Gluten Free Cranberry, Coconut and Orange Loaf with Yoghurt

Cranberry, Coconut and Orange Loaf with Yoghurt

1 1/2 cups (225g) plain gluten-free flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cups (150g) caster sugar

1 cup (75g) shredded coconut

1 1/3 cups frozen cranberries

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil

1/2 cup (125ml) fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind

Icing sugar, for dusting

1 cup (280g) natural yoghurt, to serve

Preheat oven to 160°C. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the sugar, coconut, frozen cranberries, eggs, oil, orange juice and orange rind and mix until well combined. Spoon the mixture into a greased 21cm x 10cm loaf tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on a wire rack, dust with icing sugar and serve with the yoghurt. Serves 6.

Alternative topping:

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

125 grams Philadelphia cream cheese

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon orange zest

1/2 cup icing sugar

Soften cream cheese by allowing it to come to room temperature. Cut cream cheese into small cubes. Mix all ingredients. Add more icing sugar if mixture is too thin. Add my orange juice if mixture is too thick. Spread frosting on cooled loaf.

November visit to North Bank Community Garden in Bellingen

Chard

We had a turnout of twenty for this gathering and we were lucky that we were able to enjoy a fine day, followed that evening by a lovely big downpour.  We sheltered from the sun under the bamboo yurt for the first time, which worked well. Here are some of Jeff’s great photos.

Our seedtable

Before exploring the garden we broke into three groups;

(1) people from the coastal areas, 

(2) from the valleys 

(3) from the Dorrigo Plateau.  

Action at the seedtable is always brisk

                                           

Everyone shared their experiences of the highs and lows of coping with our unpredictable climate – what was growing successfully and what not, etc. During feedback time, the groups’ concerns and interests ranged over many topics.

The group shared garden lore

Group 1:  dry conditions/bush fires, watering, erosion control with herbs, dry shock but reduced weed growth, climate change, the benefits of Lady Beetles controlling aphids  (lots around at  present).  Use more mulch.  Visitor from Korea – discussion of crops;  also UN disaster relief work.

Asparagus bed

Comfrey and taro

 Group 2:  Basil - fungal conditions and rust – use of biodynamics –stir one cup of fresh Casuarina needles in a bucket of water;

 Strawberry propagation -  take plantlet closest to mother plant,

There were questions about sourcing sesame seeds to grow.

A grouping of edibles

Yarrow

 Group 3:  Weed control – tussock, thistle, ink weed, sword grass, wild tobacco, whisky grass.  Effects of dry weather on garden;  alpacas;  acreage use; 

Tip: old timers’ methods of weed control and old recipes e .g. molasses sprayed on tussock etc (cattle love molasses); 

  vinegar/salt - acts like Roundup;  dolomite;  lime sprayed on nettles, etc.   Just dig up!

  If you would like to contribute anything to these discussions, please email me or bring to the Q&A session on 2 or 16 December.

Zucchini

The tea table is always a place to share gardening stories and recipes for our produce.

Auntie Beryl's Processor Moist Orange Cake (left)

 Ingredients: 

 •  2 washed navel  oranges about 220 grams each

• 185 gm softened butter

• 1 1/2 cups castor sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 3 eggs

• 2 1/4 cups self raising flour

Icing:
•1/2 cup white sugar
• juice of one orange

Method

• Preheat  fanforced oven to 160 degress C or 170degrees for non fan farced oven

• Grease 22cm spring form pan and line the base

• cut oranges into 1/4s and remove seeds

• place orange quarters in processor and pulse until chopped

• add butter, castor sugar and vanilla and pulse until combined

• add eggs and pulse

• add flour and pulse with small bursts until flour is all blended

• Bake 55 to 60 minutes...cool 10 minutes

• pour over icing syrup OR melt some chocolate (can use choc chips) and spread

Early winter recipes tasted at our June Workshop

Auntie Beryl's Choko Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 good sized chokos (chayote), peeled and chopped
• 2-3 rashers bacon (or substitute) finely chopped
• 1 large onion peeled and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons of uncooked rice
• 3 chicken stock cubes (or vegetable stock)
• 6 cups water
• 2-3 teaspoons curry powder
• salt and pepper

Method:

• Saute bacon and onion
• Stir in rice, bacon and chokos
• Add stock cubes and water (or 6 cups of chicken/vegetable stock)
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Simmer until choko is soft (approximately 30 minutes)
• Allow to cool then puree with a blender

Enjoying Choko Soup

* Aunty Beryl used Sanitarum Bacon Style Rashers and also vegetable stock to make this delicious soup. We all have loads of chokos at the moment and if not they are freely available in many local places including the old caravan park in Bellingen.










Savoury Muffins with Mushroom Plant, Basil, Sundried Tomato & Cheese

Ingredients

Spray Oil
2 cups self raising flour (fresh is best)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups tasty cheese and a 1/3 cup extra
1/4 cup sundried tomato, drained and coarsely diced

1/2 cup finely chopped basil and mushroom plant (young leafy tips)
1/4 cup toasted pine or macadamia nuts
1 cup milk
80g butter, melted
1 egg, lightly whisked

Method:

• Preheat oven to moderate 180 degrees C. Lightly spray a 12 hole muffin tray with oil.
• Sift flour and salt together  into a large bowl.
• Stir in cheese, tomatoes, basil & mushroom plant mix, and nuts
• In a jug combine milk, melted butter and whisked egg.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingrediaents. Add milk mixture all at once. Mix lightly until just combined.
• Spoon mixture evenly into prepared muffin tray and sprinkle with extra cheese.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes until cooked when tested with a skewer.
• Cool in tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.



Leela's Finger Sandwiches

• Delicious local 'Hearthfire' Spelt Bread topped with avocado, lettuce and cooked slices of capsicum.

Our perennial capsicum bushes are still fruiting. Avocados are hanging on our trees and will ripen after picking.

 Our workshop group worked on streamlining our seed packet labelling and providing more information on the packets. We have also placed some resources (see the new page link at Home) and will list our group's immediate goals on the blog under the Seed Savers Network Aims.

Linda's Orange & Cardamom Biscotti

3 egg whites

1/3 cup caster sugar

2/3 cup plain flour

Zest 2 oranges

½ cup blanched almonds

Linda's Orange & Cardamom Biscotti

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Optional: 1 teaspoon of Orange Liqueur

Preheat oven to 180’

Grease & line a loaf tin

Whip egg whites until stiff then gradually whisk in sugar

Gently fold in flour, zest, almonds, cardamom and Orange Liqueur.

Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove from tin and cool on rack.

When loaf is cold, slice into thin slices, spread on a baking tray and bake at 140’ for 15 minutes or until slices are crisp. 

Cool and store in an airtight container.


COMING SOON

Jeff's Moist Chunky Banana & Sultana Cake