that you had more time? Have you thought to yourself “if only I had an extra day, I could take the time to learn to…… (fill in the blank)”. Or when you’ve been absolutely run off your feet and wondered why? Why am I doing this? Is this what I was meant for? Then why am I so unhappy?

That hobby that you’ve “always wanted” to get started with. “Maybe when I retire!” you may have joked. Or “I’ll do it once the kids have all left home and I have some time to myself”.

How about now? In this time of major uncertainty, perhaps you feel a bit lost. But maybe it’s time to search and find. Maybe it’s time to discover what God is leading you to – what talents are waiting to be revealed, perhaps even find out what you should really be doing and who you really are.

I’m finding that it’s wonderful time, not just for discovery, but re-discovery as well. I am taking more pleasure and satisfaction in my daily tasks as a homemaker. Baking bread is not just something that I do an have done for a long time anymore, now it’s an important skill that provides my family with food.

Preserving vegetables is something I can take pride in, knowing that my family will have healthy fermented vegetables to eat even if we can’t leave our home to go to the shops.

Our garden has become a major focus as we aim to grow as much of our own food as we can. It’s something that the whole family can work at and reap the rewards and benefits at harvest time. It gives us time out in the fresh air and sunshine too.

I have been thinking for some time how I would like to make soap again, it’s been so long. Now, it happens that you can no longer buy soap, you can however buy ingredients to make soap.

I’ve been writing on this blog since 2008 and if you look back on past posts, many of them are related to simple and frugal living. It’s something I’ve been both striving for and living out for a long time, and something that just makes sense to me. It’s serving us pretty well at the moment!

If you’re interested in reading some of my “posts from the past” related to simple living, I’ll list some here:

The Simple Life

Back to Basics, Frugality revisited

Honey and Oat soap

Cheese and Bacon Scrolls

I have a lot of recipes, all of them are simple and frugal. You can search the “recipes” tab on my blog or type in “bread” or “recipe” in the search bar and you’ll be inundated with posts! I need to do an updated bread blog post, as I make bread in a different, very easy and intuitive way these days.

If you’re looking to learn how to weave, start with my Youtube channel. I promise it will keep you busy for many, many hours!

This has become quite a rambling post, but I guess what I really want to say is: What are you going to do this with this time? How are you going to be different? Are you the person you want to be? The person you were made to be?

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. What will you do with it?

Goodness Gracious Energy Balls

by Kelly 6 Comments

I seem to be craving sweet, nutrient dense foods frequently in the afternoons.

A cup of tea with something sweet around 3-4pm seems to be just what I need. I used to have a sweet, commercial cookie to dip in my tea, but that is way behind me now!

Something that I love about switching to a healthier lifestyle is that I have found I don’t have to compromise on taste or treats – I just need to find a way to make it tick some healthy boxes.

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And, if it’s quick and easy to prepare a batch that I can then have waiting for me in the fridge or pantry – even better!

These little energy balls tick all the boxes and then some!

They are sweet, slightly salty, substantial, economical and so fast to make.

To throw these together, I only used ingredients that were already in my pantry and that are always there.

The goodness and simplicity of oats, combined with favourites such as honey and peanut butter, (I can not get enough of the stuff!) coconut, linseeds (flaxseeds) , plump raisins, tahini and vanilla extract. So simple, so delicious!

A recipe like this is so adaptable too, you can put in whatever healthy ingredients you have on hand that you think will work.

*Change the linseeds for sunflower seeds.

*Add some chopped nuts to the mix.

*Switch honey for maple syrup or other natural sweetener.

*Switch the raisins for craisins, chopped dried fig, chopped dates or sultanas.

*Add in some chopped, dark chocolate.

*Dip half of each ball in some melted dark chocolate.

Goodness Gracious Energy Balls

5 from 1 vote

Healthy snack balls that taste amazing!

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Prep Time 10

Servings: 14 serves

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1.5 cups Quick or rolled oats
0.5 cups Dessicated coconut
2 tbsp Linseeds (whole)
3 tbsp Raisins
2 tbsp Peanut butter
3 tbsp Tahini
2 tbsp Honey
2 tsp Vanilla extract

Method

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. I find it easiest to get my hands into the bowl and squeeze everything together. Once well combined, squeeze and roll into balls and store in the fridge.
*Note – if your mixture is a little dry, add more honey
** If you want to make your balls a little more decadent, add some chopped, dark chocolate!

If you try out this recipe, I’d love to hear if you enjoyed it!

Afternoon Choc Hit Bliss Balls

by Kelly 6 Comments

Do you have that typical afternoon slump? For me, it happens around 3:30 – 4pm. I always try to look after myself by having a cup of tea and, if I’m lucky, putting my feet up for a few minutes.

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It’s also the time of day that I start craving a sweet treat. To have something sweet but healthy on hand is a great way to prevent myself from scoffing something that is not so good for me.

Bliss balls are the perfect treat. You can make them in the size you want and from a variety of healthy ingredients. They are quick and easy to throw together. Oh, and they are absolutely delicious!

For this recipe, I’ve used some simple ingredients like almond meal, cocoa powder , local honey, maple syrup, freshly squeezed orange juice (if you love an orange zing, you could even include some orange zest!), vanilla extract and dessicated coconut (optional).

I hope you enjoy my recipe!

Kelly

Afternoon Choc Hit Bliss Ball

5 from 1 vote

A delicious and healthy afternoon treat

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Prep Time 10

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1.5 cups Almond Meal
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tbsp Fresh orange juice
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Dessicated coconut (optional for rolling)

Method

Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Mash together using a fork until well combined.
Roll into balls.
Roll in dessicated coconut or extra cocoa
Store in the fridge in a container.

Here is a little tip: If you can bear to let the balls sit in the fridge overnight, they taste even better the next day!

If you make this recipe, I would love to hear how you liked it, simply leave me a comment below 😊

Winter Butterscotch Pudding

by Kelly 8 Comments

Winter is well and truly upon us in my part of the world, so what better indulgent family dessert to serve up than butterscotch pudding? It uses simple ingredients and only takes 15 minutes to whip up and throw into the oven.

Many of the recipes I’ve tried in the past have had a cloying and somewhat sickly sweetness to them. I thought it about time to come up with my own recipe and it went down a treat!

Before we get started, I’ll answer some questions I know someone will ask.

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Golden Syrup is made with cane sugar and has a very particular, recognisable toffee flavour. It is readily available here in Australia, but this may not be the case for you. Suitable substitutes are Light Corn Syrup or Honey.

The dish that I use for many of my puddings is a 9″ Cast Iron Round Dutch Oven. We have only ever purchased the more affordable types (my husband actually found this one in an op shop for $10 – score!) but if I had spare cash lying around, I would definitely invest in a large Le Creuset. In fact, I’d invest in several, but that’s another story.

You may not be familiar with Pyrex jugs, once are again, they are easily obtainable here. Honestly, my 2 Pyrex jugs are among some of my most used kitchen equipment – they are heat proof and the measurement markings never rub off. They’re also super strong and easy to clean. I love them!

Now, let’s get to that pudding!

Kelly

Winter Butterscotch Pudding

The perfect comfort food!

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings: 6

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1.5 cups Plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
80 grams butter, melted
1 egg
1 & 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 & 3/4 cups boiling water
2 tbsp golden syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar, extra, for topping
1 tbsp cornflour

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius, or 350 farenheit.
Sift flour and baking powder together in a cast iron or casserole dish.
Add brown sugar and stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk and vanilla together.
Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Whisk melted butter into the batter.
In a Pyrex jug or similar, combine boiling water and golden syrup.
In a separate small bowl or cup, combine extra brown sugar and cornflour and mix thoroughly.
Sprinkle the sugar and cornflour mixture over the batter in the dish.
Gently pour the hot water syrup mixture over the top.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until cooked and golden on top.
Serve with thickened cream or icecream.

You could also serve with custard. Or custard and cream. Or custard and cream and ice cream. But that’s probably taking it too far.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, please do let me know if you make it, I’d love to hear what you think! Oh! And did you know that you can rate this recipe? There are some little stars underneath this post so you can leave your own star rating, cool huh?

Bon Appetit!

Kelly’s Easy, No Bake Slice

by Kelly Leave a Comment

This is the kind of recipe I’ll whip up when I need a morning tea or a slice to take to a friend’s house or event. It is very similar to this M&M slice I posted waaaaaaaaaay back in 2010 (yep, I’ve been blogging a really long time!)

The beauty of it is that you can adjust the ingredients to suit you and it will still turn out well!

*This post contains some affiliate links, meaning that if you click on the link and purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

It’s so easy that kids love to make it and they don’t have to wait too long to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Kelly

Kelly’s Easy No Bake Slice

So quick and easy with minimal ingredients. Great for kids

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Prep Time 12

Total Time 12

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 packet Marie Biscuits
1 cup Desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons Melted Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract or essence
1 395 gram tin Condensed milk
1/4 cup Add ins, such as chopped chocolate
2 cups Soft icing sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon Cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon Soft butter
1 or more tablespoons Very hot water

Method

Crush Marie biscuits until fine. I use a food processor for this. Place in a large bowl.
Add coconut, melted butter, condensed milk, vanilla and add ins, if using. Mix until well combined.
Line a 8 x 13″ slice tin with baking paper or grease with butter.
Place your mixture into tin and press down with the back of a spoon (kids like to use their hands) until flat and spread out. Refrigerate while you make the icing.
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Place the butter into the bowl. Pour the hot water over the butter, softening and melting it a little. Stir these ingredients vigorously until smooth. Adjust the water as necessary, adding more if needed.
Pour the icing over the slice base and spread out until covered.
Place back in the fridge until set (a couple of hours, or until the kids can wait no longer!)

*Tips

To crush the biscuits, place them in a strong plastic bag (like a zip lock bag), break biscuits into halves or quarters and roll over the bag with a rolling pin, crushing the biscuits until they are fine. This is best done in small batches.

To prepare the biscuits in a matter of seconds, throw the whole packet of biscuits (minus the wrapping of course!) into a food processor.

A slice tin is very handy but not absolutely necessary. You can use any tray of a similar size with slightly raised sides. You could even forgo the slice option and roll the mixture into balls, then into cocoa or extra coconut.

After spreading the icing on, I sprinkled some extra coconut on top.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know if you give it a go!

Healthy lifestyle plus a recipe for you

by Kelly 10 Comments

If you follow me on social media you will already know that I’ve embarked on a healthier lifestyle. It has been just over 2 weeks and I feel like I’m adjusting – it was very hard initially!

I’m not the sort who copes well with small changes – I’m more of an “all in” kinda girl, so it was important for me to make major changes.

Although I’d like to share my thoughts in more detail with you as I go along, for now I’ll just show some examples of what I’ve been eating. It’s actually been pretty easy to put together healthy meals for myself, even though this seemed daunting at first. I thought it would be too difficult and too expensive to not always eat what the family was eating. It turns out that this was just one of many excuses I’d been storing up in my head!

I have lost a little weight, which has been encouraging.

So, here is a snapshot of what my healthy eating has been looking like. Most of these are pretty simple, throw together, low cook dishes without a real recipe. Just how I like it.

Lets start with sweets. (Also just how I like it!) Chia vanilla pudding with peanut butter banana. It looks sloppy and not all that appetising but as an afternoon snack, it is THE BOMB!

I can’t take credit for the delicious Quinoa and corn salad, my husband made that (he is an awesome cook). Thrown together with some chopped raw zucchini and tomato and voila! Lunch!

Baby spinach and chickpea salad with lemon and yoghurt dressing. Another light and easy lunch.

There is a bed of brown rice under the tomato, spinach leaves, red salmon and walnuts. Topped with low fat yoghurt and low fat mayonnaise.

Salmon and salad pita wrap.

Half a chicken breast, drizzled with sesame oil, seasoned and baked in foil in the oven and served with a bulgur wheat, tomato and cucumber salad. Squeeze of lemon juice and done.

OK, here comes the recipe, because, if you’re like me, one of your biggest challenges is your sweeter than sweet tooth.

Lets call them my

Rustic Banana Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats, blitzed in a food processor

2/3 of a cup of rolled oats extra

2 large, very ripe bananas

1 small egg

1 tablespoon peanut butter

50grams dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (350 F). Blitz your 2 cups of rolled oats in the food processor until fairly smooth.

Mash your bananas, stir in the peanut butter. Whisk in egg with a fork. Add both batches of oats and mix well. Add the chocolate, mixing all ingredients together.

Place scant dessertspoon full of mixture in blobs on a tray lined with baking paper. Press tops lightly with a fork.

Bake for 12 minutes or until browning. Cool on a baking rack.

Perfect for a healthy afternoon snack with a hot cup of tea.

Bon appetit!

I have made a Facebook group so that I have a place to share information and support others (as well as get some much needed support myself!) Please join if you would like to be involved!

Did you like this post? Would you like me to share more of my healthy journey? Let me know by leaving a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts!