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It is a Lifestyle book with 100 fresh recipes using fresh, local and organic ingredients, inspiring pictures, and stories from one of the most beautiful places in the world: Malibu, California. I’m giving away one copy of her book – leave a comment below (with your email, please) to enter and I will randomly select a winner on February 2nd, 2015 (the giveaway is only open to US residents, sorry!)
Helene opened her Malibu Farm Café, located at the end of the Malibu Pier, a couple of years ago. Helene is originally from Sweden, but moved to Malibu with her husband in 2008. Starting out as a catering chef, Helene later began teaching cooking classes on her farm in Malibu, then eventually opening up Malibu Farm Café. Today it is one of the most popular restaurants to locals, celebrities, and tourists in Malibu.
If you are wanting to cook healthier meals for yourself, family, and friends, then this is the cookbook for you. The recipes are simple, organic; contain lots of veggies and whole grains. Nothing low-fat or nonfat, ’cause nothing makes you fatter than eating fat-free. And no fake food or ingredients either. Helene say’s “eat the real thing or don’t eat it at all.”
From this cookbook, I chose the moist bay leaf-scented yogurt cake to make, because I never go to Malibu Farm Cafe and not order it. It is mine, and my daughter Jade’s, all-time favorite dessert. Other recipes I can’t wait to make are the shrimp with carrot-ginger coconut sauce, kabocha squash with black lentils and honey, and Malibu Farm’s popular Swedish mini-pancakes with cream and berries. Every recipe in this book looks amazingly delicious. Don’t blame me if you end up scheduling a trip to Malibu after reading this cookbook!
Don’t forget to leave me a comment below to enter the giveaway for Malibu Farm’s Cookbook.
bay leaf-scented yogurt cake – Helene Henderson’s Malibu Farm’s Cookbook
makes 6 to 8 servings
- bay leaf scented sugar:
- 6 small fresh bay leaves
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup sugar
In a food processor, make your bay leaf-scented sugar by processing the bay leaves and lemon zest in the sugar until pulverized. (you can use this sugar mixture in any recipe that calls for sugar.)
For the cake:
- 1 stick butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream your bay leaf-scented sugar with the butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl until soft and fluffy.
Add:
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup yogurt
Then sift in your dry ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For the cake pan: butter and flour
Combine wet and dry ingredients, pour into a buttered and floured cake pan, and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until done.
Serve as is with whipped cream and berries, or make an icing by combining powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Bill Grasska II says
Best Cake I have ever had….Super Delicious!!!
Sweet Savory and a hint of Lemon……YUMMMMYY
Heather S says
This book looks amazing, I’d la la LOVE to win!
Dori says
Heather, It is a wonderful book – good luck with the contest!
Sydney A says
That cake is beautiful! The next time I need a cake for a party-I’m making this!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
What a beautiful cake! I have made a bay leaf and citrus cake before and loved it so I definitely need to try out your bay lead and yoghurt cake recipe.. thanks for sharing it.
Dori says
Thalia, Your blog and photos are so beautiful. Thank you for the comment and good luck with the contest!
Tiffany R says
That cake sounds yummy!! And such a pretty cookbook!
Gina Amanatullah says
I’m planning to visit Malibu Kitchen this weekend! I’d love to win this cookbook!
Dori says
Gina, You should stop by Malibu Farm’s Cafe too! Good luck with the contest!
josette mckeever says
Love your blogs. I moved to California from the UK 8 months ago and Malibu Farm Cafe is my favourite spot in the whole of California. Such a perfect spot with delicious and healthy food. I tried getting the recipe book at christmas but it had sold out 🙁
susan vance says
Love the beautiful pictures of the cake. Can’t wait to try it!
Dori says
Susan, Thank you and good luck with the contest!
Cynthia Bren says
everything Helene does is magical! We live in Malibu and can’t get enough of her simple, delicious , fresh , organic fare. My son will do anything to get those Swedish pancakes as a reward!! Thanks for making this gorgeous cake . Can’t wait to try it
tricia says
I would love to win
Jade luhrsen says
Love love love your blog! Thank you for all the yummy inspiration! Hope I win 😉
Annette says
What a beautiful cake. I like the use of bay leaves – definitely something I’d never consider on my own. The berries are huge!
Sarah | TheDelicious says
Hi Dori! not entering the contest, but just wanted to say that i LOVE malibu farm! went for the first time last weekend after a hike in the canyons… love malibu, if i could, i’d live there! you’re lucky! xo,sarah
Crystal says
That looks delicious! Thanks for the great giveaway!
Lauren says
This looks like a beautiful book!
Kathy Ludwig says
This cake looks amazing! I would love to win this cookbook!
Fiorina Garcia says
Yum, I need this in my life and this book in my kitchen! Keep up the amazing work!
Dori says
Thank you Florina!
Dori says
Congrats Florina! You won the cookbook!! Please email me your mailing address.