I made a double batch of tapenade to have on hand when we sailed from Langkawi to Phuket. As we were island hopping, we were often at our destination in time for lunch. Our lunches, for this trip, consisted of Chinese tea eggs, salami, smoked duck, pickled vegetables, tomato, cucumber, cheese, crackers etc…. and this yummy tapenade! (Did you know we live on a boat?)
I love the saltiness of tapenade… it has all my favourite ingredients in this one little dish. I keep my tapenade a little chunky. Of course, you can puree it to make it more spreadable.
Ingredients
2 jars of pitted black olives (345g jars – drained weight about 170g)
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbs of capers
1-2 fillets of anchovy
1 tsp lime juice
5 Tbs of olive oil
1 Tbs chopped basil
Method
Rinse the olives and place in a food processor. Add two tablespoons of drained capers, the anchovy and the lime juice. Start blending the ingredients for a minute. Then gradually add the oil as you continue to blend the ingredients. Stop the food processor when you have the consistency you want. I then stir in the basil and store in glass jars in the fridge.
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These bliss balls are rich, moist, decadent and very, very tasty. Full of nutritional goodness, they are nonetheless a high energy treat. Just perfect for when you have a long day of sailing ahead of you! (Did you know we live on a boat?)
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup psyllium
1/4 cup chia seeds (I used mixed black and white)
1 3/4 cups firmly packed raisins
1/2 cup gold rum
Method
Place the almond meal, cocoa, psyllium and the chia seeds in a bowl and mix well. Add 1/4 cup of raisins and mix again.
Put the remaining 1 1/2 cups of the raisins in a blender, add the rum and blend well.
Add the raisin and rum mix to the bowl. Using a large spoon mix the wet and dry ingredients until well blended.
With damp hands roll raisin mix into balls and refrigerate.
They will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
About the Ingredients
Psyllium Husk – fibre! and can help manage cholesterol levels.
Chia Seeds – massive amounts of nutrients with very few calories! Excellent source of fibre and antioxidants. High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids and helps lower the risk of heart disease.
Cocoa – rich in minerals such as iron, magnesium and calcium. Has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant qualities. Can also aid in lowering blood pressure.
Almond Meal – high in protein, monounsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre, antioxidants, vitamins like riboflavin. Lowers cholesterol and help prevent heart disease. Supports healthy brain function and maintains healthy skin.
Raisins – loaded with fibre, potassium, iron and other essential nutrients (polyphenols, antioxidants, flavonoids) etc
Rum – flavour… yum yum!
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I have another bliss ball for you! I love knowing what I am eating and by making my own snack foods I am aware of all the ingredients. Homemade bliss balls are the perfect snack for the lunch box, morning or afternoon tea, or just when you need some filling up.
My bliss balls do not require any oil to hold them together, as I use the psyllium which works beautifully to bond all the ingredients. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth so please feel free to add a little honey if you want them sweeter (you will probably have to reduce the orange juice). Bon appetit!
Ingredients
3/4 cup of oats 1/2 cup desiccated coconut 300g dried apricots 1/4 cup psyllium husks 1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped 6 brazil nuts, roughly chopped 1/4 cup chia seeds 1/2 – 3/4 cup orange juice extra coconut for coating
Method
Add oats to a food processor and process until fine and put into a bowl.
Add the coconut, psyllium, pistachios, brazil nuts and chia seed to the bowl.
Put the apricots into the food processor and chop up. Add 1/2 a cup of orange juice and chop up well.
Add the apricot mix to the bowl and mix well. Add a little more orange juice if needed. Mix into a firm mix. Once well blended, use wet hands and roll the mix into 25 – 30 balls.
Coat the balls in the extra coconut.
Refrigerate. Will last in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
About the Ingredients
Apricots – are high in beta-carotene, fibre, vitamin C and potassium, they also provide protection against free radical damage.
Oats – High in fibre, helps lower cholesterol and is high in antioxidants.
Psyllium Husk – fibre! and can help manage cholesterol levels.
Chia Seeds – massive amounts of nutrients with very few calories! Excellent source of fibre and antioxidants. High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids and helps lower the risk of heart disease.
Brazil nuts – High in selenium, Brazil nuts properties include, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and will increase your bliss, hence Bliss Balls! This is due to the Selenium which has been scientifically proven to lift mood and prevent depression.
Coconut – rich in a number of essential nutrients, including dietary fibre, manganese, copper and selenium.
Pistachios – loaded with all kinds of nutrients, such as vitamin B6, thiamine, potassium, copper, magnesium and iron. Helps lower cholesterol.
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I am still having a lot of fun making up all sorts of Bliss Ball recipes. With Christmas only days away I couldn’t pass up the chance of experimenting with the flavours of Christmas. These Christmas Pudding Bliss Balls are the result, and my special panel of taste testers – mum, sister and nephews, all love them!
Ingredients
1/4 cup Cointreau (or use orange juice)
1/2 cup of goji berries
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup of almond meal
1/2 cup of psyllium powder
3/4 cup of traditional fruit mince
1/4 cup of almonds, roughly chopped
Method
Put the goji berries into a small bowl and cover with the Cointreau (or orange juice).
Add the oats to a food processor and give it a 10-sec blast, then add the almond meal and psyllium powder and give it another 10-sec blast.
Drain the goji berries and reserve the Cointreau liquid. Place the goji berries into a large mixing bowl with the chopped almonds.
Add the fruit mince and the reserved liquid to the processor and blend until well mixed.
Add the fruit mince, almond meal and oat mix to the bowl with the goji and almonds. Mix well, using large spoons or your hands.
Using slightly damp hands roll the mixture into small balls and set aside.
I made these decadent little morsels for a treat. Still packed full of goodness and superfoods, they make eating food in which you know all the ingredients much easier; and they are much better for you than a biscuit or piece of cake!… and I add extra fibre to my bliss balls in the form of psyllium and chia seed.
These bliss balls are delicious and they are an easy snack to grab from the fridge when you are under sail (Trippin’ Turpins).
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup cocoa 1/2 cup almond meal 1/2 cup brazil nuts, chopped 1/2 cup goji berries 1/4 cup chia seeds 1/4 cup psyllium husk 340g pitted prunes 4 Tbs Cointreau or juice or water
Look at all the yummy goodness in these decadent bliss balls!
Method
Soak the goji berries in the Cointreau or juice/water and set aside for about 20 minutes.
In a food processor add oats and blend well. Then add the cocoa, almond meal, psyllium and chia seeds, and give a quick blend.
To the food processor, add the prunes and the liquid strained from the goji berries – reserve the berries. Blend until mixed well.
Put the mix into a large bowl and add the chopped brazil nuts (I wanted them quite chunky so I used a knife to chop them) and the reserved goji berries.
Now mix well using a large spoon and squishing and spreading until the berries and nuts are incorporated with the processed mix!
Using slightly wet hands, roll the mix into small balls. Makes 25-30.
Store in refrigerator. Will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks.
About the Ingredients
Oats – High in fibre, helps reduce cholesterol and is high in antioxidants.
Psyllium Husk – fibre! and can help manage cholesterol levels.
Chia Seeds – massive amounts of nutrients with very few calories! Excellent source of fibre and antioxidants. High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids and helps lower the risk of heart disease.
Cocoa – rich in minerals such as iron, magnesium and calcium. Has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant qualities. Can also aid in lowering blood pressure.
Almond Meal – high in protein, monounsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre, antioxidants, vitamins like riboflavin. Lowers cholesterol and help prevent heart disease. Supports healthy brain function and maintains healthy skin.
Brazil nuts – High in selenium. The ‘super’ benefits of Brazil nuts also include, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and will increase your bliss, hence Bliss Balls! This is due to the Selenium which has been scientifically proven to lift the mood and prevent depression.
Goji Berries – a good source of protein, calcium, dietary fibre, vitamins A & C as well as iron, and high in antioxidants.
Prunes – excellent source of fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Cointreau – well it is just yummy!
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There are so many bliss, energy, and health ball recipes online, you’d think I would have found the perfect one for me. Well, I didn’t, so I made my own. I thought about the ingredients I wanted to include and then went for it. I wanted to make a tasty snack packed full of fibre and this is the result…
Ingredients
3/4 cup of quick oats
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup psyllium husk
1/ 4 cup cacao powder
340g pitted prunes
1/2 cup raisins
1-3 Tbs of liquid – water, juice or even rum!
2 Tbs of coconut (optional)
Honey (optional) I don’t have a sweet tooth, so if you want to make these balls sweeter use a little honey. Add it to the food processor when you add the liquid.
Method
In a food processor blend the oats, cacao powder, psyllium and chia seeds until it is a coarse powder. Remove from food processor and put into a bowl.
Add the raisins and prunes to the food processor and mix until well chopped. Add dry ingredients back into the blender and mix well adding the liquid as needed.
Should end up with a very firm dough. Roll into balls and coat in coconut if desired. Store in the fridge. Will keep for a couple of weeks.
Oats – High in fibre, helps reduce cholesterol and is high in antioxidants.
Prunes – excellent source of fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Psyllium Husk – fibre! and can help manage cholesterol levels.
Chia Seeds – massive amounts of nutrients with very few calories! Excellent source of fibre and antioxidants. High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids and helps lower the risk of heart disease.
Cacao Powder – packed full of antioxidants, improve your memory, reduce heart disease, boost immunity,and increase your bliss – hence bliss balls!
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Today we are anchored in Ao Chalong, Thailand, and the monsoon weather has certainly set in! With barely a break, the rain has been lashing at us all morning. The fridge and freezer are almost bare and there was no way we were going to go to shore in the dinghy to get lunch, so with what I had onboard I made a quick and easy, cheats mie goreng.
My cheats mie goreng is an easy to make lunch, which I have often made while cruising though Indonesia and Malaysia. The two minute (mie goreng) noodles you can get in Indonesia and Malaysia are much nicer than the two minute noodles you get in Australia so we always keep a few packs on board. When sailing, we will often resort to cup of noodles for a hot lunch, especially if the weather is foul. However, if the weather is good and I can put a bit of effort into it, we will have something a little more appetising than just ‘two minute noodles’.
Yummy cheat’s mie goreng with a few fresh ingredients.
Ok, so all I do is…
I soak the noodles in boiling water until they are tender. In the meantime I chop garlic, chilli and asian shallot (we found shallots everywhere as we cruised through the Indonesian islands). The other veggies I use depends on what I have on hand, e.g. I have used carrot (julienned), capsicum and beans. I often use Shitake mushrooms which I keep dried (soaked in boiling water and then sliced).
I add oil to my wok and heat. Then I sauté the garlic, shallot and chilli until soft. I then add whatever vegetables (or meat if using) I am using and cook through.
Next I add the noodles and the sachets of flavour – reserving the crispy onion to garnish when done. I toss the noodles until they are heated through and serve on a plate. Top with a fried egg and garnished with cucumber and crispy onion.
Yummy, warm and savoury and just what you need on long distant sail or a miserable wet day such as this!
While cruising though Asia, there have been mornings when Dwayne has asked “what’s for breakfast?” and, like the Mother Hubbard rhyme, ‘the cupboards were bare’. Well… not quite bare. I almost always have flour, powdered egg and powdered milk in the pantry. So I get to work preparing an easy, filling breakfast that Dwayne enjoys with maple syrup. I whip up some pancakes.
Pancakes and maple syrup… cooked on the BBQ
Simple really, this is what I do …
Gather my ingredients…
1 cup of plain flour
1 tablespoon powdered egg
2 tablespoon powdered milk
and water to add as needed.
Then I…
…sift the first three ingredient into a bowl and gradually add water, stirring continuously until I get my desired thickness. If I’m lucky I then get Dwayne to cook them on the BBQ.
Note: The powdered eggs I bought in Coles in Australia. ‘Farm Pride’ Powdered whole eggs.
Gourmet from the galley! 