Lamb and Sweet Potato Curry

This is a nice, simple and quick curry that we have started to make a bit – it’s a variation on a coconut cream-and tomato based curry – that has neither ingredient!

This one can also be made vegetarian, just add carrot, Kumara, potato and/or parsnips instead of meat. It’s also good with other stew-type vegetables – like tomatoes, or green, canellini, or kidney beans. Though it’s best not to try it with broccoli or zucchini. Shudder. This can be made quite hot, but we tend to keep it mild for the kids. This recipe has had some success on the children-will-eat front.
It should take about 1/2- 3/4 of an hour to put together. Don’t forget to have with rice or thick fresh bread.
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Gluten and Dairy-Free Train Wheel-Piston Cake

I was going to write more about our NZ trip, and I will next week, but today is recipe day, so I’m going to run through how I made C’s 7th Birthday cake. Seven? How did that happen? And after convincing him that I couldn’t design a cake with the cake-wheels on edge with an axle in between that would move, I worked through some sketches of train wheels till I had executive approval for this design.

It’s two train wheels, with a piston sitting on a train track in a coal yard. And as far as cakes go, this one wasn’t the hardest I have ever made. Working with fondant is like working with playdoh. Though it does taste rather commercial – next time I will be experimenting with different flavours but I ran out of time this year. I also think the cakes would be improved with the add‭itions of a jam layer – something tart, like apricot, so I will be experimenting with that too at a later date.

Anyway, enjoy the chaos!
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Campervanning Across New Zealand on the 2e Bandwagon: Soothing The Sensitivities

Campervanning Across New Zealand on the 2e Bandwagon: Soothing Sensitivities, yellowreadis.com. Image: Campervan in farmland with blue sky

It started as a dream 7 years ago, and a then, a few months ago we decided, why not? It was the same cost to fly to New Zealand as to fly and visit rellies interstate … we would live our dream.

So off to NZ we went. We had a whole list of things on our to do list. But dragging a toddler and primary schooler around NZ with as little stress as possible? That was the challenge.

Today I am going to go through the things that worked, and the things that didn’t.
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Peach Chicken Curry and Rice

This is a variation on a recipe my grandma used to make. I’ve had to adapt it to our current diet restrictions, as the original french-onion spices are a no-no in our now onion-free house. This is also an easy one to make gluten-free, and I have also on occasion made it dairy free too. When pressed and in the off-season, I also use canned peaches – but I’m careful with the syrup as it can be so sweet as to overpower this dish. This is a simple dish and I often have fun mixing up the spices and trying different combinations, but it’s still at its best as a no-fuss simple homage to great produce.
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Gluten-Free Doughnuts

Gluten-Free Doghnuts, yellowreadis.com, Image: Hand made doughnuts in awhite bowl on wooden bench

There are an awful lot of great-looking gluten-free doughnut recipes out there. And Pinterest is a dangerous pastime. From this, to this…ooh and this, and maybe this one too.

But when I actually got down to looking at how they were made – most of them required yeast and buttermilk, which I prefer to avoid in large quantities. And that doesn’t really go with over-the-top doughnut indulgence.

But then, I found this great recipe, from Alicia Baker at examiner.com, Easy gluten free and dairy free glazed doughnuts.
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