Mt Pirongia tried to kill us & a killer Paleo, Dairy Free, Chocolate Mousse recipe

Mt Pirongia, Waikato

A tough little mountain

With two Aussie city girls we took off late afternoon on a mountain adventure.  It was definitely going to be a wild weather night and the tracks were the most rugged I've ever walked, the mud, wet rock faces with crazy chain abseils and chaotic tree roots had a lot to do with that.  

From Grey Rd car park we took the trail to Ruapane via the Mangakara Nature Walk and Link Track, then followed the Tirohanga Track to Mt Pirongia summit (959m) viewing tower where despite seeing only clouds we felt totally elated at having finally made it up there! 

From the summit it was a 15 minute track to Pahautea hut and campsites which are in a wicked location on a hill with a clearing.

With the weather and dodgy wet tracks it took us 4.5hrs from the car park to the hut which sleeps 6-8 in one cosy bunk for $5 each a night and has running fresh drinkable water and new toilets with a wash up area. It's old school and basic but sweet for a small group.  

Take candles and your own cooker!  

After scrubbing off our mud and making it indoors 5 minutes before the rain decided to water blast the earth we stretched out our muscles, cooked a hearty dinner and fell asleep to the cosy sounds of the wind and rain storm we didn't have to tent in.  

We started out the next morning on the Mahaukura trail it was quite cold and our shoes were still full of mud and soaking wet (so much for an NZ summer, poor Aussies) we had some sun and visibility but a lot of wind so we kept our warm gear on and experienced the might that is the Mahaukura trail. 

3 peaks, the most insane rock/tree climbing trails and 4 hours at a fast pace later (including some photo stops) we were back at Grey Rd car park and finally out of the bush!  

Despite NZ throwing up on the Aussie girls from above and below they declared their first tramp a success and said they would do it again! 

It really is a tough little mountain with very rugged trails but the native bush is absolutely stunning and so eerily quiet plus you really can't beat a tramp that gives  you not 1 or even 2 peaks but about 4 to view the wilderness from and feel closer to God on. 

Our cute little basic hut for the night

Pahautea hut 

 One of Three peaks we climbed on the way down!

 The Stunning moss covered native bush

What a wild mountain and an epic adventure!

Paleo Dark Chocolate Espresso Mousse

It's as rich as it sounds and yet pretty guilt free.

225g Dark Chocolate (I normally use Whittakers 50% Dark Block even though its not fully paleo)

3tbsp Brewed Espresso 

1.5tbsp coconut oil 

4 Eggs, separated

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl with the espresso. 

Set the bowl over a pot of boiling water and melt stirring till it is smooth and liquid.

Add the coconut oil while stirring.

Remove the the pot from the heat and stir in the egg yolks

Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff but not dry

Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites until mixed through 

pour into your serving bowl or dishes and refrigerate!

Enjoy responsibly this mousse has kept me up all night with it's caffeine content (but then I am sensitive to caffeine) 

I've made this recipe so many times this summer for various bbq's and even christmas day!

A Bush Walk, Nut & Seed Butters and Coconut Ice Cream

Wenderholm Regional Park 

It is an easy 1.5hour loop walk with stunning NZ bush and great views of the sea or a great quick trail run where you can swim afterwards.  Just over the hill from Orewa at Wenderholm Regional Park.  I'd recommend going on a calm day and taking some kayaks or even your snorkel since there are great reefs and bays to explore.  

Chocolate, Almond Butter, Coconut Ice Cream 

• 1 can full-fat Coconut Milk
• 1/4 cup Manuka Honey
• 1/4 cup Almond Butter
• 2 Tbs Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

Put a sturdy bowl in your freezer to chill

Blend all ingredients in your food processor for about 1 minute

Transfer ingredients to chilled bowl and place in an ice bath till mixture is cold. 

- put all ingredients in your ice cream maker 

or if you don't have one

- put the bowl in the freezer for about 45 minutes

then take to it with an electric mixer or hand whisk until all ice crystals are broken up, after 30 minutes back in the freezer repeat this step, vigorously beating the ice cream, repeat every 30 minutes until it is frozen about 2-3 hours

(or go buy a cheap ice cream maker for about $30)

Transfer it to a container with a lid until you want to eat it. 

*Coconut ice cream freezes hard so you'll have to zap it in the microwave when you want to eat it or let it sit out for a bit to soften

Almond Butter 

1 Cup of raw almonds makes about 3/4 Cup Almond Butter

Put 1 Cup of almonds on a baking tray in the oven at 180 degrees C for about 10 minutes or until toasted brown. - you can make raw almond butter without roasting

Put them in a food processor with an S blade and blend until you reach your desired butter texture (I like mine slightly crunchy) 
This takes between 5-15 minutes depending on your food processor.
you may need to scrape the sides down with a spatula a few times during this process. 

Store in a recycled jar and keep in the fridge to stop it from going rancid.

Sunflower, Maple Butter

2 Cups of raw sunflower seeds makes about 1 1/2 C sun butter
Toast in the oven at 180 degrees C for about 10 minutes or until light brown - you can make raw sun butter without roasting

Put them in a food processor with an S blade and blend until you reach your desired butter texture (I like mine slightly crunchy) 
This takes between 5-15 minutes depending on your food processor.
you may need to scrape the sides down with a spatula a few times during this process. 
Add 1-2 teaspoons of 100% maple syrup and continue to blend.  

Store in a recycled jar and keep in the fridge to stop it from going rancid.

-Add salt, coconut oil or cinnamon for different flavours

Walnut Butter - my favourite 

Soak 2 Cups of Walnuts in a bowl of water over night

Drain the water from the nuts 

place nuts on a baking tray and toast at 180 degrees C for about 10 minutes or until toasted brown - you can make raw walnut butter without toasting.

Put them in a food processor with an S blade and blend until you reach your desired butter texture (I like mine slightly crunchy) This takes between 5-15 minutes depending on your food processor.you may need to scrape the sides down with a spatula a few times during this process. 

Recovery in Raglan, Juice and a Kumara Snack

I'm having an NZ summer which means I have discovered a new favourite beach and fallen in love with some old kiwi classic flavours.  

Meet Raglan! 

This elusive beauty surprised me at every corner of the dusty summer soaked road.  
A 24hr spontaneous adventure here thanks to my friend with the best ideas ever! was enough to place this North Island gem at the top of my beach/beach town list.

Raglan is a ridiculously friendly and entertaining community of soul wanderers and generational locals who serve up talent in the form of locally roasted coffee beans brewed to perfection by Raglan Roast, the best taco stand I've ever eaten at West Coast Tacos run by the friendliest South Americans, the coolest foreign travellers (probably because they're all surfers) and fascinating local artists in the form of green stone carvers, shoe makers and runaways.  

I saw pictures of this place in surfing magazines growing up 

but nothing really prepares you for Raglan on a summers day

A whole coastal section is untouched by people and their dwellings 

which leaves it free to dream of a time been 

or an apocalyptic future escape.

Raglan is on the west coast, 

the sun sets on the west coast, 

there are no humans visible for miles 

Full stop. 

Here I recovered. 

From what I don't know, 

but I do know that I felt better and ready for a new year 

After spending a night camping on a cliff over the ocean, waking up to fresh roast coffee and a couple of games of backgammon in the sun I came home reluctantly and still on my gluten free, dairy free, paleo adventure I juiced things in my fridge that needed to be used up and enjoyed the use of my oven after almost 2 weeks without one.  

JANUARY JUICE

carrots
pineapple
tangelo
fresh ginger
mint leaves


KUMARA SNACK

Bake A whole kumara (NZ Sweet potato) in the oven (or in the microwave if you are in a hurry) Spread your gluten free toast with Manuka honey then mash your baked kumara on top!  
Or for your Paleo option just slice the kumara down the middle and butter it with Manuka honey.  

- dry toast a handful of long grain coconut in a pan and sprinkle it on top!