The Cracker Recipe (how to save for a home deposit)

I write this recipe in support of millennials saving a deposit for a home loan.. and I suppose anyone else who might feel their heart rate elevate at the price tag on a packet of crackers at the deli which only contains 3, maximum 7 crackers. This is honestly the easiest, most diverse recipe I know and will change your perspective on store bought crackers FOREVER!

In the bowl:

• 2 cups of plain flour (or other flour if your little heart desires!)

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 3/4 - 1 cup of tap water

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional extras that make delicious crackers - you choose and mix it up!

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds or even pepitas!

• Dried herbs - rosemary, thyme, basil - whatever tickles your cracker fancy

• Grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes for a vegan cheesy flavour (add to rolled out crackers before baking)

Add your optional extras (seeds & herbs) to the flour and mix, add olive oil and then water. Bring together initially with a butter knife and then use your hands to form a ball of dough. You want this dough to form and not be sticking to your hands but also soft enough to roll out. Cut into 3 or 4 sections and roll each on a lightly floured surface. Continue turning in flour as needed if it is sticking to the rolling pin but note it will come up in one piece to transfer to the tray.. Once it’s flat, sprinkle with a little extra salt and roll once more to make sure the salt sticks! Score with a knife and transfer to a lined or non-stick flat baking tray. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20-30 minutes, checking regularly.. the edges will cook first and you can crack them off to avoid burning.. if it’s not an easy break, cook them a little longer until golden brown and cracking!!

Cool on a wire and keep in an airtight container for 1 week!!

Plant-based ginger tea cakes!

Delicious vegan ginger tea cakes with cashew cream frosting!

This recipe is so simple and the cakes are absolutely delicious!! I experimented with a cashew cream for the frosting and it was perfect for this cake. I hope you enjoy :)

In the dry ingredients bowl:

• 1.5 cups plain all-purpose flour

• ½ cup granulated coconut sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ginger

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (3-4 cloves ground)

In the wet ingredients bowl:

• ½ cup coconut syrup

• ½ cup plant milk, I usually use soy or almond

• ⅓ cup coconut oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Whisk the dry ingredients, whisk the wet ingredients and then combine in the larger bowl.. Mix until a smooth consistency then add to cupcake tin. Bake in moderate oven (180-200 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Check tops of cakes, if they bounce back or skewer comes out clean, they are ready!!

Cool on a wire and prepare the frosting!!

Cashew Cream Frosting, you will need:

• 2/3 cup organic cashews soaked in boiling water for min 1 hour

• 1/3 cup coconut oil

• 1/3 cup coconut syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• Juice of 1 lime

Combine all ingredients in a high speed food processor and blend until smooth. Chill for 1 hour for best thickness or use sooner if you can’t wait!!!

Ice and eat immediately!!!!!

Sweet Heat Pawpaw Chilli

We often have over ripened fruits that we can’t use in time. I HATE to waste produce and this is one simple way to avoid that and you get a super delicious, sweet chilli sauce! Pawpaw is naturally high in pectin so is a wonderful fruit to make in to a jam or sauce as it thickens very nicely.

I have recently been making a version for the kids without chilli which has become my favourite new sauce for vege or crab patties, a spread for sandwiches or even on top of scrambled eggs!

You’ll need —

• 1 ripe pawpaw / papaya

• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

• 1 clove of garlic or 1 handful of fresh garlic chives

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 - 2 chillies depending on desired heat

• 1/3 cup sugar (I use a liquid coconut nectar but you can use any sweetener)
  

Method

• Blend everything together until smooth

• Transfer to a saucepan and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes

• Allow to cool and transfer to sterilised jars

• Keep in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days
  

I hope you enjoy this simple recipe!!

Interested in seeing what we eat on the island?? Check out this episode on YouTube!

Wholesome Banana Oat Cookies

This yummy banana oat cookie recipe is a total stand out in our family!!! It is dairy and egg free and you can mix up the seeds to your taste! We make these cookies for the kids snacks every single week… It is the perfect way to use up ripe bananas and makes a sweet but very wholesome cookie!

You’ll need —

• 8 small ripe bananas (3 cavendish or 4-5 lady fingers)

• 1 cup of coconut oil - melted

• 1/3 - 1/2 cup liquid sweetener of choice (we use a coconut nectar but honey or maple work really well too)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• 1 cup of rolled oats blended to a flour (blitz for 30 seconds in a high speed blender)

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

• Seeds for extra goodness - use whatever seeds you have in the pantry. My favourites are…

  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds

  • 2 tablespoons flax seeds

  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
    

Method

• Add bananas, coconut oil, vanilla bean paste and liquid sweetener in a blender. Blend until smooth

• Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix evenly

• Add banana mixture to the dry ingredients and combine. The mixture can be quite wet depending on your bananas but so long as the mix is holding together they will turn out just fine.

• Place spoonfuls on a baking tray lined with baking paper. These cookies do not spread so they can be close together

• Bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes or until golden and slightly browned on the bottom. Cool on a wire.

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for a few months!
  

Interested in seeing what we eat on the island?? Check out this episode on YouTube!

The world’s BEST BEER BATTERED FISH & CHIPS!!!

Every time I imagine fish ‘n’ chips by the sea, it has to be Uepi standard. Crispy, crunchy and perfectly cooked fresh fish! This is not a difficult recipe… in fact the secrets to this recipe are insultingly simple. If yours doesn’t turn out as good, we can only blame the lack of Solbrew available worldwide because it really does make the perfect beer batter!

You’ll need —

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• pinch of salt

• 1 can Solbrew (ice cold)

The next part is so simple.. but pay attention to the key tips Jill has shared with us because it makes all the difference!!

Method

• Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, add beer and whisk

• The beer must be cold

• Batter will be quite thin!

• Chill the batter in the fridge until you’re ready to cook - this helps to coat the fish well and improves the crunchiness of your cooked beer batta fish!!
  

If you enjoy this recipe make sure you let us know! I still can’t believe we’re giving away one of Uepi’s best kept secret recipes!!! Thanks to Jill for creating, perfecting and now sharing the love with you - our island tribe - and see you over on YouTube for this CATCH & COOK episode!

Mouth watering TROPICAL banana NICE-cream!

What you’ll need…

First of all, if you have just found this recipe and urgently need nice-cream to satisfy watering mouths… I’m sorry to tell you that if your bananas are not already frozen you will need more time. BUT, if your bananas are frozen (which I highly recommend you do on a regular basis because frozen bananas are AWESOME and so handy) then, wait no longer because this recipe is UNREAL.

Okay, the actual ingredient list (completely flexible depending on availability and tastebuds)

• 5 frozen bananas (cut in to 2-3cm chunks)

• 4 limes peeled and de-seeded (if these are also frozen - you’re winning!)

• Juice of 4 fat limes (about 1/3 of a cup of juice)

• 1/3 cup of coconut milk (or other milk of your choice)

• 1 generous handful of fresh mint leaves

• 1 chunk of ginger (about 4-6cm long) washed & grated

• 2 tablespoons sweetener of choice (we use coconut nectar but maple would work nicely too)

Method

1. Get it all in a blender

2. Blend it

3. Serve it immediately and good luck keeping any left-overs!

4. Jump on insta and let me know how good it is!!!!

In our recent YouTube episode, we make this NICE-cream because delicious food makes us extra happy!!! Check out the episode HERE :-)

FISH IN BANANA LEAF

Fish infused with herbs and ginger, steamed in a banana leaf parcel.

This is one of our all time favourite recipes not only because it presents beautifully for serving in the restaurant here at Uepi but also because it is so healthy, and the absolute perfect way to infuse flavours in to a soft flesh fish that would usually end up stuck to the pan! In our CATCH & COOK episode we create this recipe to share with you all!!

Fish in Banana Leaf

Ingredients

4 Fillets of white fish (for example coral trout, barramundi)

1 large banana leaf and toothpicks for making parcels **If you do not have access to banana leaf, then some alternative options are ginger leaf, steaming bags or baking paper.

1/2 cup fresh herbs finely diced (experiment with combinations - our most recent favourite is coriander, spring onions and chives)

1 inch piece of fresh ginger grated

3 tablespoons soy sauce / tamari / coconut aminos

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon coconut nectar (or sweetener of your choice - honey / maple)

Method

1. Heat the banana leaf over an open flame to soften and prevent cracking of the leaf when folding the parcels. Split the banana leaf to fit the size of parcels you wish to make.

2. Combine soy, rice wine vinegar and sweetener in a small bowl

3. Lay a piece of banana leaf down, add a fish fillet, fresh herbs and ginger and 1 teaspoon of the sauce prepared in step 2

4. Fold the banana leaf and use a toothpick to hold it together

5. Place the fish parcels in a steaming basket and over boiling water for 5 minutes for a small piece of fish (5cm x 5cm coral trout fillet). Adjust the cook time based on the size of the fish fillet. The fish should fall apart and the flakes will be beautifully white when cooked.

6. Serve with a fresh garden salad, coconut rice or whatever your little heart desires!

We hope you enjoy it!!!

Jase & Katie x

3 fabulous children’s books for enviro-lovers!!

Living on a remote island surrounded by natural beauty above and below the surface, we are constantly reminded of how lucky we are to share this raw beauty with our children. Raising Arlo and Ophelia to be mindful of the environment and the delicacy of our planet is incredibly important to us. So we intentionally read books and create activities that can help teach key messages about the environment… I have been wanting to share these titles for a while so here we are..

I know it is super close to Christmas now but just in case you are looking for some last minute recommendations for kids interested in the ocean and the planet… check out our favourite kids books right now which you can find on Amazon!!

1. The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs: The Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation

2. Remembering Mother Nature This is such a wonderful book to inspire the next generation to protect our precious planet!

3. Coral Sea Dreaming **some illustrations in this book were inspired by images taken right here at Uepi which is so super cool!!!

We hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday…

Lots of Love

JKA&O xxx

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