Blueberry + Almond Cake !

How do you go to France and not eat the patisseries?

You tell me.

It's not that I was pressed up against the store windows with drool dripping off my chin, and no one force fed me. I just suddenly became aware, like waking from a dream, of a plate, a cake and a fork in my hand. Seriously, how does that happen?

You may wonder why I even mention it here, but when you've not eaten refined sugar and gluten for a few years....you have to wonder?

Even though French patisseries are no longer my treat of choice, I ate every forkful with utter love and not a single ounce of guilt attached.

Yes, I did suffer later.

RecipeChit Chat ChompJune 16, 2015Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Grain-Free, Dessert10, Dairy-Free1, Paleo3

Courtyard Kitchen Cookbook !

Recipes and this image from Courtyard Kitchen by Natalie Boog, published by Murdoch Books

I have two problems (well, just two at this moment in time):

1) I live in the inner-city, which means I have limited outdoor space, which means I have limited chance of growing my own herbs, which means when a recipe calls for just a tablespoon of herbs and I have to purchase the whole bunch....!!!!!

2) I HATE waste!

So when the good folks at Murdoch Books asked me if I would like to take a look at the new cookbook Courtyard Kitchen by Natalie Boog, I was very intrigued.

Cookbook, RecipeChit Chat ChompApril 22, 2015Cookbook, Gluten-Free

Bouchon !

Bouchon.

How could you not love this wonderful word?

1) it simply rolls off the tongue like sweet honey;

2) it is a little cake whose shape resembles a cork (bouchon in French); and

3) a French cork comes from a bottle of French wine....need I say more?

RecipeChit Chat ChompApril 15, 2015French Cuisine, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Autumn, Winter, Dairy-Free1, Sweets, Paleo6

Rhubarb Eaton Mess !

I've moved house.

Apart from setting up the bed, locating the kettle is the next most important thing for me. I don't function without my kettle. Period.

It took me two days to find the blasted box I'd put mine in....you'd think I'd be more diligent in marking the box wouldn't you?

Next on my "to do" list is to cook. To introduce myself to my new oven and stove top. To fill my new home up with aromas that make my mouth water and make me feel settled.

This isn't one of those dishes.

RecipeChit Chat ChompMarch 22, 2015Gluten-Free, Dessert10

Boxes and Bread !

I'm standing knee deep in boxes.

The removalists have gone. The renovations are complete. Sleep is slowly returning.

Ahhh....the pure joy of unpacking your personal possessions after they have spent time in storage.

Just as joyful as slicing into this lovely gluten-free bread. It slices like a dream.....

RecipeChit Chat ChompMarch 11, 2015Baking, Gluten-Free

Dedicated to my sweet tooth . .

These lovely biscuits are dedicated to my sweet tooth.

It's not often I get a visit from her these days, but when she does pop by for a visit.....holy smoke!

Not one to enter a door elegantly, she will stumble her way through, tripping over anything and everything that is in her way, and when the door closes behind her, I exhale.

On her latest visit, I found this recipe......

RecipeChit Chat ChompFebruary 22, 2015Baking, Grain-Free, Chocolate, Dairy-Free1, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Fee10

Coconut Ice - Fructose Free

Food for though: Rice Malt Syrup.

If you've been here before you may have noticed that lately I've been leaning towards Rice Malt Syrup as my sweetener of choice when baking. I'm no expert on the matter, but I am an avid researcher and am learning along the way and what I've discovered so far is that

Rice Malt Syrup is a 100% glucose natural sweetener made from fermented cooked rice (no fructose in sight!). And because it contains more maltose and is low GI, it releases the glucose more slowly and steadily into our systems, rather than a quick spike.

I don't write this to try and convert you on the matter, but purely to explain very simply why it's my sweetener of choice at this point in time.

RecipeChit Chat ChompDecember 6, 2013Sugar-Free1, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free2, Gluten-Free, Paleo3, vegan4

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