Paleo

Paleo Lunchbox Squares – Pear & Coconut

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Paleo Slice © Coming into the New Year, mums will be beginning to think about school lunches all too soon! But it needn’t be stressful! With these delicious bars, children should feel happily surprised when they open their lunchboxes! 

They are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free and super easy to make!

Sweetened with just a little honey and the dried fruit they are a great little snack! I made these a few years ago and now that I have a family they are the perfect thing to have ready made in the cupboard! My little boy really enjoys them!

You can cut them into long muesli bar type shapes, but I’ve gone for something a little different! You can also double the mixture if you want them a bit thicker. They are quite chewy when made the way pictured, and a little more ‘cakey’ if made thicker.

Play around with the flavours. you could add cranberry and  pistachios or chocolate chips (naturally sweetened) etc. Paleo Slice 2 ©

Paleo Lunchbox Squares
Yields 12
Golden, crunchy, guilt-free lunchbox squares.
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Ingredients
  1. 30g Dried Apple
  2. 30g Dried Pear
  3. 80g Almonds
  4. 20g Shredded Coconut
  5. 20g Pepitas
  6. 40g Sunflower Seeds
  7. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  8. 40g Coconut Oil
  9. 40g Honey
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line a small rectangular slice tin with baking paper and set aside.
  2. Place the apple & pear into the Thermomix and chop 2 Sec/Speed 9. Set aside.
  3. Place the almonds into the Thermomix and mill 10 Sec/Speed 9.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients, including the reserved apple and pear and process 10 Sec/Speed 6/Reverse.
  5. Once mixture has come together place into the baking tray and pat down evenly with a spatula.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Spice Roasted Mixed Nuts

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I’ve been making these little gems for years now! These gorgeous nuts are just so more-ish!! Once you eat a couple you can’t help but go back for a whole handful! You won’t ever need to buy those flavoured nuts in the supermarket again!

They make gorgeous little gifts in little glass jars with ribbons wrapped around, or just served as an hors de oeuvre at any big gathering or celebration! Or perhaps the perfect side to when you have people over for celebratory drinks! You’

I use a range of different nuts! Whatever you have in the cupboard will work, but I do find some of the nicest are macadamias, cashew, almonds, walnuts, pecans etc. I will say that I don’t usually buy the packets of ‘mixed nuts’ though as the walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts all seem to go rancid quicker than cashews and macadamias do, so they tend to stale the whole packet! Instead, I buy my nuts in bulk and keep them in the fridge or freezer to extend their shelf life. 

You’ll notice I use egg white and you might be wondering why! Well it’s because the egg white helps all the spices stick nicely to the nuts and not fall off! Genius really!!

I do use some coconut or rapadura sugar. This isn’t necessary but it does add a nice sweetness and balance of flavour. If you are avoiding sugars just leave it out. 

Spicy Roasted Mixed Nuts
Delicious golden crunchy spicy bites!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 Eggwhite
  2. 20g Rapadura or Coconut Sugar
  3. 2 tsp Cumin
  4. 1 tsp Coriander
  5. 2 tsp Garlic Powder
  6. 2 tsp Onion Powder
  7. 1 tsp Paprika
  8. Sprinkle of Cinnamon
  9. 1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  10. 2 tsp Tamari (optional)
  11. 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  12. 125g Macadamias
  13. 125g Cashews
  14. 125g Almonds
  15. 125g Walnuts
  16. 125g Pecans
  17. 125g Hazelnuts
Instructions
  1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 180º.
  2. Place the egg white in the Thermomix. Add the butterfly and whip 40 Sec/Speed 4 or just until soft peaks form.
  3. Add sugar, spices, salt, tamari, and oil and mix with the butterfly still in 3 Sec/Speed 3.
  4. Leave the butterfly in and add the nuts and mix 10 Sec/Speed 1.5/Reverse.
  5. Place evenly on the baking trays and roast for 15 minutes at 180º, stirring occasionally throughout the cooking process.
  6. Once cooled store in an airtight container.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Healthy White ‘Chocolates’

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 Here are the much anticipated Christmas ‘chocolates’!! So simple and easy to make, yet so pretty and good for you!

 

Healthy White Chocolates

You will need my Coconut Butter recipe to make these. Using part coconut butter and part cacao butter gives them a little more texture and a delicious nutty flavour. Cacao butter is also very strong in flavour, so the coconut butter tames it down a little too.

I found these really cheap silicon chocolate moulds at IKEA. They were about $1 or $2 and work a treat!Chocolate Moulds

You can use rice malt syrup in this recipe, however I try to balance my use of this sweetener due to it being so highly processed. In this instance I go for honey. If you choose raw honey, which I always recommend, it is that one step closer to nature and where it came from! It has been through minimal processing and is still full of antioxidants and cleansing properties for our bodies. Honey has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. However, if you are after a more subtle flavour you could use maple syrup which also gives a lovely flavour. Keep an eye out for my more in depth blog post on sweeteners which I’ll put up in the new year!

Play around with whatever nuts and flavour combos you like. I’ve done them before with freeze-dried Raspberries & Blueberries (as pictured above). It is just delightful and the red & blue colours also look very Christmassy! I love the texture of freeze-dried berries. They are super light, yet the sweetness and vibrant colours are still preserved! Yum! I order my freeze-dried berries (you’ll notice I use them in a few other things too) online at iHerb and they are fairly cheap. My lovely client who came for a cooking lesson the other day loved the berry one just as much, if not more!

White Chocolates - Berry Continue reading →

Thai Chicken Rissoles

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Thai Chicken Rissoles best 3These are an absolute staple in our house! I make these for my husbands lunches. With a great big salad, these are the perfect meal. They are very easy to make, are a great source of protein, and are also packed with veges.

My little boy also loves them, and I love that they are full of hidden vegetables! Onions, garlic and ginger for immune building and nuts for added texture and good fats.

I leave the chillies in, even for my little boy. He has been used to eating spicy foods since he was little, as I want him to enjoy a wide variety from a young age. The long red cayenne chillies aren’t that hot, but you can leave them out if your child is sensitive to spicy foods!

You will notice that I have diced the onions and garlic and capsicum and panfried them first. This probably comes down to my OCD, as I like some things to be precise! You can chop them in the Thermomix if you couldn’t be bothered to dice yourself. I cook them off in a fry pan before adding to the mix as I don’t want them to make the mix watery. You also get nice caramelisation in a pan which adds loads of flavour!

These are great also as a dinner option served with roasted/steamed vegetables.  

Thai Chicken Rissoles best 2

Thai Chicken Rissoles
Yields 35
Perfect for lunchboxes! Packed with veges, chicken and aromatics, these are a perfect source of good carbs, protein & good fats! Reader Channy says: This is such a flavour-filled recipe, and so simple to make! This would be amazing served cold with a fresh salad on a warm summer night. I see this becoming a household fave!" - The 4 Blades Magazine July 2016
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
CURRY PASTE
  1. 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves (stalk removed)
  2. 2 stalks Lemon Grass (white part only)
  3. 1/4 bunch Coriander (inclu roots & stalks)
  4. 5cm knobs Ginger
  5. 1/2 Lime, zested
  6. 2 Red Cayenne Chillies, de-seeded
RISSOLES
  1. 4 tablespoons Olive Oil, plus extra for pan frying
  2. 2 Large Red Onions, finely diced
  3. 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
  4. 1 Red Capsicum, finely chopped
  5. 1kg Organic Chicken Breasts, roughly chopped into 3-4cm pieces
  6. 2 Zucchinis
  7. 2 Carrots
  8. 100g Cashews
  9. 100g Macadamias
  10. 4 Spring Onions, thinly sliced
  11. 2 Organic Egg, lightly beaten
  12. 1 Tbsp Celtic Sea Salt
  13. 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
  14. Gluten Free Breadcrumbs or Almond Meal (for crumbing)
CURRY PASTE
  1. Roughly chop all the ingredients into 1-2 cm pieces. Then add to the Thermomix bowl and process 5-10 Sec/Speed 7. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
RISSOLES
  1. Bring a large fry pan to medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, the finely diced onion & garlic and sauté till golden brown. Add to the large mixing bowl with the curry paste. Repeat the process with the remaining olive oil and capsicum and add to the large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the chicken, 500g at a time, to the Thermomix and process 5 Sec/Speed 5. Transfer to the large mixing bowl also.
  3. Roughly chop the carrot and zucchini into 3-4cm pieces and add to the Thermomix bowl. Chop 10 Sec/Speed 4. Add to the mixing bowl.
  4. Add the nuts to the Thermomix bowl and chop 12 Sec/Speed 4. Add to the mixing bowl.
  5. Add the spring onions and give the mix a good stir at this point before adding all the remaining ingredients.
  6. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add some olive oil (Be careful not to smoke the oil). Roll the mix into rissole shapes & coat with breadcrumbs or almond meal. It is quite a loose mix, so handle them with care. Add to the pan and cook for 2-4 mins each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer onto a paper towel lined cooling rack. Serve warm with a fresh salad or vegetables & garlic mayo or thai tomato relish.
Notes
  1. Refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for future use.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Coconut Butter

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Coconut ButterCoconut Butter – What a brilliant alternative for those avoiding dairy! It is uniquely different to coconut oil in that it is made from the dried flesh of coconuts. Sometimes it is marketed as coconut oil, however they are two different things. Coconut butter contains the oil as well as the coconut flesh. It’s uses are endless. Much much cheaper to make than to buy and takes all of 4 minutes in the Thermomix.

Coconut Butter was one of the 1st things I made in my Thermomix as my sister-in-law had been trying to make coconut butter in her food processor (as had I in a commercial food processor at work!) and it was taking us about 10-20 minutes! I just chucked a bag of shredded coconut in and wanted to see what would happen – well how fast it was!! I rang my sister-in-law straight away! She was not completely convinced on the machine, until of course I went to visit and she saw it make such light work of this butter!

The heat during the cooking process is important as it will help to get the oils working in the coconut a little quicker. Even if you don’t set the Thermomix to 37°, it will reach this temperature being on for 3 minutes anyway, but will be a little quicker if you select it from the start. This method will give you a great puree consistency, but don’t expect a completely smooth result like dairy butter.

I use shredded coconut, but coconut chips work really well too. I find the more oily your coconut, the better the result, thus I find either shredded or chips better than desiccated.

You will need this coconut butter recipe to make my Choc Peppermint Creams.

Coconut Butter
A wonderful alternative for those who can't have butter! Makes 500ml (2 cups).
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Prep Time
4 min
Prep Time
4 min
Ingredients
  1. 500g Shredded Coconut
Instructions
  1. Place the coconut into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 1 minute/Speed 8.
  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue processing for a further 2 minutes/37°/Speed 6.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend a further 1 minute/Speed 7.
  4. Store in an airtight container out of the fridge. If refrigerated it will set quite hard.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Almond Milk

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Almond MilkWhat a wonderful alternative to cow’s milk. This almond milk is really easy to make! It is completely raw, the almonds have been activated and with the addition of celtic sea salt which contains many vital trace minerals and the good fat of coconut oil, this is a winner for health benefits.

Activating the almonds is really important. It deactivates the enzyme inhibitors, helping us to be able to digest them much more easily and it brings the nuts to life!Soaking-Almonds-©-265x300

You will notice that I add a small amount of maple syrup. I do this whether I am making it for sweet or savoury use. It brings out the flavour of the almonds and doesn’t taste sweet as it’s such a small amount. You could use honey or rice malt syrup if you preferred. 

The addition of sunflower lecithin is optional. The milk will separate after a few hours in the fridge due to the fat from the nuts not emulsifying with the water. Lecithin is a fat emulsifier so it is the perfect solution. There is much question over soy lecithin, so when I learnt about sunflower lecithin you can imagine my delight. It will keep the milk homogenised and give it even more of a creamy texture!

Straining-Milk-225x300Above I’m straining the milk through a muslin cloth or nutmilk bag.

When I weaned my little boy off breastmilk I used this milk to replace his 1-2 daytime feeds. He just loved it. (As almond milk is not a complete meal replacement of breastmilk or formula for an infant or baby please be aware that my little boy was already eating a substantial well balanced diet by this stage. The almond milk was an addition to his diet.)

And perhaps you should go try my Chocolate Almond Milk too! Perfect for parties or as a yummy treat!

Almond Milk
Makes 1 Litre A wonderful super easy to make nut milk! Perfect as a Dairy Free option! You can then use for cakes, cookies, savouries etc! Or turn into Chocolate Milk or Choc Banana Milk or Raspberry or Strawberry Milk etc.
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Ingredients
  1. 170g (1 Cup) Raw Almonds
  2. 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  3. 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  4. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  5. ½ tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  6. 1 tsp Sunflower Lecithin (optional)
  7. 1 L Filtered Water
Instructions
  1. Place the almonds into a bowl, cover with filtered water and leave to soak overnight (or for at least 12 hours).
  2. Drain the almonds and place into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 7-10 Sec/Speed 9.
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients & blend 1 minute/Speed 9.
  4. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or muslin cloth.
  5. Refrigerate and serve.
Notes
  1. You can decrease the amount of nuts used. The amount I use here makes for a really rich & creamy milk, however you can reduce this. I would tend to use a minimum of 100g raw nuts(approx. a heaped 1/2 cup) to 1 Litre of water. Remember also that once the raw nuts have been soaked they will weigh less than unsoaked raw nuts. So make sure you weigh your nuts before soaking!
  2. Nut milk will keep for approximately 3 days. It is suitable for the freezer too.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Kale Chips

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So who’s tried these things?? A wonderful craze of the healthy foodie world! What a seriously brilliant snack though! My 22 month old has been munching on them since around 1 (when it’s ok to introduce collards), and he just loves them! I find it such a fun way of introducing healthy snacks for kids and there are just so many varieties you can make! You just need to get creative!

I spent quite some time playing around with different oven temperatures until I found what I think is the perfect temp! (You can of course use a dehydrator, but this is how you do it in an oven). Some say 200º, others 180º, but I kept finding it was so tricky to not let them burn. I mean only slightly brown on the edges, but I didn’t like the slight bitter flavour that even a brown edge gives. I also love the vibrant green colour of kale and want to preserve that as much as possible! So 150º degrees does it for me! They always come out vibrant green, with no brown edges and are beautiful light crispy ‘chips’.

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You will notice that it is such a small amount of oil used. It’s really important not to drown the kale in oil as they won’t dry out and get that slightly crispy texture if you use too much. It’s also important to rub it all in as much as possible so you don’t end up with some really drenched leaves and some leaves that completely miss out!

Kale Chips
Delicious crispy guilt-free clean eating chips!!!...Even the kids will love them!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 Bunch Kale (Curly Green or Cavalo Nero)
  2. 2 tsp Olive Oil
  3. 2 tsp Savoury Yeast Flakes
  4. 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  5. 1 tsp Onion Powder
  6. sprinkle Celtic Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Line some large baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
  2. Take all the kale off the stalks, being careful not to rip the leaves too much. Wash the kale thoroughly and spin dry.
  3. Break the leaves into small 'chip' size pieces.
  4. Place into a large bowl along with all the other ingredients. Gently massage the oil and powders into the leaves of the kale, making sure that all the surface areas of the leaves are covered.
  5. Lay the kale leaves on the baking trays, leaving gaps between the leaves so they have room to crisp up. Too close and they will stay soggy.
  6. Place into the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes (or until crisp), turning them with tongs once during this time.
  7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
  8. Store in an airtight container or jar for 3-5 days.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Cauliflower Rice – Coriander & Capsicum

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Cauliflower Rice C

Cauliflower Rice is becoming really popular at the moment – actually everything ‘cauliflower’ is taking off! And why not? Gone are the days of just using this underestimated vegetable for gratin! It’s such a versatile vege as well as cheap, low carb and yummy!!

I’ve tried a fair few ways of making ‘cauli’ rice, and this is my favourite. Frying it gives it such a lovely nutty texture and it doesn’t go soft or mushy. It really does resemble rice so well. You can use coconut oil or ghee to fry, however in this case I really love the flavour of the olive oil.

This is such a winner with children! It’s easy to disguise the vegetable and is super yummy! When I’ve made this at my work, I’ve had guests comment that they thought it was real rice! So a winner with all ages!

You can play around with all different flavours for cauli rice, but this is one of my favourites! I will share some of my other favourites too.

Cauliflower Rice – Coriander & Capsicum

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Ingredients

  • 1 Medium Cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Red Onion (sliced into thin wedges)
  • 1 Large Red Capsicum (julienned)
  • 1 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
  • 1/2 bunch Fresh Coriander

Directions

1. Roughly chop the cauliflower into 5-6 cm chunks. Place into the bowl of the Thermomix and chop 3 Seconds/Speed 5. You want it to look the texture of rice. Be careful to not chop it too fine!
2. Heat the oil in a large frypan. Be careful not to over heat the oil however, as you don't want it to reach smoking point, but you want it hot enough to sear the cauliflower nicely.
3. Add the onion and capsicum and fry off until nicely caramelised.
4. Add the cauliflower and salt and brown off. Keep tossing the cauliflower to brown it all off nicely, but not mushy. It should have a nice nutty, rice type texture.
5. Once cooked, take off the heat. Quickly toss through the coriander, transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

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Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

Gluten Free! Dairy Free! Refined Sugar Free & ‘almost’ Raw!!! This is such a winner and is just yummo!

This delicious slice is perfect for any morning or afternoon tea. It is almost raw, except for the roasted almonds. You can keep the almonds raw for the filling if desired, however the roasted flavour adds amazing dimension to this slice
A classic style raw but THIN almond date base, a delicious coconut caramel almond cranberry filling and a raw chocolate topping! Delicious! And you get that chocolate fix without the guilt!

One of the tricks I find to raw desserts is to keep the ‘biscuit’ base nice and  THIN or it overpowers the flavour of the whole slice and texture isn’t quite right. It all needs to balance nicely.

The coconut caramel filling is just SO creamy and yum! With roasted almonds and cranberries added it’s just perfect!

The chocolate layer is technically still raw as it isn’t heated over 40 degrees. And it is pure raw chocolate goodness with raw cacao butter and raw cacao powder! My favourite raw cacao butter is Absolute Organics brand. Health food stores or some IGA’s stock it. It’s beautifully creamy and mellow in flavour.

The chocolate layer is free of any nasty additives and sweeteners, and full of loads of antioxidants and good fats! This is a fabulous one for kids. My kids devour it!!

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Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

A delicious crunchy, nutty chocolate fix without the guilt!

  • Author: Gabrielle Tobin - Kitch'n Thyme

Ingredients

Base

  • 230g Raw Almonds
  • 150g Dates
  • 10g Shredded Coconut
  • 60g Maple Syrup
  • 35g Coconut Oil

Coconut Caramel Nut Filling

  • 240g Coconut Butter
  • 40g Coconut Oil
  • 160g Maple Syrup
  • 150g Roasted Almonds, halved
  • 40g Dried Cranberries
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  • pinch celtic salt

Chocolate Layer

  • 225g Raw Cacao Butter
  • 50g Raw Cacao Powder
  • 50g Maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla Essence
  • pinch celtic salt

Cacao Nibs, for topping (optional)

Dried Cornflowers, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Base Layer

  1. Spray and line a 9×13″ rectangle slice tray with baking paper, allowing for an overhang on the sides to easily remove the slice after setting time. (Try to make the baking paper as neat as possible on the sides, creasing the paper where necessary to make it sit flat. The straighter the baking paper sides, the neater the edges of your slice will be.) Set aside.
  2. Place all the base ingredients into the bowl of the Thermomix and process for 10-15 Seconds/ Speed 7. 
  3. Press the mixture evenly into the lined slice tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set (or freeze for 15 minutes).

Coconut Caramel Nut Layer

  1. Place the coconut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla into the bowl of the Thermomix and melt 1-2 Mins/50°/Speed 3.
  2. Add the chopped almonds, cranberries & salt and mix together 5 Seconds/Speed 3/Reverse.
  3. Once combined, pour the mixture evenly over the set base. Return to the fridge for a further 30 minutes to set (or the freezer for 15 minutes.)

Chocolate Layer

  1. Place the cacao butter into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 10-15 Seconds/Speed 9.
  2. Melt the cacao butter for 10 minutes/37°/Speed 2 scraping down the sides of the bowl and around the blades closer to the finish time.
  3. Add the cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla & salt and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes/37°/Speed 2.
  4. Pour over the slice as the final layer. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with cacao nibs and dried flower petals just as the chocolate is beginning to set (make sure the topping is beginning to set – if you top with the decorations too early, they will all sink into the chocolate filling) then refrigerate a further 20 minutes or until set. Chop into small squares and serve.