Children Love Parties.
You can keep the food simple and make the table pretty with candles in unusual containers – china tea cups, glasses or small plant pot holders, holly (without the berries), red and white flowers, silver balls
in large bowls, tangerines, pine cones festive plates, cups and tablecloths.

Please note that where the recipe calls for cup measurements, a coffee mug can be used instead of a measuring cup.

Peanut Brittle
Serves: 4-6 people
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
4-6 tablespoons barley malt or rice syrup
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon corn oil
6-8 rice cakes finely crumbled

Utensils:
Small pan, baking dish or sheet, large bowl

Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees.

Place the peanuts on a baking sheet and roast until they appear shiny on the
surface.

Remove from the oven and place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled rice cakes.

Meanwhile, place the barley malt, maple syrup, corn oil and salt in a pan and
bring to a boil on a medium flame. Simmer until the syrup mixture starts to
foam.

Pour the syrup over the peanuts and rice cakes and mix through.

Place the peanuts back in the oven for five to seven minutes. Mix once and
continue to bake for a further 5-7 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool before serving. Turn the peanut brittle several times
while cooling.

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Tangerine Kanten
Serves: 6-8 people
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups natural apple juice
2 cups tangerine juice from fresh tangerines
2 cups spring water
6 heaping tablespoons agar agar
Pinch sea salt
3 tangerines seperated into segments – remove any extra pieces of white pith
1 cup grapes rinsed and halved
1 apple diced

Utensils:Medium pan, serving dish

Preparation:

Place the juices, water, salt and agar agar in a pan and heat gently on a
medium, low flame.

Stir from time to time.

Place the fruit in a rinsed serving dish.

When the juice combination comes to a boil, stir and simmer for about 3
minutes.

Pour the hot liquid over the fruit.

Leave to cool and then place in a refrigerator to firm and chill.

Serve from the dish or cut and place in individual bowls.

Children enjoy their own special desserts. Place a small amount of fruit in
individual jelly dishes and pour the kanten over the top. Leave to set and
cool.

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Cashew Cream

Serves: 6 people
Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups cashew nuts with the skins removed
1-1 1/2 cups apple juice
1-2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup water

Utensils:Blender

Preparation:
Place the apple juice, lemon and vanilla into a pot and warm on a low flame.

Place the cashews, maple syrup, tahini and
juice mixture in a blender and blend to a smooth cream.

Use as a topping for the mocha walnut cake or with other pies and desserts.

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Jam Tarts

Serves: 24 tarts

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup corn oil
1/2 cup spring water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Strawberry jelly

Utensils:Muffin tins, pastry cutter, mixing bowl

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees.

Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk lightly with a whisk.

Add the corn oil and mix gently into the flour.

Add enough water to bind the flour into
a dough.

Handle the pastry as little as possible to keep it light and flaky.

Place the dough in the freezer for about
5 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces.

Roll one piece at a time to prevent the dough from getting tough.

Roll the pastry into a large circle.

Cut the rolled out pastry into fluted edged circles with a circular pastry
cutter.

Place the small circles in an oiled muffin tin and fill each one with a
spoonful of jelly.

Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake in an oven for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

Remove tarts from the tins and serve.

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Coffee Cream Cake

Serves: 8-10 people
Preparation time:

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 1/4 cups grain coffee
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup apple juice
1 cup soy milk
1 cup corn oil
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon vanilla essence

Utensils: Blender, mixing bowl, baking pan, strainer or sifter
Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees.

Sift the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Place the wet ingredients in a blender. Blend to a smooth cream.

Gently whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a smooth
batter.

Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Pour into an oil baking pan.

Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the cake shrinks away from the
sides of the pan. Test the middle by inserting a fork or chopstick. If they
come clean and dry, the cake is ready.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before removing from the pan.

Decorate with cashew cream and
toasted walnuts.

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Deep Fried Rice Balls

These rice balls are a high energy food which are good for intense physical
activity and sports. They can also help you to feel more out going and
positive.

Serves: 4 people
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Remember: To test that the oil is hot enough drop a small amount of rice into
the pot. If it comes to the surface straight away the oil is ready. Try not to
add too many balls at once because the oil will loose heat.

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover rice
Safflower for deep frying
1 tablespoon shoyu
2 tablespoons grated daikon
1 tablespoons mirin
1/2 cup spring water

Utensils:

Pot for deep-frying, small bowl
Preparation:

Wet your hands and form a small amount of rice into small balls, triangles or
rolls. Make sure the rice is packed firmly.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot on a low flame until warm. Turn the flame to high
when ready to deep fry.

When the oil is hot, deep-fry the balls until crisp and golden brown on both
sides. This should take about three minutes.

Place the daikon, shoyu, mirin and water in a small bowl.

Serve as a dipping sauce for the rice balls.

Ideas:Other leftover grains such as millet can also be prepared and cooked as above.

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Christmas Sandwiches

Use pre-sliced wholewheat bread and a selection of Christmas cookie cutters such as stars, santas, reindeer, bells etc – make sure they are large enough to give you a decent sandwich.

You can fill the sandwiches with different ingredients.
I have given you three fillings – Peanut butter and Jelly,
Sardine and Chickpea Spread.

Make the sandwiches first and press down firmly with the cookie cutter.
Crusts and extra pieces of sandwich can be enjoyed by the adults.

If you want to make open sandwiches, cut the bread into shapes before adding the fillings.

Have fun!!!!

Vegetables and Dip

Lightly cooked vegetables make our energy bright and cheerful and we feel less
pressure and stress.

Handy Tips:

It is much easier to cut vegetables with a sharp vegetable knife. Vegetable
knifes can be purchased in natural food or gourmet kitchenware stores.

To keep your knife sharp try using a whet stone and sharpen your knife a fewtimes a week.
A sharp knife helps to keep your cutting accurate and precise.

Serves: 2-4 people

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 head broccoli washed and cut into florets
1/2 head cauliflower washed and cut into florets
1 carrot washed and cut into sticks
1 cucumber washed and cut into sticks
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Spring water

Dressing ingredients:
1/2 block tofu
1 heaping teaspoon umeboshi paste
2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon shoyu
1/2-1 cup water

Utensils:Serving plate, medium pan with lid, blender
Preparation:
Place the water and sea salt in a pot.

Cover with a lid and bring to a boil on a medium flame.

Remove the lid and add the carrots.

Blanch on a high flame for about 1 minute. Remove and place on a servingplate.
Repeat with the cauliflower and then the broccoli. Place the vegetables in sections around the plate. Add the cucumber sticks.

Meanwhile, place the dressing ingredients in blender and blend to a smooth cream.

Add more water for a thinner consistency.

Place in a jug and serve as a dip for the vegetables

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Peanut Butter and Jam – Kids Favs

Ingredients:
Peanut butter
Your favorite Jam

Preparation:
Spread a generous amount over one slice of bread.
Place another slice on top
and press together gently.

Use your cookie cutters to make a happy, Christmas scene.

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Chickpea Dip

Humus is a great sandwich filler and many brands can be found in supermarkets and natural food stores.

The following dip is a variation on the theme and can
be used as a dip for vegetables too.

Serves: 4-6 people
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1 lead free can of organic chickpeas
1 small onion diced
2 tablespoons toasted tahini
1 tablespoon umeboshi paste
1 teaspoon olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup spring water
2 cloves garlic minced (optional)
1/2 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 bunch watercress rinsed and finely sliced

Utensils: Blender

Preparation:

Place all the ingredients, except for the carrot and watercress, in a blender.

Blend to a smooth consistency, adding extra water, if necessary.

Remove and place in a serving bowl.

Spread generously one slice of bread. Add the grated carrot and watercress and
place another slice on top. Press together gently. Use your cookie cutters to
make a happy, Christmas scene.

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Sardine Spread

Serves: 2-4 people
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 can sardines
1 small onion finely diced
1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 clove garlic minced
1-2 teaspoons shoyu
Pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon mustard for serving with the bread
Lettuce for the bread

Utensils:Suribachi, surikoji, small bowl

Preparation:

Strain the oil from the sardines.

Place onions in a suribachi and mash well.

Add the sardines and blend together.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Spread over one slice of bread and place another on top. Use your cookie
cutters to make a happy, Christmas scene

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Sparkling Apple Juice

Ingredients:
4 cups cool sparkling water
4 cups cool natural apple juice
1 lemon sliced
1 orange sliced

Preparation:
Place all the ingredients in a large serving jug.
Mix and serve.

For a toasty, warm variation, place 4 cups of apple juice and of 4 cups spring
water in a pan. Heat on a medium flame. Place in a serving jug and add orange
and lemon slices. Mix and serve.