There hasn’t been much activity on my end lately…  but I’m sure you will forgive me when I tell you I’m PREGNANT !

Life has been completely turned upside-down, particularly since I’ve had pregnancy nausea 24/7 the past few months. Instead of ravishing over fresh produce at the markets and gushing with recipe ideas to share with you, I’ve been queasy and completely repelled by the kitchen. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine looking in my full pantry and having absolutely no idea what to make for dinner!

Luckily it’s all for a very good reason, and somehow one finds a way to make it through (many of you Mums & Dads would understand). But unfortunately this change means ‘Nourish For Life’ has to put down the spatula, turn off the oven, and take a very important, nourishing break.

How long this kitchen is closed, it’s hard to say. This is our first dabble into parenthood, so a steep learning curve is on the horizon. I’ll certainly be in touch when things get active again.  It’s also worth checking the website from time to time, as there may be an update (with a cute baby photo) or even a bonus recipe waiting for you.

In the meantime, how about trying something completely new in your world of food? During these cold Australian months we spend more time indoors, so there’s plenty of opportunity to play in the kitchen (and you don’t have to do it alone… invite the kids or friends to join in the fun). For example, it can be incredibly invigorating to break old food boundaries –  whether it’s a dish you normally won’t allow yourself to have, an ingredient you’ve been reluctant to use, or a recipe that seems too hard to attempt.  Often the outcome is better than expected, and the experience itself quite liberating. So try something new — there are plenty of ideas in my cookbook Nourish, my e-cookbook Nourishing Sweet Indulgences, or the complimentary recipes
on this website.

I’d like to finish by sharing a simple recipe that has become an old reliable lately.  It’s a touch sweet, and loaded with sustaining, nutrient-dense ingredients for strength and well-being.  Any time of day is good to hook into this warm dish… breakfast, dessert or snack time.

Banana – amaranth pancakes with tahini

(serves 2 – about 4 pancakes each)

1/2 cup amaranth flour (good substitute/combination gluten-free
flours are brown rice & millet)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 good pinch fine sea salt
1 tablespoon organic coconut palm sugar
2 large eggs, lightly whisked
1/4 – 1/2 cup milk of choice (cow, soy, almond, etc)
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

2 fresh bananas, cut into thin circles (roughly 2 mm thick)
Tahini for spreading on top

Get a frypan (preferably non-stick) ready to heat.  The size is up to you — small pans can cook 1 pancake at a time, larger can do multiple. If you can’t cook many at once, preheat an oven to 100 C — the cooked pancakes can rest there on a plate to keep warm until the rest are finished.

Using a whisk, blend together all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make sure there aren’t any clumps.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk (start with the smaller amount and add more, if necessary, at the end to get a good batter consistency — like a thick shake), vinegar and vanilla if using.

Blend the dry ingredients into the wet until well-combined.  If the batter is too thick, now is the time to add more milk.

Using a spoon that holds about 1 tablespoon worth of batter, put 2 spoonfuls of batter onto the hot pan PER pancake. Lightly spread the batter around with the base of the spoon to distribute evenly (so it’s not too thick in any area) — it should be around 1/2 cm thick.

After about 30 seconds, gently nestle banana slices on top of the pancake, distributing evenly (not too many, not too few). There should be some space in between each banana circle. When I put the banana on top, I press down very lightly so the top of the banana is even with the top of the batter.

When bubbles start to form in the batter surrounding the banana — or when you notice the bottom of the pancake has cooked enough for you to get under it with an egg-slide without wrecking it — flip the pancake over and cook the other side for about 1 minute.  Next remove the pancake and place on a serving plate, either eating straight away or resting in the oven to keep warm until all remaining pancakes are cooked.

Serve with tahini to spread all over the top.  With the banana they should be sweet enough to not require anything extra like maple syrup, but this of course is up to the individual and their unique taste buds!

**********

Thank you being part of Nourish For Life these past years, and for your support and understanding with the current changes.  I wish you all the best and hope life brings you many beautiful, enriching experiences.

Happy cooking!
Stephanie

I just have to share my newest gluten-free addiction with you.

It all started when a packet of millet flakes caught my eye at Santos Warehouse in Byron Bay.

I’ve always been a millet whole grain fan… I love their sweet, nutty flavour, and their unique texture that is ideal for making fragrant pilafs and sweet creamy porridge. But somehow I’d never investigated the rolled version of millet. So I grabbed a kilo, and before I knew it millet flakes were going into everything!

Tossed in casseroles or soups, rolled millet will thicken the broth and infuse extra vitamins (magnesium, manganese, niacin), fibre, protein and complex carbs. If I need a super-fast porridge or something gluten-free to bulk up a granola or bircher muesli mix, millet flakes work beautifully. They are also fantastic added to a bread mix if you make your own. But my all-time favourite discovery is the texture millet flakes add to sweet baked goods like muffins and biscuits: tossing an extra 1/2 cup in with a standard recipe will create a completely different textural experience… one that is quite addictive I must warn you.

Now that millet flakes have joined the staple members of my pantry, they’re showing up in all sorts of dishes. But my current fancy — a weekly baking event — is these dark chocolate-millet biscuits. To avoid eating them so fast I tried storing the lot in my freezer, but alas, they are still really tasty frozen!

If you’re looking for more ways to experiment with gluten free ingredients like millet flakes, you really should try the recipe. And for those who are suspicious of ‘healthy’ sweets, it’s honestly hard to tell the difference.

Dark chocolate – millet biscuits

1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup millet flakes (rolled millet)
½ cup quinoa or amaranth flour
1 cup organic coconut palm sugar (dark)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon guar gum
½ cup chopped almonds and pepitas or macadamias
50g quality dark chocolate (70-85%) cut in tiny chunks
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
½ – ¾ cup soy milk

Preheat oven to 185 C.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, flakes, sugar, salt, baking powder and guar gum. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla and milk.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, just until combined. Fold in the nuts/seeds and chocolate pieces. Leave to sit for a couple minutes to thicken.

On two baking trays (preferably lined with baking paper), pour about 1 tablespoon portions of batter to form round biscuits (if it’s a bit wet that’s ok, long as they are NOT runny). Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until they are lightly brown on top and firm to touch. Cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes before eating.

Makes 28 – 32 biscuits

If you like this, you’ll probably also enjoy these nourishing gluten free recipes:

Spiced summer salmon

Millet bircher muesli

Biscuit making bliss

Nuts about chocolate

Yesterday as I started brainstorming about lunch, my eyes were drawn toward the spice stash. My favourite chermoula spice blend (from Herbie’s Spices) seemed to be jumping up and down crying ‘pick me! pick me!’, leaving me no choice but to give it some attention.

Armed with the base flavour of my delicious dish, I checked what other provisions were good to go: succulent wild salmon, fresh parsley, sweet carrots and the end of a cabbage wedge. Great. There was also a bit of preserved lemon in the fridge, as well as the end of my home-made tomato paste. Everything came together with ease, and I deftly whipped up a memorable meal that brought on all the yums and sighs of pleasure.

Any dish that excites my taste buds to this degree is definitely worth sharing with you! So here’s something to set the tone for a spicy summer, abundant in edible pleasures. I hope you love it.

Spiced summer salmon

2 heaped teaspoons chermoula spice blend
fine sea salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup carrot, skinned and cut in 2-3 mm thick circles
100 g cooked salmon meat (fresh or tinned)
1/2 cup parsley
1 tablespoon preserved lemon, finely diced
(or finely grated lemon rind)
touch of honey (optional)


Warm a heavy-based saucepan and add 1/2 cup liquid (water is fine but if you have tinned salmon use some of the flavourful juice). Also toss in the spices, a pinch of salt and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Next add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes or until tender to your liking. Stir occasionally. When the veggies are ready, delicately add the remaining ingredients (especially watch so the salmon; try to keep the delicate chunks in tact). Have a taste and adjust flavours like salt to until the food sings in your mouth.

This is lovely served over fresh cooked grains like millet or brown rice.
Makes 2 servings.

So you’re gluten free and craving a creamy bircher muesli.

What to do?

How about trying this delectable muesli mix I created — specially for gluten free foodies.

Most recipes use off-limits oats, but did you know there are fantastic options like rolled millet (or quinoa, or amaranth) just waiting to be discovered ?

The ideal bircher muesli is creamy and luscious, with lovely aromas from vanilla, cinnamon and orange. It also has a bit of texture to get your teeth into — crunchy nuts, seeds and rice bran straws add this element. And of course there should be a hint of sweetness, and naturally my wholefood version (from organic, un-sulfured fruit of course) aims for just the right amount to satisfy without turning breakfast into dessert.

This gluten free breakfast bircher has all the necessary components to make your mouth water and your tummy rumble: rolled grains (millet instead of oats), grated apple, dried sultanas, nuts and seeds (almonds and pepitas), yoghurt / kefir, orange, and my favourite extras — chia seeds, vanilla, cinnamon and lemon myrtle (if it calls to you).

Crucial to any good bircher mix is the art of soaking. This one simple step transforms what is often a digestively challenging dish into a gut soothing masterpiece. Overnight soaking of nuts, seeds and raw grains begins the sprouting process — this activates dormant enzymes which in turn start to break down or soften the food. So there’s less work for your body to do and more nutritional value in the meal.

Whip this recipe up in large batches — it lasts a good 5-6 days (depending on the quality and freshness of ingredients) when refrigerated in an airtight container.

Millet bircher muesli

1/2 cup rolled millet (quinoa and/or amaranth can be substituted or combined)
1/4 cup rice bran straws
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1-2 tablespoons currants, sultanas or chopped dried fruit of choice
10 or so almonds, chopped roughly
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
a dash of ground cinnamon, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 a fresh orange, rind and juice
1/2 cup creamy yoghurt or kefir
1 teaspoon chia seeds (or substitute with 1 tablespoon ground flax)
dash of ground lemon myrtle (optional)
filtered water, as needed
fresh seasonal fruit for topping, such as blueberries, banana slices or mango

Blend all ingredients together, adding just enough water to ensure the entire mix is wet. Soak overnight, or for at least 6 hours. Top with fresh fruit for serving, or simply enjoy as is! If it’s not sweet enough, drizzle maple syrup or honey to taste.


NOTE: This is wonderful for your digestive system because of the beautiful enzymes activated by soaking, as well as the healthy bacteria present in quality yoghurt or kefir. To add even more value to this dish, mix in 1 teaspoon of inulin — a prebiotic, insoluble fibre that can be purchased in most chemists (Metamucil brand is common). Inulin is gluten free.

Why is this?

What motivates you to take the next step from saving a recipe to actually giving it a try?

Many things lure us toward a recipe. For example, glossy photos of decadent, gluten free cakes are generally quite tempting, and any dish involving chocolate is sure to draw people in like a magnet. That said, the word ‘healthy’ has become more alluring as obesity and other medical concerns multiply. Recipes labelled ‘low-fat’, ‘healthy’ or ‘light’ often get a second look at the very least. Gluten free versions of old classics also grab our attention; comfort foods reminiscent of days when all it took was a steaming bowl of Grandma’s famous casserole to make everything right in the world. Personal recommendations and word of mouth are other powerful motivators for recipe testing — I’m much more likely to try a dish my best friend raved about than one I tore out of the newspaper on a whim. But above all these influences on gluten free recipe selection, the strongest I’ve found is the FREE SAMPLE. If you’ve tasted something — say a melt-in-your-mouth slice of gluten free cake or a tasty vibrant dip — chances are you’ll be craving more. In this situation, you’re almost guaranteed THAT recipe will be carefully placed in the kitchen for imminent use.

Now it’s all good and well for food to look enticing, and even for it to taste incredible. But there’s more to a successful dish than meets the eye. Many other factors influence the success of a recipe, such as: innovation (is it fun and interesting?), satisfaction (will it satisfy and sustain you?), budget (is it affordable?); health (will it enhance or deplete your vitality?); co-eater feedback (will it make the kids happy?) and so on.

Most of us started eating gluten free because we care about our well-being. Whether the reason is a diagnosis of celiac disease, a gluten intolerance, or some other concern about excessive gluten intake — the bottom line is, you’re looking after your health in one way or another. Therefore it makes sense to be more particular about the recipes you try; more discerning about what you feed yourself and your loved ones. To ensure your gluten free recipe choices are wholesome and your cooking experiences pleasurable, try following these helpful tips:

Read more…

It seems to have taken its time (at least for us down South) but Spring has finally started to make an appearance. Blossoms are opening their colourful heads, buds are sprouting up vibrant and tall, and a sense of new beginnings fills the air.

Nature is now beconing us to come out of our Winter slumber and play with her. The days are longer, the air less crisp… bright hues in the gardens and fragrant smells on the wind are luring us outside. You may experience this as a hankering to work in your veggie patch or a pull to visit the local farmer’s market. Spring is a very sensual season, so make the most of these precious months and indulge in nature’s gifts!

This is also the time to say goodbye to produce that graced our tables in Winter and make space for the current harvest. It’s always tempting to purchase produce from afar and ‘prolong’ the season (I struggle most with saying goodbye to apples!). But nature has its own rhythm and if we go with the flow (by eating fresh, seasonal and local), our bodies will receive exactly what they need to thrive.

I’m itching to play with some of my favourite Spring produce and see what culinary creations emerge. Bursting with vitality, the potent flavours and gorgeous colours of seasonal veggies and fruits are a chef’s dream. Some of the new beauties arriving in markets over the next 3 months are:

The other day I spotted my first bunch of stinging nettles at CERES market. They may be fiesty, but a good pair of gloves will help you tame and transform those sprigs into a memorable dish. Lunch that afternoon was simple and divine — roast pumpkin and nettle soup. This dish flaunts nettle’s bold, unique flavour while balancing it it with a soft, sweet edge from pumpkin. Nettles not only taste wonderful, they are loaded with precious nutrients like iron, vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a go:

Stinging nettle and pumpkin soup

1 cup + stock – either chicken or vegetable

a dollop of extra virgin olive oil


In a small saucepan, heat the stock until simmering. Add the nettles and pumpkin, cooking just until the leaves soften and turn bright green.

Puree the soup using a hand-held blender or food processor. If the consistency is too thick, simply add more stock.

Reheat the soup if needed, using the original saucepan. Season to taste (*I prefer using umeboshi plum vinegar instead of salt because of its salty-lemony flavour).

A recent surge of chocolate cravings had me purchasing loads of dark 70-80% bars to play with in the kitchen. Sure, it’s easy to grab something decadent and pre-made (have you tried those Maya choc-orange-spice bars from Green & Black’s ? Wow.). But when you’re a cooking addict like me, it’s hard to resist the lure of creating your own special somethings to enjoy.

This brings me to my newest love… chocolate covered nuts.

The crunch of a roasted nut combined with the smooth, sultry richness of dark chocolate can bring me to my knees. If I buy a nutty chocolate bar, it has to be loaded — and I mean packed — with nuts to satisfy me. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to find such a chocolate bar of high quality (I’m talking minimal, pure organic ingredients). So I figure, why not make my own nut-filled bites?

Melting chocolate is one of the easiest (and most pleasurable) things you can do in the kitchen. It only takes a few minutes to turn a solid bar into a luscious, dark liquid mass. Then just toss in your favourite roasted nuts to coat, pop them onto baking paper to set, and in no time you’ll have a container full of tasty morsels for sweet snacking bliss. Some of my favourite nuts to coat are: almond, hazelnut, macadamia and walnut.

So if you’re in the mood for something decadent, simple and home-made, have a go at these:

Chocolate covered nuts

1 cup nuts of choice (a mix is fine)

baking tray


Preheat an oven to 150 C.

Place the nuts on a baking tray and roast for 8-12 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Be careful not to let them go too far, as they will taste bitter and scorched. If using a combination of nuts be sure to place on separate trays, as some nuts roast faster than others. If using hazelnuts, you need to remove the outer skin before coating. Place roasted hazelnuts in a brown paper bag or inside a tea towel, and vigorously rub them against the bag/towel to dislodge the skin. It can get messy! Stop when most of the skins are removed. If they aren’t coming off easily, roast a little longer then try again.

Chop the chocolate into small chunks. Melt in a double boiler under simmering water. If you don’t have a double boiler, create one by placing a clean, dry stainless steel or glass bowl over a simmering pot of water. The bowl needs to be large enough to easily rest atop the pot. Place the chocolate chunks in the bowl, cover with a dry pot top, and sit for a couple minutes so the heat below can melt the chocolate. Remove the top and stir the chocolate with a dry spoon. When the mass it totally smooth with no chunks, it’s ready for dipping the nuts.

Just pop several nuts in the bowl with the chocolate, give’m a stir to coat, then gently place on a tray covered with baking paper. When the chocolate sets, this paper makes it so easy to peel the nuts off and not lose any chocolate.
You can do single nuts or small clusters with a few… make sure you drizzle enough chocolate between the cluster to hold the mass together (once it sets).

Store in an airtight container. The glossy sheen of fresh chocolate will change after a day or two, but the flavour remains wonderful for a good week or two.

It’s Sunday afternoon and after a full day, hubby and I are ready to fire up the kettle and relax into a cuppa. But when we check the cupboard for a few sweet morsels to accompany our tea, there’s nothing to be found. It only takes us a few seconds to decide there’s no choice but to whip up a new batch of something sweet.

Decisions, decisions…. shall we mash up the ripe bananas and make muffins? Fancy some gooey chocolate brownies? Nope. After much deliberation, we agree on warm, crunchy biscuits.

Over the years I’ve made dozens and dozens of little treats like these (probably because we run out of biscuits often). Recently, the process has become even more enticing and rewarding through the exploration of gluten free ingredients. With options like amaranth flour and quinoa flakes at our fingertips, the gluten-free baking world is wide open with tasty, workable choices. All it takes is understanding a few baking basics — like finding the right balance of liquid and solid ingredients, and learning the ideal combination of sweet, salty and sour flavours — and you can easily conjure up a recipe to suit your personal taste and pantry supplies.

So just what are the basics?

The solid components of my baked goods generally come from combining some the following: wholegrain flours (brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, sourghum, millet), finely and roughly ground nuts and seeds (aka: ‘meal’), rolled grain flakes (quinoa, amaranth, millet), dried fruit pieces or dark organic chocolate chunks, coconut flakes, organic coconut palm sugar, finely grated citrus zest, baking powder/soda and fine sea salt.

Liquid ingredients may involve: eggs, melted butter or coconut oil, silken tofu, mashed fresh fruit/stewed fruit, liquid natural sweeteners (maple syrup, raw dark agave nectar, pear or apple juice concentrate, honey, brown rice syrup) and sometimes a dash of milk (soy, almond, cow’s, or another favourite).

Most baking recipes have you separately blend wet and dry ingredients, then mix these together at the end. You get to know the ideal texture for a batter with time – biscuit dough and brownie batter are usually fairly thick, whereas muffin and cake batters have a touch more movement. If making up your own recipe, you might need to do some final tweaking (adding a dash of wet or dry ingredients) to get the right consistency.

The direction flavour takes in a recipe is often determined by the ingredients you choose to focus on. Today I’m keen to use some dried organic pears and lightly toasted almonds, so they are the feature which all other background components will support. Coconut is a lovely compliment, so I’ll not only use this oil, but I’ll throw in toasted flakes for extra texture. Finally, for a bit of zing some fine lemon zest is the perfect touch. The flour will be neutral (brown rice) so it doesn’t dominate the pears and almonds.

In any recipe, three flavours need to be represented (to some degree) in order to produce a good result: sweet, salty and sour. Some dominate (in this case sweet), while others are tiny highlights (sour-lemon rind) or undetectable additions (salt) that help the others stand out. In the end if you reach a good balance, everything will come together in delicious harmony. This is signified by the crying out of ‘yum!’ after the first mouthful.

There are a few ways you can incorporate the sour flavour. Some favourites are tossing in a bit of citrus zest or juice (sour) or using a sour-sweet dried fruit (cranberry or jujubes). With baking, salt is almost always incorporated in very tiny amounts – it might be hard to believe at first, but making food without it is like watching TV with the sound turned off. It helps make all the other flavours sing.

When it comes to sweetness, the possibilities are endless. Natural sweeteners are of high priority in nourishing wholefood cooking. It may be tempting to grab the stash of white or even raw brown refined sugar, but your body and taste buds will quickly notice the difference once you swap over to maple syrup, raw agave nectar, apple or pear juice concentrate and the like. Other ways to work sweetness into your treats is by making the most of nature’s sweetest produce — fruit. Raw or dried, they can both work. Sometimes I mash up ripe banana and add that to my biscuits, other times I want a strong hit of apricot or date, so I chop those dried fruits into tiny cubes and mix them through.

As with any food creation that comes from a wholesome kitchen, it’s important to consider which components of your recipe will provide nutritional fulfillment. Ingredients rich in protein and good quality fats will satisfy, while the empty calories of sugar and white rice or tapioca flour leave you unsatiated and craving more. So load up on the eggs, butter, coconut oil, wholegrain flours and flakes, nuts and seeds. In the end you’re more likely to stop after two pieces instead of a whole tray.

Above all, it is passion, determination and the course of time that help you become more skilled and successful in the kitchen. I also find that listening to inspiring music helps me get in the mood (and I can feel that energy infuse the food with great vibes). Mistakes are the best way to learn, and can often turn things in a direction that is surprisingly better than imagined. So let each cooking experience take you where it may…. who knows where you’ll end up! Finally, don’t be shy with trying new ingredients… read up on them and ask for advice where you can (my cookbook ‘Nourish’ is full of information), and then just go for it.

So here’s what my husband and I enjoyed on this sunny Sunday afternoon with our cups of tea. I hope you find it as tasty as we did!

Pear and almond biscuits

1 1/2 cups rolled quinoa, amaranth (can use oats if not gluten free)
1 cup almonds, lightly roasted
1 1/3 cups brown rice flour (or use a g/f flour blend)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup shredded coconut, lightly toasted (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 – 1 cup pear juice concentrate
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
3-4 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1/2 cup dried pear, soaked in hot water to soften


Preheat an oven to 185 C.

Using a food processor, grind 1/2 the rolled grains and all the almonds into a meal consistency (a coarse flour).
Now add in the remaining rolled grains, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and coconut. Pulse just a few times to combine (you don’t want to grind things down further). Set aside in a large mixing bowl.

In the same processor (you don’t have to clean it from using with dry ingredients), blend the eggs, pear juice concentrate, brown rice syrup, oil, ginger and lemon rind – just until blended.

Prepare baking trays as appropriate – using baking paper or greasing the pans.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Drain the pears from the soaking water COMPLETELY, then fold into the mix. When it’s well combined, sit for a couple minutes so the liquid is soaked up by the dry ingredients and you can gauge the final consistency. If the mix is too runny, add more almond meal. If too dry, add a touch more oil and/or sweetener. Taste for flavour. When everything is balanced (the batter should be fairly thick – not easily moving off of a spoon), place tablespoons of the batter onto the trays and distribute evenly so there is a good 3 cm distance between each dollup.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden on top and bottom. Sit for 10 minutes before moving to a baking rack to cool. These store well in airtight containers or in the freezer.

Guess who’s just arrived… bright and bursting with juicy sweetness? I spotted a huge pile at the market this week — their presence heralded by an orange glow so vibrant it caught my eye all the way from the carpark. With an exotic shape that calls out ‘eat me’ and smooth skin that’s a breeze to peel, I couldn’t resist the temptation. So as any seasoned shopper would, I bee-lined it straight to the beckoning fruit display for my share.

Tangelos are only around for 2-3 months of the year, so this is a short love affair. They’re a cross between the tart grapefruit and sweet mandarin — the perfect marriage to create a unique flavour and extreme juiciness which stand apart from other citrus relations. The abundance of tangelos in Winter makes it easy to choose them above other orange fruit varieties. For example, the common Naval orange, regularly used for making juice, is a bit ho-hum these days. Often light in flavour, this is no doubt because they’re flown in from afar, picked early, or stored to extend their ’season’. Mandarins are a popular and worthy competitor, but I find their small size and excessive seeds hard work — not much bang (juice) for your buck. Cumquats are a personal delicacy — when I find them I’m in heaven, but they’re never consistently available unless you grow your own (so when you see them, grab them!). Blood oranges – when they’re good – have a wonderful rich sweetness that I enjoy from time to time. BUT in my whole-foodie world, only the tangelo offers a perfect well-rounded experience.

So what does one do with a basket full of tangelos?

I thought you’d never ask. As you can imagine, the possibilities are endless. Here are a few to keep you blissed out in the kitchen all weekend:

1. Fresh juice of course! These babies are loaded with sweet liquid and provide a refreshing change from your typical OJ.

2. Eat raw. I devoured two on the car ride home.

3. Make marmalade to preserve the harvest. You’ll get months of pleasure from simmering up several bottles worth.

4. Use the rind. Before you peel a fresh tangelo, finely grate the rind (the coloured part, not the white) and set aside to season your next pot of porridge or an exotic Moroccan tagine. I also LOVE popping a thin strip of rind into my hot chocolate.

*Dried peel: Use a vegetable peeler to make long coils of the tangelo skin. Hang in a warm, airy spot or spread on an oven tray and leave in a very low oven until dry and brittle (takes from 3 hours to a few days). Store in an airtight container, with your spices, for up to 6 months.

5. Whip up a luscious tangelo curd. Just follow your favourite lemon curd recipe and swap the citrus. Curd is delightful as a filling for mini or whole tarts, spread between layers of a cake (try my gluten free vanilla cake), or spread on scones, muffins or toast.

6. Bake a tangelo cake. Substitute tangelos for the common orange variety in your favourite orange cake recipe.

7. Finally, try this aromatic, warming Winter dessert that showcases a few members of the citrus family:

Roasted tangelos with orange blossom

2 cups fresh orange juice (you choose the variety)

1/2 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4-6 cardamom pods

honey, to taste

6-10 tangelos (depends on size of baking dish)

4-6 cumquats (optional)

orange blossom water, to taste

In a small saucepan, heat the orange juice, vanilla, cardamom and honey (if you don’t want this dish too sweet, leave the honey out). Simmer gently until reduced by half.

Peel, segment and seed several tangelos.
Cut the cumquats in circles about 1/3 cm thick.

Grease a heavy, deep baking dish, then arrange tangelo segments to form one single snug layer. Scatter the cumquat pieces over the tangelo layer, then place a second layer of tangelos on top. Pour in the reduced sauce so it just barely covers.

Bake at 180 C for 1 hour or until the fruit is very soft and the edges have lightly caramelised. Check about halfway to see if the tops are already browning. If so, cover with a glass top or foil to prevent burning.

Cool a little, then drizzle a few drops of orange blossom water and delicately stir through. Have a bite and adjust the flavours, if needed, to taste. For great texture, scatter crunchy roasted almond pieces over the top of each serving. A creamy condiment is also ideal on the side, such as almond custard, yoghurt or cashew cream.

For all you chocoholics, this dish is wonderful on the side of a chocolate dessert like decadent mousse or cake – but leave out the orange blossom water.

I grew up without a whiff of ‘healthy’ in my life. Processed foods and packet meals were our standard family fare; McDonalds and Baskin Robbins our national treasures (you may have guessed I grew up in the US). Donuts every Sunday in copious amounts, take away burgers with super-size fries and a fridge packed with fizzy drinks were ‘normal’ for us. My parents had no reason to change; that’s what everyone in our circle did at the time.

But those eating habits gradually had an effect. I put on weight – lots of it – and Mum (bless her heart) consoled that I just had ‘big bones’. Blemishes spread across my face like wildfire and I felt inadequate and uncomfortable in my own skin. Searching for salvation, I jumped on the wave of fad diets sweeping through the country. ‘Fat free’ became my motto and strenuous exercise my daily regimen. But the empty calories I fed myself were full of sugar and chemicals, only leading me toward health imbalances (like gluten sensitivity) and more emotional strife. I looked slimmer and fitter, but as the pounds melted away so did any lingering sense of fulfilment.

Luckily that road took a major detour when I began studying Nutrition at the Australian College of Natural Medicine. My first subject, ‘food as medicine’ was a revelation. There I learned how food offers much more than fast pleasure or a quick fix, and calories can either enhance or deplete one’s vitality. I was introduced to the world of organic wholefoods – a kaleidoscope of natural delights provided by the Earth to nurture and satisfy; an abundance of pure goodness. Choices I thought were ‘healthy’ (because the label said so, of course) turned out to be far from, and I quickly vowed that clever marketing would mislead me no more. Of course I’d felt lethargic, depressed and downright toxic for so long! I had been feeding myself fake food and assuming my body would purr like a kitten – like swapping rubbish for petrol and expecting a car to run well.

Infused with knowledge gained through my studies, my diet shifted – drastically some might say – as fresh seasonal produce, hearty gluten free grains, supportive proteins and vital fats revealed their beauty and proved their value. I embraced a new relationship with food, convinced of its ability to enhance my well being. My body and soul were soothed and invigorated by delicious wholesome ingredients as I lovingly played and prodded, tossed and tasted my way through the kitchen.

There was an undeniable difference in the way food tasted in my mouth and felt in my body – based on its quality, freshness and nutritional value. Gluten free eating was transformed from a challenge into an opportunity – I discovered new products and cooking techniques that eased effort and amplified flavour. Tasty treats that were truly nutritious pleased both my body and my taste buds. Yes, there were challenges along the way, but the rewards reaped from facing these far outweighed any minor feelings of discomfort or inconvenience. My courage to explore new horizons was bearing fruit: I experienced more spring in my step, clarity in my mind, and peace in my heart.

Let wholefoods satisfy you

It is all too easy to get tangled in the web of media and marketing, convenience and pleasure. Day after day we eat meal after meal, often asleep in the experience and unaware of what passes our lips. Processed foods attractively disguised as nutritious alternatives may offer momentary pleasure, but ultimately they leave us feeling unsatisfied and devoid of the sustenance on which our bodies rely. How can we thrive and excel if we’re constantly weighed down by edible toxins? How can we experience real satisfaction if our meals are far from fulfilling?

Wholefoods – unadulterated and infused with riches from the Earth’s soil – are naturally abundant in the nutrients from which our bodies build and repair. You can see it in the colours – bright and bold, feel it in the textures – firm and fresh, and taste it in the flavours – potent and pure. With a myriad of options – especially gluten free – there is something for everyone. Crisp, cool salads, luscious dips spreads and sauces, exotic casseroles and pilafs, decadent desserts and more are on offer. Simply open your mind and widen your palate, and you will discover countless hidden treasures and savour many delightful meals. There is a wealth of supportive information at your fingertips: gluten free cookbooks full of refreshing ideas; dynamic websites sharing information and advice; experienced nutrition and food experts offering helpful tools to guide you toward optimal wellness.

I’ve started this blog to empower you with exciting recipes, inspiring ideas, practical skills and enriching experiences. I want to share my passion for quality food so that it may enhance your vitality and life experience as it has mine. I’ll admit it – I’m obsessed with food! I love finding new ways to make wholesome ingredients irresistibly delicious, and teaching others how to transform their daily meals into satisfying feasts. I hope you enjoy my contributions, and I look forward to being part of your gluten free cooking journey.