Colour Me Green xo

I am a BIG fan of greet tea desserts.  I LOVE green tea flavoured creme bulees, ice-creams, or sticky rice mochi balls....  My ultimate Gooey treat which lights up my eyes whenever I encounter them in a Japanese cafe or supermarket.  Getting your hands all sticky and messy and your lips covered in a dusting of rice flour is half the fun!  

Green tea itself can be bitter and somewhat 'blah' in taste on its own.... but when you combine that rich bitterness of the finely ground green tea powder with super sweet ingredients to balance out the flavours.... you end up with something very special and unique which leaves a deliciously subtle, bitter flavour of tea lingering in your mouth.  When I was having a blog writing freeze moment, a friend suggested I try posting a green tea dessert recipe.  Google spoilt me for choice with recipes for green tea shortbread cookies, sponge cakes, cheese cakes etc and would you believe, even recipes for carrot cakes with green tea icing?

But a coconut and green tea cake recipe caught my eye, so I got the creative juices in action again to come up with this recipe for a gorgeously rich, moist cake with a healthy spin, but it's still BURSTING with tonnes of flavour.

If you want to try something DIFFERENT, or are already a lover of Asian flavoured desserts and like a kick of bitterness and sweetness all in one mouthful, this one will be sure to please you xo 

Healthy Green Tea and Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

3 eggs

2 cups almond meal

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup lite coconut milk

2 1/2 level tablespoons green tea powder (matcha) (you can get it in Asian/Japanese supermarkets)

pinch of salt

3/4 cup maple syrup (or a few tablespoons less if you don't like things too sweet)

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees Celcius (347 degrees fahrenheit)

Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm spring form pan with baking paper.

In a bowl mix the almond meal, desiccated coconut, salt and green tea powder together.

In another bowl mix together the coconut milk and maple syrup and vanilla essence.  Whisk the eggs until frothy, then add into the other wet ingredients and stir in.

Fold all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined.  Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until the top is JUST set.  Leave to cool in the cake tin.  Cut and Serve and Enjoy!

PS: An idea I have for next time which you might like to try is to add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter at the very end before pouring into the cake tin.  Will add a nice element of texture to each bite xo

Sweet apple goodness... to say Thank you xo

My favourite yoga teacher celebrated his birthday this weekend.... and it was a perfect opportunity for me to say THANK YOU for being the best of the best teachers I know!  James is a what I'd call a yoga ninja... he'll demonstrate complex poses effortlessly with grace and strength, and his handstands make him look as light as a feather.  He could have spiderman talents and climb up walls and ceilings for all I know.  He knows each and every unique student's capabilities, and without him challenging my body, I wouldn't have ever discovered the flexibility I'd had hidden within me.  He is a walking dictionary on anatomy, lives and breathes good health and yoga and has the quirkiest sense of humour... with hilarious jokes and anecdotes interweaved with valuable yoga principles shared in every class.  You know there are some people you meet in life that teach you lessons and you're a much better person because of it?  Well my yoga teacher is without a doubt one of them.

So what better way to show some soulful appreciation than with a cake that screams 'home made and jam packed with love'.  As you've already figured..... one of my favourite moments of bliss are when I'm pottering around in the cosy oven warmed kitchen, with the benches covered in crumbs and splashes of sticky batter and I don't have a care in the world or the concept of time.  In moments like that I just want to put my all in making something pretty looking and delicious for people I care about.  Rustic home made goodies beat those artificial supermarket bought cakes any day... and they taste SOOO much better and are much better for our precious bodies.  

Keeping in line with my yoga teacher's principles of feeding the body with what is NOURISHING.... I've rustled up some nutrient rich ingredients and came up with this mouth watering gem.  An upside down apple and walnut cake bursting with the tartness of granny smith apples.... subtle sweetness of cinnamon and maple syrup all encased in a sticky moist cake.  So nourishing and So delicious.  

When all the yoga buddies shared this over our teacher's birthday breakfast.... their eyes lit up with yummy delight and surprise... THIS... Healthy?  Yep xo

Saya's Healthy Upside Down Apple and Walnut Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups almond meal

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup maple syrup + 1 tablespoon (you could use honey or agave syrup)

3 tablespoons coconut oil (2 of which are melted)

6 -7 large granny smith apples (2 for decorating what will be the top of the cake and the rest to make 1 1/4 cups apple puree)

1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts

squeeze of half a lemon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius (338 degrees fahrenheit).

Grease a 20cm spring form cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.

Peel 2 apples and slice into 1/2cm wedges.  Then combine in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon maple syrup.  Stir over a low heat until just tender (a little al dente is ok).  Then take off the heat and neatly arrange slices at the base of the cake tin.

Peel and dice remaining 4-5 apples and combine in a saucepan with a squeeze of half a lemon and gently cook while stirring until it turns mushy.  If need be add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to prevent it from burning.  Once it turns into a soft consistency remove from the heat and mash with a fork to get it close to a puree.  Leave aside to cool.  Measure the puree and make sure it is about 1 1/4 cups worth.

Stir maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil into the 1 1/4 cups of apple puree.  Whisk eggs in a separate bowl, then stir into the rest of the wet ingredients.

In a bowl combine the almond meal, cinnamon, ground ginger, mixed spice and salt.  Gently fold in the wet ingredients until just combined, then toss in walnuts and gently stir in.

Pour batter into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the top centre of the cake is firm.

Leave cake to cool completely, then turn over onto a plate and voila.... beeeautiful.... deeelicious xo

  

When SIMPLE is BEST: Vanilla xo

When it comes to sweet treat 'flavours' these days, we are SO spoilt for choice at every turn; at every supermarket, every cake shop, ice cream stand etc.  Like at today's exotic coffee shop visit with friends, the menu boasted hot chocolates flavoured with hazelnut, mint, caramel, rose, chilli etc the list goes on!  And then there are the gelato stands that spoil us with every tastebud tantaliser imaginable, from the popular classics like pistachio, hazelnut and chocolate, to the inventive flavours like 'Ferrero Rocher' or 'green tea'.  

But do we still remember the joys of the humble vanilla bean?  It's a classic, simple and reliable flavour that is sometimes all we need instead of the over complicated choices out there.  I don't know about you, but as a kid when there was a choice between chocolate, strawberry or vanilla flavoured ice-cream, I ALWAYS chose vanilla.  And when spoilt for choice on a fudge shop visit.... vanilla fudge suited me best.  Vanilla is so subtley sweet, so gentle on the taste buds, so dreamy, so comforting, honest and pure.  As I type this I am remembering my last creme bulee moment where my spoon scraped away every last speckle of the vanilla pods at the the bottom of the ramekin.  Bliss xo

So while I'm still riding this wave of 'healthy desserts', this time I went simple and sweet with yummy and chewy bliss balls with a generous hit of vanilla extract.  Again, even bliss balls these days have so many flavour options... with the addition of dates, apricots, peanut butter, cinnamon, cocoa, ginger etc.  But yep... this one is simply vanilla and I LOVE IT.  Enjoy xo

Vanilla Bliss Balls (adapted from All Recipes) (makes 10 - 12 balls)      

Ingredient:

1 1/4 cup almond meal

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

extra coconut for coating

Instructions:

Mix together in a bowl the dry ingredients.  Stir in the wet ingredients.  Then roll dough into small 1 tablespoon worth balls and roll in extra coconut.  Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Yum xo

      

Getting to know Tristan and yoga

Meet Tristan....... he's someone who I like to think of as the 'humble, quiet achiever' that has come so far in his yoga practice since his first class in September last year.  Like he said, the hypo, music pumping gym environment isn't for everyone, and like SO many other people, stumbling into the world of yoga by accident was a true blessing.  In Tristan's case, a back injury led him to go to his first class and since then he hasn't looked back.  When you find something good, that rewards you with BOTH physical and mental strength it's always worth sticking to it.... just like Tristan.  The results are well worth the journey!  Enjoy getting to know Tristan and his perspective on yoga xo  

When and where did you first start yoga?

I started yoga in September 2011 at the Baulkham Hills Yoga School, Sydney.

Why did you start yoga?

I had injured my back at work (I am an ICU nurse) and I didn't feel like going to the gym to strengthen it as I found the gym environment didn't suit me.

What do you think yoga aims to achieve?

Body, mind and life balance.

What do you find most rewarding in yoga?

The most rewarding aspects I've found with yoga are the clarity in which I find myself, particularly when I'm regularly practicing.  I find I have a clearer mind to focus on the important things.  The strength I now have through yoga has also been great especially for work, I feel more stable when I have to move heavier patients.  

What do you find most challenging in yoga?

What I find most challenging in yoga is usually during Shavasana.  I find it hard to switch my mind off.  But it's happened a few times and it's been SO good.  So I need lots of mental training!  Oh and the handstands.... still working on my upper body strength!

What are 3 reasons you would recommend yoga to others?

It clears and de-clutters the mind.  It makes you feel more balanced.  It's a more wholesome lifestyle for getting fit.

What are 3 words that describe how you feel after yoga?

Zen, Clear, Strong.

What makes you smile?

Food!

What's your ideal way to spend a Sunday?

Brunch with the Sunday paper.  Then heading to the beach.

What's your best holiday to date?

I've travelled a fair bit, but I LOVE New York and Spain.

What's something that a lot of people don't know about you?

I paint and am interested in photography.

Because..... xo

Last Friday, my sweet Friend sent these words to me on my phone... and I LOVE them xo

I love the the raw truth that spills out from these words.  Being boldly honest with yourself and recognising it ALL, your flaws, mistakes, fears or moments of hate or sadness which you wish you never had.... are actually beautiful blessings xo  TRUE Strength and TRUE Beauty comes from looking at yourself in the mirror and being honest with yourself.  Hugs.

From: http://www.facebook.com/followyourdreamstoachieve