Blueberry & Brazil Nut Rock Cakes

These are a great lunch box filler, gluten free if need be and at the very least wheat free, let's be honest we could all do with cutting down on wheat. We've eaten these as breakfast on the go, as well as an afternoon pick me up...an all rounder. Not too bad sugar wise,(you can always cut it back further but up the coconut oil a little or the mixture will be to dry) great fat profile and the kids and adults in my house liked them.....
This recipe is pretty forgiving swap around nuts, macadamias, cashews etc and the jam could have any berry really, Raspberries would be delish. Make extra of the jam it's a winner with barely any added sugar compared to a traditional jam but it won't last as long without a truckload of sugar as the preservative.

Easy Jammy Spread

1 Cup/125g Blueberries
1/2 Tablespoon Maple Syrup or Raw Honey
1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds

The Rock Cake Dough

3 Cups/ 300g (gluten-free) Rolled Oats
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot powder (ensure it is pure Arrowroot)
1 Teaspoon fine Sea Salt
1/3 Cup/80ml Coconut Oil
2/3 Cup /150ml Pure Maple Syrup or Raw Honey
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup/45g Brazil Nuts

makes approx 16

- Make the jam, blend the Berries with the maple Syrup in a food processor (I use my nutribullet) until smooth, add chia and incorporate
- Transfer to a glass jar, to chill before using and clean food processor
- Preheat oven 180 degress and line two baking trays with baking paper (remember baking paper can be reused)
- Process 2 1/2 cups of oats in a food processor until it is a rough flour, transfer to a largish bowl and add extra oats, Arrowroot powder and sea salt
- In a small saucepan melt coconut oil and maple syrup or honey over a medium heat, stirring to blend and then stir in Vanilla
- Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine, it may feel like it's to dry keep stirring it should come together, if it doesn't add little extra coconut oil
- Using wet hand roll the dough into golf ball sized balls, leavifn a little room around them on the baking trays. Using your thumb press an indent into the top of each ball, deep enough to spoon a little jam into.
- Bake for 20 mins or until the edges of the rock cakes are golden, tranfer to a cooling tray.
 

Recipe inspired by Sarah Britton

Cashew Sultana and Cardamom Biscuits

Spring is an ideal time to include spices in to our cooking help lift us into the warmer months and aid digestion. So why not sneak a little spice into a scrumptious treat. I served these to our Kitchen Medicine group after Spring Miso The kids also loved them as a lunch box treat enough sweetness with a whole lot of goodness that makes Mum happy

Ingredients

180g regular rolled oats (gluten free if needed)
100g whole spelt flour ( gluten free flour if needed)
110g almond meal
1/2 tsp aluminium free baking powder
2 tsp ground cardamom powder (to make your own grind whole pods in spice grinder approx 30 pods)
120ml melted extra virgin coconut oil
60ml extra vigin olive oil
180ml maple syrup (can maybe take it down to 130ml if sugar is an issue have play around)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
Zest of 1 orange
85g unsulphured orgainic sultanas
240ml boiling filtered water (to soak sultanas in)
120g Cashew nuts roughly chopped

Method

Combine oats, flour, almond meal, baking powder, and cardamom in a medium bowl.
In another bowl, combine coconut and olive oils, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and orange zest: whisk until well combined.
Pour over dry ingredients, stir well and set aside to form a dough.
Place sultanas in a bowl and cover with boiling water, leave for 10 mins in which time dough should be ready, pour through a sieve and drain.
Pop oven on to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Add sultanas and cashews to dough and mix until combined.
Place 16 mounds of dough, shaping them with wet fingers if you like, flatten slightly and cook for 15mins untill brown around the edges.
I found them too crumbly to remove to a cooling rack without them falling apart, if yours are stable cool on a wire rack as is best practice.

Makes 16

Recipe inspired by Amy Chaplin