organic food - recipes

*all ingredients organic unless otherwise stated*

Substitutes:

Spelt flour:

Spelt flour can be used instead of normal flour.
This is used for people with wheat allergies or if you want to reduce your wheat intake and vary the grains in your diet. Some recipes recommend substituting 1/2 to 3/4 cup of spelt instead normal flour, however if you get the right consistency of spelt, it can be substituted 1 for 1. It's a matter of experimenting with recipes and different spelt flours.

Gluten-free alternatives: Substitute 2/3 rice flour and 1/3 soy flour for a gluten-free cake.
Substitute 2/3 rice flour and 1/3 cornmeal or buckwheat flour for biscuits.
Substitute 2/3 rice flour and 1/3 buckwheat flour for homemade bread. (This makes a dense but flavoursome bread and proved to be the family favourite combination after lots of trials.)

Recipe index:

toddler muesli snacks spreads/dips quick meals muffins desserts

Toddler muesli:

4 cups rolled oats
diced apricots
raisins
organic yoghurt

Combine all ingredients and serve with organic milk and a dollop of baby’s favourite organic yoghurt and/or grated apple or stewed fruit.

(To make an adult version and add nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds).

Snacks:

Banana bread:

60g butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana
1 teaspoon vanilla (use conventional if organic not available)
½ cup full cream milk
1 cup organic or spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking soda (use conventional if organic not available) Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until well mixed. Add wet ingredients.
Sift together flour and baking soda. Add to banana mixture and stir until just blended.

Spoon mixture into a greased or lined loaf tin. Bake at 180 deg. C for 30-40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Turn out onto wire rack and cool before serving.

Ice with any basic chocolate icing if desired (but yummy without).

Mousetraps:

bread slices
yeast extract eg marmite or vegemite (not organic)
grated cheese

Cut slices of bread into fingers, spread with a thin layer of yeast extract (optional). Arrange in lighty greased oven try and spinkle with grated cheese.

Bake at 150 deg. for approx. 1 hour until dry and crisp. Store in airtight container and keep on hand for snack attacks!

Yoghurt iceblocks:

This is very easy!

Fill iceblock or ice-cube containers with yoghurt, insert an iceblock stick and freeze to enjoy later!

(Shame you can't get non-plastic iceblock containers - ideas anyone?).

Spreads:

Hummus:

1 can chickpeas or 1 cup dried chickpeas*
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic (optional)
or 1 teaspoon True Earth minced garlic (available in a jar)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional)

Peanut bunny spread:

1/2 cup peanut smooth butter
1 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup raisins

Combine all ingredients and spread over organic bread.

Dips:

Raw Vegetable Platter:

Serve a raw vege platter with dips for the late afternoon munchies - kids love it!

Avocado dip:

1 large avocado
1/2 cup Biofarm yoghurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice

Blend or process until very smooth.

This will keep in the fridge for several days. It will thicken, so thin if necessary with a little more yoghurt (The Biofarm yoghurt is quite runny).

Cheese sauce:

> For a quick and easy cheese sauce - visit the Biofarm web site.

Tzaziki:

150ml Biofarm yoghurt
1/4 small cucumber
chopped mint (optional)

Peel and grate cucumber, add to yoghurt and stir.
Alternatively, if you would like to make a larger quantity, use the food processor.

Satay sauce:

For a quick and easy satay sauce - visit the Biofarm web site.

Quick meals:

Hawaiian pizza with an organic twist:

organic pizza base (try Purebread)
tin pineapple pieces
ham
tomato sauce or puree for base
grated cheese

Spread sauce on base, add a layer of cheese, ham and pineapple, followed by another layer of cheese.

Bake at 200 deg. C for approx. 10-15 minutes.

Spanish frittata:

Great to use up leftover veg and the little ones love it!

You need an oven with a grill to make this recipe.

Essential ingredients:
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 potatoes (just) cooked and diced into small chunks (or use pumpkin)
6 eggs (lightly beaten)
chopped fresh parsley (recommended)
or dried herbs - thyme, rosemary etc (if no fresh parsley)

Filling ideas:
ham, bacon, brocolli, leftover vegetables etc

Beat the eggs in a bowl, mix in herbs.

Heat oil in heavy frypan (needs to be able to go under your oven grill). Add ham or bacon (if using) and fry for a few minutes until cooked. Add the cooked potatoes or pumpkin and any vegetables etc. Pour the eggs into the frypan and shake to distribute evenly. Cook over a low heat for 5 or so minutes until almost set. Place under your oven grill until cooked and golden brown.

This gets really hot, so allow to cool a little bit before slicing up for the family. Chop into bite-size portions for little mouths.

Basic fritters recipe:

Essential ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
oil for frying
1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)

Filling ideas:
Corn: 310g can corn, or
Zuchinni: 2 medium zuchinnis (peeled and grated), or
Carrot and Zuchinni: 1 medium carrot (peeled and grated) and 2 medium zuchinnis (peeled and grated, or
Corn and Zuchinni: 310g can corn and 2 medium zuchinnis (peeled and grated), or
Corn and Kumera: 310g can corn and 1/2 cup cooked mashed kumera

Prepare the filling.

Place flour and other dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs and the milk together, then add the filling and cheese (optional).

Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frypan and drop spoonfuls of batter into the pan cook unitl golden on both sides (watch the heat carefully when cooking the second side). Cook next batch, adding extra oil as required.

Remove and drain on paper towels and place in a warm oven until all the fritters are done.

Serve with a tomato sauce or for adults, I like to serve mine with Mrs Roger's Organic Tomato Relish  (available at some supermarkets)

Quick pasta:
(for avocado lovers)

1/2 avocado
1/2 cup penne pasta
tomato - cut into pieces
1/4 cup grated cheese (optional)

This is a quick and easy meal to prepare for a toddler if away from home.

Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and stir through diced avocado, tomato and grated cheese if desired.

Muffins:

Basic fruit muffin recipe:

Essential ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter

Filling ideas:
Apple: 1 cup grated apple + 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Banana: 1 cup mashed banana + 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (or cinnamon)
Blueberry: 1 cup blueberries (fresh or thawed)
Pineapple: 1 cup pineapple + 1/4 cup juice + 1/2 cup raisins

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir egg and add milk and melted butter. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.
Add the fruit and combine (do not overmix).

Put spoonfuls into a greased muffin tray and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
Bake at 200 deg. C for about 20 minutes. Makes 10-12 large muffins.

Carrot and raisin muffins:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup honey or raw sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups grated carrot
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Spices:
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir egg and add milk, yoghurt, melted butter and vanilla essence. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just blended (do not overmix).

Put spoonfuls into a greased muffin tray. Bake at 200 deg. C for about 15 minutes.

Super easy cheese muffins:

1 cup flour
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 chopped onion and a few rashers chopped bacon (optional)

Mix flour and cheese together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir egg and make up to 1 cup with milk. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just blended (do not overmix).

Put spoonfuls into a greased muffin tray. Bake at 200 deg. C for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Makes 6 large or 12 mini-muffins.

Super easy vegetable muffins:

Great way of getting little ones to eat vegetables!

Use any leftover vegetables eg broccoli, potato, cauliflower, tomato etc

Combine cooked, mashed vegetables with an egg.

Put spoonfuls into a greased muffin tray. Bake at 220 deg. C until crispy on the outside. 

Desserts:

Fruit crumble:

3 to 4 cups of rhubarb, peaches, apples, pears or quince (cooked)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
50g butter

Place cooked fruit in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Mix together the flour, rolled oats, sugar and cinnamon. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit.

Bake at 180 deg. for 20-30 minutes. Once cooked, brown the topping under the grill if necessary.

Fruit salad:

A great way to use up your leftover fruit and keep the little ones happy.

Use any chopped fruit eg bananas, apples, pears, mandarins, kiwifruit etc

Serve with yoghurt if desired.