Date, Carrot and Apple Muffins with Cream Cheese Topping (Refined sugar free)

It has been a while since I worked on a muffin recipe and I am rather pleased with this particular one. I was recently invited onto the Expresso Morning Show to present three different, easy recipes with one common ingredient. I chose dates as my star ingredient and wanted to include a baking recipe in one of the cooking segments. That was the inspiration behind these date muffins.

Chocolate, Honey and Hazelnut Fridge Fudge

I was not quite sure what to call this recipe. It is not really like fudge in the traditional, crystalline sense but something in between fudge and chocolate. The reason for this is that I have sweetened it with honey instead of sugar, giving it a silky smooth, melt in your mouth texture - delicious!

Chocolate Energy Squares (gluten and refined sugar free)

There is a fantastic meme doing the rounds on social media at the moment, you might have seen it. Two women are having coffee together and one says "I feel like March flew by so fast" to which her friend replies "It's May". *insert comical shocked face here* Judging from many of the conversations I have had in the last week it seems as though a lot of us are feeling that way right now. And look out, because tomorrow it will be June! Other than wondering where the year has gone I have also been looking out for healthier recipes to make at home. We are very fortunate not to have any food allergies in our family but lately I have been inspired to try new ingredients and find healthier alternatives to use at home everyday. This recipe was the result of some playing around I did a few weeks ago.

Thin Crust Spelt Flour Pizza

It's a new month and time to get back to normal after all of the school and public holidays which have had many of us wandering around much of the time scratching our heads and trying to work out what day it is! (Or maybe that was just me?) Last week I took a little break and the family headed to beautiful Knysna for a couple of wonderfully chilled days. Well, as chilled as you can be with two small children running about. We had a brilliant time and I so enjoyed being out of the normal routine, free from the usual daily chores and away from my laptop screen! Just what the doctor ordered. 

How to make easy rainbow meringues (and a rainbow cake!)

Crisp, white meringues are one my favourite things to make, but a few weeks ago I tried something a little different by adding some colours to the mix! The reason? I wanted to top my daughter's rainbow birthday cake with rainbow meringues. I had so many party guests (well, the parents) asking me for the recipe that I have decided to pop it on the blog this week along with my go-to meringue recipe. I am also sharing a few tips for making your own rainbow cake. 

Lemon Easter Cookies

Today's post is a bit of holiday fun for the kiddies, and given world events over the past two weeks and particularly here in S.A. I think us adults could do with a bit of fun too! In all seriousness though, this is an exceptionally tasty cookie, with or without all the icing and trimmings, and you should definitely give this recipe a try these Easter holidays! 

Chocolate Banana Bread (Paleo)

Every now and then I come across an absolute gem of a recipe online and this one is one of my current favourites so be warned, I am going to be getting gushy today. I have been telling everyone about this chocolate banana bread! It is the creation of Rachel from Bakerita.com and she has kindly allowed me to share it with y'all. 

Beef Sliders (with hidden veggies!)

I hope you are all settling into the the new year year nicely. I for one am enjoying getting back into the regular routine, but of course that means we have had to pick up the pace at home (extra murals, social events and, very soon, school runs - you know the drill) and that means that I need delicious and healthy meals that can be prepared on the double!

Bran and Fruit Muffins

Happy New Year everyone! I am glad to be back after a few weeks away from my "home on the web" and thought we would ease into the year with an easy muffin recipe that I know you will love. 

Christmas Biscuit Tree

This week the nostalgic mood continues with another family inspired recipe. When it comes to food there is no question that baking is my first love, and when I think back to my earliest baking memories I am always reminded of childhood Christmases. The much anticipated, long December school holidays that felt like they went on forever were the perfect time for sun drenched afternoons in the pool and fun with friends, but a real highlight for me would be the Christmas baking. Each year I looked forward to making mince pies, biscuits and the decorating of the Christmas cake which my mum would have baked a few weeks earlier using my grandmother's recipe. (And still does!) 

A Train Party

October was a rather hectic but very exciting month here at Cupcakes and Couscous HQ. Chaos continued to reign on the home front as renovations went on (we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, hooray!), my sister visited us from the U.K (double hooray!) and we had a couple of special family birthdays - my Dad, and my youngest James who turned two. He is completely obsessed with all things train related and so it was a no brainer as to what his party theme would be. I thought that this week I would share a few snaps from the day, perhaps they will give you a few ideas if you have a train party coming up.

Fruity Wholewheat Loaf Cake

I have been on a clearing out mission lately. I started in the kitchen, and was happy to get rid of a big box of utensils and bits and bobs that I no longer needed. As for the rest of the house... the clearing out process has been going much, much slower than I would prefer. I am talking one shelf a day slow. Still, it is better than nothing I suppose. As part of "project declutter" I have also been delving into the deep freezer, cautiously prying open tupperwares from the depths and playing "guest the contents" with various unlabelled ziplock bags. 

Spring Vegetable and Red Pesto Tart

I do enjoy a cooking challenge, and when I was contacted by the team at Faithful to Nature and invited to participate in their recent blogger competition I was immediately interested. The challenge was this - to create one seasonal, organic, vegetarian family meal using pantry products from Faithful to Nature as well as fresh organic produce. Each blogger received a voucher to purchase their choice of products from the thousands and thousands of products on the Faithful to Nature website, ordered their goodies online and then used them to create a delicious dish.

Creamy Tomato Penne with Pesto

We love a good pasta dish in our house, and this is one of my go-to recipes for a quick and delicious week night meal. The sauce is ready in under thirty minutes and can even be made ahead of time and reheated. And I have to say it again - it is so tasty! 

Sweet Potato, Butternut and Chevin Tarts

"Paddington thought for a moment. 'I think I'll start in the kitchen,' he said. 'I may make some pastry. Bears like pastry.' "

Excerpt from Paddington and the Busy Day - Michael Bond

I cannot make anything pastry related without thinking of good old Paddington Bear. At the age of one my daughter decided he was the best thing ever - so much so that he was the theme for her second birthday party. (You may remember these marmalade sandwich cookies from a while back.) Her younger brother, now almost two, has followed suit, and we would not dream of tucking him in at night without at least one Paddington adventure to send him off to sleep.

Sticky Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins

Over the last year I have worked on some very interesting and fun campaigns, and I feel lucky to be able to do this from home. However, this work-from-home scenario is not without its challenges, chiefly in the form of two very busy (but adorable of course) and engaging little humans.

Almond and Apricot Thumb Cookies

This recipe takes me straight back to my childhood. Thumbs cookies were one of the first cookies I mastered on my own and there was many a Saturday afternoon when I proudly presented a batch to the family to be enjoyed with afternoon tea. I do not make them nearly as often these days but they are still a favourite and special because I associate them with happy memories of learning to bake. 

Bacon and Broccoli Macaroni Cheese

This post comes a week later than planned, and regular readers might have noticed that I was missing in action last week. The week started with a fun trip to Bloemfontein and a food demonstration (look out for another blog post about this next week) but quickly went downhill after that as I returned home to two sick children as well as having a nasty bout of flu myself! So unfortunately my regular schedule went out of the window, but I am happy to report that aside from a few lingering symptoms things are on the up for team Ulyate!  

Spiced Apple Slices

Earlier this year we had a few days away with friends in the lovely little town of Montagu. On the drive back to Cape Town my daughter wanted to see where all the apples are grown, but got more than she bargained for when we drove past orchard after orchard full of trees bursting with thousands of apples. She was absolutely delighted (and it was a beautiful drive)! 

Sugar Free Banana Cake

It is March and in my house that equals birthdays and lots of baking! I made this cake earlier in the month for my daughter's school birthday and wanted to avoid added sugar but still make something delicious that the children would love. This cake has a soft, light texture and a delicate banana flavour. Rather than cover the cake with icing I drizzled it with delicious melted carob. This is a great alternative to chocolate!