Chicken Burrito Bowl with Mango Salsa

Burrito bowls seem to be all the craze now, they are low G.I. and provide a gluten free option, plus the brown rice adds extra nutrition. I also find that bowl food is sometimes easier to eat than a wrap, which can get a bit messy!

Even though this is spicy, there is a subtle sweetness added by the mango. Feel free to adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to taste, this amount provides a medium spice level. Serving the creamy avocado alongside with the shredded lettuce and tomato makes this a perfectly balanced meal, which also makes fantastic leftovers hot or cold. Also, if you can, use lime juice rather than lemon, it adds a much more authentic zing. 

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 cups of brown rice
• 500g chicken thigh, trimmed and diced
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin 
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp oil
• oil for cooking
• 1 mango
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional) 
• 1 red onion
• 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

to serve

• tomato, diced
• iceberg lettuce, shredded

Cook rice according to packet directions. 

Meanwhile, toss the diced chicken in the paprika, cumin, cayenne and 2 tbsp of oil. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the salsa and avocado. 

Peel and slice half of the red onion into rings. Slice the capsicum into strips. Set both aside. 

Prepare the salsa, dice the flesh of the mango cheeks (skin removed). 

Dice the remaining half onion, and stir with mango and chilli flakes. Add lime/lemon juice and set aside in the fridge. 

Prepare the avocado by mashing the flesh and stirring in lime/lemon juice with the salt and pepper. Set aside to chill while you cook the chicken.  

Heat a little more oil in a large frying pan and cook the chicken, stirring, for 5 minutes, if necessary add a little more oil to the pan before adding the sliced onion and capsicum, cook, stirring for another 5 minutes till onion is softened and chicken is cooked through. 

Dish warm rice up into four bowls. Serve topped with shredded lettuce, tomato, chicken, mango salsa, and a generous dollop of avocado. Provecho!!

Mexican Chilli Chocolate Cake with Candied Pepitas

I originally got this recipe from a Dish magazine, but have made it so many times now that it's become a household favourite, of those who love chilli and those who don't so much. This makes a decadent dessert or morning tea treat. Best served small, but more than likely to have you going back for more. 

I only add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the dish, but it's enough to give a subtle chilli kick. Married with the intensity of  72% Whittaker's Dark Ghana it makes a smooth welcoming flavour, not to be missed. 

Pepita is Mexican for 'little seed of squash' or as we would call them, Pumpkin Seeds. Having the candied pumpkin seeds is optional but given that the cake has a soft fudgey texture, the crunch of the pumpkin seeds adds a really nice contrast. 

This can keep in the fridge up to a week, but probably won't get past a day or two by the time people get a taste for it. With only 2 tbsp of flour, this recipe is really easy to make gluten free. Feel free to use any type of flour, plain, gluten free, almond or coconut flour etc. 

Mexican Chilli Chocolate Cake 

with Candied Pepitas

Ingredients 

• 200g Whittaker's Dark Ghana 72% Chocolate 
• 200g butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon 

To Dust: 1 tbsp each of icing sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. 

Candied Pepitas 

• 1 egg white
• 1/4 sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon 
• 70g pumpkin seeds

Don't forget lightly whipped cream to serve with it. 

Method

Grease and line the base of a 20cm round or square cake tin. 

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees celsius. 

In a double boiler* melt the butter and chocolate, stirring gently. 

Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and sugar. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes. 

Meanwhile prepare your candied pepitas**. Lightly whisk egg with a fork - you do not need to get the egg to stiff peaks, just whisk 30 seconds or so to aerate it. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and pepitas. 

Lay non-stick baking paper on a baking tray and spread pepita and egg white mixture in a thin layer.

Pepitas Before

Pepitas After

Bake at 170 degrees for 5 -7 minutes, turning once. Once cooked, remove from oven and leave to cool. 

They will become crunchy once cold. Remove from tray, breaking up any large chunks. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 

The chocolate should now be cool enough to add the beaten eggs. Stir them in then stir in sifted flour, salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. 

Pour into the baking tin and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, till a skewer comes out clean. Leave it in the tin to cool, it will deflate and set. 

Before serving with whipped cream and candied pepitas dust with icing sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. 

Candied Pepitas

*A double boiler can be achieved by placing an inch of water in the base of a saucepan on a medium to low heat. Rest a bowl on top of the saucepan (make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water). Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl and the steam from the water will gently heat it. 

**Pepitas is the Mexican term for little seed of squash, or more commonly known as pumpkin seeds. 

Honest Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Recently I made a feast of BBQ pulled pork (find the recipe here), where one of the main ingredients & condiments is BBQ sauce. 
The BBQ sauce recipes I found however, mostly consisted of the base ingredient ketchup... why would I use a sauce to make another sauce? Doesn't seem to make sense to me, so I made my own one up, using more of the delicious Old Mout Scrumpy Cider that I'd cooked the pork in also.

I made this sauce quite quickly and it has a lovely slightly chunky texture. i think had I cooked the vegetables down longer it would have gotten smoother and would probably keep in the fridge longer. I don't think this will be a problem though. We did a blind taste of this sauce, vs. a shop bought bbq sauce, and thankfully my homemade one won!
My friend however did suggest that my label ought to have two chilli's rather than one. 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp rice bran oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1/2 red capsicum
• 1 300ml jar tomato puree
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup Old Mout Scrumpy Cider 
• 1/4 c Molasses 
• 1/4 c raw sugar
• 4 tbsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 tbsp salt 
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper 

Method

In a large pot heat oil on a low heat. Add onion, garlic and capsicum, cook stirring for 5 mins till softened. 

Add paprika, oregano, cayenne and salt. Stir again before adding tomato puree, apple cider vinegar and cider. Next add sugar and molasses. 

On low heat simmer, uncovered for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally till sauce has thickened and reduced. 

Taste and add more vinegar, sugar, salt or spice if required. 

Allow to cool slightly before pouring into a food processor. 

Blitz till smooth (or desired consistency) 

Bottle in sterilised jars. 

Will keep for 4 - 6 weeks in fridge 

Spicy Oaty White-Chocolatey Cranberry Cookies

This is my failsafe cookie recipe. I make it whenever I have to take a morning tea plate, or am craving cookies. They are chewy, crunchy, sweet, and spicy. 
Not to mention the cookie dough freezes well too. So I usually have dough ready to thaw out for unexpected guests. Simply preheat the oven to 180º and by the time it's ready the dough is thawed enough to handle and shape into balls. 
This recipe will make either 40 small cookies or 20 LARGE ones. I prefer small, but always end up eating two or three so should probably save myself time and make the large ones anyway!
I made these recently for staff morning tea, and they were gobbled up in no time, with many of my colleagues asking for the recipe. Hence, here I am sharing it with you all. 
Thanks for reading and enjoy! 





Ingredients
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
150g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 tbsp water
2/3 c flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 c rolled oats
1 c dried cranberries
1/2 c white chocolate (Whittaker's is best, but any will do)

Method

• Preheat oven to 180º and grease two baking trays (if cooking the full batch, just one if you plan to freeze half the mix)
• Place both sugars in a bowl with softened (not melted) butter. Add vanilla, and beat using an electric beater till creamed. 
• Add egg and beat well. Add the 2 tbsp of water and beat well again. 

• Sift in flour, spices, salt and baking soda, add oats, cranberries and roughly chopped chocolate, mix together using a wooden spoon till well combined. 
• Using wet hands, roll the mixture into balls (a bit smaller than a golf ball for small cookies) and place on greased trays. Make sure that they are far apart as they will flatten and spread during cooking. If making larger ones press them down a little before baking.
• Place in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, till golden and smelling delicious (20-25 if making large ones).
• Leave to cool on trays for 5 minutes or so before transferring to a cooling rack, as they will be very soft.