Five Quick Desserts

I hate to post so late during the week, but I like to think that there are some out there who would love to get stuck into some great desserts over the weekend. Enjoy!

If you need some quick desserts that will get you out of trouble when you have little time and people arriving on your doorstep?

My husband loves his desserts, but to be honest I don't have time to be making them every day, and my waistline doesn't need to have anything extra added to it. When there is dessert on offer - I eat it, and because of that I need to try and stick to something reasonably healthy, or just eat fruit, except on special occasions.

I've been stealing playing with recipes from friends and family, internet, my old recipe file and just about everywhere to come up with a few quickies.  These have seen me through a few desperate days when I needed something fast, yet good enough to serve to friends and family.

Luckily, I have a lot of rhubarb in the garden, and it is growing like crazy at this time of year.  Here are a few of my favs, with links to the websites where applicable. I have made all of them as the photos will show, and they are all fast to make and pretty darn healthy. Well, I am stretching that a little......

Roasted Rhubarb- serves 4 

a quantity of rhubarb stalks washed and chopped into large pieces
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 star anise
zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice

Chop up the Rhubarb into small lengths and place it in an oven tray. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and spread this over the rhubarb. Bake in a moderate oven 160º fan forced/180º/350º until soft, around 30 minutes. Remove star anise and serve with custard, ice cream or cream.

Alternatively, you can make this into a Rhubarb Fool. 
Whip a carton  of cream, 300mls until thick and slowly incorporate the rhubarb. Keep some of the juice aside. Now fill up some sundae dishes, glasses or whatever is at hand, dripping the juice over the top. Add a sprig of mint to finish this off. Serve by itself.

Apple - Pastry Roses

I was really impressed with the way these 'Apple Roses' looked - so pretty. This was very fast to make and I only cooked them for 30 minutes.  The only problem I found with the recipe was that after cooking the cream cheese just seemed to disappear. I have replaced cream cheese with Mascarpone and mixed in lemon zest. I found this worked much better. Also cook the apples until they are really soft so they are easier to roll.

You will find the recipe here:  
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/74239093841437331/

Raw Chocolate Mousse - 4 serves

2 ripe avocadoes
1/2 cup carob powder
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut milk
pinch salt

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend together. Empty into a container and place in the fridge for 1 hr. Serve with fresh fruit or by itself. Just increase the quantities if you need to make for more people.

Banana and Raspberry Ice Cream - 4 serves

2 large frozen bananas, peeled
1 cup frozen raspberries/strawberries

Place the bananas and the raspberries in a food processor and pulse until it turns into ice cream. You may need to stop the machine a few times and scrape down the sides. Use immediately or store in the freezer in a sealed container. But remember to take out of the freezer for a good 10 minutes before serving, to allow it to soften. 

Its worth keeping some frozen bananas in the freezer at all times. They are great for smoothies too.  Don't forget to peel and slice them before freezing.Because it's damned hard and messy trying to peel them after they are frozen - believe me I have tried. This is fabulous on a hot day and really as good as any home made ice cream.

Pears, Pears, Pears, Pear, Avocado and Parmesan Bruschetta

Yes it is pear time! They are ripening beautifully on the trees in my local orchard and with autumn closing in, new seasons pears and apples are flooding the markets.  It's a time to really enjoy these wonderful fruits.

Pears have so many personalities. They can be sweet and 'tarted' up with sugar and chocolate (see my post under Chocolate and Pear Tart ), and with pastry and eggs. They can be mean and savoury in a chutney or pickle or quite refined with a cheese board. 

There's nothing to dislike about pears. Did you know that it was the Romans that first cultivated the pear, and brought it to Europe - as they did with so many other things! Those amazing Romans, is there anything they didn't do?? Although they have been grown in China for around 3000 years.

All pears are low GI, have about 22 calories each, contains vitamin B2, C and E, copper, iron and potassium. And they are delicious to eat just by themselves.
There are many different kinds of pears and each are treated differently in the kitchen, so it is best to find out from your fruit seller which pears are suitable for your recipe. 



So why am I waffling on about pears today? I want to introduce you to one of my favourite fast recipes - Pear, Avocado and Parmesan Bruchetta. A great entree or lunch dish in 5 minutes.

AVOCADO, PEAR AND PARMESAN BRUSCHETTA

INGREDIENTS - Serves 2 people

1 avocado peeled and mashed

2 pears cored and sliced

shaved parmesan

4 slices of sour dough bread

salt and pepper

rocket or lettuce for garnish

squeeze of lemon

• Toast the bread
• In a small bowl mash avocado. Add a squeeze of lemon, salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• Spread toast with mashed avocado, top with 2 or 3 slices of pear. Give another squeeze of lemon to the pear to stop it browning.
• Top the pear with shave parmesan and add rocket or shredded lettuce. You can serve with some extra lemon quarters.

Its as simple as this, now eat it and enjoy it.

Noodle, Avocado and Tofu Salad

Happy New Year to you all. Thank Goodness Christmas is over and the world can get back to normality. Although is there such a thing when the world is still in turmoil?

If you are in the southern hemisphere, no doubt you are experiencing some hot, wild weather and unfortunately with that comes savage bush fires. And yes they have been very savage this year. One can never imagine the devastation, the loss of your entire home and contents and your community all but gone. It is very saddening.

On the opposite side of the world, there is war, famine and floods.  Having returned from holiday recently to find part of my house flooded and ceilings destroyed, I feel lucky that it was only minor damage compared to that in UK.

While I wait for the insurance company to work out compensation to replace the damage to some walls and carpets, I thought it wise to get back into the kitchen to try and maintain some sanity to my world.

It's hot, it's humid and it's summer! I want something yummy but I don't want to have my house warmed up with the oven on.

So tonight I've made a Japanese inspired salad with noodles, tofu and avocado. There's some cooking but it's minor and that will help maintain a cool house and a cool head.

NOODLES AVOCADO AND TOFU SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 packet Japanese style marinated tofu (Teriyaki) sliced thinly

1 large avocado diced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

200g noodles - either soba noodles or Singapore noodles

3 tablespoons pickled ginger chopped

1/2 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

Lebanese cucumber, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons Mirrin (Japanese cooking wine)

3 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari

Big squeeze of lemon juice

3 spring onions, sliced thinly

100g natural cashew nuts lightly toasted and roughly chopped

100g baby spinach leaves

100g snow peas,  trimmed

Make the dressing first.

In a small bowl add Mirrin, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, pinch caster sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar and set aside.

Cook noodles in a large pan of salted water, according to packet instruction (depending on which noodles you use). Once cooked rinse under cold water and drain. Immediately toss with remaining sesame oil. The noodles need to be cooled before using in salad.

Steam snow peas until tender, refresh under cold water and cool.

Dice avocado and liberally coat in lemon juice to prevent browning

In a bowl mix, noodles, tofu, cucumber, snow peas, ginger, spinach and coriander. Pour the dressing over and mix thoroughly. 

Top the dish with diced avocado, finely sliced spring onions and cashew nuts.

I love this dish because it is so easy to put together yet it has all the flavour of Japan, highly nutritious and quite low in calories.

Avocado Breakfast Pancakes

I'm still harping on about breakfast and I do get it that time is precious in the mornings. If you prepare a little before you go to bed, then nine times out of ten you can still vary your breakfast menu. Or take it from me you can hold onto this recipe for a lovely, relaxed, Sunday brunch!

Avocados were way too exotic for my family when I was growing up.  My first avocado taste was when I was well into my teenage years. Not surprising that it is one of my faves now. I could live on avocados and tomatoes because they are both so versatile and you can use them both in sweet and savoury dishes; it is hard not to fall in love with them.

What do you know about this humble avocado?  It contains fibre, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and anti oxidants; they are not only delicious to eat but packed full of essential ingredients. Yes, they do contain fat but it's a good fat and that's fine. Check out the Australian Avocado  website for more information.

You can serve this pancake many ways (or get creative and make up your own version). Scroll to the end of the blog for variations! Avo good weekend!

AVOCADO BREAKFAST PANCAKES

Ingredients   This makes 8 small pancakes, suitable for 2 people

3/4 cup SR Flour

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

1 egg beaten

1/2 - 3/4  avocado mashed

1/2 cup of milk - or soy, almond, coconut
juice of 1 orange
Maple Syrup
Oil or butter for greasing the pan

For serving - A sliced banana, Maple Syrup, plain yoghurt

Mash avocado with orange juice and set aside.

Mix beaten egg with milk, add flour gradually and mix until smooth. Add the sugar and the avocado/orange mixture. At this stage the mixture may look a little lumpy, that's fine.

Leave the mixture to rest for 30 minutes.

Take a non stick pan and heat a little oil or butter. Once the pan is hot add a ladle or two of the mixture. Once the pancake has turned a light golden colour, flip them over and cook the other side. 

Handle them gently because they are quite soft.

Serve with sliced banana, plain yoghurt and a little Maple Syrup.

Other Serving Suggestions

Omit the sugar and orange juice - Add chopped parsley, salt and pepper to the mixture before cooking. Serve with a poached egg and finely grated Parmesan cheese on the top.

Serve with a dollop of plain yoghurt, mashed banana, sprinkle of cinnamon

Omit the sugar and orange juice -Try serving these pancakes with lightly roasted tiny tomatoes, and mushrooms and asparagus which have been cooked in a little  butter on a hot griddle.

Breakfast Eggs with Basil and Avocado

Back home after a fantastic 5 weeks walking the Thames Path in southern Britain and I'm happy to be able to share some amazing photos, ideas and new recipes over the coming months. 

It was lovely to wake up in my own bed, listen to the sounds of the cockatoos and smell the eucalyptus! Home!

Although walking was the main reason my friend Stephanie and I went to the UK, we teemed this with eating; sampling delicacies from Spain and India, vegetables from the Middle East and delicious cheeses from France; croissants, bread, nuts and salads and anything and everything that looked interesting. Plus a whole lot of summer fruit, grown in the heart of England. 

We've eaten in some pretty interesting restaurants too, Rick Stein and River Cottage Canteen  (more about these later) and tried a great mixture of wines, beers and ciders, hic!



Enjoying some of the best food that Britain has to offer comes with one drawback - extra kilos! And while the main purpose of this trip was to WALK, we had to keep the body fuelled and herein lies the problem!

To be able to get into a pair of bathers over summer, without looking like a beached whale, my eating habits have to change and now! Hopefully with some great low calorie recipes, fasting on 2 days a week, reducing portion sizes and increasing exercise I may stand a chance. I need will power!!!!

I'm looking forward to experiencing appetising salads and vegetable dishes and sharing them here, and where possible I will include the calorie count. (If you are in the northern hemisphere - think of this as preparing yourself for next summer)

Some of my worst experiences in England centred around breakfast. Feeding large numbers of people in pubs/hotels must be a bit of a nightmare, but day after day of being offered the same food became tedious.

Eggs, bacon, beans, sausage; a range of pastries, toast and packet cereals. In Winchester, the hotel had tried to make a bit of an effort by  adding a 'smoothie' but the combination of flavours was uninspiring and after one mouthful I left it alone.

I love breakfasts, its a great way to fuel up your body for the day ahead and it's in our best interest to find recipes we can keep going back to; low calorie, easy to make, but damn delicious. 

What's your favourite breakfast food? I hanker after porridge, fruit and yoghurt and now I have bought a Ninja Pro, some great combinations of smoothies.

But wait - I'm beginning to sound really boring - here's something new to start with! Its a quick easy recipe that will have you bursting with energy and your friends green with envy!

 Avocado Eggs with Pesto and Spinach

Ingredients

This recipe is for one person

2 free range eggs

2 tablespoons pesto, home made or shop bought

1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced thinly

Turkish bread

50g baby spinach

1/2 bunch of asparagus sliced vertically

knob of butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt and pepper


I buy Turkish bread and slice it into 4 or 5 piece and freeze it, then I'm not tempted to eat too much.
You have to multi task and get all of these elements going at the same time so everything is ready to eat as soon as it is assembled

• Take an average slice of Turkish bread and cut into 2 and toast it
• Take a large pan and fill with boiling water for poaching eggs
• In a non stick fry pan heat a very small knob of butter and olive oil and
• Saute the asparagus for a few minutes and set aside. Now add the spinach and cook until it is wilted
• Crack eggs into the boiling water and cook for around 3 minutes
• Place the wilted spinach on top of the toasted bread,  add slices of avocado 
• Remove the poached eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and put on top of the avocado
• Give a good helping of salt and pepper
• Place a tablespoon of pesto on top of each egg then finish the whole dish off with asparagus spears
• Check seasoning and eat!

This is the yummiest breakfast I have eaten for a very long time.

The Mean Green Cucumber

It is time to turn my attention to getting my body back into better shape. Is this possible she asks herself, taking into account age and current state of the body?
I have read that it is never too late to improve strength and reduce BMI, but I need to take everything into consideration including, motivation, courage and limitations due to injuries sustained dancing and playing sport in earlier years.
My weekly exercise program is 1.5 hrs of Pilates, 30 minutes Aerobic Dance Class and 1 or 2 Weight Classes per week and I am trying to walk on days when I am not at the gym. I'm willing to try a personal training session every month to keep me on track.  I have allowed myself 12 months to achieve this. If you hear the grunts and the groans along the way stay with me, it's only my way of attracting attention!!

Continuing with two fasts per week, (that is only consuming up to 500 calories on two days per week) I am eating normally on the other 5 days. Dropping back alcoholic drinks to weekends only and special occasions and reviewing food portion sizes, I can still eat fantastic food.  I will NOT stop eating the food I love, but I will be re-testing recipes to find healthier options and hoping eating smaller portions will do the trick. Cream and chocolate will appear less, but will still be included because there is a definite place for both in my life.

One of my friends has thrown me a cucumber challenge this week. It seems she has a trillion growing in her garden and needs help to use them in an interesting and yummy way. I really like cucumbers, hot day, cold, crunchy mouth watering cucumbers and so low calorie. The first few eaten straight from the fridge would be great but then I suppose the novelty would wear off. So I am posting a few recipes for you all to try. I hope you like them. The bonus is they are all healthy and low in calories, so no excuses!

Creamy Cucumber and Avocado Soup

I am starting with this one because you can serve it warm or cold, depending on your weather conditions. So if you are in the Northern Hemisphere and a cold soup doesn't appeal, try it warm!

I must admit this is one of my favourite recipes because it is so creamy and has a little zing to it. Don't shrug it off because it is made from cucumbers, you may be very, very surprised.

Ingredients

4 Cups peeled, deseeded cucumbers

2 Cloves garlic

1 Small onion diced finely

1 tbls Olive Oil

1 Ripe avocado peeled and diced

Pinch salt

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper 

1 tbls Lemon juice

Few sprigs mint chopped

11/2 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup Plain yoghurt

1/4 cup Parsley, chopped

Place oil in a large frypan with garlic and cook until soft but not brown, 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook for a few seconds before you add cucumber (save a few fine rounds for garnishing), stock, cayenne pepper, mint. Cook on low heat until cucumber is soft, this takes about 10 - 1 minutes. Parsley and avocado should be added now with a small pinch salt.

Using a stick blender, a blender or a food processor, puree until you are happy with the consistency.

If you are going to eat this immediately add the yoghurt and parsley and stir this in. If you are eating it cold then cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

If you want to save this and reheat it later in the day, don't add the yoghurt now but wait until you have reheated it and then stir in the yoghurt just before serving. To serve, garnish with a round of cucumber and a mint leaf. Grab a bagel, slice it into 4 rounds and lightly toast. If you have 1 slice with a small bowl of soup it is approx 219 calories. Brilliant!