GOOD FOOD

This super simple recipe is easy and quick to make. It has only 5 basic ingredients - butter, sugar, egg, flour and chocolate. And I have also added sea salt to bring out the flavour. And baking soda as the rising agent.

Baking soda, along with baking powder are both leavening agents. Leavening agents create a foaming effect that incorporate air into the dough through air bubbles and cause the mixture to be lighter and softer. Baking Soda or Soda Bicarbonate requires an acid like brown sugar or chocolate to activate. Alternatively, you can use Baking Powder which is Baking Soda that has already been mixed with an acid, most often Cream of Tartar, but is less effective so would require more to be used and also has a shorter shelf life. You can test your Baking Powder to see if it is still effective by adding a teaspoon to a cup of warm water. If the water bubbles it is still good to use.

If it is not so important that your cookies rise you can leave out the Baking Soda or leavening agents. The end result may be a little more firm. You could also add another egg instead which is an alternate to helping baked goods to rise. 

If you have time, get the butter out before you get started so as to soften to room temperature. If you are pressed for time you can melt the butter on low. Either way you just want to make sure the butter is combined evenly with the sugar.

And if you have the time, you could try resting the cookie dough in the freezer for 24 hours before you bake to allow the flavours to develop.
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Ingredients:
150g softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar and 
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
300g roasted almond dark chocolate 
pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 *C / 350*F & canola spray your baking tin.
2. Combined the softened butter and sugars into a cream paste. 
3. Add the egg and combine.
4. Combine the dry ingredients: flour, salt and baking soda and then mix with the remainder of the mixture.
5. Break or chop the chocolate into pieces and add to the mixture.
6. Then shape the mixture and place into the baking tray. Try to add the pieces of chocolate evenly and press some into the top of each piece Make sure to space the cookies a few centimetres apart.
7. Place the baking tray in the oven for 20 - 35 minutes depending on your oven. Remove from the oven when they are lightly golden brown. 
8. Cool on a wire rack.
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A rule of thumb in baking is to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them together. The less you mix the flour the less time the gluten has to develop and therefore gives the end product a better chance of being light and fluffy. It also helps the raising agents in the dry ingredients to be mixed through more evenly.

 Dry Ingredients:
2 cups self raising flour
3/4 cup coconut
1/3 cup brown sugar
100g 70% dark chocolate, broken into pieces 

Wet Ingredients:
50g melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup raspberries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C / 375 degree F.
2. Canola spray muffin tin.
3. Mix dry ingredients. 
4. Mix wet ingredients.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
6. Pour mixture into muffin tin.
7. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until golden.
8. Allow to cool on a wire tray and store in an air tight container.
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This recipe isn't suuuper healthy but it does include fresh bananas and it is a good way of using those last few from the fridge that are almost over the hill.

The recipe has only half a cup of brown sugar added as most of the sweetness comes from the bananas. This is why it is important to use bananas that are super ripe - they are extra sweet and easier to mash. 

With only 4 wet ingredients and 4 dry ingredients this recipe is easy to make. To add a crunch to the outside I recommended toasting the pieces to serve.

Great for breakfast, dessert or a snack on the go.

​Wet Ingredients:
3 medium sized mashed ripe bananas
100g melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk 

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups flour & 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder or 2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cacao or cocoa

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180*C / 350*F and canola spray the baking tin.
2. Combine wet ingredients.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
5. Pour mixture into the baking tin and place into the over for 45 minutes. Banana bread is ready when you stick a fork in and it comes out without the mixture sticking.
6. Rest for 5 minutes before removing from the baking tray to cool on a wire rack.
7. Store in an air tight container. 

I like making fresh bread rolls because it's good knowing all the ingredients that go in and there's something satisfying about being able to make something yourself.

​Great for burgers, packed lunches and picnics. This recipe has only 6 ingredients and is easy and simple to make. A healthier alternative to store bought bread.

The only thing you'll need to prepare yourself for this recipe is allowing the dough to rest twice. So best done when you have some time up your sleeve.

Ingredients:
1 and a 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
500g flour

Method:
1. Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar.
2. Add the yeast and leave for 10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
3. Add the salt, olive oil and half of the flour and stir to combine.
4. Then add the remaining flour and stir.
5. On a flour dusted surface knead the dough for 10 minutes and then leave to rest in a flour dusted bowl for 1 hour, covering with a tea towel. It's best to keep in a warm place for the dough to rise. Also if you are under time constraints you can rest for less time but for best results try to leave for at least 1 hour.
6. Knead the dough and divide into portions. This will make 16 dinner rolls or 8 larger burger rolls. Roll each portion out a little and place onto a greased baking tray to rise again for another hour. Once again if you are under time pressures you can reduce the rising time but longer is usually better. Turn on the oven to preheat at 180 Degrees C / 360 Degrees F.
7. After the dough has risen this is when you can add seeds on top if you choose. In this pic I added sesame seeds, you'll only need a few teaspoons. And to help them stick I added an egg wash of 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt whisked together and painted on top before adding the seeds.
8. Then place the baking trays into the oven to bake for approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Just keep an eye on the dough's colour. You are looking for a golden brown. 
9. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking racks.
10. Once they have cooled completely store in an airtight container.
​And that's it.

This is a fairly simple cocktail to make. Most mixes usually top with lemonade. In this recipe to healthy it up I substituted lemonade with soda water and fresh lemon. 

Ingredients:
30ml vodka
30ml blue curaçao
soda water
lemon wedge
ice

Method:
1. Pour vodka and blue curaçao over ice.
2. Top glass up with soda water.
3. Squeeze in lemon wedge to serve.

Like making bread, initially I was hesitant with fresh pasta because I thought it would be complicated and take ages. But like bread the more you make it the easier it becomes. For me the trick is to put my headphones in during the kneading process. It's probably been a weekly dish for the last year now.

My yard stick for simple recipes is whether I could be bothered to make it if I had a hangover. And I definitely have persevered with this one even after a big Saturday night  out. It is for sure worth the effort.

All you need is a cup of flour and two eggs. And once you have your technique down and you can make it easily you won't want to go back to packet pasta. 

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup of plain flour

Method:
1. Flour the surface of a clean bench or chopping board.
2. Then put the cup of flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
3. Add the eggs to the centre of the well and stir in to combine. I use a fork.
4. Once most of the flour has mixed in, take the dough into a ball.
5. Knead the dough on the floured surface for about 10 minutes. The flour should change during this time. About halfway the dough will be sticky and stick to your hands. You can add a pinch or two of flour at this time if it helps. Keep kneading and when it's ready it will feel more like play dough and won't stick to your fingers. 
6. Place the dough in a bowl covered with a dry tea towel and set aside for half an hour. 
7. After 30 minutes take the dough and cut it into two portions. 
8. Flour your kneading surface again.
9. With a roller or some thing similar, I use a wine bottle, roll out the dough. It will be about 30cm in diameter or to which ever thickness you prefer.
10. Then I roll it up like a pancake, or like if you were moving a rug, and with a knife or scissors cut about 1cm apart.
11. Unroll the fettuccine and place on a floured plate. You might need to add some extra flour so it doesn't stick together.
12. Repeat on the other half of the dough.
13. Boil you water with oil and salt.
14. Gently place into the boiling water and stir so the fettuccine doesn't stick together.
15. I then put the lid on the water for about a minute to bring the water temp up back to the boil.
16. Then about one more minute. The fettuccine will rise to the top of the water. It only takes about 2 minutes in total in the water to be ready. But you can do a taste test to be sure.
17. And that's it. Stir through with your sauce.
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I feel like you get the idea from the title. This super simple, super quick to make recipe only requires 4 ingredients and no baking.

Of course there are extras you can add like half a pinch of salt into the chocolate mixture or raspberries to serve.

Otherwise only four ingredients from the shop to get this made. 

I used a light thickened cream which might be silly since it is a not so healthy chocolate tart but I don't think it detracts from the flavour.

And I always use a 70% dark chocolate because it contains less sugar than milk chocolate.

Ingredients:
200g digestive biscuits
100g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate 70%
​200ml thickened cream

Method:
1. Crush biscuits.
2. Melt butter on low heat.
3. Combine crushed biscuits and butter and press mixture into pan.
4. Place tin into the fridge.
5. You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Alternatively I use two pans - one smaller than the other. I bring the water to boil in the smaller pan and then remove from heat and place the chocolate in the larger pan on top to melt the chocolate with steam.
6. Once the chocolate is completely melted place it aside to cool for a bit.
7. Whip the thickened cream until it forms soft peaks and gently fold into the melted chocolate.
8. Pour the chocolate on top of the crushed biscuits in the tin and place back in the fridge.
9. Allow to chill overnight to set the mixture.
10. Store in the fridge.

This is less of a recipe and more of a suggestion. Quite right many things are improved by being dipped in chocolate. So Brazil Nuts with their high oil content are well matched with a dark chocolate. I have added sea salt to a later batch which I would definitely  recommend.

Ingredients:
150g Brazil Nuts
100g Dark Chocolate - 70% cocoa

Method:
1. Using a double boiler bring water to the boil and remove from heat. You can sunbstitute regular pans if you have two of varying sizes, use the smaller one for the water and the larger one to sit on top for the chocolate.
2. Place chocolate in the top pan once it has been removed from the heat and allow for the steam to melt the chocolate. This should only take a few minutes.
3. Dip the brazil nuts in the chocolate and place on baking paper to cool for approximately one hour.
4. Store in the fridge.

Ok so these yummy biscuits aren't a super healthy snack buuuuut I figure they are   homemade and that means you know what has gone into them and what things like artificial preservatives have been left out.

So if you crave a biscuit with your tea once in a while I reckon it's better than the store bought alternatives. And it's quicker and easier than going to the shop on a rainy weekend afternoon, if you've already stocked your cupboard that is. And you get to eat warm biscuits straight out of the oven, but not too soon because nobody needs a burnt face. 

If you want to add healthier options you could substitute the sugar with an alternate sweetener and the flour with a substitute like almond meal. And at that point with an 85% cocoa chocolate I mean it's basically a health food. 

Ingredients:
125g softened unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar and 
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 and 3/4 cups flour
125g dark chocolate 

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit and canola spray your tray so it's ready to go.
2. To soften your butter leave at room temperature for a bit. I use the back of a tablespoon to combine the butter together with the sugar. Do this until all of the butter has blended into the mix and there are not lumps left.
3. Break or chop the chocolate into pieces.
4. Add the chocolate and flour to the mixture.
5. Add the eggs and combine.
6. Shape the cookie dough and place onto the baking tray, keeping each one a few centimetres apart as they will spread out during baking.
7. Place the baking tray in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool on a baking tray so the air can circulate underneath. 
9. Once cooled store them in an airtight container. 

This is a healthy alternative to the regular deep-fried donuts. Being baked reduces the fats that are added to regular donuts which are just plain unnecessary. Aaaaaand these taste just as good, if not better. That being said this recipe still contains butter, flour and sugar so it is not super clean eating but it is a half way measure in the right direction. And some better choices through the day is all it takes to make some positive changes.

Donut Ingredients (approx 10 donuts):
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
50g unsulated butter
2 and a 1/2 cups flour
1 and a 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast
1/4 cup of sugar

Frosting Ingredients:
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
A few teaspoons of unsalted butter
100g dark chocolate


Method:
1. Heat milk for approximately three minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat when steam starts to rise but before it comes to the boil. Then stir in butter and allow to melt.
2. To make the donuts sift flour into a mixing bowl. Stir in yeast, sugar and cinnamon.
3. Once butter is melted make a well in the flour mixture and add the milk and butter to it until combined.
4. Knead the mixture on a floured surface for 10 minutes then place into a large canola sprayed bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 1 hour.
5. Knead again and roll into one flat piece about 2cm thick.
6. Cut the dough to size. I used a large drinking cup for the outside ring and a shot glass for the inside ring.
7. Gently place the donut shapes onto a canola sprayed baking tray, cover with plastic wrap and leave for 30 minutes. As they are resting turn on oven to preheat at 200 degrees Celsius / 400 Fahrenheit.
8. After 30 minutes resting place baking tray in oven for 12 minutes or until donuts are golden brown then remove and allow to cool.
9. For the frosting.... bring 1/4 of a saucepan of water to the boil and remove from the heat. Then place a larger saucepan containing the dark chocolate on top to melt. Once chocolate has melted take half of the donuts and dip them into the chocolate. Leave to cool.
10. Combine the 1/4 cup of caster sugar and the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl and spread half of the donuts with unsalted butter. Then cover the donuts in the sugar and cinnamon mix.
11. Store donuts in fridge.