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Onion Soup Thermomix Recipe

This onion soup my mother used as a base for her Vranameer Chicken for many years. She, of course, didn’t use a Thermomix, so I’ve just adapted it for a simple, tasty, filling soup, perfect to eat as a soup, or as the basis for a casserole.

Onion Soup

French Onion Soup Thermomix Recipe
Recipe Type: Soup
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
My mother used this as a base for casserole dishes for many years. I’ve just adapted her recipe for the Thermomix. My husband and I have an ongoing argument about this soup. I think sweating the onion in the Thermomix is fine, but he thinks the first steps should be done on a frying pan. It’s a personal flavour preference.
Ingredients
  • 25g butter
  • 500g onion (about 3)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 125ml white wine
  • 500g vegetable, chicken or beef stock & water mixed depending on the stock you use.
  • salt & pepper to season
Instructions
  1. Place the butter in the Thermomix bowl and add 500g onions, halved.
  2. Mix at speed 5 for 5 seconds till they’re chopped, and put on speed 2/100C to sweat the onions for 4 minutes. (If you’re doing this step on the stove, fry until the onions are translucent but watch that they don’t burn. Add the sugar and leave to caramalise, about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it.)
  3. Add the sugar, and cook for 10 minutes, speed 2, 100C
  4. Add the garlic, wine and stock and cook for 15 minutes, speed 2, Varoma.
  5. Taste and season, and serve with fresh bread (although again here, my husband prefers it kept in the fridge for 24 hours, and then heated and served. I like it as is.)
Calories: 136,3 Fat: 5.4g Saturated fat: 3.3g Unsaturated fat: 1.4g Carbohydrates: 14.9 Sugar: 7.6h Sodium: 288.9mg Fiber: 1.5g Cholesterol: 13.6g
Notes
(calories based on a fatty beef stock, chicken or veg stock will be less calories)

 

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Brie & Cranberry Bites

Brie & Cranberry BitesYou know it’s Christmas time when the brie and cranberry starts coming into play. It’s not something we have a lot of at home as my other half isn’t a fan, but brie is the only thing I ever craved in pregnancy!

Come Christmas time, I often find myself simply short of time, and in a hurry. While I’d normally make my own shortcrust pastry – with the Thermomix it’s just so easy – but sometimes it’s really good to be able to grab a roll of ready rolled pastry and have your snack ready in 20 minutes.

(Do yourself a favour and get an all butter pastry though. They’re so much better!)

Brie & Cranberry Bites
Recipe Type: Snack
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 18
I haven’t put much by way of measurements into this recipe since it’ll depend on your personal tastes, to a large extent, and how much you’re planning on making. A single sheet of 300g pastry will make roughly 18 bites.
Ingredients
  • 300g short crust pastry
  • 150g Brie
  • Cranberry sauce
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 200C
  2. Roll the pastry to a thin and even layer.
  3. Cut the pastry into 18 squares – rounds will do fine too.
  4. Place each square into a muffin case and cook for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown.
  5. In the meantime, slice brie into squares large enough to fit inside the muffin trays.
  6. As the pastry comes out of the oven, while it’s still piping hot, drop the brie onto it so that it begins to melt. Top with the cranberry sauce.
  7. These are best served hot, but can be eaten cold too.

 

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Thermomix Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

This year I grew butternut squash in my garden for the first time. Between the slugs, the lack of sunlight and the fact that we’re moving soon, they’ve remained small, but perfectly butternut shaped. I’m quite pleased, actually!

Butternut Squash is perfect for this time of year – it’s light but filling, and can used in a variety of dishes.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Since we’re moving in a week, we’re trying to use up a lot of store cupboard supplies, and one of those is Risotto, so today I made this roasted butternut squash risotto for our lunch. It’s slightly different from my usual, in that I didn’t have wine or home made stock, but I was very pleased with how it worked out!

Thermomix Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
Recipe Type: Main
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 50 g parmesan cheese cubed
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 1 tbs white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbs dried sage
  • 50 g olive oil
  • 400 g arborio rice
  • 1000g stock/water
  • 10g butter
  • 1 Butternut Squash, sliced
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • *handful of fresh sage, if you have.
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 190C.
  2. Layer sliced butternut squash on a tray, drizzle with oil and salt, and cook for 30 minutes.
  3. After 10 mins*, put the Parmesan into the thermomix bowl & pulverise for 10 seconds Speed 9 and set aside.
  4. Place the onion and oil in the bowl & chop for 5 sec on speed 4.
  5. Saute for 3 mins at 100C on reverse speed 1.
  6. Add rice and white wine vinegar and dried sage into bowl & saute for 2 mins at 100C on reverse speed spoon.
  7. Add stock and water and cook for 15 mins at 100C on reverse speed spoon.
  8. Add butter and cheese and stir. If you have two bowls, swap over, otherwise empty the bowl and put half of the butternut squash in the bowl. Put the MC in place and pulse on turbo four or five times till it’s pureed.
  9. Mix the squash into the risotto and season to taste.
  10. Sprinkle with fresh sage leaves, if you have.
  11. *Use those ten minutes to lightly fry sage leaves, if you have them. Set aside for topping.

 

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Raw Ferrero Bliss Balls Recipe

Ferrero Bliss Balls

I discovered these hazelnut and chocolate beauties quite by accident. I was trying to make hazelnut flour but left the nuts going in the food processor for too long and ended up with hazelnut butter. I added cocoa powder and coconut oil and came up with a beautiful chocolate spread alternative, which has lasted for over a month in the fridge without going off.

Ferrero Bliss BallsThese are so delicious, popped in a jar with a ribbon on, they’re easily made into gifts too.

You can find this and 20 more recipes in Bliss Balls For Beginners, available here for $3.50/£2.99.

Raw “Ferrero” Bliss Balls Recipe
Recipe Type: Raw, Sweets
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 20 bliss balls
Our version of Ferrero Rocher, but raw and healthy. These keep well in cool weather for up to a month, so make perfect special occasion gifts.
Ingredients
  • Ingredients
  • For the hazelnut chocolate “sauce”:
  • 75g hazelnuts
  • 5g cocoa(feel free to adjust this for a more or less chocolatey result)
  • 20g coconut oil
  • For the Bliss Balls:
  • 100g hazelnuts
  • 150g dates
  • 45g oats
Instructions
Thermomix Instructions
  1. Blend the first set of hazelnuts to a fine crumb speed 4, 5 seconds
  2. Add the cocoa and coconut oil and mix on speed 9, 90 seconds
  3. Add the remaining hazelnuts, dates, and oats.
  4. Mix well about speed 4/ 20 seconds.
  5. The mixture looks like loose crumbs when you’re done. Take a small handful, and press it together, then roll into a ball.
  6. You can eat it right away, but put it aside to allow the coconut oil to hold it all together, and it’ll be nicer cold too.

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Good For You Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

No bake chocolate macarroonsNo bake chocolate macarroons

I love chocolate way more than I should and a lot more than I wish I did. I’m always looking for ways to indulge the craving for cocoa without piling on the sugar, largely because when I do, my kids do and the whole harmony of the home kind of falls apart.

This recipe is originally from Oh She Glows|, but I’ve been playing with it to both adapt it to our tastes, and change the recipe for the Thermomix, meaning it’s in grams rather than cups, which makes it easier for me and my Thermie friends to use.

No bake chocolate macarroonsNo bake chocolate macarroons

I’m pretty sure you could be really flexible on it too – we made something similar from a cook book I had as a child, which used boiled sugar and tasted amazing, but added oats. You could probably add raisins quite successfully too, or other dried fruit. the options are rather endless. I imagine candied orange peel would make a perfect Christmassy – slash -winterry treat too.

Just remember that it’s held together by coconut oil, which means if it gets warm it’ll start disintegrating. They recommend freezing it over on Oh She Glows, but popping it in the fridge or in a lunch box with an ice block seems to work just fine for us.

No bake chocolate macarroons

Since this is no cook, no bake it’s perfect for kids to help with too.

Good For You Chocolate Macaroons
Recipe Type: Snacks, Sweets
Cuisine: Thermomix, Paleo
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15 – 24
This recipe is an adaptation from another, and I’ve made a few changes to it. The recipe below includes the ingredients from the original recipe as optional extras. It’s delicious, but a little too much banana in my chocolate fix, though I do tend to make it that way for the children.
Ingredients
  • 50g Coconut Oil (1/4 cup)
  • 70g honey or syrup (1/4 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 30 – 50g cocoa powder (1/3 cup) (Cacao for Paleo)
  • pinch of fine sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
  • 150g shredded unsweetened coconut (1.5 cups)
  • (optional) banana
  • (optional) tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Melt the coconut oil in a pot – this requires 37C, i.e. body heat, and is still considered raw, or uncooked.
  2. Add the honey or syrup and stir till it’s all mixed and liquid and remove from heat
  3. Add the vanilla extract
  4. (If using banana, mash it and add to the mix)
  5. Add 30g cocoa first then add the coconut
  6. (Add chia seeds if using)
  7. Stir till it’s all combined
  8. Taste the mix too see if it’s the right amount of chocolatey. If you want it ‘darker’ add more cocoa powder till it’s right for you. Mix again.
  9. Scoop out onto a tray, or into moulds and refrigerate until it hardens.
  10. Keep cool as it will fall apart if the coconut oil gets too warm.
Thermomix Instructions
  1. Put the coconut oil in the bowl, and melt 37C/Speed 1/ 20 Seconds
  2. Add the honey or syrup and mix 37C/Speed 1/ 30 Seconds.
  3. Add the vanilla extract
  4. (If using banana, add it now in three pieces, speed 5/10 seconds – make sure to put the MC in place!)
  5. Add 30g cocoa first then add the coconut
  6. (Add chia seeds if using)
  7. Mix speed 2/ 15 seconds
  8. Taste the mix too see if it’s the right amount of chocolatey. If you want it ‘darker’ add more cocoa powder till it’s right for you. Mix again speed 2/15 seconds.
  9. Scoop out onto a tray, or into moulds and refrigerate until it hardens.
  10. Keep cool as it will fall apart if the coconut oil gets too warm.

 

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4 Minute No Bake Lemon/Lime Fridge Cake Recipe

4 minute, no bake, creamy lemon/lime fridge cake

Inspired by a recipe in the Thermomix Owners UK group on Facebook, and blending the idea with one of my favourite deserts, South African Peppermint Crisp Pie, I came up with this idea for a citrus-summer desert that can be made ahead of time – the day before is ideal, but you could technically eat it straight out the bowl too.

If you eat it immediately it’ll be lighter, but the next day it’s more of a creamy ‘set’ desert. It’s fantastic, quite frankly.

In this recipe I’ve used lime juice, which is what I have, but you could use lemon too. In the South African version there’s also a ridiculous amount of chocolate added, but really this recipe doesn’t need it.

For biscuits I’ve used NICE biscuits, but really, any kind of digestive, shortcake or butter biscuits will do. NICE biscuits are a bit coconutty though, which adds a nice flavour.

I don’t think there’s a ‘wrong’ way to do this desert. Add more condensed milk if you want it sweeter, add more lemon or lime juice if you want it more tart. Either way, it’s delicious, it’s light, it’s summery, and it is oh.so.simple. I’ve whipped the cream in my Thermomix, but of course,  you can whip it any way you like.

4 Minute No Bake Lemon/Lime Fridge Cake Recipe
Recipe Type: Desert, Pudding, Sweet
Author: Luschka van Onselen
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 9
Light, summery, and superbly easy, this no bake fridge cake won’t add to the summer heat but will bowl you over with it’s simplicity.
Ingredients
  • 500g of double cream (you can use whipping, but adapt the whipping time!)
  • 120g condensed milk
  • 80g lime juice
  • 1 packet of biscuits
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, lay a layer of biscuits side by side, loosely covering the surface.
  2. In a food processor, whip the cream until it stands at stiff peaks (Thermomix: about 40 seconds/speed 4 with a butterfly whisk) Don’t over-whip
  3. Add the condensed milk and lime (or lemon) juice, whisk briefly to mix. Again, don’t over whip
  4. Scoop half the cream mixture on top of the biscuits
  5. Lay another layer of biscuits on the cream mixture
  6. Top off with the rest of the cream.
  7. Spread the mixture so that it is flat, then cover and refrigerate.
  8. The longer you can leave it the better. I like to make it a day in advance, but a couple of hours is sufficient
  9. Decorate with fruit

I hope you love this recipe!

 

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Strawberries in Cardamom or Vanilla Syrup

Strawberries in syrupWhile I use frozen fruit, it’s not a favourite as I don’t always like the consistency once it defrosts. A great way to save fruit for the winter months is by freezing it though, so rather than just saving as is, I’ve made strawberries to freeze in a syrup, so that when they are defrosted, you have a ready made desert to have on yoghurt, as is, on a cheesecake or on ice cream if you’re so inclined.

Add a flavouring of your choice to infuse for a whole flavour sensation.

You can use them later in the summer on ice cream, or eat them as is. Or save them for the festive season to fill up a glass of fizz – or to bring a sweet pleasant surprise to lemonade in the summer. I’m sure you’ll find a way to enjoy the strawberries in flavoured syrup.

Strawberries in Cardamom or Vanilla Syrup
Recipe Type: Desert, Snack
Cuisine: Foraged, Make Ahead, Freezer
Author: Luschka
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 700ml
The amount of strawberries depend on the size of your container and the strawberries themselves. I used two 500ml kilner jars, and didn’t overfill them although I could probably have put a few more strawberries in each jar. You need to put enough syrup in that the strawberries are covered. I have chosen cardamom pods and vanilla pods for the two jars, but you can use anything you like – orange peel, liquer, whatever takes your fancy.
Ingredients
  • 700g water
  • 140g sugar
  • Flavouring: cardamom/vanilla etc
  • 1 punnet of strawberries
Instructions
In the thermomix
  1. Add the water and sugar
  2. Boil Veroma/Speed 1/ 10 mins
  3. Leave to cool completely
  4. Fill containers with fresh strawberries and pour the cool syrup over it and add the flavours.
  5. Place in the freezer, giving it time to naturally defrost when you want to use it.
Regular cooking
  1. Add the water and sugar
  2. Bring to the boil for 10 mins
  3. Leave to cool completely
  4. Fill containers with fresh strawberries and pour the cool syrup over it and add the flavours.
  5. Place in the freezer, giving it time to naturally defrost when you want to use it.

 

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Strawberry Elderflower Jam Recipe

Strawberries in Syrup

Strawberry and Elderflower JamI took the children fruit picking and foraging this week and we had a fantastic haul, certainly more than we could eat, so I made beautiful fresh Strawberry and Elderflower jam. In the Thermomix it’s such a simple recipe too – no thermometer required. I love this recipe!

 

Strawberry Elderflower Jam Recipe
Recipe Type: Jam, Condiments
Cuisine: Foraged
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 400ml
If you’re not using jam sugar you need to cut a grannysmith apple in quarters and add it to the mixtures. I use jamming sugar for this recipe. If you don’t use Elderflower, add an extra 10g strawberries
Ingredients
  • 250g jam sugar
  • 440g strawberries
  • 10g Elderflower
  • 2 tbs lemon juice (or 1/2 fresh lemon juice)
Instructions
In the Thermomix
  1. Put the jam sugar in the bowl and turbo two or three times to make it finer.
  2. Add the strawberries and elderflowers, if using, and mix Speed 4/10 Seconds
  3. Add the lemon juice.
  4. Boil Veroma/ Spoon Speed/18 Minutes
  5. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

 

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Flourless Grain-Free Dairy Free Almond Lemon Drizzle

Grain Free Dairy Free Almond Lemon DrizzleSince my gall bladder problems started, I’ve been focusing a lot on grain free recipes, but that means I really miss things like cake. Fortunately almond flour is easy to come by – I have a Thermomix, so I make it from whole almonds – and it’s good for gall bladder health too.

There’s a fair bit of sugar in this one. I want to try it with Rapadura, but my husband doesn’t like Rapadura so I don’t want to try it on a cake he has to eat.

I made these in a brownie pan, which I use for a lot of our snacks because they are then cut into squares and the children recognise them as snacktime treats. You can of course use a round pan or anything you fancy.

Also, I pour the drizzle over the hot cake so it will sink in. If you like it to look drizzled, you can wait till the cake is cool. 

Flourless Grain-Free Almond Lemon Drizzle
Recipe Type: Desert, Snack
Cuisine: Free From, Gluten Free
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom/5 cardamom pods
  • 1 1/2 cup (170 g) almonds or almond flour
  • 4 room temperature eggs, separated
  • 1/2 cup (100g) white sugar
  • 1 lemon’s zest
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon white or cider vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 50g Powdered sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Thermomix Instructions
  1. If you are using cardamom pods, put them in the Thermomix on reverse/speed 5/ 10 seconds. Remove the husks from the bowl, add the almonds. Speed 8/10 – 20 seconds to make almond flour.
  2. If you have a second bowl, now’s the time to use it. Otherwise pour the flour out and add clean the bowl thoroughly.
  3. Separate the egg whites and yolks.
  4. Add the whites to the Thermomix bowl. Put the butterfly in, and whisk at speed 2 for 15 seconds, then go up to speed 4 and whisk until they start to look firm (around 2 minutes)
  5. Meanwhile, add half the sugar to the egg yolks along with the lemon zest.
  6. Returning to the egg whites, when they form peaks, add a pinch of salt, and the vinegar. This will help the egg whites keep their form. Add the other half of the sugar gradually – over about 20 seconds. This whole egg white process shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes.
  7. Now for some manual work. You could do this in the Thermomix, but I love watching the transformation of the ‘flour’.
  8. Mix the egg yolk mixture into the almond mixture. It’ll be quite pasty and hard to work with.
  9. Add two dollops of the egg white in the mixture, and stir. Then add two more and stir again. As you stir the whole mixture will become amazingly light and fluffy. Keep adding egg white till it’s all mixed in.
  10. Transfer to your baking pan and put in the oven for 35 minutes.
  11. When there are 5 minutes left on the clock, cut your lemon in half and extract all the juice. Add the icing sugar and make a runny paste. When the lemon cake comes out of the oven, pour the sugary juice over it and leave to cool before tipping out the cake.
Regular Instructions
  1. If you are using cardamom pods, crack them open and remove the cardamom seeds. Crush them between two spoons or with a rolling pin (or use the ground cardamom spice!).
  2. Add to the almond flour.
  3. Separate the egg whites and yolks.
  4. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they start to look firm.
  5. Returning to the egg whites, when they form peaks, add a pinch of salt, and the vinegar. This will help the egg whites keep their form. Add half of the sugar gradually – over about 20 seconds.
  6. Add the other half of the sugar to the egg yolks along with the lemon zest.
  7. Mix the egg yolk mixture into the almond mixture. It’ll be quite pasty and hard to work with.
  8. Add two dollops of the egg white in the mixture, and stir. Then add two more and stir again. As you stir the whole mixture will become amazingly light and fluffy. Keep adding egg white till it’s all mixed in.
  9. Transfer to your baking pan and put in the oven for 35 minutes.
  10. When there are 5 minutes left on the clock, cut your lemon in half and extract all the juice. Add the icing sugar and make a runny paste. When the lemon cake comes out of the oven, pour the sugary juice over it and leave to cool before tipping out the cake.

 

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Grain-Free Gluten Free Almond & Black Onion Seed Crackers

Black Onion Crackers

These are such lovely crackers. You can vary the flavour to suite your tastes and the dip you’re using. This one as written is exquisite with Wild Garlic Dip. 

Keep them in the freezer and use as required, or keep them in an airtight container and use in a day or two.  You’ll find them very filling and absolutely delicious and nutritious.

 

Grain-Free Crackers
Recipe Type: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Grain Free, Gluten Free
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 30
The beauty of these crackers is that by changing the black onion seed and oregano, you can make pretty much any flavour cracker – olive, rosemary and thyme, or cheese, just to name a few.
Ingredients
  • (300g) 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 tsp black onion seed, onion powder or other preferred seasoning
  • 1/2tsp oregano
  • 1/2tp sea salt
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp filter water
Instructions
Thermomix Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C
  2. Put the almonds in the Thermomix Speed 10/ 10 seconds – you want flour, not butter!
  3. Add the black onion seeds, oregano and sea salt, mix Speed 4 / 5 seconds
  4. Add the oil, egg and water, and blend till all mixed (speed 4/ 10 seconds)
  5. Put the dough onto the baking try it’ll go into the oven on.
  6. The dough is quite sticky, so if you can, roll it out between two sheets of baking paper, or flatten by hand.
  7. Cut the flattened dough into squares and place in the oven.
  8. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, watching from about 10 minutes till the edges start going brown.
  9. Turn off the oven, and leave the door open, but leave the crackers to crisp up.
  10. Leave them on the tray for another half hour to cool down.
  11. Store in an airtight container. Can also be frozen,
Regular Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C
  2. Add Almond flour, black onion seeds, oregano and sea salt in a bowl, and mix.
  3. Add the oil, egg and water, and stir till well mixed.
  4. Put the dough onto the baking try it’ll go into the oven on.
  5. The dough is quite sticky, so if you can, roll it out between two sheets of baking paper, or flatten by hand.
  6. Cut the flattened dough into squares and place in the oven.
  7. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, watching from about 10 minutes till the edges start going brown.
  8. Turn off the oven, and leave the door open, but leave the crackers to crisp up.
  9. Leave them on the tray for another half hour to cool down.
  10. Store in an airtight container. Can also be frozen,