Girl Guide Biscuit time again

Yes … it is that time of year again where I lose all sense of good eating and choose to forget the effects of wheat on my system in order to support my daughter .. (read that as stuff my face and enjoy scoffing a load of yummy biscuits).  Herself has been busy happily selling down here in Southland so we have been busy happily buying and eating.

In the tin ready to pop in the fridge

It is also the one time of year that themselves get fudge-cake (aka hedgehog slice to some of you) made for them.  I know that last year I shared my fudge-cake recipe with you however now that we are on the bus I have made a few more changes so as to fit in with what we have in the cupboards and what we are prepared to store.  Icing sugar is one thing that I’m not buying, or even attempting to store on the bus, so no icing this year.  That hasn’t seemed to dwindle the demand though so it is obviously still just as yummy and maybe a little bit healthier …. but only maybe 🙂

Bus Fudge-Cake

1 packet of Girl Guide biscuits – bashed into small pieces

115 gm Butter

2 Tablespoons Cocoa

1 egg –  well beaten

1/2 Cup desiccated coconut

1/4 Cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (or a mixture of both)

1 teaspoon peppermint essence

• Melt the butter in a pot and once melted stir in the cocoa and egg
• Bring just to the boil then remove from the heat
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Press mixture into a lined rectangular tin (an old butter paper works well) and refrigerate.
• Cut into small square and enjoy!

Hope this finds you all warm and well.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Allergy Sufferers look away!

This is definitely not a post for anyone wanting gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, vegan or paleo recipes.  The warning has been issued so it is up to you how you proceed 🙂

I have to say that since beginning  this blog and let people know about my sugar free journey I am often amused by people’s comments about my ‘healthy’eating.  While I guess my eating is fairly healthy I still eat what makes me feel good physically and mentally … unfortunately that actually cuts out most of the old treats I used to partake in. People often assume too that because I am blogging about vegetarian things or sugar free recipes that my children and husband eat like I do…… which is so not the case!

Our March treat – Hedgehog Slice

With my children (and often with myself) I tend to work on the 80/20 rule where 80% of the time I try my hardest to nourish them well so that the other 20% we can relax and enjoy life.  It has to be said though that this is not a everyday 80/20 rule.  Some days we are 95/5 (that 5% is for both healthy and ‘unhealthy’ foods depending on the day), some days we are 50/50……. we live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with treats, goodies and processed delights and as much as I would love to only give my children whole, organic and natural food while adapting recipes constantly I also value my sanity quite a lot 🙂

So it is that every year around this time we have a family treat.  You see it is Girl Guide Biscuit time here in New Zealand.  That special few weeks in the year when we can get Girl Guide biscuits before they are sold out,  never to return until March the next year and having a Brownie (junior Girl Guide) who has to sell the elusive biscuits means that every March we end up with a small stash.  The children get to buy their own choice (usually chocolate minis) and I buy a couple of packets of plain to create my favourite slice for them – Hedgehog Slice.

Some call it Fudge Cake however a few years back when we were having a home-school hedgehog day we found this recipe (thanks and apologies to the actual owners as I have no record of where I found it) and, realising it was my all time favourite slice, decided to make it so the name stuck.  Me being me I have actually tried to adapt it (sorry just can’t help myself) and I have made this slice without the sugar and using sunflower seeds instead of nuts. The results were a bit crumbly around the edges and otherwise very yum 🙂  Here however, without any further waffle, is the orginal and this week’s ‘not of the allergy suffer’recipe

Hedgehog Slice

1 packet of broken Girl Guide Biscuits (or any plain 230 gm packet of biscuits)

115 gm butter

1/4 cup of sugar (as mentioned this can be left out)

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg – well beaten

3/4 cup of chopped nuts (I usually use almond or cashew) (can replace for sunflower seeds)

1 teaspoon vanilla

• Melt the butter and sugar in a pot over a gentle heat.
• Remove pot and stir in cocoa and egg.
• Bring just to the boil – stirring constantly – and remove from heat again.
• Add the rest of the ingredients.
• Press mixture into a lined/greased square cake tin and put in the fridge
• When cold ice with chocolate icing (icing sugar, a blob of butter, cocoa & a small amount of hot water) and slice.  It is just as yum without the icing too.
• ENJOY!

Hope this finds you working out the balance which fits you and yours.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz