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The ultimate kitchen resource with 50,000 free recipes, plus menus, videos and cooking tips. Australia's #1 food site

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1. In a large saucepan heat some oil and fry off your diced onions until translucent, add the diced pumpkin and garlic and fry until soft and golden.

2. Move cooked pumpkin to a food processor or container for hand blender and blend until a smooth puree and set aside. Note, you can add a splash of the stock to loosen it if needed to blend.

3. In the same pan used to cook the pumpkin heat another tablespoon of oil and then toss in your rice and cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes to start the rice. Pour in vegetable stock and stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add pumpkin puree to the mix. Cook for 15 minutes (or until rice is firm, but cooked), stirring the whole time. Stir in thyme leaves and a small handful of grated Parmesan if you like.

4. Set the cooked rice risotto aside to cool.

5. Crack two eggs into a small bowl and whisk. Set aside.

6. Place 1 cup of panko crumbs in another bowl with a handful of grated Parmesan and mix to combine.

7. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

8. When the risotto is cooled, roll spoonfuls of the sticky mix into balls roughly the size of a golf ball. You can actually make them smaller too, but I find this size works well.

9. Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll on crumb mix to coat. You can do this process twice to each ball for an extra crunchy coat, but one coat is also good. Place the balls onto the baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp and brown. Serve with extra Parmesan grated over the top.

These are great lunchbox fillers for the kids, afternoon snacks, entree bites or a side for dinner. But they're also good on their own with a light, crisp salad. The kids also love helping to roll and dip the balls.

You can even make the risotto part ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for a day or two until you have a chance to roll the balls.

Easy pumpkin risotto baked arancini balls (Supplied)

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In a large saucepan heat some oil and fry off your diced onions until translucent, add the diced pumpkin and garlic and fry until soft and golden. Move cooked pumpkin to a food processor or container for hand blender and blend until a smooth puree and set aside.

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Zucchini Spinach Feta Muffins - Do I need to say more? I absolutely love savoury muffins! There are so many ways to pack goodness into muffins whilst still making them totally scrummy for your little ones. This combination is a guaranteed win!

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This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

Healthy Carrot Cake with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, toasted coconut and walnuts. This carrot cake recipe is moist, tall, has texture and thick creamy frosting.

For gluten free carrot cake make this scrumptious almond flour carrot cake!

Also other favorite guilt-free desserts we love around here are this chocolate cake recipe, healthy pumpkin cake and almond flour cake recipe.

Pin this recipe on Pinterest to save for later

Just to prove you that you are staring at the best healthy carrot cake, let me just say this - I was willing to make Instant Pot yogurt 3 weeks in a row for the sole purpose of carrot cake recipe testing.

Perfect carrot cake stands tall, is moist and has texture. Its icing is thick and you can taste the creaminess with every bite. People ask you if they can have your recipe. That's this healthy carrot cake!

Make it, come back and tell me how it went. I would love to hear from you!

And last thing. Craving more carrot recipes? Try these carrot muffins, carrot cake truffles or oatmeal breakfast bars - yes, with carrots.

Ingredients for Healthy Carrot Cake

Simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store, just like in our healthy snacks and other desserts:

Whole wheat flour (spelt flour): It is crucial you use one these flours. I have not tested the recipe with white whole wheat or pastry whole wheat flours.

Greek yogurt: It's the Greek yogurt that replaces majority of oil that traditional carrot cake recipe call for. Make sure to use one with at least 2% fat content.

Maple syrup or honey: Both add moisture and amazing flavour. You definitely will taste honey more. Any liquid sweetener will work.

Carrots: Finely grated carrots and not squeezed.

Eggs, oil and milk: Any light tasting oil like avocado, light olive oil, grapeseed oil will work. Any milk is fine too. These ingredients add moisture and act as a binder.

Nuts and coconut flakes: My absolute favourite is a combo of toasted walnuts and coconut flakes that add moisture. Coconut flakes can be long, regular or dessicated. I use unsweetened variety but you can use sweetened and cake will be sweeter. Also on top I sprinkled coconut chips.

Powdered sugar: We need only 1/2 cup to make healthy frosting unlike traditional recipes that call for 2 or even 3 cups of icing sugar.

Baking essentials: Vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, salt.

How to Make Healthy Carrot Cake

Easy healthy carrot cake recipe starts with baking, frosting and serving it all in the same pan. Cake is so moist, you don't need the frosting between the layers. But you can.

Prep for frosting: Start this first. Very well strained and thick Greek yogurt. I recommend to buy yogurt between 2% - 10%. 10% doesn't need to be strained, it's almost like cream cheese. The most ideal would be whole milk (3.5%) yogurt, 2% will do well too. Strain it in a colander lined with paper towel or coffee filters to get rid of extra whey in order to have that traditional thicker icing (but healthier).

Prep for batter: Spray 9 x 13 baking dish, or you can use 2 x 6 inch or 8 inch pans. Toast nuts and coconut flakes in a skillet.

Make batter: Whisk wet ingredients first, then dry in same bowl. Do not overmix. Fold in carrots and toasted nuts and flakes. Perfect carrot cake batter should be more runny than muffins but thicker than pancakes.

Bake: In 9 x 13 pan - 40 minutes, 6 inch cake pans - 25-30 minutes, 8 cake inch pans - 35-40 minutes. Always do a toothpick test. Let cake cool completely before frosting.

Make frosting and assemble cake: Combine strained yogurt, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Whisk well, transfer on top of cake, spread with spatula and garnish with toasted coconut flakes (chips).

Serve: Cut into 16 slices and serve.

Carrot Cake FAQs

More Tips

10% Greek yogurt: If that is what you have on hand, thin it out with 1/4 cup milk for the batter but skip straining for the icing.

To make powdered sugar at home: Blend cane sugar in a high speed blender until powder-y. Saves a few $s and a trip to a grocery store.

If you would like to make traditional round cake: Divide batter between 2 cake pans. Bake 6″ cake pans - for 25-30 minutes, 8″ cake pans - 35-40 minutes. Here is a great article about changing the pan size. Then assemble and frost as per your imagination.

Healthier icing: You can make icing with maple syrup, it will be more runny and taste slightly different. But I have done it many-many times.

Other batter additions: I tried adding pineapple and raw pecans, and not adding coconut flakes. You can also add up to 1/2 cup raisins and chopped dates.

How to Store, Freeze and Make Ahead

Storing: Store assembled cake covered tightly with a cake lid for up to 2 days. Airtight is important so yogurt doesn't start to dry out.

Make ahead: Store baked, cooled and covered with plastic unfrosted cake for 3 days. Then frost before serving.

Freezing: I have not and would be hesitant to recommend you freeze assembled cake. Not sure how yogurt will thaw but my gut says 90% it should be fine. You can freeze unfrosted cake tightly wrapped with plastic and then foil for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for 6 hours or in the fridge overnight.

More Healthy Dessert Recipes

Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes anywhere including social media, print and all world wide web. Nutritional info is provided for informational purposes only and to the best knowledge.

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This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy. Healthy Carrot Cake with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, toasted coconut and walnuts. This carrot cake recipe is moist, tall, has texture and thick creamy frosting. For gluten free carrot cake make this scrumptious almond flour carrot cake!

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Perhaps the most attractive scent ever for humankind is the smell of meat grilling over an open fire. I would always remember grilled pork skewers as a childhood after school snack. There would always be a pork skewer stall in front of many schools in Vietnam, with the stall owner grilling the skewers on and selling them straight from a small open charcoal grill, because the stall owner knows that no students can resist that mouth-watering aroma after a long day at school or in the early morning hours. The skewers can be eaten on their own, with a squeeze of chilli sauce on top, which instantly wakes up your taste bud and warms up your body in a breezy winter day. Alternatively, one or two pork skewers sandwiched between a crusty baguette with some freshly pickled carrots and cucumbers makes for a great breakfast bánh mì. For lunch, grilled pork skewers are served with - thin white rice noodles and some fresh vegetables and herbs and a bowl of dipping sauce ( nước chấm). You can say that these skewers are so versatile and delicious that we Vietnamese try to eat them as much as we can, during any time of the day that we want. Thus, missing out on this simple and delicious recipe is not advisable for our RnF readers.

The most 'complicated' and thus most important part of this recipe is the marinade, because it is essentially the definition of these pork skewers. Try to get your hand on all the listed ingredients, even the optional sesame seeds, because it is the little thing that makes a great difference in cooking. When choosing the meat, a fatty piece of pork is ideal to prevent the skewers from drying out while grilling. Don't be scared of the layers of fat - it will all melt upon being grilled and leave the skewers with a scrumptious golden shine.

INGREDIENTS
* Note: Vietnamese caramel sauce is NOT the same as the caramel sauce you use in desserts. For more information, see our glossary.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wash the wooden skewers and put them in a pot of boiling water to sanitise them completely.

If you are grilling the meat over direct fire, soak the skewers in cold water for about half an hour before threading the meat to prevent the skewers from burning.

2. Finely chop the shallots, garlics and lemongrass.

Slice the pork into 2 - 3 mm thick slices. Aim to have even slices of pork - not too thick so that it wouldn't be too tough for the skewers to pierce through, but not too thin to save up time putting the meat together. I always use the pork shoulder for this recipe. Thanks to the fat that lies between the meat, I never need to worry that the meat will get dry when being grilled. Plus, grilled pork shoulder is tender and crunchy at the same time. If you can't find this part, pork belly also works quite well. If using pork belly, remember to remove the skin before skewer the meat.

3. Mix the pork with all of the ingredients listed above and leave it to marinate for about 2 - 3 hours. However, it is best to marinate the pork overnight in the fridge - this allows the pork to fully 'soak up' the delicious flavours that are essential to your perfect grilled pork skewers.
I sometimes use shallot/ garlic/ lemongrass powder instead of the fresh ones. It's more convenient and fast but the taste of the meat when marinated with fresh spices is slightly better.

* Note:

- There is no fixed measurement for the pork marinade - every family has a different taste bud, so keep experimenting until you reach the ratio that you fancy. If you are a beginner and unsure about your seasoning skills, try mixing your marinade in a separate bowl and seasoning it to taste first before adding it into the meat. After marinating the meat, you can also do a taste-test by cooking (on the hob or in the microwave) a small piece of meat and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

- The main purpose of using caramel sauce is to give the meat a nice golden brown color after being grilled. If you omit this sauce, replace the "1/2 tbsp sugar" in the recipe by 2 tbsp brown sugar. In addition, prepare some honey to brush on the meat when grilling them.

4. Thread the pork into the bamboo skewers by piercing the skewer through one end of a meat slice, rolling the meat around the skewer and securing it by putting the skewer through the other end. Make 2 - 3 meat rolls on one skewer. The smaller meat slices should be on the inside, while the larger ones on the outside. Shape the skewer with your hand when you're done threading the meat so that the meat is distributed evenly along the skewer. Make sure to leave a little bit of space between the slices. Don't roll the meat too tight or put too much meat on one skewer, otherwise it would take a long time for the skewers to cook through and there is a high chance of burning them without fully cooking the inside.

5. It's grilling time! Put the skewers in a pre-heated oven at 200°C/ 392°F for 30 - 40 minutes. After 20 - 25 minutes, turn the skewers so that the meat cooks evenly on both sides.

If you can grill the meat over charcoal fire, you should definitely take advantage of that - the charcoal fire gives the meat a smoky flavour, a beautiful charred and a mouth-watering aroma that is far superior to the oven grilled version.

You can also grill the meat over a griddle pan on the hob like this pan. The griddle pan helps to char the meat, similarly to charcoal grilling. Lightly coat the pan with a thin layer of oil before placing the meat into the pan. Flatten the meat skewers a bit if you are pan-grilling, so that the meat cooks more quickly and evenly.

* Note: To prevent the meat from drying out, regardless of the grilling method, occasionally brush the skewers with some oil during the grilling process. Also, if you don't use caramel sauce, it's better to mix about 1 - 2 Tbsp honey with oil and lightly brush this mixture all over the skewers. With honey, the meat will turn brown faster and has a glossy/ shiny "look" as well. However, as honey makes the meat brown fast, it should only be brushed onto the skewers at the last minutes, e.g., 5 - 7 minutes before you take the skewers out of the oven.

6. Enjoy them hot and fresh out of the grill !

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Related Post

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Vietnamese Grilled Pork Skewers recipe - Rice 'n Flour

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Perhaps the most attractive scent ever for humankind is the smell of meat grilling over an open fire. I would always remember grilled pork skewers as a childhood after school snack.

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Easy lime tart with ANZAC biscuit base of rolled oats, flour coconut and golden syrup. The best of both worlds.

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The ultimate kitchen resource with 50,000 free recipes, plus menus, videos and cooking tips. Australia's #1 food site

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Serve these garlicky shrimp with lots of crusty bread. This recipe first appeared in our March 2012 issue, with Dana Bowen's story Good and Plenty.

Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino)

Serve these garlicky shrimp with lots of crusty bread.

Ingredients

8 oz. pancetta, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

16 medium shrimp, deveined

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 sprigs rosemary, stemmed

1 medium tomato, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

Heat pancetta and oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat; cook until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a plate. Add garlic to skillet; cook for 1 minute. Season shrimp with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook until pink, about 2 minutes. Add wine, rosemary, and tomato; cook until wine is reduced by half, 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with pancetta.

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Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino)

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Serve these garlicky shrimp with lots of crusty bread. This recipe first appeared in our March 2012 issue, with Dana Bowen's story Good and Plenty. Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino) Serve these garlicky shrimp with lots of crusty bread. 8 oz.

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Age Plays a Factor in Food Requirements

We find that generally, younger adults eat less than older adults. Ask a friend who works in aged care about how much an older person can eat in a day. Younger adult and adolescent girls tend to pick at food rather than heartily devour a large meal, especially in front of her peers. If you have a sporting crowd, they usually eat well.

If your party catering time is under an hour, consider whether you will have enough time to serve out enough food for a meal, or whether to only offer afternoon tea, pre-dinner drinks or light finger food. Make sure your guests know if you are only offering a light serving over what some may consider a meal time. Also let us know if we are preparing your menu.

The time of your party is also very important. An after-dinner cocktail party requires less food than an all-day barbecue.

If you have primary school aged children, you can use a simple ratio of 2:1 for food quantity needed, ie, 2 children to one adult portion. Always check with parents for allergies!

Party Catering Planning Guidelines

These are general rules of thumb. They are a good place to start, however, as you are talking to your guests when they RSVP, keep a note of any adjustments you may need to make.

Round up your food quantities, don't round them down. It is not nice when guests need to drop in on the local take-away on their way home, or worse, leave early because they are hungry!

Anticipate which food selections will be most popular and serve more of them and less of some others. Seafood and mini hamburgers are often more popular than quiches, for example.

The more menu items you offer, the less of each is required.

For 'petite food' cocktail party menus, provide a good variety throughout the party. Keep in mind that the little morsel you are so looking forward to serving may not be everyone's 'cup of tea', and if there are only 2 rounds of that one item being served for the next 40-50 mins, some guests may go hungry. If a guest has dietary or other considerations that prevent them from taking a few of your menu items, it is important to take care of their needs in their own time.

Even the most popular menu items are unlikely to be popular for more than a couple of service rounds, so again variety can be a better choice than more of the same foods.

Buffets always require greater food supply than plate service or cocktail catering. Guests tend to have a taste of everything, and it is poor taste to run out of a buffet item, so there is a lot of waste.

Palates need 'a rest'. Plan a balanced menu with some simpler foods and some richer foods.

If your are planning a meal, don't forget the starch - bread, potatoes or rice. If your menu is being served cocktail style, include some bulk items. Our cocktail catering menus and cold platters can give you plenty of ideas. You can add nuts, pretzels, dips and flat breads on platters prepared before the party starts without a lot of extra work. Fresh sushi platters are also popular easy, bulky starters.

Consider whether all of your guests will arrive on time. The younger generation have redefined fashionably late.

Here are basic guidelines for individual serving sizes of various foods. Multiply these estimates by your number of guests and, once again, always round up your estimates.

How much food do I need for my high tea party?

3 pieces per hour for light catering (less than lunch quantities)

include a mix of sweet and savoury

creative presentation is a popular attraction

How much food do I need for my cocktail party?

'meal replacement' catering - 4 pieces per hour for the first two hours then 2-3 per hour after that - depending on the piece size

pre-dinner, after work office parties or after-dinner menus - 3 pieces per hour for light catering

How much food do I need for my dinner party?

Overall - 300-400g per person

Poultry, meat or fish - 160g with one main dish, 200g if two or more main dishes are offered

Rice, grains - 50g as a side dish or 60-75g if it is a main dish such as risotto

Potatoes - 80-150g

Vegetables - 120-150g, best to have a higher vegetables to potato ratio

Beans - 50-60g as a side dish

Pasta - 50-75g for a side dish, 70-90g for an entree, 200-300g as a main dish

Green Salad - 30g before dressing

How much food do I need for my party desserts?

We often observe that not everyone is a sweet tooth, so cake is not eaten by all. But, we do notice cake or cupcakes often being taken home for the children. This has guided our recommendations here:

1 slice of cake, tart or cupcake - this may include a piece of birthday cake, though these are often cut into 2.5cm wedding serves rather than cake & coffee serves at your local cafe. When ordering a custom celebration cake, check on the size of the pieces.

1-2 pastries, depending on their size

2-3 mini desserts, petit fours, mini slices

1 freshly prepared fruits platter per 40 guests based on the platter size we offer at Party Food Melbourne

120g of a creamy dessert such as pudding or mousse

2-3 scoops ice cream (about 120-150g)

Where a mix of these is offered, allow a little extra (same rationale as for a buffet).

For a dessert station, or dessert party, you will need a lot more. Contact our experienced team for a confidential discussion.

Other Menu Planning Tips

Don't repeat a main ingredient for a meal. For example, don't feature pumpkin in your entree and main course.

The converse applies in cocktail fingerfood catering - to ensure variety, especially over a longer party, offer a couple of different menu items using a more popular base product, eg, chicken.

Check your fingerfood menu items are compatible - eg, if you have one Asian item with a European menu, the flavours may jar on the palate.

Consider the colours of the food that will be served together to ensure variety. We eat with our eyes before our mouths. Garnish is underrated and often forgotten in menu planning.

Offer both hot and cold foods on a buffet.

Consider textures and balance - creamy, crisp, crunch, light, dense.

Allergies & special food requirements - unless you know, ask. Nearly all of our catering now include special food requests. We have countless stories of a guest not mentioning an allergy until at the party being served the first menu item. It is too late for the caterers by then.

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Catering quantities are a common concern with party hosts As caterers, we are very careful to recommend enough food for your particular occasion when you book. We also know that even our well prepared menus and quantities are a guide rather than gospel as all functions are different.

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Lamb Rosemary And Mint Sausage Rolls | Donna Hay

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As tasty as they are easy to make, these lamb, rosemary and mint sausage rolls put a clever spin on a classic party favourite!

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Skip the queues and zoom to the express lane with only five ingredients - that way you'll be home quicker to cook and enjoy this delicious meal.

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My best friend is coming to visit this weekend and I cannot tell you how excited I am! It came as a complete surprise when she contacted me via text message yesterday to say she is in the country and wanted to fly up to Brisbane so we could have some time together.

It's been a couple of years since we last saw each other, and then it was another couple of years before that, due to the fact she now lives overseas, but we have one of those friendships that when we are together it's like no time at all has passed. There are friends that come in and out of your life, but then, on those rare occasions, there are those wonderful people you meet that you know you will be friends with for life, and she is most definitely one of those friends. Each time we get together we spend hours chatting about everything and nothing, talking about food, cooking, our latest favourite cookbooks, our new favourite shade of red lipstick and fashion. Just as with my fiance, she's one of those people I can be completely myself with.

When we met we bonded over a shared love of clothing by a particular Australian clothing designer called Alannah Hill. From there we discovered other shared loves of which food was yet another. Each time we caught up we would flit from place to place as we enjoyed a progressive dinner of sorts all over Sydney. We'd start at one place for cocktails, then we'd go to a restaurant for dinner, sometimes somewhere else for dessert and then yet another bar for cocktails afterwards. Yes, those nights were alcohol fuelled but so much fun!

I've mentioned my dear friend before here, recounting the day she delivered handmade truffles to me while I was having a particularly stressful day at work. We always loved giving each other special gifts and would be on the look out for things we knew the other would love. I remember one particular time when I'd come across an adorable necklace with two red crystal cherries on the pendant. I just knew it was for her so I bought it and planned to give it to her the next time I was in Sydney, which I did. When she opened the box and saw the necklace she became tearful and explained that it was absolutely perfectly her and it showed exactly how well we knew one another.

Luckily her husband and my fiance get along fantastically too, so while we catch up while the guys chat about, well, guy things! And no doubt we will all talk about Troy's and my engagement seeing as we got engaged since we last saw our friends. I'm sure there will be drinks to celebrate, and this is where my Mushroom and Lentil Rolls come in. These vegetarian sausage rolls are the perfect thing to enjoy with a couple of drinks or cocktails while you catch up with friends. You can prepare and cook these vegetarian sausage rolls in advance and simply reheat as your guests arrive. Serve with your favourite sauce or chutney!

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Vegetarian Sausage Rolls with mushrooms & lentils

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My best friend is coming to visit this weekend and I cannot tell you how excited I am! It came as a complete surprise when she contacted me via text message yesterday to say she is in the country and wanted to fly up to Brisbane so we could have some time together.

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Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 3 mins or until soft. Add the Moroccan seasoning and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl.

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Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 3 mins or until soft. Add the Moroccan seasoning and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl.

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Mushroom vol au vent |Jamie Oliver mushroom recipes

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Try this mushroom vol au vent recipe from Jamie Oliver, a wonderful winter warmer whatever the occasion. You could try other vol au vent fillings, too.

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Meanwhile, make Mini Burger Buns. Combine flour, yeast, sugar and oregano in a bowl. Make a well. Add oil and water. Using a butter knife, mix until just combined. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll out dough until 5mm thick. Using a lightly floured 3.5cm cookie cutter, cut out 48 rounds. Place on remaining prepared tray. Spray with oil. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

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Meanwhile, make Mini Burger Buns. Combine flour, yeast, sugar and oregano in a bowl. Make a well. Add oil and water. Using a butter knife, mix until just combined. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll out dough until 5mm thick. Using a lightly floured 3.5cm cookie cutter, cut out 48 rounds.

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Mini ginger chicken burgers with lime mayo

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These little gourmet chicken burgers make the perfect light meal, snack or finger food.

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These traditional Australian currant cakes are made of sugar, spice and all things nice.

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There's much debate between Australians as to whether a lamington should contain jam or not. My preference is based on taste, not tradition, and I have to say I love the combination of tart raspberry jam, chocolate and coconut. These were created as a fun alternative to a traditional lamington.

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"Scones are so Australian and everyone loves a good fluffy scone. But it was not until my food assistant and chef at Noosa Beach house shared her mum Natasha Fahey's recipe, did the perfect simplicity of this beautiful cake come to light.

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Delicious! I rolled them by hand and then drizzled dark chocolate (92%) over the bombs before putting them in the freezer. Yum!

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Pear Tart with Goat Cheese, Rosemary & Honey

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Pear Tart with Goat Cheese, Rosemary & Honey

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Pear Tart with Goat Cheese, Rosemary & Honey Recipe | Yummly

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Pear Tart With Goat Cheese, Rosemary & Honey With Frozen Puff Pastry, Pears, Lemon Juice, Goat Cheese, Sugar, Honey, Cracked Pepper, Rosemary Leaves

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Healthy Chickpea Blondies made from everybody's favourite bean! They're gluten-free, high in protein and sweetened with maple syrup. No one will guess that they're made from chickpeas!
Isn't it funny how things may change and yet they also feel exactly the same? Things like fall nostalgia and me still hiding chickpeas in baked goods 3 years later...

Or like my annual declaration of "The blog is changing! Thanks for understanding!" that seems to happen every year in August/September? Man I'm like a broken record. See here, here and here for proof.

And yet everything has changed all at the same time. The seasons, the blog, ME. I'm all like "guys I'm more than just a food blogger!" and then all I want to do is bake and post recipes.

RELATED: Healthy Avocado Brownies

This recipe for Healthy Chickpea Blondies was created 100% for me, which is exactly how it was 3 years ago when I started the blog. I just wanted to experiment in my own kitchen and see what happened. Of course I'm thrilled that people actually read and make what I share, but I'm learning that unless I'm making myself happy first, what I'm doing will not be sustainable. I know...what a novel concept! White bean blondies or not!

Fortunately for you, it means all the baked goods, because we all know my first love is baking. Thank you for tolerating my yearly identity crisis. I baked you blondies to show my appreciation!

Healthy Chickpea Blondies

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with coconut oil.

3. In a food processor combine chickpeas, nut butter, maple syrup and vanilla.

4. Add in oats, baking soda, sea salt and egg. Process until batter comes together smoothly. Should take 1-2 mins.

5. Stir in chocolate chunks (or chips).

6. Spread batter into baking pan, ensuring that top is flat.

7. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown around the edges.

8. Let cool for 20 mins before cutting into 12 blondies and removing from pan.

9. Will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

*This comes out to 2 cups. If you can't find a 19 oz can, measure out 2 cups from 2 14 oz cans.
Like this recipe? Here are a few others you might enjoy:

Raw Nutella Bars
Sweet Potato Swirl Brownies
No-Bake Mint Chocolate Bars

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Healthy Chickpea Blondies - The Healthy Maven

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Healthy Chickpea Blondies made from everybody's favourite bean! They're gluten-free, high in protein and sweetened with maple syrup. No one will guess that they're made from chickpeas! Isn't it funny how things may change and yet they also feel exactly the same? Things like fall nostalgia and me still hiding chickpeas in baked goods 3 years later...

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Banana Spring Rolls with Butterscotch Sa

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Banana Spring Rolls with Butterscotch Sa

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Maybe add a bit of rosemary on the butterscotch for flavour.

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5 just-ripe lady's finger bananas, peeled

1 tsp (heaped) plain flour

1 packet large spring roll wrappers, 20 x 20 cm, thawed

1 tbsp ground cinnamon (optional)

4 cups (1 litre) vegetable oil

cream, to serve

Butterscotch sauce

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Banana spring rolls with butterscotch sauce

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5 just-ripe lady's finger bananas, peeled 1 tsp (heaped) plain flour 1 packet large spring roll wrappers, 20 x 20 cm, thawed 1 tbsp ground cinnamon (optional) 4 cups (1 litre) vegetable oil cream, to serve Butterscotch sauce

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These shortbread jam squares are as cute as they are tasty! I sprang out of bed one day to make these as I had a craving for something short, buttery and jammy. Enter these shortbread squares!
The base of these is like a Middle Eastern Ghraybeh shortbread cookie. I tried this cookie recently on a trip out to Granville and it was so buttery soft and melted in my mouth that I wanted to eat it again.

You don't have to cut them into cubes, you can roll them out or make them whatever shape you would like. I felt like making cubes because I wanted to make a shape that would a) hold a good amount of jam and b) have a crisp, firm outer but soft, melting interior.

Speaking of firm outers and soft interiors, Nina is just that. I always look at Nina as a strong, pragmatic type but she has been amazing with the recent loss of Mochi and some health issues I've been having. She knows just what to say and what I need to hear-it's like she has a gift or something.

She has been trying to think of activities to cheer me up. "How do you feel about ten pin bowling?" she asked me. I told her that I was not fond of the idea of wearing someone else's shoes but I'd do it if everyone else wanted to.

Then she suggested a comedy night. And if there's something I love to do it is watch stand up comedy and I needed a laugh. So one night we went to the stand up at the Entertainment Quarter.

Perhaps it was the fact that the Sydney Comedy Festival was coming up but all the comedians were fantastic. However one made a joke about paying a $5,000 vet bill for their dog, a point that felt a bit too close to home. Nina whispered, "What the? They never make dog jokes!". But you know what? It was a great night. Followed by a couple of these cookies just before bed.

So tell me Dear Reader, what activity cheers you up? Do you have a friend that has a gift for making you feel better?

Jam Shortbread Cubes

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 15-18 minutes

250g/8.8ozs. plain all purpose flour

135g/4.8ozs. butter, room temperature

70g/2.5ozs. icing or powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons of your favourite jam

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 160C/320F and line 2 baking trays with parchment. In a bowl, mix the flour, butter and sugar by hand until you get a cohesive dough. Add a little bit of oil if it is having trouble sticking together. Shape into a rectangle an inch thick.

Step 2 - Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Lift each square with a palette knife and take an apple corer and cut out a circle. Don't twist it, just dig straight down. Place on the lined tray and repeat until the rest are done. Then fill each cavity with jam. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes.

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These shortbread jam squares are as cute as they are tasty! I sprang out of bed one day to make these as I had a craving for something short, buttery and jammy. Enter these shortbread squares! The base of these is like a Middle Eastern Ghraybeh shortbread cookie.

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These low-calorie muesli scrolls are a great on-the-go brekky or snack. Plus, they're freezer-friendly, so you can make them ahead for those really hectic mornings!

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Delicately crisp phyllo rings with a creamy chocolate center, a sprinkling of sea salt and crunchy pistachios! Plus...recipe VIDEO included!
This post is sponsored by Cadbury Dairy Milk Egypt, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that believe in me.

Who can deny the greatness of classics? Their rich history, humble familiarity and sweet nostalgia give them an exceptional status in the food world.

In the past week, I've abided to tradition and covered popular classics like Pistachio Baklava, Ricotta Kunafa and crazy good Basbousa, in the most authentic way possible.

So I think it's about time we play!

Today, we're taking a classic and giving it the chocolate treatment. Because then again...who can deny the greatness of chocolate?

Cadbury Dairy Milk Egypt and I have teamed up together to bring you a delicious chocolate lovers' take on a beloved classic. Chocolate Baklava Bracelets; better known as Asawer El Sit.

Asawer El Sit, meaning Lady's Bracelets in Arabic, is a charming little baklava variation popular in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Like so many foods we share in this region, they come in different names like Bulbul Yuvasi, Turkish for Nightingale's Nest, and Lady's Naval in other countries. Clearly, the names have been derived from their round shape that's created by wrapping shirred rolls of phyllo into rings. The hallowed centers are then filled with nuts, typically pistachios, after they've been baked.

We ain't getting rid of the pistachio here, because we love 'em, but we're giving them an upgrade by sitting them atop a creamy bed of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate that's been sprinkled with sea salt. So you get crunchy, you get creamy, you get sweet, you get salty, and stomach gets happy.

As much as I love chocolate, I'm usually hesitatant about adding it to Middle Eastern desserts, because if we're being honest here, they don't always go well together. The pastry is almost always pretty sweet to begin with, thanks to the indispensable shower of sugar syrup, add to that the sweetness of chocolate, and chances of ending up with a sugar bomb is quite high. But I couldn't be happier with how this one turned out.

The sugar syrup here is kept to a minimum to make way for the added sweetness of chocolate. The light sprinkle of sea salt, together with the savoriness of pistachios, balance everything out in what can be best described as true bliss. I'm a sucker for textural contrast, so the crunch of the phyllo and pistachios against the creaminess of the chocolate, make this a winner in my book.

I love a great recipe with a number of ingredients I could count on one hand, and this one is exactly that.

You're only gonna need:

Cadbury Dairy Milk plain chocolate

Phyllo dough

Sugar Syrup (I always use that one, since I always have it on hand, but recipe for a small quantity is added below)

Ghee (clarified butter can be used instead)

Pistachios

Sea Salt Flakes...Oh wait...that's 6! Ok...so let's just make that one optional instead of coming with another clever analogy 😜 Kidding aside, it really is optional though.

These bracelets are so fun to make as they are to eat. Check it out!

At first they may seem a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be rolling like its your job. First things first; ALWAYS keep the phyllo you're not working with covered under a layer of plastic wrap topped with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out. That's super important, as dried sheets will crack as you roll them.

Then begin by placing a long rod or stick like a dowel, pencil or straw at the edge of a small square of phyllo, then so very loosely roll the square of phyllo around the rod. If you wrap it too tightly, you'll have a hard time getting it out of the rod, which could cause tearing.

Leave the last 2cm of the phyllo unrolled, because this will become the bracelet's base later on.

Then placing each hand on both ends of the rolled phyllo, carefully push both ends towards the center to shirr like an accordion.

Slide the shirred phyllo out of the dowel and curve to form a circle, pressing on the ruffled end to form a flat base. Then press ends together to adhere slightly.

You'll want to arrange the bracelets so that they are touching one another. This will reduce the chance of the rings opening up during baking. Then brush with melted ghee and into the oven they go.

As soon as they come out of the oven, brush with syrup. As you can see, we're being stingy with the syrup this time around...

Because a square of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate is about to be nestled in. Other than the fact that it is one delectable piece of chocolate, I just love how it's just the perfect size for the bracelet's center. It's like they're made for each other.

You'll then gonna let them hang out together for a while to let the warmth of the rings melt the chocolate, and make them so irresistibly shiny. Then use a toothpick to swirl the chocolate squares to fully cover the base of the ring.

A light sprinkling of sea salt flakes, followed by pistachios and you got yourself a confection that is almost too pretty to eat.

Almost.

Ingredients

For the Sugar Syrup:*

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

Small squeeze of lemon juice

For the Baklava Bracelets:

1 (500g) package phyllo dough, thawed (please see notes below for brand recommendation

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (140g) melted ghee (or clarified butter *instructions below)

3 packages (90g each) Cadbury Dairy Milk, plain

Sliced pistachios, for garnish

Sea salt flakes (optional)

Instructions

To make the Sugar Syrup: (can be substituted with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Big Batch Sugar Syrup):

In a small saucepan, combine together the sugar, water and squeeze of lemon juice. Set over high heat. Try to avoid stirring it as it heats to prevent crystallization from happening. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until the syrup thickens slightly. Set aside to cool completely before using.

To make the Baklava Bracelets:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 160C/320F.

2. Unwrap and unfold the phyllo on a large cutting board and smooth out with hands to flatten. Using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo stack in half. then cut each half in quarters. You should now have 4 equal squares. Cover phyllo with plastic wrap, then top with a damp kitchen towel to prevent from drying out.

3. Working with one square of phyllo at a time, keeping the rest covered, place a long rod or stick like a dowel, pencil or straw at the edge nearest to you.

4. Loosely roll the square of phyllo around the rod, leaving the last 2cm at the end unrolled.

5. Placing each hand on both ends of the rolled phyllo, carefully push both ends towards the center to shirr. Slide the shirred phyllo out of the dowel and curve to form a circle, pressing on the ruffled end to form a flat base, making sure it has no gaps or a hole in the middle. Press ends together to adhere slightly. Repeat with remaining phyllo squares.

6. Place phyllo bracelets on a rimmed baking sheet, arranging them so that they are touching one another. This will reduce the chance of the bracelets opening up during baking.

7. Brush bracelets with the melted ghee (or clarified butter) and bake until crisp and golden brown in color; 25 to 30 minutes.

8. As soon as they come out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup over them. Then while still very warm, place a square of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate in the center of each bracelet. The heat of the bracelets should be sufficient enough to melt the chocolate, if not, then return the baking sheet to the now turned off warm oven for a minute or two until the chocolate turns shiny & becomes very soft.

9. Using a toothpick, swirl the chocolate squares to fully cover the base of the ring. Lightly sprinkle some sea salt flakes (if using) over the chocolate, followed by pistachios.

10. Allow the baklava bracelets to cool completely until the chocolate sets before serving. Leftovers can be stored, covered tightly with foil for about 1 week.

Recipe Notes

1. If you have syrup hanging around from this Big Batch Sugar Syrup recipe, you may use 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of it, instead of making the recipe above.

2. My preferred phyllo brand to use in this recipe is Al Sonbola. It is the best choice of what I have available in Egypt. Make sure to use the best quality phyllo brand available to you, that has little to no tears. Inferior brands will crack and break as you rolls them.

3. To clarify butter, melt 200g butter slowly over medium low heat until the milk solids have separated from the butterfat. and collected on the bottom of the saucepan. Remove the pan from heat, let the butter settle for 10 minutes, then carefully skim the foam from the surface with a spoon. Slowly pour the clear butterfat into a bowl, leaving all the milk solids behind in the saucepan. You should end up with about 150g clarified butter.

Recipe is a Cleobuttera Original.

Measurements Note: All recipes of this site have been developed using weight measurements. Although US volume measurements have been included for your convenience, it is highly encouraged that you weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale to get the best possible results. Due to the sensitive nature of baking, kitchen scales are proven to yield more accurate and consistent results than measuring cups. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Cadbury Dairy Milk Egypt, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that believe in me.

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Chocolate Baklava Bracelets (Asawer El Sit) | Cleobuttera

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Delicately crisp phyllo rings with a creamy chocolate center, a sprinkling of sea salt and crunchy pistachios! Plus...recipe VIDEO included! This post is sponsored by Cadbury Dairy Milk Egypt, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that believe in me. Who can deny the greatness of classics?

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Baklava uses phyllo dough stacked with honey and nuts to make a sweet Greek dessert that everyone will love.

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Even though I was born in Australia and lived there for 23 years, it has been a full 15 years since I moved abroad and I'm occasionally prone to a bout of homesickness. Now that I'm living in Greece, and previous to that I lived in London, my old life in Australia feels a very long way away.

I have a few things that I still follow that connect me to home, the first being cricket (which, according to Ania, is a sport based on standing in a field where everything is called a wicket) and the second being these delicious vegan Anzac biscuits.

As many Australians will know, the 26th of January is Australia day, which I'm always bittersweet about celebrating as it is the day that Australia was effectively taken from the aborigines by the British settlers. When I lived in London, Australians celebrated it by drinking copious quantities of Fosters (which is brewed in the UK) and dancing to Crowded House (which is founded by a New Zealander) in the Walkabout chain of Australian-theme pubs (owned by a British company). Naturally, I never saw the point of this, but making Anzac biscuits was a tradition I did enjoy every Australia day.

The word Anzac refers to the 'Australian and New Zealand Army Corps' and the reason the biscuits have adopted this name is because the legend has it that they were sent to the troops during World War I. As the biscuits don't contain eggs or other ingredients that spoil quickly, they were perfect to ship to troops because they would still be intact on arrival. I remember once being sent a piece of my cousin's wedding cake that I didn't receive until 2 months after it was sent and I have seen firsthand why sending a vegan Anzac biscuit would be a better idea!

Normally these biscuits are made nearer to Anzac Day (which is a war remembrance day - April 25th), but I like to make them for Australia day as well because they are soooo good.

Whether you are sending these biscuits to a family member in a war zone or just making them so you can eat them all by yourself on the couch, these biscuits are rich, oatey and delicious. So if you are missing Australia, bake a big batch of these and even people that don't come from Australia, don't care about Australia, and don't have any idea what an Anzac is, will be happy that you did...

PS: If you make our vegan Anzac biscuits, don't forget to tag us on Instagram as @lazycatkitchen and use the #lazycatkitchen hashtag. We love seeing your takes on our recipes!

If you want more info on some of the ingredients that we use in our recipes, check out our glossary.

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Even though I was born in Australia and lived there for 23 years, it has been a full 15 years since I moved abroad and I'm occasionally prone to a bout of homesickness. Now that I'm living in Greece, and previous to that I lived in London, my old life in Australia feels a very long way away.

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Gluten-Free Savory Archives | Snixy Kitchen

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These gluten-free fried fish tacos have a tangy sweet orange cabbage slaw and spicy chipotle cream sauce. Rice flour tempura batter makes a crispy golden fried fish! Learn what kind of fish makes the best baja fish tacos, how to select sustainable seafood, and how to make chipotle cream sauce!

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Gradually add cornflour mixture to hot sugar syrup, whisking until smooth. Place pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until mixture is translucent when tested on the back of the spoon. Remove from heat. Strain mixture into a large heatproof bowl. Using a large metal spoon, skim any scum from surface. Stir in rosewater essence. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Stand, uncovered, overnight at room temperature to set.

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Gradually add cornflour mixture to hot sugar syrup, whisking until smooth. Place pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until mixture is translucent when tested on the back of the spoon. Remove from heat. Strain mixture into a large heatproof bowl.

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My kids are big fans of the meatball and I am pretty partial to them myself, but since dropping gluten amongst other things from my diet, I haven't been eating them when I make them for the family.

I have tried a couple of different gluten free versions and found them lacking in taste, but this weekend I cracked it! Tasty, tasty gluten free meatballs that the kids and I both love.

Chicken and bacon is such a delicious combination of foods in my opinion.

I made them with chicken mince, but imagine you could use any mince you preferred. They are super simple to make in large batches too which is always a bonus for me.

These chicken and bacon balls taste rather fantastic dipped into my homemade sweet chilli sauce!

You can see my other meatball recipes (contain gluten) here:

Want to make the lunch box process easier?

In my online course called Meal Prep PrimerI show how you can easily make some easy item for the kids' lunch boxes that will help make the lunch box process so much easier! Meal Prep Primer shows you how to effectively plan your time in the kitchen over the weekend, and prep food that will make your week days easier.

To keep on top of feeding the family, many years ago I started spending some time on the weekend, prepping food for the week ahead. Even if it is was just one or two things for the kids' lunch boxes, the difference this made during the week was huge.

As I was rewarded each week for my efforts in the kitchen on the weekend, I began increasing the food I prepped. And the more weekly meal prep sessions I did, the better I became at it. The better I became at it, the less time it took me to do the sessions and the better we ate - win-win all around!

In my Meal Prep Primer course I will teach you the process I have developed over these years. The course will:

save you time

save you money

save you stress through the week days

ensure your family eats well

allow you to enjoy meal time more with the family

For three weeks you will receive:

A plan - the plan outlines what you will be cooking and when. You can tailor this plan to suit your family's needs and the time you have available. The plan also has clickable links to all the recipes you need to cook for the weekend.

A shopping list - as you may tailor the plan to suit your family's needs, the shopping list is broken down into items per recipe. That way you can easily cross off items you don't need to buy, but make sure you have all the ingredients for the recipes you do intend to cook.

The recipes - a PDF of all the recipes you will need to cook for the week.

Plus there is a detailed video and other resources on the course website and further support emails to keep the habit going after three weeks.

You can read more and sign up for the short course here.

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Gluten Free Meatballs | Planning With Kids

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My kids are big fans of the meatball and I am pretty partial to them myself, but since dropping gluten amongst other things from my diet, I haven't been eating them when I make them for the family. I have tried a couple of different gluten free versions and found them lacking in taste, but this weekend I cracked it!

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Vegan/ Gluten Free/ Asian Flavours

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Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower. Cauliflower battered and baked and tossed in spicy kung pao sauce. Super hot Appetizer for gameday. Vegan Recipe. Can be gluten-free with gluten-free breadcrumbs. Double the kung pao sauce for larger cauliflower or to serve over rice.
Jump to Recipe
Sundays are shaping up for only one thing these days, Gameday! And all that excitement and 4 hours of tv calls for delicious finger food.

These crispy kung pao cauliflower bites are just that, crispy, spicy, juicy, hot, and super fun. Bake the cauliflower, make the kung pao sauce. Arrange the cauliflower in one layer in a serving plate/bowl. Drizzle the sauce just before serving.

The dish can also be served with rice or other cooked grains. The recipe is for snack kung pao cauliflower bites. Double the sauce to serve over rice, or if you have a good large cauliflower head. The sauce can get hot depending on the chilies you use. Taste before drizzling over the cauliflower. If too hot, make another batch of the sauce without the chilies and mix. For a quick recipe, toss cauliflower in salt, cayenne and oil and bake until done, or cook in a pan with a splash of water until tender, then toss in the sauce. Serve with a jar of cold water. 🙂

Whats your favorite spicy gameday food?

More Asian recipes from the blog

Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower. Cauliflower battered and baked and tossed in spicy kung pao sauce. Super hot Appetizer for gameday. Vegan Recipe. Can be gluten-free with gluten-free breadcrumbs. Double the kung pao sauce for larger cauliflower or to serve over rice.

For the Baked Crispy Cauliflower

1. Chop up the cauliflower and keep aside. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F / 220ºc. Mix the cornstarch breadcrumbs, and the rest of the ingredients to make a batter. Let the batter sit for 10 seconds to thicken if it isn't thick. The cornstarch continues to thicken the batter, so as soon as it is a good not too watery consistency, start dipping the cauliflower in the batter, tap to drop excess and place on parchment lined baking sheet. If the batter thickens too much while working, add a tsp or more water and mix in and continue.

2. Bake for 30 minutes or longer until the florets are cooked through. Check with a toothpick/knife

3. Meanwhile make the sauce. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the red chilies and peppercorns and cook until the red chilies are fragrant, but not overly brown, or someone starts sneezing. (For more heat, break some of the chilies into half and add to the skillet.)

4. Add the nuts and mix for a few seconds. Add the ginger, garlic, reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook until the garlic is golden. 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. Add in the scallions, and 2 to 3 tbsp finely chopped green peppers or other veggies if using and mix in. Increase heat to medium. Cook for a minute.

6. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and add to the skillet. Continue to cook until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens slightly. 2 mins. Carefully taste and adjust salt, sweet and spice. If the sauce is not hot enough, break a few of the chilies open or add in red pepper flakes to taste and mix in.

7. Arrange the baked cauliflower in a shallow bowl in one layer. When ready to serve, Drizzle the sauce over each floret. Serve.

8. To store, store the baked cauliflower and sauce separately. Heat the sauce, pour over the florets. To serve with rice/cooked grains, double the sauce mix and bring to a boil to thicken, toss in the cauliflower and serve immediately over rice.

Its easy for the sauce to go from mild to super hot with the broken chilies. Whole chilies add a smoked mild heat flavor and you can adjust the heat using pepper flakes later. I usually break half the chilies and use hot cayenne or thai and the sauce easily gets to 5 star heat. 🙂

Nutritional values based on one serving

Spicy Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower Recipe

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Spicy Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower - Vegan Richa

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Crispy Kung Pao Cauliflower. Cauliflower battered and baked and tossed in spicy kung pao sauce. Super hot Appetizer for gameday. Vegan Recipe. Can be gluten-free with gluten-free breadcrumbs. Double the kung pao sauce for larger cauliflower or to serve over rice. Jump to Recipe Sundays are shaping up for only one thing these days, Gameday!

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Everything tastes better in miniature form! These Caesar Salad Wonton Cups are made using wonton wrappers as the cups. They bake crispy and golden with just a light spray of oil. A great shortcut for appetizers!
Caesar salad Wonton Cups

Because I had leftover ingredients from the Chicken Caesar Salad I shared earlier this week, I decided to use them up by making little bite size versions. Caesar Salad overload? Never! Especially not when you transform them into these cute little cups.

I love bite size food not only because they're cute, but also because you don't need crockery or utensils (very attractive for someone who doesn't have a (working) dishwasher). Plus the other big benefit of this recipe is that you can prepare all the elements in advance - including the wonton cups which stay crispy for days in an airtight container. Then on the day, you simply toss all the caesar salad ingredients in a bowl and spoon into the wonton cups.

I've tried salads in cups before. What I found is that salads in vinaigrette or similar watery dressings don't really work that well. You need a salad with a thick dressing so the salad stays together and doesn't fall out when you take a bite. Caesar salad is perfect because the dressing holds everything in the cup with each bite.

And you know how the best part of caesar salads are the crunchy croutons? Well, you get even more crunch with these Caesar Salad Wonton Cups! Perfect crunch to greens ratio if you ask me. 🙂

Signing off, keeping this post short and sweet because I think I dribbled on enough about Caesar Salad earlier this week! Love to hear if you give this a go!

Some more mini one-bite Appetizers!

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Everything tastes better in miniature form!

Dressing

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Fit the wonton wrappers into each hole of a standard size muffin / cupcake tin (not mini and not Texas muffin tins!). Spray the wontons lightly with olive oil. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until golden and crispy. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Heat a small non stick pan over high heat. Spray with oil, add bacon and sauté until crispy, then remove and drain on absorbent paper towel.

Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium high and spray pan with oil. Add finely diced bread. Shake pan (or stir) to brown evenly. Remove mini croutons from pan, scatter over a pinch of salt and set aside.

Place Dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. If it seems too thick, use a tiny splash of milk to adjust the consistency.

Place cos lettuce, chicken and bacon in a bowl with 6 to 8 tbsp of dressing (depending on how much dressing you want to use) and toss gently to combine.

Divide the salad between the wonton cups, top with croutons, a pinch of parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley.

1. This makes 1 1/4 cups of dressing. I found it difficult to make a smaller quantity in my food processor. Keep leftover dressing in the fridge - it will keep for a week. However, my mum made a sensible suggestion - if you use a mortar and pestle to grind the anchovy and garlic to a paste (and assuming you are using finely grated parmesan) then you don't need a blender which means you can make a smaller quantity of dressing (half the dressing is plenty for 12 wonton cups).

2. Nutrition per serving.

I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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Everything tastes better in miniature form! These Caesar Salad Wonton Cups are made using wonton wrappers as the cups. They bake crispy and golden with just a light spray of oil. A great shortcut for appetizers! Because I had leftover ingredients from the Chicken Caesar Salad I shared earlier this week, I decided to use them up by making little bite size versions.