This is my version of a recipe that I have made many time from the Vanilla Bean Blog.  I have simplified the recipe significantly, but the idea is the same and they are equally as delicious.  I use store-bought puff pastry to speed things up, rather than use the homemade honey spelt pastry in the original recipe.  I also…

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These little corn fritters are perfect as a starter to a main meal or they make a great light lunch.  You could also make them mini sized and serve them as finger food at your next party, topped with smoked salmon and a dollop of creme fraise

I often serve these delicious little French cheese pastries as an appetisers at dinner parties – everyone loves them, they are really really good!

With consecutive 42 degree days in Melbourne this week, I was keen for somethings chilled, and this was the result. A silky smooth chilled soup.  I wasn’t sure that Big H would go for the aniseed taste of the fennel but he did!

Quinoa Granola – It’s a bit of an understatement to say I love this stuff.  I’ve made it so many times now and it never lasts very long.  I eat it as is with yoghurt for breakfast or as pictured here as a topping for chia pudding.  I also love it on top of ice-cream with another drizzle of maple syrup!  The toasted quinoa adds a lovely nutty taste and it is super crunchy.  I have added currants but you could leave the fruit out or add whatever you like – figs, sultanas, raisins, dates, etc.

It also got a big tick from H –  I filmed him making a batch entirely on his own (measurements and all) but my video skills are so bad I decided to photograph it instead! 

1. 1 cup white quinoa
2. 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
3. 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil; melted
4. 1/4 pepitas
5. 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
6. 2 tablespoon chia seeds
7. 1/4 cup currants

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F)
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl except for the currants and mix to combine. Add the maple syrup and mix and then the coconut oil and mix straight away to coat the mixture.
3. Spread out on a baking try lined with baking paper and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and add the currant. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge (see note)

1. If using coconut oil and it is cold where you live, it will start to set when it is added to the mixture – so work quickly. Once cooked it will keep in the cupboard but if it is particularly hot where you live, the coconut oil will melt so you may want to keep it in the fridge.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/  

Quinoa Granola – It’s a bit of an understatement to say I love this stuff.  I’ve made it so many times now and it never lasts very long.  I eat it as is with yoghurt for breakfast or as pictured here as a topping for chia pudding.  I also love it on top of ice-cream with another drizzle of maple syrup!  The toasted quinoa adds a lovely nutty taste and it is super crunchy.  I have added currants but you could leave the fruit out or add whatever you like – figs, sultanas, raisins, dates, etc.

It also got a big tick from H –  I filmed him making a batch entirely on his own (measurements and all) but my video skills are so bad I decided to photograph it instead! 

1. 1 cup white quinoa
2. 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
3. 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil; melted
4. 1/4 pepitas
5. 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
6. 2 tablespoon chia seeds
7. 1/4 cup currants

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F)
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl except for the currants and mix to combine. Add the maple syrup and mix and then the coconut oil and mix straight away to coat the mixture.
3. Spread out on a baking try lined with baking paper and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and add the currant. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge (see note)

1. If using coconut oil and it is cold where you live, it will start to set when it is added to the mixture – so work quickly. Once cooked it will keep in the cupboard but if it is particularly hot where you live, the coconut oil will melt so you may want to keep it in the fridge.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/  

Quinoa Granola – It’s a bit of an understatement to say I love this stuff.  I’ve made it so many times now and it never lasts very long.  I eat it as is with yoghurt for breakfast or as pictured here as a topping for chia pudding.  I also love it on top of ice-cream with another drizzle of maple syrup!  The toasted quinoa adds a lovely nutty taste and it is super crunchy.  I have added currants but you could leave the fruit out or add whatever you like – figs, sultanas, raisins, dates, etc.

It also got a big tick from H –  I filmed him making a batch entirely on his own (measurements and all) but my video skills are so bad I decided to photograph it instead! 

1. 1 cup white quinoa
2. 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
3. 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil; melted
4. 1/4 pepitas
5. 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
6. 2 tablespoon chia seeds
7. 1/4 cup currants

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F)
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl except for the currants and mix to combine. Add the maple syrup and mix and then the coconut oil and mix straight away to coat the mixture.
3. Spread out on a baking try lined with baking paper and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and add the currant. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge (see note)

1. If using coconut oil and it is cold where you live, it will start to set when it is added to the mixture – so work quickly. Once cooked it will keep in the cupboard but if it is particularly hot where you live, the coconut oil will melt so you may want to keep it in the fridge.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/  

Quinoa Granola – It’s a bit of an understatement to say I love this stuff.  I’ve made it so many times now and it never lasts very long.  I eat it as is with yoghurt for breakfast or as pictured here as a topping for chia pudding.  I also love it on top of ice-cream with another drizzle of maple syrup!  The toasted quinoa adds a lovely nutty taste and it is super crunchy.  I have added currants but you could leave the fruit out or add whatever you like – figs, sultanas, raisins, dates, etc.

It also got a big tick from H –  I filmed him making a batch entirely on his own (measurements and all) but my video skills are so bad I decided to photograph it instead! 

1. 1 cup white quinoa
2. 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
3. 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil; melted
4. 1/4 pepitas
5. 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
6. 2 tablespoon chia seeds
7. 1/4 cup currants

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F)
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl except for the currants and mix to combine. Add the maple syrup and mix and then the coconut oil and mix straight away to coat the mixture.
3. Spread out on a baking try lined with baking paper and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and add the currant. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge (see note)

1. If using coconut oil and it is cold where you live, it will start to set when it is added to the mixture – so work quickly. Once cooked it will keep in the cupboard but if it is particularly hot where you live, the coconut oil will melt so you may want to keep it in the fridge.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/  

Quinoa Granola – It’s a bit of an understatement to say I love this stuff.  I’ve made it so many times now and it never lasts very long.  I eat it as is with yoghurt for breakfast or as pictured here as a topping for chia pudding.  I also love it on top of ice-cream with another drizzle of maple syrup!  The toasted quinoa adds a lovely nutty taste and it is super crunchy.  I have added currants but you could leave the fruit out or add whatever you like – figs, sultanas, raisins, dates, etc.

It also got a big tick from H –  I filmed him making a batch entirely on his own (measurements and all) but my video skills are so bad I decided to photograph it instead! 

1. 1 cup white quinoa
2. 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
3. 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil; melted
4. 1/4 pepitas
5. 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
6. 2 tablespoon chia seeds
7. 1/4 cup currants

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F)
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl except for the currants and mix to combine. Add the maple syrup and mix and then the coconut oil and mix straight away to coat the mixture.
3. Spread out on a baking try lined with baking paper and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and add the currant. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge (see note)

1. If using coconut oil and it is cold where you live, it will start to set when it is added to the mixture – so work quickly. Once cooked it will keep in the cupboard but if it is particularly hot where you live, the coconut oil will melt so you may want to keep it in the fridge.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/  

Quinoa Granola – It’s a bit of an understatement to say I love this stuff.  I’ve made it so many times now and it never lasts very long.  I eat it as is with yoghurt for breakfast or as pictured here as a topping for chia pudding.  I also love it on top of ice-cream with another drizzle of maple syrup!  The toasted quinoa adds a lovely nutty taste and it is super crunchy.  I have added currants but you could leave the fruit out or add whatever you like – figs, sultanas, raisins, dates, etc.

It also got a big tick from H –  I filmed him making a batch entirely on his own (measurements and all) but my video skills are so bad I decided to photograph it instead! 

1. 1 cup white quinoa
2. 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
3. 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil; melted
4. 1/4 pepitas
5. 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
6. 2 tablespoon chia seeds
7. 1/4 cup currants

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F)
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl except for the currants and mix to combine. Add the maple syrup and mix and then the coconut oil and mix straight away to coat the mixture.
3. Spread out on a baking try lined with baking paper and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and add the currant. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge (see note)

1. If using coconut oil and it is cold where you live, it will start to set when it is added to the mixture – so work quickly. Once cooked it will keep in the cupboard but if it is particularly hot where you live, the coconut oil will melt so you may want to keep it in the fridge.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/  

  I’m excited to show you a little of where I grew up and spent most weekends as a teenager.  The beautiful beaches of Newcastle.  My girlfriends and I would catch the train every weekend into town and go to the beach.  My family still live in Newcastle so I go back home often.  I…

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H and I went to the Northside Produce Market last weekend and bought these gorgeous fresh figs.  It was our first time there but we will definitely be going back.  We also bought a huge box of cherries, rhubarb, golden beets, zucchini flowers and H’s favourite, tomatoes… NORTHSIDE PRODUCE MARKET , NORTH SYDNEY  

 H and I recently visited Canoelands Orchard and picked our own nectarines and plums.  It was a great day out and only a 50 minute drive from Sydney.  H picked most of the fruit – about 4 kgs, and had so much fun doing it.  They are truly the freshest, most delicious tasting nectarines and plums…

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Mascarpone cheese is incredibly easy to make and its a lot of fun.  It only requires two ingredient and about 10 minutes of effort for thick, creamy and delicious mascarpone cheese the next morning.  

A lot of recipes on the web call for heavy cream, which in Australia is most similar to pure cream.  Don’t use thickened cream as it often contains a thickener such as gelatine.  Pure cream works beautifully, just make sure it contains a minimum of 35% milk fat. Once you have heated it on the stove, leave it to cool to room temperature before adding it to the cheesecloth, if a little of the mixture strains straight through its ok, it will settle and the whey will slowly strain away over night (a few tablespoons only) and in the morning you will have mascarpone cheese. 

How to make mascarpone cheese

1. 2 cups pure cream – minimum 35% milk fat (heavy cream for my US friends)
2. 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

1. Add the cream to a saucepan and slowly bring the temperature up to 82 degrees C (180 degrees F). (I used a candy thermometer) Simmer at this temperature for 3 minutes, giving an occasional stir
2. Add the lemon juice, stir and simmer for a further 3 minutes at 82 degrees C (180 degrees F).
3. Leave to cool for about 45 minutes. Sit a fine strainer over a bowl and cover with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Pour the mixture in and refrigerate over night. It will be ready to use in the morning

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/

Mascarpone cheese is incredibly easy to make and its a lot of fun.  It only requires two ingredient and about 10 minutes of effort for thick, creamy and delicious mascarpone cheese the next morning.  

A lot of recipes on the web call for heavy cream, which in Australia is most similar to pure cream.  Don’t use thickened cream as it often contains a thickener such as gelatine.  Pure cream works beautifully, just make sure it contains a minimum of 35% milk fat. Once you have heated it on the stove, leave it to cool to room temperature before adding it to the cheesecloth, if a little of the mixture strains straight through its ok, it will settle and the whey will slowly strain away over night (a few tablespoons only) and in the morning you will have mascarpone cheese. 

How to make mascarpone cheese

1. 2 cups pure cream – minimum 35% milk fat (heavy cream for my US friends)
2. 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

1. Add the cream to a saucepan and slowly bring the temperature up to 82 degrees C (180 degrees F). (I used a candy thermometer) Simmer at this temperature for 3 minutes, giving an occasional stir
2. Add the lemon juice, stir and simmer for a further 3 minutes at 82 degrees C (180 degrees F).
3. Leave to cool for about 45 minutes. Sit a fine strainer over a bowl and cover with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Pour the mixture in and refrigerate over night. It will be ready to use in the morning

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/