easy – Page 2 – My Whisk and I

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

February 10, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is my adaptation of the delicious Donna Hay salad with roasted cauliflower. Serves 4 as a main.

For the avocado dressing:
half an avocado (taken from the 2 avocados you need for the salad)
125ml greek yoghurt
15ml lemon juice
60ml water

Add all the ingredients to a mixing jug and blitz together with a stick blender.
Season to taste and set aside.

For the salad:
1kg cauliflower florets
2 x 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed under cold water
60ml olive oil
5ml salt
2 avocado pears, halved and sliced
12 radishes
a handful of mint leaves

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Arrange the cauliflower and chickpeas on the lined baking tray and drizzle with the oil.
Sprinkle the harissa and salt over.
Roast for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Spoon the cauliflower and chickpeas onto a serving platter and top with the avocado slices, radishes and mint leaves.
Drizzle the salad with the avocado dressing and serve.

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Nut Butter Energy Bars

February 9, 2022February 9, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These bars are deliciously crunchy and loaded with energy boosters!! Yield: 16 squares from a 20cm x 20cm pan. Keep refrigerated.

500ml rice crispies/puffed rice
125ml sunflower seeds
125ml pumpkin seeds
125ml peanut butter
30ml coconut oil, melted
62ml honey
5ml honey
160g De Villiers Coco Nut Nut Butter Chocolate or any other chocolate of your choice

Line a 20cm x 20cm square baking tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang

Add the rice crispies, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds to a mixing bowl.
Add the peanut butter, melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla to a jug and stir to mix.
Pour the peanut butter mixture into the rice crispy mixture and mix well. Make sure that you cover all the seeds and puffed rice!!
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and spread the top evenly. Press down firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup to ensure that all the ingredients “glue together”.
Place in the refrigerator.

Break up the chocolate and add the pieces to a heatproof bowl, set over a saucepan with simmering water.
Allow the chocolate to melt completely before removing it from the heat.
Pour an even layer of chocolate over the seed mixture and place it back in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
Remove from the baking tin by lifting the paper overhang and slice into squares.

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Butter Bean Hummus

February 1, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is the creamiest hummus you will ever taste and I love it for its versatility!! Keep it in the refrigerator and use as a spread on crackers on sandwiches, as a dip with veg or thin it down and use it as a salad dressing.

1 x 400g can butter beans
30ml tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
the juice of one lemon (30ml)
30ml olive oil
5ml salt

Add all the ingredients to a liquidiser and blitz together until completely smooth.

Store in the refrigerator.

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Tropical Chocolate Bread

January 20, 2022January 20, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a great variation on banana bread and perfect for brunch when served with roasted peaches. Keeps for 2-3 days in an airtight container but it is very good when toasted thereafter.

150g butter
190ml caster sugar
2 eggs
30ml milk
2 ripe bananas, sliced
250ml self-raising flour
5ml bicarbonate of soda
62ml dodo powder, sifted
125ml desiccated coconut
160g De Villiers Cocoa Nut Butter Chocolate, chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 11cm X 25cm X 7cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on medium-high speed until creamy.
Add the eggs, milk and sliced bananas and mix for another minute.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder together and stir into the mixture.
Take the bowl from the mixer, add the coconut and chocolate and stir through by hand.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool.
Slice to serve.

Honey-Roasted Peaches:
6 fresh peaches
15ml butter, cubed
62ml honey

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones.
Place the peach halves on an oven tray and dot the cubed butter over it.
Drizzle over the honey.
Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until caramelised and golden brown.
Serve on a toasted slice of Tropical Chocolate Bread.

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Milk Tart

November 18, 2021November 17, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe makes two standard sized tarts.

500g puff pastry

1litre + 250ml milk
250ml sugar
1 cinnamon quill
160ml flour
50ml custard powder
50ml cornstarch
5 eggs, separated
2,5ml baking powder
20g butter
5ml vanilla
ground cinnamon for dusting

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray two 22cm tart tins with cooking spray.
Dust a work surface with flour and roll the pastry to 3mm thickness. Line the tart tins – the pastry should be about 1cm larger that the tins to allow for shrinkage during baking.
Place the prepared tart tins in the refrigerator until needed.

Pour 1 litre milk into a saucepan and add the sugar and cinnamon quill. Turn the heat on medium-high and stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Heat the milk mixture until it starts forming tiny bubbles around the edges of the saucepan.
Remove from the heat and take out the quill. Set aside.
Add the flour, custard powder and cornflour to a mixing bowl.
Drizzle in the remaining 250ml milk while whisking, to make a slurry.
Add the egg yolks to the slurry and whisk together.
Slowly pour the warm milk-mixture into the slurry while whisking continuously. Remember: pour slowly, whisk quickly!
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to a low heat.
Stir the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble. Take off the heat, add the butter and vanilla, stir through and set aside.
Add the baking powder to the egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the custard and divide the mixture between the two prepared tart tins.
Bake the tarts in the oven for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and immediately sift some ground cinnamon on the surface.
Serve with your favourite brew of coffee.

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Pastitsio (Greek Lasagne)

October 29, 2021October 27, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This Pastitsio is exactly as the hospitable Greeks intended: fit to feed a crowd! Makes 12 large portions.

300g Greek bucatini or Italian penne pasta
150g feta cheese
2 egg whites

Meat sauce:
60ml olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml tomato paste
1kg minced beef
90ml red wine
1 tin chopped tomato
10ml sugar
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon quill
7,5ml salt
2,5ml black pepper

Béchamel Sauce:
125ml butter
190ml flour
1 litre milk
2,5ml nutmeg
2,5ml salt
110g Kefalotyri cheese or Parmesan, grated
2 egg yolks

For the pasta:
Cook the pasta, drain and return to the saucepan in which it was cooked.
Crumble the feta over the pasta and mix together.
Add the egg whites and mix through. Set aside.

For the meat sauce:
Place a heavy bottom saucepan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion.
Fry for 2-3 minutes and then add the garlic, tomato paste and minced beef.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up the beef while browning it.
Add the red wine, tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thick.
Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon quill and take the mixture from the heat. Allow to cool slightly.

For the Béchamel Sauce:
Place a saucepan on medium heat and add the butter to melt.
Add the flour and stir the paste around for 2 minutes while cooking.
Add the milk and whisk until the sauce has no lumps and has thickened.
Remove from the heat and add the nutmeg, salt and half the cheese. Whisk until smooth.
Cool the sauce for 5 minutes and then whisk in the egg yolks.

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray an oven dish of 23cm X 26cm with cooking spray.
Spoon the pasta into the dish and spread it into an even layer.
Spoon the meat sauce on top and then top it with the béchamel sauce.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top in an even layer.
Place the dish in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
The Pastitsio can be served at room temperature.

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Chocolate Rolls

October 4, 2021October 3, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These rolls are a cheat’s version of the French pain au chocolat – less work and equal taste. Makes 12 rolls.

325g bread flour
3,7ml salt
150ml milk
40g butter
10g instant yeast
35ml sugar
1 egg
80g chocolate, chopped
Eggwash: 1 egg + 15ml water, whisked together

Spray a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray.
Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Warm the milk until tepid and pour it into a mixing bowl.
Add the butter, yeast and sugar to the milk and stir until the butter has melted.
Add the egg and whisk together.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and add the liquids. The dough will be VERY sticky!
Turn the mixer to medium speed and knead for 6 minutes. You want a dough that is soft, smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in an oiled mixing bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside to proof for 90 minutes.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough to a large rectangle.
Sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the length, in the centre.

Now fold the sides over so that you have a dough layer, chocolate layer and another 2 dough layers.
Roll the folded dough with a rolling pin so that the chocolate bits roll into the dough.
Divide and cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
Cut each piece into 3, keeping the top attached.
Plait the dough and then roll up each plaited piece and place it in a muffin hole.
Cover the muffin tin with a tea towel and allow to proof for 20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Brush the rolls with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes.
Serve slightly warm with a cup of coffee.

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Stroganoff Steaks

October 1, 2021September 29, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 sirloin steaks
45ml butter
400g mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5ml smoked paprika
300ml beef stock
250ml sour cream
a handful of parsley, chopped

Cook the steaks to your liking and set aside. Keep it covered and warm, to rest.
Put a heavy-base pan on high heat and add the butter. If you cooked the steak in a pan, use the same one.
Add the mushrooms and cook until browned and slightly charred on the edges. Remove from the pan.
Turn the heat down to medium and cook the onion until translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
Transfer the mushroom back to the pan and sprinkle over the paprika.
Pour the beef stock into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping loose any charred pieces stuck to the pan. Allow the stock to bubble away until reduced by half.
Take the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream and parsley.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Place the cooked steaks in the sauce, cover the pan with a lid and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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Bobotie with two Sambals

September 20, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Bobotie:

30ml Oil
2x Chopped onions
1kg Beef mince
2x Slices of white bread
250ml + 125ml Milk
3x Eggs
30ml Curry powder
10ml Salt
15ml Turmeric
45ml Lemon juice
125ml Raisins
60ml Chutney
4-5 Bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 180℃
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the onions and cook until golden.
Remove the onions from the heat and put in a mixing bowl for later use.
Add the minced meat to the saucepan the onions were in and brown the mince. Once the mince has been browned remove from heat and add to the mixing bowl with the onions.
Pour 250ml milk into a small bowl, place the two slices of bread into the milk and let them soak. Once the bread has soaked up all the milk add it to the mince and onion mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Place two of the three eggs into a bowl and whisk until fluffy. Add the egg mixture to the mince mixture and mix through.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the mince mixture (except the bay leaves, milk and egg) and mix through.
Prepare a casserole dish by spraying it with cooking spray to prevent the bobotie from sticking. Spoon the mixture into the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Whisk the remaining 125ml of milk and one egg together and pour over the bobotie once it comes out of the oven. Put the bay leaves spread out over the mixture and immediately put it back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden.

Tomato Sambal:

3 Chopped tomatoes
2 Chopped onions
15ml Lemon juice
15ml Sugar
15ml Olive oil
Fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper

Chop tomatoes and onions in small to medium sized blocks.
Mix lemon juice, olive oil and sugar into a dressing.
Chop parsley.
Mix everything together and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chutney Sambal:

250ml Fruit Chutney
83ml Chopped dried apricots
125ml Diced, Granny smith apple

Dice the apple into small cubes and chop the dried apricots into roughly the same size.
Combine and mix with the fruit chutney.

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Cappuccino Puddings

September 17, 2021September 16, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you are a chocolate fan but don’t like sweet, these are for you!

90ml cream
10ml espresso coffee granules
30ml Kahlúa (or a coffee cream liqueur)
3 eggs + 1 egg white, separated
25g caster sugar
160g dark chocolate, chopped
cocoa powder for dusting

Preheat your oven to 190℃. Grease 6 ramekins with a minimum capacity of 175ml. Place them on a baking tray and set aside.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan over a low-medium heat until just warm.
Add the espresso and Kahlúa and stir until the coffee granules are dissolved.
Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins.
Add the 4 egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until it forms soft peaks.
Now whisk in the sugar, adding a teaspoonful at a time until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over simmering water and stir until completely melted and silky smooth.
Take the chocolate from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir it every now and then so that it cools down.
Add the egg yolks to the chocolate and stir through.
Stir in a third of the beaten egg white mixture.
Now fold in the rest of the whites until no trace of whites are left.
Spoon the mixture into the ramekins and bake it for 15 minutes.
Sift the puddings with cocoa powder (or icing sugar if you want a sweeter pudding) and serve immediately.