Lately it feels like the wintery blanket cast over Melbourne is lifting. The weather is getting warmer, the sky gets dark later and light earlier.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect to be breaking out the jelly shoes and sunscreen anytime soon. And I’m not relishing the thought of oncoming summer like it would appear. I love winter, cold weather and rain suit me better than sun and sweat. Despite this, I have noticed a tropical theme to my food cravings lately.
Maybe this is in anticipation of cocktails on the roof of our apartment building, possibly it is because I have reached the overkill limit with my mashed potato intake. But I think the real reason is that I feel the time has come for another holiday in the Cook Islands. Just a few more days of eating starfruit, lighting mosquito coils, being bitten by territorial fish, pig hunting, and tearing round on a scooter. A few more nights drinking at Trader Jack’s and eating burgers at Palace Takeaways before heading to the Banana Court. A few more mornings reading books, feeding marmalade to a well trained moko and watching the puppies play on the lawn (they are big dogs now, with puppies of their own).
So lactose intolerance be damned, I will eat as much of the two below recipes as I can until the moment I am sitting on a rickety, 12 seater plane waiting for the moment when the pilot brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘driving arm’, hanging his arm out the window as he taxis the runway on the island I have been away from for far too long.
Breakfast Smoothie
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup raspberries
1 banana
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp coconut sugar (optional)
pinch cinnamon and/or nutmeg (optional)
*Put all ingredients in a blender. Turn the blender on.
Raspberry and Coconut Chocolate (inspired by http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2012/04/my-sugar-free-raspberry-ripe-2/#more-4272, but adapted to be less healthy)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 Tbsp brown sugar/honey/golden syrup (whichever you prefer)
1/3 cup coconut, shredded or flakes
1/3 cup of frozen raspberries
*Melt the butter and oil in a pan, adding the oil first as it takes longer to melt
*Once melted, stir in the cocoa and sugar/honey/syrup. If using sugar, make sure it all dissolves
*Cover a baking tray/shallow bowl with baking paper and arrange berries and coconut evenly
*Pour the chocolate mixture from the pan on top and leave to set in the freezer
*Once set (usually about half an hour), cut into pieces
Raspberry and coconut playlist
Leon Russell: Back to the Island
Prince: Raspberry Beret
Señor Coconut & His Orchestra: Around The World (Daft Punk cover)
The Monkees: It’s Nice To Be With You
The Beatles: Two Of Us
A Day In The Food 