Lemon poppyseed cake - gluten free

Lemon poppyseed cake

Not the best photo but the batteries ran out before I could take a better one.  Plus I had planned to either ice with a lemon buttercream or make a lemon syrup to pour over - however hungry mouths started devouring before it was even cool!

Here is the recipe:

3 cups GF flour - *  see note below
2 tsp GF baking powder (made up beforehand from Thermomix EDC book)
3/4 tsp ground sea salt
3/4 cups sugar - use rapadura or raw
1/2 cup butter (made in TM)
2 tblsp lemon rind
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (made in TM)
1/2 cup oil - eg rice bran, grapeseed, or nut oil

Method:
Grind almonds to make almond meal and set aside in large bowl with the rest of the flour mix, baking powder and salt.  Combine.
Place lemon rind and sugar in TM bowl and grind for 15 seconds on speed 10.
Add butter and cream on speed 5 until fluffy (about 10 seconds)
With blades turning on speed 4, add eggs 1 at a time until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk and oil.
With blades turning on speed 4, alternately add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture until combined.  Pour into a greased 20cm springform tin and bake for 40 minutes at 180C or until cooked.

*  I make up a batches of GF plain flour using 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch and 1/3 cup tapioca flour and leave in the cupboard to use in place of plain flour. For this recipe I used 2 cups of this mix and 1 cup of almond meal to give more depth to the flavour and moisture to the cake (and better nutritionally)

May competition

Who would like to receive a few extra goodies with their Thermomix this month?  Because it's Mother's Day, my Thermomix team are running a little competition.  Everyone who purchases a Thermomix this month will go in the draw to win a beautiful hamper full of wonderful gifts that we as a team have put together for you including Thermomix goodies, candles, natural therapy sessions, free cooking classes amongst other wonderful things.  As well as going into the draw for this, all purchases in May will also receive a bonus cookbook - the Best of our Recipe Community and I am also throwing in a My Way of Cooking book (RRP $60).  Let your partner know now what you'd like for Mothers Day!

12 months Interest-free

Finance is the perfect way to purchase you Thermomix if you'd like to spread the payments and even better is that we are offering 12 months interest-free on finance orders placed between now and the 8th June.  Give me a call if you'd like to organise buying your Thermomix this way.  Phone 0403765952

Wild Honey!

 Watch out for some recipes using wild honey soon - we just had over 2kg of honey removed from a hive in our garden!

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Loaf

This is similar in texture to a carrot cake

100g sorghum flour

100g potato starch

50g tapioca flour

2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 tsp GF baking powder (made in TM)

1 tsp bicarb of soda

1/2 tsp xantham gum

100g rapadura sugar

80ml grapeseed oil

60ml buttermilk (made in TM)

3 eggs

200g sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped

100g zucchini, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 160 C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Place zucchini and sweet potato in TM bowl and chop on speed 5 for 7 seconds or until finely chopped. Set aside.

In TM bowl, combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarb of soda, xantham gum and sugar. Mix for 10 seconds on speed 5 until combined.

Add oil, buttermilk and eggs and mix on speed 5 for 10 seconds until combined - do not over mix

Add sweet potato and zucchini and mix on reverse, speed 3 for 5 seconds or until combined, do not over mix.

Spoon into prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until cooked thoroughly. Allow to firm up in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack.

Serve warm, spread with fresh TM butter.

Gluten Free Mixed Nut Slice

90g white rice

30g cornflour

40g rapadura sugar

100g butter (made in TM)

1 tblsp coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

Topping

150g mixed nuts eg almonds and cashews

1 tblsp maple syrup

2 tspns rapadura sugar

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 10 x 7 inch rectangular baking tray with baking paper, leaving paper to overhang on each end.

Put sugar and rice flour in TM bowl and grind for 1 minute on speed 9. Add cornflour, butter, coconut oil, vanilla and egg and mix on speed 5 for 20 seconds until combined.

Spread the mixture evenly over the base of the prepared tin.

Without cleaning TM bowl, place nuts into bowl, lock lid and press turbo once until roughly chopped. Add maple syrup and remaining sugar and mix on speed 2 and reverse for 5 seconds or until combined. Press nut mixture evenly onto base.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until evenly browned. Remove from oven and allow to firm up in the tin for a few minutes before gently lifting and placing on cooling rack. Cut into slices when cool.

In the Mix is second at the Gourmand World Cookbook awards! Congratulations Dani!

In the Mix: Great Thermomix Recipes, went to Paris this month to be part of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. In the Mix came in second! The award director, Edouard Cointreau, lavished In the Mix with praise.

This cookbook is a beautiful hardcover cookbook filled with Thermomix recipes and photos contributed by chefs and cooks from all over Australia.  If you'd like a copy of would like to have a look, let me know

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

600g of milk cooking chocolate ( do not use compound chocolate)

250g of thickened cream

Approx 30g of Honey

Vanilla bean or 20- 30g of liqueur of choice.

Extra 500g of rich dark cooking chocolate for dipping.

Dessicated coconut or flaked almonds for garnish

Method

Place cream, honey and scrapings from vanilla bean, or liqueur in bowl and heat for 5 mins/100C/speed 1.

Add 600g of cooking choc and mix on speed 1 until choc has melted and cooled to 37C .

Place ganache in a container cover with cling wrap until cooled and you are able to roll in ball shape. Place in Fridge for a couple of hours

Dipping Chocolate

Place chocolate in bowl and grate for 10sec on speed 8.

Melt for 2 ½ mins/50C/speed 2.

Scrape down the sides and mix for 1 min/speed 2/no heat.

Place in a bowl for dipping

When ganache is firm use spoon, melon baller or wet hands to make balls.

If firm enough use toothpick to pick up ganache ball and dip in the dark chocolate. Sprinkle with coconut or flaked almonds.

Set them on baking paper or place them in little cup cake moulds.

Enjoy.

Three Cheese Spinach Scroll

Thanks to Anne Tesconi

Ingredients

100g of cheddar chopped

100g of parmesan chopped

100g of fetta crumbled

2 handfuls of spinach

300mls warm water

20mls oil

1 sachet of yeast

530g of Bakers flour

1 teaspoon of salt

Method

Place parmesan into bowl and grate 8 – 10 sec on speed 8

Place cheddar into bowl and grate for 8 – 10 sec on speed 8

Crumble fetta cheese by hand

Set cheeses aside. Do not wash out bowl

Place spinach in bowl and chop at speed 7/ 5 seconds.

Add warm water, oil and yeast and mix for 15secs/speed 4-5

Add bakers flour and salt and mix for 10 secs on speed 5-6

Knead for 2 mins kneading/interval speed.

Remove dough from bowl onto greased mat, shape into ball and wrap in mat until doubled in size.

Once risen knock back and roll out into a rectangle approx 40 x 30

Then sprinkle as much of the cheeses over dough as you like.

Commence rolling the dough from the short side to form a big scroll/roll

Place on lined baking tray.

Cook for 40 – 45 mins in a 200C non pre heated oven.

To make sure it is cooked tap the bread if it sounds hollow it is ready to come out.

Remove from oven and cut across the grain in thick slices.

Enjoy

Thermomix ricotta cheese!

Thanks very much to Jo who just shared this link with me - how to make ricotta cheese in 20 minutes in the Thermomix and save around 50% in the cost of purchasing it at the store.

Click on Thermomix ricotta for the recipe

Refer a friend and receive a gift

I encourage you all to refer a friend to me to have a demo or purchase a Thermomix.  As from March 1st, I will be offering everyone who refers a friend a gift - you may choose from :
- silicon cup cake moulds - similar to the ones I use in the Varoma demo to make the steamed lemon puddings, or
- two Thermomix eco-friendly bamboo tea towels - these are beautifully soft and absorbent.

March Offer

This month everyone who purchases a Thermomix will also receive the beautiful hardcover Travelling with Thermomix international cookbook.  This is a lovely book devoted to cooking around the world with information about the food in each geographical area it covers.

Also, everyone who hosts a Varoma demo will receive a Varoma cookbook and an Asian cookbook - free if there is a sale at your demo, and half price if no sale.

Let me know if you are interested in having a demo and we can organise a date for you and your friends

Lay-by your Thermomix!

Would you love a Thermomix, don't want to do a finance plan, but can't afford to pay up front?  How about setting up a gift registry with Thermomix and paying off your machine as a lay-by system?  You could set it up for 6 months, make payments whenever you can afford to and have your machine sitting on your bench once it is paid off..... sound tempting?  Imagine - you could have your Thermomix in your kitchen in 6 months time by paying off only $75 per week!

Let me know if you interested in this and we can set it up over the phone.  There is a $70 fee charged by Thermomix, which I will waive to get you started.

Wholefood/Bulk food stockists

Here is a list of Wholefood and/or bulk buy stockists around Australia - some do online shopping with a low delivery fee.  This list was compiled by a fellow Thermomix fan - thank you!

2brothersfood.comwww.2brothersfoods.com
Whole/bulk foods with a flat shipping rate of $3.50 statewide

Absolutely Organic
782 North Beach Road, Gwelup
Array of whole foods, vegetables, diary and (mostly frozen) meat

All About Breadwww.allaboutbread.com.au
Unit7/95 Wanneroo Road, Greenwood
Large array of bread mixes and flours

Frozberrieswww.frozberries.com.au
Unit3/15 Trade Road, Malaga
Free delivery for bulk orders only

IGA Girrawheen
Newpark Shopping Centre, Marangaroo Drive, Girrawheen
Stock Arborio Rice, ditali pasta, beans, etc

Kakula Sisters
90 Hillsborough Drive, Nollamara
Stock European / ethnic products

Malaga Markets
Beach Road, Malaga (open weekends only)
Scoop and save stall near greengrocer

Nugyen’s Grocery
Alexander Heights Shopping Centre, Mirrabooka Avenue, AlexanderHeights
All Asian products and fresh produce

Prime Productswww.primeproducts.com.au
Wanneroo Road, Wanneroo
Comprehensive selection of Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan food and groceries

Spud Shed
Northern end of Wanneroo Markets, Prindiville Drive, Wangara
Fresh fruit and vegetables; meat and other grocery items

Veeoswww.veeos.com.au
361 Wanneroo Road, Balcatta
Specialise in European products

Weigh ‘n Paywww.weighnpay.com.au
An array of whole and ground products
Charlies Fresh Food Marketwww.charlies.com.au
Cnr Beechboro Road and Walter Road, Morley
Gourmet meats, cheeses and olives

Dynamic Organicwww.dynamicorganic.com.au
47B Breakwater Parade, Mandurah Ocean Marina, Mandurah
“Additive and chemical and pesticide free products, many organic”

Fancy Pantrywww.fancypantry.com.au
88C Moreing Road, Attadale
“Quality produce, with a focus on West Australian products”

Hills Seafood Wholesale Food Merchants
4 Wandeara Crescent, Mundering
Bulk wholefoods. Ask for Fernando

Kakula Sisters
Stores also at Fremantle and Northbridge

Loose Producewww.looseproduce.com
2 Hobbs Avenue, Como, 6152
“Quality food ingredients available by the teaspoon or the truckload”

Manna Wholefoods & Cafewww.mannawholefoods.com.au
274 South Terrace, South Fremantle
Organic fruit and vegetables, cleaning and skincare products, large range of bulk wholefoods for pantry as well as vegan, macrobiotic and gluten free foods.

Malibu Fresh Essentialswww.malibufresh.com.au
Malibu Shopping Centre, Malibu Road, Safety Bay
“Conventional products and a wide range of organic fruit and vegetables that are completely free of potentially harmful pesticides and chemicals”

Pantry Man

Prime Productswww.primeproducts.com.au
Stores also at Osborne Park and Northbridge

Spud Shed
Jandakot, Rockingham and Mandurah
Fresh fruit and vegetables; meat and other grocery items

Swansea Street Markets
East Victoria Park (not a weekend market)
Wholesale Fruit and Vegetables

The Lettuce Shopwww.thelettuceshop.com.au
Home delivery service of fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, milk, nuts, etc
Perth based business that supports local farmers where possible
Demeter Farm Millwww.demeterfarmmill.com.au

Green Caravanwww.greencaravan.com.au
On-line shop and organic food co-op

Greenies Real Foodwww.greeniesrealfood.com.au
Shop 12, Rapid Creek Shopping Village
Organic Health Food Shop inDarwin

Kakula Sisters
Stores also at Fremantle and Northbridge

Kombuwww.kombuwholefoods.com.au
105 Hyde Street, Bellingen, NSW
“Your friendly organic grocery and healthy living store”

Zenergy Bulk Foodswww.zenergybulkfoods.com.au
105 18A Griffith Street, Coolangatta, Queensland
A large array of bulk foods including nuts, gourmet, baking goods and sauces.

February Customer offers for owners and non-owners

I just wanted to share February's fantastic offer with you - all customers who purchase a Thermomix in February also receive a Thermomix carry bag - this is invaluable if you plan to take your Thermomix travelling with you or even if you are just taking it over to a friend's place for a group Thermomix cooking session as I have some customers do.  The bag has a floating floor which allows the feet to sit safely, preventing damage to the scales in transport.

I am also placing all owners who host a demo in February in a draw to also receive a carry bag, so for those of you are yet to have your Basic or varoma demo, give me a call and we can arrange one for February.  Also, don't forget you also receive the 2.2L Thermoserver on hosting your first demo!

Choice Thermomix reviews

Choice rates Thermomix - and it does fantastically as expected!!


Choice article November 2010


Choice article November 2011

Kale,Pear, Parsley, Apple, Orange Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 Green Apple
• 1 orange – peeled
• 1 Bartlett pear
• 2 Kale leaves or a good handful of small ones
• Handful of Parsley
• 1 tray of ice
• 160g of water

Method

Add all ingredients except the water to the TM Bowl and puree speed 9 for 30 seconds while still running pour water into TM keep running for 1- 2 minutes.

General Tips

Kale may not be the first thing you think of when making a smoothie, but it is definitely one of the best. Dark leafy greens like kale are packed with calcium in a form that is easy for the body to absorb. Kale is also one of the few plants that contain iron, with the additional benefit of vitamin C, increasing the uptake of the iron. Although Kale is strong in taste, the 3 fruits in this combination is a unique flavour and the Thermomix blends the ingredients to a smooth, creamy consistency. You can change the fruits to taste, lemon gives a sharper finish

Recipe by Elaine Finn

Dog treats/bisuits

Thanks to Lea Syme from 2011 cooking class for this recipe

 Ingredients
100g of rice
200g Whole meal flour
100g of Oat Bran
60g of parsley
120g of carrot
120g of Mozzarella Cheese (or half tasty and mozzarella)
30g olive oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
80g water

Method

Mill rice for 40 sec on speed 9
Add parsley, cheese and carrot chop on speed 7 for 10 sec or till finely chopped
add rest of dry ingredients mix together for 5 secs then add in water and mix on speed 6
for 10 secs till combined.
roll out dough and cut into shapes, bake in oven on 160 for 30 mins, watch they don’t
burn take out let cool if not hard re-bake for 15 mins on low heat.

Vinyl wrap

If you are interested in changing the look of your Thermomix, take a look at the vinyl wrap link on the link bar above - there seems to be a huge variety of ideas to choose from

Marzipan stars

Ingredients

250g sugar

250g blanched almonds *

¼ tsp almond essence

2 tbsp cornflour

1 egg white

Method

Pre heat oven to 175 C

Place sugar into TM bowl and mill to icing sugar for 10 seconds on speed 9 and set aside

Place almonds into TM bowl and mill for 15 seconds on speed 7

Add icing sugar, almond essence, cornflour and egg white and mix for 40 seconds on speed 5 with the aid of the spatula. If the mixture is sticky, add a little extra cornflour (this unbaked mixture is ‘raw’ marzipan and can be used to make tiny marzipan fruits, in other recipes requiring marzipan or to decorate a Christmas cake).

Roll the mixture onto the Thermomat dusted with cornflour. Cut into star shapes with cookie cutter and place on a lined baking tray or on top of mince tarts. Bake for approx. 15 minutes or until light golden.

*To blanch almonds in Thermomix, cover them with water in the TM bowl and heat for 4 minutes at Varoma temperature on Reverse and Speed 1.

Recipe from Thermomix Festive Flavour cookbook