'Love Food' - Mouthwatering Almond Cake

On my travels recently I met Sydney based nutritionist, Claudia Calisto.  Claudia has just released her first of a series of cookbooks titled ‘Love Food’.  Her philosophy is to keep food simple, clean, natural and delicious.  In her books her mission is to show people how to nourish themselves with foods that are simple to prepare without adding unnecessary processed ingredients.

Claudia also has her own Medispa in inner Sydney where she specializes in assisting people with common aliments such as weight loss, fertility and diabetes.  Additionally she presents healthy cooking and eating seminars as well as cooking demonstrations and classes.

Claudia generously gave me a copy of her book and I have worked my way though the recipes – enjoying every moment of it.  One recipe that I particularly loved I would like to share with you.  It is a cake that is so easy to make, so yummy to eat and could even be good for you!  It’s also dairy free and keeps really well in an airtight container.  Heavenly right?!

Mouthwatering Almond Cake

What you need;

500 grams almond meal

150 grams rapadurra sugar or dark brown sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

100 grams chopped nuts - either pine nuts, walnuts or macadamia nuts.  (I used walnuts)

What you do;

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a wooden spoon, then add sugar, almond meal, baking powder and vanilla essence.  Mix thoroughly.

Line a non-stick cake tin with baking paper and pour in the mixture and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Reduce oven temperature to 150 degrees and bake for 30 – 45 minutes.  Test with skewer to check if cooked.

Let the cake cool, and then turn out of the tin and onto a plate.  Serve with seasonal fresh fruits and kefir.  Makes ten slices.

AMAZINGLY YUMMY!  Enjoy friends.

For more information about Claudia or a copy of the book ‘Love Food’ –

Email info@bodyelite.com.au

www.bodyelite.com.au

Phone – 0425 297393

Seasons Mildura

Seasons Restaurant in Mildura, northwest Victoria, is somewhat of an institution.  As the owners, Andy and Mandy Williams, go into their seventh year of trade it’s clear that their mission is not waning.  Prior to opening they believed that there was a gap in the market between cafe style dining and fine dining in Mildura so they decided to create a place where diners could enjoy a great affordable food, wine and service experience.  They wanted their guests to feel like they were returning to an old friend with the comfort of a warm and relaxed but quality atmosphere.  This set the scene and created the original foundation for their restaurant.

I have dined at Seasons several times over the years and something that remains constant is the passion and professionalism of Andy and Mandy. It’s possibly the reason they are still staying firm and strong in the competitive and sometimes difficult game of owning a restaurant. It is clear that their values are instilled in their team.  You can see that they get on with their job with that same passion and professionalism. 

From the moment of arrival at Seasons you are greeted with open arms and big smiles as you are whisked to your table with the warmest welcome.  The Seasons beverage list is comprehensive, thoughtful and smart.  Andy is to be credited for this.  He has a wide and varied knowledge and understanding of any beverage that might tickle your taste buds.  So if you find it too difficult to make a decision leave it to Andy – you won’t be disappointed.  On this particular night Andy treated the table beside me to a spectacular performance where he conducted ‘sabrage’ with a 'sabre'.  This is the traditional French way to open a bottle of Champagne by slicing the top of the champagne bottle open with a sword.  It was fabulous and the entire room was impressed.

This is what you get to understand about the Seasons menu when you open it – ‘we believe that food in season is food that is best.  When sourcing our produce we give priority to locally grown food, we know the best suppliers, where it comes from and when it’s in season.  This is our privilege.  Our seasonal menu salutes the diversity in Australian cuisine.  The menu is a fusion of modern Australian influences.  Join with friends to share our passion’.  A perfect introduction to the dishes you are about to experience.

Andy's Choice

The menu is broken up into sections – the introduction, the in between, the main event and the sweet afters.  There is also an amazing daily specials board to compliment the delicious seasonal menu.  Kids, vegetarians, gluten free are all really well catered for.  The other area they cater for so wonderfully are the people like me.  The ones who sometimes don’t want to make a decision.  Leave it up to Andy or Mandy and they will arrange something perfect for you from the kitchen.

If you are in Mildura you need to dine at Seasons. Or if you are after a prime steak from the grill Andy and Mandy also run the adjoining restaurant ‘The Spanish Bar and Grill’.  Either way you will be well taken care of and you will enjoy an excellent night.  Make sure you tell Andy and Mandy that I sent you!

Food – 8/10

Service – 8/10

Ambiance – 8/10

Seasons Restaurant

Corner Langtree Avenue and Seventh Street, Mildura.

Phone – 5021 2377

www.seasonsmildura.com.au

The Sweetest Thing - Part 7

Amanda’s Double Sweetness

Amanda is the sweet baby of the family.  She is also a newly wed.  She recently married a wine maker.  We are really happy with her about that!

When I asked our honeymooner for her favorite sweet delight she initially gave me her ‘Caramel Cups’ recipe.  It’s as certain as death and taxes that for any family event where Amanda is required to bring a sweet dish she will bring her ‘Caramel Cups’!  Everyone loves them, especially the kids.

Then a few weeks ago Amanda decided it was essential that she share with us her very favorite and amazing ‘Chocolate Brownie’ recipe that she got from one of her friends.

So I think it would be totally remiss of me not to share both recipes with you. 

Double thanks sweet Amanda. 

Caramel Cups

What you need:

Butternut snap biscuits

Nestlé caramel top 'n' fill (in a tin like sweetened condensed milk)

(Quantities are your own choice)

What you do:

Place biscuits on patty cake tin tray and heat in moderate oven for approximately 5 minutes or until soft.

Remove from oven and press biscuits with back of spoon to make small hollow. Cool on rack.

Heat caramel in microwave or saucepan until smooth and runny (heat in short bursts if microwaving and stir in between, low heat if using stovetop).

Fill each biscuit with caramel. Place in fridge to set. Can top with whipped cream if desired.

Enjoy with a glass of Riesling – I say.  I highly recommend a Riesling from Austria.

Chocolate Brownies

What you need:

150 grams butter

350 grams dark cooking chocolate

1 ½ cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

¾ cup of plain flour

¾ cup dark chocolate chips

½ cup of fresh cream

¾ cup chopped macadamia nuts

What you do:

Melt the butter and dark cooking chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, when melted leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Then stir in brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, plain flour, dark chocolate chips, fresh cream and chopped macadamias.

Spread into lined pan.  Bake in a moderate oven for about 35-40 minutes, so it’s nice and gooey!

Amanda says - don’t stress if it’s quite wet when you take it out of the oven because it'll firm up when it cools.  She also covers it with foil half way through cooking so the top doesn’t burn.

I say – enjoy this with a big glass of Shiraz.  Anything from the Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale will do.

Enjoy friends!

Bendigo Corner Store Cafe

It’s great when you find a daytime dining venue that ticks all of the boxes that the large and varied daytime dining audience may require.  It's even better when you discover this in a regional location.

The Bendigo Corner Store Cafe certainly leaves nothing unticked.  Previously a corner store in the upper residential part of the well-known View Street it is now a cafe that has not forgotten its humble beginnings.  You can still buy your daily newspaper, along with a loaf of bread from the local bakery ‘The Good Loaf’ and even post a letter in the post box out the front.

Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, the menu is tantalising and beautifully supplemented with a daily specials board.  I’m a sucker for a good breakfast and the Corner Store Cafe does not disappoint.  Breakfast ranges from sour dough toast to porridge with fried banana and stewed rhubarb, to ricotta pancakes to a big breaky with free-range eggs.  Lunch is also enticing offering delicious gourmet sandwiches to a roast vegetable salad with quinoa to the open steak sandwich.  The kids’ menu is also very thoughtful with the usual favourites and some fun healthy options.  I’d go as far to say that it’s one of the best kids menus I have seen.

The wonderful thing about their menus is that there are various vegetarian, gluten and dairy free options.  As there is with the milk choices for coffee – organic, full fat, low fat, soy, lactose free and oat milk.  Now that is truly thinking of everyone!  The passion for coffee is evident here.  The barista is attached to his machine and makes every cup with precision and expertise.  On offer is the house blend, a single origin barista special of the day and organic decaf.  All beans are roasted from a boutique roaster in Melbourne and are 100% organic fair trade.

There is a small but well thought out beverage list with the usual non alcoholic suspects and fresh juices or you can enjoy a glass of bubbles, a beer or a cider with your eggs and bacon or house made veggie burger.  Sit out the front and watch the world go by, chill out in the lounge or sit out the back under an umbrella and watch the kids play in the sandpit.  Finish all this off with one of the amazing cakes or cookies on display at the front counter.  Who said you can’t have cake for breakfast?

Food – 8/10

Service – 7/10

Ambiance – 8/10

Bendigo Corner Store Cafe

305 View Street, Bendigo Victoria.

Open Monday – Friday 7.30am – 6pm/Saturday – Sunday 8.30 – 4pm

Phone – (03) 5442 2008