Monday 11 August 2014

No Such Thing as a Standard Egg??

When it comes to our chooks it seems like there is no such thing as a standard size egg.

Our baby chicks are laying little eggs and our big chooks have the whole size range covered.

That big one is 127grams!!!  Some poor chook must be a little sore tonight.  The one on the left (as you look at the pic) is a standard 60gram egg.

It's lucky we aren't a professional egg farm, our sorters would be having all kinds of problems.

Can't wait to see how many yokes are in that big one.  We often get 2 but I'm sure this will be more.  Stay tuned.





Sunday 10 August 2014

Rosemary Focaccia

The finished product. - simple ingredients, water, yeast, flour, salt and oil

 It helps when you have a Thermomix to need the dough

Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Rosemary before putting in the oven

Saturday 9 August 2014

Yoghurt Cheese

Some people call this Quark and some call it Labna - I call it yoghurt cheese.  Super simple to make and a great replacement for cheese and dips.  These photos show you how to make it rather than how to eat it.  There are many ways to enjoy yoghurt cheese.   Add herbs or chilli or honey just depends on whether you want a sweet or savoury flavour.  Sometimes I don't add anything and just spread some on a rice cake for a really quick snack. 

 
I use a plastic strainer that fits nicely into a plastic jug.








I place a piece of muslin inside the strainer and then pour in a whole container of my favourite five:am plain yoghurt.




It then needs something on the top to weigh it down.  This pushed all of the liquid out. The liquid is full of pro-biotic so good to put into food or a drink.

This one I left in the fridge for a few days but usually 24 hours is enough.
The strainer I use gives it a great pattern but I don't have a dish big enough to keep it in like this so I've squashed it into the glass container below.



Sunday 3 August 2014

Bliss Balls

I've been making a version of this for about the last 20 years.   For many many years it was a staple treat for the kids and a lot healthier for them than I ever led them to believe.
 
I don't follow a recipe so they are a bit different every time.

This is today's recipe.  I didn't actually measure anything so I'm going have a stab at the quantity.  Basically use just whizz it up till it all starts to stick together.  If it's too dry to stick together, just add more dates.

15 Medjool Dates (seed removed)
1 Cup Almonds
1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
1 teaspoon of vanilla paste
2 tablespoons Cacao Powder

I used the turbo button on the Thermomix until it's combined and sticking together. Then form into balls and rolled in Sesame Seeds.

I like to take a couple of these to work to have mid afternoon rather than visiting the chocolate box or the vending machine.  Two is plenty to cure a sweet craving.   



This is what I take if I haven't made bliss balls.  Ha Ha the lazy woman's bliss ball.   Still bliss to eat though!