Quirky Cooking
  • About
    • Jo’s Story
  • Start Here
    • Beginner’s Guide
    • Cooking Videos
    • Dairy Substitutes
    • Refined Sugar Substitutes
    • Wheat Substitutes
    • What is the GAPS diet?
    • Menu Planning
  • Blog
  • Shop
    • NEW
    • SALE
    • Life-Changing Food Cookbook
    • Best Sellers
    • Quirky Branded
    • Quirky Cooking Ceramic Travel Cup
    • Solidteknics
    • Bundles
    • Books
    • Food
    • Homeware
    • Shop By Brands
    • Sustainable Storage
    • Balms
    • Gut Health Program
  • Events
  • Programs & Classes
  • Podcast
  • Contact
    • Contact Jo
    • Media Kit

No products in the cart.

Search

More results...

Generic filters
Exact matches only
  • About
    • Jo’s Story
  • Start Here
    • Beginner’s Guide
    • Cooking Videos
    • Dairy Substitutes
    • Refined Sugar Substitutes
    • Wheat Substitutes
    • What is the GAPS diet?
    • Menu Planning
  • Blog
  • Shop
    • NEW
    • SALE
    • Life-Changing Food Cookbook
    • Best Sellers
    • Quirky Branded
    • Quirky Cooking Ceramic Travel Cup
    • Solidteknics
    • Bundles
    • Books
    • Food
    • Homeware
    • Shop By Brands
    • Sustainable Storage
    • Balms
    • Gut Health Program
  • Events
  • Programs & Classes
  • Podcast
  • Contact
    • Contact Jo
    • Media Kit
No Result
View All Result
Quirky Cooking

Gluten-Free Maamoul – Lebanese Easter Pastries

QuirkyFoo by QuirkyFoo
March 23, 2018
in Desserts, Easter, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Holidays, Naturally Sweetened, Paleo, Snacks, Thermomix
59
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Gluten-free Maamoul

by Fouad Kassab

As Easter approaches, one great way for me to connect with my memories of growing up in Lebanon is to make our traditional Easter sweets, maamoul. I remember being in the living room as a child, with my mum and four or five of her friends, making huge quantities of this delicious shortbread. This community of women would get together to collaborate on this mammoth project, entertain each other through hours of baking, and to supply their individual households with kilos and kilos of this highly sought-after delicacy. The ladies would have each prepared their pastry and fillings the night before at home. This is the easy part: the pastry is semolina kneaded with butter and scented with rosewater, and, sometimes orange blossom water. The fillings could be dates mixed with butter, or a variety of nuts – pistachios, almonds or walnuts – mixed with sugar and rosewater. The labour-intensive part is making the individual pastries. Though not particularly back breaking work, filling the pastry with dates or nuts, placing them in the specially designed maamoul moulds (different designs for different fillings) and then knocking the mould on a wooden board and filling up over a hundred trays requires patience and company.

We had a round, flat portable oven that we used especially for these occasions and though the smell of freshly baked maamoul would be intoxicatingly beautiful and almost impossible to resist, we would have to wait until Easter day before we got a chance to try any. Lent is a period of contemplation and prayer, and sweet delights such as maamoul were not to be consumed. Can you imagine how much discipline and parental pressure it took for us kids to not steal some when the parents weren’t looking?

Gluten-free/grain-free maamoul tray

I miss these communal gatherings I experienced as a child. The coming together of neighbours and friends to keep each other entertained and motivated is a beautiful thing to take part of, and life in Australia seems too busy for such an event to occur. And since I quit eating gluten, I also miss maamoul. This year, however, I took it upon myself to make the impossible possible. The challenge was, could I create a gluten-free maamoul that was as good as the real deal? Inspired by my macadamia and currant shortbreads which I included in our cookbook, Life-Changing Food, I have created this recipe for gluten-free/grain-free maamoul. The result, I promise you, is as good if not better than the originals. And if you don’t believe me, bake a batch and see for yourself. The only thing is, do you have the self-control to wait until after Easter to dig in?

Gluten-free maamoul made with another mould

Maamoul Moulds

Maamoul moulds can usually be found at most Middle-Eastern food shops. They can also be found online on websites such as e-bay. You can choose to use Asian pastry moulds too, if these are more readily available where you live, or you can shape the dough as per the recipe, then flatten slightly and decorate with a fork (see photos below). We have also provided a method for baking these as a slice, so if you can’t find the moulds, there’s no need to miss out!

Gluten Free Maamoul, Quirky Cooking
Gluten free maamoul, Quirky Cooking
Making maamoul without wooden moulds – hand made biscuits or slice
Gluten-Free Maamoul - Lebanese Easter Shortbread
2018-03-20 02:06:56
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Shortbread
  1. 200g tapioca starch*, plus extra for dusting
  2. 200g blanched almond meal
  3. 190 cold salted butter, cut into cubes (if using unsalted, add 1/8th tsp fine salt)
  4. 2 Tbsp rosewater
Filling
  1. 260g medjool dates, pitted
  2. 100g cold salted butter, cut into cubes (if using unsalted, add 1/8th tsp fine salt)
Also needed
  1. Wooden maamoul moulds, baking trays and baking paper
  2. OR a 20x30cm (or 25x25cm) flat baking dish and baking paper
Thermomix Method
Shortbread
  1. Place all ingredients into TM bowl and blend 15 sec/speed 6. Set aside while making filling.
  2. Wash and dry TM bowl.
Filling
  1. Place dates and butter into clean TM bowl and blend 10 sec/speed 7.
  2. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and blend again 10 sec/speed 4.
Assembling pastries
  1. Preheat oven to 150C.
  2. Divide and roll dough into 24 balls of 25g each, dusting with tapioca starch so dough doesn’t stick to your hands.
  3. Divide and roll date paste into 24 balls of 15g each.
  4. Lightly dust a ball of dough with tapioca, flatten out with fingertips into a circle, and place a ball of date paste onto dough. Wrap dough around the date ball and roll into a smooth ball, then place into a mould, pressing in gently. Knock the pastry out of the mould onto lined baking tray, and repeat with remaining balls of dough and date paste. . (Alternatively, you can make the balls of dough with date paste inside, press down slightly on a baking tray, then decorate the edges with a fork if you have no moulds.)
  5. Bake pastries for 30 minutes. They will still be pale in colour. Remove carefully to cooling racks after 10 mins.
  6. These can be served warm or cool, but they will hold together much better after being in the fridge for a day.
Baking as a slice
  1. Divide dough into two equal balls and chill in fridge for 30 mins. Leave the date paste to sit out at room temp so that it is soft enough to spread.
  2. Grease a 20x30cm or 25x25cm baking dish, and line with baking paper.
  3. Preheat oven to 150C.
  4. Press one ball of dough into lined dish to form the base of the slice, patting with fingers to even out surface of dough. If the dough has softened over this time, return to fridge to chill for 10 mins before proceeding with filling.
  5. Place spoonfuls of the date paste onto the base, and spread out with a spatula or back of a spoon to evenly cover base. (You may need to wet your hands and use your fingers to press paste down so that you can get it smooth and even.)
  6. Roll out second ball of dough between two sheets of baking paper, to fit baking tray exactly. Remove top sheet of paper and turn dough over into the baking dish, pressing down gently onto the filling. Carefully remove paper from top of dough, then smooth dough with fingers as needed.
  7. With a very sharp knife, slice into squares, cutting the whole way through. (Cutting the slice before baking makes it easier to cut after it’s cooked.) If you like, decorate top of slice with a fork to make patterns.
  8. Place slice into oven and bake 40 mins, or until cooked through. Slice will be pale in colour.
  9. Allow to cool then chill in fridge to completely set before serving. (If you can wait! Slice will crumble more if served while warm.)
Conventional Method Tips
  1. Dough: Mix in a food processor or by hand until smooth.
  2. Filling: Mix in a food processor until a smooth paste is formed.
  3. Continue recipe as above.
Storage
  1. Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to a month, or freezer for up to 4 months.
  2. * Note: Tapioca starch is preferred to arrowroot starch in this recipe, as arrowroot gives a more delicate and crumbly result.
By Fouad Kassab
Quirky Cooking https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/
Tags: almondsbakingdatesEasterEgg FreeGluten FreeGrain FreeholidayNaturally SweetenedpaleoSnacksThermomixwheat freewholefood
ShareTweetPin409Send
Previous Post

Joel Salatin: Regenerative Wisdom from the World’s Most Famous Farmer

Next Post

Osso Bucco Stew (with Nightshade Free Variation)

Related Posts

Gluten Free Sourdough Bread, Quirky Cooking
Bread

Gluten Free Sourdough Bread (and Starter)

June 19, 2020
Grain Free, Anzac-ish Biscuits & Slice, Quirky Cooking
Baking

Grain Free Biscuits & Slice for Anzac Day!

April 23, 2020
Simple & Delicious Chicken Pilaf, Quirky Cooking

Simple & Delicious Chicken Pilaf

April 20, 2020
Preparing Your Pantry, Quirky Cooking
Health Tips

Preparing Your Pantry to “Stay at Home” During COVID-19

March 24, 2020
Simple, Nourishing Meals to Reduce the Christmas Stress, Quirky Cooking Meal Plans
Breakfasts

Simple, Nourishing Meals to Reduce the Christmas Stress!

December 7, 2019
Grain Free Fried Chicken, Quirky Cooking
Chicken

Grain-Free Fried Chicken with Buttermilk Gravy

November 17, 2019
Next Post
Osso Bucco with Nightshade Free Variation, Quirky Cooking

Osso Bucco Stew (with Nightshade Free Variation)

Comments 59

  1. Deena Ragless says:
    3 years ago

    Thank you so much, Fouad. My mum stopped making Maamoul once I could no longer have grains. She didn’t think it was right for the rest of the family to enjoy them, when I couldn’t. I will sneak her wooden moulds from her kitchen and make some for us all 🙂

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Ahhh, awesome!! That is so cool! 🙂 Let us know what you think of them…we are sure you will love them!

      Reply
  2. Judy says:
    3 years ago

    The Macadamia & Currant Shortbread is awesome, so I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’ll be doing it as a slice I think.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Yay Judy! Post pics please! 🙂

      Reply
      • Joanne says:
        2 years ago

        Do u think i could suvsitute almond flower with cornmeal ?

        Reply
        • QuirkyJo says:
          2 years ago

          I think they’d be too crumbly, sorry!!

          Reply
  3. Anne says:
    3 years ago

    Can’t wait to try this, thank you for sharing this recipe. My son would love this specially when he finds the filling. Awesome job sir, please do continue to share delicious recipes.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Awesome Anne! 🙂 Hope your son loves these (we think he will!!)

      Reply
  4. Judith says:
    3 years ago

    Just went out and bought a mould … will have a go at making them for Easter. They look amazing!

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Yay Judith! Post pics!! 🙂

      Reply
    • Alana says:
      3 years ago

      Judith, where did you find a mould? I can see some online from overseas but none in stores

      Reply
      • Judith says:
        3 years ago

        From a Middle Eastern grocery store. I’m in Melbourne inner north, so there’s quite a few around here.

        Reply
      • Dagmar says:
        2 years ago

        Oriental Deli in Artarmon has them

        Reply
  5. Neri Melsmith says:
    3 years ago

    thats pretty straight forward for something so fancy and glutne free!
    im going t try it neri

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Let us know how you go Neri! These are fantastic! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Annette Evans says:
    3 years ago

    Hi, These look delightful, but as I am also dairy free can I use Nuttelex instead of butter.

    Annette

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Hi Annette, thanks for your question. 🙂 We can’t recommend Nuttelex – coconut oil would be a healthier option, but we haven’t tested the recipe for that. If you give them a go, please let us know how they turn out. xx

      Reply
  7. Chelsea says:
    3 years ago

    They look so delicious and the interesting thing is that it’s gluten free which made me so excited. Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      You’re very welcome Chelsea! Hope you give them a go and love them as much as we do! 🙂 xx

      Reply
  8. Lisa says:
    3 years ago

    Can coconut oil or coconut yoghurt be used instead of butter to make a dairy free version of Gluten-Free Maamoul – Lebanese Easter Pastries?
    Please give advice for a dairy free version.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Hi Lisa! 🙂 Coconut oil should work but we have not yet tested them ourselves. You may find the dough very soft to work with as we recommend using cold butter so perhaps try using cold (set) coconut oil or place the dough into the fridge for a while after making it, before shaping into pastries.

      Reply
  9. Hanim says:
    3 years ago

    Thank you for sharing, these sound delicious and so simple!

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      You’re welcome Hanim! 🙂 These are simple and delicious – let us know if you give them a go!

      Reply
      • Hanim says:
        3 years ago

        Made these tonight. Can’t wait to try them. Unfortunately I had to use an online cup conversion as I couldn’t find my scales and I think i put a bit too much tapioca. Yummy regardless and I’ll see how they are cooled:)

        Reply
        • QuirkyJo says:
          3 years ago

          How were they Hanim? 🙂

          Reply
          • Hanim says:
            3 years ago

            delicious! I can’t wait to make them again 🙂

            Reply
            • QuirkyJo says:
              3 years ago

              Yay Hanim!! 🙂

              Reply
  10. Lisa says:
    3 years ago

    Hi Jo! What is rosewater? where do you buy it?

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Hi Lisa, rosewater is water infused with rose petals. To find rosewater near you, I would do a quick google search (you can buy it online but you may not have it in time for Easter). 🙂

      Reply
  11. Katie SMITH says:
    3 years ago

    HI Guys, do you think this would work without the filling?

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Hi Katie, as there is no sweetener in the actual dough, they would be very bland. Is there a reason why you don’t want to use the filling? 🙂

      Reply
  12. Taryn says:
    3 years ago

    These are absolutely beautiful! My family loved them, I think they’ll be an Easter tradition in our house! Thank you for sharing, happy Easter 🐣 🐰🐥

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Thanks Taryn! We all love them too!! Happy Easter to you and your family as well. xx

      Reply
  13. Nesiba Mahmoud says:
    3 years ago

    Can I use gluten free all purpose flour instead? If so, how much do I need?

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Hi Nesiba! We haven’t tested the Maamoul with GF flour so wouldn’t be able to tell you quantities, sorry! If you give them a go, let us know how they work out. xx

      Reply
    • Eman says:
      9 months ago

      Did you make them using GF flour? How did it work out?

      Reply
  14. Vic says:
    3 years ago

    These look delish! Can’t wait until we can have butter and nuts again, and these will certainly be on the list!

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      They ARE delish Vic! 🙂 Hope you are able to make and enjoy them soon. xx

      Reply
  15. Sonia says:
    3 years ago

    I was so happy to find your recipe last week and couldn’t wait to try them. I did today but replaced the butter with cold ghee butter since casein doesn’t sit well with me and my son. I also added extra 50 grams each of almond flour and tapioca since the dough was extremely sticky and I refrigerated it before working with it. I substituted one of the tbsp rose water with orange blossom. The taste is amazing and I’ve been missing it so much but… I felt that maybe it’s too much tapioca. Could the ghee have changed the texture? Have you experimented with more almond flour than tapioca?

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      Hi Sonia, thanks for your message! 🙂 Glad you found the flavour amazing! We extensively tested this recipe. Did you use tapioca flour or arrowroot (quite often these are used interchangeably) as we found using arrowroot really effected the end result (more soft and crumbly). We also found chilling the Maamoul was preferable in texture to eating them warm.

      Reply
      • Sonia says:
        3 years ago

        You are right, they are better enjoyed chilled. Yes I have followed your advise about using tapioca. I must confess that I’ve made them 3 times already (they don’t last 😉) but have now exchanged the amounts to 350g almond flour and 150 tapioca.. This works great for us. I also made the walnut/honey stuffed Maaloul. Delicious!!! Thank you so much for this recipe.

        Reply
        • QuirkyJo says:
          3 years ago

          Yay Sonia, glad you’re loving them. They are so addictive, hey? 😉

          Reply
        • Giulia says:
          2 years ago

          I’m making these in few days time with ghee. Thank you Sonia for experimenting and posting your changes. I too am better without the dairy part of butter. Thanks

          Reply
  16. Elena says:
    2 years ago

    What is a TM bowl?

    Reply
  17. Laura says:
    2 years ago

    Hi, I made these last Easter and they were wonderful. My husband has requested them for his birthday…and I was wondering whether anyone has tried a pistachio filling instead (just to try another traditional version)? Wondering how much pistachio/sugar/orange blossom to mix up to fill this much pastry?

    Reply
  18. Tala Barakat says:
    2 years ago

    I am so keen to try this!!!! I’m palestinian and do no gluten+dairy+excessive sugar so finding an arabic dessert recipe i can do is amazing. thanks so much for this….please post more

    Reply
  19. Elsy says:
    2 years ago

    Thank you for this recipe, I tried it yesterday but used ghee instead of butter, very tasty! Happy easter !!

    Reply
  20. Anita says:
    1 year ago

    Hi Jo, any ideas for a nut-free dough ? My 7yo son is making them for school show and tell and he can’t use nuts. (We’ve made them many times with nuts for home and they are awesome). Thanks, Anita

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      1 year ago

      I’ve never tried them using seeds, I don’t think it would work too well, sorry. 🙁

      Reply
  21. Jenny Corbett says:
    11 months ago

    Hi Jo,
    Do you think this pastry could be used as a grain free one for sausage rolls or pasties please?

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      11 months ago

      Hi Jenny, I haven’t tried but this is more like a shortbread dough and quite delicate, so probably not ideal for sausage rolls. The Life Changing dough in our recipe book and app (and also available ready-made through our online store) is often used for sausage rolls and pasties and provides a fantastic grain free alternative to pastry.

      Reply
  22. yolla says:
    10 months ago

    delicious 😊

    Reply
    • Quirky Cooking Team says:
      6 months ago

      Thank you:-)

      Reply
  23. Samia says:
    9 months ago

    Not sure what happened to mine. The shortbread tastes like starch, no flavor at all, and they crumble apart. Not comparable to real Maamoul at all.

    Reply
    • Quirky Cooking Team says:
      6 months ago

      Hi Samia. We are so sorry to hear that. Fouad did not put any sweetener in the shortbread mixture so possibly you could add some sweetener to add some more flavour into the pastry?And yes, the mixture itself is quite crumbly so best to follow the steps mentioned in the recipe -cool it down then transfer and store in the freezer. Hope this helps:-)

      Reply
  24. Eman Ottallah says:
    9 months ago

    Is the crust crumblu or does it have some elastisity? I am not a fan of crumbly crust. Was wondering if a GF pie crust mix could be used instead of the Tapioca powder? I tried a GF crust recipe with Almond Flour and Oat Flour and tried to make it as if it was mamoul crust… it was okay…just more delecate than I wanted. The premade crust mixes have xanthan gum added and I have read that helps with elasticity.

    Reply
    • Quirky Cooking Team says:
      6 months ago

      Hi Eman. Unfortunately we have not tried it with he GF pie crust so I am not really sure-it may or may not work. This dough gets quite crumbly hence it is a matter of playing around and testing whether this would work. Good luck:-)

      Reply
  25. Lina says:
    7 months ago

    Hi Jo, We made these & followed the recipe to the letter, but they were very crumbly and didn’t hold. The shortbread just fell apart. We used the conventional method. Do you have any ideas as to what may have gone wrong? We’re so committed to getting these perfect!

    Thanking you in advance.

    xo

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 months ago

      Hi Lina, did you use blanched almond meal (no almond skins)? It will be more crumbly if you use whole almond meal. Also, did you use butter or coconut oil? They work best with butter. I cool them down on the trays then pop the trays into the freezer and freeze them, then remove to a dish and store in freezer.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow me!

Recipe Index

A Taster eBook, Quirky Cooking
Life Changing Food, Quirky Cooking
Quirky Cooking Online Store
Quirky Cooking Chats Podcast
Quirky Cooking Chats YouTube
Quirky Kitchen Live - cooking videos, Quirky Cooking
Quirky Cooking Newsletter
Happy weekend! Hope you’re all getting a bit of Happy weekend! Hope you’re all getting a bit of time out in nature. 🌿 We’ve been swimming at waterfalls, paddle boarding in a volcanic crater lake, and chatting to tree kangaroos amongst others things... 😁 Life in FNQ! 😍

Photos: Millaa Millaa Falls, a tree kangaroo at @nerada_tea plantation, Lake Eacham Crater Lakes National Park - Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland, Australia. #ilovewhereilive 

#athertontablelands #farnorthqueensland #australia #queensland #tropicalnorthqueensland #discoverqueensland #discoveraustralia #waterfall #craterlake #treekangaroo
I was recently interviewed by @goodfoodau on "How I was recently interviewed by @goodfoodau  on "How to Cater for a Smallish Crowd in the Age of Special Diets" - have a read by tapping this photo via the link in my profile! You'll also find three flexible [Quirky!] recipes for entertaining for special diets:
- Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
- Moroccan Cauliflower 'Cous Cous' Salad
- Chocolate Gingerbread Slice

... Quirky Cooking favourites!! Enjoy ❤️

https://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/news/how-to-cater-for-a-smallish-crowd-in-the-age-of-special-diets-20201217-h1sw0n

PS You can find "A Taster" of 12 new recipes from my upcoming cookbook in my quirkycooking.com.au/shop if you’d like to try some more!

#cooking #catering #specialdiet #allergies #foodintolerance #partyfood #dinnerparty #chickenrecipes #gingerbread #salad #glutenfree #grainfree #dairyfree #eggfree #nutfree #gaps #aip #paleo #keto #lchf #wholefood #goodfoodau #goodfood
Hey everyone! I’m slowly getting back to work th Hey everyone! I’m slowly getting back to work this week... with grain free gingerbread biscuits and a cuppa to keep me motivated! 😄 (Anyone else feeling like they need another month off?? 😂) These biscuits are 👌🏻 - tap on this photo via the link in my bio to see recipe, and swipe through to see how to make this shape. And you’ll also get a rare glimpse of my amazing assistant Emma, who is visiting from Melbourne with her two boys for a working holiday in FNQ! Wooooo!!! Noisy but fun!! 😂😂😂

Hope you’re all having a great week - I advise making gingerbread biscuits if your week needs improving! 😁❤️

#gingerbread #biscuits #grainfree #glutenfree #dairyfree #eggfree #gaps #paleo #wholefood #ginger #cookies #cuppa #backtowork #slowstart #quirkycooking #assistant #farnorthqueensland

https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/2015/12/grain-free-gingerbread-biscuits/
One of the perks of living in Far North Queensland One of the perks of living in Far North Queensland... you come home to find boxes of mangoes in your garage! 😍😍😍 These will be made into dried mango, cobblers, chutneys, frozen for smoothies and ice creams, fermented in honey, and made into delicious fizzy drinks! Stay tuned for lots of mango cooking videos when these babies ripen (and some before they ripen)! 😄😄

So messy and a lot of work but #WORTHIT ✨

#mangoheaven #farnorthqueensland #freemangoes #fnqlife #thisisqueensland #athertontablelands #tropicalnorthqueensland #australia #cooking #recipes #quirkycooking
Watch out, drop bear on the loose!!! 😱 Just ki Watch out, drop bear on the loose!!! 😱

Just kidding 😁, it’s actually a beautiful and rare tree kangaroo, native to our area! My son just sent me this video from where he’s working on a rainforest orchard near our home. Cool huh? 

Have you ever seen a tree kangaroo? ❤️

#athertontablelands #farnorthqueensland #ilovewhereilive #treekangaroo not a #dropbear 😂 #aussie #aussiejokes #australia #discoveraustralia #tropicalnorthqueensland #wildlife #treekangaroospotting #marsupial #native #discoverqueensland
Happy new year, everyone! 🎉🎉 As we venture i Happy new year, everyone! 🎉🎉 As we venture into the unknown I think we need cake to help keep stress levels low, don’t you? 😍 Healthy cake of course! 😁 So here’s some lemon, yoghurt and plum cupcakes for you. I would have delivered them to your door but lots of borders are still closed (and I’m still busy with book writing) 😉😘 so here’s the recipe so you can make them yourself! ❤️

These deliciously moist cupcakes are gluten free, grain free, and naturally sweetened, and can be dairy free as well. You could probably use pepita meal instead of almond meal to make them nut free, too! (I haven’t tried that yet but should work - colour just won’t be golden yellow.) 

To make these cupcakes, use the Lemon Yoghurt Cake recipe on my blog (tap on this photo via the link in my profile to go to recipe), pour batter into cupcake/muffin liners in trays filling halfway, and place a halved plum into each one. Bake in 180C oven for 25 mins (fan-forced oven). This will make about 21 large cupcakes. Store in the fridge for a week or so, or freeze for up to 3 months! 😍

https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/2018/05/lemon-yoghurt-cake-grain-free/

#quirkycooking #lemon #yoghurt #cake #lemoncake #cupcakes #plums #summerfruit #lemonyoghurtcake #glutenfree #grainfree #dairyfree #norefinedsugar #gaps #paleo #guthealth #healingwithfood #foodismedicine
Got leftover bits of cheeses in the fridge from Ch Got leftover bits of cheeses in the fridge from Christmas cheese platters? Don’t let them get mouldy in the back of the fridge, mix them into these yummy cheese puffs and they won’t be wasted! Tap on this photo via the link in my profile for the recipe. 💛

You can also watch me making these on @sbsfood - type ‘cheese puffs’ into the search bar on their site!

https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/2019/04/extra-puffy-brazilian-cheese-puffs-pao-de-queijo/

#cheesepuffs #cheese #christmasleftovers #wastenotwantnot #reducefoodwaste #reducewaste #cheese #leftovers #glutenfree #grainfree #baking #holidays #quirkycooking
Happy Christmas, everyone!! ✨ I hope you’ve ha Happy Christmas, everyone!! ✨ I hope you’ve had a beautiful day. I don’t know how many more Christmasses I’ll have all my babies under one roof, so I’m treasuring this moment. ❤️ (And yes I forgot to get in a photo with them - ah well!!)

To all of you who’ve had a difficult day, or haven’t been able to be with loved ones due to lockdown, sending you lots of love. ❤️❤️❤️ 

#merrychristmas
Happy Christmas Eve! I’m finally taking some tim Happy Christmas Eve! I’m finally taking some time off (yaaayyy!!) and I’m looking forward to getting lots of Christmas cooking done today! I’d love to know what you’re all cooking for Christmas? Tag me in your Quirky recipe photos so I can share!

These three are on my list today, plus orange-glazed roast chicken and a lovely big salad for Christmas Eve dinner with the family. I’ll cook and chat with you on my stories as I go, so pop by and have a look later! 

These pics are:

- Grain free steamed puddings (recipe on the blog, search “quirky cooking steamed puddings’)

- Chocolate Gingerbread Slice, recipe in my new eBook, here: http://bit.ly/taster-ebook (tap on this photo via the link in my profile to go to ebook)

- Grain free gingerbread biscuits (recipe on the blog - this is the same dough as the slice, I’m making double that amount and using half for the slice and half for biscuits)

I also have a pumpkin pie and rocky road ready to go in the freezer 😁 The pumpkin pie recipe is in the above ebook, and the rocky road you can find at the end of my marshmallow recipe on the blog (search ‘quirky marshmallows’)

Have a great day and happy cooking! ✨

#christmaseve #christmas2020 #christmascooking #cooking #baking #gingerbread #grainfree #glutenfree #dairyfree #eggfree #nutfree #variations #quirkycooking #recipes
So exciting!! I’ve just released a sneak peek eB So exciting!! I’ve just released a sneak peek eBook with 12 recipes from my upcoming cookbook Simple, Healing Food! 😍 This delicious “taster” will give you an idea of the kinds of recipes that will be in the finished book, due for release May next year. The recipes are grain free, gluten free, starch free and naturally sweetened, as well as dairy free or with DF alternatives, plus nut, egg, low FODMAPS and nightshade free variations. 

Thank you so much to all of you who are buying the eBook and supporting this project - it is a completely self-funded and self-published book so your support means a lot to me! Writing a cookbook is a BIG job, but I love it, and I can’t wait to share the finished book with you. ❤️

Contents of this eBook:

Introduction: My Story

Gut Health: A Balanced View of Health

Basics: Milk Kefir and Kefir Cream

Drinks: Kefir & Blueberry Smoothie

Vegetables: Stuffed Mushrooms

Eggs: Spicy Pumpkin Mash with Baked Eggs

Chicken: Sweet ’n’ Sour Chicken Stir-fry 

Beef: Meatball Soup

Lamb: Oven-Baked Lamb Stew

Pork: Pork Belly, Green Beans & Pumpkin

Seafood: Baked Fish with Crispy Almonds

Snacks: Spicy Nuts & Seeds

Baking: Chocolate Gingerbread Slice

Desserts: Pumpkin Pie with Almond Meal Pastry

You can find the eBook by tapping on this photo via the link in my profile, or you will find it in my shop. The eBook costs $10, and you will receive a $10 credit towards the finished cookbook when it is released - #winwin 🎉🎉

I hope you enjoy it!! Happy Christmas cooking, everyone! ❤️

http://bit.ly/taster-ebook

#ebook #cookbook #grainfree #glutenfree #starchfree #refinedsugarfree #wholefood #gaps #guthealth #recipes #dairyfree #eggfree #nutfree #nightshadefree #lowfodmaps #variations #healingfood #gutfriendly #foodismedicine #quirkycooking #farnorthqueensland #queenslandfoodies #australia
Please tell me I'm not the only one feeling unprep Please tell me I'm not the only one feeling unprepared for Christmas?? Every time I cook something to pop in the freezer for Christmas Day it seems to be needed for a party or get together (I now have a pie and some rocky road hidden away... shhh!!); I've only bought a few gifts and haven't wrapped any yet (except the cookbooks I posted off 😁); and there's just so much happening this time of year it's hard to fit in the shopping and cooking! 

Today I spent the day helping my friend move house (which was actually quite fun 😄 see my stories!) - no time for Christmas shopping - so I'm thinking tonight I'd better work out some 'digital gift' options. 

Thankfully my lovely assistant Emma has sorted out Quirky Gift Cards for us all... I sent one to my sister in the NT to test out and she had fun going shopping in my store 😃. YAY!! 

I'll also be releasing my 'sneak peek' ebook tonight with 12 recipes from my upcoming cookbook - a great gift idea 🎁 and it comes with a discount code for the new cookbook!

So if you are a last-minute shopper like me 🙈 or you are in lockdown and can't go shopping 😭, do not despair, help is on the way. ❤️

✨✨ You can find the Quirky Gift Cards by tapping on this photo via the link in my profile. ✨✨ 

...and stay tuned for the eBook release tonight! 😍😘

#quirkycooking #giftcard #onlinegifts #digitalgifts #aussiebusiness #shopfromhome #christmas #holidayseason 
http://bit.ly/quirkyxmasgiftcard
How’s the Christmas party planning going, guys? How’s the Christmas party planning going, guys? Anyone needing some ideas for finger food? Here’s what I served at our tapas party last weekend for my kids and their friends... they loved it!! 

- garlic prawns (local wild-caught from @malandaseafood, quick to make!)
- fried salt & pepper squid tentacles (from @malandaseafood - super quick to make!)
- spicy nuts (a new recipe coming soon in my “Tasters” ebook!)
- mixed Spanish & Aussie olives 
- juicy, locally grown pineapple slices 
- locally made @thecountrycrumb spelt sourdough toast drizzled with extra virgin olive oil
- Naranjas a la Antigua (the fancy Spanish name meaning “old-fashioned oranges” - orange slices sprinkled with coconut sugar & cinnamon & drizzled with EVOO 😁)
- cheese platter with local and Spanish cheeses, prosciutto rolls & local @rainforestbounty jeowbong chilli paste (instead of the usual quince paste 😄 a bit of FNQ flavour!)
- marinated artichoke hearts
- and organic grape juice mixed with mineral water, 50:50

What’s some of your simple, yummy finger food ideas for parties?

(PS This was just entree, they were having a dress-up progressive dinner and moved on to other houses for main and dessert 😄 so fun!)

#tistheseason #tapas #party #fingerfood #seafood #prawns #squid #partyfood #fnqstyle #fnqlife #fnqfoodie #farnorthqueensland #dressupparty #goodcleanfun #tapasparty #cheeseplatter #spicynuts #simplefood #fussfree #quirkycooking #christmas #quirkychristmas
Follow on Instagram

Copyright Notice

I love it when my readers are as excited about my recipes as I am, and want to share them! I only ask that if you do share my recipes on your own blog or on social media, you only share an excerpt or link, not the entire recipe. Full and clear credit must be given to Quirky Cooking with a link back to the original content. If you’d like to share one of my photos, please contact me for permission. Thank you! Jo x

Recent posts

  • Virtual hugs, Victoria! xo October 14, 2020
  • Gluten Free Sourdough Bread (and Starter) June 19, 2020
  • Grain Free Biscuits & Slice for Anzac Day! April 23, 2020

Need Help? Click on the green help button.

Useful links

  • Advertise on Quirky Cooking
  • Subscribe to our Newsletter
  • Contact Quirky Cooking
  • Quirky Cooking Privacy Policy

Find Recipes

Shop my store

© Copyright Quirky Cooking 2020
Website by Liquid Logic

  • Advertise on Quirky Cooking
  • Subscribe to our Newsletter
  • Contact Quirky Cooking
  • Quirky Cooking Privacy Policy

© 2020 Quirky Cooking

  • Search

    More results...

    Generic filters
    Exact matches only
  • My Cart
  • About
    • Jo’s Story
  • Start Here
    • Beginner’s Guide
    • Dairy Substitutes
    • Refined Sugar Substitutes
    • Wheat Substitutes
    • What is the GAPS diet?
    • Menu Planning
  • Blog
  • Cooking Videos
  • Shop
    • Life-Changing Food Cookbook
    • Best Sellers
    • Quirky Branded
    • Quirky Cooking Ceramic Travel Cup
    • Solidteknics
    • Bundles
    • Books
    • Homeware
    • Food
    • Shop By Brands
    • Sustainable Storage
    • Balms
    • Gut Health Program
  • Events
  • Programs & Classes
  • Podcast
  • Contact
    • Contact Jo
    • Media Kit

© 2020 Quirky Cooking

Save your cart?

x