BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE & FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES BY KATE DEVINE

BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE & FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES BY KATE DEVINE

BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE & FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES BY KATE DEVINE

I love everything about this time of year. The preparing, the celebrating, the socialising, the woolly jumpers, the cosy nights in watching ‘I’m a celebrity’ religiously for 3 whole weeks! What’s not to love?! Talking of preparing, this the week I’ve been thinking of wholesome, family foods to share with you all to enjoy throughout the festive season. Instead of a main meal, I’m thinking more about a warm, hearty dessert filled with sweet fruits with a crunchy, crumbly texture which is perfect to share with friends and family during the festive season. Introducing the Blueberry Dump Cake. Not the most enticing name for a dessert, I know, but it’s an original American recipe which comes from the concept of this cake – dump and bake! Quite literally you ‘dump’ the ingredients into a baking dish and bake. It’s as simple as that! I use the term ‘cake’ loosely, it’s more of a crumble or cobbler to me but let’s roll with it! It’s pretty simple and take around 40mins to make and bake so you’ll be done in the kitchen in no time.

 

Here’s the recipe, give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!

 

BLUEBERRY DUMP CAKE – Serves 8

 

You will need:

 

  • A medium sized oven proof dish
  • A mixing bowl

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 3 cups of frozen blueberries – you can use fresh, just reduce the cooking time by 5-10mins
  • 1/2 cup of sugar free sweetener
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp Xanthan gum
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup melted butter/coconut oil
  • Handful pecan nuts – crushed (optional)

 

Method:

 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C or 375 degrees F
  • Place the blueberries, sweetener, lemon juice, xanthan gum in a bowl and mix well, coating all the blueberries
  • Once mixed, empty the blueberries into the ovenproof dish
  • In a clean mixing bowl, add the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, egg, cinnamon and salt and mix together
  • Layer the mixture over the blueberries
  • Drizzle the melted butter/coconut oil evenly over the top of the mixture
  • Sprinkle the crushed pecan nuts over the top if using
  • Place in the oven for approximately 30 mins or until the top is golden brown
  • Enjoy with piping hot custard or a scoop of your favourite ice cream.
Festive Fizzy Ice Cubes

Something else we all enjoy during December is raising a glass with friends and family, below you will find my ‘fizzy fruit cocktail cubes’ recipe which are perfect for both the adults and the children to enjoy!

 

FIZZY FESTIVE FRUIT COCKTAIL CUBES

 

You will need:

 

  • Ice cube trays – one regular square shaped tray and one star shaped tray if possible
  • Clear tumbler glasses – to get the full effect of the colourful fruit

 

Ingredients:

 

  • Fizzy water/lemonade/champagne
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Cranberry juice

 

Method:

 

  • Prepare the fruit ice the night before you plan on making these drinks – start by filling the star tray with the blueberries and raspberries and fill each mould with regular water and place in the freezer
  • Do the same with the cranberry juice in the square shaped ice tray and place in the freezer
  • Once frozen, place the cranberry cube(s) in the glasses first, then a fruit star, then the sparkling water/champagne to get the nice colour gradient in the glass
  • Be careful not to get the fizzy water drinks mixed up with the champagne drinks!
  • Raise your glass and enjoy!

 

And as usual, don’t forget to share your creations with us @broodmagazine and @thedevinelife and feel free to drop us a DM with anything you might want help with or any nutrition related questions you might have. I’m more than happy to help!

written BY KATE DEVINE

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Kate’s healthy ice cream and fruit popsicles

Kate’s healthy ice cream and fruit popsicles

Kate’s healthy ice cream and fruit popsicles

Summer is officially here…..!

Schools are winding down, holidays are beginning to be had, and life feels kinda back to normal post Covid. But, the question that I think many parents will face – I know I’m slightly concerned about this – is what on earth are we going to do to entertain our brood for the summer holidays?!

Well, we’re lucky enough to be going away for 2 weeks but we’ve a whole heap of time afterwards that will require planning activities, working things around work, yet still making sure the kids don’t spend days indoors sat on their Xbox. Sometimes that has to happen, I get it, believe me, and mum/dad guilt will probably set in at some point, but let’s not worry about that too much. Our kids aren’t that bothered; mine are just ecstatic to not be in school! This perception of having to be perfect in every aspect of life lies in each and every parents mind, and it’s a little internal battle of what we’re ‘supposed’ to be doing; rather than what we want to be doing and what actually works for us. We need to give ourselves a break!

Of course, I will be encouraging my boys to look up from their iPads/phone for a while and join me in making delicious food together, eating and spending more time outside, seeing friends and family and to try not to kill each other!

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream month? So, there’s no better excuse to get the kids involved in making healthy ice cold treats! Also, there’s one for us grown ups – National Cheese and Wine day on July 25th – it would be rude not to celebrate our appreciation for two of the finer things in life, wouldn’t it?!

Here’s a couple of quick and easy recipes to make healthy ice cream and fruit popsicles which will hopefully keep your brood entertained, if only for a little while, and help keep their constantly hungry tummies full with healthy treats, a little bit longer.

 

Easy Peasy Banana & Strawberry/Banana, Peanut butter & Cacao Ice Cream

You will need:

  • Baking trays
  • Parchment paper
  • Food processor/blender

Ingredients:

  • 5 ripe bananas (must be ripe)
  • Fruit of your choice 450g – I recommend strawberries/mango/mixed berries or cacao & peanut butter (1 tbsp of each)

 *Optional – Caramel Sauce to accompany the banana, cacao and peanut butter version:

  • 7 medjool dates – pitted and chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • Add all the above ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth

 

*Optional – Raspberry Sauce to accompany the fruit version:

  • 200g fresh raspberries – heat slowly in a saucepan, stirring gently, until smooth
  • 1 tbsp desiccated coconut – stir into the raspberries once cooled.

Easter Eggs Leftover

Method:

 

  • Chop the bananas and fruit of your choice into 4cm pieces
  • Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper and place all fruit on both trays in single layers
  • Freeze for 4 hours or over night
  • Once frozen, place all the banana and fruit/cacao and peanut butter, into a food processor until smooth. This make take a while – the texture will go from solid to bitty and eventually smooth. Add a little coconut milk, or milk of your choice, if you find the consistency too thick. You will need to regularly scrape the fruit from the sides
  • Serve immediately and drizzle over either of the optional sauces above if necessary
  • If you require a thicker consistency, freeze for a few hours then place in the fridge until you get the desired consistency.

Blueberry & Basil Popsicles – makes around 10

You will need:

  • Food processor/blender
  • Popsicle moulds & sticks

 Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of blueberries
  • 2 cups of live yogurt/Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp roughly chopped basil

 Method:

  • Place all the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth
  • Evenly distribute the mixture between the popsicle moulds and insert the stick 3/4 of the way into the mould
  • Place the moulds in the freezer and freeze overnight
  • When ready to eat, run the end of the mould under hot water to loosen the popsicle slightly then pull slowly with the stick until free

Enjoy!

Easter Eggs Leftover
written BY KATE DEVINE

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Related Articles

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read more