Coconut Flour Chocolate Cake

Coconut flour chocolate cake with chocolate ganache bacon frosting, from Paleospirit.com.

Oh wow, here is the cake I have been waiting for! From paleospirit.com, a nutritious and dense chocolate cake that is gluten-free, grain-free, legume-free, dairy-free and nut-free so it should be ok for anybody!

I may have to make two, just to try the different frostings: chocolate bacon ganache, and coconut honey frosting. Afternoon tea at my place anyone?

Visit the creator’s website for the recipe details:
http://paleospirit.com/2012/paleo-chocolate-birthday-cake-coconut-honey-frosting

Coconut flour chocolate cake with coconut honey frosting, from Paleospirit:

 

Tropical chicken pies

Tropical chicken pot pie. On its way to Shane’s heart. Via his stomach.

Well this was a success! I was inspired by yesterday’s Daily Dose of Fresh chicken pie to cook pot pies last night. I sought a way to make the pies gluten and dairy free, so I mashed up the method with my tropical chicken curry. I used coconut milk instead of dairy milk, and mango instead of ham and mushrooms. In the end this is a slimmed down version of my tropical chicken curry encased in a pie. And it was deeeeeelicious.

As we were about to serve up we heard our next door neighbour arrive home. He had been at the hospital for the past 24 hours with his wife as they gave birth to their first child. We invited our neighbour in and shared our pot pies and German beer and laughed and told stories and toasted to baby Blake.

Ingredients
2 chicken breast fillets, cut into cubes
2 tsp lime juice
1 large brown onion, diced
1 tbsp red curry paste (I used 2 tsp)
1/2 cup green capsicum, diced
1/2 cup pumpkin, cubed
1 mango diced
400 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
2 tbsp lemon grass, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp coriander, chopped
1 tbsp macadamia nut oil
3 sheets gluten free puff pastry
1 free range egg, beaten

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

Heat oil in a pot or deep pan (I used my big retro cooking pot).

Cook onion and garlic on medium heat until the onion turns translucent.

Add chicken and cook on medium heat until chicken is 3/4 cooked.

Add all other ingredients except mango and coriander. Mix thoroughly and cook for 10 minutes until all vegetables are cooked.

Remove from heat. Add the mango and coriander to the pie mixture and mix through. Immediately divide the mixture into 4 pie ramekins. Cover each ramekin with a cut square of pastry and lightly brush with the beaten egg.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Serves 4.

Preparation

The big retro cooking pot

Ready to be lidded

 

OMG! Marry Me Please (Tropical Chicken Curry)

Seriously, this dish will get you married. Wield it wisely.*

This tropical chicken curry is sensational and so so easy. There is a bit of prep involved – allow 30 to 45 minutes to chop and prepare the ingredients (throw on some music and enjoy the process). After some initial cooking, you then throw the ingredients together and give it a mix from time to time. Voila – watch the aroma waft and the room fall in love.

This recipe comes from a gorgeous book that I purchased in Fiji – Unforgettable: a coconut cookbook. The flavours dance like the music and the people of Fiji. Such a great place. And coconut: such a great ingredient. This would make a great dish for a large group dinner party. Prepare everything before your guests arrive, throw it all together and leave to cook. But be prepared, it is so tasty, someone might just ask you to be theirs forever**.

Ingredients
2 chicken breast fillets, cut into strips or cubes
2 tsp lime juice (use the real thing, even if limes are $2.58 each. Yep – time to plant a tree)
1 large brown onion, diced
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp red curry paste (I used 2 tsp)
1/2 cup green capsicum, diced
1/2 cup pumpkin, cubed
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
2 chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp chashew nuts, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 tsp lemon grass, finely chopped
4 small garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp coriander, chopped
1 tbsp macadamia nut oil

Method
Chop and prepare all ingredients.

Heat oil in a fry pan and fry chicken until 3/4 cooked.

Add all other ingredients, except coriander.

Cook for 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are cooked.

Sprinkle with coriander. Serve with coconut rice***.

* Results not yet proven.
** Hasn’t happened yet. I’m just sayin.
*** Cook rice in coconut milk instead of water (1 cup rice, 2 cups coconut milk. Add water if necessary). Watch the milk when boiling and simmering and ensure it does not boil over.