Why I loved 2016

My initial thought is “But I didn’t love 2016?!?” because there was so much sadness, stress and general unease over the course of the year. HIM’s brother passing away in December, the stress of purchasing property, having it renovated and then moving (while the renovations are still not completed), being sick for a good portion of the year and learning to adapt to a life with a little monkey around.

But in reality – life is good and I am SO blessed. We bought an apartment, had it renovated (the positive side is that it is almost done and it is what we liked/wanted) and moved in with the help of my mother who flew over from SA to help us. We got to watch Monkey embrace her first year (you can read about it on my mommy blog here) and I realized how much my life had changed and the new friends that we have been lucky enough to make. We travelled to Portugal & South Africa to introduce Monkey to her extended family. We were lucky enough to attend 2 beautiful weddings of people we love and cherish. We celebrated 3 years of marriage and I am so grateful to God for giving me the worlds most amazing husband (& father to our daughter).

And through it all – I still managed to publish 53 blog posts here on my food blog, start a Mommy blog called Monkey and Me Web where I published 31 tongue-in-cheek mommy-type blog posts.

A recap of 2016 showed me that these are my (and your) favourite food blog:

Top 5 recipe posts of 2016:

1. Crunchies (Oat Flapjacks)
2. Rhubarb Cake with Dr Oetker
3. oven baked Zucchini Fries
4. Pumpkin Fritters
5. Banana Upside down cinnamon cake

My Top 5 Finds in 2016:

• Coco Donuts
• Breakfast Delivery Brussels
• Ballekes
• Cirkle
• Secret Gourmand

Your top 5 most read posts (since my blog started):

1. Flapjacks or Crumpets?
2. Paul Hollywoods Traditional Scones
3. My Granny’s chocolate-coconut Biscuit Recipe
4. Pineapple fluff dessert
5. Sugar Free Carrot & Apple Cake

And finally, my wish for 2017 is that you all embrace each & every day; tell those who you care about that you love them and find forgiveness in your heart (and soul) to avoid any ill feelings. May you endure the rain to appreciate the rainbow and more than anything – share good food!

xxx

Jules apricot and coconut squares

How is it the middle of December already? Things have been super crazy busy in our household… because we bought an apartment, got the keys mid November and have had builders renovating it from top to bottom since then. They are supposed to finish up today … but I don’t think the kitchen is installed yet (horror of horrors…) and we move in next week Thursday… plus a few blimps on our health levels in the last month, has left this poor blog a bit unloved.

But I am back with a recipe for apricot & coconut squares… using up some of my Dr Oetker goodie box items before we move apartments.

While packing boxes and sorting through old paperwork, I found this recipe handwritten on a small piece of paper within a birthday card from my aunt Jules (something she must have written just before she passed away in 2014) saying that she thought that I would enjoy making it. I had obviously kept the birthday card and recipe with the good intention of making it – but never did and it must have gotten filed away and forgotten until now.

Christmas time has always been a special time to reflect on the year that has passed, remember the good things and try to put all the negative thoughts & memories into the forgiveness box. It is also a time to remember those that have passed away (either in the last year or in the years before), to shed a little tear, say a little prayer and make sure that they are not forgotten.

So Jules… this one is for you… your hospitality and love for the finer things in life will never be forgotten. Your excessive generosity, love and bigger than life personality make us smile and we try to only remember you for the good years and forget the sad memories.

I added a sachet of Dr Oetker Vanilla sugar to the biscuit/cookie mix and it really added a little something extra! I also used up all the homemade apricot jam that I had made a month or so ago. This is a definite try-again & keep kind of recipe… and super easy

Apricot and coconut Squares

Biscuit/cookie base:
180g butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon of Dr Oetker baking powder
1 sachet of Dr Oetker Vanilla sugar

1 jar of apricot jam (I used my own homemade version – as little or as much as you like)

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 egg

• Cream together butter & sugar
• Add egg and continue to mix
• Then add flour, vanilla sugar & baking powder & knead together
• Press into a shallow baking tray (1/4 inch thick)
• Cover with the apricot jam
• To make the topping, mix together all the ingredients & sprinkle on top of the jam
• Bake at 190C for 25min

 

 

Creamy Courgette Risotto

I love risotto and so does HIM, the only negative part of making it is that you need to be in the kitchen the entire time, stirring the pot regularly and adding ladle fulls of stock as you go. Time consuming indeed, but so worth it when you set down to eat a bowl full of this creamy heaven.

I found this recipe in the BBC Good Food Magazine (June 2014 issue) and adapted it by adding crispy bacon pieces (because… who doesn’t love bacon… right???) and wine. While omitting the toasted pine nuts, lemon & mascarpone – but the idea of adding grated courgettes right at the beginning truly does make for a creamy risotto!

would I make it again – yes!

This recipe fed 4 adults … because the courgettes help to bulk it out!

Creamy Courgette Risotto

50g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 courgettes, (grate 2 of them & dice the third)
210g risotto rice
150ml white wine
1l stock (I use chicken stock)
Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons of butter
150g bacon pieces

• Melt the butter large pot and fry the onion until softened
• Add the grated courgettes & rice, stirring to coat all the pieces
• Add the white wine and sizzle for 1-2minutes
• Add a ladle (or two) of stock and stir
• Reduce heat to medium and stir regularly, adding a ladle of stock at a time as it gets absorbed during the cooking process (takes approx. 20-25minutes)
• Remove risotto from heat, add the remaining butter and a handful of parmesan cheese. Cover with a lid and leave for 5minutes.
• In the meantime, fry the bacon & diced courgette in a frying pan until both are cooked (and bacon is crispy)
• Serve

Crunchies (Oat Flapjacks)

In South Africa – these biscuits are well known as *Crunchies* but in the UK, most people would refer to them as *Oat Flapjacks*.

A crispy biscuit made of rolled oats & syrup… cut into squares and moreishly eaten with cups of tea.

(PS – the reason for the radio silence is because we were in South Africa for 2.5 weeks holiday for a friends wedding and family time, then we finalized the purchase of a new apartment and have just recently started the renovation works… along with our 13 month old monkey starting to walk… so busy busy busy!)

These biscuits are super easy to make and HIM gave them a thumbs up (which in his books is HUGE!)

The recipe comes from the Snowflake Book of Baking which Mommabear gifted to me for Easter in 2001… and I am still slowly working my way through baking every item in it! (Subsequently, I hear that the book has been out of print which is quite sad considering how popular it is!)

Crunchies (Oat Flapjacks)

200g butter
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
15ml golden syrup
160g rolled oats
140g flour
210g caster sugar
80g desiccated coconut

• melt butter and add bicarb of soda & golden syrup
• Mix dry ingredients together & combine with melted mixture
• press into a 20x24cm greased baking tin
• Bake for 40-45min at 160C
• Removed from oven, cut into squares while still warm and leave to cool
• Store in an airtight container (if they last that long)

Secret Gourmand…sweet and savoury tarts

As HIM works in the Chatelain area – he found this boutique shop a few months ago (as you can see from an earlier instagram post)

BUT I recently got treated to a Secret Gourmand delivery… which sported not one, but TWO delicious sweet tarts!

Started in 2009 by 2 pie loving visionaries, Philippe Collignon (the pastry king) & Gérald Evers (the entrepreneur) in a workshop in the centre of Brussels with only 6 oven plates, a mixer & 2 tables – but enough passion (& taste) to get the ball rolling. In 2014, they moved the workshop to Chaussée de Waterloo and more pies were provided. In 2015, a 2nd shop was opened in Place du Chatelain (yippee yeah…), and half way through 2016… a THIRD shop was opened at St Xavier de Bue!

Success comes to those who make it… and this team is making DELICIOUSNESS…

HIM & I both adored this Cherry & Pistachio cream Crumble (11-18€ depending on size) – as we have ordered it ourselves before! A Cherry crumble with pistachio cream & shortbread crumb… with the pistachio cream reminding me of marzipan…

This was the first time that we tried the Passion Fruit tart (12-20€)… and it didn’t disappoint! Almond Dacquoise, passion fruit cream & caramel crust… it was like eating a Crème Brule tart with passion fruit flavour. YUM

These were so good – but my ultimate favourite of their’s must be the Chocolate peanut Tart (12-20€) as it reminds me of Reese’s Pieces (not that I am American or anything…) with a shortbread crust, crunchy peanut butter vanilla mousse & chocolate ganache!

AND – they not only make sweet treats – but they also have a great selection of Savoury pies (aka Quiches) as well. With interesting combinations like Salmon & Broccoli, Crab & Asparagus, Tartiflette (potatoes, cheese, etc) with truffles, and and and…

Share the love – pop into one of the 3 stores & get yourself one (you wont be sorry) or follow them on Facebook, Twitter or instagram

ENORMOUS thanks to the Secret Gourmand & the Claudia Lomma Teams for sending us these tarts to taste!

Secret Gourmand

Addresses:

1. 887 Chaussée de Waterloo, Uccle: Mon-Sat: 10h00-18h00
2. 49 Place du Chatelain, Ixelles: Tues-Sat: 11h00-19h00 & Sun: 11h00-15h00
3. 72 Rue Xavier de Bue, Uccle: Mon-Sun: 10h30-18h30

website: http://www.secretgourmand.be

Disclaimer: Although no money changed hands for this post, we did get to enjoy these treats. All opinions & comments expressed are 100% our own & 100% honest

Chocolate Banana Coconut and Oat Pancakes

I recently saw this recipe on Alida Ryder’s website (called Simply Delicious) – except hers didn’t have the coconut addition.

Breakfast in our house is a very standard affair – especially for HIM… who always has 2 slices of toast with cheese & ham – while mine can vary from time to time – but toast or porridge is pretty normal. However… on really special occasions… pancakes make an appearance.

And on Monkey’s 1st birthday – I decided to make a batch of these… mostly because they are sugar free and included banana & oats (all good things)… but also because I loved how gorgeous they looked on Alida’s blog!

I adapted her recipe by adding 1/4 cup of milk – as the mixture was too thick as well as the desiccated coconut. They aren’t particularly sweet which is why I added a good pour of golden syrup to mine 🙂

Chocolate Banana Coconut & Oat Pancakes

2 ripe banana’s
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup milk

• Place all ingredients into a bowl and using a hand blender – blend until mixture is smooth
• leave to rest for 10-20minutes
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat
• Fry spoonfuls of the batter (1-2min on each side) until brown

Corn Bread

I absolutely love weekends… who doesn’t??

And I have found that Monkey (who turns 1 years old on Wednesday) is starting to engage in more and more solo play… which gives me back my hands and a little bit more time to get back into the kitchen to cook up a few things!

This past weekend, I managed to put together a roasted pumpkin soup, a big pot of chilli con carne AND this lovely corn bread (aka *Mealie Bread* as my South African friends would call it)

I had a tin of KOO cream-style sweetcorn in my store cupboard and was eager to find another use for it (rather then my bog-standard sweetcorn fritters go to recipe) and lo-and-behold… I found this recipe on the YOU magazine website

I adapted it by adding a cup of grated cheddar cheese and a full teaspoon of paprika… and next time, I think a few chopped chillies would also give it an extra zing! VERY tasty and still good on day 2 (when there was very little left anyway :))

Corn Bread

1 tin cream-style sweetcorn
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
60ml warm milk
30g butter, melted (and another 30g for brushing after baking)
350g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup grated cheese

• Mix all wet ingredient together in a large bowl
• Fold in flour, cheese & paprika to form a wet dough
• Place into a greased loaf tin
• Bake for 45min at 170C
• Brush top of bread with 30g melted butter to keep it soft & moist

Plum Cake

In my normal excitable state when it comes to food shopping, I bought more plums than we could eat before they got really ripe. (oops)

But do not fear – this is always a good excuse to bake… right? (I wonder if subconsciously this was my plan all along??)

I found this recipe online (google-box) on the NY Time cooking section for what they called a *Plum Torte*… but to me, this was a cake.

Whatever you want to call it – it was delicious! Simple to make, 50min in the oven and ta-da… a yummy treat easily enjoyed as a hot pudding with custard after dinner or just a slice with a cup of tea in the afternoon.

Plum Cake

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
12 plums, halved

• Beat sugar & butter together
• Beat in eggs, one at a time
• Sift in flour & baking powder & combine
• Pour into a greased cake tin
• place halved plums on top of cake batter (skin side down)
• Bake at 180C for 40-50min

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

When I was pregnant and lacking sufficient protein inspiration – my dietician suggested roasting chickpeas and enjoying these as a snack (instead of crisps). Although I didn’t do it at the time – I did find this recipe in the BBC Good Food Magazine (June 2016 issue supplement) and decided it was HIGH time to finally try them out!

These spicy snacks are more-ish (aka – you want to eat more…) but I probably should have left them in the oven for 5minutes more to get them super crunchy!

Would I make them again? yes… for a healthy snack, they are great – PLUS they are consider one of my 5-a-day and are vegan friendly.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

400g can chickpeas
1 teaspoon sunflower or canola oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander

• Tip the drained & washed chickpeas into a bowl along with oil and spices
• Toss well until chickpeas are well coated
• Place on a baking tray
• Bake for 35min at 180C, moving them around the tray halfway to ensure they dry out evenly

Blueberry Pie (SRC)

OMG… how is it SRC time again? This month as zoomed by at an amazing rate… with Monkey teething (top 2 are starting to make their appearance (and presence) known… and felt), plus a whole lot of training at work and travel on the cards (combination of a weeks holiday in Portugal with HIM and Monkey… and then work trips to Helsinki and Amsterdam in the next few weeks… and THEN… our big holiday in South Africa.. woohoo). Anyhoo – I digress…

This months Secret Recipe Club (SRC) reveal showcases the lovely Wendy of “A Day in the Life on the Farm“. She and her husband are retired police officers who decided to trade in the hustle & bustle of city life for a more quiet existence on a farm. HA! if you read her blog – you will quickly realize that quiet is not a word to be used lightly! Wendy is a busy lady! Up until recently, she looked after her 94 year old mom (who sadly has dementia) but has taken to living in a care home with ease. She is also a granny!!! An avid reader, blogger, gardener. hiker and scuba diver… to name a few… I am not sure where she has all this time!!

I loved her blog… and found it VERY difficult just to choose one recipe… I wanted to make the Tangerine Honey white bread, the Jamacian Me Hungry Muffins, the cherry strudel, or the coconut prawns (to name a few)… but eventually decided to make use of the abundance of blueberries by (re)creating this Blueberry Slab Pie!

Easy as Pie… ha ha… no, seriously… using store-bought pastry made my life SO much easier (and thanks for that tip Wendy) and of course the taste… YUMMY! (FYI – I reduced the quantity by half …). I made this pie using shop-bought circular pastry… therefore no longer a *slab* and took it with to our Church Meet-n-Greet where it went down a treat! By the time HIM got to the table, there was only 1 slice left!

Blueberry Pie

3 cups of blueberries
2x store-bought pastry
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 egg beaten

• Combine berries, sugar, cinnamon & lemon zest in a bowl and leave to rest while you prepare the pie dough/crust
• Roll out the one portion of pastry onto a greased baking tray
• Evenly spread the blueberries across the pastry
• Top with the 2nd portion of pastry
• Crimp the bottom & top pastry together
• brush with beaten egg
• Cut vent holes with a sharp knife (very important)
• Bake for 30-40min at 200C