Australian foodie, recipe developer, and stylist Ashley Alexander believes in the power of food, helping bring things or people together into a group.
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coconut, raspberry & strawberry layer cake 🍰🍓🥥 RECIPE copied below👇🏻 this beauty also happens to be dairy, refined sugar & grain-free + SUPER delicious ✨ hope your week's off to a great start! enjoy the recipe x⠀ ⠀ ⠀ INGREDIENTS⠀ ⠀ -Coconut Sponge Cake-⠀ ⠀ 6 large eggs, separated⠀ 1¼ cup pure maple syrup⠀ 1 tsp vanilla (extract, powder or paste)⠀ 150g solid coconut oil, melted & set aside to cool slightly⠀ 1½ cups blanched almond meal⠀ 1½ cups desiccated coconut⠀ ¾ cup buckwheat flour⠀ 1 tsp bicarb soda⠀ 2 tsp baking powder⠀ 2 tsp apple cider vinegar⠀ 1½ cups coconut milk ⠀ ½ tsp flaked sea salt⠀ ⠀ -Filling-⠀ ⠀ 500g thick coconut yoghurt OR thick greek yoghurt OR mascarpone⠀ 1 cup good quality raspberry jam⠀ Fresh strawberries & raspberries for topping⠀ ⠀ ⠀ METHOD⠀ ⠀ -Coconut Sponge Cake-⠀ ⠀ Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.⠀ Grease and line 3 x 20cm round cake tins.⠀ Whisk together the egg yolks and maple until light and fluffy.⠀ Add the vanilla and melted coconut oil, whisk to combine.⠀ Fold in the almond meal, coconut, buckwheat flour, bicarb, baking soda and apple cider vinegar, until just combined.⠀ Add the coconut milk and sea salt and fold together to combine.⠀ Whisk egg whites until stiff and fold through the mixture.⠀ Pour the mixture evenly into the three pre-prepared tins.⠀ Bake for 20 minutes.⠀ Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.⠀ Remove the cakes from the tins and set aside to cool.⠀ ⠀ -To Assemble-⠀ ⠀ Spread the first cake layer with raspberry jam and a few dollops of coconut yoghurt.⠀ Add the next layer of cake and repeat.⠀ Top the cake with another layer of coconut yoghurt and a few dollops of the jam.⠀ Swirl the coconut and jam together and then top with fresh raspberries and strawberries.
A post shared by Ashley Alexander | Recipes (@gatherandfeast) on Sep 14, 2020 at 8:37pm PDT
Her website, Gather and Feast , brings together people and food in a welcoming, all-encompassing, and delicious way. Full of beautiful food and delicious recipes, her platform leaves no cook behind.
A self-taught cook herself, Alexander knows what it takes to turn basic ingredients into a feast. Having spent a lot of her formative years in the kitchen cooking up a storm with her mum, tasting, learning, and experimenting—by the time Alexander was 12, she was already preparing three-course meals for dinner parties.
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😍 hot pink savoury PANCAKES – ready for the weekend ✨🥞 RECIPE below👇🏻 "beetroot buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon, horseradish yoghurt, avocado, red onion, fresh dill & beetroot jam"👌🏻 i've made a stack of smaller pancakes but i usually just serve 1-2 larger with the toppings ☺ these would also taste delicious as blinis & served as a canapé / little snack 🤗 enjoy the recipe! Ash x⠀ ⠀ ⠀ INGREDIENTS⠀ ⠀ Beetroot Buckwheat Pancakes⠀ ⠀ ½ cup milk of your choice⠀ 120g fresh raw beetroot, roughly chopped⠀ 3 large eggs, separated⠀ 1 cup buckwheat flour⠀ 1 tsp baking powder⠀ 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice⠀ ¼ tsp flaked sea salt⠀ ⠀ Toppings⠀ ⠀ Thick greek yoghurt mixed with fresh horseradish (horseradish optional)⠀ Smoked salmon⠀ Red onion, thinly sliced⠀ Avocado, thinly sliced⠀ Fresh dill⠀ Beetroot jam⠀ Freshly cracked black pepper⠀ Extra virgin olive oil⠀ ⠀ ⠀ METHOD⠀ ⠀ In a blender blend the beetroot and milk together until smooth.⠀ Pour into a mixing bowl and add the egg yolks, then whisk to combine.⠀ Add the buckwheat flour, baking powder, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt, then whisk to combine.⠀ Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.⠀ Fold the egg whites into the beetroot batter.⠀ Place a frypan onto medium to high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.⠀ Cook the pancakes until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake.⠀ Flip and cook for a further 15-20 seconds.⠀ Remove from the pan and set aside.⠀ To assemble – top the pancakes with the thick horseradish yoghurt, sliced avocado, smoked salmon, beetroot jam, red onion, fresh dill, some freshly cracked pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
A post shared by Ashley Alexander | Recipes (@gatherandfeast) on Aug 20, 2020 at 7:35pm PDT
“I believe enjoying beautiful food with the people I love is one of life’s simple pleasures,” she writes on her website. “Many of my fondest memories are from around the kitchen table; meaningful moments spent while sharing a meal with others. Whether it’s a quiet night in with friends or an extravagant Christmas lunch celebrating with extended family, these moments are treasured and are almost always centered around food.”
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✨🥭 CHIA PUDDING with mango, blueberries, raspberries, some fresh lime zest, + a little splash of maple 😍 RECIPE copied below👇🏻 this is how i make my coconut chia pudding…⠀ ⠀ INGREDIENTS⠀ ⠀ – 1 cup thick coconut yoghurt⠀ – 2 cups filtered water⠀ – A drop of vanilla (optional)⠀ – 5 tbs chia seeds⠀ ⠀ METHOD⠀ ⠀ 1) In a large jar or medium-sized bowl whisk together the coconut yoghurt and water (along with the vanilla if you are using).⠀ 2) Add the chia seeds and mix well to combine. Place into fridge to set overnight (this will keep in the fridge for about a week).⠀ 3) To serve, add a few spoonfuls into a bowl and top with fresh fruit. I used mango, blueberries, raspberries, some fresh lime zest, and a little splash of maple. Enjoy! #gatherandfeast #reels #chiapudding #foryou #chia #pudding
A post shared by Ashley Alexander | Recipes (@gatherandfeast) on Aug 15, 2020 at 10:13pm PDT
According to Alexander, her love for food has inspired her to try new things and push her cooking skills. But when it comes to her signature dishes, it is ironically one of the easiest to prepare.
“It is simply a large platter of fresh and dried fruit, nuts, dark chocolate and any other fun food items I can find in the pantry, all piled high on a beautiful rustic board,” she notes.
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join me TONIGHT!! 🍝✨ i’ll be cooking this beetroot & thyme spaghetti LIVE on IG – 7PM AEST 🤗 it's a super simple but flavour packed spaghetti with GF + DF options — and no spiralized beets involved, despite what the colour suggests 😁 i've copied the full recipe below + you can also find it on my website (currently linked in my BIO)✌🏻 can't wait x⠀ ⠀ ⠀ IG LIVE – Today!⠀ 07:00 PM – AEST⠀ 10:00 AM – CEST⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 4 cloves fresh garlic⠀ 4 tbs fresh thyme leaves⠀ Pinch chili flakes⠀ 3-4 large fresh beetroot⠀ 2 cups water⠀ 2 tbs balsamic vinegar⠀ 1 tsp honey (optional)⠀ 50g Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan (optional – leave out for a dairy-free/vegan version)⠀ 150g goats cheese (optional – leave out for a dairy-free/vegan version)⠀ ¾ cup walnuts⠀ 1 bunch fresh sage leaves⠀ Extra virgin olive oil⠀ Sea salt flakes (I use 'Maldon')⠀ 500g good quality spaghetti⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Preheat your oven to 180C/350F (fan forced oven).⠀ Peel the beetroot, roughly chop and place onto a paper lined baking tray and bake for roughly 30 minutes.⠀ Remove the beetroot from the oven and set aside to cool.⠀ Add the beetroot to a blender or food processor, then add 2 cups water, the garlic and 2 tbs of the thyme leaves and blend until smooth.⠀ In a large fry pan add 2 tbs olive oil, the walnuts, sage leaves, and ½ tsp of sea salt flakes then cook until the walnuts are golden and the sage is just crispy. ⠀ Remove from the pan, place into a bowl and set aside.⠀ In the same pan (no need to rinse out) add the chili flakes and the remaining 2 tbs thyme leaves and saute for a few seconds until fragrant.⠀ Then add the pureed beetroot mixture, balsamic vinegar, honey, and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano into the pan and stir for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is warmed through and the garlic has mellowed. ⠀ Cook the spaghetti as per packet instructions (you want the pasta to be al dente with a little bite to it). ⠀ Drain the pasta then add to the beetroot mixture and stir well to combine completely coating the spaghetti (this is when the spaghetti turns that beautiful purple colour!!).⠀ Place the spaghetti onto serving plates and top with goats cheese and the walnut and sage mixture.
A post shared by Ashley Alexander | Recipes (@gatherandfeast) on Apr 29, 2020 at 8:28pm PDT
Sounds (and looks) delightful!
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bagel grazing board 🥯🍃🍅🥑 spotlighting this beautiful spread to kick off your week! 😍⠀ ⠀ the perfect entertaining option for breakfast or lunch + easy to assemble! also a fun way for guests to create their own favourite bagel ✨ ⠀ ⠀ i'd have to choose a cinnamon raisin bagel, spread with plain Philly cream cheese -OR- an 'everything' bagel with dill & caper Philly cream cheese, smoked salmon, fresh tomato, red onion, & cracked black pepper👌🏻 the best! ⠀ ⠀ i've copied below the RECIPE for the dill & caper cream cheese + an ingredients list to recreate this delicious bagel platter 🤗 ⠀ ⠀ what's your favourite bagel?! Ash x⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ BAGEL GRAZING BOARD⠀ ⠀ ⠀ INGREDIENTS⠀ ⠀ Bagels – choose your favourite (I’ve used poppyseed, everything, rye, cinnamon raisin).⠀ ⠀ –Plain Cream Cheese–⠀ 250g plain Philly cream cheese tub or block⠀ ⠀ –Dill & Caper Cream Cheese–⠀ 250g plain Philly cream cheese block⠀ 1 1/2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped⠀ 1 tbs capers, finely chopped⠀ ⠀ –Toppings–⠀ Smoked salmon⠀ Hot smoked salmon fillet⠀ Finely sliced red onion⠀ Capers⠀ Sliced fresh tomatoes topped with cracked black pepper, fresh chives, & olive oil⠀ Sliced avocado⠀ Sliced cucumber⠀ Blanched asparagus⠀ Green olives⠀ Soft boiled eggs⠀ Fresh basil⠀ Fresh dill ⠀ Olive oil for drizzling⠀ Fresh lemon & lime halves⠀ Honey⠀ Fresh fruit⠀ ⠀ ⠀ METHOD⠀ ⠀ –Dill & Caper Cream Cheese–⠀ Combine the cream cheese, dill & capers in a bowl and mix well then scoop into a serving bowl.⠀ Enjoy! #gatherandfeast
A post shared by Ashley Alexander | Recipes (@gatherandfeast) on Feb 3, 2020 at 5:26pm PST
