Valentines Day. We just love an excuse to eat chocolate.

So with this special day we have these special little buckwheat chocolate dipped hearts that we would love to share with you.

As always, they are on the quick and easy side (just like us) and only need a few ingredients.

Foodie bit:

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/4 cup plain gluten free flour

1/2 cup softened butter

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

100g dark chocolate

1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped

Mix the first four ingredients into a dough then roll out flat, cut your shapes and whack onto a lined tray. Bake in a moderate oven for 8-10 minutes.

Dip half (or all) into the melted chocolate and sprinkle pistachio over the chocolate. Allow to set and then share with loved ones (or just yourself). xx

These ones are rather easy, and are rather friendly happy little muffins for the planet being vegan, gluten free and low in sugar. The kids tried to gobble them all up, but don't worry, us mums were onto it and got more than our fair share!

Foodie bit:

3/4 cup almond milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 cups gluten free flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

1 tbs baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

2 very ripe bananas, mashed up

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tbs coconut oil, melted

1 tbs flaxseed meal

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries

The to do bit:

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper or silicone liners.

Combine milk and vinegar in small bowl and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, combine and mix well the flours, baking powder and cinnamon.

Grab a medium bowl to combine the bananas, maple syrup, coconut oil, flax meal and vanilla, once combined add in the milk mixture. Stir until well combined, then add this into the dry ingredients stirring together. Fold in the blueberries.

Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 22-25 minutes until the tops are golden and firm. Let the little muffins cool for 5 minutes before moving onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm with your favourite cup of tea xx

You can whip up these little blighters with any berries you like, I had a secret stash of blueberries in the freezer this time round.

Foodie bit:

3/4 cups almonds

7 medjool dates

1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked 4 hours to overnight

2 bananas, frozen

1/4 cup maple syrup

2/3 cup berries

Extra berries to garnish

To do bit:

Grease a 12 hole muffin tin.

Place the almonds and dates into a food processor to process until a sticky dough forms.

Spoon the dough into the prepared tray and press down firmly until even and smooth. Chill in the freezer for half an hour (the base, not yourself...)

To prepare the filling, place the cashew nuts, banana and maple syrup in a blender and process until smooth and silky like. If the mixture needs thinning, just add a little warm water.

Place the mixture into a large mixing bowl and fold in berries.

Remove bases from the freezer and spoon the topping on top. Place back into the freezer for at least 6 hours or until set. Whack on some fresh berries before serving and done! xx

Summer time for our household means the raw treats are a pumping! I cannot bake to save myself, but I do like a treat and this little beauty is always a crowd pleaser. Which is awesome as it is packed with a lot delicious carrot.

Foodie bit:

Cake

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

4 carrots grated

Cashew cream frosting

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 lemon juiced

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

desiccated coconut, for topping

To do bit:

Line a loaf tin with baking paper, extending over the edges of the tin.

Place the walnuts & dates in a food processor and process until those nuts are finely chopped. Add coconut & spices and process until combined. Add carrots and process until fully combined, scraping down the sides as often as needed.

Place the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth out evenly. Cover and place in the fridge whilst you make the frosting.

Drain and rinse the cashew nuts, then place in the food processor along with the water, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice. Process away for 5 minutes or until well combined and very smooth, may need to scrape down sides a few times. Add the coconut oil and pulse to combine.

Remove the cake from the fridge and spoon on the frosting, then sprinkle with the desiccated coconut. Cover again and place into the freezer for at least 2 hours until completely set.

Remove cake from the freezer and set aside for 15 minutes before cutting into desired sized pieces. Once cut, allow another 15 minutes before serving with your favourite cup of tea. Enjoy xx

A scrub works in a few ways: As you massage it over your body, the exfoliating granules help to slough off dead skin, and the rubbing action itself boosts circulation and helps drain your lymph nodes, by increasing blood flow to the skin's surface. By using the green tea as an exfoliant this helps your skin as it is packed full of goodness and antioxidant’s that help calm, reduce redness, reveal radiance and makes your skin feel fabulous all year around, making it the perfect scrub for this time of the year to help you with your summer glow.

I thought that this would be a really good way to kick-start this month by sharing with you this wonderful DIY scrub that is not only super easy to make but smells and feels incredible too.

What You’ll Need:

1 heaped teaspoon of Jasmine tea crushed ( you could use Sencha Green or Green Tea Meadow).1/2 cup brewed Jasmine green tea1 cup of granulated sugarOlive Oil

To get things started, brew teaspoon of Jasmine green tea in half a cup of water and leave to coolIn a good sized bowl mix the sugar & roughly 2 tablespoons of olive oil until combined, then add in the dry teaspoon of Jasmine green tea and mix together. (The loose tea will add a rougher texture to the scrub, great for buffing away the dead skin cells and making your skin glow)Add the cool brewed tea to the loose tea, sugar and olive oil mixture. Mix well and then decant the scrub into a pot or jar of your choice.

This would also make a lovely homemade Christmas gift.

Sometimes at home

I like to call this one date and walnut cake. Failing to mention to the kids that it has zucchini and carrot in it too. They love it (if I share a piece with them....).

The foodie bit:

2 cups Gluten Free SR flour

1/2 tsp bi-carbonate soda

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 carrot, grated

2 zucchini, grated

1/2 cup dates, chopped

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

3 free range eggs

The to-do bit:

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Combine the sifted flour, spices & soda in a bowl.

Stir in the sugar, vegetables and dates.

Fold through the melted oil and eggs.

Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 55-60 minutes.

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before taking it out of the tin and cooling completely onto a wire rack.

Store in the pantry 1-2 days or you can pre slice and freeze before you inhale the whole cake...

I found the original recipe for these online when I was looking for lovely homemade gifts for Christmas. The original recipe is from Taste. I just had a play with adding the flavorings of the tea to it. Very easy and oh so delicious whichever way you choose to make it. And did I mention easy.

Chocolate truffles

Ingriedients

225g good-quality dark chocolate ( I chose Greens Organic), finely chopped into small pieces175ml double creamteaspoon of chosen tea ( Earl Grey,or Cheeki Chai i guess what ever flavoring you might like)Icing sugar, to dustOrganic Cocoa powder, sifted, to roll ( or desiccated coconut)

Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl.Place cream with a tablespoon of Earl Grey, or Cheeki Chai, tea ( choose one, not all at the same time, I don't think that would be pleasant) in a saucepan and bring to the boil,Then strain out the teas and immediately pour over chocolate. Mix until chocolate has melted. (This is called a ganache.) Set aside at room temperature, covered, for 1-1 1/2 hours to cool completely and until set.Once set use a teaspoon to spoon out bite-sized pieces. Dust your hands with a little icing sugar to prevent them sticking and roll mixture into balls in the palm of your hands.Roll in cocoa or coconut most importantly serve with a lovely cup of tea.

To give these as a gift place in a small cardboard box wrapped and decorated as you choose. (that's if they make it to the box)

Might be a mouthful to say, but it sure is a delicious mouthful! Our organic green chai is filled with warming spices of cloves, orange peel, vanilla & cardamon. A lovely addition to chia pudding.

Foodie bit:

2 cups almond milk

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup chia seeds

1 tbs Tea & Scandal Green Chai

To do bit:

Place the almond meal and green chai into a saucepan, bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.

Allow to cool then place in a glass jar with chia seeds & maple syrup. Shake well and place in the fridge overnight. Serve with fresh orange segments.

Rather do love legumes. Love myself a good garlicy hummus. So was happy to make this chickpea sweet ass slice and serve for morning tea yesterday.

Foodie bit:

400g can chickpeas

½ cup nut butter

1/3 cup walnuts chopped

1/3 cup maple syrup

¼ cup flaxseed meal

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarb of soda

To do bit:

Preheat oven to 180c and line a slice tray with baking paper.

Throw all the ingredients into a food processor and process away until well combined. Scrape the mixture into the baking tray and bake away for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. Place in the fridge for 1 hour before slicing into desired sized bars. Yum.

We do love green tea. We do love smoothies. And we are jumping on the healthy band wagon coming out of winter (and also realising we cant blame our nearly 2 year olds for the baby weight anymore...) so we are combining the two for our breakfasts. This one is super easy, just how we like it, and super tasty.

The foodie bit:

1 cup of sencha green tea brewed, cooled

2 cups fresh spinach

2 oranges, juice only

1 lemon, juice only

1 kiwi fruit

knob of ginger

The to do bit:

Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until smooth and enjoy!

Have just been given some juicy organically home grown oranges from the folks and a bonus of dozen eggs from the Smiths chooks. So have decided to turn them into a divine cake of almond chocolate moistness. Why not?!

The foodie bit:

1 orange

½ cup maple syrup

2 drops doTERRA wild orange oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 cups almond meal

½ Raw cacao powder

½ tsp cinnamon

The to do bit:

Preheat the oven to a low 165C and grease/line a round cake tin.

Whack that juicy orange into a saucepan covered with water, bring to the boil then turn down to simmer for 45 minutes. Drain and allow to cool before roughly chopping up into chunks.

Pulse away in a food processor until smooth. Then add in the maple syrup, oil & vanilla extract and combine well. Add eggs and pulse again. Add the processed goodness into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and fold gently with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Scrape the batter into the tin and place in the oven for 50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin before serving. Serve with your favourite cup of tea and if you feel like it, you may want to share the cake with friends and family. . .

The end of the day has come in our household, the kids are finally tucked up asleep (after many attempts of being thirsty, one more hug, oh wait another toilet stop...the list goes on) and now there is peace and quiet. Time to celebrate with a cup of sleepy root tea and an after dinner mint. Woop woop! party time! Added bonus, these ones are on the healthy side, promise!

Ingredient bit:

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 drop peppermint oil (we are in LOVE with the doTERRA oils)

1 1/2 cups raw cacao powder

To do bit:

Place cashews in a bowl a cover with water, set aside overnight or at least 3 hours. Drain and rinse.

Transfer those nuts to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and process again until well combined.

Press into a lined baking tray and place in the fridge to set for 4 hours.

Enjoy in the evening with a lovely herbal tea xx

If you haven't noticed already, we do love some tasty balls here. So here's another bally treat that is super easy to make and super super tasty to eat.

Foodie bit:

½ cup dates

1 ½ raw walnuts

¼ cup flaxseeds

½ cup sultanas

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs water

To do bit:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until well combined. Add a little warm water (1-2 tbs) if necessary to help form a roll-able consistency.

Using moist hands, roll into your desired ball size and place on a tray with baking paper.

Place in the freezer until set and then transfer to an airtight container. They can live in the freezer for a month or two weeks in the fridge.

Enjoy with a nice cup of tea xx

You may or may not know that when we first started selling our teas; we started at markets along the coast. This was something that we thought would be super easy with two children. Bah Ha ha ha..... clearly we were new first time mums!

Our very first market was the Apollo Bay Farmers Market and we have to say that we fell in love with this market and it's vibe. What better way to start the day then to go to a market where food and beverages are sold, and talk to the people that make or produce these beautifully delicious products.

We did quiet a few markets up and down the surf coast until we both ended up having a second child each. This was then just impossible for us to juggle all four kids selling tea, without looking like a couple of CRAZY ladies.

Safe to say we figured out another way to sell tea that meant we didn't have to go to markets every weekend, we now sell retail online as well as wholesale to retail gift shops, cafes & restaurants. But we loved going to the Apollo Bay Farmers Market as this was our social outing to look forward to once a month. Also a great excuse to eat lots of nice food like cakes, cheese plus a sneaky BBQ bacon & egg roll. So we make an effort to get our sleep deprived butts out of bed every 3rd Sunday of the month to go to market, stuff our faces with delicious food and sell our teas.

The Apollo Bay Farmers market is a lovely place to go and catch up with people, so if you are passionate about where your food comes from, less food miles, reducing plastic packaging, eating tasty food or just purely going to get out of the house then the Apollo Bay Farmers Market is a must do!

We hope to see you al there this Sunday or perhaps another 3rd Sunday of the month. We will be the ladies selling tea with cake icing on our faces... Cheers Kirsten & Amy

Winter is a great time of year to make delicious treats and stuff your face whilst sitting on the couch with a warming cuppa. Who are we kidding, anytime of year is great to do this!

Foodie bit:

2 cups shredded coconut

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup coconut oil, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

To do bit:

Line a deep sided baking tray with baking paper.

Place all the ingredients into a food processor and you guessed it, process until well combined.

Whack the mixture into your baking tray and press down firmly for an even finish. Transfer to the fridge for an hour to set, then remove and cut into squares. This can then be stored in the fridge for up to a month. Or you could just stuff your face with them in one afternoon....don't forget to wash it down with a lovely healthy cup of our organic teas xx

Warming breakfasts on a cold winters day are the bomb. This one comes with the added deliciousness of spices to really warm your soul!

Foodie bit:

2 cups of water

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla bean

1 star anise

2 cloves

1 cup quinoa

1 cup almond milk

2 tbs maple syrup or honey

2 tbs almond meal

To do bit:

Place water, cinnamon, vanilla, star anise & cloves in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer to infuse. Then adding the quinoa, continue to simmer for 12 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Add almond milk, stirring until almost absorbed before adding the maple syrup and almond meal. Stir and serve her straight up with a cup of tea. xx

The newest member to our organic herbal tisane range is this little beauty, Mystic Myrtle.

A lovely blend of organically Australian grown aniseed myrtle and lemon myrtle, this one is a treat for not only your taste buds, but your inner health and gorgeous face. Want to know how, please let us explain a little for you!

Aniseed myrtle is an Australian native plant that has a subtle sweet liquorice taste, complementing the the citrus flavour of the lemon myrtle.

Studies have found that aniseed myrtle has outstanding antioxidant activity, as well as containing lutein, folate, vitamin E and vitamin C. Additionally, lemon myrtle has been know to help to relieve cramps, headaches, spasms, fevers, as well as rheumatism.

So who wouldn't want to have a cup that tastes great and is good for you too. xx

For us, tea remains at the top of the list of favourite wintertime beverages. Not only do we enjoy the taste of a steaming cup of organic tea & scandal tea, there are also many benefits of drinking tea in the winter months.

While keeping us warm during the colder months of the year is certainly one of the benefits, there are many more benefits consider when selecting your wintertime tea drink.

If you’re not a regular tea drinker, here is a short list of some of the benefits of drinking tea during the winter:

Staying hydratedFighting fluAiding in weight lossFull of antioxidantsAiding in digestion

As we all know the winter months contain the shortest days of the year. With the sun rising later in the day, and setting earlier, it can be really difficult to start your day feeling energized.

If you aren’t a coffee drinker, and you’re looking for something more natural than energy drinks, why not try tea! One of the benefits of drinking tea is that it does have some caffeine, just not as much as coffee. So if you’re looking for a pick me up instead of

being wired all day and bouncing off the walls, a cup of tea will do you good (in moderation of course!).

So whether it is black or green tea or a herbal tisane that you are looking for, check out our website for all of the options. If you need a bit of a hand choosing from the large selection, here are some of our favourite winter warmer picks:

Lemongrass & GingerHeavenly HibiscusWinter WildCheeki Chai

Stay warm and toasty

Kirsten

Biscotti was one of my favourite treats growing up. The others being cannoli, brutti ma buoni and amarettis, just to name a few from the very long list. So lets go back to the biscottis. This little number to follow is gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free, happily vegan and bloody delicious.

Foodie bit:

1 tbs ground flaxseed

2 tbs water

2 cups almond meal

1 tbs tapioca flour

1/2 cup dried blueberries

1/3 cup pepitas 2 tbs cacao nibs

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

To do bit:

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the water and flaxseed, set aside for 5 minutes to thicken up.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the almond meal & tapioca flour. Stir in the blueberries, pepitas & cacao nibs.

Back to your small bowl, whisk in the maple syrup and vanilla extract to this thickened flaxseed mixture.

Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well together until the mixture turns into a dough.

Using slightly wet hands to shape and compact into two tight as rectangles. Each one should roughly measure 10x15cm and 2cm thick.

Bake for around 20 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for another 20 minutes. Decrease the oven to 135C.

Using a sharp knife in a rocking motion, cut each slice into smaller pieces that are about 2cm thick.

Return the biscotti back to the tray sliced side down bake for 16 minutes and then carefully turn over and bake the other sliced side for another 16 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti to a cooling wrack and allow to cool completely before placing in a container. They will keep for 1 week, if you don't eat them all before then...

Citrus is the bomb in winter. Loaded with vitamin c and super juicy tasty, the bonus is oranges go awesomely well with chocolate (another winter favourite!). Serve this healthy treat up with a pot of tea and you are onto something great!

Foodie bit:

brownie part:

2 ¼ cups almond meal

¾ cups cacao powder

1 ½ cups medjool dates

¼ cup maple syrup

zest of large orange

top off part:

½ cup almond butter

2 tbs coconut oil

2 tbs date syrup

2 tbs cacao powder

zest of large orange

pretty part:

2 tbs almonds, chopped

zest of an orange

To do bit:

Add all the brownie ingredient bits into a food processor and process away.

Spread that goodness into a brownie tray. Mix all the tops off bit together in a bowl and slather that on top of your brownie. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours, then pretty it up, slice and serve. Now, just see how long that lasts…

these delicious balls are filled with a chocolate flavour and an orange twist.

like most balls, they are super easy to make too!

foodie bit:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours then drained

1 cup dates, pitted

1 orange, grated zest and the inside flesh

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

1/3 cup cacao

1 tbs melted coconut oil

1/4 cacao for rolling

to do bit:

after soaking and being drained, process cashews & coconut in food processor until fine.

add remaining ingredients & process until the mixture is well combined.

place the mixture in the freezer for 15 minutes.

remove from freezer and roll into small balls, then into the extra cacao.

enjoy with your favourite cup of organic tea. xx

can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, if they last that long! or freezer friendly for 3 months.

what better gift for a dear friend than making them a moist spiced apple cake?! added bonus is you get to help eat the goodness too.

foodie bit

3 small unpeeled granny smith apples, grated

60ml lemon juice

200g brown sugar

1tsp salt

260g greek yoghurt

110ml extra virgin olive oil

3 eggs

1 lemon, finely zested

250g self raising flour

2tsp baking powder

Sweet spice blend:

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground cardamom seeds

to do bit

preheat oven to 180°C

grate the apples and quickly place in a bowl with the lemon juice, mix well to combine and set aside.

in a small mixing bowl, using your fingers, combine the brown sugar, spice mixture and salt and set aside.

in a large mixing bowl whisk together the yoghurt, olive oil, eggs and lemon zest. squeeze out two-thirds of the grated apple, discarding any liquid, and use a spatula to mix apple into the yoghurt mixture.

into this batter, fold two-thirds of the spiced sugar, the flour and baking powder. once it is nicely amalgamated, spoon this batter into a lined 26 cm springform cake tin.

squeeze out the remaining apple, discarding any liquid, and spread apple more or less evenly over the top of the cake. use your fingertips to lightly press bits of it into the batter. sprinkle remaining spiced sugar over the cake, lightly pressing bits of it into the batter.

bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean, making the cake just moist enough.

allow it to cool until warm. and then serve with cream or ice-cream. cake will store in an airtight container for a good few days if for some strange reason you don't eat the whole cake in one sitting.

these are super easy. like us. well, depends who you ask.

they are super tasty which is a bonus since they are pretty healthy.

foodie bit:

1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut

1 cup hazlenut meal

3 tbs coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup cacao powder

1/2 cup rice malt syrup

1/2 cup walnuts or pistachios, chopped

to do bit:

set fan forced oven to 160c.

place all the food except the walnuts/pistachios in a blender. blend away.

stir in your choice of nuts. with moist hands, roll into balls, about a teaspoon size.

place on a tray covered in baking paper, bang in the oven for 12 minutes and then cool on a wire rack. serve with your favourite cuppa.

it is safe to say that we do love eating. eating is one of our favourite pastimes. we also like hanging out with our friends, and this recipe goes so nicely with a cup of tea and a laugh among loved ones.

foodie bit:

⅓ cup melted coconut oil

½ cup maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2½ medium or 2 large bananas)

¼ cup milk (cow or almond are very nice in this)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top

1¾ cups spelt flour

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

to do bit:

preheat oven to 170c and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

in a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)

add the baking soda, vanilla and cinnamon, whisk to blend. lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. gently fold your nuts in.

pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing. serve with your favourite cup of tea from our organic range.

nut free balls. we love them. they are awesome at the 3pm slump time and perfect or kids lunch boxes when nuts aren't allowed. did we also mention they are super duper easy?!

foodie list:

1 cup buckinis

1 cup dates

1 tbs LSA

1 tbs chia seeds

2 tbs coconut oil, melted

2 tbs cacao powder

2tbs goji berries

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

to do bit:

whack everything EXCEPT the desiccated coconut into a food processor. process until all chopped up and combined. add 1/4 cup water and rewhizz the lot again.

with moist hands, roll into 20 balls, or however many you make depending on the size of balls you are after.

pop in the fridge for a couple of hours to help set before munching. they can store in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container, or divie them up and freeze them for when you need a snack.

we love long weekends here at tea & scandal hq. we also love long weekends in winter that mean putting the oven on helps to warm the house. what better way to use that oven over the queens birthday ling weekend than a delicious tea cake.

foodie list:

65g butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg

1 1/4 cup sr flour (gluten free sr flour works perfectly fine if you are that way inclined)

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp ground cardamom

finely grated zest of one orange

juice of half that ornage

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

10g butter extra, melted

sugar mixed with a bit of extra ground cardamom

to do bit:

preheat that awesome oven to 180c and butter and line a round cake tin.

cream the butter, sugar, vanilla essence & egg until combined (about a minute or two). add half a cup of flour and half the milk, mix until combined. add another half of cup of flour and remaining milk, continue to mix. add in the orange zest, juice, remaining flour, coconut & mix. pour the batter into the tin and smooth the surface. place in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack. brush the top with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar and cardamom mix. serve with a delicious cup of our english breakfast tea. Sx

i currently have a sweet tooth. and lets be honest, i struggle with self control when it comes to food. so here is the recipe i am currently using in order to full fill the need of sweetness in my life without the guilt.

the foodie list:

1/3 cup cacao butter

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup cacao powder

¼ cup nut butter

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

¼ cup goji berries

¼ cup pistachios, chopped

¼ cup coconut flakes

¼ cup cacao nibs

the how to bit:

do the old bowl over the saucepan of water trick and place the cacao butter and oil in the bowl over the saucepan of hot water. leave to melt and remove, works really quickly. stir in the cacao powder, nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla & syrup, keep on stirring until she’s smooth as.

line a tin (i use a slice tin) with baking paper, pour in the mixture. sprinkle with remaining ingredients and refrigerate for 1 hour. cut into shards then store for up to a week (if you can actually not devour it within that time frame) in an airtight container in the fridge.

serve with your favourite cup of tea.

for all those romantics out there, here's a little recipe full of lovey dovey sweetness.

so you can feel loved up but healthy at the same time.

foodie bit

1 cup abc butter (recipe in previous post, easy as abc butter)

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

1/4 cup goji berries, chopped

1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped

1 tsp vanilla paste

pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

to do bit

line 9 muffin cups with paper

put your butter & oil into a food processor and process until smooth.

add the cacao & syrup, and continue to process until smooth. stir through the remaining ingredients.

spoon the mixture into your muffin cups and place in the freezer for 2 hours to set. when ready to stuff your face with them, let them sit on the bench for 10 minutes to soften before stuffing.

we enjoyed ours with a cup of our sleepy root... It is valentine's day after all. A x

actually, this nut butter is way easier than learning your abc. well, I’m still learning my abc’s so I find this recipe really easy.

the foodie list

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw brazil nuts

1 cup raw cashews

1 tsp pink sea salt

what to do with it:

preheat your oven to 150C and spread your nuts on an oven tray. roast those nuts for 20 minutes, shaking them after 10 minutes. allow to cool until just warm, its way easier to blend your nuts when warm.

put your salty nuts into a blender and blitz away for about 10 minutes making sure you stop every minute to scrape down your sides. if you need to, a few drops of olive oil can be added to loosen your nuts. Ax

here at tea & scandal, we really do have a sweet tooth. possibly more like sweet teeth. but we do like to be healthy (most of the time) especially with toddlers who do not need refined sugar that sends them into gremlins. or maybe, the mothers don't need to be dealing with that shit. we are also short on time, so chia puddings are one of the most easiest, healthiest little treats to whip to keep the whole family happy.

here is our little recipe for such delight:

chia chocolate bit.

2 tablespoons chia seeds

3/4 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons cacoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

mix together in a jar and place the lid on, refridgerate overnight.

rise and shine! layer that baby up with fresh berries & yoghurt then serve with your favourite tea & scandal brew.

A x

these beauties are gluten free & refined sugar free, and lucky enough, they are pretty awesome tasting as well. happy australia day! foodie bit. 6 eggs 2tbs maple syrup 1tsp vanilla bean paste 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted) 1/2 cup coconut flour 1tbs baking powder 1 cup desiccated coconut 200g dark chocolate to do bit. heat fan forced oven to 160C and line a 20cm square baking tin. then whip those eggs, syrup & paste for a good 10 minutes until light & creamy. keep on whipping as you add the oil, mix well. fold in the flour & powder. pour the mixture into the tin & bake for 40 minutes. allow to cool for an hour, then melt that good quality dark chocolate (minus the couple of squares you have probably already eaten...or is that just me?). slice up your cake into appropriate sized squares. dip the cake bits into the chocolate, draining off excess, then roll into the coconut. allow to dry on a baking tray then store in an airtight container up to a few days. or just stuff your face with them. we served ours with our new tea blend all organiclly australian grown, mystic myrtle.

x

happy new year!

she's a hot one so here's our little recipe for a refreshing iced tea for a celebratory drink.

the ingredients:

berry good syrup:

3 tbl maple syrup

1 cup water

1 cup mixed berries

icey tea goodness:

2 cups boiling water

3 tsp of our organic english breakfast

3 large lemons, juiced

1 ½ cups soda water

ice, ice baby

(oh, a bit of vodka if you are really kicking your feet up this new years!)

what to do:

begin by preparing the syrup. add maple syrup, water & berries to a saucepan and simmer for 10-15 minutes until berries are very soft and syrup has thickened. strain into a glass, keeping the berries for tomorrow mornings hangover smoothie. leave the syrup to cool at room temperature before chilling it out in the fridge.

moving onto the tea bit, boil fresh water in a kettle and then steep the tea for a good 5 minuted with an infuser. remove the infuser and allow to cool at room temperature before once again chilling in the fridge.

when you are ready to serve, mix the syrup, tea, lemon juice & soda water thoroughly in a large bowl before pouring into a jug filled with ice. add a few thin lemon slices to the jug and enjoy a fantastic new year folks. Ax

love eating quinoa. fillls you up and gets you ready for the day ahead. this little porridge is also fine on warmer days I have decided, you just add some delicious cooling yoghurt (whether that be dairy or coconut, what ever floats your boat) and you are all set.

how to get there...

the foodie bit:

1/2 cup quinoa (pre cooked... 1cup each of water & quinoa simmered in saucepan for 10 minutes)

1 cup almond milk

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

handful of goji berries

handful almond flakes

drizzle of maple syrup

fresh fruit

yoghurt

to do bit:

place quinoa, milk, cinnamon & vanilla paste into a saucepan and simmer away for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.

Place in your favourite bowls and decorate with berries, nuts, fresh fruit and yoghurt. Serve her up with one of our awesome organic teas. enjoy Ax

love this healthy jam recipe. so easy and then so versatile. you can use it on your toast or i also love mixing it through my chia pudding in the morning. it sure does chia me up!

the foodie list:

250g strawberries (which is your standard punnet size)

2 tbs chia seeds

2 tbs maple syrup

2 tbl lemon juice

the to do bit:

hull your strawberries, you know, get rid of the green leaves. place in a blender and whizz away until desired consistency.

in a bowl, stir together chia seeds, maple syrup & lemon juice. then pour in strawberries and stir some more. pour the mixture into a glass jar with lid and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to set. you are then ready to use at your leisure. enjoy Ax

feeling the heat? heres a little cooler for you. vodka optional...

the foodie bit:

400g mango

1 tbs grated ginger

1 ½ cups cooled organic mint delight tea

the how how to bit:

get the pulp from the mango(s) and you can either blitz it with an electrical appliance or mash it with a fork until its pureed.

poor everything into a jug and mix it all up, then pour into a metal baking tray or bowl and place into the freezer.

around the 2 hour mark the mixture will have started to form that icey edge, using a fork, gently mix the ice every 1-2 hours until you get your desired slushy effect. then allow to freeze completely which will probably take over night.

just before serving, rake it with the fork again. serve in glasses with fresh fruit or a splash of vodka (depending on the time of day). Ax

these are awesome. the kids think its ice cream. which it is in a way, minus the sugar and the insane attitude afterwards. so easy to make and so quickly devoured.

mango bit:

1 frozen mango (chop it up before you freeze as its much easier to blend)

1 frozen banana

100ml almond milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

throw into a blender and blend away until smooth.

raspberry bit:

frozen mango goodness:

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 frozen banana

100ml almond milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

do the same as above, throw into a blender and blend away until smooth.

layer the little goodness glasses up and top with whatever you have, here we used coconut chips & cocoa chips, also with a layer of coconut yoghurt between. enjoy with a cup of tea and friends.

A x

looking a bit aussie this morning, yay!

running late for some very important dates so here is this ones recipe:

chia pudding:

2 tablespoon chia seeds

3/4 cup coconut milk

mix in a jar, put on the lid and place in the fridge overnight.

frozen mango goodness:

1 frozen mango (chop it up before you freeze as its much easier to blend)

1 frozen banana

100ml almond milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

throw into a blender and blend away until smooth.

layer up your glass cup/jar with chia pudding, yoghurt, frozen mango and decorate as you please. i used sliced kiwifruit at the base and coconut chips on top. don't forget to serve with a cup of tea, this one is our citrus splash that i iced down as the day was so hot.

A x

after early morning exercise, its really nice to come home and refuel with a bright breakfast to put that big smile on your face. acai makes everything so bright & cheery, plus it is good for you.

this ones little recipe is:

2 frozen bananas

200ml almond milk

2 tablespoons acai powder

throw it all into a blender and yep you guessed it, blend your little heart out.

pop into a bowl, top with your choice of toppings (i used kiwi fruit & coconut chips) and serve with a cup of tea. i went for our organic green chai.

A x

this delight was so thick and fixed the pregnancy ice cream cravings minus the sugar.

with five minutes to spare before the hanger started, i was able to whip this up and have a happy home. the two year old mighty mouse loved the 'pink ice cream' and her pink straw to boot.

raspberry smoothie bowl in a jar.

foodie bit:

250ml almond milk (or coconut water also works a treat)

2 frozen bananas

1 cup of frozen raspberries

1/4 cup yoghurt

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

the blend bit:

throw all into a blender and blend for two minutes. ta-da.

i topped with goji berries and cacoa chips.

i do love a bit of colour for breakfast. nothing like bright fresh fruit to get you smiling for the day i say.

chia puddings are ridicoulsy easy to make and are so much fun to to make coulourful.

here's this get together for your next breakfast:

chia pudding.

long list of ingredients:

2 tablespoons chia seeds

3/4 cup coconut milk

slave away at the kitchen:

mix in a jar, place a lid on and place in the fridge overnight.

blueberry coulis.

yummy ingredients:

1 cup of blueberries

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

5 minute kitchen dance:

combine all ingredients in a saucepan, simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. set aside to cool for a few minutes.

grab your fresh fruit (i used strawberries and passionfruit) and layer up with some yoghurt as well. then don't forget to serve with your favourite cup of tea & scandal organic tea. x

yay. it's finallly spring. which means we can start really enjoying iced teas again.

this little one i made on the weekend to go with the mini strawberry cheesecakes (see previous recipe post).

here's the recipe that i used for this hibiscus iced tea.

1 pot of brewed & then cooled heavenly hibiscus tea

2 cups of soda water

2 tbs maple syrup (or you could use honey or no sweetner if you are sweet enough already)

1 orange, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

ice, ice baby

basically brew your pot of tea, add your sweetner of choice and then allow to cool. i cool on the bench and then place in the fridge for an hour to chill.

mix all ingredients together and then serve. you could always add a bit of vodka if you are that way inclined.

i love strawberries. thats a fact. i also LOVE cheese. that is a well known fact. looking in my fridge and pantry on the weekend, i decided to make some tasty (yet slightly ever so healthy) treats. these little beauties are really easy to make, no cooking required and are gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free plus, (amazingly) are delicious.

ingredients.

base in your face:

1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup buckinis

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup dates

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

creamy bit:

2 cups cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours)

3/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

1tsp vanilla

decorate with at least a cup of strawberries (just buy a punnet and eat the remainders.)

step to it:

1. Put all the base ingredients into a food processor and (you guessed it) process. Mixture should stick together. Press the base evenly into either one large 10 inch springform pan or 12 mini cheesecakes moulds, and refridgerate.

2. to make the creany bit, drain cashews & blend in the food processer with the coconut milk, rice malt syrup and vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling over the base and freeze for 4 hours.

3. When ready to eat, slice up the strawberries and decorate on top and serve with your favourite cup of tea.

i decided for mothers day to treat myself and make a raw cheesecake, which of course i did share with friends and family (as much as i would of easily devoured the cake by myself, its always best to share such things). here is the recipe that i created for such an easy cake.

chocolate chai cheesecake

base in your face:

1 cup buckinis

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/4 cup cacao powder

1 cup medijool dates, pitted

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 tbs warm water

1 tbs maple syrup

cheesey bit

3 cups raw unsalted cashews

1/4 cup cacao powder

3/4 cup medijool dates, pitted

3/4 cup coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 tbs our cheeki chai tea

the day before you will need to soak the cashews and chai covered with water over night.

next day, line a 20cm springform pan. to make the cheesecake base, start with processing the buckinis, almonds & cacao until finely ground. then add remaining base ingredients and process until well combined. my processor is tiny, so i do this in two batches just to make sure all is mixed well. then just press down into the base of the pan, using the back of a metal spoon is helpful at this time. place in the fridge for half an hour to set.

to make the filling, drain the cashews reserving half a cup of the liquid. place cashews (with tea) & water into food processor. process. yep. then add the rest of the ingredients for the filling and process some more. yep, still processing. after you have processed until smooth, spread the filling over the chilled base and return to the fridge for another 4 hours.

decorate with whatever fruit you have, i used organic blueberries and pomegranates.

enjoy with a cup of tea and don't forget to share with your loved ones!

ps. you can buy our organic cheeki chai here

with an abundance of over ripe bananas in the freezer, i thought best time to make room in that little freezer space for soups and casseroles coming into the cooler months. what better way than to make an afternoon treat to go with my cup of tea. (notice that i am making an entire banana bread purely for myself & not to share).

heres the recipe that i put together:

ingredients

4 bananas, mashed 1 1/2 cups almond flour 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda pinch of salt 1/2 cup walnuts , chopped 1 tbs ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup honey 6 eggs 1 cup coconut oil, melted

method set oven to 180 and line a loaf tin with baking powder. mix together almond meal, bicarb, walnuts & salt. in separate bowl whisk eggs, then add vanilla & honey, mix well. add into the dry ingredients and mix. once looking good, add the melted coconut oil. whack in the oven for an hour or once cake skewer comes out clean.

pre anzac day and i raided the pantry to see what ingredients i had to make anzac biscuits that would tick the box of gluten free (for my delightful ceoliac disease) and refined sugar free (to keep the 2 year old from having a mad sugar high) and yet still delicous (so that they would actually be eaten amongst visiting friends). this is what i was able to come with...

ingredients:

1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (only because i ran out of silvered almonds)

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 tbl water

method:

mix almond meall, desiccated coconut, almonds & pumpkin seeds together. heat honey & oil in saucepan, then pur in bicarb soda & water mixture, let it froth then take off heat & pour over dru ingredients. form into cookies (i made 18) and place in preheated oven at 130C for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

then enjoy with a cup of tea. x