Orange and Pistachio Cake

Orange and Pistachio Cake

The baking ban is over thanks to being on cake duty at work for this month's birthdays. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to bake something spectacular, but it was a blessing in disguise as this cake is wonderful! It is deliciously moist, however remains light unlike other flour-less cakes. 

Zucchetti (Zucchini Spaghetti) with Tuna, Olive and Tomato Sauce

I'm a little bit in love with my Zyliss julienne peeler due to its versatility. I use it for salads, rice paper rolls and now, pasta! Given the glut of zucchini around at the moment, I decided to give zucchetti a shot. It is super easy, incredibly quick to cook, and tastes great! What an easy way to get a serve or two of extra veggies in per day, not to mention the extra nutrients and fibre. A much better alternative to slim pasta any day ( and much cheaper!)

Homemade Coconut Yoghurt

A few months ago I jumped onboard the coconut yoghurt bandwagon to see what all the fuss was about. Coconut yoghurt fills a void for those with dairy and soy allergies in addition to the coconut fanatics out there. However, I was absolutely gobsmacked by the price! Given how cheap coconut cream/milk is, I don't understand why the commercial coconut yoghurts cost upwards of $10 for a 400g tub.

Spaghetti & Meatballs Cake

Ahhh novelty cakes! So much fun to make. If only I had children. Luckily my friends and brother are all big kids so they don't mind a bit of novelty factor for their birthday cakes.

This was my brother's cake.

Macaron Madness!

It's no secret I love macarons. I love their versatility and endless flavour combinations. I also love the fact that so many people are afraid of making them so I get lots of requests!

Here are some of the better ones over the last year...

L-R Plum pudding, gingerbread, candy cane, pistachio

200 of these babies later and I was sorted for Christmas gifts and dessert!

Plum Pudding

So simple to make - buttercream, a jar of fruit mince and spices.

Gingerbread

The wilton sugar decos make all the difference! Recipe thanks to Mr Zumbo. Absolutely delicious!

L-R Salted caramel, fruit tingle

My new favourite technique - stripes! So easy to do, all you need is a paintbrush and gel dye. Simply grab your piping back and draw stripes of dye from the nozzle to the end of the bag. Place your uncoloured macaron mix in the piping bag and voila! Stripy macarons!

Chocolate, Hot Cross Bun

The bunnies need a bit more practice this year!

Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons

Gobbled down in an instant at work!

Strawberry Cheesecake filling

Lemon curd buttercream with raspberry gel

Tasted better than they look!

Stay tuned for more macaron fun this year!

Sarah xx

Mushroom San Choy Bau

1 large serve!

Unlike some families, san choy bau wasn't a dish that was on rotation in our household. I've probably only ever had it once or twice in my life. As it seemed like a nice summery dish and I could eat it with my hands, I thought it was worth a shot.

I couldn't quite find a recipe that suited my liking so I modified a few and this is what I came up with.

Refreshing Green Smoothie

Everything tastes better with an umbrella straw!

I've jumped on the green smoothie bandwagon. I already eat plenty of vegetables but if I can sneak another serve or two in at breakfast all the better! I much prefer smoothies over juice as they are more filling and more nutritious due to the added fibre content. Juice has much too much sugar for my liking!

Due to Melbourne's excessive heat lately, I've been having smoothies post workout because I find them to be a more nourishing and satisfying breakfast especially with a some protein powder added. I've lately been using Sunwarrior which not only tastes delicious, but isn't so gritty. The best thing with this one is that it serves two, so you've got breakfast already prepared for the following day!

Raw Carrot Cake

The last slice. Got a pic just in time!

I've been on a baking hiatus for a little while so what better to do than try some raw food!

This is delicious AND fairly healthy too. It still has a fair bit of sugar in it from the dried fruit, but combined with nuts, coconut and chia, it will keep you full for hours. At just over 100 calories per slice you can't complain!