Carrot Cakes

These little carrot cakes are light, fluffy and so yummy! Lower in fat and sugar – perfect just as they are so pop one in the lunchbox! (Freezer friendly too!) For something special, add some cream cheese icing!

For something special, add a dollop of cream cheese icing! Yummy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oil (try Olive or ricebran oil)
1/4 cup golden syrup (or use honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup Self-Raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice (optional or use cinnamon)
2 cups finely grated carrot (leave the skin on. It is about 2 medium sized carrots)
Optional: 1/3 crushed walnuts and/or sultanas

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 170C
2. In a large bowl use a whisk to combine oil, syrup, vanilla, eggs and sugar.

Whisk eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla

3. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder and mixed spice.

Gently fold in flour, baking powder and spices

4. Gently add in the grated carrots. Also add in walnuts or other additions.

Fold in the grated carrots

5. Divide the mixture evenly amongst 12 cupcake pans and bake for about 25 minutes – just lightly browned.

Pour into cupcake wrappers

6. Serve them warm with butter or just as they are. Allow them to cool and freeze straight away or top with lemon icing or cream cheese frosting.

Perfect just the way they are! Ready to freeze for lunch boxes!

Wonton Soup: A Recipe for Beginners

Wonton Soup: A Recipe for Beginners

Wonton Soup…so easy to make!

Have you ever made wonton soup or dumplings before? It is really easy and such a delicious family meal. Here is a very simple beginners version for you to try. It so easy to adapt this recipe to your family’s taste. You can buy wonton wrappers in the supermarket, usually in the chilled section near the fresh pasta.

Ingredients
1 pack of wonton wrappers
200g of minced chicken or pork (Also try adding in some finely diced prawn meat)
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 small carrot, grated finely
1/2 cup finely shredded cabbage
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Seasoning: optional. I like to use 1 Tablespoon of oyster sauce and 1 Teaspoon of Soy Sauce, but leave them plain if you prefer or add in whatever you like!

*note: we like to serve ours in a light vegetable broth/soup with some extra veges. Our toddler likes them plain, no soup!

Method:
1.Place all ingredients (except wonton wrappers) into a bowl and mix until well combined.

Lots of hidden vegetables!

2. Carefully separate some wonton wrappers, I like to do 10 at a time, spread them out in front of you on a flat surface (If the weather is hot, place the remaining wonton wrappers in the fridge)

3. Place approximately 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of mince mixture into the centre of each wonton wrapper. It doesn’t need to be rolled into a ball, just place in the centre. Don’t use too much, or they will explode!

Place your mince mixture on the centre of each wonton wrapper

4. ‘Fold’ the wontons by ‘pinching’ the opposite corners together. Repeat on the other corners.

Fold and pinch the opposite corners. Repeat on the other side too.

5. Gently shape the wonton by squeezing the top, just above the mince with both hands, using your thumbs and pointer fingers. This will seal it too.

Pinch the wonton pastry together

6. Repeat this until all wonton wrappers have been used. I like to place mine onto some baking paper, they won’t stick then! You can put these in the fridge to cook later.

Baking paper will stop them sticking to your container.

7. You can steam them for 10 mins, or for something very easy, prepare a pot of boiling water. (You can prepare it as a broth using stock cubes or your own stock)

8. When the water is boiling add in your wontons. (Not too many at a time, depending on the size of your pot) You can also add in more veges to the broth, try bok choy, shredded cabbage, spring onions and diced carrot.

Make a simple broth using vegetable stock and shredded vegetables

9. Wait for the wontons to float to the top of the broth and boil (uncovered) for another 3 minutes.

Serve the wontons with broth. My littlest one loves them just as they are, no soup.

Serve with or without a broth

There you go, I hope this inspires you to try these in the kitchen!

Pumpkin and Date Cakes

Do you ever have a leftover wedge of pumpkin and don’t want to waste it? Here’s what I do….I use it to make Pumpkin cakes! These really are so good….Please keep reading….if you like banana cake or carrot cake, you will like this too! They are a hit in our house and perfect for the lunchbox!

Absolutely delicious!

Pumpkin and Date Cakes

Ingredients:
pumpkin (about 400g peeled and seeded, any type of pumpkin or 1 cup of mashed pumpkin!)
90g soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
1 1/2 cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon mixed spice (optional or add cinnamon or other spice)

Method:
(Preheat the oven to 180*C

1. Chop the pumpkin and boil or steam it. Drain all the water and mash it well. You may need to drain it again after mashing. You need 1 cup of mashed pumpkin! Transfer the pumpkin to another dish to cool it while you continue.

mash your pumpkin

2. Mix the butter, sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined.

beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla

3. Add the mashed pumpkin and mix.

add the mashed pumpkin to the mixed butter, sugar, egg and vanilla mixture

4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix gently.

add in the chopped dates, flour, baking powder and spice

5. Spoon the mixture into 12 cupcake/muffin pans lined with papers.

divide mixture into muffin pans

6. Bake for about 25 mins.

7. Allow to cool. You can eat these warm with a knob of butter. Or you can cool and serve with cream cheese frosting. I let them cool completely and freeze ready for lunch boxes.

Light, moist and very yummy!

Apple Carrot Cakes

Apple Carrot Cakes

cut into squares and serve!

These have been the latest lunch box yummy in our household! So light and fluffy and lower in sugar and fat and best of all, it freezes well! It is dairy free too, but for something special top with cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil (olive, rice bran or coconut oil)
1 large carrot (skin on, grated finely)
1 medium apple (any type, skin on or off, grated coarsely)
1 cup self raising flour (try half wholemeal)
1 teaspoon mixed spice or cinnamon or whatever you prefer (optional)
1/2 cup of sultanas (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C

2. Whisk eggs, sugar and oil until mixed well.

Mix eggs, sugar and oil

3. Use a spoon to gently mix in the grated carrot and apple.

add in grated carrot and apple

4. Lightly fold in flour and spice. If you like sultanas, add them in now too.

gently add in flour and any spices you like

5. Place mixture into a paper lined tin. I use a rectangular slice pan, 28cm x 18cm. You could also use a square pan. Bake for 25 to 30 mins or until cake begins to brown and is cooked in the middle.

pour into a pan and spread it flat

6. Allow to stand in the pan for at least 10mins then lift out and place on a wire rack to cool. (I leave the paper on)

7. You can serve this just as is or drizzled with lemon icing. (Great for the lunch box!) or you can spread with cream cheese frosting!

to finish: dust with icing sugar or spread with cream cheese frosting or lightly drizzle with lemon icing! Yum!

8. Cut into squares and serve now or freeze for lunchboxes or later!

Place into a ziplock bag and into the freezer for later or for lunchboxes!

Kids Cooking: Four Chocolate Cupcakes

Four Little Chocolate Cupcakes

Just 4 Cupcakes…super easy to make!

This recipe is just for kids! They can do this themselves, just help them with the oven. A simple recipe with pantry friendly ingredients and only a wooden spoon to mix. It makes just four little cupcakes, perfect for rainy days, school holidays or weekends. Have fun icing or decorating these!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup self raising flour
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 Tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon butter/margarine (melted or very soft)
1 tablespoon milk (dairy, soy or other)
1 egg

Method:
1.Preheat oven to 170C

2. In a bowl combine flour, cocoa and sugar. Mix with a wooden spoon.

Mix flour, cocoa and sugar

3. Add in the butter, milk and egg. Use the wooden spoon to mix.

Mix in the butter, milk and egg

4. Divide mixture among 4 cupcake wrappers. (It also makes about 6 patty cakes)

Makes 4 cupcakes!

5. Bake for about 12 mins. (Don’t over bake or they will be too dry) Allow to stand in the tin for 5 minutes then cool on a wire rack.

6. Ice and decorate as you please! (Note: this is a very basic recipe, not too fancy, just for kids to make! If they prefer it sweeter, add an extra tablespoon of sugar, cocoa and milk!)

Decorate anyway you like….try chicks and rabbits!

Iced Bunny Biscuits

Bunny Biscuits

Hop to it…these bunny biscuits are so easy to make!

These are so cute and so easy! Make them for a party, cake stall, Easter or just for fun! The kids can easily do this themselves!

You will need:
Oval shaped biscuits (I use arrowroots)
Icing (see step one below)
White Marshmallows (cut in half)
Pink mini marshmallows (cut in half)
Choc chips (or other round Lollies)
Licorice wheels, sour straps or other long confectionary (cut into small strips)
White Tic Tacs

Here are the ingredients I use..but use whatever you like!

Instructions:

Note: make one at a time or the icing will set hard!

1. Mix a basic icing. It needs to be slightly firm but spreadable. If it is too runny the sweets won’t stick. I use a cup of icing sugar and slowly add a small amount of water.

2. Spread some icing onto a biscuit and quickly place 2 white marshmallows at the top of the oval biscuit. (Ears!)

Place the marshmallow ‘ears’ on the top of the biscuit

3. Place a pink mini Marshmallow on the white marshmallow. You can put the cut side down and it will stick, if not use a small amount of icing to ‘glue’ them on.

4. Add on the choc chips for ‘eyes’ and a ‘nose’.

complete your bunny face any way you like!

5. Place the licorice or sourstrap strips beside the nose for ‘whiskers’.

My kids prefer sourstrap whiskers!

6. Place 2 Tic Tacs for teeth at the bottom! (Optional!)

These can be made the day before. Keep them in an air tight container at room temperature. The icing will set hard. I am sure you can make something even cuter than these! Please let me know your suggestions!

Have fun! If you check out my Yibba Yabba Mama Facebook page you will see I love icing biscuits! No baking but so cute and loved by all kids!

Apricot Coconut and Honey Weetbix Slice

Apricot Coconut and Honey Weetbix Slice

Apricot Coconut and Honey Weetbix Slice

Here is another super yummy lunch box recipe! It is lower in fat than most slice recipes and no added sugar…it is sweetened with honey and apricots! (I do use sugar in the icing though!) It is a winner in our house, yours too I hope!

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons honey
4 crushed weetbix (or 1 cup of leftover crumbs!)
2/3 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup plain flour
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 egg (beaten)

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180C

2. Combine melted butter, honey and weetbix. Mix well.

mix melted butter, honey and crushed weetbix

3. Add in flour, coconut and apricots. Mix well.

Add in all the dry ingredients, including apricots

4. Mix in the beaten egg until well combined.

mix in one beaten egg

5. Using your fingers, press the mixture into a paper lined slice pan. I use a 28cm x 18cm slice pan (approx!) I make sure extra paper hangs over the sides to make it easy to remove!

Press into a rectangle slice pan

6. Bake for 15 minutes or so. (Don’t over bake or it will be too dry! It will be soft when you take it out of the oven, but will harden as it cools)

7. Allow it to cool for 5 mins. Then pour on some icing. Use plain icing, vanilla or lemon. (1 cup icing sugar with some water/milk/juice will be fine for a simple icing)

Lovely with a little icing!

8. I like to top my slice with 1/4 cup extra coconut and 2 finely sliced dried apricots. Sometimes I use a Passionfruit icing….yummy! Allow the slice to cool completely then slice into squares or rectangles.

Topped with more coconut and sliced apricots

This slice is perfect for after school, in the lunch box or whenever! It freezes well too!

Cranberry and White Chocolate Biscuits

Cranberry and White Chocolate Biscuits

Cranberry and White Chocolate Biscuits…yummy!

We love these biscuits in our house! There is something so yummy about the combination of white chocolate and cranberry….yummy! I often bake these for cake stalls or make them as gifts. This recipe is reduced in sugar but still tastes great! The cranberries add their own sweetness and a chewy texture.

There is chocolate in here too, if you would rather make these healthier (for the lunch box or other reasons) then substitute with desiccated coconut! (See hints below!)

Ingredients:
125g soft butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
2 cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or melts (substitute with desiccated coconut if you prefer)
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 170 C

2. In a mixer or with an electric mixer beat the butter, sugar and vanilla

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy

3. Beat in the egg

Beat in one egg

4. Gently mix in the flour, cranberries and white chocolate.

Gently mix in white choc, cranberries and flour

5. Make level tablespoon sized balls of mixture and place onto a lined tray. (I use my measuring scoop and then a fork to flatten them) Allow a little room for them to rise. Makes approx 28 biscuits

Leave room for spreading!

6. Bake for 15 to 18 mins or until just starting to brown. Don’t over bake or they will be too dry.

Allow to cool on tray for 5 mins then cool on a wire rack

These freeze very well!

Hints:
If you want to make Cranberry Coconut biscuits:
Substitute choc for 1/2 cup desiccated coconut. Use less flour, 1 and 1/2 cups will ensure the biscuits are not too dry.

My kids prefer the cranberries chopped up roughly! I guess it spreads them out too!

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins

Light and full of blueberries!

My recipe is lower in fat and sugar and full of blueberries! Just perfect for the lunch box, after school or when guests pop in! Here is my freezer friendly recipe:

Ingredients:
90g softened butter or dairy free spread
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 cups self raising flour (try wholemeal flour or even half white/wholemeal)
3/4 cup milk (soy, almond, rice or other will be fine)
1 cup frozen blueberries. (Or fresh!)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C

2. Using an electric beater or mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla.

Mix in softened butter, sugar and vanilla

3.Beat in the eggs.

Add in the eggs

4. Lightly fold in the flour and milk, don’t over mix.

Carefully fold in the flour

5. Add the blueberries and gently stir.

Add in fresh or frozen blueberries

6. Divide mixture between 12 muffin wrappers. (You can also add on a sprinkle of rolled oats now or even a sprinkle of brown sugar if you like)

Makes 12 muffins

Try adding in some rolled oats…. oaty goodness!

7. Bake for approximately 25 mins.

These will freeze beautifully!

Freezer friendly!

These muffins are delicious just as they are. If you prefer a sweeter muffin, add more sugar or try using brown sugar. Here are a few more ideas for you to try:

More ideas:
Try using raspberries or any other fresh or frozen berries
Add in one grated apple for a more moist muffin
Sprinkle 1/2 cup rolled oats on top of the muffins before you bake
Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar on top of he muffins before you bake
Add in 1/2 white choc bits for something special
Serve with a dollop of cream cheese icing or dust with icing sugar just before serving

These can also be made into patty sized muffins or even mini muffins. You will need to bake these for less time, about 18 mins or so.

Cranberry Weetbix Slice

Cranberry Weetbix Slice

Yummy!

Here’s another weetbix slice that is perfect for lunch boxes! It has been a hit in our house this week, hopefully it will be in yours too! This is not a sweet slice, the icing makes it sweeter for the kids to enjoy it. You can add more sugar if you prefer it. Much healthier than regular slices, lower in fat and lower in sugar…you and the kids will love this one!

Ingredients:
4 finely crushed weetbix or vitabrits (use your processor or bash them in a zip lock bag with a rolling pin!)
3 tablespoons of melted butter (or margarine or dairy free spread)
1 cup plain flour (wholemeal flour works great too!)
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup sugar (caster, raw or brown!)
1 cup dried cranberries/craisins (I chop them up roughly to spread them out)
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (OR if you prefer a lemon taste… 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. You can also add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest or to your preferred taste!)

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180C

2. Add melted butter and vanilla essence to the crushed weetbix and stir well. (If you are using lemon juice and zest add it now)

Mix melted butter with crushed weetbix

3. Mix in the flour, coconut, sugar and cranberries. Stir well to combine all ingredients.

Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, including cranberries

4. Slowly pour in the water and mix well.

Pour in the water and mix

5. Firmly press the mixture into a paper lined slice pan. (I use a 18cm x 28cm approx sized pan and allow the paper to hang over the edge to make it easier to lift out!)

Press in using your hands and bake!

6. Bake for 15 mins for a soft chewy slice or about 18 mins for a harder crunchier slice. It will come out soft but will harden as it cools!

7. Stand for 5 mins. While still hot pour on icing (I like to use Lemon icing, recipe below) and sprinkle with extra desiccated coconut. Allow to cool completely in the tin. (You can spread the icing on the whole slice or drizzle half the quantity with a spoon for less icing.)

Lemon icing tastes great in this slice

sprinkle with more coconut!

8. When cool slice into squares and serve. This slice freezes well!

Yummy!

Here are some variations:
Instead of icing, add in half a cup of white chocolate chips or drizzle melted white chocolate on top!
Apricot and coconut slice: substitute the cranberries with chopped dried apricots.
Apple and sultana: substitute the cranberries with Finley chopped apples and sultanas.
Don’t forget my chocolate weetbix slice! You can find the recipe here: http://wp.me/p3wks7-16
(To make this healthier try using coconut oil instead of butter, honey instead of sugar and use wholemeal flour.)

*Lemon Icing Recipe: (mine is a basic one, use your preferred one!)
Combine 1 cup icing sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and stir well. You may need extra lemon juice, water or milk to mix it to a thick pouring consistency. You can add some zest on top of the coconut too!